Member: shearrob

Hello,

I am working my way through your excellent Tiny Deaths collection and I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the story "Damned If You Don't" which is superb. I've spent the weekend telling anyone who will listen about how good it is.

It was by happy coincidence that as I navigated to your comments bit I noticed you have had a second collection published. Off I go to Amazon then.

Ben

posted by benjaminjudge at 3:31 pm (EST) on Dec 20, 2009

Hi Rob! Thank you for your note. I've never been contacted by a real live author before. I am awed! It's as if Michael Jordan dropped me a line thanking me for being a fan. Wow!

I've added your new Love Songs of the Shy & Cynical to my wishlist and will be keeping an eye out for it. I've also added Tiny Deaths to my gifts list for several people whom I know will love it. So you can expect a small (minuscule?) bump to your (I'm sure already fabulous) sales in Chicago from me. It turns out we have a couple of rabid Dr. Who fans in the office here who have kindly offered to loan me their dvd sets so that I can see what I've been missing. They were appalled that I'd never seen it!

The cold has finally caught up with us after an unusually warm November and we're expecting some of the white stuff tonight. You should definitely plan your next Chicago trip for the Fall if you can. September, early October are the best times. Summer is a good time too - lots to do - but it can get awfully hot & humid. I don't think we have a Spring anymore. Maybe a day or two in May then its full on heat.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas & a Happy, Prosperous New Year,
Maureen

posted by mphchicago at 12:55 pm (EST) on Dec 18, 2009

Bonjour Rob! Thank you very much for allowing me to befriend you, as I enjoyed browsing your library; it looks like a lot of my books already are in it. My tastes are eclectic, geeky (I am a lifetime member of OUSFG) and international, I enjoy reading books in their original languages whenever I can (Spanish, French, English, Italian and Occitan) and half the books' reviews have been done so far. Do not hesitate to browse!

soniaandree

posted by soniaandree at 5:48 am (EST) on Dec 11, 2009

HI Rob, according to Library thing you have the person who has read the most of the books in my library listings! Thought it would be good to see what you recommend via your library if you dont mind?

posted by Hope1982 at 9:05 pm (EST) on Nov 17, 2009

Thank you so much for the invitation. Sadly my travels mean I will be out of the country. Otherwise I would have loved to have been there. I hope it goes well.

Enjoy Chicago. It's one of the US cities I haven't been too. I hope the bookshops prove rewarding. It's always just such a pleasure to see what new finds turn up in unusual places. I can never resist The Strand in New York and usually end up with a suitcase too heavy to haul home.

As to Hay. You have to do it some day, but you are right, it is a nightmare to reach without transport. Maybe one day when I have a bigger car I can start offering lifts... perhaps I should buy one of those library vans to travel with and be done with it, though it may not be very comfortable for passengers there would be plenty to keep them entertained.

posted by finebalance at 7:43 am (EST) on Nov 14, 2009

Dear Rob

You're not alone when it comes to second hand bookshops. Every time I go to Hay-on-Wye I have to go alone as I'd have no room for passengers on the trip home because of the number of books I buy. I try to steer clear of second hand bookshopping in London as I wouldn't be able to get in my flat any more.

And I love Daunts exactly because they file all their books by country. I have an addiction to reading books set in the place I'm visiting. Currently travelling over the next three weeks so I'm saving 'Tiny Deaths' for my return. And I'm guessing from your recent additions that the new volume is now out..

I forgot to mention last time that along with library envy, I'm also suffering cat envy. He/she is beautiful by the way.

Alison

posted by finebalance at 10:06 am (EST) on Nov 11, 2009

Dear Rob

Thank you so much for your message. I can promise you that your book is sitting at the very top of that stack of books that will keep me busy until 2030. I will be reading it very shortly. It is a much wanted addition to my collection. However, I have a long long way to until I achieve a library the size of yours. I am green with jealousy over that!

