‘I, I see you fade’

A decent writing day yesterday, adapting to a new keyboard, and though I fussed over installing new software for a while, I got some good writing done. Corvus is proving itself to be a machine of almost fetishistic pleasure. It’s the size of a paperback, sleek and blue, portable as hell, glossy like wet candy, silent like stone. I may soon begin worship of my Corvus.

Today we have a link roundup. Just a series of interesting bits seen here and there in the hall…

A group of sci fi and fantasy writers, with the likes of Terry Bisson and Rudy Rucker, discuss Steampunk as a genre or movement. I myself and deeply cynical about modern literary modes like Steampunk, Cyberpunk, etc. By the way, did I mention my story “Hybridae” will be published in the steampunk magazine The Willows? More details next week.

Junot Diaz talks to the Apple Geniuses (really?) about his Pulitzer baby “The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.” I love hearing Diaz talk, because he has the right mix of self-reflection, humility and confidence in his work. Also, his call for Latino writers to write beyond characters living in gang life or the trappings of stereotype is inspiring. Broader palette, bitches! You can subscribe to the podcast here. There’ other interviews in the feed with people you may have heard about like Augusten Burroughs, George R. R. Martin.

I just began to read Urban Fantasy Land, a nice little blog on — yup, you guessed it — urban fantasy.

I’m pages away from finishing Caitlin R. Kiernan’s “Threshold.” For kicks, here’s a little interview she did some time ago, where she refers to the novel.

Michael Jasper’s “A Gathering of Doorways” releases this month. Michael, a talented writer (and a great person, too). I can’t talk too much about the book, because I am not finished reading it, but when I do, I’ll post a longer entry about it. Hooray for Michael!

Love him or hate him, James Wood is eloquent. The New Yorker literary critic talks to the CBC about his career, character and the novel form, and he does so with such passion that it may just make you want to go get “Portrait of a Lady” and give it a whirl. I do happen to favor his reviews and tough stance on writing. Writers should indeed write the best books they can. But James, I do like me some plotting. That’s where we diverge. Just a bit. Terrific interview. This one can’t be missed.

And to round out our weekend, I leave you with Santogold’s “Starstruck,” which has become part of the regular rotation during writing sessions. The bootleggy version that I embedded below is a bit rough around the edges, just like I like it. I recommend you check out the album version , too, and turn it up louder than your speakers can handle. Seriously, do it. And as is true when you find an artist whose work you believe in, buy their work!

Starstruck

You may also have seen Santogold’s “L.E.S. Artistes.” Here it is, in case you haven’t.