jon_chaisson | Reading

I joke about the Midwestern Good-Bye, where the phrase, "Well, I guess we better be going," doesn't actually mean you're leaving. It means you still have to work your way through two or three more conversations before you finally walk out the door. This can take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes.

I've noticed that another group of folks do the exact same thing. I suppose we should call it the Customer Service Representative Good-Bye. It goes like this:

ME: Great! That's everything I need. Thanks.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE: You're welcome. Would you say that we have resolved your problem today?

ME: Yes. That's all I need.

CSR: Great! Is there anything else I can help you with?

ME: (wanting to say, "What part of THAT'S ALL I NEED did you misunderstand?"): Nope. That's everything.

CSR: If you would like to take a survey detailing the kind of service you got today, just stay on the line.

ME: No thank you.

CSR: Is there anything else I can help you with today?

ME (wanting to say, "Change the cat box"): Definitely not.

CSR: Okay, well, thank you for calling Beelzebub Life Insurance. I hope you have a good day.

ME: Thank. Bye.

CSR: Don't forget the survey!

ME: Right. Bye!

CSR: Again, thank you for calling Beelzebub Life Insurance. Have a good day.

ME (wanting to say, "How many good days are you going to wish me?"): Thanks. Bye!

(click)

It's gotten so bad that I've taken to shortening the script to this:

ME: Great! That's everything I need. Thanks.

CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE: You're welcome. Would you say that we have resolved your problem today?

ME: Yes. Bye!

(click)

Sheesh.

rachelmanija

A Neanderthal from an alternate universe where Homo Sapiens went extinct and Neanderthals lived into the present day is sucked into our world due to an experiment gone wrong. The book follows his interactions with humans in one storyline, and the repercussions in Neanderthal World in another.

I picked up this book because I like Neanderthals and alternate dimensions that aren't about relatively recent history (ie, not about "What if Nazis won WWII?"). The parts of the book that are actually about Neanderthal World are really fun. It's a genuinely different society, where men and women live separately for the most part, surveillance by implanted computers prevents most crime, mammoths and other large mammals did not go extinct, there are back scratching posts in homes, they wear special eating gloves rather than using utensils or eating barehanded, etc. This was all great.

The problem with this book was everything not directly about Neanderthal society. Bizarrely, this included almost the entire plotline on Neanderthal World, which consisted of a murder investigation and trial of the missing Neanderthal's male partner (what we would call his husband or lover), which was mostly tedious and ensured that we see very little of Neanderthal society. The Neanderthal interactions on our world were fun, but the non-Neanderthal parts were painful. There is a very graphic, on-page stranger rape of the main female character, solely so she can realize that Neanderthal dude is not like human men. There's two sequels, which I will not read.

It got some pretty entertaining reviews:

"☆☆☆☆☆1 out of 5 stars.
No. JUST NO.
I am sorry, but the premise of inherently and innately peaceful cultures with more advanced technology than conflict-driven cultures is patently absurd. Read Alistair Reynolds' Century Rain for an examination of how technological advancement depends on strife: necessity is the mother of invention, and the greatest necessity of all is fighting for survival. I will not be lectured for my male homosapien hubris by a creature that would never have gotten past the late neolithic in technology."

Hominids won a Hugo! Here are the other nominees.

1st place: Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer (Canadian)
2nd place: Kiln People by David Brin (American)
3rd place: Bones of the Earth by Michael Swanwick (American)
4th place: The Scar by China Miéville (British)
5th place: The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson (American)

Amazingly, I have read or attempted to read all of them. My ratings:

1st place: Bones of the Earth by Michael Swanwick (American)
2nd place: The Scar by China Miéville (British).
3rd place: The Years of Rice and Salt by Kim Stanley Robinson (American)
4th place: Hominids by Robert J. Sawyer (Canadian)
5th place: Kiln People by David Brin (American)

If I'd voted, it would be very close between Bones of the Earth and The Scar, both of which I loved. I made a valiant attempt at The Years of Rice and Salt. Like all of KSR's books, I'm sure it's quite good but not for me. I know I read Kiln People but recall literally nothing about it, so I'll give Hominids a place above it for having some nice Neanderthal stuff.

The actual ballot is a complete embarrassment.

rachelmanija

This is one of the most unusual books I've ever read. And if you've been reading my reviews for a while, you know what a strong statement that is. Here's the buries-the-lede back cover:

The town's teenagers are dying. One by one they are mysteriously disappearing but Meggie Alexander refuses to wait in fear. She and her boyfriend Matthew decide to get to the bottom of all the strange goings-on. And they discover a horrible secret.

Now someone is stalking them - but who? There's only one thing that can save Meggie now - the stories a tarantula told her as a baby.

Bet you weren't expecting that, huh?

