In the DVD player: I Am Legend
On my coffee table to read: Daryl Gregory’s The Devil’s Alphabet and Celine’s Journey to the End of the Night.
Now that’s all great stuff (well, the books at least–we’ll see about the movie). But for Thanksgiving break, I think some humor might be in order, so my thanks to Chris Roberson, who tweeted about this sweet little video.
Fun video for all of you who’ve just recently had your first book or two published, or if you’re about to have a book published. Oh hell, if you’re even dreaming of some day having a novel grace the shelves of Barnes and Noble, you’ll like this. Or at least empathize. Or maybe cringe. You decide:
Found this at Lisa Katzenberger’s site.
I try to think of the universe as having a sense of humor (for those who have not known me long, please see When the Universe Steals Your Keys as an example).
But cremation? Right before Thanksgiving? (which, by the way, isn’t looking so good since all of my bestest friends are going out of town–it might be me and a Hungry Jack dinner come next Thursday).
But just look at the pretty flowers on the border, and what nice bullet points about how my future death can have “less impact on the environment.” Squee! Can’t wait to see what other lovely cards I get this holiday season.
My flash fiction piece, “In the Beginning,” will appear in the second catalogue for Embrace!, one of the lastest exhibitions at the Denver Art Museum. Christoph Heinrich, director of the DAM, asked if I would write a short story to complement Christian Hahn’s work.
It was very exciting to be involved in a major exhibit, and getting to meet most of the Embrace! artists last night at a party, including Christian, was even more of a treat. His work is playful and haunting, and resonated with my own concerns about the environment.
This was my second adventurous journey into the art/fiction world. Earlier this summer, Beate Engl asked me to write a story to go along with her installation, The Blob–Nothing Can Stop It! Through her art, Engl wants to critically analyze ”the spaces marked for art and the expansion of a globalized art industry.” I wrote “Unleashed Beauty,” a tale about an aging artist who discovers a new kind of paint to be used for his land sculptures, with disastrous consequences.
I would love the opportunity to do more of this kind of work. To interact with artists and their creations in such a dynamic way is beyond anything I ever imagined when I set out to write. Double woot for the day!
Nancy Hightower is a neurotic college teacher by day and insomniac fantasy writer by night. She is currently working on an urban fantasy novel and is represented by Richard Curtis.
