Blog Without A Name

In which the calendar is unruly

I have committed to a mini-vacation in November — an overnight in Salem, so I can tour  the Peabody-Essex Museum (which in fact is not the Emerson Museum, and nor is the hotel the Emerson, but is, instead, the Hawthorne Hotel — pay no attention to me) and take in a little of the town.

I’m looking forward to this and am glad that there was a less-epic solution available.
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For those who missed the Quip. Liaden Universe® novel Kin Right, sequel to Salvage Right, is now listed in Amazon’s catalog. It, I note, listed as “Currently Unavailable,” so it cannot be preordered, but for those who were looking for Proof of Life, here it is

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So, that’s enough Braining for one day. Sadly, I do not know All, but!

I know Some, and that’s enough to proceed in a forwarder direction with, so — yay.

Now, I do believe I have chores to finish and Next Week’s Activities to Scrutinize. Also? I need to find out when Wicker’s coming to local theaters. It was supposed to be right around Halloween, wasn’t it?

Fans of Rookie will wish to know that he was an Immense Help to the Plotting. First, he sprawled across my lap, meticulously avoiding the paper I was writing on, and went to sleep with his chin on my writing wrist. After about an hour of that, he relocated to the cat pillow below the table next to the comfy chair, and continued with the napping until Just Now, when I got to stirring about.
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Boy, October is being hard to pin down. COVID shot is not tomorrow, but next Monday, the 19th. Which is fine, and I’m glad I checked. So! Tomorrow is a writing day and need not be interrupted by RL. If only all days could be that way.

Otherwise, all chores done, all clean cloths put away with the exception of those Rookie is napping on, which gives rise to the question of if, indeed, they qualify as clean.

Everybody stay safe; I’ll check in tomorrow.

Autumnal Sunday

Firefly and Rook say, “Good morning!  Let’s have a nap.”

Sunday. Grey so far and chilly. I am happily wearing Steve’s big red lumberjack-checked Carhartt shirt over my jeans, and! alpaca socks. I’ll get tired of this by February, but right now, I’m feeling Very Cozy. This morning’s tea is Russian Caravan, a favorite.

I may have figured out Salem, and I thank Susan Schwartz for her mention of the Hawthorne Hotel.

The Hawthorne has a Museum Package. I need to call them, I think to make sure I’m understanding this, and find check-in times and whatnot, but it looks like I can stay at the Hawthorne, walk down to the Emerson, geek my museum heart out, walk back, have a nice dinner at the Emerson, maybe do a little wandering about pre-or post museum, and hey, presto! Mini-vacay.

Today, you will find me in the comfy chair in my office, pads of paper and pens to hand, for I? will be Plotting.

What will you be doing on this autumnal Sunday morning?

Big Red Shirt:

Saturday at the writing factory

Coon cats first:

Saturday was a day of parts, to wit:

Went to bed at a ghodly hour Friday night and slept straight through. Eight hours and 40 minutes, which even the watch allows to have been fine work.

Today’s taste test is chocolate mint tea which smells a little less minty than I expected. We shall see.

I should mention that this is being dictated because Firefly has taken over my lap and needs belly rubs.
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Aaaand the chocolate mint tea is also a disappointment.

Clearly, I’m looking for Eldorado.

Onward to breakfast — oatmeal with peanut butter and semisweet bits. Chocolate-y goodness Will Be happening.
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The old woman who lives with me wants a vacation right now, and, as reported yesterday, Salem is barely three hours away.  Questions were asked of those on FB who happen to live in or near Salem in an attempt to discover the state of the town before I went to work.
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So, that’s 1,480ish new words written. I need to write one more short scene, which I may get to after lunch. Then, we’ll be on to Book Two.

I need to chat with the thermostats, and do my duty the cats — and that last short scene. And research to see if Salem is quite possible right now. And, if not, if something else is. Apparently, I really want some down time, which is a Why Now? But, hey. I may just take a Writer’s Day Off. Could just be I want somebody to make me an omelet for breakfast.

So! Thermostats first, I think, then lunch. Firefly and Rookie are basking in the sunshine in Steve’s office, exhausted, poor kittens, from having written so many words.

How’s Saturday treating you?
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And! The final scene of Book One has been written, and the WIP weighs in at 62,790ish. Or as we were wont to say here at the Confusion Factory, Half a novel, more or less.

Tomorrow, I get to sit with a pad of paper and plan out Book Two, which will be . . . interesting. I hope.

