Bank St. Irregular

Adventure #5: Dead Horse Bay

2012-02-13T12:57:00.000-05:00

(Above: Can you believe this picture was taken in BROOKLYN?)

A couple of weeks ago, I received a Facebook message from a pen pal of mine who lives in Toronto. She said she'd be coming to New York this month and asked if I'd be in town. I think she probably had a pleasant cup of coffee in mind. I proposed an ADVENTURE.

Only a gutsy individual would hop in a car with a crazy writer she's never met face-to-face and set off for a secluded site known as Dead Horse Bay. But Lauren is a true Irregular, and she was eager for a glimpse of the "dark side" of New York. (Although I bet she had a roll of duct tape in her bag, just in case I turned out to be even nuttier than my blog would suggest.)

In retrospect, it would have been cruel to take anyone but a Canadian. The weather seems to turn brutal every time I seek adventure outdoors. It was bitterly cold yesterday, and only a hardy soul from the frozen north could have enjoyed (or survived) a day at the beach.

Dead Horse Bay lies on the southeastern shore of Brooklyn. It earned its name back in the nineteenth century when the beach was lined with horse-rendering and fish oil-processing plants. Until the twentieth century, it was accessible only by boat. Not that you would have wanted to visit in those days. The stench was said to be nauseating.

When cars replaced buggies on New York's streets, there were fewer horses to render. (Yuck.) So the marsh surrounding Dead Horse Bay became a garbage dump.

Today, the beach is covered in two centuries worth of trash. (And horse bones.) So why was I so eager to see it? Well one person's trash is an amateur archaeologist's home decor. Apparently visitors find all sorts of interesting bric-a-brac washed up on the shores of Dead Horse Bay. (Creepy old dolls. Lovely nineteenth-century glassware. Horse teeth.)

The most interesting thing I found was the bottle pictured below. The red, gelatinous contents looked like something out of a mad scientist's lab. Not exactly the kind of objet that I'd want to display on my mantle. The horseshoe crab shell could have made a nice conversation piece. (It was HUGE. The photo doesn't do it justice.) But after I'd spotted some of the revolting 21st century garbage littering the beach, (which would make you think twice about what you flush down the toilet), I wasn't in the mood for gathering souvenirs.

Our visit took place during high tide, and the pickings are said to be better when the water recedes. Unfortunately, low tide would have been around 6pm yesterday, and Dead Horse Bay is not a place you want to be after dark. It has to be one of the most isolated spots in all of New York. It's quiet and beautiful (aside from the garbage). The only person we encountered during the visit was a park ranger at the Floyd Bennett Field parking lot. By the time we reached the beach, he couldn't have heard us if we'd felt the need to scream.

So if you go to Dead Horse Bay, wear thick-soled boots (there's broken glass everywhere), take rubber gloves, and don't go alone. (Even though the bench shown above seems perfect for solitary contemplation.) And if you go during the winter, be sure to haul a Canadian along for the ride. (Kidding, Lauren. Thanks for keeping me company! You are a true adventurer.)

Click here for more about Dead Horse Bay, and check out the video below.

A Living Museum Of Trash from The Brooklyn Ink on Vimeo.

Adventure #5: Dead Horse Bay

2012-02-11T08:09:00.001-05:00

The name isn't a joke. Check in tomorrow! This one is going to be a REAL adventure!

Adventure #4: Night at the Museum

2012-02-10T13:51:00.000-05:00

(Above: Not interested in helping your love life.)

I'm afraid I didn't experience much in the way of adventure Wednesday night. Though it was very cool to be inside the American Museum of Natural History after hours. I'm pretty sure I could have slipped off into one of the exhibits while no one was watching. (How amazing would it be to roam the dinosaur wing in the dark? Or sneak through the Hall of Minerals, with all of its glow-in-the-dark rocks?)

Alas, I am a law abiding citizen. Yawn. Maybe I'll go back for one of the private night tours they offer. (But I gotta say, the AMNH is expensive. I've been there a few times already this year, and I think I could have purchased my own dinosaur with the money I've spent on admission.)

The aphrodisiac lecture was interesting, and the woman who gave it (Francine Segan) seemed quite charming. They handed out wine and chocolate. So I'm not inclined to complain.

Most of the "aphrodisiacs" discussed were examples of "sympathetic magic." (Which would be a great name for a book.) If a food resembled something "naughty," the ancients often assumed it could work some magic when it came time for lovin'. I'd give you a few examples, but I'm pretty sure it's not necessary.

(Above: Sliced antler.)

Other "aphrodisiacs" (many still used today) are the organs or body parts of animals that are known for their vim and vigor. Rhinos, tigers, bears, sharks, and stags have all been sacrificed in the name of love. It's one of the reasons that rhino, tiger, and shark populations have been decimated in recent decades.

I guess I was expecting a little less magic and a little more science. I've eaten enough figs in my life to doubt their magical properties. (Though they are delicious. There's a fig tart in one of Segan's books that I must make and consume as soon as possible.) And if you've ever seen a picture of a rhino that's been killed for its horn, you know why I'd rather stick with herbs.

Of course if you go online, and you can find herbal remedies for any condition. Doctors in other cultures have been practicing herbal medicine for thousands of years. The first Chinese book on the subject may have been written as early as 2700BC. Thumb through a few ancient texts, and you'll probably find hundreds of "aphrodisiacs." But here's something to ponder: Most of those books were written by men. And men and women might expect different things from an aphrodisiac. (Just a hunch.)

However, in Europe during the Middle Ages herbal remedies were often the province of "wise-women." And I bet one of those ladies knew exactly what to sprinkle in the soup if you were keen to catch a certain gentleman's eye. Unfortunately, the "wise-woman" profession became much less desirable when its practitioners began to be burned as witches. Who knows how much knowledge died with them. A few of the old recipes must have survived, of course. That's why I wonder if the best place to look for a female-friendly aphrodisiac might be a "witchcraft" shop.

I don't believe in magic. (Although one of my female ancestors was hanged for witchcraft.) But I do believe there are many things that modern science can't yet explain. So maybe I'll check out one of the witchcraft supply stores here in New York. I'm not really in the market for an aphrodisiac, but I love an experiment. However, if I find a "potion" that works, I'll be far more likely to thank chemistry than magic.

Woolly Mammoth Filmed in Siberia?

2012-02-09T09:47:00.000-05:00

A Russian engineer claims to have filmed this creature last summer in a little populated region in Siberia. Is it a mammoth? Or a bear with a fish in its mouth?

I'll be honest. It would make my whole week if this turned out to be footage of a mammoth. (Though I'm not entirely sure that it is. The source was The Sun, a tabloid that isn't exactly famed for its journalistic integrity.)

I was recently asked to write an essay for an anthology, and I chose to argue for the existence of Bigfoot. The essay is quite humorous (in my opinion), but I do believe that there may be large creatures out there that we've yet to discover. I also hope, for their sake, that they stay out of sight. I bet there are thousands of rich guys out there who would love to hang a mammoth head on the wall.

More on the mammoth at cryptomundo.

Adventure #4: I Can Make You Love Me

2012-02-07T10:00:00.003-05:00

(Above: Collecting frog spit can be challenging.)

Yeah, I know. The Year of Adventure has gotten off to a rather slow start. Here's the problem . . . I may have mentioned that I recently had an idea for a great new book. Well I've been outlining the opus for the past week or so. And once I get into a project, I find it hard to tear myself away. Particularly when the project is as awesome as this one. Let's just say that I've always wanted to write a ghost/horror story. (I read The Shining when I was 10, and I haven't slept with the lights off since.)

But I have every intention of getting back on track with my YOA. So this week, I'm going to have TWO adventures. Tomorrow, I shall be attending a lecture/food tasting at the American Museum of Natural History (quite possibly the greatest place on earth). The topic? APHRODISIACS: MYTH OR REALITY. Questions I expect to be answered include: If I sprinkle a little frog saliva on my favorite recipe (tuna casserole), will I seem irresistible to my dining companion? When concocting a philter, are there any good substitutes for rhinoceros horn (since I would NEVER, EVER want a rhino to come to any harm)? And how can I use what I learn ~~to take over the world~~ for the good of all mankind?

Don't worry. I'll tweet the answers. (Though possibly after the lecture. Might be kinda rude to type when I'm supposed to be listening. And I certainly don't want to miss anything. We'll see.)

Then, this weekend, a friend and I will be setting off on another fabulous adventure. The details haven't been ironed out yet, but I'll be posting about Adventure #5 soon!

Monstrous Rats, Underground Rivers and Kids Who Can See in the Dark

2012-01-31T10:53:00.000-05:00

(Above: Long-exposure photo of fireflies. More here. I wish I could buy one of these photos! So beautiful.)

Whew! I'm finished! (For the moment.) Time to get back to my year of adventure. Still gotta figure out what I'll be doing this week. But in the meantime, I have a few things I'd like to share. I've been hoarding links for quite a while now, and I need to start posting my discoveries here on the blog. (So I can clear out my cluttered bookmarks menu.) Watch out. There's a lot of weirdness coming your way!

1. This is pretty amazing. The boy in the video below can see clearly in perfect darkness. Apparently his eyes (which are a rather unusual color) also "shine in the dark" the way cats' eyes do. I don't think (as the title of the video suggests) that he's an "alien starchild." However, I do believe that he would make a pretty amazing cat burglar. Or superhero. Or spy. And I am very, very jealous.

