Una McCormack wrote:
Kat wrote:
Obviously, a more specialized example of the phenomenon described in "Totally Trashed" by Roz Kaveney, published in "Euro Temps", devised by Alex Stewart and Neil Gaiman.
<snip>
The premise behind both "Temps" and "Euro Temps" is that paranormal powers exist and in the UK, there is now a (under-funded) government department, Department of Paranormal Resources (DPR), with whom all paranormals have to register. When required to be of service to their country, the DPR calls on those on its "temp" register. (Bit like jury service). And various people (David Langford, Storm Constantine, Liz Holliday, Brian Stableford, Roz Kaveney and more) have written stories round this theme.
As the original captain says herself " 'It has not helped me find academic jobs in the middle of a recession,' said Leonora, 'to be notorious as Captain Kipple, the paranormal garbage lady.' "
Don't know anything about the story, but Iove the quote!
Leonora suffered from having been part of a DPR publicity drive to get more people tested for paranormal abilities. Everywhere she goes, she generates enormous quantities of rubbish. It's discovered during the course of the story that the rubbish she generates tends to be, well, not valuable, but not just household rubbish. A half-brick turns out to be rose marble, an old glove is 17th century Venetian kid leather, and mammoth eyelashes in dust bunnies.
The story also involves clones (all called Marcia and all working as utterly inefficient receptionists at the numerous DPR offices) and a terrribly clanky robot, misplaced love, and a computer expert. Not entirely unlike B7, methinks. :-)
Kat W.