To quote Eddie Campbell, "It's your shout."
::evil smile:: Hmm, and not a mention of me? I am very hurt... I would like you all to know that I have, um... Extended my realm of control to a place called Rhydin in the realm of RDI mulitverse in the kingdom of aol. Should you need any, um...specail items.. Spell boxes, memory balls, anything at all... Please come see me. I will be glad to work a deal with you.
Long Lankin
Fondly known as the Butcher of BorderTown.
This is great! So many Bordertowners in one place. If you're interested, check out a big trade paperback book called SPECTRUM II. It's a compilation of various award-winning and otherwise notable fantasy art. On page 34, there's this great painting of Orient and the Ticker hanging out with the bike on a back street near Danceland. It's called Danceland and it's beautiful! Check it out!
::eyes the message above hers suspiciously:: Oh well gotta give him a
A for effort, he does desire power, seems B-Town didn't hold enough....
Anyway, okay Jester
Hey Flik your on a web page!!!!::shakes her head as jingling is heard loudly:: It's a way cool page, got a link to here too, All of you who want to see a member of the Horn Dance should visit http://studentweb.tulane.edu/~marymc It's really sharp and has a lot of great stuff One of which is our very own Flik!!! ::jingling dances away:: Gotta go catch that sunbeam... ::laughter fades::
Ki Kelly, I haven't seen SPECTRUM 2 yet, but I believe the painting you're talking about is by Nicholas Jainschigg, and is the cover for Double Feature. The full painting is used as a wrap-around cover, but I'm only showing the front on the webpage.
A message from Terri Windling:
"The completed manuscript for the next anthology (THE ESSENTIAL BORDERTOWN: A TRAVELLER'S GUIDE TO THE EDGE OF FAERY) has now been turned in to Tor. It's a fat volume and includes stories by Ellen Kushner, Delia Sherman, Charles de Lint, Midori Snyder, Patricia A. McKillip, Felicity Savage and others."
Yippee! Ach, I'm so excited, there's purple sparkles coming out my ears. (Or is that the faerie dust I left next to the hairdryer?) Ahhh...anyway, we *will* be told when it's released, right? Of course. C'mon over and see me sometime. Can we use HTML in this thing? guess I'll find out; you can decipher it if we can't, you're clever kittens. Pop into the Lair and sign in my guestbook; be welcome to send me Border (or whatever) fanfic, reviews, etc. for the zine. So! Who *else* is going in Border guise for Halloween? During the day, that is. At this rate, the campus won't even notice, though. ;-P I'll be fortunetelling Samhain eve to raise money for our con. We still need a band for next year...
Stupid spellbox...NOW I have your true name! Here we go: Pop in all over again!.
hey, all! nice to see ya - saw the pic of me on the page, huh, jingle? i kinda like it! :)) wow, i didn't realize the bbs would recognize code...way kewl! (so for anybody that missed it, my page with my very own picture on it is: Mary's Channel Surfing Guide to the Internet. A cool page if i do say so myself -- and what good would i be if i didn't link back here? and of course, there's a link to my favorite author's page (Charles deLint!)...and one to our fave world destination: CoastCon! So, everybody come visit! ...hmmm...(mary speaking now) so tor's got the book now? wonder how many years it'll take 'em to get it out to us?!...(mary shuts up)... sorry i gotta run so soon, but i gotta figure out what spell it was i used last year on halloween to get my ears to come back!! (i knew i shouldn't've traded 'em at the border...) after all, if you can't look like yourself at halloween, when can you? oh yeah, i'm working on getting some more pics of "horn dance" online, so if you don't see anything new at first, try again later! (i wonder if after halloween i could trade my ears for a scanner..........) me thinks there may be a reason elves and technology don't mix!...:) flik!
We can use html tags? Very cool (I'm not trendy in other matters, so yes, I use the "old school" spelling)! Check out Flik's page, it is cool too! Now check out mine, Take me away from all this!
Oops! PLEASE WORK!!!
First ... the above e-mail addy is OUT OF ORDER! I'm currently complaining to campus computer services about it, but who knows when it'll be back ... Secondly ... hi. ;) I'm 22, female, a journalism student in Western NY state, and a longtime scifi/fantasy fan. I'm looking for copies of "Life on the Border" and "Double Feature" so if someone knows where I can get them, be a dear and post something about them, will you? Bye for now. If there's any other Yankees out there, drop me a line! Or anyone else who wants to talk, for that matter. ;)
So many things to say...can I remember them all? I just got back from a libraries "Author Night" where Will Shetterly and Emma Bull spoke. One of the questions I asked was "How did Emma break the news to Will that she's going to kill off one of his characters? (Tick-Tick was in Will's "Nevernever" and Emma's "Finder".) And Emma's answer was "Tick-Tick was created by me (Emma) in the short story "Danceland" in the Bordertown book. Hollywood was planning on making the Borderlands into a TV show and Emma didn't like what they had in mind for Tick-Tick (A damsel in distress for Orient to save ever episode), so to "save" Tick-Tick from a life of being a victim, Emma killed her off." Emma still thinks the "Borderlands" would make a GREAT tv show...just not with Tick-Tick as victim. Will and Emma also believed the book series is pretty much defunct. They didn't elaborate, but it looks like the next short story collection will probably be the last. About the pseudonym Bellamy Bach...they said they know who that author really is. But they couldn't tell me, because the author wasn't ready to "come out of the closet" yet. They said when the author's ready to be known, they send me an e-mail. Ummm...I know I asked more but it's too early in the morning and I'm not feeling well. If I remember anything, I'll post it. If you have any questions you have, just lemme know and I'll try to find out the answer for ya! Take care....zero
A Border TV show...that could be *very* interesting, it could also get totally screwed up, like that Vampire thing...Speaking of B-town in other forms, I've been desperately wishing there were a MUSH for us. Perhaps we could get together on a small pre-existing MUSH (one with instant character creation, such as AnimeMUSH) sometime. Well, I have to get writing, my faeriepunk campaign's next episode, tomorrow, is loosely based on Light and Shadow. --Don't let appearances deceive you. If you want an explanation of everyting that happened, come to the Dancing Ferret-- Or the Matrix for that matter...