Alison
x

posted by finebalance at 4:06 pm (EST) on Nov 2, 2009

Hi Rob -- thank you for adding me to your interesting libraries list. Sorry it has been awhile -- once the teaching year begins, time runs away with me. Speaking of time, I know well the Doctor Who episode you penned. Well done! Several of my students are highly enthusiastic about Doctor Who, especially Daleks and Cybermen. A small club of us watch after school. So, just think, somewhere in the wilds of Canada, there are a group of (mostly aboriginal) budding Who fans. A world away from their British counterparts, yet right beside them on a metaphorical sofa.

posted by marnocat at 1:20 pm (EST) on Sep 26, 2009

Hi Rob - I had visited your library before, but today was adding Apples from the Desert and we were the only two with it, apart from a private library which never counts in my opinion! 77 Prague Legends was picked up last year on a visit to Prague, I'm still to read it I confess, but I do want to explore golem legends a little. Have you read Elizabeth Knox's Dreamhunter, she creates a great one in that.

posted by avatiakh at 10:07 pm (EST) on Sep 13, 2009

Hi, Thanks for the reply. Yes,I understand that tagging them all would take an eternity. Maybe you could tag the next 12000 that you manage to sneak into the house ;)

Happy reading!

posted by Stilestrider at 2:04 pm (EST) on Aug 17, 2009

Hello, Great Library but please add some tags!

posted by Stilestrider at 10:23 am (EST) on Aug 17, 2009

Rob - Did you know Jody's baby has arrived? I've started a congrats thread here - http://www.librarything.com/talktopic.ph.... Please come and join us.
xxx

posted by Booksloth at 12:26 pm (EST) on Apr 3, 2009

Thanks so much for the accept, Robert! Lovely to see Murakami, McCann & Morrall (hmm, odd that ... all Ms ...) on your shelf - some of my favourite authors!

:))

Anne B

posted by AnneBrooke at 2:23 am (EST) on Apr 3, 2009

Hello! This is a marvellous place, although quite terrible for my budget because it keeps suggesting books that I might like...

It was great to meet you at Redemption. Hope you weren't too terribly shattered the next morning - I struggled to stay awake to get off my train at the right station. But it's hard to regret such a fun evening :-)

posted by archerygirl at 8:45 pm (EST) on Mar 29, 2009

Hi,

Was wondering if you'd be interested in reviewing my new novel and posting your comments here as well as a few other book-related sites. Saw you liked When I was Five I Killed Myself, and thought you might like my novel since it's also about a disturbed adolescent and a bit dark. I could e-mail you the novel in an e-book format if you'd like. Let me know if you're interested. Here's a link to a summary in case you're interested:

http://christophertusa.com/blog/?page_id...

Thanks,

Chris

posted by cmtusa at 9:02 am (EST) on Mar 20, 2009

Dear Rob,
We haven't spoken in a while, so I thought I'd drop by. Have you ever read 'World Brain' by HG Wells? I'm reading about it here: http://people.lis.uiuc.edu/~wrayward/Wel...
and it's amazing - how did he think of these things? He was an original genius - he's writing about the semantic web before the internet was even a twinkle!(setting aside for the moment his more unpleasant ideas on eugenics and his frankly horrid behaviour towards Rebecca West)
P

posted by Goldengrove at 11:30 am (EST) on Mar 5, 2009

Would You Like

(Lillian Morrison)

Would you like
stories that surprise you
and/or hypnotize you,
a mystery, a history,

a volume to advise you
how to fix a motor,
build your own computer,
use a tape recorder,

get along with mother?
How about a voyage into outer space,
romance with an Alien
of a future race?

Then dip in, dip in,
grapple in with hooks,
dive in, delve in,
GET INTO BOOKS!

posted by theoldman at 8:21 am (EST) on Mar 1, 2009

Hi Rob! Didn't realize you were on here. It was great to see you at Gally!
Lee Whiteside

posted by leennnadine at 11:53 pm (EST) on Feb 17, 2009

http://www.librarything.com/topic/57169

Hi Rob, hope you are okay. Just sending you the link to the Green Dragon thread about meeting up in London later in the year. So far London seems to be the place of choice for August 15th.

I'm hoping to go but it will all depend on the baby (just over 7 weeks to go!).

