The Great Caffeine Weaning didn’t happen. I’m weak and addicted, and I don’t want to talk about it.
Now that the election’s over, things have started to ramp up at work as legislators gear up for the session in January. Something that made me go *squee* as I was driving to the MARTA station this morning: our local NPR news was reporting on some of the Georgia bills that have been pre-filled for this upcoming session, and one of the ones they mentioned is one I edited. Made me feel all official.
Writing Stuff
I’ve lost reviewers this month to NaNoWriMo (argh), and it seems like every publisher and his brother is sending me review copies of their anthology now and that every single ‘zine out there puts out an issue in October or November, so things are a wee bit swamped-like on the Tangent front. Also, the brief detour my muse dragged me off to write has exploded into a novelette, I still have to finish the urban fantasy I committed to do before the December deadline, and I haven’t even begun pondering what to write for my Writing for Young Readers column next month. (I’d welcome suggestions!)
I thought this month would be more laid back compared to the others in 2006. I was mistaken. A lot. I’m beginning to think I’m deluding myself, and that there will be no more laid back months for me. Ever.
I need me some hamster-stomping boots.
New Words:
– 3100 on “Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast.”
Yup, it’s a novelette. Sigh. Worse, it’s not done yet, although I’ve only got one more scene to go. But it’s a doozie of one: the reveal and climax. I’ve already got down the denouement and conclusion, so I know what needs to happen, but the set-up is quasi-stream of consciousness. The trick will be to keep it coherent without muffing the pacing and ending up with a big ole gob of infodump. If I can pull it off, it should be good.
I’m rather excited about this one. It’s my very first dystopia.
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7,948 / 7,000
(113.5%) |
Received:
– 22-day SALE of “The Tears of My Mother, the Shell of My Father” to oldcharliebrown‘s anthology, Japanese Dreams. Woohoo!
– 52-day rewrite request from lynnejamneck on my submission to her Supernatural Sleuths anthology.
– Also a note from her that the interview she did with me is going to be published in Strange Horizons. Yay! At this rate, it’s looking like that interview might be the only way I’ll get to appear within their hallowed virtual pages.
– Note from W.H. Horner that the Bash Down the Door and Slice Open the Badguy anthology now has cover art and is slated for publication April of ’07. It promises to be big with the fun:
Definitely a different style from Modern Magic. Thanks for posting the cover, though. I hadn’t seen the finished version yet.
Yah, I think they were definitely going for comic/comic booky with the art for this one. Have you seen the Bash page on the Fantasist Enterprises website? Looks like publication got pushed back to April.
Yup, I saw that. Wasn’t terribly surprised, to be honest. But hey, April works for me. That means my goblin tale comes out just a month before the next goblin book 🙂
I couldn’t wean, either. I cut down a lot, but beyond that? Well, I just can’t.
Insidious caffeinated goodness. Yep yep.
I think as long as you don’t smell like coffee and your teeth aren’t totally brown that you should be fine drinking a bit of coffee.
I’m a Pepsi-holic, though I try to limit myself to 1 a day.
I’m a Diet Pepsi (and Pepsi One) zealot, myself, but we only get visits from the Coca-Cola fairy at the Capitol, so I’ve been making do with Diet Coke. Less yum, but still caffeinated. At least it’s free . . .
Do you find that coke has a weird aftertaste? It’s like….chemically!!
Yes!! Diet Pepsi doesn’t have that. It tastes like cola is supposed to taste. I don’t know why the Coke-cola folks can’t get rid of the ick.
Well, if you want a temporary reviewer over the next few weeks, I’m game.
(I was trying to think of the term for a strike-breaker, but I know that isn’t quite right. 🙂 )
Mwaaa! Thankyouthankyouthankyou.
I’ve got two long work days stretching ahead of me–that is, full work days at the library while the students have all gone home for Thanksgiving Break, or in other words, good for you. 🙂 My plan is to try finishing CD tomorrow and having the review to you by Tuesday evening or night. Sound OK?
That would be fabu!
Poor hamsters…
Something about the phrase “hamster stomping” makes me cringe! Ha! Will we be seeing you in January?
–Jodi
Re: Poor hamsters…
It’s only virtual hamsters. Promise! I could never hurt the real-life cute lil fluffers.
“Will we be seeing you in January?“
Unfortunately, no. The legislative session begins in January, and one of the requirements of the job is that I have to be there for it. The whole Office of Legislative Counsel pulls massive overtime and mandatory be-there-no-vacation-or-sick-time during session. So, no Sundance for me
.
I waved at you as I was driving through downtown today going back to Greenville from Douglasville.
I didn’t see you! Drat.
I can definitely sympathize with the over-workedness. I do the same thing every month. “Oh this month should be better” … but it never is. Sorry, that wasn’t encouraging at all was it? Hang in there.
Thanks, sweetie. You too!
hmm, column suggestions? How about “How to write in first person”, something that sounds easy, but I’ve found it isn’t. I know I remember in my earliest stuff doing a lot of first person, and it all sucked.
Hmm. My column’s more focused on writing for kids rather than writing in general, but now I’m dwelling on an essay on “how to write a believable-sounding young protagonist.” Thanks!
You go, girl! Your list of sales is awe-inspiring.
Aw, thanks! Now if I could just break into the Big 3 . . .
Congrats!
I wish I could have gotten my act together for Japanese Dreams.
Thanks, although I’m bummed we won’t be sharing a ToC in Japanese Dreams.
Did you already write about pushing the envelope thematically for YA fiction, more A and less Y? It was a big topic at the YA panel with Holly Black and Charles de Lint at WFC this year. I’d sure be interested as some of my almost-YA seems to have very adult themes.
Congrats on more sales. Go drown some hamsters in coffee to celebrate!
Ooo, that’s an excellent topic. Wish I could’ve seen that panel. Thanks for the suggestion! And the hamster-drowning one too. The little buggers can swim, but if I put enough sweetener and cream in, it bogs their fur down. Mmm, coffee-logged hamsters . . .
Wow. And here I thought I was busy. You’re making me feel like a procrastinator.
Slacker
!
Heads up! I didn’t know if you’d seen this yet…
http://www.mollat.com/livres/faeries-23-9782915653311.aspx
Cheers!
Lis
Ooo! I knew a new issue was out, but I hadn’t seen this page listing the fiction. Coolness and thanks! And woot on sharing a Toc!
I am most stoked at appearing in the mag with you and Tim.
I used to work at the French American school in Southern California, so they are ordering copies for the library… *hee*