Had dinner at friends' house last night who has a new cat. I had armed myself with allergy medicine to bring, then forgot it and nearly panicked. Because no matter how many times someone says "Oh, we vacuumed though" or "Oh, it has short hair" or "Oh it stays downstairs", they don't get it. I'm good for about 20 minutes, then the reaction starts, and it's UGLY; itching swollen Rocky Balboa eyes, sneezing, hives. I become the Elephant Man. But last night upon leaving I realized I'd been there for hours, and sneezed only once. No reaction. So of course we pondered, hey, could I be NOT allergic to cats anymore? I had cats until I was 16, then became allergic to them, and it got progressively worse over the years. As my friend said, your system changes every decade or so, and you can gain or lose allergies. And this was unfounded, the first time in years that I've been in a cat house and my head hasn't exploded.

So I decided this morning that I want to test this theory, which led to the best quote of the week from my significant other. "Adrienne, you are NOT going to find a cat and rub it on your face. So just forget about it."


We'll see about that.

"Psong" has been accepted for an upcoming issue of Murky Depths.

MD is a attractive spec fic magazine with a strong emphasis on artwork. Take a look at their website for a preview of their latest issue and you'll see what I mean.

I can't wait to see what they come up with for my story, which will be out sometime in early 2009.

Currently reading: The Great and Secret Show, by Clive Barker

Sorry, had to stick in the Pee Wee Herman.

I got a new phone from the Canadian Hearing Society. Birgit (who is THE AWESOME!!!!) let me borrow a phone to try out before buying. She says she trusts me to bring it back.

The fool. ;) Hi Birgit!!

I hooked it up last night in a fleeting spare moment. We also have call display now, another reason to replace my old phone in my office. Telemarketers SUCK when you work from home.

Calls came in last night, and we were both hands-full of baby feedings so we let it ring. This phone stores the numbers of people who called so I was able to see who it was and call back. Well, Marny DID leave a message because she is TEH AWESOME too, but this is definitely going to come in handy. It also has volume control. Well, so did my old phone but I'd still get low-talkers on the other end that I couldn't hear. This phone has a volume, extra amplifier, AND a boost button on the handset - it can get so loud there is a warning in the booklet about damaging the ears of regular hearing people.

In other words, I can use this phone for a LONG time as my hearing gets worse. Fuckin' eh.

It also has a speaker phone for hands free use which I can see becoming handy real fast. When it rings there is a strobe light that goes off the front (no kidding, a fucking STROBE light, LMAO!) and there's a blinky for when there's a message. I like blinkies.

I'm excited! :)

I also told Birgit how much I've loved my doorbell blinky and how much the freedom means to me, even if G sets it off when he is loud downstairs. HA!

We also picked up a "teach your kids to sign" type kit - and I wrote more about that in the kids' LJ: http://tkitaliano.livejournal.com/

---

On the reading front...

I just finished Linda Addison's ANIMATED OBJECTS poetry and essay collection. I highly recommend it. She's a very talented poet and I feel like I know her all the more now for having read this collection. You should buy it! http://www.amazon.com/Animated-Objects-Linda-D-Addison/dp/0917053095

Did I mention that I also finished Peter Straub's lost boy lost girl? I think I did. I'll say it again, an awesome book that you all should read. http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Boy-Girl-Peter-Straub/dp/1400060923

I'm starting a new book, not a fictional book though. Something I can read in bits and not worry about losing track of characters or what's going on. I've started Tom Monteleone's MOTHERS AND FATHERS ITALIAN ASSOCIATION. http://www.borderlandspress.com/mafia.html
It's a BIG motherfucking book. A weapon in a pinch, really. I don't expect to finish it this year, but it's already proving to be an entertaining read when I can steal moments.

Other than that, I'll be reading all kinds of kiddie info stuffs. :)

Still ransacking grandmaw's bookshelves.  I've found a first edition Hemingway and a first edition Steinbeck. 

Happy fourth of July, America!



And happy belated Canada Day, erm, Canada! 



And while I'm at it (because I'll probably forget about this on August 25), happy Summer Bank Holiday, United Kingdom!

 

Graveside Tales

PRESS RELEASE

 

Contact: Dale Murphy
Tel: 480-289-9744
Email: dalelmurphy@gravesidetales.com

 

ILLINOIS NATIVE INKS DEAL TO RELEASE ‘HAWG’

Beast of Horror Novel Earning Rave Reviews

 

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - June 19, 2009 - Steven L. Shrewsbury, a native of Illinois, has just announced that he has signed a contract to release his latest horror novel, “Hawg.” The new book, a trade paperback through Arizona-based publisher Graveside Tales, tells the story of a creature terrorizing a small town in Illinois.

Dale Murphy, co-owner of Graveside Tales, is excited about the new project: “Full of gritty, rural realism and colorful characters, one learns those who dwell in Miller’s Fork are bigger monsters than the piggish beast himself.” Murphy also pointed out that noted author and artist Bob Freeman designed the cover for the novel.   

