2012

flax-golden tales: monitoring system

monitoring system

We were on the waiting list for almost six months before we got our new apartment. The realtor kept talking about the list as a positive, like the building is superior because it has a list.

It could be that it’s small or that people ask to live here for the sake of being on a waiting list, as though a building you can waltz right into simply isn’t as cool.

The building is actually quite cool, though, with lots of brick and odd corners. The kind of building you’d be wary of playing hide-and-seek in because you might never be found.

Technically I don’t think I was supposed to be in the fenced-off part near the back gardens where I found the tangle of pipes and meters that would have been practically invisible against the brick in the shadows but I happened to be there when the sun was falling just right to see them clearly.

At first I thought it was some sort of plumbing or heating thing, the meters were labeled so I found the one for our apartment and the display said Moderate Contentment – Acclimating with the little arrow pointing towards the top.

I checked a few of the others and they said things like Mild Annoyance – Passing and High Contentment – Maintaining.

I asked the building manager about them and he called it a “Monitoring System.”

He just smiled at me when I asked if he ever needs to make adjustments.

 

About flax-golden tales. Photo by Carey Farrell. Text by Erin Morgenstern.

By erin, ago

almost springtime

I was in NYC last week for a few busy days and nights of half business/half vacation, with some overlapping of both in between. Sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference, especially when there is delicious food involved.

Here is delightfully out-of-focus photographic evidence, with me all grey & pink and springy, even though it was still lingering-winter chilly at the beginning of the week:

 

I forget how much I like New York until I’m there again surrounded by so many lovely people and so much fabulous food. (Most of my schedule revolved around lunches and dinners, I ate extremely well and now my refrigerator is making me sad.)

The week turned absolutely gorgeous weather-wise, too, and I finally got to walk the High Line which was beautiful and just starting to blossom with spots of color.

I also ran around Sleep No More for the ninth time and did indeed see things I hadn’t seen before. I’d go again, too, since it’s always so different, even though now certain rooms and hallways and shadowed corners seem familiar. I had one of my first genuine moments that made me jump this time, too, very nearly alone on the fifth floor. (Don’t think I’d stumbled across the padded room up there before, either.)

But seriously, mostly I ate a lot (I had dinner twice on Thursday!) and I don’t want to torment you with food, especially if you’re hungry, dear reader, though I did take a picture of the caramel popcorn at The Breslin, because how could I not?

Back in Boston now, where after a bit of a cold welcome it is now bright, open-window almost springtime here as well.

Not going anywhere for the next while but I’m going to have to lock myself away for some serious working time. Still composing a blog post (it might end up being an experiment in vlogging) about how it is that writing time seems to be a fickle, fleeting thing nowadays and there will be a few addendums to the sorta-FAQ soon(ish).

Also I bought an orchid because it seemed a springy thing to do. Hopefully I can keep this one alive, I have a lousy history with orchids.

By erin, ago

flax-golden tales: ever-changing endearments

ever-changing endearments

I shall write you a thousand love letters in a multitude of colors.

Scrawl them in chalk on the pavement outside your house.

(Though some will be neatly written and artistically composed, easier to decipher than the almost-illegible passionate scrawls.)

They will be washed away by rain or snow or street sweepers.

Scuffed into dust by the soles of passing shoes.

There is no way to protect them from such things.

They may even vanish before you have a chance to read them.

But when the ground is clear and dry again I will write more messages, with new words and different color combinations.

That way my love will never fade.

It will be renewed and changed and it will grow with each iteration.


About flax-golden tales. Photo by Carey Farrell. Text by Erin Morgenstern.

By erin, ago

gallery show

I am in NYC this week, so in lieu of proper posting while I am running around, I thought I’d prepare a mini virtual gallery show, as there isn’t much of my artwork around online anymore. This is a selection of pieces from the last few years, I hope you enjoy it.

(I recommend looking at this post while sipping wine and nodding sagely and shush-ing any nearby loud-talkers for a proper virtual gallery experience.)

 

music for the apocalypse part II: nocturnes #2

mixed media, 2011

wonderland at night: sweet dreams for the mentally unbalanced

acrylic & charcoal, 2006

postcards from the gods: persephone

embellished photograph on board, 2008

rapunzel

acrylic, 2009

lost things: dreams & buttons

mixed media, 2008

rainy day lovebirds

acrylic, ink & colored pencil, 2006

 

By erin, ago

flax-golden tales: of impractical footwear and inevitabilities

of impractical footwear and inevitabilities 

He started walking on a Tuesday.

It wasn’t snowing when he left but the flakes began to fall within hours of his departure, as he knew they would.

His shiny leather shoes were not well-suited for the weather, but that did not deter him.

He kept a steady pace as his shoes slowly lost their shine, and his toes grew colder.

He never looked back. Not once did he turn to see the line of footprints that marked his progress, though they never lasted long.

Trails left in snow are difficult to follow.

But that didn’t matter.

He knew it would catch up with him eventually.

It always did.


About flax-golden tales. Photo by Carey Farrell. Text by Erin Morgenstern.