I have scrutinized the level of mingles* in the Big Wine Jug, and spoken to Mr. dea’Gauss regarding an advance against my quartershare. Which he respectfully denied, after he stopped laughing.

So, I will not be going to Salem in November. It will remain on the list of destinations of interest for 2027. Many, many thanks to everyone who weighed in with information, which I’ve saved to the 2027 destinations of interest research folder.

Yeah, Spontaneity R Us.

I still need to do my duty the cats. After that, I believe I’ll be making the season’s first mug of Actual Hot Chocolate and curl up with my book.
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*”mingles” = “mingled coins” aka “spare change”

Long shift

This morning’s mood is flower drake. This morning’s taste test tea is Chocolate Orange Spice, which smells… unexuberant. Which could go either way.

Went to bed late so I could finish my book, got up same, but I fear — I very much fear that my other book will not have likewise been finished overnight.

Onward.
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And! The chocolate orange spice tea is!

A disappointment.

I even knuckled under and put milk in it. Ick.

I have one more sample tin — chocolate mint.

I’m just beginning to think that maybe chocolate tea is not for me.
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Today’s tshirt, the flower drake, came from Skylar and Belle on Etsy. They were having a sale, and I bought a sweatshirt. Then, they sent me a coupon, so I bought a long-sleeved tshirt. Now, ghod help me, I have another coupon, but the tshirt I want doesn’t come in long sleeves, leaving me wondering if the better part of valor is to write to the shop owner and ask if it can be made in long sleeves, or just shrug and say, Well, really. How many tshirts does one old writer need?
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So, I’ve written 900ish words, gave the cats a snack (Rook is so smug that he gets his snacks right from my fingers; he isn’t an Old Stoopy like Firefly, who wants her snacks set down by her nose), and did PT homework.

I should probably eat something, but I’m not hungry, particularly. Well. Maybe I’ll go back and set a time, get a few more words, and then eat something.

. . . it at least has the shape of a plan . . .
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Oh, hey, no wonder I’m tired.

That’ll be 2,300ish new words and the damned scene I’ve been avoiding is now written. Is it good? I doubt it. But it’s in the right direction and! Is it not written that “You can’t fix it if it ain’t written down.”

In other news, the (last, I swear it) tshirt I’m ordering for A. Long. Time. Now. (Bats. I really need a bat tshirt) is coming to me in the long-sleeved option, and all is at least OK in my world.

The cats have had Happy Hour and I need to finish filing today’s work, and go find a glass of wine and my new book, Serpent’s Reach, which I somehow missed reading.

Everybody stay safe. I’ll check in tomorrow.

Today’s mood is Flower Drake. With coon cats.

There have been Queries from persons who are desirous of owning a flower drake, or other sort of yummy long-sleeve tshirt, to wit: Where can I get one of those?

You can get one of those from Fia at Skylar and Belle

Flower Drake tshirt:

Firefly, hanging out:

How much is that Rookie in the mirror:

