Nightmares, And Mieville’s Hawtness
Happy Friday, dear Readers.
I had a doozy of a nightmare this morning, so I’m a bit scattered. Head full of noise and the urge to listen to Tears For Fears, the Cars, and Cure is not helping one little iota. On the plus side, this will help with the work I’m doing. A few nightmares puts me very easily into Danny Valentine’s headspace.
Isn’t that sad? Speaking of Danny, if you go here and scroll down a bit, you can see the last three Valentine books and their ISBNs. (Though this will not help with pre-ordering just yet. Sorry about that.) After Devil’s Right Hand comes out in September, Orbit has committed to bringing out Saint City Sinners and Hell and Back on a bimonthly schedule. Look right above my listing too, for Jeff Somers’s Electric Church, which I actually edited and gave to my editor at Warner/Orbit. I LOVE this book, and I CANNOT WAIT to see it in print. Avery Cates is one of the coolest, most ambiguous protaganists ever, and Jeff himself is pretty damn cool. So as soon as this hits the shelves, you will hear more from me.
As for cool boys, I went to China Mieville‘s signing at the Beaverton Powell’s last night. I’ve only read Perdido Street Station, and wanted to ask what the bejesus happened to the garuda. My friend Monk (aka Crab Caution) and the Sullen Teen went with me, since Monk is the one who introduced me to Mieville and is a big fan. At the signing we met High Book Weasel, the fabulous L. Day, who gave me a chocolate plot bunny. And Saint Peter the Magnificent was there, the wonderful man who lets me know when authors on my personal list are coming to town. Bless you, Peter.
I am SO GLAD I went. Guys, China Mieville is HAWT with a capital HAWT and a side of HAWTNESS. He was reading from his new book, Un Lun Dun, a YA novel. But the real coolness occurred during the Q and A. The dude is cogent, thoughtful, highly intelligent, and enough of a geek to win my geeky little heart. (I actually said, “But Trinity isn’t a ninja. You need nunchucks.” And what did he do but whip out a drawing of a binja [trashcan ninja] with nunchucks! Is that cool or what?)
The questions ranged from his favorite book that he’s written and his thoughts on television to why he loves black and white comic book art and why he once ran for Parliament. (He didn’t think he had a chance of winning, it was a protest campaign.) He used the term anarcho-syndicalist correctly. He was pierced and shaven-headed and utterly, fantastically penguin-adorable.
Intelligence is highly aphrodisiac for me–it’s why I’m with the DHM, along with his mordant wit and calm disposition. Mieville was funny, brainy, witty, and played roleplaying games when he was young.
I was smitten.
I asked him what his favorite guilty-pleasure book was, and he came up with Enid Blyton. Ultra-smitten.
Dude. He admitted to thinking Jane Eyre was the most important book in English. As a long-time Eyre fan (I re-read the book at lead once a year if not more) I just melted.
I’m a little sad that I couldn’t invite him out pubbing (he had another engagement) and pick his brain about Things, including writing. He’s a plotter, apparently, and a very detailed one at that. As a complete pantser, I want to see where our writing habits and styles overlap, purely out of curiousity.
If you get a chance to go to one of his signings, do. An incredibly good time was had by all. A few times he said something, then visibly caught himself and added, “Please don’t blog that.” Which caused much general mirth.
I loved Perdido but am still not sure about the other New Crobuzon books, but I really want to find out what happens to the garuda. So I have a new copy of Iron Council, which Mieville says is his favorite among all his books. So we’ll see. In any case, now all I have to do is imagine Mieville’s voice while I’m reading his prose, which will be highly enjoyable.
Squee. I had a loverly time and am so glad I went.
Have a wonderful weekend, dear Readers!
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March 3rd, 2007 at 1:07 am
I cannot recommend “The Scar” highly enough. It was the sort of book that kept me on the edge of my seat while constantly making me think. And of course, I find myself wallowing in a bit of envy. The signing sounds so incredibly., well, awesome! (And so far away from dry ole Tucson. Alas. ) There is something about Mieville’s books. They sort of restore my faith in our ability to confront the system, wahtever system it may be, through art.
March 5th, 2007 at 8:32 pm
Lili is a fantastic writer, we all know, but she’s also a fantastic editor, and I was lucky enough to run “The Electric Church” through her brain. Now we will join forces and destroy all that stands in our way. Or something. I gotta stop drinking at night. And in the mornings.
Hi Lili!