Emma Bull killed Tick-Tick off to save her from being a victim? That's a little drastic, isn't it? But then, the Hollywood stuff sounds like they were going to totally change/wreck both characters -- afterall, who kept saving whom? I'm looking for a copy of Life on the Border. To the person looking for Double Feature: it can still be ordered from seemingly any good bookstore... I just ordered it, but was warned that the publisher is sometimes a little erratic about filling orders. Cammie I'm looking for a copy of Life on the
Double Feature can still be ordered? HOORAAY! I've been looking for it unsuccessfully in used bookstores for a while now. I too am looking for Life On the Border. Concerning the Ticker's death, I would be thankful if the TV show had come on, but since it didn't, I feel a touch betrayed for having cried so much for a senseless death.( The show never happened, yet she still died.) Well, TTFN. See you at the Ferret.
Oops, just looked at the part of _Double Feature_'s page where it says it's still in print. :-) Yes sirree, I wanna visit ghost's very own web page!
Oh PLEAZE kill this tv idea. Has anyone -ever- been happy with an adaptation
of something they love? I don't care if it be tv or movie. Some executive
board will screw it up beyond recognition. All the spirit will get sucked right
out of it. Let this live in books and goth clubs but keep it out of hollywood.
The last thing I want to see is a bunch of small screen actors trying to play
fae.
"Let this live in books and goth clubs but keep it out of hollywood." This comment struck me, largely because I thought I was one of B-Town's very few goths. :-) Cool. But anyway, I am starting a B-Town anthology mag tape. I'm including the obvious stuff like Boiled in Lead and Flash Girls, but deciding on what other world beat stuff to include is fun... There is a great collection from EMI's Hemisphere series called "Ethno Punk" that I highly recommend. When I'm done, should I post the mix to the Board?
Why not? I've been trying for a few weeks to scam a friend of mine to let me borrow his Cats Laughing album and make a copy of it, and I'd really like to listen to some of the "other bands of B-town".. It seems as if we all have our own special B-town talents or projects, so to speak.. so I say go for it. (Maybe then I could have a nice printable list of music suggestions to take to the music stores.. ;) And if ya see some guy walking around SoHo with a black trench and a khaki backpack, that'd be me..
Here's my mix tape, called "The Atchin' Tan", which is the name of my cafe/hang-out spot. Somewhere I know I won't get bashed for bein' a halfie,
y'know?
Lorena McKennitt "Stolen Child"
The Flash Girls "Banshee"
Sinead O'Connor "I am stretched on your grave"
The Pogues "Turkish Song of the Damned"
Boiled in Lead "Bank and Star"
Wolfstone "Double Rise Set"
Black 47 "Rockin the Bronx"
Shooglenifty "Waiting for Conrad"
Hedningarna "Aivoton"
Varttina "Kiiriminna"
Sky Cries Mary "Every Iceberg is a Fire"
3 Mustaphas 3 "Kopanitsa"
Yehuda Poliker "Children Come and Go"
Mano Negra "Sidi H'Bibi"
Mau Mau "Make Mana"
Paralamas do Sucesso "Nao Me Estrague o Dia"
Oleg Fesov "Marav"
Bustan Abraham "Gypsy Soul"
Matto Congrio "Reel 'en su Salsa'"
Johnny Zee "Yaar Nach La"
Avtar Maniac "Boliyaan"
Deep Forest "Sweet Lullaby"
Butthole Surfers "Pepper"
Pick up the collections "Planet Soup" and "Ethno Punk" and you'll have two great collections of B-Town's style of music. Especially as it is written up in Life on the Border, with all the different cultural influences. Side one of my 100-min tape is basically Celt-y stuff, and side two is Spanish/Arabic/Indian. It came out very well, too. :-) Would it be legal to let people send me a blank tape and have me transfer a copy onto it if no money is involved?
I kinda doubt it'd be legal, but I don't really know. Has anybody read _The Wood Wife_ yet? I just started it and I LOVE it!
I dont feel I should post yet but I will. I have yet to read any of these books and until today I did not know of them, but I have heard of the "border".(not in you story book meaning)The border between real faeries,and please correct me if I am wrong, but is the border of which you speak to be taken litteraly. The way I have heard it used is the same way as your books depict it. It being a border between ours and the fey(faerie) world, and that there are door ways but are kept secret.
I'm glad someone fixed the formatting of my last message, making a list instead of a jumble. I'd say 'thanks' but we know what *that* would get me. :-) Anyway, how would the folk here feel about a fan-fiction page? We'd have to ask the moderator, of course, but it'd be cool to have somewhere to post mini-stories and such. "A Day in the Life of a Border-brat", as Boogel called it...
Well, they're already out there.. I know of myself, and I am starting one of my own, for my own works.. plus I've seen others volunteer.. I was willing to make my SoHo page a b-town fanfic page for anyone WAY back.. (it's somewhere in the archive, I'm sure..) Now, if only I had time to keep my pages updated like I want.. Anyways, I did dedicate a page to b-town and it's at: http:/www.geocities.com/soho/4144 if anyone's interested.. btw, cool music! Figures, I would've found some already without knowing it.. I'm a huge Pogues fan.. "My baby's gone.. "
Well, if you've already got a space in mind, we may as well make use of it, eh? I had promised you a story ages ago, and then my life went crazy. Sigh... Anyway, I'm back to writing so I will send you something soon. As I'm also a gamer, I will be doing a map of B-Town soon, just so I can keep my locales straight. I'm starting with a streetmap of Santa Clara since 'Prodigy' seems to take place there (based on in-story clues), and I'll see if I can get a grip on the B-Town street layout from all the stories. Knowing which streets intersect and which run parallel is a good start. And then I can add on where the clubs are, the neighborhoods and all that. Now, if I can just find my copy of Borderland, I'll be set.
I'm in communication with Ms. Windling about fan-fiction, and expect to have and official response within the next three or four weeks.
Didi, good call! I myself was working on trying to figure out a map of B-town.. (didn't get too far with it though.. too confusing and not enough info..) my first tries were to compare it with real towns like you did, so first try was SoHo, NY.. no luck there.. then SoHo, PA.. no luck their either.. anyways.. I get confused trying to figure out where everything is, so a map is definitely a good idea.. I'll try and get to work on that web page soon.. (My life went crazy too, it seems..)