Books read in 2026

63  The Thief of Time, Terry Pratchett re-read (e)
62  Chanur’s Homecoming, C.J. Cherryh, narrated by Dina Pearlman
61  The Kif Strike Back, C.J. Cherryh, narrated by Dina Pearlman
60  Chanur’s Venture, C.J. Cherryh, narrated by Dina Pearlman
59  Pride of Chanur, C.J. Cherryh, narrated by Dina Pearlman
58  The Glass-Cursed, (Whispers & Wayfarers #1) P.H. Blackwood (e)
57  The Paladin, C.J. Cherryh, narrated by Stephen Bowlby
56  An Heir of Possibilities (Bad Heir Days #6), Grace Burrowes (e)
55  Bone and Blood, (Border Kingdom #2) C.E. Murphy (e)
54  Liberty’s Prison, Randall Liberty, Christine Graf (e)(bkclb)
53  Daggerbound, (Swordheart #2), T. Kingfisher (e)
52  A Gentleman of Modest Ambitions (Lord Julian #12), Grace Burrowes (e)
51  Swordheart, T. Kingfisher (re-read) (e)
50  Carousel Seas (Archers Beach #3), Sharon Lee, narrated by Elizabeth Rogers
49  Carousel Sun (Archers Beach #2), Sharon Lee, narrated by Elizabeth Rogers
48  Carousel Tides (Archers Beach #1), Sharon Lee, narrated by Elizabeth Rogers
47  Diviner’s Bow (The Redlands #3), Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
46  Ribbon Dance (The Redlands #2), Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, narrated by Alex Picard
45  Kin Right (Korval in Exile #7 AND Tinsori Light #3), Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (unedited manuscript)
44  Salvage Right (Korval in Exile #6 AND Tinsori Light #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
43  Trader’s Leap (Korval in Exile #5 AND The Redlands #1), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
42  Accepting the Lance (Theo Waitley #7 AND Korval in Exile #4), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
41  Neogenesis (Theo Waitley #6 AND Korval in Exile #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
40  The Gathering Edge (Theo Waitley #5), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
39  Alliance of Equals (Korval in Exile #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
38  Dragon in Exile, (Liaden Universe® beginning the Korval In Exile arc), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
37  Sourdough, Robin Sloan (e) (bookclub)
36  Necessity’s Child (standalone in the Liaden Universe®), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens.
35  Dragon Ship (Theo Waitley #4), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
34  Ghost Ship (Theo Waitley #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
33  Saltation (Theo Waitley #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
32  Fledgling (Theo Waitley #1), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
31  The Talisman Ring, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Joe Jameson
30  A Gentleman Far from Home (Lord Julian 11) Grace Burrowes (e)
29  Black Sheep, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Natalie Simpson
28  Cotillion, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Raj Ghatak
27  Platform Decay, (Murderbot) Martha Wells (e)
26  A Gentleman in Moscow, Amor Towles (e) (bookclub)
25  Fair Trade (Jethri Gobelyn #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Eileen Stevens
24  Ribbon Dance (Liaden Universe #26), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller, narrated by Alex Picard
23  Trade Secret (Liaden Universe #17), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (e)
22  Sea Wrack and Changewind, Sharon Lee, narrated by Alex Picard
21  When the Wolves are Silent (Sebastian St. Cyr #21), C.S. Harris (e)
20  An Heir of Distinction (Bad Heir Days #5), Grace Burrowes (e)
19   Longeye (Fey Duology #2), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller***
18   Duainfey (Fey Duology #1), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller***
17  *Crystal Dragon (Liaden Universe® #10), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
16  *Crystal Soldier (Liaden Universe® #9), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
15  Seeking Persephone (Lancaster Family #1), Sarah M. Eden (e)
14   Theo of Golden, Allen Levi (e) book club
13  *Balance of Trade (Liaden Universe® #8), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
12  *Mouse and Dragon (Liaden Universe® #7), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
11  *Scout’s Progress (Liaden Universe® #6), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller**
10  *Local Custom, (Liaden Universe® #5), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller**
9   *I Dare (Liaden Universe® #7), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller**
8   Cuckoo’s Egg, C J Cherryh, (audio first time)
7   *Plan B, (Liaden Universe® #4), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
6   Getting Rid of Bradley, Jennifer Crusie (audio first time)
5   *Carpe Diem (Liaden Universe® #3), Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
4   *Conflict of Honors (Liaden Universe® #2), Sharon Lee & Steve    Miller
3   *Agent of Change (Liaden Universe® #1), Sharon Lee & Steve                 Miller
2   A Gentleman in Possession of Secrets (Lord Julian #10), Grace             Burrowes (e)
1   Spilling the Tea in Gretna Green, Linzi Day (e)

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*I’m doing a straight-through series read in publication order

**I screwed up and moved right on to I Dare from Plan B, therefore deviating from publication order.  I will now amend myself and go back to pick up Local Custom.

***I’ll be re-issuing Duainfey and Longeye as an e-omnibus later this year, and so I need to read them!

Thursday accomplishments

Proof of life and resident art works, here

Yes, I’m stiff after yesterday’s exertions, but nothing’s broken, and that’s sorta the point.

And to the nice person who wrote to scold me, Out of Love, I’m sure: 74. And clearly, No, I don’t know any better.
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Taking a break for lunch and to perform one’s duty to the feline contingent.

I wrote 550ish new words today! And then I took out 750ish old words. And so manuscripts grow into books. I intend to go back after lunch, if only to do some housekeeping with the chapter-by-chapter.

The old woman I live with is apparently wanting to plan a vacation for next year. It’s shaping up into an Epic vacation, by the standards of the Lee-and-Miller Household, in which a week at the ocean was a rare treat.

Apparently, my roommate wants to go to Westerly, Rhode Island.

What’s in Westerly, Rhode Island, you ask?

A flying horse carousel. I’m pretty sure they only allow little kids on this carousel, but that’s apparently OK. There’s also a lighthouse, and a Shopping District, so, yanno, a reasonably interesting location.

