Sharon – Page 223 – Sharon Lee, Writer

Into the light

Today’s theme has been light.

This morning, we — by which I of course mean, Steve — strung new twinkle lights around the kitchen, and there was much rejoicing.

We also purchased new lights: An LED arc floor lamp for the living room, which is severely underlit; a LED desk lamp with a charging port, and three lighting modes and God She knows whatall else, for Steve’s office, this wonder replacing the WWII era dual fluorescent desk lamp he’s been using since Forever; and an LED so-called full spectrum floor lamp for my office, replacing the three-way table lamp which has been my reading lamp since also Forever, and which does not accommodate the New Light Bulbs. These delights should all reach us by next Tuesday, just in time for Autumn.

In other news, we’re playing catch-up with all the things — personal, and professional — that were left hanging, while we were down south, and doing some serious recharging. It’s curiously draining, sitting vigil on a death, even if there are plenty of family in place to help. Tomorrow may include a visit to the ocean, and after that, it’s back to work.

Today, I have some pr stuff to do; then I think I’m for the chair and a book, again. Maybe I can work in a nap, too.

Books read in 2016

44. Murder of Crows, Anne Bishop
43. Men at Arms, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
42. Queen of the Deep (e), Kay Kenyon
41. Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel
40. Lightning that Lingers, Sharon & Tom Curtis writing as Laura London (re-read for both; first time reading aloud)
39. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
38. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Ransom Riggs
37. Tiger’s Chance, Jan Henry, illustrated by Hilary Knight (re-read)
36. Carousel Tides, Sharon Lee (1st read for pleasure)
35. The Fall of Kings, Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman (e)
34. Play of Passion, Nalini Singh (read aloud with Steve)
33. Privilege of the Sword, Ellen Kushner (re-re-&c-read) (e)
32. Swordspoint, Ellen Kushner (re-re-&c-read) (e)
31. Incarnate, Jodi Meadows (e)
30. Discount Armageddon, Seanan McGuire (e)
29. Tiger Eye, Majorie M. Liu (e)
28. Visitor, C. J. Cherryh (read aloud with Steve)
27. To Have and to Hold, Nalini Singh (e)
26. The House of Shattered Wings, Aliette de Bodard
25. Bride of the Rat God, Barbara Hambly (e)
24. Every Heart a Doorway, Seanan McGuire (e)
23. Maximum Ice, Kay Kenyon (e)
22. War for the Oaks, Emma Bull (re-re-re-re-read)
21. Wheel of the Infinite, Martha Wells (e)
20. Algonquin Cat, Val Schaffner, illustrated by Hilary Knight
19. Karen Memory, Elizabeth Bear
18. Ancillary Mercy, Ann Leckie
17. When Falcons Fall, C.S. Harris
16. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Winifred Watson (re-re-re-&c-read)
15. Uprooted, Naomi Novik
14. Strong Poison, Dorothy L. Sayers (re-re-re-read)
13. Written in Red, Anne Bishop
12. Andy & Don, Daniel de Visé
11. The Thief of Time, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
10. Foxglove Summer, Ben Aaronovitch
9.   Broken Homes, Ben Aaronovitch
8.   Soul Music, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
7.   Whispers Underground, Ben Aaronovitch
6.   Moon Over Soho, Ben Aaronovitch
5.   Reaper Man, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
4.   Conflict of Honors, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (e) (re-read)
3.   Mort, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
2.   The Sculptor, Scott McCloud
1.   A Short History of a Small Place, T.R. Pearson

Now it can be told

Pinbeam Books (that’s me and Steve), the granddaughter of SRM Publisher, has signed a distribution agreement with Baen ebooks. The first five books are now available here, either as a bundle, or separately.

October and November will each see the release of five more books, which ought to catch everyone up.

The catalog has not yet been updated to include links to Baen; that will be done as time and attention allow.

Here’s the link to Pinbeam Books.

Into the Everlasting Snow

My father-in-law, Steve’s step-father, has gone ahead. We were not close; so please — condolences belong to Steve, and the rest of Pete’s numerous family.

