Sharon – Page 272 – Sharon Lee, Writer

You can take all the tea in China; put it in a big brown bag for me

Today was a definite improvement over yesterday.

I have deleted GoogleTalk from my desktop, leaving Hangouts in sole possession of the field. While I don’t necessarily think this is an improvement, at least I only get one message every time Steve sends a chat.

Also, when I went into town to gym this morning, I looked at my phone, and?

Chrome was installed, and it was working properly!

Fist pump!

I have not yet excised the non-updating, cephalopod version of Chrome on my desktop. Perhaps I never shall. That’s probably safest.

In other news, I formatted our GOH speech, entered the changes we made last night during our first read-through, and did some writing.

I should probably do some more writing, but I’m beat. Among the adventures of the day being an early — and noisy — visit from our lawn-guy, who took away the remains of the cedar tree, and sucked up all the leaves from the front lawn. I believe I shall retire early to my couch and try again tomorrow. This seems the course of reason, if not precisely valor. Tomorrow’s work requires All New Words to be written, whereas today’s work was editing a chapter that had been excised from Dragon in Exile — just patting it into the shape of the new book, really.

And that? Is all I got.

G’night.

Today’s blog post title brought to you by Mr. Van Morrison: Tupelo Honey

* * *

Progress on Alliance of Equals
27,664/100,000 OR 27.66% COMPLETE

“One naturally wishes one’s heir to accumulate accolades, but ‘least willing student in the history of the dance’ is not quite in the line of one’s fondest hopes.”

In which Monday happens on Tuesday

So, today kind of sucked, in the arena of tech. The tech definitely won this round, but, if I’m not to be made looney by certain of the Unintended Consequences of today’s defeat, I’m going to have to go in again.

Possibly not until tomorrow. Or the next day.

The thing seemed simple enough. Google has been nagging me for months to stop using Google Talk, which I happen to like very much, and get with Hangouts. I’d been resisting because Talk still worked and Steve and I use it to chat back and forth while we’re at work — him in his office, and me in mine. Saves a lot of shouting back and forth, and doesn’t interrupt the flow of writing.

But! We were wanting to practice our speech for PhilCon and Steve thought it would work out fine to do it via Hangouts video, so he asked me to install Hangouts.

Remember this: The Goal was to install Hangouts.

Now, asyouknowbob, Hangouts is an add-on to Chrome. Which I use as a backup browser, since I prefer Firefox for daily running around the net.

Well, it turns out that the Chrome on my machine was very old (33.0.Something), it would not accept the Hangouts add-on, and not only that, it wouldn’t update itself. Also? I couldn’t delete it from the control panel. After much banging my head against the wall, which included removing Chrome from my tablet and my phone, in case there was a sync tether or something holding Chrome to the desktop, I just gave up and downloaded a new version of Chrome (version 38.Whatever) to the desktop, shoved 33.0.Something into a closet, and opened the new Chrome, which seems to work (knock wood) fine. Then, I reinstalled Chrome on my tablet and phone.

Correction.

I reinstalled Chrome on my tablet. The phone will accept the download and installation, but all Chrome does when invoked is send out little error messages — Unfortunately Chrome has stopped — every six seconds FOREVER, and is completely unusable. So. No Chrome on the phone. Which is a shame, because I really did use it on the phone.

Oh, well. I guess I’ll have to hope that Firefox for Android has its act together.

At least, I have Hangouts now, right?

Right.

Except that I can’t seem to uninstall Google Talk. Which means that every time Steve sends me a chat message, I get TWO — one in Talk and one in Hangouts, a situation guaranteed to drive me ’round the twist in very short order.

So, I’ll have to go back in. But, like I say, not today.

Today, in addition to Warring with Technology, I finished an essay, and finished up the last few hundred words on Chapter Seven. In a moment, I’ll be leaving y’all to your own devices so I can do the dishes and then Steve and I will practice our speech the Old Fashioned Way.

I do hope that all of you have had a. . .less fraught Tuesday.

* * *

Progress on Alliance of Equals
23,458/100,000 OR 23.46% Complete

“. . .and anyone who thinks that Master Trader yos’Galan will permit error or sloth from his heir, his apprentice, or anyone who is under his hand, must. . .must not know him very well!”

Sunday evening adverts, with commentary

1. Have you ordered your signed and/or personalized copy of Carousel Seas from Uncle Hugo yet? No? Time’s running short. No, I really mean that time’s running short, if you want your pre-ordered signed copy of Carousel Seas personalized. That deadline is November 15, 2014 — which is next Saturday. So you need to do this now.

