Wow, **loved** the videos! Gun chicks rock!!! Can’t wait to see them kick some ‘tail’ in S5!

eddy

Kudos to Jeffrey Ford for writing a book of such imagination and written in such beautiful language. The style is so lyrical and evocative that I would have enojoyed it even if the stories themselves had been horrible, which of course they weren’t at all. Not only is Mr. Ford’s use of words incredible, but the style of each story is subtly different, and I’m in awe of that since I can’t master even one. The Annals of Eelin-Ok, the story as told by the Twilmish is sort of spare and simple, as you’d expect from a newly alive being whose story comes to us via a translation program. The Empire of Ice Cream has a sort of awkward formality to it that should perhaps have hinted something wasn’t quite right for the narrator. Botch Town ranged from the swift-moving words of chases and fear to perfect descriptions for all the senses, all believable from an American man looking back on his Earth. So yeah, I loved immersing myself in the words.

As far as the stories, there wasn’t one I didn’t like, really. Like many others here, Botch Town was my favorite. Not so much for the horror aspects but for the characters, who were so fully drawn in so few pages. I loved Jim’s amoral, practical authority and sharp wit. His labeling the model school the Retard Factory has made me laugh for days now. Yes, some of the behavior is brutal, but it’s a very believable rendition of small-town American life back before kids started being driven around in SUVs until high school. The kids are hilariously cynical and we can see why. Good for Jim that he understands the absurdity of life already. I can so relate to speed away on a bike or wearing a horribly sweaty, smelly plastic Holloween mask. I love that Jim and Mary are the only ones the narrator trusts, even when his life is in danger and adults are all around.

I loved Boatman’s Holiday because it made Hell real to me like Dante never did. The little details like… the damned never get to sleep, ever, but they get glimpses of their lives. And that those who keep Hell operating are just as trapped. I love that Charon found a way to write his way out of it, too.

Also really enjoyed A Night in the Tropics, but I have a burning question: who painted the mural? I read several times to see if it was revealed, but I don’t think it was, and that seems sort of important to the logic of the story. It made me wonder if Bobby was just making up the story about the chess set, and if the gunshot the narrator heard was Bobby committing suicide or something. In either case I love that the meaning of the mural was so different from what the narrator had imagined as a boy.

I think I’ll stop there, but thanks Joe for choosing this one, and thanks to Jeffrey Ford for writing it and sharing your time with us!

Wassup man is everything ok…. you slacking pal…. not posting your blogs on time for your regulars

Quick question please, Any possible revelations on Inquisition episode….is it gonna be like spoils of war or echoes type which follows up on the mid season two parter?

Take care Joe

Gun enthusiasm and low-rent sushi snobbery from the woman who dislikes raw fish. Yeah, I’m making Joe’s watch list fer sher.

Heck, the crickets sound tasty at this point.

Food question: what are California rolls?

Check out the article at Wikipedia. It also includes the origin.

It looks like California rolls in the States look different to what we have in Australia. The ones I’ve had have the Nori on the outside. Anyway I like them.

Cheers, Chev

They give the film praise (mostly for its title, and the fact that its Canadian made) and they link to the movie’s official website and trailer. Anyway, just thought it was very cool.

While I sadly didn’t get to read “Empire”, I did just want to ask Mr. Ford a few generic questions if he didn’t mind. I’m curious as to what his writing practices are. Do you write with the story entirely created in your mind, or does it just spill across the computer screen (or notebook page) as you write? How is writing a short story different from novels? What different mindset (if applicable) do you have to have for each?

Thanks!