It doesn't sound familiar, Matt.
Simon: The decision saved your life. Zoe: Won't happen again, sir. Mal: Good. And thanks. I'm grateful. Zoe: It was my pleasure, sir.
'Out Of Gas'
Literary Buffistas 3: Don't Parse the Blurb, Dear.
There's more to life than watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer! No. Really, there is! Honestly! Here's a place for Buffistas to come and discuss what it is they're reading, their favorite authors and poets. "Geez. Crack a book sometime."
sj - Oct 26, 2018 7:26:09 am PDT #25186 of 28554
"There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea."
DavidS - Oct 27, 2018 8:51:34 am PDT #25187 of 28554
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
It's about a children's scary book author (female, middle aged or elderly) who gives a Halloween reading at a library and then seems to be ambiguously haunted by the unseen fictional mischievous boy character she's famous for. It's told in first person, had a feel that vaguely reminded me of Thomas Ligotti's work. Sadly I cannot recall title, author, or any of the proper names in the story.
That is a Ligotti story. I just read it this last year in his reissued collection with Penguin.
Let me see if I can find the title.
DavidS - Oct 27, 2018 8:53:37 am PDT #25188 of 28554
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
These are the story titles. It's one of these.
Dreams for Insomniacs --The Christmas Eves of Aunt Elise --The Lost Art of Twilight --The Troubles of Dr. Thoss --Masquerade of a Dead Sword: A Tragedie --Dr. Voke and Mr. Veech --Professor Nobody's Little Lectures on Supernatural Horror
Dreams for the Dead --Dr. Locrian's Asylum --The Sect of the Idiot --The Greater Festival of Masks --The Music of the Moon --The Journal of J. P. Drapeau --Vastarien
Grimscribe
--Introduction
The Voice of the Damned --The Last Feast of Harlequin --The Spectacles in the Drawer --Flowers of the Abyss --Nethescurial
The Voice of the Demon --The Dreaming in Nortown --The Mystics of Muelenburg --In the Shadow of Another World --The Cocoons
The Voice of the Dreamer --The Night School --The Glamour
The Voice of the Child --The Library of Byzantium --Miss Plarr
The Voice of Our Name --The Shadow at the Bottom of the World
DavidS - Oct 27, 2018 8:57:47 am PDT #25189 of 28554
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
I think it's either the Christmas Eves of Aunt Elise or Professor Nobody's Little Lectures.
Let's see if I can get a synopsis...
It's not in Grimscribe, I just read a synopsis of all the stories.
Still looking on Ligotti.net...
Matt the Bruins fan - Oct 27, 2018 2:57:33 pm PDT #25190 of 28554
Oh honey, the mentally unwell people have been in the fanbase since Game Changers was Stucky fanfiction on the internet. The calls have been coming from inside the house the whole time!
Got it! It's "Alice's Last Adventure" from Songs of a Dead Dreamer. Thanks David, your certainty that it actually was Ligotti rather than someone with a reminiscent style made me go back and take a closer look at his bibliography.
DavidS - Oct 27, 2018 6:21:21 pm PDT #25191 of 28554
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
Phew! Glad you found it!
Connie Neil - Oct 31, 2018 7:36:47 am PDT #25192 of 28554
brillig
Boy, this author, Fran Wilde, who was just recommended by my Book Bub email this morning looks interesting!
EpicTangent - Oct 31, 2018 7:54:32 am PDT #25193 of 28554
Why isn't everyone pelting me with JOY, dammit? - Zenkitty
*Runs to Deleted folder where she sent her Bookbub email this morning without looking at it because it's such a hectic day*
hippocampus - Oct 31, 2018 9:43:31 am PDT #25194 of 28554
not your mom's socks.
wait what
Connie Neil - Oct 31, 2018 9:58:33 am PDT #25195 of 28554
brillig
Fran was listed in my email of recommended authors from Book Bub.