Tonight! Tonight! is a lovely song by the Smashing Pumpkins. However, it's also my little slogan telling you that Jeff VanderMeer is coming to Cambridge to give a FREE talk at MIT TONIGHT! TONIGHT!

So, if you're in the Boston/Cambridge area, you should come check out this event. It's sure to be fantastic. I hope to see you there.

Date: November 19, 2009 TONIGHT!
Time: 5:00-7:00 pm
Location: Bldg 4, Room 231

Directions: Well, it's easier to just look at the MIT campus map. However, if you're driving, you can park on Memorial Drive or in the Hayward Lot since those are the best places to find parking. If you're traveling by T, get off at Kendall Square.

Here's the blurb for Jeff VanderMeer's talk as it is listed on MIT's web site:

Okay, so there is another ultra cool event happening in Boston! This is a "Gotta Go" type of event. If you like fiction, if you like music, you're going to love the Brian Slattery Project.

Come support the Interstitial Arts Foundation and the launch of the Interfictions 2 anthology!  Here's the text from the blub on the Lilypad's website:

11/13 Friday

7:30 PM Brian Slattery Project

The Interstitial Arts Foundation celebrates the publication of its new anthology of interstitial fiction, Interfictions 2, with an evening of border-crossing, genre-bending words and music! Conducted by author & musician Brian Francis Slattery, hot local musicians Michael McLaughlin (keys and accordion), Joe Kessler (violin), and Joe Dejarnette (bass) improvise soundtracks to the readings of Interfictions authors Theodora Goss, Catherynne M. Valente, Shira Lipkin, Brett Cox, Matthew Cheney, and more! This evening is part of a multi-city chain of events featuring collaborations among writers, musicians, and artists across genres. Expect sometimes raucous and sometimes sweet, sometimes despairing and sometimes joyful, always interesting . . . art without borders.

 

This event is free, with donations accepted. 5-10 dollars suggested donation, if possible.

The new show "Vampire Diaries" has aired its first two episodes of the season and have set up the rest of the season perfectly for what's to come. The characters, the main storyline, and the problems have all been established, setting the show's trajectory with the precision of scientist. The series combines aspects of "90210" and Twilight, which present opportunites for some fantastic story telling based on angst tortured teens with fangs. Unfortunately, the series draws on some of the worst aspects of these other shows and fails to draw on anything truly original.

The general arc established by the opening episodes of "Vampire Diaries" introduces two vampire brothers who have returned to their hometown. Stefen is the good brother who is fighting his vampire nature has come back home because of a girl who looks eerily similar to his long lost love while his brother Damon who is a violent, hungry, killing machine is bent on turning his brother back into a vampire's vampire. Elena, the girl who captured Stefen's attention, and her younger brother Jeremy are both recovering from the recent death of their parents. They're being raised by a young hip aunt who doesn't have a handle on how to be a loving aunt and an authority figure.

"Vampire Diaries" comprises dozens of story elements that have all been proven successful in other films and television shows. On paper it all sounds like a network's winning formula for a hit TV show. Sadly, this is a trap that many new shows are falling into since it drains originality and energy from the plot and undermines the characters' strengths. Every element of this story has been done before and done better by shows like Buffy and True Blood. Even the vampire who can walk in the sunshine trick has been watered down and the use of the giant gaudy vampire ring is stale.

Even worse, the characters are all played by apt actors who would fit better in a twenty-something drama then a high school vampire series. Given this group of actors, it would have made more sense to restructure the story as a group of college students rather than a bunch of high school kids. Several of them look closer to thirty than eighteen and it shatters whatever believability the series might have been able to achieve given the tired story that is also being presented.

If pretty bodies and fangs that move around the television screen are enough to keep a series going, "Vampire Diaries" will do well. However, given the excellent depth and breadth of vampire stories that have already been produced, it is unlikely that a discerning fan of vampire television and film will find this series appealing over an extended period of time. In order for the series to survive, the network is going to have to let the writers take risks that will give a unique spin to an over-written series.

This might also be a good time to remind the networks that just because viewers like science fiction and fantasy in their shows, it doesn't mean they have lower standards when it comes to the stories being told. I would even go as far as to say that viewers have higher expectations because they are watching the show for the story, and if it's not a unique compelling story, the viewership will fade. 

   Do You Want to Read Some Great Fiction?

The Interfictions 2 Online Annex is now live! The first story "To Set Before the King" by Genevieve Valentine was posted on Sept 15th. A new story will be posted each week, leading up to the publication of the Interfictions 2 anthology. The next Annex story is "Nylon Seam" by F. Brett Cox and it will be available on Sept 22.