2. Ever chuckle in disbelief when you hear tales of "giant rats?" Yeah, well, it's time to stop laughing. Several truly monstrous rodents have been discovered in New York in the past few months. Here's the proof. I've seen other pictures, but they were too gruesome to post. (Warning: The rat you'll see if you click the link is no longer among the living.)

3. A group of "Guerrilla Grafters" has been turning the trees that line public streets into fruit-bearing trees. Yes, this is possible. It's also illegal. And very cool.

4. Are you aware that there's an underground river beneath London? Wanna see some amazing pictures? (BTW, Retronaut is a pretty great site.) Some day I'll work the River Fleet into a book.

5. Made from 21% "snail extract," Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Cream is a popular skin-care product on the other side of the globe. You'll be happy to know that the snails are "fed red ginseng" and "raised in Korea" in order to produce quality slime.

Life Gets in the Way

2012-01-25T07:52:00.000-05:00

(Above: The first rule of adventure: Make sure you pack more than a bra. Though I doubt that author and I define "adventuress" the same way.)

So I had to postpone my seance! I'm slaving away on revisions for my latest (non-Kiki) book, and I haven't had time for anything else. But I'm hoping I'll be finished by this weekend--just in time for ADVENTURE! The seance may even be back on. (It depends on whether my guests are still available. You didn't think I was planning to chat to a ghost by myself, did you?!)

I'll be back with an update soon. In the meantime, would one of you PLEASE go have an adventure for me?

Actually, that reminds me . . . A very good friend of mine recently returned from a remarkable African adventure. He was on a small plane that crashed in the middle of Namibia. He then had to walk over four miles through a national park to get help. A park filled with lions, rhinos, and other unfriendly beasts. I'll see if I can convince him to write the whole story himself. It's pretty incredible!

Adventure #3: The Mistake

2012-01-17T10:11:00.000-05:00

(Above: We'll get to the subject of seances in a moment.)

Last week I found myself on an unexpected adventure. I didn't blog or tweet about it, but it may have been the most important adventure I'll have all year. I made a mistake. A big, potentially life-altering mistake. I trusted someone I shouldn't have trusted, and I found myself facing some rather terrible consequences. But then something miraculous happened. The universe set me free.

I've never been the kind of person who sees the value in making mistakes. If anything, I've always been a little too cautious. But this experience has taught me an important lesson. And it's not necessarily one I expected to learn. I've discovered that "failure" can be a wonderful thing. I think we learn more about ourselves--and the world--by failing than we do by succeeding. So I'm not afraid of making mistakes anymore. In fact, I plan to make more of them. Because I know that as long as I stay true to myself, I won't go too far wrong.

Maybe this will sound a bit hokey, but I feel like I've finally absorbed the message that I've been hiding in my books. (It's there, in all six of them. You don't even have to look hard to find it.) Never, ever, be anyone but yourself.

So as I continue my year of adventure, I'll make sure I never leave home without the following . . .

Two Eyes (Wide Open)
Duct Tape (Of Course)
A Clever Disguise
An Unquenchable Curiosity
A Smart Phone with GPS (Because I Do Love a Good Map)
An Unshakable Faith in Myself

Maybe it came as a result of my new outlook on life. (Or maybe it was just a spot of good luck.) But something else happened last week. An idea popped into my head. And yep, it's for a new book. I'm pretty excited about it. So excited that I'm going to start writing this morning.

Then, ~~later this evening~~ tomorrow evening, I'm going to embark on Adventure 3.5. All our talk about seances has gotten me thinking. I'm going to see a lecture on the 19th century spiritualist Madame Blavatsky. Medium, mystic, world-traveler, writer, con-artist, and fraud. And probably one of the most fascinating people who ever claimed to speak to the dead. (Read about her here. Warning: The article from The Daily Beast has a bit of foul language. It also happens to have been written by one of my personal heroes.)

I'll let you know how it goes. I'm kind of hoping to pick up a few tips from Madame. Even if my ghost doesn't make an appearance this weekend, there's no reason my guests need to leave without enjoying a good scare. Heehee.

Adventure #3: Still Thinking!

2012-01-13T13:14:00.001-05:00

It has been a crazy week! But I fully intend to make room in my hectic schedule for ADVENTURE this weekend! I'm still exploring the possibilities, but I will be back with an update soon!I have already decided what NEXT week's adventure will be--and I think you're going to like it! I will be hosting a seance in my haunted apartment! I can't wait to hear what my ghost has to say. While I'm on the subject, there was another strange incident a few days ago. I went into my bathroom to take a shower and noticed a small, rubber ball sitting motionless on the floor. I took my shower and forgot all about it. Then, when I left the room, the ball came bouncing out behind me. It was as if someone was telling me, "This doesn't belong in the bathroom!"

Adventure #2: The Human Car Wash

2012-01-08T09:35:00.000-05:00

Yesterday evening, I completed my second adventure. I would have tweeted, but my phone ran out of juice just before I got to the baths. But that's fine. There's no way I could have described yesterday's experience in 140-character increments.

I'll confess--I wasn't sure if my visit to the Russian/Turkish Baths would qualify as an adventure. I worried that the only thing I'd find at the underground "spa" would be a crowd of sweaty New Yorkers sitting around in their bathing suits.I needn't have worried. My visit to the famous 10th Street Baths in the East Village was among the strangest experiences of my life.

To begin with, the baths are no place for the germ-phobic. I am a card-carrying member of that particular group. Fortunately, I left my card at home yesterday (along with all of my valuables). This is my YEAR OF ADVENTURE, and I can't afford to be squeamish! I plan to encounter all sorts of disgusting stuff over the next 50 weeks. A little sweat should be the least of it.

(Above: NOT what you should expect.)

That having been said, if you visit the baths, I highly recommend that you schlep your own supplies (as I did). Bathing suit. Flip flops. You might even bring your own towel or robe.

OK--now that you've been warned, allow me to set the scene. After you arrive, you deposit your belongings in a locker, pull on your bathing suit, and head downstairs to the pool and saunas. This is the main part of the baths. It's much smaller than I imagined. And there's absolutely nothing pretty about it. In fact, the place looks oddly industrial--like a human car wash.

The basement was full when I got there. (If you don't like company, you should probably go during the work week.) The crowd was fairly young (I'd been expecting to see a bunch of old Russian guys) and there were lots of ladies. Still, there was an astonishing array of body hair on display (not all of it attached to the men). At first I felt like I'd wandered into a carpet showroom. Then I decided to mind my own business--which is probably what I should have been doing in the first place.After that, I didn't feel weird at all. Seriously. Even I was surprised.

Downstairs, I was immediately approached by one of the bath's "therapists," who wanted to know if I would like any extra "treatments." I know some people find the solicitations annoying, but since I was there for adventure, I wasn't bothered at all. The therapist spoke with a thick accent I couldn't place and he wore a big gold chain around his throat. Super nice guy. But I don't think you'd want to make him angry.

I started with a goopy mud treatment. I'm afraid there's not much to report. The mud was cold at first. It seeped under my bathing suit and stained the inside lining. Getting it washed off was the best part. They hose you down like an elephant. But I didn't go to the baths for mud. I went for the platza treatment. And that's where the experience became a true adventure.

There are five saunas in the basement of the baths. The hottest is known as the Russian Room. It is, beyond all doubt, an entrance to Hades. I have never felt heat like that. I didn't check a thermometer, but it was hot enough to scorch my lungs the moment I stepped inside. I didn't think I could stay for more than a minute. But the Russian Room is where the platza treatment is administered. I'm not sure how long I was in there. But each and every one felt like an eternity.

A giant Russian man in long, monkish robes told me to lie face-down on one of the benches. He put a wet towel over my head, which made it somewhat easier to breathe in the heat. Then he proceeded to beat my skin with a bunch of soapy oak leaves. I don't think it hurt. But I honestly don't know for sure. Because the entire time I was far more concerned that I might die from the heat. I'm not exaggerating at all. And what really freaked me out was that I'd probably end up partially cooked before the giant Russian figured out that he was beating a corpse.

When it was over, I was guided out of the Russian Room and told to take a dip in the freezing cold plunge pool. (Horrible, horrible, horrible.) After the giant confirmed that I could "move my face" (was there a chance that I might not be able to?), he smeared my skin with honey and told me to sit still for five minutes. At that point I wasn't ready to go anywhere.

So that's it. Am I glad I visited the 10th Street Baths? Absolutely. Will I go back? Maybe--but probably not. If I do, will I ask for the platza treatment? My first response would be NOOOOO! But whenever I look in a mirror, I gotta admit that my skin looks fantastic. The only question is: How much will I suffer for beauty?

Interested in going to a Russian bath? Here's a list of a few in New York!

Adventure #2: The Russian Baths

2012-01-06T07:22:00.000-05:00

Told you I was going to go somewhere warm this week! At some point in the next three days, I shall be visiting New York's famous Russian Baths, which I've heard are an adventure one MUST experience. (Don't be startled by the appearance of a nude painting when you click the link. And FYI, I will not be removing my swimsuit. Not even when I get beaten with "fragrant oak leaves." Always wanted to try that.) I probably won't be able to Tweet from the inside, but I promise I'll Tweet all the way home.

Adventure #1: The Houseboats of Lavender Lake

2012-01-03T21:16:00.000-05:00

Above: Lavender Lake (otherwise known as the fetid and fragrant Gowanus Canal).

