I am on the third book of my exploration of Gothic literature. Unlike The Castle of Otranto, which is made up of one suspense scene after another, The Old English Baron is long-winded, wordy and full of exposition and the author manages to kill the thrill of the handful of suspense scenes almost before they begin, by explaining too much. I am now reading Vathek by William Beckford, and find it is the first of these books that I would call a full-blown Gothic novel. As well as being an influential on the Gothic genre, it also influenced the fantasy and horror genres, and both Keats and Byron, as well as Poe and Lovecraft, were influenced by it. It is highly entertaining and Beckford mixed together an Oriental setting with Gothic elements like supernatural happenings, villainy and dark deeds, and added both humour and horror to the mix.

Now that my brain has emerged from lockdown dullness, I have been reading Hugo nominees as fast as I can. I have just started on the final novel*, and am about halfway through the short stories. I have not yet read the other short form fiction - novellas and novelettes. I'll vote on them if I get to them. Here is my opinion so far of the novels, always the most important category for me. The City in the Middle of the Night, by Charlie Jane Anders (Tor; Titan) It turns out that I read this book months ago, and had completely forgotten it. Guess I'm not going to vote for it. The Light Brigade, by Kameron Hurley (Saga; Angry Robot UK) Military SF in a future ruled by some very nasty tyrant corporations. I found it to be very well done, a complex net skillfully woven, and resolved to sense by the end. So far I am considering it and one other. A Memory Called Empire, by Arkady Martine (Tor; Tor UK) This is the other one I liked a lot, complicated political infighting and plotting in a future empire. I love this stuff. Again, very well done. Middlegame, by Seanan McGuire (Tor.com Publishing) I began this book and very quickly disliked it enough that I did not finish it. If I were a professional critic I would have to push myself to read on to the end, but I am not. Definitely not voting for it. The Ten Thousand Doors of January, by Alix E. Harrow (Redhook; Orbit UK) I enjoyed, but did not love, this novel. An interesting but not compelling story. Both The Light Brigade and A Memory Called Empire engaged me to the point I could not put them down. This one did not. But the author was also nominated for the short story award and so far I like her short story the best. I do like her writing. Gideon the Ninth, by Tamsyn Muir (Tor.com Publishing) Hated it. Think Gormenghast with necromancers. If we were required to rank them (we can if we want to), I would place this one dead last. * Since I first posted this, I read as much of Gideon as I could stand, and knowing I would never vote for it, quit.

It has been a pleasant day and I actually got a load of washing almost dry on the lines! It has been raining for a while and the laundry basket was full and my wardrobe empty! Sunrise on the Solstice today was 7.16am and Sunset 5.13pm with the maximum at 20C/68F. Yes, Vee hot chocolate with a drop of Baileys is very warming, my nightcap of choice. I have been trying different soups too. I'll bet poor Justin Bieber is doing that as well! The snag with drinking through a straw is that I get the burps! (TMI?) Luckily I don't have an entourage so I can be as noisy as I like...

Pink Aloha had an exceptional year this year Bubble Yummin' Mama usually splotchy but pretty when not splotchy. Border Crossing Whip city You've Got What It Takes Silly Wabbit Peppy Guiding Radiance Mabou No Boys Allowed Just for Mimi Dearest Valentine I will post another couple of pinks later kay