My Favorite Things with Casey Price

They might not be raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens, but that doesn’t mean that we love them any less. Welcome back to My Favorite Things, the weekly column where we grab someone in speculative circles to gab about the greatest in geek. This week, we sit down with Casey Price, who not only is a regular contributor here at Speculative Chic, but she’s also our assistant editor-in-chic and keeps everything running smoothly!

What does Casey love when she’s not keeping everyone here at the blog in line? Spoiler alert: a man in a red suit, a Hugo-nominated urban fantasy series she’s finally catching up on, a bookstore you will love but your wallet will hate, a fresh take on a Stephen King classic, and lastly, enjoying a good Panic! Intrigued? Read on to learn more!

Deadpool: Yes, still. Look, my tastes my change, but I love what I love. I was delighted with the sequel. I even liked Once Upon a Deadpool, but that was mainly due to Fred Savage’s brilliant commentary during his newly added scenes for the PG-13 edition of the film. You can tell that Savage is having a great time, even as he convincingly acts out his indignation and bewilderment that Wade kidnapped him just to live out some kind of whacked-out Princess Bride fantasy. One of my favorite moments came when Wade prodded Savage to say one particular line from that film:

Does he say it? Go watch Once Upon a Deadpool and see for yourself. It’s most definitely worth at least renting, but let’s be real: I’m going to end up purchasing a copy for my still-growing collection of Deadpool memorabilia.

The Rivers of London series by Ben Aaronovitch: also known as the Peter Grant or the PC Grant series. One series with three names? Yes, it was confusing to me at first, too. My first exposure to this series was when it popped up on the Hugo ballot a few years ago in the inaugural Best Series category. I occasionally reside beneath a rock, so I hadn’t even heard of this series in passing prior to this excellent write-up, courtesy of Lane Robins (no significant spoilers). I read her post, thought that the series sounded interesting and then mostly forgot about it. Last November, during a shopping spree on Book Depository (more on this in a bit), I noticed that almost the entire series was in the sale section of the site, just begging for me to order it. I’m so glad that I gave in to that temptation. I started reading the series in January, and the only reason that I’m not 100% caught up is because I am diligently pacing myself so that I don’t devour the whole thing in a single gulp. They’re fun without being fluffy, smart without the need to prove just how smart they are, and Peter Grant might be my new favorite hero. He’s snarky, nerdy, and I absolutely adore the way that he “tells” the readers the story. One of my favorite lines (from Broken Homes) perfectly captures his wit:

Arts and Antiques, definitely not known by the rest of the Met as the Arts and Crafts squad [emphasis mine], occasionally recover an item so valuable that even the evidence storage locker in the middle of New Scotland Yard isn’t secure enough.

This is, practically word for word, a sentence that I would say in my every day life. As of this writing, I am approximately halfway through the fifth novel, Foxglove Summer, and I’m already starting to fret about what I’ll do when I’m finished with the currently available books and graphic novels.

Book Depository: Let me start by saying that this can be an exceedingly dangerous website to visit if you’re a book lover with nothing left to lose. They offer free shipping on every single order, and they ship all over the world. I especially love that I can acquire the UK editions of certain books — some of them just have far nicer covers than what we get in the USA. In fact, my first experience came about because I was on the hunt for the special anniversary editions of the Harry Potter books that started coming out a few years ago. This particular set, featuring house-specific cover art, was a UK exclusive. I was determined to get my hands on the Slytherin edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, and Amazon just wasn’t an option. Enter the wonders of Book Depository. Learning about this site has been a mixed blessing. My bookshelves thank me; my wallet isn’t speaking to me.

The Pet Semetary trailer: WARNING: If you haven’t read the book but intend to prior to watching the movie, I’d probably skip this trailer. Furthermore, this is a genuinely frightening clip. So if scary things aren’t for you, do not watch this. Nevertheless, I’m fascinated.

If you’ve read the book, you’re already aware of a major change that the film has made. I’m not going to discuss it for spoilers’ sake, but color me interested. I know that purists are shrieking to high heavens, but I think this is going to allow the filmmakers more freedom to experiment with the source material, which I believe will lead to a more frightening experience. For me, this is a good thing. I suppose we’ll see just how good I think it is after I’ve had a chance to experience the movie itself. The first time I watched the trailer, I may or may not have shouted “SHIT! OH SHIT!” and then slammed my laptop shut. The changes aren’t anywhere near on the level of the Ready Player One adaptation from last year — the whole story hasn’t been entirely rewritten — but it’s different enough that I’m hoping it’ll wash away the memory of the already existing film (from 1989), which I did not enjoy even a little bit.

Panic! At the Disco: I know, it’s not speculative. But we’re allowed one non-speculative/nerd adjacent THING, and this what I’m spending mine on. I’ve been aware of the band since it first came about in 2005, but I never paid much attention. In 2005, I was obsessed with classic rock, so I missed out on that entire era of music when it was happening. Fast forward to late 2016. I came home from work and my husband was practically bouncing up and down because he simply had to show me this video that he came across while he had YouTube on in the background that day. He queued it up, and when I saw who it was, I kind of smirked internally. The joke was entirely on me, because “Death of a Bachelor” was about to become my then-favorite song. I’m fairly sure that it had something to do with the Frank Sinatra vibe that Brendon Urie (the only remaining “official” member of the band) gives off in the video.

That one song sent me to Spotify, where I listened to the eponymous album in its entirety at least three times that night, before I purchased it from iTunes. I pre-ordered the most recent album, Pray for the Wicked as soon as I learned that it was coming out. I’ve watched the video for “Say Amen (Saturday Night)” at least a hundred times by this point. Urie experiences a James Bond meets Deadpool adventure (and you know how much I love Mr. Pool), and it delights my black little heart so much. I must confess, however, that I didn’t start to fully explore the band’s back catalogue until a few weeks ago, right after I got the privilege of attending a Panic! show. I love concerts in general, but I’ve never seen one quite like this before. Urie’s got an awesome stage presence and an amazing team of people working hard to make the shows unforgettable. From lasers and multiple, strategically placed confetti cannons, to an actual baby grand piano that’s suspended from the ceiling on a platform to allow Urie to perform on the same level as the nosebleed seats, it was one of the best experiences I’ve had in a very long time. To toss a bit of speculative seasoning on the band, allow me to present the vaguely disturbing, horror-themed video for “The Emperor’s New Clothes.” Just don’t say that I didn’t warn you.

Throughout her life, Casey Price has studied science, history, and literature at various institutes of higher learning. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in Literature (with a particular focus on England’s Romantic and Victorian periods), without reading a great many of the so-called classics, and thus expects her university’s S.W.A.T. team to arrive any day now to void said degree. She currently resides in a small city somewhere in the mountains of Appalachia (after spending several years in the wilds of Florida and Texas). She has one spouse and three small dogs who all require a great deal of time and attention. She spends her days working in a pharmacy and her nights watching too much television, playing too many Nintendo games, and reading too much urban fantasy. On her days off, she fights crime! Or she toils away at one of several writing projects that she hopes will see the light of day, someday. Whichever is easiest. Usually the crime-fighting.

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