Well, I seem to have been wrong anyway. The bookstore mentioned in "Prodigy" seems to be the Scene of the Crime, which is actually in Sherman Oaks. I have no idea where I came up with Santa Clara, unless it was referenced in a different book. Sigh. I've never been there, but I've got a book on murder mysteries that describes the shop. So nevermind that brilliant idea. I am now considering basing it on downtown Seattle, because the neighborhoods fit the cityscape in much the same way as Bordertown. And right now, any map would help... Once I finish it, I'll let folk know. Just in case anyone wants a copy or anything. :-)
I too have offered to help with or put up a fanfic page, but have had no one take advantage of the offer. Also, Nathan ( our gracious host) pointed out to me that this, if we do not get Terri Windling's approval, may constitute a copyright infringement. Apparently he has been in contact with her ( I meant to try to find out how to get permission, but have been so overburdened with schoolwork...) and is close to getting definite answer. I do hope she says yes. Especially as I've heard a rumor that _The Essential Bordertown_ may be the last book.
Well, I don't foresee any problems.. As long as the argument is put in the proper context, it should be fine.. Let's face it, it's not like we write fanfics to make money or publish them.. We write fanfics because we love the stories, and want to keep them alive in our own way. Fanfiction is not plagiarism or stealing, it's more of a gracious flattery and appreciation of the author(s). I just don't want to see the border die.. Let's face it, this isn't a mainstream thing. (Thank goodness..) There are only a select few who know about this phenomenon, and those who do seem to be very dedicated. I think it's worth it to keep something like that alive. Shetterly's works alone brought me into this world, and from there I embraced the rest.. These authors seem to write from MY perspective, and haven't lost that gift of knowing what it's like to be young, confused, or in trouble. I admire that in a writer, (And Adults in general) because their messages mean more that way. Some of Ron/Wolfboy's problems/realizations/advice reflect my life so closely that it felt great to have someone out there understand me. Part of the reason I write it is that maybe, in some small way I can affect someone else out in this world and help him or her understand as well. Anyways, sorry for the deep 12am rant.. And on a lighter note...
Not really a lighter note, but here goes anyway. I think most of us B-Town fans were drawn to the books for the same reason we'd be drawn to the Border. We're weird and we find 'kindred spirits' there. :-) I mean, when the books came out the first time, I was a confused halfie myself (half-black/half-white, not elvish) and to have characters that were on the border between races as well as worlds appealed to me a lot. I still understand adolescence, too, in spite of the fact that I'm well out of it now. Not so much the pain and confusion, but the will to question and challenge. I'm more wise about how I handle my fights now, but that's the benefit of experience. I came in from reading Borderland, and every book I got my hands on after that just made me feel more 'at home' there. Rereading things now is more nostalgia than empathy, but the world established through the stories is still powerful. Granted, when I make a persona/character for it now, my perspective is different from my initial interaction with B-Town (gaming and fan-fic), but it's almost like growing up there... What is it about late-night coffee that's making me so philosophical?
A couple of things:
Bordertown will not map to a real city. It's not built on the wreckage of a particular place. There's magic involved; how else could if be so close to both Los Angeles and NYC?
Fan fiction is not automatically "not plagiarism or stealing, it's more of a gracious flattery and appreciation of the author(s)." And there's a big difference between what one can (legally/ethically/morally) get away with and what is (legally/ethically/morally) right. What one can do when one writes for one's self is quite different from what one should do when writing something to put up on a web page, which is a publication of sorts.
The arguements that fan fiction writers always use: flattery, free advertisment, etc., do not give anyone the right to infringe on anyone else's copyright. Proper citation does not make it ok to copy someone else's work, the copyright owner's permission is still (legally/ethically/morally) required.
I am not saying anything about Btown fanfic here, I'm talking about this stuff in general. Are any of y'all aware about the whole LEGO® website fiasco? Intentions don't count for very much, if anything.
I know that B-town won't fit exactly to any real-world city, but it's stil possible to create a map of B-town using an existing city as a sort of template and laying in the B-town streets. I can use Seattle's Waterfront as 'inspiration' for the Wharf, our International District for Dragontown, and so on. I just want a consistent layout for the streets so that the parallel avenues don't have intersections. :-)
Nathan, I understand completely what you are trying to say. I don't want you to think that I'm some sort of big fanfic writer who just likes to publish or something.. (On the contrary, I have a very hard time writing stories..) And, while I feel that I do have a valid point in my argument, you also have a very valid point. (Maybe more so than me.) Anyways, ultimately, I believe I was trying to say is that us B-towners aren't in this for love of glory, money, publicity, or anything like that, it's just our love of the stories and idea itself. But, ultimately, it's up to the author/creator, (In this case, Terri Windling, I presume) and basically, I guess what needs to be said is that, at least in my case, should someone decide that we cannot do fanfiction, I will abide by that. (For ethical reasons, and for the fact that I'm 19 and don't need a multi-million dollar copyright infringement lawsuit. :) It will not stop my love of the Border, and it won't stop me from reading them. I will just have lost a way of expressing my ideas to other people in one venue. So be it. Lastly, just for the record, I do not want to infringe on another person's copyright, should it be deemed so, and I do not want to offend anyone. Thank You.
Hey, Techwolf, I'm sorry if I came off a little rough. It's an issue that sets me off pretty quickly. Like I said, I've corresponded with Terri Windling about this stuff, and should have her policy on it in a few weeks.
Didi, oh absolutely! It's never been mentioned that I remember, but I think that Btown should have a Pioneer's Square like area too, and something like Mpls's Nicolett Island, and parts of SoHo remind me of Richmond, VA's Fan district.
So what do you think the restrictions will be? It doesn't seem too ridiculous to assume we couldn't use any characters from the books without the permission of the creator of that fictional person. Do you think that will be extended to places also? It would be nice to be able to at least make references to the Dancing Ferret. Does anyone have any knowledge of other fan generated fiction? How do they work it? ?????
I've heard a lot about "worldbeat music" on this board and have been wondering what it is. Could someone please name some names of groups/individuals I might recognize? I have always thought of B-town's music being eclectic and encompassing punk and ska and Celtic music and mixes of these.
On the map: It could be interesting, but I have my own map of it in my head that I'll never give up.