This was a Scholastic novel from 1988. I'd seen other Thomas novels in that period but never read them, because they all looked like depressing historicals about the black experience - the one I recall seeing specifically was Touched by Fire. I sure never saw this one. I found it in the used children's section of The Last Bookstore in downtown LA.

Any description of this book won't truly convey the experience of reading it, but I'll give it a shot. It starts with a prologue in omniscient POV, largely from the POV of a talking tarantula visiting Meggie soon after she's born, chatting and spinning webs that tell stories to her:

"I get so sick and tired of common folk trying to put their nobody feet on my queenly head. Me? I was present in the first world. Furthermore," the spider boasted, squinting her crooked eyes, "I come from a looooong line of royalty and famous people. Millions of years ago I saw the first rainbow. I ruled as the Egyptian historical arachnid. I'm somebody."

As I transcribe that, it occurs to me that she shares some DNA with The Last Unicorn's butterfly.

The prologue ends when Meggie's mother spots the spider and tries to kill her, believing her daughter is in danger. Chapter one opens when Meggie is fifteen. Briefly, it feels like a YA novel about being black and young in (then)-modern America, and it kind of is that, except for the very heightened writing style, including the dialogue. Thomas is a poet and not trying to write in a naturalistic manner. It's often gorgeous:

She ended [the sermon] with these resounding words falling quiet as small sprinklings of nutmeg whispering into a bowl of whipping cream.

The milieu Meggie lives in is lived-in and sharply and beautifully drawn, skipping from a barbershop where customers complain about women preaching to a quick sketch of a neighborhood woman trying to make her poor house beautiful and not noticing that its real beauty lies in her children to Meggie's exquisitely evoked joy in running. And then Meggie finds the HEADLESS CORPSE of one of her classmates! We check in on a trio of terrible neighbors plotting to do something evil to the town's teenagers! The local spiders are concerned!

This book has the prose one would expect to find in a novel written by a poet about being a black teenager in America, except it's also about headless corpses and spider guardians. It is a trip and a half.

( Read more... )

I am so glad that Thomas wrote this amazingly weird novel, and that someone at the bookshop bought it, and that I just happened to come in while it was on the shelf. It's like Adrian Tchaikovsky collaborated with Angela Johnson and Lois Duncan. There has never been anything like it, and there never will be again. Someone ought to reprint it.

rachelmanija

Zoe Ardelay and her father have lived in exile in a small village since he, a former courtier, had an argument with the king. At the opening of the book, her father has just died of natural causes. Then Darien, the king's advisor, shows up and announces that Zoe has been chosen as the king's fifth wife. Zoe, immersed in the drifting, passive phase of grief, sets out with him for the capital city she hasn't seen since she was a child. The story does not go in any of the expected directions after that, starting with the conveyance they use to get there: a new invention, a gas-powered automobile.

This small-scale fantasy is the first of five "Elemental Blessings" books, but stands alone. It does end up involving the politics and rulership of a country, but it's mostly the story of one woman, how her life changes after her father dies, and the relationships she has with the people she meets. It's got great characters and relationships, focuses on small but meaningful moments in a very pleasing manner, and has outstandingly original worldbuilding. Most of it is not set in court, and involves ordinary poor and middle-class people and settings. The vibe is reminiscent of early Robin McKinley.

Welce, the country it's set in, has two aspects which are crucial to both plot and character, and are interestingly intertwined. They may seem complicated when I explain them, but they're extremely easy to follow and remember in the actual book.

The first aspect is a system of elemental beliefs and magic, similar to a zodiac. The elements are water, air, fire, earth, and wood. Every person in the country is associated with one of those elements, which is linked with personality characteristics, aptitudes, aspects of the human body, and, occasionally, magic. This is all very detailed and cool - for instance, water is associated with blood, wood with bone, and so forth. We've all seen elemental systems before, but Shinn's is exceptionally well-done. The way the elemental system is entwined with everyday life is outstanding.

How do people know which element is theirs? Here's where we get to the second system, which I have never come across before. Temples, which are not dedicated to Gods but to the five elements, have barrels of blessings - coins marked with symbols representing blessings like intelligence, change, courage, joy, and so forth. Each blessing is associated with an element. People randomly pull coins for both very important and small occasions, to get a hint of what way they should take or, upon the birth of a child, to get three blessings that the child will keep for life. The blessings a child gets may or may not show their element - if they don't, it becomes clear over time based on personality.

The blessings are clearly genuinely magical and real, but often in subtle ways. I loved the blessings and the way they work into the story is incredibly cool. Same with the elements. Zoe's element is water, and her entire plot has a meandering quality which actually does feel like a water-plot, based on the qualities ascribed to water in the book.

I would recommend this to anyone who likes small-scale, character-based fantasy AND to anyone who likes cool magic systems or worldbuilding. It's not quite a cozy fantasy but it has a lot of cozy aspects. I can see myself re-reading this often.