Here’s how you can order.

1A. Uncle Hugo will also be offering signed copies of Dragon in Exile. More on that as we get closer to June.

2. Steve Miller and Sharon Lee will be Principal Speakers at PhilCon, November 21 – 23. We will not only be giving a speech — which is a thing I do but rarely, so you know you want to hear this one — but we will — rather, our traveling companions will be hosting a Teddy Bear Tea* on Saturday, November 22 at 11 a.m. Coffee, tea, cookies will be served, so bring your favorite stuffed animal to share an hour of refinement, relaxation and camaraderie.

3. If you so desire, you may order a limited edition print of the cover of Dragon in Exile from the artist, David Mattingly, by writing to him at davidATdavidmattinglyDOTcom. In case you missed it, here’s the front panel of the Dragon in Exile cover:

-- art by David Mattingly — — art by David Mattingly

* * *

As advertised elsewhere, Steve and I took each other to see Big Hero Six for our anniversary. We both liked it a lot. Steve is thinking he might like to see Interstellar; despite the presence of Michael Caine, I’m not so sure. (“Look, professor! A black hole!” I mean — c’mon, guys.) I definitely want to see Into the Woods, though.

. . .and I think that’s all the news that’s fit to print.

* * *

Progress on Alliance of Equals
23,048/100,000 OR 23% complete

He flung a hand up and toward the screen, fingers sketching disdain.

“This is the enemy that Korval cannot defeat.”

“Nor can we,” she observed, drily.

He sniffed.

“Nor have we. Yet.”

Books read in 2014

41. Paragon Walk, Anne Perry
40. Spellcast, Barbara Ashford
39. A Night in the Lonesome October, Roger Zelazny, (re-re-re-&c-read aloud w/Steve)
38. The Third Circle, Amanda Quick
37. Agatha Heterodyne and the Sleeping City, Phil and Kaja Foglio
36. Good Omens, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
35.   Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!, Richard P. Feynman (as told to Ralph Leighton)
34. A Brother’s Price, Wen Spencer (e)
33.   Spiral Path, Katharine Eliska Kimbriel (e)
32.   Earthly Delights, Kerry Greenwood (e)
31.   Night Broken, Patricia Briggs (e)
30. Just My Type, Simon Garfield
29. Bones of Faerie, Janni Lee Simner
28. Dancer of the Sixth, Michelle Shirey Crean
27. Tryst, Elswyth Thane (re-re-re-re-re-&c-read)
26. The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
25. The King of Attolia, Megan Whalen Turner
24. The Queen of Attolia, Megan Whalen Turner
23. The Thief, Megan Whalen Turner
22. Cuckoo’s Egg, C.J. Cherryh (re-re-re-&c-read)
21. The Windflower, Laura London (Tom and Sharon Curtis) (re-read)
20. Sparrow Hill Road, Seanan McGuire (e)
19. Demon’s Lexicon, Sarah Rees Brennan
18. Refining Felicity, Marion Chesney
17. Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury (re-read aloud w/Steve)
16. The Vanished Priestess, Meredith Blevins
15. Nine Princes in Amber, Roger Zelazny (re-read aloud w/Steve)
14. Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein
13. Ghost Point, James A. Hetley, manuscript (read aloud w/Steve)
12. Peacemaker, C.J. Cherryh (read aloud w/Steve)
11. The Red Hot Empress, Meredith Blevins
10. Hogfather, Terry Pratchett
9. Black Widow: The Name of the Rose, Marjorie Liu, Daniel Acuna
8. Agent of Change, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (e)
7. The Emperor’s Agent, Jo Graham (e)
6. Eternity and a Day, Aline Hunter (e)
5. Kindred Rites, Katharine Eliska Kimbriel (e)
4. Billy the Kid, the Endless Ride, Michael Wallis
3. The Steerswoman, Rosemary Kirstein (e)
2. Uncovered, Jordan Matter
1. Dancers Among Us, Jordan Matter

Send me a postcard, drop me a line

Yesterday was the 34th anniversary of our “legal” marriage. Steve and I have now been married more than half of my lifetime and for more than half of his.

Didn’t see that coming.

So, anyway, yesterday, we did not celebrate, beyond a few extra “Thank yous,” but today we’re pulling out All! The! Stops! and going into town to catch the Very First Showing of Hero Number Six (hey is that the theme from “The Pink Panther” in the scene with the cop?)!

But the festivities don’t stop there! After the movie — the 2D matinee — we will Dine Out. The jury’s still out on Where Exactly we will dine out, but there are several fine eating establishments in town to choose from.

