probably today is not that day

Those of you who keep an eye on my last.fm profile might have noticed (probably with alarm) that my latest iPod scrobble resulted in no less than 4 pages worth of Decemberists songs being added to my list of recently listened tracks.

That's a whole lot of Decemberists, and it's because the current short story is demanding it. The current short story wants all Decemberists — preferably the ones involving murder or suicide or death (which, actually, doesn't narrow the list overly much) — all day.1

The current short story, I might add, has already passed the 11,000 word mark and therefore has no right to be called a short story, particularly since it shows no signs of wrapping up yet.

One day I will learn how to write to a word limit without overshooting it by at least 175%.

  1. Dear Decemberists: thank you for writing songs which can withstand such a punishing listening routine. Although I won't claim I'm not being driven slightly — just slightly, you understand — insane by all that concentrated mayhem. Or it could be the story being born. You just never know. [↩]

Call Me, Call Me (The Seatbelts — Cowboy Bebop)

2 March 2010 @ 20:20 |

the zombie apocalypse: i'm ready

Yesterday involving some good news,1 last night required celebrating. Which is how I ended up at one of my favourite locals, a grungy pub with a grandiose name in direct contrast with the ubiquitous portraits of Arab sheiks and its decidedly less than grandiose couches and crazy wallpaper and praying mantis mural.

So, naturally, because I was with speculative fiction writers, and we like to discuss the important issues, the topic of zombies came up. LOTS.

And who cares whether it's already a meme2, it is now.

The question is this: Zombie Apocalypse. You choose: Location. Weapon. Soundtrack.

Karen gobsmacked me with the promptness of her answer (clearly, she's considered this issue in some detail before now) and I very nearly pulled my normal stunt when put on the spot, which is to blush, and stammer, while my brain does a flawless impression of a sponge. Luckily, alcohol, while it does kill brain cells, seems to concentrate on killing the shy ones first, so I managed to sidestep my normal reaction and, even better, summon up an actual answer. Which I shall share with you all, because it amused me, although I do reserve the right to change my answer repeatedly and at any point.3

In short:

  • Location: South Yarra
  • Weapon: A machete or two
  • Soundtrack: Mad World (the Gary Jules cover)

Location is easy: I'm always at work, so it's got to be South Yarra. I'm picturing one of those trendy chic upmarket roof gardens or courtyards, full of ambience and dripping with money I don't own and can't seem to find, and full of people who (if they weren't zombies, obviously) look glam and fab and corporate. Because this is up to me, however, I will look better in my knee-high boots than they ever did even when they were actually alive and not covered in blood, gore, and the brain tissue of their (and probably my) work colleagues.

Zombies, zombies, squished and jostling every inch of this placid courtyard. I'll be on that little balcony off to the right, leaping into their squirming, reaching mass. In slow-motion. Naturally.

The weapon I gave less thought to, admittedly. I'm not entirely sure where I'm going to get usable blades, because at work we don't even have knives sharp enough to cut cake. But I just feel that long blades are going to look awesome with my wardrobe, which, as I might have mentioned, is going to be corporate and hawt. And not a little bit schoolgirl anime, because obviously I'm vicariously reliving my adolescence in this scenario.4

I will probably have my hair back, for practicality's sake. And I will be wearing knee-high boots, not knee-high socks. And, um, I'm not actually a brunette. (Oh, and also? Those three in the background look far too surly. They're probably already zombie-food by this point.)

And as for the soundtrack, well, there's not much to say on this one other than: HECK YEAH I'M GOING EMO ON THE SCORE. This is South Yarra, with corporate zombies, and I'm going down in slow-motion glory. I can think of no better soundtrack to underscore this poignant moment.

  1. In my case, it was dayjob related, so I won't bore you with too many details, but suffice to say the past 2 and a half months has been an examination period, wherein every single report I wrote had to be handed in to be scrutinised by no less than 3 people. Who each gave me a mark. And then all those marks added up. And in order to pass the exam, I had to score a minimum of 95% — which, yes, is INSANE, and possibly is reason aplenty for explaining my strange and frazzled state of late… The good news being that I passed, I passed, frabjous day take that, voice in my head that taunted me with thoughts of inadequacy! [↩]
  2. Seriously, if it's not already a meme, I'd be surprised — but I'm too lazy to google because I've been awake since 5:30am for no reason whatsoever except my circadian rhythms apparently possessing some kind of ninja-competency doctorate in cruelty. DAMN YOU, BIORHYTHMS. DAMN YOU. [↩]
  3. It's a zombie apocalypse! I can't be tied down! I need to be free! And organised! And have backup plans! [↩]
  4. I am including this picture because it ticks the corporate, hawt, and schoolgirl boxes — but mostly because this picture did actually come up when I searched for zombie apocalypse corporate wear. I do not really see why, but I heartily approve. [↩]

Untouchable Face (Ani DiFranco — Dilate)

6 February 2010 @ 6:53 | 4 Comments

the atlantic is not a damn girl

Let it be known that live music is good for the soul.