And you will probably be travelling the world winning prizes again, but just in case you are free then I thought you might like to know.

When does the new book come out? I've been looking out for it but haven't seen it yet. I'm getting impatient now.

posted by Jodyreadseverything at 9:07 am (EST) on Feb 9, 2009

And I suppose you're up to your ears in snow too. Just like the whole of the rest of the country EXCEPT ME!!! I know a lot of people would be grateful to have been spared it but I am NOT one of them. I wanted to play snowballs with my dog. Hmmmph! BTW - I just finished The Bear - what a lovely book!

posted by Booksloth at 8:36 am (EST) on Feb 5, 2009

Hello there!! Thought I'd pop by. LOVE your new stories, can't wait for the book to come out. Well done!! Kim x

posted by wordgirluk at 10:24 pm (EST) on Jan 20, 2009

PS: saw your pictures in Locus:-)

posted by avaland at 9:24 pm (EST) on Jan 7, 2009

Well I loved the book, Rob. I've blogged about it, and there's a link to the post from Facebook. All my congratulations!

posted by chalambe at 1:54 pm (EST) on Dec 31, 2008

My dream is to one day have a library as massive as yours. Hot damn!

posted by beulahry at 6:06 pm (EST) on Dec 29, 2008

Wow...you have my attention. Dr. Who, huh? My son is a fan of Dr. Who. I am rather intersted in your [Love Songs for the Shy and Cynical]. I wish there was a way I could be reminded to look for this book. Maybe you will just have to get back to me.
It's late here in Canada and I should be in bed and not writing you. Hopefully we will touch base another time, maybe soon.

posted by callmejacx at 12:18 am (EST) on Dec 21, 2008

Rob:

Job well done---that is QUITE the impressive haul you managed to get back across the pond! You weren't joking or even beeing a smidgen facetious when you said you picked up, "a couple dozen" books, LOL. Glad that Myopic Books worked out so tremendously for you.

posted by bookjones at 5:37 pm (EST) on Dec 18, 2008

Hi Rob! Lovely to meet you in Cardiff and thanks for doing the Friending thing here. I'm enjoying browsing through your extraordinary library...

Una

posted by Altariel at 5:57 am (EST) on Nov 20, 2008

No problem---book whoring is always my pleasure Rob! :) If you think you might need more info. for your trip please don't hesitate to contact/email me.

Also, I don't think I ever came up with one grand unifying theory in that long-winded round-up which is that if you ultimately find yourself having time for one neighborhood book expedition I feel you should definitely do the Wicker Park-Bucktown Myopic/Quimby's tandem (the Hyde Park stores being a very close second)! I don't even know how to adequately describe Quimby's to you except to say that although it is not a used bookstore it completely rises up to and probably exceeds the "quirky" content threshold you mentioned---everything in the place is interesting and off the beaten track IMO.

posted by bookjones at 12:27 am (EST) on Nov 20, 2008

Databases rock!
'Doing' Information Architecture now - oh, dear.
Nice to hear from you again. I'm looking forward to reading Tiny Deaths, but it's taking ages to arrive - just as well probably, I would definitely be reading that instaed of Information Architecture for the World Wide Web which is what I should be reading instead of writing to you!
P

posted by Goldengrove at 9:54 am (EST) on Nov 19, 2008

Hi. I don't think there is a particular type of book I like, I do like books about people and I enjoy books with a strong sense of place - this is the geographer in me. I enjoy finding authors from other countries too and I like quirky (Magnus Mills type) novels. At the moment novels are a marvellous escape from conversations with solicitors - never, ever, ever move house is the only advice I am giving anyone at the moment! Look forward to hearing from you. Tifi

posted by Tifi at 4:43 am (EST) on Nov 19, 2008

Hi. We share quite a number of books. I'm quite jealous of your space to keep books and of your cat too. We're in the process of moving to a tiny flat - no room for books and unfair on the cats too. At least on Library Thing I get to have a virtual library - no virtual cat could replace my two - which are going to excellent homes, of course. You have a massive list of favourite authors - some I know and some I don't. I like to look at intersting libraries for ideas of stuff to read - can you whittle your list down - do you have a really favourite or highly recommended? Good wishes Tifi

posted by Tifi at 7:10 am (EST) on Nov 13, 2008

Congratulations, Rob! I'm still waiting for my copy to arrive, but am looking forward to reading "Tiny Deaths" even more avidly now.

