greetings from nyc
Jun. 23rd, 2006 11:38 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ellenkushnerI've been meaning to update, but things have been hectic as can be here at Construction Central. Life has been a very weird but not unwelcome mix of physical discomfort and frustration & pure joy at what the city has to offer (and does). We are still unexpectedly running into friends on the street, having enchanting conversations with total strangers, etc.
Back in the apartment, I'm likening our renovation experience to WWI trench warfare: the builders fall back a few feet, and we take the territory, scrubbing furiously and unpacking into it - but sometimes they return to a room to do more work, and we lose what we have gained - first moving everything off the surfaces, and then finding dirt and ork in all the drawers and it's all to do again . . . . At least our feet are dry. But can I find anything after all that? I cannot. As of this afternoon, however, I feel we can pretty much claim possession of the (newly-painted and now very pretty) kitchen, bathroom and back room (doing duty as temporary office space when not being slept in by guests who are already arriving because we were so sure everything would be ready by now...! Our bedroom is still a nightmare, but the new bed itself is even better than they promised us it would be). Boxes are being emptied and broken down. It will all become clear in the fullness of time.
Last night we had a nice birthday dinner for Delia at a nearby Turkish restaurant where a terrific mix of friends & relations sat on benches at low tables and enjoyed lamb, eggplant, and good conversation. This morning was trying: builders didn't show, painters needed guidance on stuff we weren't quite sure of ourselves - but the day was redeemed by a visit from Ron, our long-lost-brother the Aussie bookseller we met at Wiscon, who whisked us off on a field trip to what we billed as Delia's Surprise Mystery Birthday Treat, which was here. Tomorrow we're heading up to the SFRA conference.
That's enough for now, isn't it?
Only about 4 more weeks til The Privilege of the Sword comes out! I am so sorry I haven't been able to post more about it, here or on my website. Maybe soon. Meanwhile, I'd like to issue a very strong warning for you NOT to read the very nice Publisher's Weekly review of which appears on the Amazon (and Powells') ordering pages, since said review contains MAJOR spoilers - the equivalent, to me anyway, of giving away the ending of The Crying Game. You can get the skinny from Small Beer Press instead, and read a very nice excerpt and order a very nice hardcover there, too.
Back in the apartment, I'm likening our renovation experience to WWI trench warfare: the builders fall back a few feet, and we take the territory, scrubbing furiously and unpacking into it - but sometimes they return to a room to do more work, and we lose what we have gained - first moving everything off the surfaces, and then finding dirt and ork in all the drawers and it's all to do again . . . . At least our feet are dry. But can I find anything after all that? I cannot. As of this afternoon, however, I feel we can pretty much claim possession of the (newly-painted and now very pretty) kitchen, bathroom and back room (doing duty as temporary office space when not being slept in by guests who are already arriving because we were so sure everything would be ready by now...! Our bedroom is still a nightmare, but the new bed itself is even better than they promised us it would be). Boxes are being emptied and broken down. It will all become clear in the fullness of time.
Last night we had a nice birthday dinner for Delia at a nearby Turkish restaurant where a terrific mix of friends & relations sat on benches at low tables and enjoyed lamb, eggplant, and good conversation. This morning was trying: builders didn't show, painters needed guidance on stuff we weren't quite sure of ourselves - but the day was redeemed by a visit from Ron, our long-lost-brother the Aussie bookseller we met at Wiscon, who whisked us off on a field trip to what we billed as Delia's Surprise Mystery Birthday Treat, which was here. Tomorrow we're heading up to the SFRA conference.
That's enough for now, isn't it?
Only about 4 more weeks til The Privilege of the Sword comes out! I am so sorry I haven't been able to post more about it, here or on my website. Maybe soon. Meanwhile, I'd like to issue a very strong warning for you NOT to read the very nice Publisher's Weekly review of which appears on the Amazon (and Powells') ordering pages, since said review contains MAJOR spoilers - the equivalent, to me anyway, of giving away the ending of The Crying Game. You can get the skinny from Small Beer Press instead, and read a very nice excerpt and order a very nice hardcover there, too.
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no subject
Date: 2006-06-24 04:13 am (UTC)confusing.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-24 02:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-24 04:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-24 02:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-24 03:07 pm (UTC)Thanks! The icon was done by a youngun far more savvy than I, from one of my stories.
Gibble-gabble aside, I am looking forward to the book!
no subject
Date: 2006-06-25 02:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-25 02:22 am (UTC)the book
Date: 2006-06-24 05:14 pm (UTC)Re: the book
Date: 2006-06-25 02:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-25 05:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-25 05:25 pm (UTC)