Seanan McGuire (seanan_mcguire) wrote,
Seanan McGuire
seanan_mcguire
  • Mood: disturbed
  • Music: Rob Zombie, "Werewolf Baby."

"...I am."

Yesterday, I was sitting on BART reading the absolutely fantastic new book, I am Not a Serial Killer [Amazon]|[Mysterious Galaxy] by Dan Wells. It has blood splatter all over the cover. That's how you know it's quality.

Anyway, I was happily reading away when the train pulled into Embarcadero Station and a fairly generic-looking white male of approximately my age got on and took the seat beside me. He was very...standard issue, really. Brown hair, no visible blemishes, not handsome, not ugly, just normal. He was wearing an equally generic-looking gray suit, the kind that doesn't make you go "Wow, that guy's sharp" or "Wow, that guy needs to have a talk with his tailor." He was just normal.

We rode "together" (as in, crammed into the same two-person seater) to the Downtown Berkeley stop, where he got up, smiled pleasantly at me, nodded toward my book, and said, "I am."

And then he got off the train.

Had that been my stop, I think there's a very good chance I would have decided to ride to Colma, rather than disembarking. But the book is excellent, and I bet that, for most people, it doesn't come bundled with a maybe-joking-maybe-I-should-lock-the-doors stranger. Brrr.
Tags: book review, in the wild, so the marilyn, this is halloween
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autographedcat

April 14 2010, 14:23:09 UTC 7 years ago

And thus you continue to be a Surreality Nexus.

seanan_mcguire

April 14 2010, 14:25:12 UTC 7 years ago

I did not order my Tuesday with a side of serial killer!

autographedcat

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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elucreh

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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vixyish

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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vixyish

7 years ago

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keristor

April 14 2010, 14:26:32 UTC 7 years ago

"I bet that, for most people, it doesn't come bundled with a maybe-joking-maybe-I-should-lock-the-doors stranger"

Well, of course not. They only do that service for you, not for us mortals, because they know that you will write about it and entertain the rest of us. I mean, could he really expect to get away with that comment to anyone else?

(Some people have such interesting encounters with strangers...)

seanan_mcguire

April 14 2010, 14:35:14 UTC 7 years ago

He did exit the train fairly promptly, after that.

griffen

April 14 2010, 14:29:09 UTC 7 years ago

Uh...

O.O

I'll be over here hiding inside the bomb shelter with the big-ass triple lock on the door.

seanan_mcguire

April 14 2010, 14:35:22 UTC 7 years ago

That's probably wise.

cupcakery

April 14 2010, 14:30:57 UTC 7 years ago

I would have asked what kind of serial killer he was, and what his methods were. Because I like to pick at abnormal brains. :D

seanan_mcguire

April 14 2010, 14:35:50 UTC 7 years ago

He was sort of busy leaving, and I was too stunned to have much of a response beyond "Meep?"

cupcakery

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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jadis17

April 14 2010, 14:38:45 UTC 7 years ago

mira grant is responsible for this.... somehow.

autographedcat

April 14 2010, 14:59:26 UTC 7 years ago

Mira Grant is not a serial killer. Serial killers coalesce out of thin air around her, and then head out into the world.

dornbeast

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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pyre006

April 14 2010, 14:39:49 UTC 7 years ago

sounds like a poser to me.

seanan_mcguire

April 14 2010, 15:40:15 UTC 7 years ago

He didn't kill me, so I'm happy.

pyre006

7 years ago

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beable

April 14 2010, 14:42:35 UTC 7 years ago


He may just:
- not believe in homonyms
- not know how to spell

In other words, he may just be a cereal killer.

You do have an knack that I'm somewhat in envious awe of for attracting surreality.

anthemyst

April 14 2010, 18:05:00 UTC 7 years ago

I thought you were a friend of mine at first, as she has the same user icon, and I was going to comment, "You know perfectly well you're the surreality that others attract", and then I figured I'd comment anyway on the off-chance it was still applicable.

a3starmom

7 years ago

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beable

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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arielstarshadow

April 14 2010, 14:47:36 UTC 7 years ago

._.

o_o

O_O

Wow.

Just...wow.

seanan_mcguire

April 14 2010, 19:00:21 UTC 7 years ago

Yeeeeeeeeeeeah.

alexwearspants

April 14 2010, 14:48:00 UTC 7 years ago

That is terrifying and I am going to lock my doors now. But also, I love that book! I read it months ago and I still think about it now. Very well-written and riveting stuff (as you clearly know).

seanan_mcguire

April 14 2010, 19:00:45 UTC 7 years ago

I'm delighted that it's apparently the start of a trilogy, yet reads as a complete and satisfying story.

hopeevey

April 14 2010, 14:48:28 UTC 7 years ago

I'd like to strong encourage you to email this experience to Mr. Wells. I've listened to him in the Writing Excuses podcast, and I suspect he'd be creeped out and amused to hear this :)

seanan_mcguire

April 14 2010, 19:01:45 UTC 7 years ago

I probably will. :)

sageautumn

April 14 2010, 14:54:49 UTC 7 years ago

... I admit, I don't think I'd be creeped out, I'd find it hilarious, and want to date the guy.

