fandomsecrets | [ SECRET POST #2683 ]

[ SECRET POST #2683 ]

⌈ Secret Post #2683 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.

__________________________________________________

02.

__________________________________________________

03.

__________________________________________________

04.

__________________________________________________

05.

__________________________________________________

06.

__________________________________________________

07.

__________________________________________________

08.

__________________________________________________

09.

__________________________________________________

10.

__________________________________________________

11.

Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 013 secrets from Secret Submission Post #383.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Most of the books that I read tbh, especially the fantasy & science fiction stuff. Jack Vance or Gene Wolfe or Patricia McKillip are kinda well known if you're into fantasy, for instance, but it's still pretty hard to find people who know them. But there's two authors in particular that I wish people knew about: James Blaylock and RA Lafferty.

I love James Blaylock because he's so good at writing atmosphere, whether it's creepy or comfy or strange, or some combination of the three which it usually is, and his combination of contemporary world + fantasy hits just the right balance for me.

And RA Lafferty is one of my favorite writers and NO ONE knows who he is and all his books are out of print, and also his stuff is kind of a hard sell even if you do find it because it's often surreal and doesn't even try to be realistic - the style of the prose and the plots is almost cartoon-like. It's neither comedic writing, nor standard science fiction and fantasy, nor standard literary fiction. But I think he's a genius and I love the way he draws on folklore and the way a lot of his fiction sounds like some incredibly shaggy-dog story that he's telling you and the complete willingness to try strange and unconventional things and how rooted a lot of it is in really specific parts of American 20th century life. And also he's quite funny.

I know of RA Lafferty but I have such a hard time getting my hands on his books.

Yeah, it's legitimately impossible, the only way is constantly snooping around used bookstores and hoping to get lucky. I found 6 or 7 of his novels in a bookstore once (presumably someone selling off their collection) and did an actual physical dance.

I know that feeling. I love used book stores and I practically do a little dance too whenever I come across something unexpected.

Too bad RA Lafferty's books are out of print. Judging by the covers (oh no) they look fairly interesting.

You live in Oklahoma, right? (I remember you saying that, hope I'm not totally crazy) You may be interested to know that Lafferty lived most of his life in Tulsa and a lot of his work is set there or thereabouts. If that matters at all.

Yeah, it's too bad they're out of print. The estate just got sold to somebody who's supposed to be reprinting things, so we'll see how that goes. So far they've put out one volume of short stories - I have it and it's really good but there's a ton of stuff to be published so we'll see how all that goes.

Edited 2014-05-09 00:37 (UTC)

I do! Well hopefully I'll get a chance to read them. I am going to add them to my too read list on goodreads!

Someone mentioned Lafferty here before, and since then I've really wanted to read The Reefs of Earth and Space Chantey, but I've had no luck actually getting them yet. I keep checking my used bookstores, though.

That might have been me before I had an account? I think I have talked about Lafferty on here before.

Good luck anon! I hope you find them.

I'm pretty sure it was an anon, so it's entirely possible they were you.

Thanks--now that I've been reminded, I'm going to hit up those bookstores again this weekend. Maybe I'll get lucky!

RA Lafferty!

I've read very little of his work but been fascinated ever since hearing an author who I adore (name deleted b/c FS hates him) talk about Lafferty's work. What I have found, I adore, and I'd love to read more. I'm lucky enough to live in a city with amazing libraries, so I haven't had to scour old bookstores for him. Sad to hear that everything of his is out of print though.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ SECRET POST #2683 ]

Re: So have you heard about...

Re: So have you heard about...

Re: So have you heard about...

Re: So have you heard about...

Re: So have you heard about...

Re: So have you heard about...

Re: So have you heard about...

Re: So have you heard about...

Re: So have you heard about...

Re: So have you heard about...

Re: So have you heard about...