Well, I posted my B-Town world-beat compilation tape stuff, but I have no idea what bands you'd recognize. :-) It's definitely eclectic, and does include the musical styles you mention. But to me, one of the major keys to making it truly world-beat is including non-Celt music. For instance, my tape has Finnish, Brazilian, French, Spanish/Gypsy flamenco, and so on but the one common thread through it all is the do-it-yourself energy of punk. The willingness to take tradition and turn it on its head, making something new.
Thanks for the info. I'd looked at your list, but only recognized a few of the names(Flash Girls, Boiled in Lead, Pogues, Sinead O'Connor[sp?], and Butthole Surfers). Anyone who really cares about what kind of music I listen to (which is me and no one else, but I'd like to pretend someone cares) should check out my music page at My MUSIC PAGE!!!.
Mercedes Lackey's stuff is so popular that she has a fanfic relase form, I think....It would be nice if we could just get a policy statement from somebody...A lot of authors just don't care, wouldn't that be nice! See you later, or you can come see me.
The Borderlands is one of a handfull of novels in the Fantasy or Science Fiction genres that vividly portrays it's drama in terms of personable characters and relatable situations, albeit in a much more fascinating form than that of standard fiction.
So, this quality and several others about the series shows that Terri and the authors involved in this wonderfull series are both dedicated storytellers and artists that are willing to take a chance to be original in their subject matter. Sad this series will not go on forever... but then truly good things sense the importance of when to say just enough to purport dreams in it's audience.
Does anyone own a copy of Cat's Laughing's "Another Way to Travel"? If so, PLEEEEASE email me so that I could possibly arrange to make a copy. I've been hunting for it for years, and now that Steel Dragon is apparently closed for good, it looks like making a copy is the only way to get it. Thanks =)
Hey everyone, we got permission from Terri Windling to use the Horn Dance name and such...it wasn't that much of a hassle. All we did was write her a letter. Rave
Hi folks, I've been reading these books since they first came out and glad to see this site. Well not much else to say later
Well, the webserver software here has changed, which is why the site wasn't available last night, and why things were screwy this morning. All should be well now. For the techies out there, the name of the CGI script needed to change and I didn't want to change the link on the homepage until after the new server was deployed.
Oh, I ran across a first edition of Bordertown, complete with SFBC blow-in. Anyone interested?
I'd prefer it to go to someone who has never read it and has been trying unsuccessfully to find a copy, rather then someone who just wants it. First come, first serve.
email me: nathan@player.org
Drew Carmody, try emailing fabrecords@aol.com and ask about it. That's Adam & Betsy Stemple, who are reprinting the second Flash Girls album. Since Adam was part of Cats Laughing, it would be a good place to start. You should also try DeSelby Productions, they had the CD for quite a while.
Nathan, I do have Bordertown and have read it, so save the book for someone else, but I am curious: what is this SFBC blow-in?
Many years ago, (Ten years? Yow!) I wrote a Bordertown story called RED RIVER BLUES. It took me a few years to work up the courage, but I finally hunted down Terri Windling's address and sent her a query letter asking if she would take a look at it. She wrote back with a very polite "Thanks but no thanks." But a second letter, written on hands and knees, got a grudging, "Well, okay. But no promises." So I sent off my manuscript and waited with baited breath. I'm still waiting. I sent a follow up card. That got no response either. Well, anything could have happened. It could have got lost in the mail, or in the shuffle. I didn't want to be a pest, so I left it alone. I bear Terri no ill will. The series was by always invite only, and her graciousness in allowing me to send in something at all was more than I could have expected. The one thing I ache for though, and it's the one thing every author aches for, is a critique; good, bad or indifferent. No one likes to write in a vacuum, at least no one with as much ham in them as I have. I want to know what people think of my work. Which brings us to you, Nathan (nice name, by the way). I am interested to hear what Terri has to say to you about fan fiction. It's pretty obvious that I'll never get this story published legitimately, (although, irony of ironies, in the years since I wrote my Borderland story I have become a professional writer and even got an honorable mention in Terri and Ellen Datlow's 1994 Years best Fantasy and Horror for a story I wrote called SKIN CRAWL) so I would like to present it to the one audience that might enjoy it and would be able to give it an informed review; the Borderland Bulletin Board audience. Please let me know when and if permission is granted. I wait with baited breath.
Love to read your work, Nathan. Post away. Of course, you'd better be prepared for the backlash. >Smiling< One of my roommates wrote Terri once, and she was very kind, enough so to type back. It is always nice to get a response from some one who's work you admire. I've written a couple B-Town stories myself, but won't even ask to post, as they were hand written, oh, I never realised how long ago! Eight years... wow. By and by, what genre have you been published in?
I'd love to read Nathan's stuff too, but the backlash might be more than just a few stinging reviews... I guess I'm kind of worried about how copyright works on the Net and whether this would violate something with either Terri Windling or the publisher. I don't know much about it, so maybe there isn't any problem, but better safe than sorry.
Angel, I am mostly a screenwriter. I've sold several scripts and had one produced, a Sci-Fi picture called GUYVER II. I am currently writing episodes for a low-rent Cops and Robbers tv show called L.A. HEAT that may see the light of day next spring. As far as prose goes, there ain't much. I have published two short stories in MZB's Fantasy Magazine, and the aformentioned horror story SKIN CRAWL, in the short lived horror fiction 'zine, SKULL. That's it. I like writing fantasy and I told myself I was going to write a novel this year, but the paying jobs come first, so... Thanks for your interest in my story, but I will not post 'til I get the go ahead from our esteemed moderator. I am not interested in angering the people I admire.
Emma Bull's Finder was one of the first books I read in a long time where I cried. I really thought Tick-Tick was cool. And to whoever don't, oh please don't make borderlands into a TV show, a movie maybe, but not a TV show, network Tv would absolutely butcher the Borderlands. There's no way TV could capture the magic of B-town. Anyway who would be suitable to play Farrel Din.
Nathan, you wrote the script for Guyver II?
WOW!!!!! I thought I was the only person who actually read the Borderlands! COOL! I thought the magic was gone, but i think i can see faerie again. Now if only i can get my spellbox to work again.....