... ...I... ...yes, I'm broken. *laughs*

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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ceosanna

April 14 2010, 15:00:31 UTC 7 years ago Edited:  April 14 2010, 15:05:41 UTC

Yikes, that's just downright creepy.

Although, maybe he was Dan Wells, especially since he's signing at Mysterious Galaxy tonight.

seanan_mcguire

April 15 2010, 22:19:23 UTC 7 years ago

No, he was already gone from the Bay Area...

ceosanna

7 years ago

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ceosanna

7 years ago

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smoooom

April 14 2010, 15:00:49 UTC 7 years ago

That is slightly creepy. Really.

seanan_mcguire

April 15 2010, 22:19:31 UTC 7 years ago

Agreed.

In the future...

maverick_weirdo

April 14 2010, 15:02:11 UTC 7 years ago

If someone tells you that they are a serial killer, your response should be, "I am very punctual. A large number of people would notice right away if I suddenly disappeared."

Re: In the future...

janetmiles

April 14 2010, 17:07:21 UTC 7 years ago

*laughs* Oh, well done!

Re: In the future...

seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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spectralbovine

April 14 2010, 15:02:40 UTC 7 years ago

HA HA HA HA HA.

That is amazing.

linenoise

April 14 2010, 17:29:26 UTC 7 years ago

I adore your icon. I too am ded of lulz.

seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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spectralbovine

7 years ago

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lilrongal

April 14 2010, 15:11:59 UTC 7 years ago

If that was supposed to be his way of flirting, then he needs some serious help.

seanan_mcguire

April 15 2010, 22:21:45 UTC 7 years ago

Clearly.

kightp

April 14 2010, 15:21:15 UTC 7 years ago

How can you resist spinning that into (at least) a short story?

seanan_mcguire

April 15 2010, 22:21:53 UTC 7 years ago

Oh, I probably will.

dungeonwriter

April 14 2010, 15:27:45 UTC 7 years ago

You are so brave!

I'd be curled up in my bed, terrified, with a battle axe very handy, if possible.

seanan_mcguire

April 15 2010, 22:22:09 UTC 7 years ago

I slept in Kate's basement. With the door locked.

dormouse_in_tea

April 14 2010, 15:32:43 UTC 7 years ago

O______O

seanan_mcguire

April 15 2010, 22:22:15 UTC 7 years ago

Yes.

bkwrrm_tx

April 14 2010, 15:37:33 UTC 7 years ago

Holy crapsicles, Batman!

Of course, I immediately scurried off to the libraries website and put it on hold. Yay for being #1 in line. :-)

seanan_mcguire

April 15 2010, 22:22:26 UTC 7 years ago

Woo! It's an awesome book.

apocalypticbob

April 14 2010, 15:54:35 UTC 7 years ago

That's...kind of awesome.

seanan_mcguire

April 15 2010, 22:25:31 UTC 7 years ago

It was, once the "WTF?!" passed.

angel_vixen

April 14 2010, 16:02:53 UTC 7 years ago

...and my friends tell me I'm a magnet for surreal experiences! I don't know either whether I would have been more bemused or shocked.

AngelVixen :-)

spectralbovine

April 14 2010, 17:39:58 UTC 7 years ago

Icon dance!

seanan_mcguire

7 years ago

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saladofdoom

April 14 2010, 16:05:32 UTC 7 years ago

When Dan (the author) was in Seattle, I bought a copy of that book for you at his signing.
I haven't shipped it to you yet, because I'm packing and shipping impaired, plus I felt I needed to explain the inscription...
Dan is one of the authors that does the podcast 'writing excuses', and this is his first book. I went to the signing, thinking 'hey I know a bunch of authors, I'll be able to just chat for a bit if there aren't many people there.
If course, when I got to the table & had him sign my copy, I said I was working on something, Then I handed him the one I'd bought for you, and said it was for Seanan McGuire. He didn't recognize the name, so I said that you were an author too, so he started writing something encouraging (like authors do.) I wanted him to know that you were a real published author, not just another wannabe like me, but I was having a fanboy moment, so the only thing I could think of was your nomination for the Campbell award for new writers nomination and it just came out.
So that's why the inscription is the way it is.. It wasn't until later that I discovered that he'd been on the list of people eligible for that award...
Anyway, I got an address to send things to the writing excuses group and was going to send them a copy of rosemary & rue, along with one of Cat's books (cities of Coin & spice ) and Sooj's companion CD. If Feed comes out before I manage to box it up I might send that as well/instead.

seanan_mcguire

April 19 2010, 19:32:22 UTC 7 years ago

...now I'm scared of the inscription. But also really interested. Thanks for getting me a copy!

emberleo

7 years ago

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actoplasm

April 14 2010, 16:23:32 UTC 7 years ago

Got my copy yesterday, and glad to hear its great, as everyone else has been saying much the same. Looking forward to reading it.

seanan_mcguire

April 19 2010, 19:32:33 UTC 7 years ago

So much super-fun.

kippurbird

April 14 2010, 16:53:32 UTC 7 years ago

My response, after he'd have left the train and it processed what he said would have been, "You are what?" not at all realizing that he might be referring to the title of the book.

seanan_mcguire

April 19 2010, 19:32:42 UTC 7 years ago

Hee.

kippurbird

7 years ago

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