Charles de Lint fans

Well, first off, after spending the ENTIRE summer on medications trying to get myself safe enough for surgery, looks like my hysterectomy will be on October 5th.

For those who've missed the updates, I'm 34 and over Memorial Day weekend, I went into the ER in massive pain, only to discover my uterus is full of tumors. Literally pounds of them. So much in fact, I was unsafe for surgery. I have over $10,000 in hospital bills and trying to raise the final $600 I need for surgery. (Of a total of $2,600 total.)

I've been on UNPAID medical leave this whole time (my last paycheck was June 3rd) so trying to pay my regular bills has been a challenge, let alone raising EXTRA money for surgery.

So here's a look at what's new in my shop. Sales help me with living expenses, medical bills and surgery costs. All the info can be found here.

Even if you can't buy something, just passing on the link in your twitter, facebook, blog, etc. is greatly appreciated!






Thank you for your support!

You can follow the progress of visits, current health, etc on my blog with my hysterectomy tag but this is just a summary of the situation. The full details can also be found here: http://giveneyestosee.com/blog/hysterectomy/

Memorial Day Weekend I went into the ER after two days of non-stop severe pain. Many tests and an overnight stay later, it turns out that my uterus is full of tumors.I have multiple softball and multiple baseball sized fibroid tumors and equally large cysts. The total mass is approximately the size of a basketball.

I was on a fast-track for a hysterectomy when my OB/GYN discovered that it was worse then initially believed and I'm too high risk for surgery. High risk is 250 grams of tumors. I'm at over 1,200 grams. I am now on a shot to induce medical menopause in order to attempt to shrink the tumors prior to surgery. The larger the tumors, the more complicated and lengthy the surgery, the more time I will be under anesthesia, the more complications and blood transfusions I will need. So we're trying to get them shrunk at least half.

I work a part-time job that does NOT give me insurance. I also do NOT get paid for any time off period. So I’m already out two weeks of pay with many more to come. (When I do have surgery, I'll be out 4 weeks in unpaid recovery as well.) I have already applied for and been denied financial and medical assistance by the state. I’m asking anyone who can help for your support as a result.

I need a total of $2,600 just to pay my OB/GYN, $1,400 of which must be up front before the surgery. This does NOT include the hospital, anesthesiologist, radiology, etc. It also does NOT include the fees for the office visits and tests pre-op. (I’ve already spend $463 on those as of June 7th)

I have set up a Donation Fund here: http://tiny.cc/hysterectomy

I am also trying to promote my own store front as replacement income during this period: http://PhoenixFireDesigns.etsy.com/

My friends are also helping me set up a second shop full of donated items. You can find that here: http://PhoenixFunds.etsy.com/





If you could look around and see if there's something you'd like to buy, pass on my links, donate a hand crafted item, craft supplies or a vintage item for the fundraiser shop or make a donation - any of it would be helpful and appreciated. The more people pass on my information, links and story, the more I can hopefully raise the funds I need.

Thank you for your support!

So how many of you have read The Painted Boy? Did you like it? I've heard a lot of mixed reviews, so I thought I'd poll the audience before I put money down.

Have y'all noticed that Charles and MaryAnn have a pair of cds now, his and hers?  They can be sampled and ordered from the website.  I got my pair, and I really like them.  His is "The Old Blue Truck" and hers is "Crow Girls".  One couldn't read his stories without realizing that they're musicians-- some of them couldn't have been written by someone who hadn't performed in public, but this is the first time they've recorded for people who can't be in Ottawa or Tucson, I believe.

I got The Painted Boy for Christmas and finished it in three days.  That means it's a great story in my books, a stay-up-late-I-have-to-know-what-happens story.  I'm enjoying the stories and books that Charles set in the US Southwest, but I have a bias since I love Arizona.

Ho do you feel about the move away from the Newford setting?

Eyes Like Leaves is sitting still wrapped in it's packaging.  We've had it for almost a year now, and we planned to sit and take turns reading it to each other.  It's still sitting there because we never seem to have that much relaxing time at the same time.

Is there somewhere any map of Newford (maybe made by a fan)? And if it is one, where can I get it?

Question for the community at large. I've noticed while surfing through amazon.com that there's going to be a de Lint release called The Very Best of Charles de Lint summer of this year which is going to be a story collection of "the most esteemed and beloved selections that de Lint has to offer". My question is, does anybody know which stories are going to be in that collection? I've looked on his website, but the latest novel he has information about is Muse and Reverie.

A colleague of mine just recommended Charles de Lint to me, and from what he described, his books sound like I'd enjoy them very much.

I went to the Charles de Lint website and was overwhelmed by the number of titles!

Where would you recommend that I start? Is there a series, or a stand-out best novel?

Hope this is allowed, as I am technically not a Charles de Lint fan...yet :)

Here's a question:

I'm working on an article involving music with magical intent and results. I know it's a vast subject, and I already have a number of modern novels (Spellsinger, Bedlam's Bard, Trader, Troll Bridge, Gossamir Axe, Singer of Souls, etc) and classic tales (the myths of Orpheus, "Jack and the Beanstalk," the tales of Robert Johnson and Paganini, the Fire Raga, etc.) in mind, but I'd love to know about more.

What I'm looking for: stories - new, literary or traditional - about the magical properties of music, musicians who employ music as part of the art, or faerie beings that either employ magical music or are bound to a mortal through musical arts. 

Who has suggestions for the article?

Thanks in advance!

Question for the group, since most of my books are at home.

In several of the stories, DeLint has a character who was the person at the preverbal crossroads (sold his soul to the devil for musical talent) who, to avoid paying his due, has found a way to walk between worlds and extend his life. I remember he played a part in Widdershins where he tricked the hell hound into attacking the others, which meant he could fight it as opposed to having to allow it to take him. Later he defends his actions to a demon, who agrees that this time, he was right.

Thing is, I can’t remember the guy’s name. Anybody know which character I’m talking about?