orichalcum: (Pre-Rafe)
posted by [personal profile] orichalcum at 06:18pm on 18/10/2007 under
And in other cool news, I just received a book in the mail today. The back cover reads:

"A Good Idea Gone Terribly Wrong.

"We're getting out, mate," Charles's composure was belied by the taut lines in his face and the two Afghan guards flanking him, their rifles unslung and ready. "Get your things. If what we're hearing from Zabul is true, we've been sitting here like bloody ducks for too long already."

If true, the rumors from Zabul province confirmed that someone was trying to kill us, but we didn't yet know who: the struggling remnants of the Taliban, opium smugglers who found our work an inconvenience, or local militia commanders with some unknown grudge. We didn't know if they planned more attacks, or if they could strike us in the city of Lashkargah itself. So we were running. There was a small U.S. military outpost on the edge of town, next to the graveyard.

By the afternoon our office and staff houses would be empty of everyone except guards, and our Western staff would be inside a bunker."

Yes, indeed, it's The Opium Season, by Joel Hafvenstein. I haven't dived into it yet, but I can vouch for Joel's storytelling ability, and highly recommend it to all. Whether or not you know him, go buy this book. I won't spoil the ending.

Also, the picture of J.H. on the back inside cover is classic. :) Definitely more Indiana Jones than James Bond.
location: home
Mood:: 'excited' excited
Music:: Faith
orichalcum: (Default)
posted by [personal profile] orichalcum at 08:03pm on 12/01/2007 under
So, last night, hours before the final final deadline, I turned in my edited book-chapter on HBO's Rome series and the prevalence of incest plotlines in 2005-6 television, about which many of you have heard.

This morning, I got back email from the editor, calling it "excellent, well written, and provocative," and asking if I was on the market right now, as her university (unfortunately in a non-ideal location) had an unexpected 1-year-position/tenure-track search in the fall opening up.

I couldn't figure out a way to thank you guys formally in the endnotes, because it would have been too long a list, and "my friends on LJ" is just a wee bit unprofessional. But thanks so much to all of you for all your suggestions, helpful advice, and useful points. I've been working on this piece for six months, and I was totally uncertain as to whether or not it was totally shallow and worthless, and it seems like it's not.

I'm happy to email the article out to anyone who wants it, and keep an eye out for _Rome: Television Makes History_ at your local academic bookstore in September 2007.

I may not have gotten a job yet, but it's been a good week for my ego.
location: Evanston
Music:: I feel pretty
Mood:: 'jubilant' jubilant

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