And after that?

Hey, I don’t tell you guys everything.

All of this to say that I’ll be electron-free today.

Y’all have fun.

Today’s title comes to you from The Beatles: When I’m Sixty-Four

* * *

Progress on Alliance of Equals
20,456/100,000 OR 20.46% Complete

“In the meantime, I wonder, Pilot, if you will answer some questions for me.”

“Do my best,” he said, like his stomach hadn’t kind of cramped up, hearing that. “Understand that I don’t know the answers to all the questions.”

“Oh, yes, I do understand that,” she said. “Before we begin, let me request that you not lie to me. If you do not wish to answer a question, simply refrain from doing so.”

In which the people have spoken

. . .and that’s that.

Yesterday, after having ourselves Spoken early at the polls, we decided to make a day of it, since a day doing Something was better than a day spent obsessively checking the news. We therefore had breakfast at Governor’s before hitting the interstate and heading south, the mp3 player jacked into Kineo’s sound system so we didn’t have to listen to any more political ads.

I have learned that Kineo the Wonder Subaru will pop a discreet warning light when I have 75 miles left on my current tank of gas, which is good to know. The range for the tank is about 500 miles. Which is not only good to know, but downright amazing.

Once we were actually in the South, we did some scoping out of the Sanford-Springvale-Rochester NH megaplex, had a nice, light lunch at Green Tea and come home by way of Wells and Kennebunkport. I tried to get a photo of the seals on the rocky island off of Wells Beach, but — no luck.

For congoing folk: Remember that Lee and Miller will be Principal Speakers at PhilCon. We will not only be giving a speech — which is a thing I do but rarely, so you know you want to hear this one — but we will — rather, our traveling companions will be hosting a Teddy Bear Tea* on Saturday, November 22 at 11 a.m. Coffee, tea, cookies will be served, so bring your favorite stuffed animal to share an hour of refinement, relaxation and camaraderie.

Even if you don’t like tea, or plushies, do plan on coming to PhilCon. Artist GOH this year is Bob Eggleton; Special Guest is Kyle Cassidy. In addition, dozens of other writers, and artists will be present. There will be readings! panels! a dealers room full of all kinds of Amazing Stuff! and an art show to die for.

Really, you can’t miss this.

In Dragon in Exile news, there had been two requests.

One for a blurb/synopsis of the book. Here’s that link (thanks to Chris Meadows for finding it).

Two for information about the availability of limited edition prints of the Dragon in Exile cover. I wrote to Mr. Mattingly and he says that there will be prints available when he’s through with the final painting (Dragon in Exile will have a wrap-around cover, and he needs to finish up what will become the back panel). When complete, the prints will be 13×19, formatted horizontally. He estimates that he’ll be done with the final in two weeks. If you’d like a print, you can write directly to David Mattingly at: davidATdavidmattinglyDOTcom.

. . .and I think that’s all the news that’s fit to print.

______________

*Not limited to Teddy Bears, all plushy friends are welcome. Among the attendees of the Teddy Bear Tea at PenguiCon was a pink plush triangle wearing sunglasses.

* * *

Progress on Alliance of Equals
16,310/100,000 OR 16.31% Complete

Now, on Liad, they would say: There are fifty High Houses.

Now, on Liad, they would say: A Dragon does not change its nature.

Books read in 2014

40. Spellcast, Barbara Ashford
39. A Night in the Lonesome October, Roger Zelazny, (re-re-re-&c-read aloud w/Steve)
38. The Third Circle, Amanda Quick
37. Agatha Heterodyne and the Sleeping City, Phil and Kaja Foglio
36. Good Omens, Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
35.   Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!, Richard P. Feynman (as told to Ralph Leighton)
34. A Brother’s Price, Wen Spencer (e)
33.   Spiral Path, Katharine Eliska Kimbriel (e)
32.   Earthly Delights, Kerry Greenwood (e)
31.   Night Broken, Patricia Briggs (e)
30. Just My Type, Simon Garfield
29. Bones of Faerie, Janni Lee Simner
28. Dancer of the Sixth, Michelle Shirey Crean
27. Tryst, Elswyth Thane (re-re-re-re-re-&c-read)
26. The Night Circus, Erin Morgenstern
25. The King of Attolia, Megan Whalen Turner
24. The Queen of Attolia, Megan Whalen Turner
23. The Thief, Megan Whalen Turner
22. Cuckoo’s Egg, C.J. Cherryh (re-re-re-&c-read)
21. The Windflower, Laura London (Tom and Sharon Curtis) (re-read)
20. Sparrow Hill Road, Seanan McGuire (e)
19. Demon’s Lexicon, Sarah Rees Brennan
18. Refining Felicity, Marion Chesney
17. Something Wicked This Way Comes, Ray Bradbury (re-read aloud w/Steve)
16. The Vanished Priestess, Meredith Blevins
15. Nine Princes in Amber, Roger Zelazny (re-read aloud w/Steve)
14. Code Name Verity, Elizabeth Wein
13. Ghost Point, James A. Hetley, manuscript (read aloud w/Steve)
12. Peacemaker, C.J. Cherryh (read aloud w/Steve)
11. The Red Hot Empress, Meredith Blevins
10. Hogfather, Terry Pratchett
9. Black Widow: The Name of the Rose, Marjorie Liu, Daniel Acuna
8. Agent of Change, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (e)
7. The Emperor’s Agent, Jo Graham (e)
6. Eternity and a Day, Aline Hunter (e)
5. Kindred Rites, Katharine Eliska Kimbriel (e)
4. Billy the Kid, the Endless Ride, Michael Wallis
3. The Steerswoman, Rosemary Kirstein (e)
2. Uncovered, Jordan Matter
1. Dancers Among Us, Jordan Matter