Isn't it lovely? Maybe you're thinking it wouldn't be such a bad place to park a houseboat. Well here's an exercise that will help you imagine what life might be like for the brave souls who choose to make a home on Brooklyn's Gowanus Canal . . .

First get a little toy boat. Then locate the foulest, most disgusting public toilet around. (Gas stations are always a good place to start.) Drop your boat into one of the toilet bowls. Try to pretend that you call that boat home. Imagine the smells and sights one would endure. Pretty horrible, right? Well, believe it or not, there are worse places to live. Like the Gowanus Canal.

I'm not exaggerating. There's a reason the Gowanus was recently declared a Superfund site. The water is teeming with countless disease-causing pathogens. Cholera. Typhus. Gonorrhea. And every time there's a big rainstorm, New York City's ancient sewer system releases raw sewage directly into the canal. (Want to see a video? Click here. Don't watch while you're eating.) To be honest, the sewage would only be second on my list of worries if I lived on the canal. My primary concern would be the highly-toxic chemicals left behind by the factories, tanneries, and gas refineries that have lined the Gowanus for the past 150 years. Take a dip in the water, and you'd probably emerge with a little less skin.

Oh yeah . . . did I mention that the Gowanus is rumored to have been a mob dumping ground? Some might argue that the stories are pure fiction, but I honestly couldn't think of a better place to toss a body or a bag of guns.

(Above: The waterfront.)

As I may have mentioned, I live a few blocks from the Gowanus Canal. Which means next to nothing. In New York, you're always a few blocks away from something stomach-churning. (If you're lucky. If not, there's something revolting right next door.) In fact, I never thought about the canal very much until the hurricane that hit New York last summer. That's when I discovered that my house is across the street from a flood evacuation zone. And it wasn't seawater that might have flooded my neighbors' homes. It was the poisonous soup from the Gowanus Canal.

Then, after I came across a few articles about the Gowanus houseboats, I decided I should pay a visit to the canal. It's too bad that I chose to make my first excursion on a bitterly cold winter day. But I pulled on my boots and set off on my quest. Because this is my YEAR OF ADVENTURE! And I'm so happy I did. I may have come close to freezing my butt off, but when I got home I felt more inspired than I have in ages.

(However, my next adventure WILL take me somewhere warm and relaxing. Ha.)

Now, on to my discoveries . . .

The bright yellow boxes in the photo above are "bird and bat houses" that an environmental group has constructed along the canal. These little structures are very interesting for several reasons. First, there might actually be bats inside. How cool would it be to see bats flying over the canal at dusk? (It'd be even cooler if they belonged to some mutant, bloodsucking species that can only be found in Brooklyn.) Second, the yellow boxes would be perfect as dead drops. Or they could conceal surveillance equipment. Or just about anything else. (This is how a story starts to form in my head.)

One of my favorite spots along the canal was the boat dock. The boat-shaped "sign" shown above says, "Brooklyn's Coolest Superfund Site." I found it rather amusing. But not quite as amusing as the little green sign to the left which cautions boaters to avoid coming into contact with the water or sediment in the canal. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm not sure it's possible to canoe or kayak without getting a little bit damp.

Apparently the warnings haven't dissuaded the canoe club that meets at this site every Saturday from May to October. Members of the public are welcome. If I can find a waterproof hazmat suit, I may well join them.

(On a side note, while I was at the boat dock, a group of doofuses broke in through a fence on the other side of the canal. I don't think they were intent on causing any trouble, but it shows you how poor the security is along the Gowanus. Good to know.)

Above: This oozing pipe was a few inches to the left of the boat dock. (And yes, that's my shadow.)

Finally, I found a houseboat. On Monday it was moored between the Carroll St. and Union St. bridges. And the sight was well worth all of my pain and suffering. The owner obviously has excellent taste in art. But I can't understand why (s)he would steer that floating masterpiece into the Gowanus Canal. I would have inquired, but the boat's dock seemed pretty inaccessible. So if you happen to read this post, houseboat dweller, please drop me a note. I'm one of your biggest fans.

Just as I was about to head home, I came across this street art alligator. I'm afraid my camera didn't do it justice. It's really quite spectacular in person. And I can't help but think that the artist must have been inspired by something (s)he saw emerge from the murky Gowanus.

While sipping hot chocolate back in my office, I found the video I've embedded below. The guy being interviewed lives on a houseboat in the Gowanus (one I didn't happen to see). I admire his commitment to living "off the grid" in New York City. But I bet he sneaks off the boat now and then for a hot shower, a gourmet dinner and a shiatsu massage.

The Off-Gridder from Yardena Schwartz on Vimeo.

Back from the Gowanus Canal . . .

2012-01-02T15:29:00.000-05:00

The trip was very interesting indeed! I tried tweeting about my adventure, but it was so cold outside that my hands were shaking too much to type. (Though I did manage a few tweets.) Before the end of the day, I'll post about my discoveries. (One of which was pretty amazing.) But first I must get this chill out of my bones!

Adventure #1 Will Take Place Tomorrow

2012-01-01T13:03:00.000-05:00

Picked up a cold on Friday. Thank goodness this Monday's a holiday! Check in tomorrow!

My New Year's Resolution

2011-12-29T10:35:00.002-05:00

You may have noticed that I haven't posted in a while. I'm afraid I've been feeling rather uninspired. I'm in a rut.

Those of you who know me probably aren't shocked by this news. Having written four books in four years, I've spent way too much time in front of my computer. I haven't been reading strange books. (In fact, I haven't been reading much of anything lately!) I've stopped exploring the city I love so much. I haven't been sampling strange foods or learning "useful" new skills. I've been typing. And typing. And typing.

Don't get me wrong--I've been having a blast. My latest books (The Darkness Dwellers and my "secret project") are the best novels I've written. But I've emptied my heart and my brain, and now they both need to be filled.

So here's my New Year's Resolution . . . I'm going to make 2012 my year of ADVENTURE. Every Sunday, I'll set out in search of inspiration. I'm going to go new places. Eat strange things. Do things I wouldn't normally do. And I'm going to write about it here. Heck, I'm even going to TWEET about it! (Look for Bank St. Irregular on Twitter.)

I encourage all of you to join my quest to re-discover the weird and the wonderful. If you find adventure--and you'd like to share the experience with the Bank St. Irregular readers, just send an email to kikistrike@gmail.com!

And if you have any suggestions for me, send those, too! Weird books to read. Unusual places to visit. Tasty invertebrates to consume. Whatever you recommend, I'll try my best to give it a shot!

This Sunday, I'm going to take a trip to the vile, polluted, yet oddly scenic Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn. I've read that there are houseboats floating on this incredibly toxic body of water. Who would want to live surrounded by raw sewage? Some pretty interesting folks, that's for sure. And I can't help but think that the Gowanus Canal might be the perfect place to hide out if you're on the run from the law--or the seven delinquent girl geniuses who keep New York safe.

Back from Guadalajara!

2011-12-06T11:55:00.000-05:00

As regular blog readers may already know, I was down in Mexico last week, visiting the Guadalajara Book Festival. I had an absolutely fabulous time! Having spent most of the past year in front of a computer with only my characters to keep me company, it was wonderful to get out and meet so many Eternos fans! A big thank you to my translator, Paul, for making me sound smart in Spanish--and to Pamela Martinez for a fabulous interview. (Remember that name--Pamela's going to be famous some day.) And my eternal gratitude to all the ladies and gentlemen at my Mexican publisher, Santillana/Alfaguara. Not only are you guys the best in the business, you're a lot of fun, too!

This morning I discovered an article that could come in handy the next time I'm out of town. I have no sense of direction, and the GPS on my phone isn't always reliable. So I'm going memorize these Six Ways to Never Get Lost in a City Again.

It's Coming for You Next!

2011-11-24T15:40:00.000-05:00

Did you ever think you'd see an octopus walk on dry land? This is a terrifying development for all of us who live near water.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! (And thanks for the link, Olivia!)

Pride, Prejudice, and a Pinch of Arsenic

2011-11-17T08:37:00.003-05:00

Jane Austen died of a mysterious illness at the age of 41. Some experts claim she died of cancer. Others insist it was Addison's Disease. Now the author of a new book is offering a rather novel theory. She believes Jane Austen may have been POISONED!

Jane is known for having had a pretty sharp tongue. Was it sharp enough to offend one of her neighbors? Sharp enough to drive that neighbor to . . . MURDER? (Okay, enough caps for now.)

The theory stems from a letter Jane penned a few months before she died. In it, she writes, "I am considerably better now and am recovering my looks a little, which have been bad enough, black and white and every wrong colour."

One of the symptoms of arsenic poisoning is discoloration of the skin, which develops unusual black and white patches. However, while the murder theory is very intriguing, accidental poisonings were quite common in Austen's day. (In the nineteenth century, even children's medicines contained powerful opiates or deadly poisons.)

But don't let my skepticism stop any sleuths out there. Prove Austen was murdered--and identify the culprit--and you'll have solved one of the greatest murder mysteries of all time!

Read more here.

Sewage-Eating Microbes Have Excellent Taste (in Music)

2011-11-16T15:26:00.000-05:00

(Above: Sewage-eaters aren't quite as cute as these guys.)

According to this article, a sewage treatment plant in Germany has found a way to make its microbes work harder. It lets them listen to music. Mozart's Magic Flute, to be specific.