There are five books, one for each element. I've since read the second book, Royal Airs. It's charming and enjoyable (and involves primitive airplanes, always a bonus) but doesn't quite have the same lightning in a bottle quality of Troubled Waters.

lydamorehouse

Bee at the Minnesota Historical Society's pollenator garden, yesterday

My whole household was up this morning at 3:30 am to see Jas off to the airport. Even my notorious late-sleeper, Mason, got up to come along on the ride to the airport.

We are all going to miss Jas. Jas won my heart over not only because Mason is so clearly in love with them, but also because they cooked at least two evening meals for us! And, convinced Mason to do the dishes afterwards! Independent of each other both Shawn and I very much implied to Jas that not only were they welcome back any time, they were welcome to STAY!!

We did manage to pack them back with some gifts so hopefully we aren't failing this whole gift-giving ritual thing.

They will be missed! But, Mason is already making plans to go to them next (Oklahoma City in Oklahoma--a place he's been once already, but about which I know almost nothing.) We joked that we'd have to try to host Jas in the winter, so they could see Minnesota at its worst.

The news continues to be horrific. I guess I knew that the National Guard being called out on citizens for being Black was probably not that far behind the concentration camps for Brown folks, but JFC. I'm supposed to be traveling to the DC area in mid-September for Capclave and I have no idea what will be waiting for me there. Like, WTF. To be crystal clear--not that I fear for myself, because the last time I was in DC I walked through the area that the tour guide book suggested was unsafe with my then twelve year old son and we had a great time, the only thing I exposed him to was some poverty not unlike the neighborhood we live in back here in the Twin Cities. People were super friendly and helpful when we were lost. DC is very Black? This is, last time I checked, not a crime or indicative of criminal behavior. Maybe a person might feel safer in DC if, I dunno, they weren't racist.

So, yeah, here's a cool picture of a grasshopper (under the cut for the bugphobic)...

( WARNING: Bugs! )

lydamorehouse

A bumblebee in the center of a bright yellow flower, a classic shot.

So, what's news, you ask? Or maybe you don't, but I'm going to tell you anyway. Just because I can.

A lot of my writer-type and fan friends are headed off to Worldcon in Seattle. As I have noted before, I am not on any programming this year, though I am attending viturally. At some point here, I'll probably host a virtual hangout or two, just because I can and it is probably the only way that I'm going to feel at all involved in this convention. The only good news is that Naomi Kritizer tends to win the Hugo at the cons I'm in "attendence" at, even when that attendence is only virtual. So, (knocking on wood for her) that will happen.

My day started out kind of supidly. I got a response from one of the attendees about programming interest from this year's Gaylaxicon and so I went into the document to make sure to add names, etc., etc. My keyboard, which is wireless (and battery operated,) started flaking out. It erased entire lines from the programming descriptions (thank all the gods for control-z!) and added rows of llllllllllllllllllllllll or whatever other letter I was attempting to type. I had already been having the thought, "I wonder how I'll know when my keyboard needs a new battery?" so I sussed out pretty quickly that the problem was, in fact, dying keyboard batteries. What followed was a lot of stupid, mostly of the variety of what IT folks used to cal ID10T or Problem Exists Between Computer and Chair.

I tried a number of AAA batteries that we had around the house and none of them seem to work. To be fair to me, it was clear that in our usual battery bag (in that one drawer, you know the one--every house has that one drawer, I swear,) one of the batteries had exploded. So, when I tried them in my keyboard and they didn't work, it wasn't necessarily that stupid of me to assume that the problem might be the batteries rather than my ability to follow illustrated directions. It was just mildly stupid. Luckily, we already had a real need to get some Draino from Menards since our bathroom tub has been draining very slowly, so I made it a twofer and picked up some always-useful dishsoap while I was at it.

But then, when the brandnew batteries didn't work, I knew the problem was NOT the batteries. Did I not have the little toggle pushed in all the way? Did I need to reboot?

Please note what I have not yet considered: could it be that I have put the batteries in the wrong direction?

It took far too long for me to figure out that, indeed, perhaps the most obvious thing to do was to flip the batteries and see if that solved the problem. Now, again to be fair to me, I think that I was really convinced I knew which way the positive terminal had been facing when I pulled the batteries out, but it took me FAR TOO long to finally get a pair of reading glasses and a flashlight and shine it into the battery compartment to read the damn "positive goes here" pictogram.

JFC.

Monday? Do you have to be so damn Monday?!

