- Death Eats Everything: I wrote a short story - first called "Vampire Velvet White;" I think it's retitled "Rob Roy's Last Night in Northeast Philadelphia - about a goth/industrial/freaky underage club that opens in the Northeast (which is what the Yards is called in real life). It's published in the slipstream sci-fi/music anthology One Step Beyond - anyway, in the story, nobody's sure what Joshua's new band is called, a death metal band that covers John Denver songs. At some point, they're almost convinced it's named Death Eats Everything.
- Liz Gozner. Yes, she's a real person. Liz's name popped into my head from the beginning, when I was trying to alphabetize Glazer together with something. She was the roommate and possibly BFF of Rachel Kate Bair, one of the best writers I'd ever met, who I'd been trying to track down for years. I figured putting Liz's name in the book was like a distress flare. I actually managed to get in touch with RKB independent of that -- she's doing great, which is awesome, but hasn't written in forever, which kind of scares me -- but it was too late to change and, besides, Liz is awesome.
The chapter title is supposed to be an allusion to a song by the D.C.-based band Rites of Spring, which was actually called "In Silence/Words Away." It's one of those lyrics that you think is there until you actually go through the song, line by line, and realize it wasn't.- Mr. Denisof Half tribute to Alexis Denisof, who played Wesley Wyndham-Price on Buffy, and half evil slam at him for being Willow's boyfriend. Because nobody will ever be good enough for Willow. (Yes, I realize that (a) she's not Willow in real life and (b) it's totally unfair to coflate them. But, c'mon, it's freaking Willow.)
- When Jupiter goes outside thinking it's the end of last period and, really, it's the beginning of last period....totally manufactured. It's never happened to anyone I know personally. Especially not, uh, me.
- Ms. Fortinbras' role is a tiny tribute to all the teachers I've ever had who are both saintly and hot -- the ones who swoop in and rescue you from all manner of trouble with that down-to-earth wisdom, and who you are totally harboring a secret crush on because 30 years old is not that far away from 18.
- U really going? I never thought that cool kids used words like "u." This was always a mark of hip-osity for me: writing "yr" for "your" was punk-rock, and therefore respectable; writing "ur" was the equivalent of wearing pink and sequins. (And not in an ironic way, either.) But then I've started corresponding with Joshua Gee, who was kind of the source for Jupiter (or, anyway, parts of Jupiter), and he writes "u" constantly. I don't know. It's a dilemma.
- When Jupiter goes outside thinking it's the end of last period and, really, it's the beginning of last period....totally manufactured. It's never happened to anyone I know personally. Especially not, uh, me.
<- 2. the waitress 4. a night like this ->
Chapter 4 is on its way...if you're wondering anything, write and ask.
