quite possibly of interest to no one but me

Since it has occurred to me that somebody out there may be curious, below is an extremely incomplete list of the nonfiction books I'm currently looking for.

Caveat: Except in exceptional circumstances--such as a gift card--I don't buy books online. When I tell you that the complete (though of course infinitely expanding) list of books I'm looking for--fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama--is 17 pages, 10-point and single spaced, you will perhaps understand that this is an act of mercy upon my bank balance. So please, don't tell me where I can find these books from an online seller. You will only make the baby trellwolves cry.

On the other hand, if you want to recommend other books on these subjects, please feel free!

[ETA: Caveat 2: I'm not actually looking for help in finding these books. I know about libraries and interlibrary loan and all other such marvels. The reason my book posts are always headed UBC (Unread Book Challenge) is because I have MOUNTAINS of unread books in my house--although this doesn't stop me cheerfully going off and buying more books in used bookstores (I almost never buy books new anymore, unless they're written by friends). I get a profound and abiding satisfaction out of trolling used bookstores, a satisfaction which I don't think I can explain. If for some reason I needed one of these books urgently, I would certainly turn to the university libraries. As it is, this list is all about the hunt--and the thrill I get when I capture one of these books in the wild. *ahem* I just realized that my patron saint here is Professor Wormbog. Tra la la lally.]

( cut to spare the world )

There are dozens more, but I'm giving myself a headache, so I think it's time to stop.

RT Reviewers Choice nominations

Thank you, papersky, for the heads up!

The nominees have been announced for the 2009 Romantic Times Reviewers Choice Awards. Many people I know should be congratulated on their nominations (matociquala, jimhines, coffeeem, oracne ...), but since this is my blog, I shall be utterly egotistical and only congratulate ME. Corambis is nominated in the Best Epic Fantasy category.

Since the competition in this category includes Jim Butcher and Brandon Sanderson, I don't expect to win, but the hoary old cliché about the honor being in the nomination happens to entirely true. And it makes me very happy.

(Psst. Congratulations to all the other nominees, those I know and those I don't.)

stories, finished and unfinished

90,000 words! 20,000 to go! That February 1st deadline is practically looking, you know, doable.

---

Also, since I observe it's that time of year again, for the benefit of anyone who might be thinking about the Hugos or the Nebulas or suchlike--my publications in 2009, let me show you them:

NOVEL

• Corambis, Ace Books.

SHORT STORY

• "White Charles," Clarkesworld Magazine.
  
• with Elizabeth Bear (matociquala), "Mongoose," Lovecraft Unbound (ed. Ellen Datlow).

... and that's it. One of the things I am most hoping for, once I've finished The Goblin Emperor (and now that the Doctrine of Labyrinths is no longer kicking my ass to the curb), is that I'll be able to start writing and finishing short stories again. Because I really miss the little blighters.

---

Oh, and Friday the Thirteenth comes on a Wednesday this month.