While the microbes dine, music is played over a loud-speaker at the plant. Mozart-loving microbes eat more sewage, which means the plant produces more clean water and less sludge. Thanks to Mozart, the plant saved over 10,000 euros last year.

So microbes like classical music. If I think about that too much, my head might explode.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot. "Scientists have developed fluorescent bacteria that encode secret messages, creating a living invisible ink." I need to lie down now.

I'm Not Sure How I Feel About This

2011-11-14T09:18:00.000-05:00

Tokidoki Barbie. I am not a Barbie fan. Never have been. Do I like this? I DON'T KNOW! Shall we discuss?

Actually, the Byron Lars Barbie Collection does much more to address my Barbie-related issues. Some of those dolls are pretty fabulous.

Mexico, Here I Come!

2011-11-12T15:09:00.002-05:00

I've been putting the finishing touches on my top-secret project, so I haven't had much time to blog lately! (And for all the skeptics out there, YES my top-secret project DOES exist. Ha.)

But in a few weeks, I'll be setting all of my work aside and heading down to MEXICO to promote Eternos (The Eternal Ones) and All You Desire! I can't wait! I'll post an itinerary soon, but I do know that Guadalajara will be the main stop on the tour.

So now for the subject of today's post. Like most cities, Mexico City is densely populated--and growing more crowded each year. But historic buildings can't be demolished to build new structures (thank goodness). And the law prohibits new buildings from rising any higher than eight stories above ground.

Now a team of architects believes it has found the solution. The group would like to build the world's first "earth-scraper." The sixty-five story building would be constructed beneath a major plaza in the city's historic center. A glass roof would allow natural light to reach the shops, homes, and offices on all levels of the structure.

It looks pretty amazing. (For more pictures, click here.) Of course, there are a few questions I'd want answered before I agreed to move in. (What happens if there's a fire? What if the entrances are blocked and everyone gets trapped inside? What if it's taken over by bandits and turned into a dark, dangerous Shadow City?)

If the Mexico City earth-scraper ever gets built, I'll just have to write another book so I can go down to see it. I think that book will be about the world's first earth-scraper--and how a good idea can go terribly, horribly wrong.

(Thanks for the link, Macy!)

Boffins Just Blew My Mind

2011-10-27T09:28:00.003-04:00

Despite having extremely close links to the British community, I had never heard the term "boffin" until today. I shall be employing the word from now on, so please add it to your personal dictionaries. Ha.

But that's not the point of this post. According to this rather technical website, boffins are now able to insert 3D objects into old photographs. (Check out the website for some rather dull examples.) The results are so realistic that they'd fool any non-boffin's eyes.

If you clicked the link above, you might have watched a video with the yawn-inducing title, "Rendering Synthetic Objects into Legacy Photographs." (Those boffins sure have a way with titles!) If you didn't watch it, you should. Because this new technology is pretty darn amazing.

I started thinking about the many 3D objects I'd like to insert into old photographs. And all of the bizarre stories that might begin with a single altered photo.

In case you're wondering, this is the kind of discovery that can inspire a new book. (Not making any promises, though.)

The Museum of Obsolete Objects

2011-10-24T19:43:00.002-04:00

Click here.

Thou Rank, Beetle-Headed Maggot Pie!

2011-10-21T12:02:00.002-04:00

Now you can insult your enemies and impress your English Lit teachers at the same time. All you have to do is consult this handy "Shakespeare Insult Kit!" (From blameitonthevoices.) Just make sure you know what the terms mean first. And if you get yourself in trouble, keep me out of it!

The Penguins Need Sweaters!

2011-10-20T10:25:00.001-04:00

Attention all knitters, (and I know there are quite a few of you out there), the penguins of New Zealand need sweaters! Seriously! A recent oil spill has left many of them in terrible danger. Sweaters will not only keep the little birds warm until they've recovered enough to be properly cleaned, it will also keep them from consuming the oil that's coating their feathers. (Which would make them even sicker!)

Here's how to knit a penguin sweater. And here's more information, including what to do with the sweaters when you're done!

Escape from Wonderland

2011-10-19T08:02:00.001-04:00

(Picture from toxel.)

I've always wanted to learn how to rock climb. (Why haven't I? Hmmm. Good question.) I just wish I could find a climbing wall like this one, which was recently installed at a Tokyo fitness club. It was inspired by Alice in Wonderland and features climb holds in the shape of frames, vases, and bird cages. Very, very cool (but perhaps a little too tasteful--the designers could have gone a bit crazier if you ask me). And I gotta wonder: Is it really safe to climb in tights and a skirt?

Moustache Man

2011-10-18T08:17:00.000-04:00

Above: Is it art? Propoganda? Vandalism? Hilarious? Let's discuss.

Until June, when he was nabbed by the NYPD after a two-month investigation (because the one of the biggest threats this city faces is Sharpie-wielding graffiti artists), Moustache Man roamed the NY subway system, altering the advertisements that line our scenic underground stations.

I happen to think that a well-drawn moustache improves most celebrity faces. However, there are many who would probably beg to differ. (The cops, the ads' owners, humorless movie stars.) But I honestly believe that Moustache Man (who took himself and his work VERY seriously) was performing a service for all humankind.

Imagine this: It's eight o'clock in the morning, and you're crammed into a metal tube with several thousand of your loudest, smelliest neighbors. You deserve a little something to take your mind off your suffering, and a baby with a moustache may be EXACTLY what you need.

I, for one, will miss the marvelous Moustache Man.

Water Hazard

2011-10-13T14:01:00.000-04:00

I once knew a guy who had a rather unusual way of making a few extra bucks. He and a friend would sneak onto golf courses under cover of night and collect the golf balls that had been lost in the water hazards. They made quite a bit of money selling the balls they recovered. And while their activities weren't strictly legal, I always thought they deserved every penny. After all, no one else was going to do it. Why? My acquaintance lived in southern Louisiana, and the water hazards he frequented were all filled with alligators.

I used to think it would be great fun to play golf on an alligator-filled course. But now I have a new goal. I want to visit the Carbrook Golf Club in Brisbane, Australia. It may be the only golf course in the world where the water hazards are infested with . . . SHARKS. Seems a nearby river flooded several years ago, and six large bull sharks made their way into a lake in the middle of the course. They're all still there. And they're breeding.

Bull sharks have been known to nibble a human now and then. (You can't really hold it against them.) And golfers are known to be particularly delicious. So if any of you are up for the challenge, I bet that lake is filled with a fortune in golf balls.

More here.

Another Explosive Subject

2011-10-07T13:20:00.000-04:00

I usually don't like to "borrow" so liberally from other blogs, but I recently came across these two videos on one of my favorite sites, TYWKIWDBI. Maybe you're already familiar with "stick bombs," but they were new to me. (I have been living under a rock for the last year or so.)

I think I know how I'll be spending my free time for the next couple of weeks.

The first video shows a stick bomb in action. The second is a fabulous tutorial. Enjoy!

Yarn Bombing the Alamo

2011-10-04T09:04:00.000-04:00

The Alamo is a huge, rotating cube in the middle of Manhattan's Astor Place. And it was just "yarn bombed" by artist Olek. According to hyperallergic, (the blog where I found the photo above by Alex Sarkesian), it has already been removed! Why?

You Need to Know: How to Escape from Zip Ties

2011-10-03T07:47:00.000-04:00

Okay, this is awesome. Truly amazing.

Your odds of being nabbed by a bad guy (of whatever variety) are pretty slim. However, if you find yourself in the middle of a kidnapping/hostage situation/mafia war, there's a pretty good chance that you'll end up bound with zip ties. They're easier, cheaper, and lighter than rope or duct tape. And most bad guys assume the ties make escape impossible. They're wrong.

The genius who stars in the videos below looks like a pretty big dude. So if (like me) you're a smaller, less muscular member of our species, I recommend practicing the techniques a bit. (Once the first video ends, be sure to click on the others offered.)

Insanely Twisted

2011-10-01T08:34:00.000-04:00

Apparently, the video above was too dark for Nickelodeon. (It's not gory. Just really, really weird.)

Bonus below . . . the letters and envelopes of Edward Gorey. I love envelope art. It's getting rarer and rarer these days, and I hope it doesn't become a thing of the past.

Skeleton Day!

2011-09-29T08:41:00.000-04:00

Above: A centaur skeleton from Skulls Unlimited—the one stop shop for all of your bone-related needs. Funny, there's a similar—but deadlier—business in The Darkness Dwellers.

Above: Decorating with bones in the Sedlec Ossuary.

Above: Skeleton jewelry from Delfina Delettrez. A good thing to wear if you're out late in New York.

Above: Skull art from Katsuyo Aoki.

Above: Skeletons in the Closet, the gift store at the LA County Coroner's Office, is the greatest place on earth.

Rat Island Can Be Yours (or Mine, If You'll Lend Me a Few Hundred Thousand Dollars)!!!!

2011-09-27T08:22:00.000-04:00

(Map borrowed from one of my favorite websites, Ephemeral New York.)

This is my dream. I'm at a cocktail party somewhere in New York. The conversation turns to the subject of vacation homes. Everyone else has a fabulous holiday pad. Do you have a second home? someone asks me. Oh, it's really just a little cottage, I reply. On my private island a few miles outside of the city. Maybe you've heard of it? It's called RAT ISLAND.

