Many people across several venues want to know Things about the new digs, so rather than answer each of them individually (which, realistically, means that I won’t answer any of them — do you know how many books there are in this house? That have to be packed?) — I’ll answer here.
First! The generator. The generator may or may not move with us to the new place. In theory, it increases the value of the house we’re moving from. If the new buyers want the generator, we’ll work with them on that, and install a new generator at the new place. If the new buyers don’t want the generator, then the people who installed it for us will move it to the new place, and we’ll get it hooked up. Moving, as we are finding out, is Complicated, and there are things that have to be decided before things can be decided.
Second! Why now? Um. Because we found a house in an acceptable location that we can remotely afford to buy? Also, because we happen to be at a point of synergy in regard to available funds, available brain power, energy, and emotional strength. Now is just about the Most Perfect Time I can think of for this move, given the reasons why we’re moving.
Third! Why are you putting Accepting the Lance aside in order to move? That’s not fair to readers! Well. . .actually. Fifth of Five curled up and died on us before we went to MidSouthCon (ref here). Steve and I threw away 70,000 +/- of the Wrong Words, and we are in the process of re-visioning the narrative. So, we haven’t put aside the book in order to concentrate on something else. Happily for us, re-visioning is something that can easily be done while putting books in boxes.
Fourth! Moving is hard; why not stay where you are? Because where we are is no longer tenable, for us at this time. It was a terrific place for 28ish years, and it’ll be a terrific place for some other young couple, sometime soon. I’d also like to point out that writing is hard, and we keep doing that, so, clearly, we have rocks for brains.
. . .I think these are the most repeated questions. Hope this information satisfies. Thank you for all your support and concern. We really are trying to go forward in a reasonable and rational manner. Which is also hard.
Everybody have a good day.
May your move be smooth, the new digs all you could dream of, and the reimagining go well!
I agree with Bruce!
I kind of wish I could be there to help you pack. South Carolina to Maine, though is just too far, even if I wasn’t a complete stranger to you!
I too, hope that all goes well. I know that moving is very hard, but there should be happiness at the other end. I’m glad that you and Steve will be closer to the places you need to go.
And… what the heck… the book will be finished when it’s finished.
Sympathies. I’m in the midst of a cross country move that involves my husband moving ahead of us while my daughter and I finish the school year in Oregon before joining him in Philly. I totally get the part about decisions have to made before other decisions can be made.
I spent 90 minutes on the phone today talking to our insurance company to get a renter’s policy for my husband’s apartment, register the different location for one of our cars, and make sure they didn’t get rid of the policy on the house we own before we can get it sold. (That last part is a crazy busy thing all on its own. )
I hope your move is smooth and as easy as possible, and you love your new location. And, you know, the cats don’t hold the move against you.
5 of 5 will get done when it gets done, and we will all swoon over it as usual. (You can’t rush perfection.)
THE MOVE —- scary, exciting, sad, and wonderful all at the same time. If you have 28 years worth of stuff squirreled away, Holy Moly!
May your decisions be easy and your actual move drama free. Good luck! ?
(We’ll be here waiting patiently when all is settled.)
It’s a good sign that y’all have a title for the book. It indicates there is now some direction. Fifth of Five didn’t cut it, and, well, I understand that books, like all works of art, have their own agenda that may or may not reflect the ideas or the timelines of the creators!
As for the generator and the move, you’re wise to let that decision ride. If the buyers want the current generator, I’m sure you’ll negotiate the price of a new one into the sale price so you can get another one at the new digs. Best of luck with the move and the packing and the cats!!!
Remember while taking on all these tasks to stop occasionally & take deep breaths & allow yourselves to look at the sky, look at leafless trees, stare into the distance if only for a few moments. Get to bed on time, too. Hey, I shouldn’t need to tell ya this…:-)
As for 5th, I’d really like to read it as is then hear why it needs re-visioning. I’m just curious. But, I live too far away to buy you a shot, a wine, a beer, a coffee, a tea, a clear cold water, whatever just to loosen ya up. Oh well…
Best wishes, & please ignore my “Get t’a writin…” [smiles]
Blessed be; I hope all goes well with your transition. And I like the change to ‘Accepting The Lance’. Every time I saw ‘Fifth Of Five’ my head wandered off into speculations of it’s having some action in Fife, on the Firth of Forth … even though my Celtic ancestry is not Scottish. Alliteration rules my slightly twisted mind.
I hope all goes well with moving into your new house. I hope all the four legged family love the new digs and don’t try to high tail it back to the old homestead. Our cat, Bone Cruncher, used to sit all the time in the driveway of the house across the very tiny road we lived on. When we moved into that house 7 years later, he couldn’t cope with the change and left us. Go figure.
Thank you Baen for being understanding!!!!
‘Accepting the Lance’ is an intriguing title. Me and my reading buddies – now granddaughter is hooked as well – after reading daddy’s Liaden books (being 12, started with Theo books, as you’d expect) – we can be patient and send you good energy.
You and Steve have ‘The Right Stuff’ to be able to look at your 70,000 word manuscript and all the time, tears, joy and energy you put into it and say, ‘Hey, this doesn’t work – we really need to start again.’ It takes so much courage. It must have been heartrending.
I’m glad you have each other – and all the men and women, clutch turtles, cats and children in your books and stories. Each of you know part of what is, could, should, might be part of what happens next.
Blessing, peace and energy. I hope you are closer to a merry-go-round as well.
Thanks for this post; I was VERY curious about the generator. We were going to get one a few years ago; poured the concrete pad and built a closet to so we had a place for the cross-over close to the circuit breaker panel, but never went any further. Now we’re changing our heat over from fuel oil to propane, so the generator is back on the agenda, though probably not this year, because money.
I don’t envy your task of moving after being in your house for 28 years. My last move was from a house I had owned for 13 years, and now we’ve been here for 20 years. I keep reading books about getting rid of stuff, but somehow that doesn’t really do much toward downsizing. Sigh. Getting in to town will have advantages. I know you’ve been looking for a while and I’m happy you’ve found some place where you, Steve, and the cats will be able to call home.
Looking forward to Accepting the Lance! Whenever it comes out, I’ll be ready.
I don’t understand why anyone can grumble about you moving homes, which is clearly something which you’ve needed to happen for some time. Life happens, and not always following our plans, or our wishes. Hopefully when you’ve succesfully moved, you’ll be able to continue to write with much less stress and better accommodation and closer amenities. Of course we’d all love it if new books magically appeared every few months, but nothing worthwhile tends to come that easily…