Nathan Long, how silly of me to not think of copyrights. Sigh. Hope you're enjoying the writing career(?). I recently wrote a rulebook for White Wolf Inc, due out Jan. It was a very informing experience, but nothing I can really base a career off of. Speaking of screen writing, I have a friend whose brother was writing for Queen Latifah's sitcom, and a few others to boot (I don't recall names very well). I do know he turned Mel Gibson down for a project a couple years ago. Lord knows I wouldn't. >Smirk< Mirya, I came to tears, too. Tick-Tick was one of my favorites.
Angel,I can see I'm going to have to come up with a new monicker to avoid confusion and embarrassment. I can't have people running around calling me by my full first and last all the time. Hmmm now, lets see... I'm not much for the nom de net, too old I guess, I'd feel silly. Lets just make it NRL, my initials. Do you know that your posts don't show up complete on AOL? I get them fine on my other server, but here your message above me ends with the word "smirk" How odd. I too, got all choked up at Tick Tick's death. In my opinion Finder is the best of the Bordertown novels so far. I look forward to more from Emma Bull and recommend her other work as well. Well, I've been slaving all day over a hot word processor and now I'm going to go off and converse with actual live humans. Do they really exist? I can't remember.
NRL, My posts don't show up completely? Just Mine? Bizarre. I'm fairly 'puter illeterate, I know the basics, so I haven't clue one as to why they aren't showing up. I feel pretty stupid, I just read the previous posts and they state very clearly the stance on fan stories. (Mental picture of myself, jaw slack, drool coursing down chin, eyes half-lidded. "Urrgh?") I really loved Finder, however my favorite stories occupy a five way tie. Which is a testament to the quality of the work, or perhaps, the sparkle the B-Town Sci/folk twist has for me. I have read all Emma's books except for Falcon(?), which I've never even seen. I've also read what I can find of Will Shetterly's, but I have trouble getting through his books. As much as I love all B'Town books, I honestly never finished 'NeverNever'. Favorite character happened to be another toss up between Strider, Hale, Orient and Ticker, and Billy Buttons. Of course Corwyn of Aldon House is the best villain. I think he maintains my interest in his infrequent, but infamous, appearances. Good luck finding real people, they are few and far between!
Hrmm.. personally, I was drawn to the Border by Shetterly's works.. I have both books basically memorized, through constant rereading.. *sigh* To each his own, eh? Also, I've never read Finder (trying to find it.. Where's Orient when I need him?) You people mean to tell me that the Ticker died? *sigh*.. That's about as bad as if you were to tell me that WolfBoy were dead.. Oh well, the party doesn't last forever. Someone's gotta stay to pick up the pieces of the broken furniture and clean up the floors. Also, I've been hearing about this thing called Capricon, I guess it's up in Wisconsin somewhere, but it's a sci-fi/fantasy convention.. I'm gonna prolly be headed up there looking for other B-towners like meself.. if anyone wants the info, I could try to get it for you.. Or, better yet, if anyone has more information, could they get it to me? :) Anyways, another day, another unwritten story to find.. Take care, my friends...
Angel, I'm sure your incomplete posts have nothing to do with your computer literacy, but instead are the fault of the primitive tool users at AOL. Perhaps your server is incompatable with AOL. Your posts show up just fine on EarthLink, and your most recent post seems complete, even on AOL. Blame it on the inconsistancy of magic here on the border. Later.
Angel, congrats on the WW book project! It is something to base a career on, you know. A friend of mine has a pretty good side job as a freelance writer for them and he gets fairly decent money for it. I'm even being solicited to write for Dark Ages. :-) Even if you can't make it a full time occupation, writing for game companies gets you neat strange benefits... And with your experience, you can help me devise a decent Bordertown-style magic system that works with the Storyteller system!
Testing, one, two, three. Nathan, I'm trying to write to you!
But netscape says your server doesn't have a DNS Entry, whatever that is!
Meanwhile, Hi all! I'm doing a national show on public radio every week these days, called "Sound & spirit." They tell me its website is www.wgbh.org/pri/spirit Check it out to see if "Sound & SPirit" is airing on your public station, and to hear my voice message! bye and keep the faith
Oh boy, been a while.
Heya all, I just reread some of the earlier posts about the music of B-town. I need someone out there to do me a favor: I remember reading one B-town book that I borrowed from a library and no longer have access to.. (Life on the Border?) In the very back of it it listed some bands that were considered B-town music. Would someone please be so kind as to post them here because I don't have access to that book anymore? Thanks in advance, TW
Tech Wolf, you were correct, it's LIFE ON THE BORDER. Here are the bands; Accordions Go Crazy, Blowzabella, Boiled in Lead, (great band, saw them live in the lounge of a friend's apartment building here in LA last year. A strange venue, but a fun show.) Dead Can Dance, The Horseflies, Not Drowning, Waving, Rare Air, Savuka, Alan Stivell, Three Mustaphas Three and, The Waterboys. And let me add, purely for you frustration, the late great Flogging Molly, a now defunct local LA band who in my 'umble opinion, we're the best drunken, angry, Irish, punk, folk, hell for leather, foot stompin', throat tearin', heart burstin' band since Shane MacGowan left the Pogues for the bottle and never went back. The Pack would love 'em. If the Mollies ever play the Dancing Ferret there'll be True Blood running in the gutters of Soho that night, no lie. Alas, they are no more. No money and no record contract sent the players to greener pastures, and not a single or CD recorded that I know of. Dave King, he with the merry, evil twinkle in his eyes and the banshee ensorceled into his throat; Dave King walks alone, looking for new players who'll answer that famous battle cry... "Oi, Jimmy, mine's a pint!" Sorry, got carried away there. But I miss those guys. You shoulda heard 'em. G'night.
Thank ya kindly, guys! Now to make a trip to the local book and music store..
Hi folks--this is my first chance to see the Borderland page (thank you Nathan!), and it's lovely to find you all here. I'm not very computer literate, and don't often have a chance to see what's going on out here. But I wanted to let you know that Nathan is trying to arrange for a chat with Ellen Kushner, Delia Sherman, and me later this month, around Christmastime. Hope to see you then--and thanks for keeping the faith on this side of the Border. Cheers!
Okay this is my 4th attempt at posting. Every other time I've been kicked off mid post so, despite my wishes, I'll be painfully brief. Techwolf, I've a copy of Will Shetterly's Cat's Have No Lord, if you don't and I can find mine, I'll mail it to you for Christmas. Didi, good luck with WW, I hope to talk to you about that in real depth. NRL, I'd like to add Rachid Taha to that list along with a band from Chicago called Big Hat. Nathan: Sign me up for the CHAT! >grin< Later!