Monday: "I am this way just because I can!" *evil cackle!!*

In other news, today is Jas's last day with us. They are leaving tomorrow at the ungodly hour of 5:30 am. I mean, it is true that 5:30 am, is normally when our alarm goes off, but it feels ungodly to have to be leaving the house by that time. The kids have gone off to Como Conservatory today for their last day out on the town, which prompted me to remember to buy tickets for this year's Obon ceremony. As discussed before, Obon is celebrated very differently in America (and throughout the Japanese diaspora) than it is in Japan, where it is more like the Mexican Day of the Dead. Here (and in Britian and Brazil, which, is home to the largest Japanese population outside of Japan,) Obon tends to be celebrated as a cultural festival. Not that I'm complaining! I have enjoyed the heck out of Como Conservatory's Obon every year that I've remembered to go!

It's been weird, however, to not have the car? It's been great for Mason and Jas to be able to take off and do whatever they like for however long they like, but, inevitably, I'll be at home and I think, "Ah, yes! I could do that one errand while everyone is out!" and yeah, no, I can't--because whatever it is, isn't really the "just take the bus" kind of errand, like groceries. People obviously do do grocery runs by bus, but hauling a bunch of bags that far isn't fun for anyone. So, yeah.

I think that's everything I know for now. How's by you?

stevenpiziks

So I'm reading this YA novel about some teens who are hunting a ghost. The book is clearly supposed to be eerie and spooky. The ghost in question is evil and malicious. The problem is, the ghost, an old woman, keeps fading in and offering people cookies.

Yeah, you read that right. The spooky, evil spirit shows up with a plate piled high and says, "Cookies!" And everyone yells in fright and runs away.

It's unintentionally funny. I wonder what on earth the author was thinking. Cookies are about the least scary thing a ghost could offer you. Even the word "cookies" sounds cute. It keeps yanking me out of the story. We don't know yet why the evil ghost offers cookies, but I have the feeling the cookies were involved in someone's death. How horrifying. Except ... COOKIES!

rachelmanija

A middle-grade graphic novel about a boba shop with a secret.

Aria comes to stay with her grandmother in San Francisco for the summer to escape a bad social situation. Her grandmother owns a boba shop that doesn't seem too popular, and Aria throws herself into making it more so - most successfully when Grandma's cat Bao has eight kittens, and Aria advertises it as a kitten cafe. But why is Grandma so adamant about never letting Aria set foot in the kitchen, and kicking out the customers at 6:00 on the dot? Why do the prairie dogs in the backyard seem so smart?

This graphic novel has absolutely adorable illustrations. The story isn't as strong. The first half is mostly a realistic, gentle, cozy slice of life. The second half is a fantasy adventure with light horror aspects. Even though the latter is throughly foreshadowed in the former, it still feels kind of like two books jammed together.

My larger issue was with tone and content that also felt jammed together. The book is somewhat didactic - which is fine, especially in a middle-grade book - but I feel like if the book is teaching lessons, it should teach them consistently and appropriately. The lessons in this book were a bit off or inconsistent, creating an uncanny valley feeling.

Spoilers! ( Read more... )

Fantastic art, kind of odd story.

lydamorehouse

Something other than a bumblebee for once!

Image: Another upside down bee, this time one that isn't a bumblebee!

Weird thing I am noticing. Bumblees give no craps if a phone camera is hovering over them. They're also slow moving, generally? I even had one curious bumblebee just latch on to my finger and inspect the camera for itself. Honey and other bees? Camera shy! It's much harder to get a picture of them!! So, here is, shockingly, a bee that is not a bumblebee.

Let's see, what's new with me?

Jas and Mason are continuing their whirlwind exploration of the Twin Cities. Yesterday was the "must see" of Minnehaha Falls, with the requiste lunch at Sea Salt. Mason apparently tried fried oysters for the first time, thanks to Jas. The two of them also did the whole walk all the way to the Mississippi River, since I mean, you're nearly there, so why not? Over dinner at Bole (an Ethiopian place here in St. Paul), Jas said that they had never actually seen sandstone in the wild before, as it were, and found it deeply fascinating. This is the sort of thing that I love hearing about because, having grown up surrounded by sandstone bluffs, I forget how uncommon sandstone might be to someone from another biome.

We took Jas to Bole because, while they have heard of Ethiopia restaurants, they have not been because berbere spices are a migraine trigger fro their mother. So, we were able to provide a guilt-free experience, which I think they quite enjoyed. We ended up sitting outside in the patio, despite the mugginess and threat of rain. It's always so much fun to show off the cool stuff in the city, you know? Our food (and our immigrants, damn it!) is always some of the very best parts of it all.

Since I believe I reported about this earlier, I thought I'd also give an update on Rhubarb's inappropriate urination issues? If you don't want to read about cat pee problems (and who would blame you!?), I will put it under the cut.

( Cat bathroom issues, solutions, and theories.... )

tl:dr we're still working on it? I have faith we'll get her fixed without having to restort to drugs.