Eye candy

This just in from Madame the Editor.

This is the eighteenth novel detailing the adventures of Clan Korval and other residents of the Liaden Universe®.

The hardcover will be in bookstores in June 2015. For those who treasure a passion for eArcs, count backward four months from June for your probable release date. No word yet on whether there will be an audiobook edition.

More news as it becomes available.

Monday morning cat spam

So, we got about a foot of snow yesterday. Wet, goopy snow that was not a pleasure to shovel off the deck and the stairs and the cars, but it got done, and now the sun is doing its bit by warming the snow enough that it’s dripping off of the branches and the roof. So, yay, solar energy.

Steve took one of the cleaned-off cars and went off to his follow-up-from-surgery-doctor-appointment, and thence to the grocery store. The mailman hasn’t been by yet, but I’m expecting that today is not a real treat for rural delivery, either.

I’ve started the laundry, and made phone calls to the people I called last week, who didn’t return my call. Possibly, this week will be my lucky week.

And! Tomorrow is election day here in Maine. I cannot begin to tell you how much I want this election to be over and done with. So, everybody vote, right? So we can put the election away knowing that we did our best, even if none of the candidates quite managed it.

This week also encloses the 34th anniversary of our actual, legal wedding. We plan to celebrate a day late, and do maybe a dinner out, and view Hero Number 6.

The view from the bedroom window is eerie. I can see right across the road, and the neighbor’s picket fence. When I was out this morning, I checked on the downed cedar tree. It broke off right ground level, and fell across a corner of the Cat Garden, nudging the stake bearing the cat weathervane out of its way, by a couple inches.

In celebration of It Having Snowed , the cats are doing. . .cat things. Photographic evidence below:

Scrabble taking the opportunity of Steve's absence to season his chair. Note cat whisker. — Scrabble taking the opportunity of Steve’s absence to season his chair. Note cat whisker.

Trooper doing his imitation of an unmade bed...in the unmade bed. — Trooper doing his imitation of an unmade bed…in the unmade bed.

Princess Jasmine Sprite waiting, patiently, for SOMEone to make the string work.

* * *

Progress on Alliance of Equals
15,661 out of 100,000 OR 15.66% complete

“Val Con is yos’Phelium and a scout. He’s obliged to find the — former homeworld tiresome.”

In which the gods of winter exact tribute

Back aways, when we moved into this house, Yule came, as it always does at a certain time of year, and we were broke, as we often are at the same season. Steve was working at the computer store at the time, and on Christmas Eve, his boss came through with a totally unexpected Cash Bonus.

So! After the computer shop closed for the holiday, we went to the grocery store, bought a celebratory dinner, and, in order to add some green goodwill to the house, we also bought a little cedar tree in a pot, with a tinfoil star on top. It was a nice little presence in the kitchen over the winter, and when spring came, we planted it outside our bedroom window.

Against, I think, everybody’s expectations — I include the cedar tree itself in this — the little tree grew into quite a large tree; became the nesting tree for several generations of birds; breathed its wonderful aroma into our window on hot summer nights, and soothed us to sleep.

I just walked into the bedroom and noticed something wrong with the window. I thought the cats had been at the shade, but when I looked out, I realized what had happened.

Today’s snowfall has taken the cedar tree; it’s lying, trunk-broken, on the ground.

I’m. . .kind of sad about this.