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an academic vacation
Nov. 14th, 2004 11:30 pmHave just returned from points South, where I spent the weekend with A Noted Hugo-Winning Fan Editor, his Dr. Academic Wife, and their Incredibly Cute Two-Year-Old (who is just as Cute and Precocious as he Often Writes).
Principal business, communing with Dr. Academic over the manuscript of her forthcoming book on the Inklings, to which I am contributing and kibitzing. Much work accomplished over the kibitz on a hot laptop computer.
Thesis of the book, that the Inklings were neither peas-in-a-pod nor some totally unrelated folks who just happened to meet every week for years on end for unknown reasons of their own, but a writers' group who encouraged, edited, advised, contributed, praised, revised, and blew raspberries at each other's works while still each being himself, not each other.
Sounds simple, but you'd be amazed how many scholars haven't figured this out.
The book is due to the publishers come spring, and should be out that fall. Readers will learn more about the Inklings than they ever thought possible. But entertainingly. Dr. Academic is a demotic academic with a fluid prose style, especially when kibitzers can coax it out of her.
Also on the agenda, dinner with friends' friends and their family, including Incredibly Active Five-Year-Old. Remembered what B's 18-year-old niece was like at 5. Like that. Surprised everyone with my stamina as this kid crawled over me, insisted on being spun in a circle, etc. I love children. I especially love giving them back to their parents when I'm done with them.
Principal business, communing with Dr. Academic over the manuscript of her forthcoming book on the Inklings, to which I am contributing and kibitzing. Much work accomplished over the kibitz on a hot laptop computer.
Thesis of the book, that the Inklings were neither peas-in-a-pod nor some totally unrelated folks who just happened to meet every week for years on end for unknown reasons of their own, but a writers' group who encouraged, edited, advised, contributed, praised, revised, and blew raspberries at each other's works while still each being himself, not each other.
Sounds simple, but you'd be amazed how many scholars haven't figured this out.
The book is due to the publishers come spring, and should be out that fall. Readers will learn more about the Inklings than they ever thought possible. But entertainingly. Dr. Academic is a demotic academic with a fluid prose style, especially when kibitzers can coax it out of her.
Also on the agenda, dinner with friends' friends and their family, including Incredibly Active Five-Year-Old. Remembered what B's 18-year-old niece was like at 5. Like that. Surprised everyone with my stamina as this kid crawled over me, insisted on being spun in a circle, etc. I love children. I especially love giving them back to their parents when I'm done with them.