Rat Island is a two and a half acre chunk of rock in the middle of Long Island Sound. (Just north of NYC.) And I want it. It's going up for auction soon, and though it's estimated to be worth over $425,000, it may end up going for a song.

According to a NY Times article:

Much of [Rat Island's] history is lost and shrouded in folklore; the name is said to relate to prisoners, called rats, escaping from Hart Island, swimming with cardboard boxes over their heads to look like bobbing trash, but it is not clear if that is true. Legend also holds that the island was used as a so-called pest house in the 19th century to quarantine people infected with yellow fever, but Bronx and City Island historians have said that was unlikely because the city already had a quarantine hospital on Hart Island, now known as the site of the city’s potters field.

Rat Island, said to have served as an artists and writers colony, has supported at least one cottage; the remnants of a stone foundation still sit on a peak. Within its perimeter on Thursday was a lone rubber glove and a single green-and-gray Aldo men’s size 42 deck shoe with socks scrunched inside. Whether they had been discarded there or washed ashore was not entirely clear.

It sounds so lovely!!!

Verbal Pyrotechnics

2011-09-26T09:24:00.000-04:00

They call it the BEST TEEN LITERATURE MAGAZINE ON THE PLANET, and I'm certainly not going to argue! I love the Verbal Pyrotechnics blog and magazine. They're both filled with awesome. Including an interview with me! (Subtle, right?)

The Murder Club

2011-09-26T09:15:00.000-04:00

On the third Thursday of every month, a group of crime-solving savants from around the world gathers in Philadelphia to solve forgotten homicides. For over twenty years, the organization has been known as the Vidocq Society, and its members include forensic pathologists, police detectives, psychologists, and a forensic artist whose specialty is bringing skulls back to "life."

According to Wikipedia:

Vidocq will only consider cases that meet certain requirements: they must be unsolved deaths more than two years old, the victims cannot have been involved in criminal activity . . . and the case must be formally presented to [the Society] by the appropriate law enforcement agency. The Society does not charge for its services, and pays for the travel expenses of the law enforcement agents who come to present cases.

It sounds like something cooked up by a writer of paperback thrillers, doesn't it? But the Vidocq Society is real, and you need some serious skills if you want to join. I wonder if my superior sense of scent and my undying love for Sherlock Holmes would qualify me for membership. Doubt it.

The Quickest Way to a Librarian's Heart

2011-09-23T09:26:00.001-04:00

If you want to win over some bookish lads and ladies, I suggest making an anonymous gift to their favorite book-lending institutions. Perhaps a magnificent and mysterious paper sculpture?

That's what's been happening in Scotland. For the past year, remarkable works of art (such as those above) that have been appearing in libraries all over the country. The artist has not been identified, which is even more remarkable given the quality of his/her art!

Read more here.

I Really Think People Should Wear Pants When They Visit an Underground Park

2011-09-22T08:19:00.000-04:00

That's right, lady. (Above.) I'm talking to you.

There are two great things about today's post. First, there's an enormous, abandoned, underground trolley station beneath Delancey Street on Manhattan's Lower East Side. That knowledge alone could make me happy for the rest of the day. But it gets even BETTER.

There are people (hopefully very well-connected people) who want to turn the space into an underground park. Click here to see a slide-show of the proposed subterranean playground.

Pretty cool. But rather optimistic, I think. The illustrations show how the park might look on sunny days. What happens during New York's dark, dismal winters, when the sun can disappear for weeks on end? What's going to be lurking in the shadows underneath Delancey Street. Woman-eating rats? Or worse?

The Rookie

2011-09-21T09:39:00.000-04:00

Remember Tavi, the teenage fashion maven? I wrote about her last year, and it seems she's been quite busy over the past twelve months. Her influential fashion blog, Style Rookie, is still going strong. And she's just started her own teen Internet magazine. It's called Rookie, and it's pretty darn amazing.

I may not belong to Tavi's target audience, but she's one of my personal heroes. She's proof of what can be accomplished with brains, confidence, and a whole lotta moxie. As you probably know by now, the world is filled with cynics and naysayers. It doesn't matter how old you are--if you're going to do something fabulous, you'll have to put on a pair of funky dark sunglasses and pretend you don't see them.

Thanks to JAY for the heads-up!

Be Your Own Bloodhound

2011-09-20T09:59:00.000-04:00

(Above: Love the picture of the "Old Sleuth." Very creepy.)

I have an amazing nose. (Don't go Googling pictures of me. That's not what I'm talking about.) My sense of scent is incredibly powerful. How powerful? I can walk into an empty room and instantly know if a friend or acquaintance has recently been there. It's a gift that's helped me solve countless petty crimes over the years.

But today I feel a little less special. (This happens to me quite often, I'm afraid.) A recent study by scientists at Berkeley has shown that many of my fellow humans possess similar abilities. You, too, have an amazing nose. But if you want to put it to work, you'll have to risk looking a little silly.

Get down on your hands and knees. Sniff the ground. You may find you're able to track a scent all the way across a grassy field. Yes, the opportunities to use your newly-discovered superpower may be few and far between. However, according to one Yale neuroscientist, "if we go back on our four legs and get down on the ground, we may be able do things we had no idea we could do."

Interesting. Very interesting.

Bank St. Irregular Salutes . . .

2011-09-08T18:44:00.000-04:00

Brooke Collins of Juneau Alaska. You gotta be tough to punch a bear.

I've heard punching sharks works, too.

Terrizing Evil Rat of Spring

2011-09-06T07:26:00.001-04:00

Don't understand the title of this post? Sigh. I do wish people would read more poetry. Click here for an explanation.

Edward The Hamster. BBC Radio4 from Craig Wilkinson on Vimeo.

Back to the Bizarre

2011-09-05T14:14:00.000-04:00

Let's kick off a new season of blogging with a tasteful link. There. Got it out of my system. Ha.

Now for something a little more . . . dangerous. You know what's always bugged me? (To be honest, the list of things that bug me is extremely long. But let's start with a single pet peeve for now. I'll get to the rest later.) I can't stand to see an otherwise admirable female superhero or woman warrior dressed in skimpy clothes. Not that I have anything against spandex. It just doesn't offer much protection from swords, bullets, nunchaku, or medieval maces. Why oh why do most artists insist on sending their heroines into battle with so little armor? (Okay, the answer is kinda obvious. Let's move on.)

So I was thrilled to discover the website Women Fighters in Reasonable Armor. As you might imagine, the site is devoted to art that depicts women warriors in clothing that warriors MIGHT ACTUALLY WEAR. Love it. (There's a wee bit of bad language on the site. And a wee bit of blood. So don't click through if those things offend you.)

The site reminded me of the wonderful image of Kiki Strike at the top of this post. The artist sent it to me a while back, and a Facebook friend recently rediscovered it. The guy responsible for this masterpiece is not only unbelievably talented, he also gave Kiki PERFECTLY REASONABLE ARMOR. And I shall be forever grateful.

Soooo Close!

2011-08-22T19:34:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone. I'm almost finished with my latest project, which means I'll be back to blogging full speed after Labor Day! (I promise--it has been a VERY productive summer!)

In the meantime, check out this "dark faerie tale" I wrote for the fabulous blog Dark Faerie Tales! I'm quite proud of it.

Also, a few more reviews. . .

The Eternal Ones

and All You Desire (More to come!)

And There's More!

2011-08-12T08:58:00.000-04:00

(Art by AJ Hateley. Ms. Hateley, I'm your biggest fan.)

My second guest post at the Penguin blog!

A review and MORE from RT Book Reviews!

All You Desire is OUT Today!!!

2011-08-09T17:54:00.000-04:00

(Above: Yes, that's me.)

I'm going to be guest blogging on the Penguin blog this week. Check out the first installment!

And if you'd like to know even MORE about me. (And you know you do! Ha.) Have a look at my interview with the wonderful Nocturne Romance Reads!

Plus, a couple more reviews. (I swear, I'm not just linking to the good ones.)

Feathered Quill Book Reviews

Lost in Believing Blog

All You Desire is Out This Week!

2011-08-07T15:45:00.002-04:00

Hi there! Another quick update on All You Desire, which has been chosen as the latest "Summer Beach Read" by Seventeen Magazine!

And here are links to a couple of reviews:

The Book Mermaid

I Like These Books

My Bookish Fairy Tale

And readers in Mexico should visit The Itzel Library for news about Eternos giveaways and a virtual tour of All You Desire!

There will be more to come this week! (And if there are any bloggers out there who'd like me to link to their reviews, please send me a note!)

Bavaria's Mysterious Underground Chambers

2011-07-25T08:56:00.001-04:00

From Der Spiegel (thx, anonymous):

There are more than 700 curious tunnel networks in Bavaria, but their purpose remains a mystery. Were they built as graves for the souls of the dead, as ritual spaces or as hideaways from marauding bandits? Archeologists are now exploring the subterranean vaults to unravel their secrets.

Wow. Just WOW. Check out the article and pictures here!

Let's Chat

2011-07-24T12:01:00.003-04:00

Wow. I've been gone a while, right? I figured I should check in just to let you know that I haven't been sitting on my rump watching Bigfoot shows on television. (OK, I have watched a couple.)

So here's what's going on . . . First of all, The Eternal Ones has a fabulous new website. Gorgeous, isn't it? As you know, the first book in the series is out in paperback right now. And the sequel, All You Desire, will be in stores AUGUST 9th! I'm really proud of both books, but I do have a soft spot for the sequel. And I've been getting some wonderful feedback. So have a read and let me know what you think!

