End of trip and what I'm up to now--WORK

[ellen_datlow]

I had a marvelous time visiting out west. While I was in Stallion Springs, Richard (Mikey's husband and a marvelous sculptor) some of the work by Richard that I own and I drove to Red Rock in the high desert one day while Mikey was working. I've taken photos, which I will eventually post--there a LOT to go through.
I'm still catching up since I returned Thursday night. I'm mostly unpacked, mostly gone through my mail, and now am hunkering down to work this weekend. The problem with trips is that even if I take some work with me, there's a lot more waiting for me at home, work I have to focus more on like reading and editing. I caught up on my non-YBFH magazine reading (including The New Yorker--which after reading about six in a row I anxiously hope for something with a plot and characters that excite me. There were two stories that stood out: one by T. Coraghessan Boyle, and another (that I really liked) by Janet Frame. Both are getting HMs in the next Year's Best. I also read a bunch of webzine printouts, plus finished the novel Infected by Scott Sigler, which while I enjoyed it, has some enormous plot holes, some of which might be plugged by the sequel.

The long trip home went extremely well, with no problems at all. We all three got up at 6:30 and at 7:15 drove to Bakersfield, where I caught the 9:00 am bus to LAX. Got to the airport by 11:30 and was able to relax and nosh on the lunch that Mikey made for me). My flight was 1:55, left on time, and was pleasant. Half empty plane and a seat empty in the middle-yayyy. Arrived on time and as I think I mentioned earlier, was in the door of my apartment half an hour before I expected to be: 11:30. Then, of course, the hassle begin with the email meltdown. It seems to have subsided although I really don't think my program likes downloading 465 emails at a time. Which means I'll probably have the same problem when I get back from WFC.

I knew I was going to run out of reading material by the time I got to LAX so picked up three paperback crime novels in a used bookstore in Tehachapi while I was there. One, Crusader's Cross by James Lee Burke--I soon realized that I'd read when it came out--I hate that. I was purposefully looking for the Robicheaux novels I hadn't read yet--now I think it must have been the most recent two. Then I read Tess Gerritson's The Surgeon about a serial killer. At times, I thought I'd read that one, too, but alas--the two bits that made me think I'd read it before were merely minor borrowings from other serial killer novels I must have read. At least I think that. I never got to The Overlook by Michael Connolly. Maybe next time I'll toss it into my bag for an emergency read.

Comments

[sarcobatus.livejournal.com]

Camping out in the Mojave Desert is a real head trip. I swear the entire desert is haunted by stange things that were never human to begin with. California's Red Rock State Park is interesting. We also have a Red Rock State Park out my way, in Nevada. I take my dogs there frequently during the cool weather to get my head straightened out. Pretty place, lots of wild life. Next time I'm out there I'll take some pics and post them.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I'm not much for camping out (I was more so when I was a lot younger) but I love American deserts. I'd love to see more of them. Richard said that in a few months, during the rainy season, the high desert would be flowering--I've never been there then.

[sarcobatus.livejournal.com]

Yes, we start getting our flowers in February, and they bloom until late April, some into early May. The cacti are especially lovely. We've been in a drought for the last couple of years, though, and haven't been getting the flowers like we should. Late March is a good time to visit the desert. April is nice too, but it starts warming up too much for me by late April. I'm a cold weather person, can't stand hot weather.

Should you ever feel like visiting my neck of the woods, mi casa su casa. I have two big stinky dogs, but if you don't mind a little dog hair in your life, you're welcome to stay. ;)

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I heard about the drought. There was some nice drenching rain the day before I got there--even puddles! so there was some joy.

thank you--Hey I've got two shedding cats, animal hair and I are well acquainted.

[sarcobatus.livejournal.com]

I have a calico who pretty much runs the scene around here. My pets live in the house with us. I've always argued what's the sense in having pets if you're going to stick them outside all the time. They're my kids.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

I agree completely. I have a friend who thinks it's just awful to keep cats inside. That they're unnatural if they're housecats. I think she's nuts. She hasn't had a pet since she was a kid (if then) so I don't think she has a clue about what's it's like.

[sarcobatus.livejournal.com]

It's too dangerous for cats outside, unsupervised. There are people in my town who actually hunt cats, especially at night -- shoot and skin them. Creeps.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

That's monstrous.
But unless I had a secure backyard I would never let my cats out... I did live next door to a roof on which I let my cats go in the 70s. One was a roamer but she never went to the street--she liked climbing fire escapes, until she got too old.

[bobhowe.livejournal.com]

I like the Robicheaux novels okay, but have you read his short story collection, Jesus Out to Sea? I think it may be his best work so far.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

When did that come out?

[bobhowe.livejournal.com]

June 2007.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I don't recall hearing about it, although I have his first collection, The Convict.

[bobhowe.livejournal.com]

Huh. I don't have that collection. Thank you. By the way, I'm two stories into the Del Ray anthology and liking it quite a bit.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear it.

[pm-again.livejournal.com]

I was hoping that you wouldn't pick Boyle's rat story. And can't even get you to watch Lemming :)

The picture for the rat story was a spoiler and it pretty much went down the way I thought it was going to go...

Ferris 'The Dinner Party' while also predictable was aided by clever dialogue. But then I'm a sucker for the wife with a sharp tongue...

I liked Lee's "Three" but it's not going to make the genre cut.

[ellen-datlow.livejournal.com]

It as ok but not all that special. "The Dinner Party" was a good read but not dark/edgy enough for my taste.

I'm not up to the 9/29 issue yet so don't know how I'll feel about "Three." I'll probably bring it with me when I travel to WFC next week.