Dept. of Recommendations

[kaffy_r]

You Should Read This. In Bright Light.

I'm not normally a reader of horror, or not a voluntary reader in that genre. But I am a voluntary reader - an enthusiastic reader - of anything that comes from Catherine MacLeod's pen. I met her through her Who fic and was amazed by her knowledge of the small things that make up the human heart, her ability to capture the immediacy of the world, and of its hurt, unexpected darkness, and stubborn, beautiful hope. 

She carries that through to her non-fic fiction writing, and I'm consistently impressed by the way she can weave love into all that expected and unexpected darkness. I think you'll be impressed too, so I think y'all should check out her story, "The Attic," in the new anthology Fearful Symmetries (ChiZine Publications, Ellen Datlow, editor; www.chizinepub.com)

There are some other marvelous short stories in this anthology I've read five or six of them and haven't been disappointed once (if you're a Garth Nix fan, you'll immediately understand when I say that you shouldn't read "Shay Corsham Worsted" unless you're sitting by the exit). Datlow has put together an anthology that examines love, and duty, and family, and betrayal, again and again, in all the multifarious ways those can be examined.

Go, find it! Buy it! Read it!

But keep the light on.

Comments

[clocketpatch]

Wasn't certain if I'd read the author or not so did a quick google of the name + whofic and was a bit flummoxed by my own pen name being one of the first results to come up. Either google is doing things with search results or that's an extremely weird coincidence.

Since it's payday and I'm a huge Garth Nix fan I impulse bought the e-book (wanted the paper back, but the shipping was more than the actual book!). I'm a bit miffed at the company though because it's been over an hour, the money is gone, and there is no sign of even an email receipt let alone the actual product. Angry Face. If nothing shows up by tomorrow there will be strongly written emails.

[kaffy_r]

Augh. I'm so sorry that they're not sending you the book! I hope that changes really, really, really soon!

When it comes to giving Catherine's actual whofic name, I didn't put it in the body of the work because, at the last minute, I wasn't certain if she'd want that. I can PM you with it, but if you remember tha name of the newswoman in The Long Game, you'll find her.

[clocketpatch]

I had a feeling that was the case. Were I to get something published I don't think I'd want it directly associated with my pseud either. But having figured it based on your clue, I'm now even happier to have given a bit of support.

(and will be even happier if the anthology ever actually arrive argh)

[clocketpatch]

It's arrived! Yay!

[kaffy_r]

[davesmusictank.livejournal.com]

An anthology i shall look out for.

[kaffy_r]

It's definitely worth it. Horror isn't my cup of tea, but this was worth putting my biases aside.

[apostle-of-eris.livejournal.com]

Susan (long enough ago not to overlap my acquaintance with you) liked scary stories.
So when I ran into the Modern Library Giant Horror and Supernatural, it was a pretty obvious present. She'd read a couple in bed each night before going to sleep.
Somehow, she'd never heard of Lovecraft. There were a couple of Lovecrafts near the end of the book. She read "The Rats in the Walls" and didn't sleep for a week.

[kaffy_r]

I remember reading one story - not by Lovecraft, but by someone of his generation, I think; someone whose last name might have been Machen - while still living at home with Mum and Nana. It was of an evening when they were out, and I'd been getting ready for bed.

They came back a couple of hours later, to find me sitting straight up in bed, with all the lights on, afraid to get out of the bed, afraid to lie down, pretty much frozen in place.

ad something to do with a man falling from a tower and a dog that was not a dog, and I really don't want to remember too much more about it.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Ohhh, I'll definitely have to check this book out, whoot!!

*HUGS*

[kaffy_r]

It's really, really good; but it's also pretty unbearably sad.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Mmmm, well you know me - that is not minded (and often, I look rather forward to fiction like that).

I swear that name rings a bell...ah well.

[kaffy_r]

Datlow, or Catherine's? As I mentioned to clocketpatch above, if you remember the name of the newswoman in The Long Game, you've won the prize.

Also, since you have a deep understanding of good and bad family stuff, this collection could be up your alley for that reason as well.

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

I do...s'what is so weird. The name of the newswoman doesn't ring ANY bells, but Catherine's does. Hmmm. *Shrugs*

Ahhh...definitely have this on my 'need to read!!' list.

*HUGS*

[kaffy_r]

If you go look up those particular newswoman stories, I guarantee you'll enjoy them!

*hugs right back*

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

I've definitely bookmarked her! If you think she is wonderful, I already know she must be!!

*HUGS*

I keep forgetting how much I have to learn and how many people I haven't met yet. I mean, I only joined DW Fandom three years ago -

Wow...has it really been that long already?! O_O

[kaffy_r]

Good lord - only three years ago?

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Yup. Life-long Whovian and stubborn not-gonna-get-involved Fan until...yup about three years ago. And in those three years...whew. I've written more than I have in my lifetime!! So...so much for 'not gonna get involved, nuh-uh, nope' *CACKLES*

Seems like just yesterday and yet, I could swear I've been here forever, lol!!

[apostle-of-eris.livejournal.com]

Arthur Machen
A pretty major Edwardian weirdo.

[kaffy_r]

That could very well be him, although I'm not seeing evidence of the story I remember. I wonder if it was the guy they mentioned him mentoring, Caradoc?