Strangewood by Christopher Golden Earthling Publications has released a signed, limited edition of Strangewood by Christopher Golden. This edition includes sixteen illustrations by Richard Kirk, an introduction by Graham Joyce, and an afterword by Bentley Little. Even the endpapers are fully illustrated. The book is Smyth-sewn and bound in leather, and housed in a cloth-covered slipcase.

To obtain a copy of Strangewood from Earthling Publications, please email:

earthlingpub@yahoo.com


with the subject line: Reserve Strangewood

Order the book and see samples of the illustrations:

http://www.earthlingpub.com/cg_strangewood.htm

Christopher Golden refers to Strangewood as "my enduring favorite of all of my scribblings," and he is extremely excited about this release. He adds, "Yes, Earthling's book are expensive, but they aren't intended for the casual collector. What Paul Miller does is just as much a work of art as Richard Kirk's illustrations. I'm honored he's chosen Strangewood for his Earthling Classics series."

Related links:

http://www.earthlingpub.com/cg_strangewood.htm
http://www.christophergolden.com/strangewood.html
http://www.christophergolden.com/

Mega-Rare Items on the Block 
 
We've got some REALLY rare items up for auction, and all are starting at one dollar with no reserve! Check out these gorgeous items:

A copy of the slipcased signed deluxe edition of Joe Hill's "20th Century Ghosts" featuring bonus content not in the regular editions.

The metal traveling circus wagon used for the lettered edition of DEAD CAT TRAVELING CIRCUS -- one of the most elaborate lettereds ever made. It doesn't have a copy of the lettered book itself, but it does come with a copy of the numbered hardcover copy signed by all contributors that fits exactly the same (both the lettered book and numbered book were the same dimensions). Unbelievable (the pictures don't do it justice).

A copy of the signed limited hardcover edition of POSTSCRIPTS #10 signed by ALL contributors including Stephen King. Joe Hill, Michael Marshall Smith, Ramsey Campbell, Chris Fowler, Tim Lebbon, Graham Joyce, Mark Morris, T.M. Wright, Rick Hautala, and more.

A copy of the signed sold-out limited edition of Clive Barker's THE HELLBOUND HEART: 20TH ANNIVERSARY from Earthling Publications.

A copy of the sold-out Brian Keene limited edition A LITTLE SILVER BOOK OF STREETWISE STORIES.

A copy of the Charnel House deluxe signed hardcover edition of THE GOOD GUY by Dean Koontz. Eye-popping.

A copy of the sold out signed limited hardcover version of AMERICAN GODS by Glen Hirshberg from Earthling Publications.

The sold out hardcover limited edition of the anthology POE'S PROGENY featuring Michael Marshall Smith, Ramsey Campbell, Conrad Williams, Tim Lebbon, Steve Savle, Joel Lane, Rhys Hughes, Dominick Cancilla, and more. Only 125 hardcovers were done. Signed by Ramsey Campbell and Michael Marshall Smith.

...and more! 
 
Click here to see our auctions. 

My little sister gave birth to baby Jack at 8.30 tonight.

Congratulations, Helen and Mark, and welcome to the family, little 'un. You'll be well loved. Your parents are two of the very best.

Current Mood: ecstatic

The indie horror film "Dead and Gone," which stars Quentin Jones, Kathryn Bates, Gillian Shure and Tenacious D's Kyle Gass, has been accepted into the "Grindhouse" section of FANTASPOA, a film festival held in Porto Alegre, Brazil http://www.fantaspoa.com/. It will screen there at the end of July. This is their first film festival, so screenwriter Harry Shannon and director Yossi Sasson are feeling pretty excited. "Dead and Gone" was released on DVD by Lionsgate July 1st, but for the US and Canada only.Dead and Gone News The indie horror film "Dead and Gone," which stars Quentin Jones, Kathryn Bates, Gillian Shure and Tenacious D's Kyle Gass, has been accepted into the "Grindhouse" section of FANTASPOA, a film festival held in Porto Alegre, Brazil http://www.fantaspoa.com/. It will screen there at the end of July. This is their first film festival, so screenwriter Harry Shannon and director Yossi Sasson are feeling pretty excited. "Dead and Gone" was released on DVD by Lionsgate July 1st, but for the US and Canada only.

Tenacious D's Kyle Gass appeared on "Without Your Head" a few nights ago to discuss his cameo in the new horror DVD "Dead and Gone," written by Harry Shannon and directed by Yossi Sasson. Kyle talked about his band Trainwreck, which recorded the indie movie's title song "Forty Years of Pain," and (of course) the immortal Tenacious D.
 
The interview is now achieved at the Without Your Head web site:  ..
http://withoutyourhead.com/
 
 
ROCK ON, KAGE FANS.