Regards
Tim Jones

posted by timjones at 6:44 am (EST) on Nov 4, 2008

All my congratulations! This is just what was needed to give me that final push and order the book. Its now on its way from the Book Depository and I'm looking forward to it very much!

Best
Charles

posted by chalambe at 6:33 am (EST) on Nov 4, 2008

Rob - joining in the accolades to add my hearty congrats.

So so pleased to hear about your fantasy award (and in Canada too!). Well deserved indeed. May it be the first of many to come in the future!!!

Look forward to reading more of your works in the future.

Cheers,
Karen

posted by kiwidoc at 12:44 pm (EST) on Nov 3, 2008

Congratulations on WINNING THE AWARD!!!!!!!!!!

Booksloth gave me the good news and I am over the moon for you. Tiny Deaths deserved to win and I can now tell my family that the book I gave them last Christmas is now a first addition award winner.

Hope that you are well. I am fine and more importantly so is Babyreadseverything. We are now at week 18 of the pregnancy (although it feels so much longer), nearly the half way point. I've had my operation and that went well and they are now listening in to the baby once a week to reassure me that things are still going well. Trying to listen in anyway but BRE keeps kicking the microphone away and hiding. I am either having a shy baby or one that is already behaving like a moody teenager.

I'm still looking forward to the new book by the way and can't wait to buy it. I agree with avaland on your message below, printed word is better than laptop screen word. I keep getting messages from Waterstones about buying a Sony Reader but it's not for me. It won't look, feel or smell like a book so it can't compete. And once it is out I will have two of your books to move to the front of the shelves in Waterstones or use in my post-it campaign.

Anyway, once again, CONGRATULATIONS! Both you and Tiny Deaths deserved the award.

posted by Jodyreadseverything at 11:50 am (EST) on Nov 3, 2008

Congratulations on your World Fantasy Award win, Rob!!!!!! You deserve it. Am slowly progressing through the new collection - which is equally brilliant - however, I am rather old-fashioned and print out the pages:-)

Congratulations, again. Lois

posted by avaland at 9:02 am (EST) on Nov 3, 2008

Hi Rob
Thankyou for your 'Don't Panic' - that was the most sensible thing anyone had said to me that week! (we're on to Databases now, which make much more sense!)
P

posted by Goldengrove at 3:03 pm (EST) on Nov 1, 2008

I know what you mean about too many books to read! But I'll certainly look yours out...

Best
Charles

posted by chalambe at 9:08 am (EST) on Nov 1, 2008

Here's a unique opportunity for all of our LibraryThing friends to take a peek at our prepress review copy of Preparation: [H]ead before it is officially published!

We are awaiting our prepress copies to arrive in the mail for us to look over before giving the official go-ahead and assigning the ISBN. Although the link may allow you to purchase the book now, please don't! No matter how valuable you may think it may prove in a future eBay auction, we don't want anyone to be disappointed should we discover errors in the physical copy.

We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did writing it.

Feel free to sound off with review commentary!

Here's the private link to check it out:
http://www.lulu.com/content/4707292

*(it may take a minute to load all the pages in the previewer depending on your connection and how busy the page is at certain times)

Boomer M. Wadaska
Illegal Pad Publishing

posted by illegalpadpublishing at 5:05 am (EST) on Nov 1, 2008

So sorry about that! Your name appears now :)

Abby

posted by ablachly at 3:40 pm (EST) on Oct 28, 2008

Hi Rob

I see you've read my story The Zero Worm, from the Elastic Book of Numbers. Thank you! You may be interested to know that it's just been republished as part of my first collection of short stories, entitled The Scent of Cinnamon (Salt Publishing). The collection contains other stories that play around with reality in a similarly cavalier fashion to The Zero Worm. You might enjoy them.

