Pinky's Paperhaus

greetings, earth friends

Pinky's Paperhaus is in the sidebar of the LA Times blogging article. While falling into the "arts" category would have been, um, more intellectual (Mark is there, of course), I'll take "out there." Why not.

The very smart and occasionally silly Lee Goldberg is also on the list, for his behind-the-scenes blog about being a Hollywood writer and producer. He just visited the Haus with his brother Tod; they talked about their new books and about selling dirty socks on eBay (well, Tod talked about the dirty socks).

If you had the patience to come here via the Times, Pinky's Paperhaus podcasts interviews with writers as they guest DJ and talk about their work. Plus other writerly things of interest. Like Jack Klugman.

edging up the intellectual food chain

Powell's books has begun having authors guest blog for a week and Susan Orlean is the lead writer/blogger.

I am heartened that in her first post she writes about procrastination, mostly because in reading her post I was definitely procrastinating. (Although there is something to be said for the argument that before coffee one should read something other than literary theory).

She appears to be answering questions, so if you have something better than "What did you think of the film version of Adaptation?" you might throw it out there. Me, I'm heading back to literary theory.

Quincy podcasts!

83-year old Jack Klugman is blogging and podcasting for his new book, Tony and Me, croaky as all get-out. The stories he tells are a little too short in comparison to the audio mandate to buy the book that comes from Mr. Radio Announcer Voice, but it's still fun to listen to him dish, which he does just a little.

I really don't like doing films, because they're not really satisfying. I like to rehearse. I like to work on a character and go home with it and eat with it and sleep with it....[but] Sidney Lumet was a terrific director.... I loved doing that movie. I wish all movies were like 12 Angry Men.

Heck, the publisher has even got him vidcasting, if you want a taste of the Odd Couple outtakes that are on the DVD. Which comes with the book.

Leaving the whippersnappers marketing CSI and Bones and Crossing Jordan in the dust.

Podcast: 2 Goldbergs in 1!

Brothers Lee and Tod Goldberg talk about their new books, what their mother sells on eBay and bears without pants. In case you're thinking, wow, how can I tell two podcasting Goldbergs apart, here's a bit of help. Tod is quick to tell you he's the good-looking one (I'm staying neutral); his collection of short stories, Simplify, is the first book published by Other Voices. Lee is a television writer who also writes novels -- the latest, The Man With the Iron-On Badge, is about a wanna-be private eye who learned everything about the profession from TV detectives and suavecitos like Tony Rome.

There's more than could fit in the 15-minute podcast so check out the streaming files in the library  to hear the story of Lee's book with the penis on the cover and to catch Tod saying his (patent pending) word, fucktard.  You also get to listen to the fab sounds of private-eye theme songs and the scary selection that Tod brought in to match his stories (the complete playlist is online, too).

Happy family holiday with the Goldbergs!

good goodnight

I just finished listening to the Bat Segundo podcast with Jennifer Weiner and I highly recommend it. I have never been a fan of hers before -- hated the title of her first book -- but that woman made me laugh out loud (more than once). Made me want to buy Goodnight Nobody right quick. I love surprises.

absolutely unrelated

The sound of the oughts, teens and twenties of the 20th century is now streaming at a computer near you, thanks to the (wax) Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project at UC Santa Barbara (via The Anachronist).

Recent audio available at Moby Lives (I guess I should call it Moby Lives Radio) include a bookseller, an AP reporter, and a bookslut in Ireland.

The Christina Aguilera sushi roll served at her weekend nuptials: a cut roll wrapped in soy paper with spicy tuna, rice, avocado and topped with sweet eel sauce. What, no cream cheese?

clearly

Back during NaDruWriNi I had 3 Sam Adams and a bottomless glass of whiskey. Nevertheless my clarity, such as it was,  landed me in the top 10 of inebriated posts. I didn't feel so clear -- in fact, I fell asleep at the laptop trying to write a killer last sentence. I wish instead of soggy melancholy I'd captured the witty, loopy drunkeness the other writers did.

Next year I'm having martinis. Or tequila. That might do the trick.

Geeks of lit

1. The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy -- Douglas Adams
2. Nineteen Eighty-Four -- George Orwell
3. Brave New World -- Aldous Huxley
4. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? -- Philip Dick
5. Neuromancer -- William Gibson
6. Dune -- Frank Herbert
7. I, Robot -- Isaac Asimov
8. Foundation -- Isaac Asimov
9. The Colour of Magic -- Terry Pratchett
10. Microserfs -- Douglas Coupland
11. Snow Crash -- Neal Stephenson
12. Watchmen -- Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons
13. Cryptonomicon -- Neal Stephenson
14. Consider Phlebas -- Iain M Banks
15. Stranger in a Strange Land -- Robert Heinlein
16. The Man in the High Castle -- Philip K Dick
17. American Gods -- Neil Gaiman
18. The Diamond Age -- Neal Stephenson
19. The Illuminatus! Trilogy -- Robert Shea & Robert Anton Wilson
20. Trouble with Lichen - John Wyndham

Take the list, bold what you've read, meme yourself to geekdom. From here via here via here inspired by this.

I am more than half geek. Sad that my friend Cecil has had a hard drive emergency. She would have loved this one (and would likely be a full-fledged geek of lit).

Ladies on the mic

LibriVox points out a Wired News report about the Podcast Expo this past weekend in Ontario, California. Only 15% of the people who showed up were women. I wonder what the ratio was at the other expo in the Ontario convention center was that weekend -- for the Portable Sanitation Association.

I admit, there are a lot of things I didn't want to have to learn. What kind of mic to use. Whether a cheap cable can be sufficient. What peaking sounds like. And boys can be so exclusive and dorky about this stuff; heck, I was a music journalist and rocker roommate who dodged all the equipment conversations I could. Talking gear? Time for me to get a beer.

But honestly, this expo seemed both hype-y and ho-hum from the looks of the site -- maybe chicks have better radar for something that'll be no fun.  This one coming up in North Carolina seems more my speed. And there's always SXSW Interactive in March. Now they'll know how to throw a party.

Laila Lalami's podcast, part two

Moorishgirl Laila Lalami continues discussion of Hope and Other Dangerous Pursuits, talking about language and the dialogue of her Moroccan characters, writing with music, and litblogging.

The complete interview is also available for streaming, if you're so inclined. Just pop into the library.