By erin, ago

this is not a FAQ part the second

Okay, this took longer to put together than I’d intended but here is Part II of the not really a proper Frequently Asked Questions extravaganza. This is more about me and miscellaneous things than about writing, thus the title.

Part II: Not On Writing 

I wonder if I’ve been changed in the night? Let me think. Was I the same when I got up this morning? I almost think I can remember feeling a little different. But if I’m not the same, the next question is ‘Who in the world am I?’ Ah, that’s the great puzzle!

— Alice In Wonderland

  

About Erin

 

How old are you?

I get this a lot, I think because no one has stuck my birthdate on Wikipedia yet and I assume it’s difficult to guess from my appearance given that I still get carded frequently. I am currently 33 years old. My birthday is the 8th day of July.

 

Where did you go to school?

I went to Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. I lived in the same house that Julia Child lived in when she went there, which I still think is pretty darned cool. I majored in Theatre and I probably could have minored in Studio Art had I actually bothered to declare it an official minor. I could have done the same thing with English or Religion, most likely, but I didn’t sleep that much during college so I’m sure there were a lot of things I should have done and didn’t.

 

Are you married?

I don’t like that I even need to cover this but since there are still inaccurate author bios going around I probably should: I was married, I have been separated since early 2010 and I’m currently in the process of getting divorced. It is a long story that the internet does not need to know but I figure the clarification is fair.

 

Where do you live?

Currently Boston, previously Salem. I’ve lived in Massachusetts most of my life. I am thinking of moving later this year but I haven’t decided where just yet.

 

Where did you get that necklace/those boots/that dress?

A great deal of my jewelry comes from Etsy. I am almost always wearing at least one piece of bloodmilk. There are savage salvage pieces in heavy rotation and the necklace with all the keys is from star of the east. I also have a couple of pyrrha wax seal necklaces.

My boots or shoes, with rare exceptions, are Fluevogs. I am not a shoe person, truly, but I am a Fluevog person.

Most of my tour wardrobe has included pieces from AllSaints Spitalfields. There are also bits from Ann Taylor and J.Crew and Trashy Diva.

 

Why do you smell so good?

Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab.

 

What’s your favorite book/movie/band/etc?

I am bad at favorites because I like variety and layers, but here is a small sampling:

Books, some all-time favorites:

The Secret History by Donna Tartt

Einstein’s Dreams by Alan Lightman

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

Griffin & Sabine by Nick Bantock

Movies, same:

The Fall

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Gosford Park

Amélie

Spirited Away

Bands/musicians/etc:

Tori Amos

Florence + the Machine

Radiohead

Arcade Fire

and I’m all into classic jazz lately.

 

About Art Stuff

 

When is your Etsy store going to be back?

I don’t know. Likely not until I have someone else to run it for me which… yeah, I don’t know. I would like it to be active again eventually but I really can’t say when that will be.

 

When will the tarot deck be available?

Good question. Lots of details still need to be worked out and I’ve been putting it off because I want to have the time to give it the attention it deserves but hopefully that will be sometime in the not-too-far future. When there are deck publication details I will post them all over the place, I promise.

 

About Contacting me & Social Media & Such

 

Can I send you art/cookies/books to be signed/etc?

I’m still working on the best way to handle this sort of thing. Right now I can’t receive & return books to be signed, I’m sorry. I’m hoping I’ll eventually have a good setup for sending out signed bookplates or something like that but I don’t have one in place yet. I shall update this accordingly when I do.

If you would like to send me actual (non-perishable) things you can send them care of Doubleday, 1745 Broadway New York NY 10019. Putting “Attention Alison Callahan” will likely help, she’s my beloved editor. Eventually I will get a PO Box, but that will likely require knowing where I’m going to live for a reasonable amount of time.

 

Where else can I find you on the internet?

I’m @erinmorgenstern on Twitter, which is my social media of choice. I like it because it lives in the now. I try to respond to @ replies as much as I can.

I have a facebook fan page that I don’t keep up with personally as much as I’d like to, it is co-run by Doubleday and they speak facebook better than I do.

If you want to ask me a direct question, tweeting at me or blog commenting will likely be most effective.

 

Can I email you?

You can email me at erin@erinmorgenstern.com. I try to respond as much as I can but it’s usually not in anything resembling a timely manner.

If you write me (or have written me) at any other email address I cannot guarantee that I’ve even seen it, with the exception of the address you likely have if you are someone I actually know. I have recently (mostly) caught up on my email so if you have sent me anything important or anything that required a reply, please resend to the address above.

If you want me to do a reading/signing/interview/etc or have a question that involves rights or things of a business sort please contact Doubleday or InkWell Management.

 

Will you come visit my city/country/teahouse?

I would love to, especially if there is tea, but I don’t do much deciding of where I go myself so again, please contact Doubleday or InkWell if you want me to come read things or sign things or drink tea. (I am afraid I cannot do all three at once, alas.)

 

 

Okay, I think that’s it but again if you have other questions not answered here (or in Part I) please feel free to add them in the comments and I will update this accordingly!

By erin, ago