That's all the news that's fit to print, plus some that had to appear under the cut.

lydamorehouse

Today's bee, captured in flight.

16;9, y'all. It's just landscape instead of portrait. MAN, I feel dumb. But, I don't feel as though any of my previous bee photos are wasted. I can also submit photos to the New York Times Spelling Bee that are square. So, I should be able to do some editing and send them again! (They are gonna love me, there. OTHO, I'm sure they get a lot of dummies like me!)

I found a resource rich (as in chock full of bees) area that is part of my daily routine. The Minnesota Historical Society! They have a huge pollenator garden on their hillside and yesterday it was literally buzzing with activity.

Meanwhile, Jas has proved themselves to be an excellent house guest. Their family recently had to trip to Japan (and Taiwan, where Jas has a grandmother,) and they brought us lots of absolutely PERFECT gifts. Shawn loves konpeitou--the Japanese hard candy that looks like little sandburs. Not only did Jas bring a package of the actual sweets for her, but ALSO earrings that are in the shape of konpeitou! This is especially wonderful because Shawn (who has otherwise very little interest in all of my Japanese stuff) likes the idea of saying "Ganbetta" (do your best!) but can never remember it, so often tells me, "Konpeitou!" when she means to wish me good luck. So konpeitou has been our silly way of wishing each other good luck.

For me, Jas brought some fun washi tape and post-it notes. Again, perfect for me, if you know my love of letter writing, etc.

Then, apparently, their mother also just sent along a whole bunch of odds and ends as gifts, too. We're going to have to step up our game? I have not participated in this competative gift giving thing before. Is it a Southern thing? (Jas's folks live in Oklahoma.) I ask because Mason's other friend Gray, also has parents who send Mason home with odd gifts (they're in Missouri.) Thoughts, any Southern State living friends of mine?

Today, I am planning on letting them have the car to do with as they like. Mason loves Saint Paul (and Minneapolis) and delights in showing off all the cool features found therein. I know they are planning on seeing Minnehaha Falls because that is a tourist MUST (and also Mason loves eating at Sea Salt.) Yesterday, they walked to the Creamery formerly known as Izzy's now... somthing else, which I have forgotten. So, Jas is getting the full tour!

I shall end with a slightly different bug. If anyone on my list of friends is bug-averse, please let me know and I will put these photos under the cut!

grasshopper on lily

Image: grasshopper on bright red lily (in Grantsville, WI. We stopped at an old-fashioned rootbeer stand type place that had these amazing flowers and I spotted this little fellow.)

jon_chaisson

I have been SO exhausted lately, and I'm not sure if it's allergies and the change in the weather (SF is suddenly experiencing warmth and sun for the first time in ages) or that I've just been spreading myself far too thin lately at work. A bit of both, perhaps. I won't bother you with the details, just that I left early today as I was pretty much running on fumes. Thankfully I have tomorrow off so I will spend the day chilling. [I have my two bookkeeper opens Friday and Saturday, but those don't tire me out even though I wake up early...I'm too busy sitting at a computer processing things!] I have no other plans except heading over to PetSmart to pick up some litter and check out a replacement cat tree for the older one that's falling apart. Oh, that and continue doing a bit of writing work!

Meanwhile, Outside Lands is this weekend, so I've a feeling there will be all sorts of nonsense going on. The volume at the Day Job wasn't too bad last year, as it was mostly people buying stuff for home partying or pre-show get togethers, but we shall see. I'm more concerned about some idiot parking in front of my garage door (which we will gladly have towed at the owner's expense) blocking me in or out. The sound might be a bit louder I think, considering the performers that will be there, but we shall see. Thankfully they still stick to the 10pm shutdown, and that's right about the time we finally turn out the lights.

Current Mood: tired
Current Location: New Digs

lydamorehouse

Bumblebee hanging off Joe Pye Weed in my front yard.

It's Wednesday!

My quest to crack the New York Times Spelling Bee picture selection continues. Today's entry might be a little blurry, but I just loved how I managed to get a shot of the bee hanging upside down like that. I got a few others today, which I will pepper the NYTimes with over the next few days. I've been trying to not be a pest myself and have been limiting myself to a single entry a day. I THINK I have these pictures sized correctly at 9:16, but maybe not? My phone actually has a setting for 9:16, but they might actually want 16:9?? Which, I'm not sure how to do, so maybe I am sending these all into the void. I guess we'll see.

I have just sent Mason and Jas off to find something for Jas to eat. Jas arranged a surprise visit with Shawn and I some months ago, and today was the big "SURPRISE!" Mason nearly cried he was so pleased and happy to see them walk in the door!