I've also been hard at work on my new, super-secret project. (Which I love, love, love!) It should be finished by the end of August. Then I will resume blogging with gusto. I've been keeping track of all the bizarre things that are happening around the world. And let's just say we're going to have a lot to discuss!

I also have some Kiki Strike news. The Darkness Dwellers is finished. And it is, in my humble opinion, the best of the bunch. Unfortunately, it won't be in stores until late next year. That's right. Fall 2012. It wasn't my decision, but there is a good reason for the delay. (My publisher is planning something special for all three books.) But I know a lot of you have been waiting A VERY LONG TIME for Book #3.

So I'm going to make you a promise right here and now. You will be hearing from Ananka, Kiki, and the Irregulars soon. There's a certain adventure that they're eager to share. And they refuse to wait another year.

Ghoulish, but AWESOME

2011-07-24T11:03:00.000-04:00

You never know when you might stumble across a crime scene. Fortunately, I recently came across a handy guide to blood-splatter analysis that I intend to keep in my wallet at all times.

Ordinarily, I would embed the image in a post, but it might be a little ghoulish for some of you. (It's not really that gross, but I know some people are sensitive.) But if you're planning a career in forensic nursing, police work, or crime, you should definitely click HERE!

So You Want to Be a Writer

2011-07-24T10:25:00.001-04:00

Have a look at author Molly Backes's wonderful response to the mother of a teenage girl who wants to be a writer. I can identify with every point.

The Eternal Ones is Out in Paperback!

2011-07-09T15:29:00.000-04:00

The very best thing about paperbacks? They're easy to read in the bathtub!

Next month . . . All You Desire! (There was a little confusion surrounding the pub date, but it's still in August!)

Two Suspects in My Ghost Hunt

2011-07-02T16:17:00.000-04:00

Okay, so I've taken your advice, and I've done a little research on the history of my building. So far, I have two potential ghosts:

1. Claudius, who died in my house in 1893.
2. Blanche, who died here in 1915.

It's also quite possible that Claudius's wife, Ann, may have died here as well.

But I haven't uncovered any evidence that either of my suspects died violently. They were both quite old when they passed away. But who knows? Maybe one of them wasn't ready to go!

I'm going to keep searching. I'll report back to you soon!

Book News!

2011-06-23T11:40:00.000-04:00

This is pretty amazing. I recently did an interview with the online book magazine, Requiem de Libros. What a cool site! Take a look, and be sure to check out my interview on pages 15-17. Thanks to everyone at Requiem de Libros!

And Pamela, one of my Facebook friends, has started an Eternos-themed blog! Have a look at the amazing pendant you get if you order the book in Mexico. (I borrowed the pic from Pamela's blog.) Thanks, Pamela!

Last but not least, you may notice that my blogging has become a bit . . . irregular. (HA) I'm hard at work on a new project, and I'm so unbelievably inspired that it's hard to pull myself away sometimes! But I am still here, and the project will be finished soon, so don't go away!

I'm also going to be working on something very SPECIAL for Kiki Strike fans. Something handy. Something dangerous (in the right way, of course). You're going to like it. And that's all I'm going to say!!!

Interview with the Itzel Library

2011-06-18T14:56:00.000-04:00

All I needed was one look at the Itzel Library blog to know that I'd found some kindred spirits. (You'll see what I mean.) So when I was invited to chat with the fabulous, mysterious YEL, I seized the opportunity.

Here's my interview, in both Spanish and English! Thanks, Yel!

Hello, Mexico!

2011-06-16T08:34:00.000-04:00

A couple of days ago, I found out that The Eternal Ones is VERY popular in Mexico. I love it when one of my books receives a warm welcome in another country, but Mexico happens to be one of my favorite places on earth. (Not to mention the country where I saw THE MOST AMAZING THING EVER.) So this time, I'm absolutely thrilled.

Maybe the book's popularity has something to do with the awesome Spanish title . . . Eternos. Who wouldn't want to read a book called Eternos? Or maybe it has something to do with the mysterious videos and newspaper ads that have popped up around the country . . .

Whatever the case, I'm ecstatic. And I hope Eterno's Mexican readers stop by Bank St. Irregular to say hello! And all of you Spanish speakers out there should definitely pay a visit to the Eternos Facebook page. I'm going to be giving away signed copies of the book soon!

Ghost Update

2011-06-12T09:30:00.000-04:00

The weather was terrible in New York yesterday, so I spent the afternoon indoors watching a marathon of the super-cheesy, but highly-entertaining show Hauntings. (Yes, I know. I should be doing more with my spare time.)

Anyway, the show reminded me that I haven't shared my latest ghostly experience with you.

If you've been reading my blogs, you already know that there's a ghost in my house. I haven't actually seen her (as previous occupants have), but I know she's here.

About a month ago, I was cooking dinner. Garlic was involved. I stepped out of the kitchen for a moment to set the table in the nearby dining room. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something come flying through the kitchen door. Then I felt it hit me--right on the butt. I looked down, and there was a garlic clove lying on the floor of the dining room.

There was no one else around. The rest of the garlic was still sitting on the counter where I'd left it. In order to whack me on the butt, the clove in question had somehow managed to pick itself up, turn a corner, and fly approximately twenty feet.

I was surprised, but I wasn't frightened. It actually seemed pretty funny at the time. I'd like to know more about my ghost, but I don't want to tick her off. Ouija boards seem rather silly and impersonal. Any suggestions for making contact?

How to Stay Creative

2011-06-10T14:09:00.004-04:00

One of the questions I'm often asked is: What's the best way to overcome writer's block. As I recently said in an interview (which you can check out here), I don't believe in writer's block. (When was the last time you heard a doctor say she had "doctor's block?") However, I'll admit that there are times when I feel rather uninspired.

This afternoon, I found the video posted below. It offers "29 Ways to Stay Creative." The tips may seem unbelievably simple, but I know from experience that they work.

I'm particularly fond of #23: READ A (RANDOM) PAGE FROM THE DICTIONARY. Why? Allow me to explain. In my opinion, the Internet has one very serious downside. (No, I'm not talking about people who review books that they couldn't POSSIBLY have read unless they somehow managed to hack into my computer. And no, I don't think anyone has hacked my computer.)

The problem with the Internet is that it gives us exactly what we want. Lots of sites are designed to remember our past purchases and spit out a list of books, music, and products that we're likely to enjoy. So it's easy to get stuck in a rut--reading the same kind of books, listening to the same kind of music, buying the same stuff that we've bought in the past.

This isn't the way to be (or stay) creative. More often than not, inspiration comes from new, different, and surprising experiences. Go to the library and find a section you've never explored. Listen for strange new songs as you walk down the street. Visit a part of town that you've never seen before. Flip through the dictionary and find an unfamiliar word. Do something completely random.

You never know what's going to provide the inspiration you're seeking. And that's the whole point. You never know. But it probably won't be something you do every day. Otherwise, you'd be inspired already.

29 WAYS TO STAY CREATIVE from TO-FU on Vimeo.

Manhattan's Secret Magic Library

2011-06-09T11:50:00.000-04:00

CH Presents: The Conjuring Arts Research Center from Cool Hunting on Vimeo.

Hidden somewhere on the island of Manhattan is a library with over 12,000 books on the subject of magic. If you can find it, you're welcome to visit.

This is just the sort of place Ananka Fishbein would stumble across. Don't you think? On a personal note, I'd love to take a peek at the book Valuable Secrets. What kind of secrets, I wonder? And how valuable are they?

Congratulations to Our Winners!

2011-06-04T18:24:00.000-04:00

(Above: Art by Ray Ceasar)

Finalists 3 & 4 are the winners! But I would have been thrilled if All You Desire had ended up with any of these covers. So you're all winners to me! (Isn't that sweet?)

Another talented artist has asked me to post her entry, so have a look below!

I'm going to be working on a secret project until June 10th, so I won't be able to blog for the next week. But please meet me here on June 11th, and we'll take another trip into the bizarre.

Here Are the 5 Finalists & 1 Honorable Mention!

2011-06-03T09:43:00.002-04:00

Once again, I was absolutely blown away by your talent and creativity. You guys all deserve to be finalists. And if I had more than 2 ARCs to give away, I would send one to every person who entered. There was not a single entry that wasn't new, different, and eye-catching.

Alas, we can only have five finalists. Choosing them was one of the most difficult tasks I've ever been given. If your cover is not one of the finalists, and you would like me to post it on the blog, just send me a note. Once the blog readers choose two winners, I will be happy to share other entries!

So here's how this works. Look for the poll on the upper right side of this blog, and choose the cover you like best. Feel free to vote for yourself, but please . . . ONE VOTE PER PERSON. And as always, only regular blog readers are allowed to vote. Please do not ask your grandma to vote for you. (Unless she's a reader of the blog!)

You have twenty-four hours to place your vote. VOTING WILL END AT 9:00 AM (NY TIME), JUNE 4th!

The two covers with the most votes will each win an ARC of All You Desire! Good luck to all the finalists!!!

Finalist #1

Why was it chosen? I think it goes without saying. Simply amazing. The detail, the artistry, the colors. I'm awestruck.

Finalist #2

Why was it chosen? I love the simplicity of this cover. The silhouettes communicate everything . . . true love, destiny, and danger. Brilliant.