Best
Charles Lambert

posted by chalambe at 10:30 am (EST) on Oct 28, 2008

Hi Rob
"scary & makes my brain throb" - that says it all! I've spent all week on the computing module and I still only got 50% in the test(and there's a test for each week!) When I said it wasn't 'hard' science, I meant strictly in the scientific sense - it's very hard for me...
Perfume - I thought it was brilliant, hubby thinks it sounds nasty and a bit sick, won't go near it. He likes Don Delillo and other American gangster book types - they make no sense to me at all. BUT we both spent our childhoods in Narnia and we both love Iain M Banks (but I suspect for different reasons)
P

posted by Goldengrove at 3:10 pm (EST) on Oct 16, 2008

Hi Rob
I should come clean and say that my MSc is Library & Information studies - so not 'hard' science, but the computing is keeping me busy...
I'm so glad that your story has taken off again - the idea of falling in love with someone because of their book choices makes perfect sense to me. I was a bookseller for quite a long time, and if it never got as far as love, yet I certainly had some very special customers...
Of course, it depends on what sorts of things inspire love in a person; for a bibliomane it will probably always have something to do with books. I don't think they necessarily have to be the same, 'though. My husband and I had almost no overlap in books or records when we married, but the important thing was that we both had books and records and liked to talk about them. Mind you, our first proper conversation was about the ones we had both read. And I've been giving him good suggestions ever since, which he ignores as a point of principle.
P

posted by Goldengrove at 3:22 pm (EST) on Oct 12, 2008

Hi Rob
I had a look at the R Haggard availability on Amazon, and it looks as if Allan Quartermain's adventures survive, but not much else.
He did write a lot, 'though, far more than I've got or had heard of -http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/h/h-ri...
I must admit that I haven't read all of mine yet - he was a favourite of my father's, and I used to search them out for him in second-hand shops, now they've come back to me in a rather neat circle. My father spent most of the second word war in Africa (6 years with no home leave!) and he had with him St John's Gospel, Lorna Doone and Allan Quartermain. Could you make up a more peculiar selection? And yet, so true to the man - peculiar, in fact. ('Let every creature rise and bring peculiar honours to their King' - my favourite line in hymnody!)
The book entry continues, but slowly, as I've just started an MSc and it's much, much harder than I though it would be - something to do with the 20+ years since my BA, I fear!
Best wishes,
P

posted by Goldengrove at 4:36 am (EST) on Oct 11, 2008

That's a ridiculous number of books you've logged, young man. Don't you have anything better to do?!!

Let me know how you're doing!
K

posted by wordgirluk at 5:02 pm (EST) on Oct 9, 2008

Hello Rob,
I'm very flattered that you've added me to your interesting list!
I've been visiting your page from time to time, as you've been top of the list for raw overlap right from my first day on LT - mind you, I expect that's the case with quite a few people, considering your huge collection (I used to think I had quite a lot of books...)
The interesting thing is, of course, that we don't even appear on each other's wieghted lists. I still have most of upstairs to add - including all the scifi, and a-m fiction - and poetry, plays, history and art. I wonder if that will change things?
Your short stories sound like sort of thing I like, I will have to get hold of them.
I have to add (sorry) that my children will be thrilled to know that the man who brought back the daleks likes my library! (I'm pretty thrilled myself!)
Best wishes,
Goldengrove.

posted by Goldengrove at 1:52 pm (EST) on Oct 5, 2008

Your welcome. I've had a couple of my friends read the story about the kettle and they liked it too. It was definitely my favorite, followed in a close second by the story about the little boy waiting in the room for his mother.

Oh, also, I am just starting to read Zwilling's Dream, and I saw that you had it in your library too, and I was wondering if you've read it yet?

posted by AlbinoRhino at 12:58 am (EST) on Sep 30, 2008

I'm looking forward to reading Tiny Deaths. It was highly recomended to me by a reader whose taste in books I trust!

All the best,

Hannah Holborn

posted by HannahHolborn at 11:52 am (EST) on Sep 27, 2008