I used my last vacation day to take yesterday off. To finish my Xmas shopping? Posh, I’m finished already. No, I took the day off to set up my spankin’ new computer. I don’t like buying something for myself this close to Xmas, but the deal was too good to ignore, and I’ve had my current computer for over four years and I’ve done everything I can to upgrade it. It was getting slow and cranky and generally irritating to work with.
The new computer has a fancy shmancy Intel duo core processor, 3 GB of ram, 500 GB hard drive, and a super sweet 22-inch widescreen monitor. Thor can still get behind it to sleep, but it’s a tight fit. Here’s a pic.
In other news, I just finished reading Move Under Ground, the first novel by Nick Mamatas, and all I can say is wow. I’ve written a few pieces of Lovecraft lit in my time, but for the most part I don’t care for it. I see little difference between Lovecraft lit and fan fiction. You can only read so many stories about some doomsday cult getting a hold of some evil book to raise some evil god with an unpronounceable name.
Although Move Under Ground certainly qualifies as Lovecraft lit, it’s really much more than that. In fact, it’s almost insulting to describe it as Lovecraft lit because that particular well has been poisoned by so many lackluster and derivative entries. I’d be much more inclined to call it a horror Beat novel with references to the Cthulhu Mythos, and leave it at that.
The premise alone — Jack Kerouac vs. Cthulhu — is worth the price of admission. Check it out. (I also found this old interview with Mamatas that you might enjoy. I know I did.)
I also read what has to be one of the best Richard Matheson short stories of all time. It’s an epistolary story called “SRL Ad,” about a young man corresponding with a woman named Loolie, who happens to be from the planet Venus. The man thinks it’s all a big joke… at first.
And finally, I received a very nice rejection from Shimmer last night for my sf/horror story “Pink Fields.” The editor liked the story very much, but felt it wasn’t right for the magazine. She suggested I send it to Apex Digest, which I plan to do on January 1st when they open again to submissions.
Sweeet !!!
Thanks, Shell, I’m pretty happy with it. :)
I’ve been thinking of getting this book by Mamatasfor some time. I’ll stick it on my list.
Have a great Christmas Ian – I’m sure you will do.
Nice machine…going to have to get one myself in the next six months or so.
Ally – I know you’ll like it, Ally. I’d also recommend Mamatas’s short story/essay collection, 3000 MPH In Every Direction At Once. I’m about halfway through it, and it’s very good. Happy Holidays to you, as well!
Jeff – I was hoping to wait until the new year, but I don’t know if my old machine would have lasted that long. And the temptation to buy a new comp was too strong. :)