I do commend Dove House, in Westminster, Maryland, and recommend it to anyone who might be in the sad situation of needing hospice care for a loved one. The facility was marvelous, the staff respectful, supportive, and caring.

Steve’s family is large, and loud, and devoted; many children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, cousins, and family-by-association came by to sit vigil for a time. Pete was a man who loved a party, and he had a splendid one to send him on his way.

Here’s Pete’s obituary.

On a not-entirely unrelated note, I will be scarce along the boulevards and by-ways of the internets for a bit.

Everybody play nice.

Books read in 2016

43. Men at Arms, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
42. Queen of the Deep (e), Kay Kenyon
41. Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel
40. Lightning that Lingers, Sharon & Tom Curtis writing as Laura London (re-read for both; first time reading aloud)
39. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
38. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Ransom Riggs
37. Tiger’s Chance, Jan Henry, illustrated by Hilary Knight (re-read)
36. Carousel Tides, Sharon Lee (1st read for pleasure)
35. The Fall of Kings, Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman (e)
34. Play of Passion, Nalini Singh (read aloud with Steve)
33. Privilege of the Sword, Ellen Kushner (re-re-&c-read) (e)
32. Swordspoint, Ellen Kushner (re-re-&c-read) (e)
31. Incarnate, Jodi Meadows (e)
30. Discount Armageddon, Seanan McGuire (e)
29. Tiger Eye, Majorie M. Liu (e)
28. Visitor, C. J. Cherryh (read aloud with Steve)
27. To Have and to Hold, Nalini Singh (e)
26. The House of Shattered Wings, Aliette de Bodard
25. Bride of the Rat God, Barbara Hambly (e)
24. Every Heart a Doorway, Seanan McGuire (e)
23. Maximum Ice, Kay Kenyon (e)
22. War for the Oaks, Emma Bull (re-re-re-re-read)
21. Wheel of the Infinite, Martha Wells (e)
20. Algonquin Cat, Val Schaffner, illustrated by Hilary Knight
19. Karen Memory, Elizabeth Bear
18. Ancillary Mercy, Ann Leckie
17. When Falcons Fall, C.S. Harris
16. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Winifred Watson (re-re-re-&c-read)
15. Uprooted, Naomi Novik
14. Strong Poison, Dorothy L. Sayers (re-re-re-read)
13. Written in Red, Anne Bishop
12. Andy & Don, Daniel de Visé
11. The Thief of Time, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
10. Foxglove Summer, Ben Aaronovitch
9.   Broken Homes, Ben Aaronovitch
8.   Soul Music, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
7.   Whispers Underground, Ben Aaronovitch
6.   Moon Over Soho, Ben Aaronovitch
5.   Reaper Man, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
4.   Conflict of Honors, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (e) (re-read)
3.   Mort, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
2.   The Sculptor, Scott McCloud
1.   A Short History of a Small Place, T.R. Pearson

Books read in 2016

41. Station Eleven, Emily St. John Mandel
40. Lightning that Lingers, Sharon & Tom Curtis writing as Laura London (re-read for both; first time reading aloud)
39. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
38. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, Ransom Riggs
37. Tiger’s Chance, Jan Henry, illustrated by Hilary Knight (re-read)
36. Carousel Tides, Sharon Lee (1st read for pleasure)
35. The Fall of Kings, Ellen Kushner and Delia Sherman (e)
34. Play of Passion, Nalini Singh (read aloud with Steve)
33. Privilege of the Sword, Ellen Kushner (re-re-&c-read) (e)
32. Swordspoint, Ellen Kushner (re-re-&c-read) (e)
31. Incarnate, Jodi Meadows (e)
30. Discount Armageddon, Seanan McGuire (e)
29. Tiger Eye, Majorie M. Liu (e)
28. Visitor, C. J. Cherryh (read aloud with Steve)
27. To Have and to Hold, Nalini Singh (e)
26. The House of Shattered Wings, Aliette de Bodard
25. Bride of the Rat God, Barbara Hambly (e)
24. Every Heart a Doorway, Seanan McGuire (e)
23. Maximum Ice, Kay Kenyon (e)
22. War for the Oaks, Emma Bull (re-re-re-re-read)
21. Wheel of the Infinite, Martha Wells (e)
20. Algonquin Cat, Val Schaffner, illustrated by Hilary Knight
19. Karen Memory, Elizabeth Bear
18. Ancillary Mercy, Ann Leckie
17. When Falcons Fall, C.S. Harris
16. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Winifred Watson (re-re-re-&c-read)
15. Uprooted, Naomi Novik
14. Strong Poison, Dorothy L. Sayers (re-re-re-read)
13. Written in Red, Anne Bishop
12. Andy & Don, Daniel de Visé
11. The Thief of Time, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
10. Foxglove Summer, Ben Aaronovitch
9.   Broken Homes, Ben Aaronovitch
8.   Soul Music, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
7.   Whispers Underground, Ben Aaronovitch
6.   Moon Over Soho, Ben Aaronovitch
5.   Reaper Man, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
4.   Conflict of Honors, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (e) (re-read)
3.   Mort, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
2.   The Sculptor, Scott McCloud
1.   A Short History of a Small Place, T.R. Pearson