Just saw the post in front of mine. >Angel smiles real wide<
I just finished my second B-Town compilation tape. It's Bordertown goth, basically. The bands include All About Eve, The Cure, Concrete Blonde, Faith & the Muse, Mephisto Waltz and others. Basically the faerie-tale goth stuff in my collection. 74 minutes, because a friend of mine got a CD-ROM burner and the CDs hold 74 mins of data. If anyone wants the complete song list, let me know.
Another one: Is there any hope of seeing the first three B-Town anthologies reprinted as one hard-cover book? Even a limited-press special edition would be great...
The chat sounds like a great idea. I'll be there. Another Bordertown bandc, this one a little more findable than my last. New Model Army, a folk- inspired punk band from England who are old fashioned blood, sweat and an honest wage for an honest days work socialists. Angry as hell, but thrilling to listen to. The closest a band can get to being Luddites and still play electric guitars. You can find some of their stuff in Virgin Records and probably a lot more in used CD stores. Has anyone seen a goth magazine called Propaganda? If you're looking for elves, most of the boys and girls in this magazine look like they just stepped across the border. Where do they find the little darlings? Strewth! Signing off from the land of the lotus eaters. G'night, all.
NRL, Propaganda? Egads! I used to pick it up for the 'pretty pictuers'. You'll be fine unless you read those horribly pretentious articles. But yes, the models are great, even if they make me feel overweight, but they'd probably make a toothpick feel heavy. Another plug for Rachid Taha, just to let you know I really mean it!!!
New Model Army?!? Way cool! "51st State" is one of my favorite songs, even if I am a Yank. As to Propaganda, sigh... The waifs make me feel old and fat, even though I am lucky to weigh as much as 110 on a good day. :-) I even like some of the articles, but the Nazi fetish has to go. Now, if they could extend their photo topics to include the fey, I'd appreciate it. Tiny little androgynes with pointed ears...
110!?! You are a toothpick, we should call you DD, to match that weight! Who needs the extra vowels? I did check out Planet Soup, and while I loved what I heard the box set was a little rich for my Chrictmas picked wallet. I know I keep going on about Rachid Taha, but there is also a great band called Cranes which is just beautiful! The lead singer sounds kind of eerie, like a lost, little girl on her first night in B'Town. Chainsuck is also a good band for B'Town music. Even Ani DiFranco would be a good one, her song, 'Not a Pretty Girl', could use being shoved down some prissy elflord's throat! And while Kodo isn't fusion, I'd reccomend them to any DragonTown lovers. If you are unsure just rent the movie, 'The Hunted', and you'll hear exactly what I'm talking about. They do the entire soundtrack, and while it isn't exactly like what they are used to doing, it is still a great soundtrack! And available for a normal price. I wish I knew who stole my Renaissance Fest. pics, I had some great photos of myself and a friend elfing around. I still have the costume and latex ear tips wemolded from my own ears.
Arrg...
I'll try to be brief. (First time in a while I came and found like 7 or 8 new messages to respond to) First off, Paper Angel, I have Cats Have No Lord. Great Book, I must add. Thank you for the offer, though. :) Nathan, the chat idea sounds great, I'll try to be the if humanly possible (I'll be in FL around the 20-25 visiting my fiance'.. maybe she'll let me use her puter? ;) Didi, I went to the local Media Play and couldn't find either Ethno Punk or Planet Soup. May have to start digging deeper like at music recycleries, or special order. No biggie. Have Double feature and Finder on special order as well. I like Didi's taste in music, such as the Pogues, Concrete Blonde, Loreena McKennit, etc.. Stuff I already had in my collection but never dawned on me was "B-town".. maybe it makes sense I was drawn to it without even knowing, eh? On the world beat, side of things, though, I noticed it seemed to have a lack of asian music. I started on a tape as well, and included some stuff from a band called Shonen Knife, plus some stuff from some japanese animation import cd's I get.. Anyways, keep the info flowing!
Didi, I saw New Model army live by accident in about 1984 or 5. I was doing a semester abroad at Manchester U. in England and they played the student lounge. I had never heard of them before that and they just blew me away. I remember laughing when, before the set, the singer introduced himself as Slade the Leveler. I cringed to myself, thinking, "Oh boy, here we go!" But by the end of the night I was won over entirely. They played with such fire. And a man with teeth that bad has to be serious, right? Angel, I've never read the articles in Propaganda. I had an idea they'd be a bit much, but the pictures have always been primo eye-candy. Speaking of pictures, I once drew a picture of my idea of a Bordertown Blood. I wonder, is there any way, if I can find a friend with a scanner and up-load capabilities, that I can post it to the group at large? Surely there would be no ban on fan art? Nathan?
Techwolf, Kodo is my mention for asian music, but there is Cibo Matto, too, if you want to hear cute asian girls do rap and such! They are big favorites of mine, as well as Shonen Knife. I have the themes from RG Veda, Record of Lodoss War, and Tenchi Muyo on some of my mix tapes. DD, if you like Vaartina, Siouxsie, Brendan Perry, or Suzanne Vega, check out Sounds of the Cold Seas. NRL, Propaganda is the BEST in eye-candy! Talk about the mag of beautiful people... Sucks that they are so stuck on image, though. Latest mag has a Peter Murphy look-alike, what's the point in that, I wonder?
Well, since we're back on the topic of music, I thought that I'd tell everyone about a cool new cd I got called "I Gotcha Covered". It's a compilation of a bunch a of ska bands doing cover songs. It has "Secret Agent Man," "Paranoid," "Scooby Doo" "Brown Eyed Girl," "Come Together and some other prety cool stuff. While it is never mentioned in any of the books, I think of ska as being a type of music that fits B-town very well. I guess this is mainly because ska is a kind of music that is hard t listen to without wanting to dance, more so (IMHO) than any other type of music, and I think that fits B-town very well indeed.
Hey, DD, I just got three copies of my book in the mail, I think it'll come out on time or earlier. I'd send e-mail but I'm in a hurry! Please forgive!