Now, I'll grant you that seeing Eddy Current Suppression Ring and Tex Perkins in the space of two nights, one of said nights being a school night no less, may have been more than my bio-rhythms were prepared to cope with, and I would have far preferred to get more than 9 hours sleep in the last 57, but…eh. It was worth it. I REGRET NOTHING.

Of course, as a consequence, today has so far been spent playing catch-up on the chores. And, er, lolling upon the couch. Which is how I intend to pass the rest of the afternoon. Although, in the interests of being a somewhat productive member of society, said lolling will be accompanied by words on the faerie novel, and edits on "Shaping Lily". At some point.

Honest.

22 August 2009 @ 15:42 |

don't leave your lies outside

I have no food in the house, and no clothes ironed ready for the dayjob tomorrow — but I have vanquished the civilisation which slyly staged a coup over my kitchen sink in my absence, and surely that counts for something.

I have also spent the majority of my evening noodling through Helen Austin's youtube channel — which is a most pleasant way to spend an evening. Highly recommended. She first came to my attention when a friend sent me a link to her Childbirth Song, which happens to be both amusing and set to the tune of one of my favouritest songs ever, The Pogues' Fairytale of New York. But tonight I explored her non-comedic work, and I'm hard pressed to pick a favourite.

I foresee a CD purchase (or three) in my immediate future.

The Message In Your Eyes (Helen Austin)

29 June 2009 @ 21:31 | 1 Comment

it's good to be king a slow loris

Today, I give you links that appeared back to back in my feed reader.

  1. May It Please The Court (link courtesy Leigh Dragoon)
  2. A rendition of "Stand By Me" by an international ensemble cast of street musicians:

    (link courtesy Ellen Datlow)

    (This video was so awesome I immediately looked up their other songs released through the Song Around The World project, and then promptly pre-ordered the CD from amazon.)

  3. And, finally, a slow loris being tickled:

    (link courtesy Ellen Datlow)

Dorval (Julia Kent — Delay)

25 April 2009 @ 10:39 |

we are people people

The past couple of days have been full of necessary, but non-writing, errands. No fun, no fair. I did do a couple of interviews, which I'll be sure to link to if and when they appear online.

In far more fun news, I very belatedly bring to your attention the new People People song, now with animated video:

Evan, one of the members of The People People, was a classmate of mine at Clarion South. It's a great tune, and if you want to hear more of their work you can check out their myspace page. I particularly recommend "Banish Me", which has been a favourite since I first heard it.

23 January 2009 @ 11:43 |

and to top it off, it's cicada season

I'm nose-deep in the final stretch of the current round of edits1 on Pledged, and it's a good thing that my A&U sent me my author's copies of Shdadow Queen because I kid you not, I can't remember the story. Oh, I know the gist, but the details, the details are killing me. I have no idea which of the myriad details of the myriad versions made it into the final published copy. Is this normal? It's probably normal. Let's at least all pretend it's normal.

In other news, my listening history on Last.FM is really taking a beating now that I can't have iTunes running. Plus, it's really quiet-like, and hard to concentrate. Also, and here's a sign of just how much I'd come to rely on iTunes for my music, I'm currently not coping with the fact that my CD player only plays one CD at a time. That's only 50-70 minutes of music, and then I have to physically get up and change the CD. Oh, the humanity!

  1. For those keeping track at home, or attempting to, this would be what I call the gamma draft, or the draft which, when completed, can be shown to my editor [↩]

16 December 2008 @ 20:14 |

sometimes i find myself alone at night

The proofread is done, long live the proofread.

Technically I shouldn't celebrate quite yet, since my editor hasn't told me there's nothing else I need to look at and please send it all back now, but that stack of tagged and tricksome pages has been systematically slashed through with red pen and denuded of tags, which makes me happy. Not to mention a little giddy.

And very, very conscious that the stories next in line to work on have no outline. I've been revising for so long, it's a little daunting to contemplate going back to writing without knowing what happens next.

In the department of "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means", I discovered a fantastic thesaurus program the other day: TheSage.

Since I'm reaching the end of my input on Shadow Queen, it's probably an appropriate time to post the playlist I used to listen to while writing this novel. Read more »

Please Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (DAAS — Live)

16 September 2008 @ 16:19 | 6 Comments

music wordle

Because clearly this was the most important thing I could choose to spend my time on this morning.

The artists in my music library, turned into a Wordle:

14 September 2008 @ 7:45 | 2 Comments

reality check: normal.

I'm currently reading H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds, and it's quite unsettling. Not because of the storyline, or the ideas behind the storyline.

No, it's unsettling because, whenever I come across a line lifted wholesale from the book into Jeff Wayne's musical version, I can hear the narrator's voice echoing in my memory as if he's standing behind me, narrating the book. Given my reading time is normally late at night, curled up in bed, it's proving a touch jarring.

I also wake up in the morning humming "Forever Autumn" or "Thunder Child".

Fortunately, this morning I stumbled across this stunningly reassuring website. I cannot tell you how much this amuses me.

The War of the Worlds

10 September 2008 @ 9:21 | 2 Comments
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