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David D. Levine ([personal profile] davidlevine) wrote2005-07-17 10:48 pm

7/17/05: Colonyhouse

Just back from a relaxing writing weekend at the Colonyhouse on the Oregon coast, with [livejournal.com profile] jaylake, [livejournal.com profile] dawnsister, and [livejournal.com profile] kateyule, plus Ken and Jen Scholes, Brian Wade, and Amanda Clark WANOLJ. Fine weather and good companionship all weekend.

On Saturday afternoon I awoke from a nap to the roar of the waves and the crackle of the fire -- no, wait, that's the clatter of laptop keys...

This was the first opportunity I have had to spend much time with Ken, and he's a nice guy and a heck of a guitarist. He was working on a story that he originally started for Bones of the World, which coincidentally was where Jay and I both made our first sales back in 2001. But I had Ken beat in the "old story" department, because I was revising a story I originally wrote at Clarion (2000) and never got around to submitting. Finished it, too, and put it in the mail tonight. (It's the Bigfoot story, for those who have read it, and it's off to F&SF.) I also started another story, which is going to be short and funny but structurally complex, with three to five intertwined scenes spread across a century of time.

But it wasn't a very intensive writing weekend. A lot of the time was spent sitting around talking, taking walks on the beach in twos and threes (for some reason there was an enormous number of dead crabs on the beach, with their legs and bodies washed up here and their upper shells washed up over there), and eating way too much. Jay did all the cooking, for which much thanks, and provided us all with about ten billion percent of our recommended daily allowance of lipids. Yum. We tried to get up a game of 1000 Blank White Cards but it didn't come together.

Note to self for next time: remember to pack long-sleeve shirts, pillow, towel, sleeping bag, long cord for iBook power adapter, hat, picnic cooler.

Saturday night Ken brought out his guitar and gave us his interpretations of some favorite songs, a real treat. One of the most... interesting... of these was his impersonation of Queen Elizabeth II and Dylan doing U2. It actually sounded a bit more like Ken Scholes doing ((Julia Child doing the Queen) and (Cartman doing Dylan)) doing U2. Then he started to do "Puff the Magic Dragon," but Jen asked him not to because the ending always makes her cry. She asked him instead to sing "American Pie," and promised not to sing the wrong words. This led to the following exchange:

Ken: A long long time ago...
Jen: ...in a galaxy far away...
Ken: PUFF THE MAGIC DRAGON...

Okay, maybe you had to be there, but I about fell off my chair laughing.

And Amanda will never live down the sheath-cleaning jokes.

When I got home from the beach, I learned I can now announce that my story "I Hold My Father's Paws" has been shortlisted for the Aeon Award. The winner of the award receives 1000 Euros, and all six shortlisted stories will appear in the Irish magazine Albedo One. The winner will be announced at the Worldcon in Glasgow. I'll be there!

[identity profile] deedop.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 07:27 am (UTC)(link)
Dave hates it when American Pie comes on the radio because I always sing the wrong words.

Congrats on the short list!

[identity profile] sallytuppence.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 08:27 am (UTC)(link)
Yow, short list!

I miss Colony House...

[identity profile] jenwrites.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 09:40 am (UTC)(link)
When I got home from the beach, I learned I can now announce that my story "I Hold My Father's Paws" has been shortlisted for the Aeon Award. The winner of the award receives 1000 Euros, and all six shortlisted stories will appear in the Irish magazine Albedo One. The winner will be announced at the Worldcon in Glasgow. I'll be there!

Congrats! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.

[identity profile] smofbabe.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 09:56 am (UTC)(link)
Congrats on the award news! Look forward to seeing y'all in Glasgow.

[identity profile] cjsmith.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 10:02 am (UTC)(link)
Congrats on the story being shortlisted! Dang, I wish I'd been there for 1KBWC. Still regret not being able to stay awake for the other one at SD convention!

[personal profile] apparentparadox 2005-07-18 11:06 am (UTC)(link)
Scotland? I'm jealous. We had a great time there. Have fun & good luck.

[identity profile] charlieallery.livejournal.com 2005-07-18 03:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Congrats on the short-listing. Hope you hear good news in Glasgow. See you there.
librarygrrl: jack o'lantern on gate post, text says Boo. (Default)

congrats!

[personal profile] librarygrrl 2005-07-18 11:08 pm (UTC)(link)
Sam wants to know what 1000 euros is in real money. ;)