Well I picked up the EthnoPunk disc. I liked it. I honestly thought it would be harder sounding. It was alot closer to McLaughlin or Gabriel (Passion) then what I think of as 'Punk'. As long as we're plugging fav groups I'd like to recommend a couple Projekt bands. Love Spirals Downward, Black Tape for a Blue Girl, and Lycia. All very ethereal and other worldly. But these will be a bit more on the goth side of b-town and not quite so world beat. And I'm quite excited to hear about the chat. This is very cool. Thanks Nathan.
*panting*Ive been turned into a wearwolf HELP ME!I need a spell or anything to cure me maybe a fortune cookie!E-mail me or post something up!FAST!I also need a pistol to protect myself from those Dragons Tooth Hill freaks!(I have nothin against elves but they are true losers!)If you have a pistol for a good price Im in! Thanx Shadowfrog*poof*
Is a wearwolf someone with truely unPC taste in outer garments? Or perhaps a sheep out to turn the tables on the old cliche. Or perhaps just a typo after all. G'night, all.
Paper Angel, thanks for mentioning "The Hunted" soundtrack...I'd been dying to find who did it, thought they'd make good background for my faeriepunk RPG. NRL...we're not worthy (oh, gods, a scriptwriter...how I'd love to do that! ;-) ). Wonder who'd do a decent job of a B-town RPG, hmm? Was thinking about it, am about to submit some art to R. Talsorian Games. Off to study for Chinese final and totally ignore my in-need-of-updating webpage. Finals-induced brain rot...worse than Faerie Dust withdrawal, I think...
I NEED SOMEONE TO STAND UP AND FIGHT THE DRAGONS TOOTH HILL ELVES WITH ME THEY KILLED MY FRIEND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!I also need a spell box and a desent pistol.
Claris. As the ads say, Just Do It. The only way to write screenplays is to write screenplays. Everyone wishes there was some magic potion they could take that would make them a professional writer. Well, there is such a potion and I'll tell you the ingredients, then you can decide of you want to drink it. 1) Like writing. I mean like the actual work of writing; plotting, putting words on paper, scratching them out again, revising, going to the copy shop, etc. You should like the work because most of the time, the work is all you have. 2) be persistant. Don't give up because you don't sell. Selling is icing. Writing is cake. You have to like cake. I have written over fifteen screenplays now. I've sold three and had one made. That is a better than average average. 3) Be consistant. When you do get work, do it. Make your deadlines and always turn in solid work. I get regular work not for my genius, which is unreliable at best, but because I do the job I was paid to do, I do it on time, and I don't turn in bad work. Notice I didn't say I turn in good work. That's an artistic judgement best left to others. I turn in competent work, which is in surprisingly short supply. 4) Don't be a slave to your vision. If you want to make great art, be prepared to starve. If you want to work, be prepared to compromise. Go ahead and write your masterpeice. When you get a name they'll publish anything you write. In the meantime, don't be a prima donna. An example from the real world. A friend of mine got a job writing a horror script for a producer. He wrote a script he was proud of and turned it in. The producer liked it, but had seen a news segment on Monster Trucks the night before and said, "Monster Trucks are hot right now. Can you put in some monster trucks?" After swallowing his urge to strangle the producer, my friend put in the monster trucks. He got paid. 5) Find a good critic and listen to him. Don't just show your work to your friends or parents. "It's very nice." isn't very helpful. Find someone who will be honest with you, even brutally so. You must be able to put your ego aside and take it like a grown-up. Left on my own, my work often tends to suck. I'm lazy and try to get away with old cliches and shortcuts and dishonest dramatics. It takes the browbeating of my critics to get me to actually do the work to make the story more than just a sketch. Good critics and good editors are the best friends a writer can have. Okay, that's all, or at least all I can think of at the moment. It's a bitter potion, but if you really want to write because you want to write and not just because you want to go on David Letterman afterwards and talk about it, then you'll drink it anyway. Good luck to you. Write like the wind. Just don't blow. G'night all.
Shadowfrog? Um, most of us here that are playing out characters are doing so in a very tongue-in-cheek fashion. Are you playing a role-playing game or trying to initiate a story? You can take your board off caps lock, you were noticed the first time, I just didn't know how to react to you. (Smiling broadly at Shadowfrog) So why don't you tell me what's up so I can take you off my "What's Your Damage?" list. Thanks. After NRL's mouthful, What he said! Hey, it works that way in the Role-Playing industry too!
And it works that way in professional illustration...Thanks, NRL; who knows, maybe I'll go find something on script format. I honestly don't believe there are enough good vampire movies, and there are no decent Celtic King Arthur movies or urban fantasy! I write short stories and my RPGs constantly, and try to turn them into comic stories because I think so visually...doesn't work, though, because it's still a static medium. At any rate, I am still accepting stories or art for my zine, and general e-mailing chat too... See you Out There!
Hey, Tadpole, you can't go around saying you have nothing against elves but that they are true losers. Someone might take offense. :-) If you're asking favors, don't call names. Anyway, I don't think a pistol is the best idea, given how they don't exactly work right around here. Spell boxes I can do, but I gotta know why. Gimme some details and I can better figure what kinda help I can get. Cool?
Shadowfrog, remember the creatures in the wastelands and plains -- maybe your friend's not dead, just changed with a little elven magic. Cammie
Frogger, (Angel looks about before continuing, barely keeping above a whisper) the only gun I know of in B'Town belongs to the Pack and I really don't think they'd be interested in a sell. Besides, Cammie's got a very valid point, y'know. And what's this about being a werewolf? You don't look very fuzzy, but the light is dim here... Oh, wait, that's my sunglasses, but I'm leaving them on. By and by, you may want to try and call Bloods names in a softer tone, there might be some here. (Looking about again, Angel resumes her stance as if she'd said nothing in the first place.)
LongLakin I couldnt find your place on AOL where is it?How do I get there?
Didi.Im very sorry if I offended your race.All I meant was that I dont like the elves on Dragons Tooth Hill.OK?:-)Ummmmmm.....Im from the world havent really figured out in full detail what a spell box is explain?I have a few friends in the Pack but they are a little high on river water(if you know what I mean)They would give me a pistol.(just in case!)Ill carry one incase the old elf magic doesnt work.I grew up with guns as weapons in the world might as well use em now!
My wearwolf problem is over now!The elf that cast it on me wasnt very experienced in magic and it only lasted for a few weeks!