Finalist #3

Why was it chosen? It's gorgeous for starters, and I love the 1920s-style silhouettes. Two touches I really appreciated . . . the figure spying on the couple and the Snake Goddess on the Greek vase. Very cool.

Finalist #4

Why was it chosen? The colors are arresting, and the design is both simple and lovely. The symbol in the center is another symbol of eternity. (As you recall, I didn't insist that entries use an ouroboros.) I would definitely pick up this book if I saw it in a bookstore.

Finalist #5

Why was it chosen? It seems simple at first glance, but there's so much hidden in this image. Haven's ouroboros armlet. The snakes slithering out of the heart. And I think it really captures how it feels to fall in love, when you're not quite sure if you're floating or sinking. It makes me happy just looking at this cover.

Honorable Mention:

Why did this entry receive an honorable mention? It would have been a finalist, perhaps even a winner. But I'm afraid it's for the wrong book! However, that doesn't make this entry any less brilliant. I would have been thrilled if this had been the cover of The Eternal Ones!

Today is the Day!

2011-06-02T16:12:00.000-04:00

Submit your covers by 11:59 PM (New York time) tonight! Good luck to all!

(That girl on the right looks pretty tough, huh? I bet her monkey won.)

Deadline Extension!

2011-05-30T09:22:00.000-04:00

Hi Guys! So I forgot that today is Memorial Day here in the USA. I have a feeling quite a few of you are out of town having something called . . . fun. (How could you!?! Ha.) So I'm extending the deadline for the cover contest to 11:59PM (New York time), THURSDAY JUNE 2ND!

We have quite a few FABULOUS entries so far. I'm looking forward to seeing YOURS!

I Wish I'd Found This BEFORE Mother's Day!

2011-05-24T10:25:00.000-04:00

Instructions for making Zombie Truffles! My mother (Big K) simply adores brains.

You Guys are GOOD

2011-05-24T10:18:00.000-04:00

The cover contest entries I've received so far are VERY impressive! I can't tell you how fabulous it is to have such talented friends/readers/correspondents.

Just to clear a few things up:

1. Let's stick to one entry per person this time. (If you send one, then come up with an idea you like even better, just let me know, and I'll make sure the right cover is entered in the contest.)

2. Feel free to use photos or art from other places, as long as they're used in a new and interesting way. But you might want to avoid celebrity photos.

3. Classic movie posters are also a good source of inspiration. (I love the one above. So simple. So arresting. Even though it's not my favorite Hitchcock film. I think the one below--a new poster for an old film--is also amazing.)

4. Have fun!

Happy Birthday!

2011-05-21T13:23:00.000-04:00

(Above: Art by Matt Sartain)

Katy!!!

I think this will be my last birthday post for a while. So I hope you ALL have fabulous birthdays!!!!

Here's Your Contest!!!!

2011-05-20T09:24:00.000-04:00

(Above: New covers of classic novels by Ruben Toledo.)

Lots of great ideas! Thanks, guys. But as I was reading the suggestions, I happened to stumble upon this article in the New York Times about "Book Covers That Got Away." As many of you know, we've gone through a few different covers for The Eternal Ones series. I love the cover of All You Desire, but who knows? Maybe there's an even BETTER cover idea that's stuck somewhere in a blog reader's brain!

So, here's the contest. Design an alternate cover for All You Desire. You don't have to draw it. You can use a photo, scrap art, typography, collage, needlepoint . . . just about anything. (The NYT article linked to above shows a range of different possibilities.) The cover must convey the following:

1. That it's a dark, twisted romance
2. That it's for a teen and adult audience
3. That it's part of a series

(I almost required that you make use of the ouroboros. But I'm going to leave that decision up to you.)

Entries will be judged on their creativity and how well they fit the book!

All entries must be sent to kikistrike@gmail.com by 11:59 PM, MAY 31ST!

Contest Ideas?

2011-05-18T09:36:00.000-04:00

(Above: It may not fit the subject, but I love this poster.)

Okay, now's your chance to show the world (and by the world, I mean this blog's readers) how brilliant you are. I have two ARCs of All You Desire to give away, and I need a contest idea. So send me your suggestions!

Like The Eternal Ones, All You Desire is intended for readers 13+. But everyone is welcome to enter the contest. If you win, and you don't feel you're ready for a teen book, I will come up with another fabulous prize!

Happy Birthday!

2011-05-17T08:14:00.000-04:00

(Above: Art by Hans Peter Feldmann.)

Isabel and Katherine!!!! Sorry this is late! The day the post was scheduled, Blogger went down. Hope you had a great birthday!

KIKIPEDIA!

2011-05-16T10:58:00.000-04:00

Blog reader (and genius) Ju L. recently started an online Kiki Strike encyclopedia! This is a fabulous idea for many, many reasons . . .

1. With The Darkness Dwellers coming out soon, a "Kikipedia" will help refresh readers' memories. (What IS the Fu-Tsang Gang? How DO you defeat man-eating rats? Who WAS Angus McSwegan?)

2. It will keep me honest.

3. It sounds like a blast.

Want a look? Go here. Want to contribute? EVEN BETTER! All you have to do is write up a profile of your favorite character, villain, or place.

You'll have to sign up for wikia, but it's safe and takes about 5 seconds. (I did it myself!) Just make sure you have permission from the authorities!

I HAVE COPIES OF ALL YOU DESIRE!

2011-05-16T08:58:00.000-04:00

(Above: The cover without the new blurb.)

I just received a box of All You Desire ARCs (Advance Reading Copies)! I gotta say--they look GORGEOUS!

The best part? A blurb from the brilliant, charming, impossibly wonderful author Andrea Cremer! There wasn't enough room for the full blurb on the cover, so my publisher trimmed it a bit, but I've posted the entire blurb below.

By turns beautiful and chilling, Kirsten Miller conjures a mesmerizing world of unsettling pasts, undying loves, and unthinkable futures. This book is a dream, wonderful and frightening, from which I didn’t want to wake.

There are few things in life that are more thrilling than praise from colleagues you admire. I am eagerly awaiting the release of Andrea's second book, Wolfsbane, this fall. (And I bet all of you who read Nightshade are counting the days as well!)

I'm going to give away a few All You Desire ARCs soon. (Perhaps as contest prizes?) But if you're one of the people to whom I've already promised a copy, please don't hesitate to remind me!

Where Are My Posts!

2011-05-13T13:17:00.000-04:00

Blogger appears to have deleted all of my posts from yesterday. I'll see if they're somehow magically recovered. If not, I'll post them again later today. (And figure out some way to get my revenge.)

In the meantime, CHECK OUT MY INTERVIEW at the fabulous Writer, Writer Pants on Fire Blog! There's a shout-out to all my wonderful blog readers, of course. (Thanks for the interview, Mindy!)

More News from the Animal Kingdom

2011-05-12T09:41:00.000-04:00

The horror! Apparently there's an insect in Sweden that masquerades as a bee and shoots larvae into people's eyes! This article gives you the very disgusting scoop.

Can you identify Dimples, the Rochester mystery beast? Kind of cute.

Soon, you may be able to talk with dolphins using an underwater translation device! What secrets will they share with mankind?

Why didn't anyone ever teach ME how to mummify a chicken? (The man being interviewed sounds like a pretty amazing guy.)

Fit for a Very Mad Hatter

2011-05-12T09:35:00.000-04:00

Hey Everybody! Sorry for going AWOL for the past week. I had family visiting from out of town. But now it's back to business!

Let's start with this ADORABLE tea set. (Okay, it's a coffee set. But I'm a big fan of tea parties. If I could live on cucumber finger sandwiches and scones with clotted cream, I would.) However I'm not sure if my appetite could survive a date with this "provocative' porcelain. Though it would be rather entertaining to bring it out for guests. Too bad it's out of stock.

You're My Kind of Kid

2011-05-05T09:27:00.000-04:00

The greatest picture of all time was taken by William West/AFP/Getty Images.

Would You Eat It?

2011-05-04T14:30:00.000-04:00

It's kind of pretty, don't you think? And it certainly qualifies as a luxury--a kilo costs around $1600. Ancient Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians adored the earthy flavor. But would you eat it? (I'd certainly give it a try.)

A Few Things You Might Want to Know

2011-05-02T10:27:00.000-04:00

(Above: Art by Jenny Holzer.)

1. Teenagers who read for pleasure are more likely to have good jobs as adults. Does this seem a bit obvious to you, too?

2. It recently rained worms in Scotland.

3. Technology may be wiring teens to have better brains. So that's why you're all so special. Ha.

4. My favorite word is sprezzatura.

5. Knitters are strange and wonderful people.

This is Why Boring Classes are Dangerous

2011-05-01T08:24:00.000-04:00

The doctor in this video is super-cool. How did she know how to fix the problem? She reminds me of DeeDee, but with a great accent. (I'm an American. It's an accent to me.)

More here.

Someday the Cleaning People of the World Will Find This Man and Punish Him

2011-04-30T08:03:00.000-04:00

I wouldn't say this is a "perfect" prank, but it's still pretty amusing. Whenever comedian Bert Kreischer checks out of a hotel, he likes to leave a little gift behind for the hotel staff.

It might be something as simple as a pair of sneakers poking out from beneath the drapes. Or an escape rope made from sheets left dangling from the window. But sometimes Mr. Kreischer gets crafty. He's turned an ordinary toilet into a blood-sucking beast. And he's fond of creating dummies and leaving them in odd locations. At first glance, an unsuspecting cleaning person might think there's a body crammed in the minibar--or a man hiding beneath a room service cart.