OF COURSE, the surprise was almost ruined today. Just after I had gotten a text from Jas that they had landed, Mason started nudging me about going out practice driving. I had to make up a lie on the spot and I ended up saying, "Uh, I would be happy to do that in a bit, but I'm... uh, waiting for a package. Which I... might have to go pick up?" I thought he'd figure out for sure, but this apparently fooled Mason enough that I later found out from Jas that Mason was texting them saying, "My ima is being very weird about a surprise package for me? I don't understand what's going on, but I guess I'll find out."

Sure enough!

By chance an actual package that I had been waiting for came to our doorstep and so, I picked that up, I walked in holding it, and said, "Yep, I picked up my special delivery." He looked up just in time to see Jas trail in behind me.

If Mason could be the epitome of "..." he was at that moment. It went:

...

"WHAT."

Then, "OH MY GOD. WHAT?"

This could not have worked out better.

I might have gotten a little misty-eyed, too. I ran off to the post office before I embarassed myself and also to give Mason some room to give Jas the house tour without me awkwardly trailing behind.

As for the rest of my life, let's see. I haven't read much of anything at all this week, but I did finish watching The Apothecary's Diaries which I'm weirdly happy to find out has a third season in the works. I don't know why I say weirdly? Maybe because I'm both rooting for and not rooting for the romance? I'd kind of like Mao Mao to get to be happily ace ever after, but I also kind of like the Prince/Eunuch? Anyway, then I started up Rent-a-Girlfriend because why not, I guess. If any anime fans have a better recommendation for something to follow up The Apothecary's Dairies, please feel free to drop it into the comments!

I'll have some thoughts on my Thirsty Sword Lesbians game yesterday night in a bit, but right now I think I'm going to bask in the warm glow of "Jas is here and my son couldn't be more happy!"

rachelmanija

The Haddesley family has an ancient tradition: when the patriarch dies, the oldest son summons a wife from the bog. Now living in Appalachia, the current patriarch is dying and a new bog wife must be summoned soon, but their covenant with the bog may be going wrong: one daughter fled years ago to live in the modern world, the last bog wife vanished under mysterious circumstances, the bog is drying up, and something very bad has happened to the oldest son...

Isn't that an amazing premise? The actual book absolutely lives up to it, but not in the way that I expected.

It was marketed as horror, and was the inaugural book of the Paper & Clay horror book club. But my very first question to the club was "Do you think this book is horror?"

The club's consensus was no, or not exactly; it definitely has strong folk horror elements, but overall we found it hard to categorize by genre. I am currently cross-shelving it in literary fiction. We all loved it though, and it was a great book to discuss in a book club; very thought-provoking.

One of the aspects I enjoyed was how unpredictable it was. The plot both did and didn't go in directions I expected, partly because the pacing was also unpredictable: events didn't happen at the pace or in the order I expected from the premise. If the book sounds interesting to you, I recommend not spoiling yourself.

The family is a basically a small family cult, living in depressing squalor under the rule of the patriarch. It's basically anti-cottagecore, where being close to nature in modern America may mean deluding yourself that you're living an ancient tradition of natural life where you're not even close to being self-sustaining, but also missing all the advantages of modern life like medical treatment and hot water. I found all this incredibly relatable and validating, as I grew up in similar circumstances though with the reason of religion rather than an ancient covenant with the bog.

The family has been psychologically twisted by their circumstances, so they're all pretty weird and also don't get along. I didn't like them for large stretches, but I did care a lot about them all by the end, and was very invested in their fates. (Except the patriarch. He can go fuck himself.)

It's beautifully written, incredibly atmospheric, and very well-characterized. The atmosphere is very oppressive and claustrophobic, but if you're up for the journey, it will take you somewhere very worthwhile. The book club discussion of the ending was completely split on its emotional implications (not on the actual events, those are clear): we were equally divided between thinking it was mostly hopeful/uplifing with bittersweet elements, mostly sad with some hopeful elements, and perfectly bittersweet.

SPOILERS!

( Read more... )

lydamorehouse

Fancy shadowy shot of a bee on fleasbane

Image: Artsy shadowy shot of a bee on a fleasbane blossom

I think I will try this one on the New York Times. It's awfully artsy. I'm not sure how the New Yorkers could resist something this fancy! Even though, I'm pretty sure that the shadow was caused by my own body. But, they don't need to know just how amateur I am.

Yesterday was our last day up at our friends' cabin. As I've noted, they have a rewilded and naturalized their shoreline. What I may never have mentioned is that maintaining native plantings is constant work. One of the things I like to do for Gerriann is pull whatever non-natives they identify for me. This work is not required. Our friends are extremely generous and would have us up to the cabin even if all we did was laze around in the sun and swim in the lake. We've been friends for decades. Mason doesn't know what summer is without a trip to visit Ger & Barb's cabin.