I just ordered NeverNever at the bookstore whats it about is it good?
NRL, well said! Basically, I think you have to write for writing's sake. Which is why I'm in B-town in the first place. To live, experience, and write. Shadowfrog, you might wanna wait a little while before you start making judgements. Not all elves are like the Dragon's Tooth Hill ones, and even some of those aren't *really* what they appear to be. As a wise (Or just really silly) man once said, "Judge not lest ye be judged yourself." I mean, my fiancee' (I think that's 2 e's for the female form..) is an elf. We love each other dearly. And as for wolves, don't knock the werewolf thing.. WolfBoy is a pretty decent old chap, and he can dance the night away like no one's ever seen.. As for me, I'm about as close to being a lycanthrope as a human could be. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date with the NeverNever to see what inspiration it gives..
You mean the Pack's sawed off shotgun
Angel, Geez, I just looked at what I wrote. It really is a mouthful It didn't seem that long when I posted it. Just got carried away again.I hope I didn't come off as a pompous ass. I just have that anglo-saxon work ethic all the way down to the molecular level. Frog, any gun you find in B-Town is liable to blow up in your face. I favor the blade, or Philipino Escrima sticks. No moving parts, no problem. G'night. I'm verrryyy sleeepppyyy.
Whats an Escrima stick?What do they do?Sorry about the elves.My girlfriend is an elf!!!!Same with my best friend.Its a few elves from the Hill that jumped me and took my switchblade and my wallet.Well gotta go bye!
Yo Ghost!Whos Stick?Could I get to know him.Where does he live in B-Town?Thanx
Oh and Wolfie Im not makin judgements
Oh and Wolf when did I insult a wearwolfes dancing?I was turned into one myself!Not any more though!:-)
Im still hooked on music from the world!Like 311!Could anyone tell me about the music of B Town?Ive only heard a few groups at clubs here and there.Thanx!!!
Froggy, Escrima sticks are basically just that, sticks. You usually fight with two, and from what I remember (been a while) they are 'bout twice as thick as a broom handle and maybe two and a half foot long. And with that pronouncement, NRL, you are pegged (snicker) a DragonTown affiliate. Consequently, I had always thought the Escrima stick originated in Japan. As for music about here, we've been discussing that, even while you were about, my amphibious friend. You might recall (go through the posts, I know DD gave a really nice list in her mix tape further up). By the way, what's your girlfriends name? (Angel smiles and pushes her henna dyed hair back from her sunglasses and looks at ghost) Yeah wasn't the latest scandal that the Pack's gun didn't even operate.
Thanx for the info Angel.Where can I get Escrima Sticks?*blushing*My girlfriends name is Alicen.Do you know who this Stick guy is that lives in B Town?
Anyone else used to be a Warf Rat besides me?
Whos Long Lankin the butcher of Bordertown?
Angel, yes, I have been known to be found scrounging around in the backs of Dragon Town groceries looking for red bean moon cakes and bootleg impression balls of old Jackie Chan flicks, but I definitely live south of Ho Street, wandering north only occasionally for steaming bowls of ramen noodles or warm fragrant dishes of scallops in black bean sauce. Escrima sticks, swords, or the simple beauty of a spinning back kick, I love the art of action. My heroes, in chronological order, are Douglas Fairbanks, Gene Kelly and Jackie; men who made fighting into a dance, and in Gene's case, sometimes dancing into a fight. Strange, but I'm no fighter myself. Real violence in the world makes me ill, but the grace, power and courage of fighters and choreographers and stunt performers thrills me. Strange, huh? Anyway, if you ever want to grab a little zaru soba and some strong oolong tea, let me know. I can always eat. G'night.
Terri and others on board for chat Nathan? Way Kewl!!!!! After all she is the one who got everyone to write about us...(and you thought the authors were human?)Anyway, I can't wait...And confidentially, if anyone wants to see Long Lankyn and the Bloods create their own special brand of chaos, just check out the Red Dragon Inn on Aol's "town" of Rhydin, us Horn Dancers have heard that Corwyn and the troops have opened up an annex of the Blood House called Blood House Onyx ((Jingle's mun here: For all of you interested in fanfic, check out the Blood House Onyx posting board in Dreamweaver's Lair if you have Aol...we don't borrow from the books inasmuch as we are running a B-Town campaign with our own Characters on-line...there is some great storylines being posted as well as live storylines being played out in the inns))...Anyway they seem to be terrozing the town of Rhydin and it even seems ole Corwyn has gotten himself hitched and to a Elvin Vampire at that???!!!! Great to see everyone posting here so diligently...these spell boxes are not the most reliable things to run a Comp...so it's been awhile since I have been able to look around, about that map idea...Terri and the other writers have given plenty of clues how to plot the streets...I mean they tell you that Danceland is on Ho right across from Wizard's Snappin' Surplus, The Ferret is on Carnival and The Oberon House sits near the corner of Mock Ave. and Ho...Ho and Carnival run parallel to each other, by the by...Look to the stories, you will find your clues...I have been sworn not to smuggle or make any maps of our Streets for outside consumption...(yea, and I follow orders!)Glad to see ya'll again, I'll be a jinglin' away for now....::merry laughter mixed with myriad jingle's as she runs away::
Well, NRL, next time you're near Dragontown stop by...I live right on the edge, and I make pretty good moon cakes for someone who's not Chinese (in this life, anyway). I'm thinking of starting a kwoon (gung fu school), provide a little variety from all the dojos 'round here. Anyone with enough dedication to be serious deserves to learn to defend themselves--to attack, though, I'll only teach those who try to be clean of spirit. I also do I Ching readings... Come to Dragontown, ask for Claris. ;-)
Heya Jingle, long time no see! As far as your map idea goes, yeah.. I tried that myself. I figured there was enough in the books to make a pretty good map of it, barring one small problem. I've only got three books at the moment. (Finder's in the mail as we speak, though!) So, I suppose if you're gonna try to map B-town, ya should have every story about it.. ;) NRL, well said! Power to the big eaters of the world!! :) mmm.. oriental sounds good right about now, too.. durn it.. I think I have to go make a trip to Wu's Worldly Emporium now.. I'll be back soon.. I think.. but I've got a story in the making, so I might not be around for a while.. Happy Holidays, all!!