(Mr. Kreishcer claims he always leaves a big tip to compensate the hotel employees for the extra work.)

Very original, very weird, and very entertaining. But I really hope he doesn't prank someone with a heart condition! On a scale from 1 to 10, how do you rank this idea?

More pictures here.

Public Service Announcement! Don't Touch Armadillos!

2011-04-28T13:33:00.000-04:00

No, seriously. Don't pet them, don't play with them, and don't eat them! They might give you leprosy. And we wouldn't want that, would we?

Library of the Living Dead

2011-04-28T08:00:00.000-04:00

I had two reactions when I came across this "Zombie Guide" to the McPherson College Library. (Cover shown above.)

1. How cool are the librarians at McPherson College?
2. They named a library after me? I'm so incredibly honored!!!

Things Can Get Weird When You Start Paying Attention

2011-04-27T09:57:00.000-04:00

I love this. A comic book writer/reader recently noticed something rather . . . odd. The same two police officers have been showing up in countless comic books for years. (Spiderman, Superman, Iron Man, and more.) One of the guys is a redhead with a goatee. The other is dark-haired with sideburns. The comic books in question have different writers and illustrators. They even come from rival companies!

Who are these mystery men? Who's behind this conspiracy!!!???

More here. Thank you, Scott Snyder for making my world just a little more interesting.

Happy Easter & Have a Great Passover

2011-04-23T08:33:00.000-04:00

If anyone has any insane Passover-themed videos, I'll post them, too!

Happy Birthday!

2011-04-22T08:26:00.000-04:00

Happy Thirteenth, Ju L!!!!!

Invasive Crochet

2011-04-22T08:21:00.000-04:00

By Crystal Gregory. Tough AND pretty.

Big Book News!!!

2011-04-16T09:01:00.002-04:00

Hey everyone! I have a lot of news today! Let's start with the pictures shown above. These are the new covers for The Eternal Ones and the upcoming TEO sequel, All You Desire! The paperback edition of The Eternal Ones will be out in July. And All You Desire will be out in ~~August~~ EARLY JULY. (There are already people reviewing the book online, which is a bit odd since no one has seen it but me and my publisher. There's a lesson there somewhere.) Regardless, I happen to think All You Desire is pretty incredible. Yes, I am a bit biased. But I promise this . . . even people who've read the first book are certain to be surprised!

As for Kiki #3, The Darkness Dwellers, it is finished! It will be in my editor's hands next week. Then she will set a release date—and I swear that you guys will be the first to know what it is. I've already made it clear that I'd love the book to come out ASAP. But as I've told many of you, I don't have much control over that process. But I promise K3 will be worth the wait. I'm very, very pleased with it. And I hear we might be doing some cool stuff with ALL THREE Kiki books when The Darkness Dwellers comes out. So there's something to look forward to!

(P.S. Here are a few of the subjects I had to research for The Darkness Dwellers . . . taxidermy and bone collecting, code breaking, royal curses, entomology, French insults, and etiquette.)

And last, but not least, I have a new book in the works. I can't give you any details, except to say . . . IT WILL BE THE GREATEST BOOK OF ALL TIME. Ha. In all seriousness, this is the book I've always wanted to write. It combines all of my passions in one dark, deranged plot. And since I enjoy being cryptic . . . Regular readers of this blog may already know a bit about the subject.

Hungry

2011-04-13T07:31:00.000-04:00

Artist Moxie has been working on an exhibit of fiber sculptures entitled Hungry. I think it's probably obvious how the exhibit got its name. Love it.

More pics here and at Moxie's website.

They're Talking to You

2011-04-11T11:21:00.001-04:00

Or your little sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews, daughters and sons. The Achilles Effect blog recently created a couple of word clouds that show the most common words used in ads that target boys . . . and commercials meant to sell toys to girls.

Which is the boys' cloud. Which is the girls'? What does this mean?

Are They Real . . . or Inflatable?

2011-04-10T11:05:00.000-04:00

Pay a visit this fascinating website, and that's the question you'll be asking yourself the next time you watch any movie with a crowd scene. Very cool.

Another Installment of "I Want One of Those!"

2011-04-08T11:51:00.000-04:00

Penguin commissioned artist Jillian Tamaki to embroider covers for three Penguin classics. I love, love, love them.

Check them all out here.

This Is Just My Opinion

2011-04-07T11:36:00.000-04:00

If you want to eat raccoons, then you should able to eat raccoons. That's just my opinion.

(If you think that's gross, when the Prussian army invaded Paris in the 1870s, Parisians were forced to eat pretty much anything that was edible. I recently came across a passage written during that time. It describes the flavor of many of the animals Americans consider "pets." Even I was disgusted. And I'd eat almost anything.)

Go Invent Something

2011-04-05T11:24:00.006-04:00

I came across this . . . geez, I don't even know what to call it . . . a while back when it was published in the New York Times. I meant to post about it then, but don't think anyone will mind that it's a couple of years old.

I love the message. And I love Benjamin Franklin--the greatest American of all time. Enjoy.

Beetle Wing Dresses

2011-04-03T10:12:00.000-04:00

I wasn't aware that "beetle parts" played such an interesting role in 19th century fashion. The dress shown above (which was recently restored) is a famous gown worn by actress Ellen Terry when she played Lady Macbeth in 1888. The dress below is from the 1850s. Both use the iridescent wings of jewel beetles in the same way one might use sequins today.

How do we feel about this? Would you wear a gown made with beetle parts?

I May Be a Little Hard to Reach for the Next Few Days

2011-03-28T08:30:00.000-04:00

I'm busting my rump to finish a little project or two, so I may not be spending much time on the blog this week. (And it may take me longer to respond to any messages that are sent to me.) As always, this will only be temporary!

In the meantime, you might consider studying the hobo signs below. (More here.) Seems like the sort of thing that could come in handy someday.

Rome's Magic Door

2011-03-24T08:34:00.001-04:00

The Porta Alchemica can be found in the garden of a ruined villa on Rome's Esquilino hill. It was once one of five mysterious gates that were built around 1680 by a wealthy marquis who was friends with some of the biggest names in alchemy.

According to legend, the marquis once dined with an alchemist who claimed he had discovered an herb that would turn ordinary metals into gold. By the next morning, the man had disappeared. But he left behind a few gold flakes--and the recipe he had used to create them. Unfortunately, the marquis couldn't understand the strange document, so he had its contents inscribed on five doors around his villa in the hope that some passerby might be able to interpet the symbols.

Today, only one of the doors is still standing.

My Favorite Person This Week

2011-03-24T07:55:00.000-04:00

Mark Landis is a painter who lives in Louisiana.
He drives a big, red Cadillac.
He is a master art forger.
But he never makes a dime off his crimes.
He loves nothing more than donating his forgeries to museums across America.
He often does so in honor of relatives who have never existed.

More here.

Yes, I know he's not the country's most upstanding citizen. But Mr. Landis, you are my favorite person of the week.

Huge, Habitable Cave Discovered on the Moon

2011-03-23T08:55:00.002-04:00

I guess it's moon week.

Indian scientists say they have discovered an enormous cavern beneath the surface of the moon. Four hundred feet wide and one mile deep, the cave is attracting attention because its climate might allow human habitation. The temperature remains a constant (if chilly) -4 Celsius, and the cave's thick walls could protect space troglodytes from dangerous radiation.

That all sounds great. But doesn't anyone realize that the moon is already occupied?

I Need a Coat of Arms

2011-03-21T08:30:00.002-04:00

You might be shocked to hear that the Miller family (at least my branch) does not have its own coat of arms. Crazy, right?

I never really felt the need to have one until I came across the image shown above. It's known as a biscione. As you can see, it's a serpent swallowing a man. And it has been on the Visconti family crest for about a thousand years. Pretty amazing. Forget all those white unicorns and lions rampant. I want a coat of arms that inspires some serious terror.

(The biscione also serves as the logo for a car company, a soccer club, an espresso manufacturer, and the city of Milan. I should really pay more attention.)

Supermoon Tonight

2011-03-19T10:05:00.006-04:00

Go outside after dark this evening. You might see something interesting. Even if you aren't spying on the neighbors. Tonight, the moon will appear bigger and closer than it has in almost twenty years. That's why they call it . . . prepare yourself for the mind-boggling creativity . . . a supermoon.

Enjoy.

One more thing. Take your camera with you. Snap some photos. And please send me a better picture than the one shown above!

UPDATE: I received some fantastic supermoon photos from readers, ~~and I will post them asap!~~ SEE A FEW BELOW, COURTESY OF DSK AND ROBERT!

I Hope I Look This Good When I'm Seven Hundred Years Old

2011-03-19T09:39:00.000-04:00

I wish I lived in a part of the world where well preserved 700-year-old mummies are lying beneath the streets, just waiting to be discovered.

The tomb of the lady shown above was found in the Chinese city of Taizhou. Experts say the woman's dress dates from the Ming Dynasty, which means she lived sometime between 1368 and 1644. Judging by her jewelry and the possessions discovered inside the tomb, she was also a woman of means. (Love that ring.)

No one knows much about the secret methods that were used to produce Chinese mummies. But it's pretty clear that they were nothing like those employed in Egypt. Many of the best preserved Chinese mummies have been found submerged in a rather nasty-looking liquid.

More here.