Let the festivities begin

Today is Scrabble’s 14th birthday (celebrated), and she has suffered to have her picture taken, Just For You.

Today’s Birthday Events include napping in the basket, napping with the heffalumps, looking out the window, napping in the rocker, and staring suspiciously at the Silly Fluffs.

Scrabble acknowledges in advance your appropriate felicitations upon the day.

You are dismissed.

Five minutes of fame

All the way back in May, Steve and I were interviewed by Jean Marie Ward on behalf of Zombies Need Brains, which brings you, among other fine anthologies, Alien Artifacts, in which we, among a glittering cast of our colleagues, have a story.

Here’s your link to the interview.

Blue Monday

I’m rather despondent as I write this. On-going this, that, and the other thing. I can’t quite get to and back from the ocean on my own at the moment, because Reasons, but if I could I’d definitely run away today.

Well. Next week, maybe. Or the week after.

In the meantime, Book the Next has exceeded 40,000 words for the fourth time since we began this journey, and — has not only not (as yet, experience teaches me to say) been busted back to private, but has put on a little more weight. (Yes, Mixed Metaphor is today’s special. Why do you ask?) We have also reached one of the pivot scenes, so — yay, us. I’m taking the fact that we have reached this scene to mean that we’ve finally gotten the set-up right.

Fingers crossed, going forward.

The title for Book the Next continues to elude us. I’m thinking maybe we can do a Choose Your Own Title, sort of like Choose Your Own Ending, only you get all the fun upfront.

For those who have been playing Amazon Bingo at home — The Crystal Variation, including novels Crystal Soldier, Crystal Dragon, and Balance of Trade, by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller is currently on-sale at the Kindle store. Pretty good, for a book which shouldn’t have been “suppressed” in the first place.

No, I’m not feeling charitable.

Well. Snail mail has arrived while I was writing this. I note a lack of promised checks.

And on that note, I’m for the gym.

Y’all have a nice day.

Moving into the weekend

Yesterday, there were dragons, and adventures, and Amazon.com.

’nuff said.

Today. . .boy, is it a pretty day. If I had a screen porch, today would be one of those days where I’d be out there with the newly-written section of the WIP, and my coffee and my red pen and just. . .work outside.

Lacking that, I will be retiring to the couch with coffee, WIP, &c, and going over the newest section, very probably with input from coon cats, all three of whom take editing very seriously indeed.

Regarding the WIP, last night, with the new scene entirely in place — the WIP broke 40,000 words. For the fourth time. I think I’ve got it right, now.

This will be a writing weekend, and I’ll be turning off the internet in a few minutes to prove it. Next week, we’ve got a bit of long planned excitement to get through, including Scrabble’s birthday, so I may be not very much in sight.

Before I go dark — I know that there are a number of CE Murphy fans who read here. She just yesterday published her newest book, as by Murphy Lawless, Raven Heart. I trust you all know what to do.

And that’s all I’ve got.

Well. Except for a picture of Scrabble.