Please come enjoy the fiction. 

Here's an interesting remix of Twilight that brings Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Edward Cullen together. The thought behind the remix is explained on the Rebellious Pixels' web site. It's an interesting take on sexism and transformative storytelling.

I was just looking at my YouTube account and found a vast majority of my videos have been deleted for copyright infringement. Sigh..... Anyway, I ended up getting myself into a Firefly mood and found this video posted by Shayz. It's really well done. The clips are thoughtfully chosen and arranged. Plus, I love Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out for a Hero."

It's such a shame that this show was not renewed. It's a bigger shame that it wasn't given the proper chance to bloom, but that's a whole different and lengthy topic.

Check out the video. I think you'll like it, too. Enjoy!

Ah, the life of leisure. This what we all want at some point:  laying about, napping, eating, lazing. My cat Oliver has life figured out.

Are you in Los Angeles on the 15th? Are you interested in finding out more about the Interstitial Arts Foundation? Do you like books and art and music? Well, then, you should come to the Interstitial Arts Salon in Los Angeles. Here's the text from the IAF's blog announcing the event:

Artists and enthusiasts are cordially invited to the first Los Angeles IAF Salon for an evening devoted to the pleasures of conversation among boundary crossing artists, writers, musicians, and creators.

WHEN:  August 15, 10pm – 12am
WHERE:  Skylight Books, 1814 Vermont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027, 323-660-1175

Skylight Books is a proudly independent bookstore in Los Angeles in the Los Feliz neighborhood. They are known for their excellent selection of books, well-read and book loving staff, small-press salons, in-store book clubs and fantastic author events. This summer they started the Hot Summer Nights events with such diversions as live music, projected films and of course, sparkling conversation!

http://www.skylightbooks.com

There will be wine and bubbly water along with music and short films by local interstitial visual artists. You provide the artistic conversation!
So, come join us in Los Feliz! Perhaps have dinner before the salon. Bring your laptop and show off your portfolio or wear your portable art! Bring friends and a willingness to mix and mingle with strangers — who might turn out to be future colleagues, new dear friends, or even artistic soul mates!

The Interstitial Arts Foundation has extended the date to July 31, 2009 for making your donation of $200 or more to get your name printed in the Acknowledgements section of Interfictions 2. The deadline is only a couple of days away, but it's not too late to make your gift.

The easiest way to give is by visiting the IAF web site: http://www.interstitialarts.org/donate 

If the higher gift amount is a stretch, you can give at whatever level is comfortable for you and the IAF will list you on the "Friends of the IAF" web page and add a link to your personal web site.

Your support is very important to the IAF and to Interfictions 2. Thank you for your help!

== please help spread the word ==

Ok, I'm straying from my usual topics to post a quick tip on how to quickly heal your nose, if you've rubbed it raw from using a tissue too many times. I'm thinking this is something others who either have allergies, a flu, or a cold will want to know. So, I figured you might like this miracle tip.

No matter how dry or torn up your skin is around your nose, rub the tiniest bit of Vaseline on the area. Yeah, it'll make it a little shinny for about an hour, but within a day you'll notice an immediate difference. It won't hurt anymore and it'll heal much more quickly.

This tip also works with other skin abrasions, too. I don't know why, but it does. I promise.

So, that's your medical tip of the day. Use it wisely.

So a friend sent me these videos, which I loved. They're so different, but I don't know if they really qualify as interstitial art. What do you think?

 After nearly 4 years of no vacation, other than going to Maine for my MFA residencies, I am taking some real time off from work. I'll be on vacation from this very minute until next Wednesday. 

The great thing about this vacation is that I'm not going away. I'm staying right here in my house so that I can spend a whole lot of time on me. The first thing I'm going to do is read a book, and I think I'll start with Ken Scholes Lamentation because it's been sitting on my "To Be Read" shelf for far too long.

A few other items on the Vacation Bucket List are clean my office, work in my garden, find some new deck chairs, have a barbeque, go on a drive to somewhere, and sleep in until at least 5:00 am every day! Whoo hooo!

Ok, then. I'm off to read Mr. Scholes' lovely novel.

I'm sure many of you have heard of the Interstitial Arts Foundation (IAF), which publishes the Interfictions anthologies. The IAF does a lot more than publish fiction, it works to bring artists of all stripes and colors together regardless of genre or medium through live social events, online communities, and a variety of other venues.

