http://justinelarbalestier.com writing, reading, eating, drinking, sport Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:54:56 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Yes, there will be a zombie-un***rn story. I hope you're happy. Because personally I think that's a bit gross. No, I can't tell you the names of any of the contributors. But trust me, they are all fabulously excellent writers. Yes, it is a YA anthology. It will be edited by the ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/18/answering-your-zombie-v-unrn-questions/ I am very very very excited that I finally, finally FINALLY get to share this fantabulous news. Seriously, I have had to keep this secret for MONTHS AND MONTHS. It's been driving me crazy. What is my spectacular news? Holly Black and me are editing an anthology: Zombies Versus Unicorns, which will ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/17/sekrit-news-no-longer-sekrit-involves-zombies/ I touched her hand and she smelled like cherries. So said second grader, Dylan McAfee, on meeting Michelle Obama. I don't know about you but I find that deeply adorable. http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/17/quote-of-the-day/ Over at Alien Onion, the blog of my Oz publisher, Allen & Unwin, there's some talk about walking and reading at the same time. It is a skill I wish I had. My few attempts have been sad failures. Thing is when I read I get so sucked into the ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/16/reading-walking/ There's a guy marching down Second Avenue playing the bagpipes. About twenty-five people are following him, clapping and yelling in tune. ((Or, um, some approximation thereof.)) If I did not have a book due I would grab a camera and take photos. This is not the first time this has happened. ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/15/bagpipes-on-second-avenue/ In just a few days I'll be back on the road---to Texas---winding up the HTDYF tour. I'll also be promoting Love is Hell, answering all your questions, finding out what everyone's fairy is, and converting those who need converting to the glorious ways of zombies. Tomorrow I'll be doing an appearance ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/14/north-american-htdyf-tour-winds-up-oz-tour-begins/ Recently me and some of my pro writer colleagues have been asked why we are always complaining about writing, and, the follow-up question: if it's such a horrible job why don't we get a better one? Good question! Here are some of the answers: Whingeing is fun. Writers in particular are totally ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/13/whingeing-about-writing/ Does it really need to come on at 4AM and not let up until 9AM? Why does it have to sound like banshees being tortured by trolls? What's with the even LOUDER clanging? That's almost, but not quite, like the bell that tolls for thee? Or me in this case. Am ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/12/i-hate-steam-heating/ I was reading today that the whole zombie v un***rn debate was started by John Green. I'm not going to link to the person who claims that because, you know, I'm not into shaming people. But, EXCUSE ME?! The mighty zombie versus un****n debate began right here on this blog back ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/11/zombies-books-of-wonder/ Over the last two years both Scott and me have heard several teenagers respond to the what-do-you-want-to-do-when-you-grow-up question with one word: famous. "I want to be famous." Apparently we're not the only ones noticing this phenomenon. The witty and extremely entertaining Scottish writer, Andrew O'Hagan, talked about it an interview he ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/10/famous/ I am currently not answering my phone or text messages, responding to emails or IM invites, or answering the door. All forms of communication are turned off. I am incommunicado until next Friday ((Or, um, possibly next Monday.)) when the rewrites of the Liar book are due. Rewriting the Liar book ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/09/deadline-next-friday/ It emerged in the comments thread on yesterday's post and, obviously, in many other places that two of the main reasons people have given for voting for California's Proposition 8 banning same-sex marriages are not true. They are: 1. That it would lead to same-sex couples being able to sue ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/08/wee-bit-more-on-proposition-8-thanks/ On Tuesday voters in Arkansas, Arizona, Florida and California approved propositions that discriminate against couples of the same sex. I am depressed beyond words by this. Those propositions are against love. Me, I am in favour of love. I have a friend who's been with the same guy for twenty ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/07/love-and-cake/ Mr Simon Pegg of Spaced and Shaun of the Dead fame has explained perfectly why fast-moving zombies are so deeply lame: You cannot kill a vampire with an MDF stake; werewolves can't fly; zombies do not run. It's a misconception, a bastardisation that diminishes a classic movie monster. The best phantasmagoria ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/06/why-zombies-rule/ Outside my window people are screaming, honking their horns, dancing in the streets. There have been fireworks and an impromptu bonfire. ((Which kind of went awry. The fire department showed up within seconds to set things right. Yay, FDNY!)) Barack Hussein Obama is president of the United States of America and ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/05/new-york-city-has-gone-nuts/ I was going to finish up one of my long-promised posts on writing, which I'd planned to encourage all those NaNoWriMo types. Something on how to get going, or characterisation, or how to push forward even though your plot died. ((Write like the wind!)) But who am I kidding? Like everyone I ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/04/who-am-i-kidding/ Voter suppression has a long history in the United States. I am reading The Race Beat: the Press, the Civil Rights Struggle, and the Awakening of a Nation by Gene Roberts and Hank Klibanoff. The book is at once gripping, appalling, and casts a clear light over the current election. ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/03/why-getting-out-the-vote-is-so-bloody-important/ Scott did it! He bravely responded to Lauren Myracle's dare and faced his worst fear. ((As, um, I did not. Not because I'm more cowardly than Scott but because I'm busier! My books don't write themselves, you know! Okay, neither do Scott's, but my book's trickier than his! Honest.)) And, ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/02/my-husband-teh-crazy/ via Scott Over at Daily Kos, Meteor Blades has an article on accents in which he points out that, yes, everyone has one and quotes Geoffrey Nunberg being smart on the same topic: If authenticity is a matter of heeding your true inner voice, then it probably isn't surprising that people listen ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/11/01/excellent-article-on-accent/ This made my day: Get it? E. Kristin Anderson, who works at the fabulous Book People in Austin, is a parking fairy. Just like the one Charlie has in How To Ditch Your Fairy. Only, you know, not invisible. Isn't that superb? Coincidently, me and Scott will be hanging out at Book ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/10/31/another-reason-i-love-my-job/ I've been trying to diagnose my current writing woes. While, yes, there has been an insane amount of admin, travel, and the site disasters of the last two days ((Plus now having to look for a new webhost)) have not been helpful, but they're not the cause, they're just hindrances. ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/10/31/too-interesting/ All the problems of the past two days appear to have been resolved. Sorry for the inconvenience. Especially to those of you who had your comments eaten. Thanks for chiming in on last post. I no longer feel like I have lost my mind. Just my website for a couple of ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/10/30/all-fixed/ If you can could you comment? And tell me what browser you're using. I'm getting lots of reports of posts not showing up and people not being able to comment. http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/10/30/can-you-see-this-post/ In a bit less than a month, Love is Hell, an anthology edited by Farrin Jacobs for Harper Collins will be out. It contains stories by me and Melissa Marr, Laurie Faria Stolarz, Scott Westerfeld and Gabrielle Zevin. I've only read Scott's story, which is one of my favourites of ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/10/30/love-is-hell/ And may be down again while it's upgraded to a dedicated server. Today has not been a happy justinelarbalestier.com day. I hate to be separated from my blog for so many hours. And it went down right in the middle of my putting up a teaser for my new story in ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2008/10/29/yes-the-site-was-down/