But this year I had some fun because Ger identified TWO new plants for me to pull. Mostly, what I'm pulling are trees that are trying to establish themselves in this nice sunny spot on the shore. Some of them are even native trees, but when you do this sort of thing--rewild or naturalize--You do sort of have to decide what kind of look you want and Ger wants sun and sedges and a kind of open prairie (only with lake plants) look. At any rate, I am sore but happy today having dug up a bunch of offending trees!

Even though the wind was cold yesterday, I also spent a huge amount of time in the actual lake. At one point it was just me and the loon. Lovely.

Here's all of us!

the Siren crew (Geriann, Barb, Mason, Shawn and me)

the Siren crew (Geriann, Barb, Mason, Shawn and me)

Image: Geriann (center), right front (me), right back (Barb), center back (Mason), and left (Shawn)

jon_chaisson

I'm kind of in an interstitial space right now creatively, I think. I've mentioned before that I've stopped performing a lot of the habits I'd had over the last several years in Spare Oom -- the whiteboard schedule, the logging of the word count, writing at 750Words, and so on. The main reason I stopped is that I wanted a fresh start here at the New Digs. For the most part it's been a positive choice as I haven't felt the stress of not hitting scheduled goals. It's helped me focus on current projects with more clarity.

Not that I'm complaining, however. I like being here at this time, because it means that I'm breaking away from old habits and yet to forge new ones. I'm allowing myself to try new things and approach current projects in a slightly different way. Perhaps this is why I'm also allowing myself to indulge in a wave of comic reading on Hoopla these last several weeks...I get to try something new, see what inspires me.

I suppose if this stage is anything like the one I had during the Belfry Years, this will (hopefully) mean that a lot of positive creativity will come out of it.

Current Mood: contemplative
Current Location: New Digs

stevenpiziks

I'm home from the hospital again!

What was it this time? A prostatic artery embolism, or PAE. The word "embolism" sounds bad, I know, but here it's a good thing, so you can restart your heart. :)

If you want the long definition of PAE, it's easy to find on Google. The short version is that it's a way to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (growth of the prostate that often interferes with bathroom function). During a PAE, the doctor inserts a series of silicone beads into the arteries that feed parts of the prostate. This restricts blood flow and shrinks the prostate, easing or ending the bathroom problems. The procedure is performed with a catheter inserted through the upper thigh, like catheters cardiologists use for balloon angioplasty in the heart.

For a wonder, the procedure went great, both physically and emotionally. I was so relieved at how it went that I was shaky afterward. I stayed awake during the procedure—no anesthesia, no anterograde amnesia—and the entire team from the nurses to the PAs to the doctor was solicitous, empathetic, and always kindly aware of my particular needs and fears. They made every possible accommodation cheerfully, with an "Of course! We're happy to help" attitude. This is the exact opposite of what I generally experienced in the urology clinic, and I can't describe how wonderful that contrast was.

Here's the super-long, gory details version. I'm posting this because I process emotional events by writing about them and because I want to remember. I'm putting it behind a jump-cut so you can skip and jump to the final outcome it if you like.

( Read more... )Here's the final outcome:

I'm glad beyond glad that I refused Versed and stayed awake throughout the procedure. More than once, I waffled on this, and came very close to saying, "Fuck it—just take the Versed." But in the end, I decided a little boredom was better than post-amnesia anxiety. I know what happened during every moment. I know what the doctor did, what the nurses did, and what the students did. I saw that the entire staff was solicitous and worried about me being comfortable and anxiety-free instead of just pretending to be until I was knocked out and reverting to snarky, "he's a bag of meat" behavior. I know that this staff was kind and nice, and it made a total difference. This procedure went a thousand times better than any I've ever had, and I really needed that. I didn't realize how much I needed it until I got home and thought back on it. I actually started to tear up a little over it, the relief was so profound.

So what about the recording? I didn't give it to Darwin. I just put the recorder in its box in my desk drawer. I'm not going to listen to it. I don't need to—I know what happened. Does this mean I won't use it next time? I still don't know. But I do know that I'll be asking to stay away with fentanyl instead of forgetting with Versed.

lydamorehouse

A bee looking directly at the camera

I like this shot a lot, but it's unfortunately a little too blurry for the New York Times. So, here it is for you, my bee loving friends.

Yesterday was our first full day up at our friends' cabin in Siren, Wisconsin. Mason and I went driving on the highway up here. Not 35 E -- no offense to Mason, but that highway is scary even to me, a seasoned driver. Instead, we went on these littler one and two lane highways. He did really well, all things considered. He's still a very timid driver, but obviously practice is the key to gaining confidence.

Ger and Barb took me to Siren's Farmer's market which reminded me very much of the one

naomikritzer and I used to go to regularly, right down to the random musician in the middle of it all. I ended up picking up a couple of fun jams--an onion and garlic jam, which I tried out on sandwiches and really enjoyed. The other one was a mango, peach, and jalapeno one that I THOUGHT Shawn might try, but she won't even taste it. Ah well. Mason and I will use up that one.