In today's very flat world, barriers and borders are making publishing and selling art an art in itself! It's through the work of organizations like the IAF that those barriers between us are starting to fall.

So, with the publication of Interfictions 2, the IAF is continuing to give space to artists whose work doesn't fit cleanly or neatly into a category. However, they need your financial support.

Book sales alone aren't enough to cover the cost of producing this wonderful anthology of interstitial fiction. I know that it's a difficult time for people with this crazy economy, but if you have the ability to make a gift to the IAF, your contribution will go a long, long way toward supporting this anthology and helping to build a stronger community for artists across the genres.

To learn how your gift can make a difference please visit the IAF's Online Appeal - and remember "Support a story, get a book!"

Please spread the word.

Thank you for your help. I'm going to make my gift now.

Artists and enthusiasts are cordially invited to the first Brunswick Interstitial Salon for an evening devoted to the pleasures of conversation among boundary-crossing artists, writers, musicians, and creators. What better place to gather than the Frontier Cafe, the ultimate in art friendly venues for the thriving artistic community of Southern Maine?

The Conceit: The origins of literary and artistic salons go back to 17th century France, when inspiring hosts and hostesses gathered “stimulating people of quality” together to refine their taste and increase their knowledge through conversation. Today there may be fewer wealthy patrons willing to host an event in their townhouses, but there is always a need for artists to meet other artists, to explore other circles of creative influence, to cross borders.

The Hosts: The Interstitial Arts Foundation is a not–for–profit organization dedicated to the study, support, and promotion of interstitial art: literature, music, visual and performance art found in between categories and genres — art that crosses borders.

The Place: “The Frontier Café is very much an evolving, creative canvas for visual storytelling. Our unique 75-seat cinema provides a dynamic space for screening films, hosting lectures, workshops, meetings and community events and festivals. Our Beyond Gallery wall is a vibrant opportunity to exhibit contemporary visual stories produced collaboratively with storytellers from Maine and around the world. Our Compass Points compliment seasonal themes with stories and artwork that educate and inspire. Additional exhibition space is dedicated to presenting local stories and artwork.” – Frontier Café’s Web Site

So, bring your laptop and show off your portfolio or your tunes. Bring friends, and bring a willingness to mingle with strangers — who might turn out to be colleagues, friends, or even artistic soul-mates!

And help spread the word by forwarding or linking to this invite!

Event: Brunswick Interstitial Salon
Date: Wedesday, July 15, 2009
Time: 6:00-8:00 pm
Location: Frontier Cafe, 14 Maine Street, Brunswick, ME 04011

To RSVP, please send an email to Erin_Underwood AT hotmail D0T com . We look forward to seeing you there!

Please note that all personal data will be kept private.

The last few weeks, no months!, have been a whirlwind as several projects wind to an end and others begin. This month I submitted my fiction thesis to my MFA program. It's the first 1/3 of my time travel novel. It's going to have to sit and cool for awhile since I still have to finish the last set of edits on my screenplay, which has received some great feedback from my readers. There are a few things left to fix, and I should be sending it out the door to agents by the end of June as planned. My next project will be set in Ireland, which should be a lot of fun to research and write.

Some other interesting things that have come up recently include the work that I'm doing with the Interstitial Arts Foundation. It's funny how an unexpected chain of events could have me playing a role in fundraising and setting up IAF Salons in Brunswick, Maine and Boston. More will be posted soon on the IAF's fundraising efforts and on the upcoming auction. Remember, if you're interested in donating some specially designed art for the Interfictions 2 Auction, it's not too late! 

For now, I want to tell you about the IAF Salons that I'm putting together. These events are still in the planning process, so I've only got basic details at this point. The Brunswick IAF Salon will be held on Wednesday, July 15th from 6-8 pm at the Frontier Cafe. It's open to anyone who is an artist or loves art. More details will be coming soon.

There's also going to be an IAF Salon in Boston. We're thinking that it'll be held sometime in Boston, but we've not nailed down any details yet. So, stay tuned!

These IAF Salons are a fantastic medium for bringing artists of all sorts together (painters, sculptos, musicians, writers, photographers, singers, filmmakers, performers, etc) to socialize and to talk about art and their artistic passions. Hopefully, some amazing friendships and collaborations will come out of these salons. Considering the wide mix of artists who attend, we have great potential for continuing to bring down the barriers that are all too often used to define us and our work. To learn more about the Interstitial Arts Foundation, be sure to check out the web site.