Putting the Pieces Together

 So, not much posting here on the blog these last few days because I'm now in the final stretch with the Oxonmoot presentation on Saturday. I'm now going through and making what shd be final changes: lots of small adjustments here and there, smoothing over places where a paragraph here or a phrase there had to go. Then it's putting markers in the text so the tech people know when each slide image shd be displayed. Last of all comes the third run-through, timed, to make sure it'll all fit into the time allotted. It's going well, but Saturday's not far away, so here's hoping things go planned.

--John R.

--current reading: Wm Hope Hodgson, 'The Derelict'  

We have a Draft

 So, the past few days have seen the completion of a rough draft for my Oxonmoot piece.

Now things have advanced to the stage where I'm thinking of it as a first draft.

The focus shifts now to practicing the delivery, to see if it'll all fit in to the time alotted,

and picking out the images that shd be displayed during the power point presentation.

I made a lot of progress with the images yesterday and today. Given that the draft runs a bit over nine thousand words and I have fifty minutes for the delivery (followed by a ten minute Q&A), creating a deliverable text  so I can practice delivering it comes next.

So, a lot of work to do but things look to be on-target a week out. Here's hoping they remain that way.

--John R.

THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD, fifty years gone

So, Tor Books has announced a new, fiftieth anniversary edition of Patricia McKillip's masterpiece, THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD.

I consider this one of the greatest works of fantasy literature. If I had a top ten list, this wd be on it. Not as well known as the Riddlemaster trilogy, but far better. 

Here's the announcement from Tor.

https://www.tor.com/2023/08/03/cover-reveal-the-forgotten-beasts-of-eld-50th-anniversary-edition-patricia-mckillip/?fbclid=IwAR1AOmGIUpSyd-qfZ21pqm7t3uETs0EZv8fxjJJkknpvPx-2NcePeMvBIZY 

And here's the write-up I did of it for CLASSICS OF FANTASY, more than a decade ago now:

http://www.isegoria.net/2012/02/the-forgotten-beasts-of-eld/

--John R.

The Dragon Arrives

 

So,  today my dragon arrived.  

I'd known he was on the way but not just when he wd reach me,* so the arrival of a hefty package from England took me by surprise. After a deal of unpacking (glad to see they made sure it was well-cushioned before putting it in the mail), it was revealed in all its glory: see above. It's currently installed in the middle of my desk upstairs in my office, so that I have something interesting to look** at when I get stuck when writing and have to mull over different options as how best to proceed.

I've decided to name him Winchester.

This is the physical award that goes with the honor announced a few months ago that I had won the Tolkien Society's Outstanding Achievement award: 

https://www.tolkiensociety.org/2023/04/winners-of-the-tolkien-society-awards-2023-announced/

So many thanks again to the Society for this honor. 

And now it's back at work on my latest piece, to be delivered at Oxonmoot in just about two weeks, which I call 'Writing to Inklings'. Hope those who decide to check it out find it informative and enjoyable. See you (virtually) soon.

--John R.

--current reading: LA BELLE SAUVAGE by Philip Pullman (the first book in his prequel trilogy), which I have almost finished, probably to be followed by the new book on Wm Hope Hodgson.

*plus I'm engrossed in my current project and am approaching the stage in which, like Edward Gorey's Mr. Earbrass I wander from room to room. 

**sometimes it's an Easter Island head, sometimes an old lava lamp, sometimes an hourglass, the occasional hand-sized turtle, or any of a number of rocks I picked up because it looked interesting (in which habit / I am v. much my mother's son),  et al.

It's Hot

So, it's hot.

Not Texas hot.

Not Arizona hot.

Not sunward side of Mercury hot.

But hot enough.

It'll do. 

Mr. Scrabble and the Scholar

So, yesterday we drove up to Arlington to drop off a donation for the Black Cat Ball at the main Purrfect Pals shelter. Although we volunteer at the Renton adoption center weekly, we only get up to Arlington once every three or so years. Naturally we took the opportunity to visit the dozen or so cats in the main room. They ranged from please-don't-touch-just now to v. sociable (pet-me-pet-me, pet-me). My favorite* was Scrabble,** a sixteen-year-old strong-minded charmer. As you can see from the picture Janice took, he loves to ride on shoulders, the better to rub one side of your face and purr in your ear. Here's hoping he finds a home where they'll appreciate a cat that really wants to share time with its people.

--John R.

*as in I wd take this cat home if we had the space, which we don't; we cd grow old and decrepit together

**though I'd probably rename him Doctor Tarr after the Alan Parsons Project song and Edgar Poe story

I Register for GaryCon

 So, I've just registered to attend next year's GaryCon (March 21st through March 24th, 2024), a mecca* of old-school roleplaying gaming. Last year I got to attend the TSR reunion party and see a lot of familiar faces (and other faces once familiar that I hadn't seen in a long time), thanks to the generosity of a ride from friend Jim Lowder, from Milwaukee to Lake Geneva and back again. 

Now I've decided to take the plunge and attend the weekend, and see how many old school games I can work into one weekend.

Any advice on getting the most out of the event much appreciated.

See you there?

--John R.

*not to be confused with Milwaukee's old MECCA convention center, which sadly is no more