I’m on my way to World Fantasy with my customary delayed flight. According to the flight attendant the weather is “a complete mess” in Minneapolis and it’s the “worst storm since 1974.” They only have one runway open, so this is causing a two-hour delay in departing Portland. Meanwhile, I thought I’d give you my […]
On my way to World Fantasy 2010 + schedule Read More »
Did you ever have to sit on a piece of news that was SO COOL and you wanted to tell everybody, but couldn’t? I knew that the METAtropolis: Cascadia project was working on an all Star Trek cast for the narrators but couldn’t say anything while they got them lined up. And then! Then this
Kate Mulgrew is narrating my story in METAtropolis: Cascadia! Read More »
It’s that time of year again. I’m a wine widow. Sure, other people have to deal with the football season, but for me? It’s harvest. Rob has spent the past week putting in long hours at Westrey Winery — recommended, by the way — and will probably be there for another couple of weeks as
A solitary weekend in the life of a wine widow Read More »
This is pretty cool. The Henson company has been releasing the occasional backstage video. Here we have a screen test from Labyrinth where they are looking at the characters’ relative sizes. One of the nifty things is that Ludo doesn’t have his fur on yet so you can really see the structure of the puppet.
Labyrinth screen test Read More »
Today I went out to Beaverton to teach someone how to be a giant man-eating plant. That’s right, it’s time for Little Shop of Horrors. For those who don’t know me, I’m a little addicted to the show. I’ve performed in seven different productions and trained puppeteers for other productions. I can generate a one-page
My day with the giant man-eating plant. Read More »
You know how sometimes you are researching a story and run across an unexpected thing which totally upsets all your notions? So… I was looking at old Mae West videos for a story and stumbled on… well. Just watch it and forgive me later. That’s from Sextette, based on her play by the same name.
Mae West and Timothy Dalton in a disco duet of “Love Will Keep Us Together” Read More »
Only five days left in the KGB raffle. Five! If you aren’t already familiar with it, the hosts of the Fantastic Fiction at KGB reading series in New York City are holding a raffle to support the series. All proceeds from the raffle will help support the reading series, which has been a bright star
Five days left in the KGB Raffle Read More »
Okay… technically, it’s an automaton and not a robot but still! This animated dulcimer player is called the Joueuse de Tympanon. She was built in 1772 by Pierre Kintzing and David Roentgen for Marie Antoinette. At just eighteen inches tall, she plays eight different songs. She was restored in 1864 by Robert-Houdin and is now
Listen and watch a 238 Year old robot play the dulcimer Read More »
Edited to add: Hurrah! The irate blogsphere has done its work in less than ten hours. The two bogus profiles are down. There are two legitimate pages, which are fan pages about China and that are totally okay. The personal profiles weren’t. Original post below China Miéville has a problem with people impersonating him on Facebook.
China Miéville wants you to know that he does not have a Facebook account. Read More »
Look at this shiny thing! The METAtropolis: Cascasdia anthology will come out in audio on November 16. THE BULL DANCERS by Jay Lake WATER TO WINE by Mary Robinette Kowal BYWAYS by Tobias S. Buckell CONFESSOR by Elizabeth Bear DEODAND by Karl Schroeder A SYMMETRY OF SERPENTS AND DOVES by Ken Scholes As the mid-20th
METAtropolis: Cascadia cover Read More »
Several years ago, I turned my computer into the Kowal Portable Typewriter and Adding Machine, basing the design on some of the typewriters my husband and I collect. When I had to replace that, I was sad and planned on modding my new computer. I got as far as making the stickers and then we
Kowal Portable Typewriter and Adding Machine No. 2 — The Deco Model Read More »
Join in an intense and vital debate upon which rests the fate of the internet! The very fate of humanity hinges on this important issue. A friend just said that he needed to buy a hat while he was here. I started to cite John Helmer Haberdashery downtown, which has a wonderful selection of hats.
Intense and vital debate! Hats vs. caps Read More »
Like so many other people, I’ve been watching the rescue of the Chilean miners. They are all back on the surface now and I am amazed at how well it has gone. If you want to get a real grasp of the undertaking, click over to the BBC’s scale drawing of the shaft. How did
A scale drawing of the Chilean rescue makes my jaw drop. Read More »
This polar bear is so adorable that it’s easy to forget he could rip my head off without thinking. How cute is he? That’s Willie, from the North Carolina zoo. He used to be in a circus under very poor conditions but was rescued and lives at the zoo now. He’s still apparently a bit
Look at this incredibly cute giant predator! Read More »