Although I’ve never physically met Jay Lake, he is someone I’ve known online for a long while – maybe six years or so. I made his acquaintance by way of mutual friend, the wildly talented writer Jeff VanderMeer, and I liked him right away. The Jay I “know” has an impish sense of humor, and always has time for other people. He’s generous to a fault and loves surprising people. I once mentioned online a GIANT stuffed octopus that caught my eye on Amazon.com.