I also bought some fun scented soaps. This is one thing that I'm a sucker for--I ADORE handmade soaps of almost any variety, but especially if they have fun essential oils in them.

From there we checked out the Trunk and Trash, which was basically an old-fashioned flea market. I'd been hoping for a swap meet, but those usually require a corresponding car show, since a lot of what is "swapped" are various car components. The flea market was largely as advertised--trash, but it was still fun to see what people had out, sort of like just getting to go to a bunch of rummage sales all at once. I did actually pick something up. One person had a bunch of beading related things for sale, including a watch kit. I have no intention of making the watch they have beads for, but Shawn and I briefly got into beading and so have a bunch of fun (and goddess themed) beads around. I thought I might try using the kit to design my own beaded watch. Even if I don't, the whole thing cost me a dollar. So, it's not a huge waste.

The exciting nature thing that happened was that yesterday morning we saw a FOX. It just came dashing through Gerriann's natural shoreline. We were sitting outside and, ONCE AGAIN, my brain said, "Cat!" No, dog, then finally, "OMG, the fox!" We knew one was around because one of the angler who came by in a boat on Friday night said that he'd seen one along the shoreline. Sure enough! This was by FAR the closest I've been to a fox. I've seen them now and again, but usually from a car and at some distance.

Shawn, who has never seen a fox in her life, missed seeing this one by about five seconds. She'd just gone to the garbage (which Ger and Barb have to keep locked up in the garage because there have also been bears--a mama and three cubs!--sighted recently, and they've had their garbage cans mauled). We have, thankfully, not seen the bears while we were outside.

Otherwise, I've been taking a LOT of bee pictures for the New York Times (which they will never use, but I don't care.) And, for Gerriann, who is always interested to see what her naturalized shoreline attracts, pictures of butterflies. It's been SO LOVELY.

fancy butterfly

marthawells

Woke up to a fantastic review of Queen Demon in the August Locus. Here's an excerpt:

This is a fantastic novel, set in a fascinating world with truly compelling characters. It is shot through with grief, with the reverberations of destruction and the aftermaths of trauma: While the past timeline gives us emotional focus on the characters’ griefs, immediate traumas, and desperate choices, the present makes plain the extent of the Hierarchs’ destruction of the rest of the world, the scars in the landscape, in societies, in the vanishing of entire cultures. New societies have built themselves out of the ruins, in the shadow of what was lost and in its absences. While we see it particularly from Kai’s perspective, understanding his losses and his wounds, his scars and his griefs, and what healing has been possible for him between the past and the present, it’s not unique to Kai, either. Loss with all its jagged edges looms over this fragile recovery. These scars wear not only upon the main characters but upon their allies and opponents, too: Trauma, both personal and generational, is a strongly motivating factor and a weight that influences most of the personal relationships and many of the political interactions that we see.
-- Liz Bourke, Locus August 2025

Queen Demon is the sequel to Witch King, and it will be out in ebook, hardcover, and audiobook (narrated by Eric Mok, on October 7

lydamorehouse

Image: a bumble bee on a purple echinaca/coneflower

My wife and I play the New York Times Spelling Bee game together every morning as part of waking up. I recently discovered that they have a way for anyone to submit photos of bees, which they use as lead pictures for their hints page. I have started obsessively trying to get good pictures of bees to see if one of mine might make the cut. There's no pay. You do get a byline as a kind of a thank you, and, since, I'm not actually aiming for a job as a photographer "for the exposure" is actually plenty of payment for me. I'm kind of in it, actually, for the bragging rights.

They probably get a million of these a day. And, they will likely never pick any of mine.

NONE of this diminishes my enjoyment and obsessiveness.

Check out this picture of a TINY-ASS bee in flight.

very smol bee in flight

Image: find the tiny bee. Be impressed!

Anyway, this is what I am doing to keep myself sane during these trying times. How about you?

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jon_chaisson

August 2025

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Friends and Allies

Listening...

Reading

The CSR Good-Bye

Hominids, by Robert Sawyer

The Journey, by Joyce Carol Thomas

Troubled Waters, by Sharon Shinn

Just on a Roll, so Bear with Me (or Bee with Me, as it Happens)

Bee-cause I Can

Ghosts and Cookies

Super Boba Cafe # 1, by Nidhi Chanani

Bee Happy?

Bees, More Bees (Also, D'uh)

How is it midweek already?

Upside Down Bee on a Wednesday!

The Bog Wife, by Kay Chronister

Artsy Fartsy

somewhere in between

The PAE

Here's looking at you, Kid..

Queen Demon review

New Obsession

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August 2025

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