My roommate also wants to go to Mystic Seaport, and to Salem, and to . . . Foxwoods? I’m a little baffled by Foxwoods, frankly. Steve loved him some casinos, and I’d tag along to people-watch and play the nickle machines until Mr. Jackson was frittered away, then I’d go listen to the band, if there was one, or to the bar, to get a Coke and read until Steve found me with tales of fortunes won and lost, and we’d eat dinner, or not, and go home.

I’m not at all sure I’d seek out a casino on my own. In fact, I haven’t sought out a casino on my own since Steve died, but — OK, Foxwoods. Why, not? Bound to be something to look at.

I’m not at all sure what else there’s to do between Maine and Connecticut that could be added — ah. Sturbridge? That might be cool.

So! Research!

After lunch.

Oh. And after I get my act in gear and line up a COVID shot.
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Okey-Dokey, then. Tomorrow, I need to write a Whole New Scene, which was not previously written, because? I didn’t wanna. Unfortunately, it has to be written, and, tragically, I still don’t wanna.

Be a writer, they said. It’ll be fun, they said.

And sometimes — most times, really — it actually is. Well. Maybe tomorrow I’ll feel like writing the silly thing, and then, as a reward, I can commence into writing Book Two.

Yes, this is going to be one of those.

I did, in fact, make an appointment to get the COVID shot, though CVS did its best to make sure I would not prevail. Take that, CVS! And your stoopid AutoFill, too! So, COVID shot on Monday afternoon, after I finish writing, and if this one makes me ill, it should all have run its course by Tuesday evening. Planning. It’s all about the Planning.

Speaking of Planning — I need to buy a 2027?! calendar. Which I realized when I went to put my tickets into the calendar, as is my habit, only to find that the first ticket is for January 24, and the calendar currently in use finishes up on January 3.

Well. Shopping. Who doesn’t like shopping?

I am being hounded — no. I am being pursued by a howling black Maine coon teenager, who insists, against All Observable Evidence, that he is starving. He used to convince Tali that she was starving, and she’d carry the message to me, loudly, but Tali could be bought off with an offer to sit on my lap.

So — that’s the late report.

Everybody stay safe. I’ll check in tomorrow.

 

 

Chocolate truffle tea and the most interesting cat in the world

Learning how to fall takes an unexpected amount of courage, if you happen to be a person who has a lifelong commitment to not falling.

In the normal way of things, if I feel myself start to fall, I will twist, and grab at anything to stay upright, which usually, yes, Just Makes It Worse.

Steve — who wrestled in high school — would say, “Just fall,” like that was something any sane person would do. The ground, my child, is hard. I know this because I’ve fallen on the ground and I never, ever want to do that again.

Which, honestly? Is probably not a goal that’s within my grasp, if I’m going to persist in this Getting Old(er) thing.

So, today at PT? I Just Fell. Onto a (slightly) padded platform, into walls, and doors, into my therapist. Someone else who was taking PT at a station near us said that I reminded him of when he had taken parachute training — “If you roll after you hit, you’ll be OK.”

Eeek.

Also?

Ouch.

Lunch is heating up, and I do believe I’ll be having aspirin with that.
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First taste test. Chocolate Truffle Tea, which smells terrific.
. . .
So, the chocolate truffle tea is … interesting. The taste is dark, or maybe I mean heavy, and a little bitter, like baking chocolate. Not quite what I’m looking for in a “chocolate tea.” It’s drinkable, but I won’t be ordering a full tin.

In other news, I’ve spent the last hour pinned under a coon cat, who was doing her damnedest to put me to sleep, and, yes, she succeeded.
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Things I have forgotten to mention today Part One:

For those still interested in yesterday’s discussion regarding characters and lit’rachur, and all like that, you will at this link, directly under my post, find the Cereal Theory of Writing from our very own djonn. It’s worth reading and a worthy Working Theory
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Things I forgot to mention today, Part Two:

If you’re not following David Mattingly’s diary of his career you really ought to do so. As you know, David did many, if not all, of the covers of the novels we did for Baen. I think that’s 25 covers. David is not painting anymore, and has turned to writing as an outlet for creation.

You can read past entries and/or subscribe here
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And, finishing up!

A photo of Rookie doing his impression of The Most Interesting Cat in the World:

Between the Tree and PT

Wednesday. Grey, breezy, and chilly.

So! I wrote a fun 1500 words on the outtake novella. Always nice to go for a walk in a garden with Val Con and Miri and talk with a Tree.

FedEx managed to deliver my tea to the correct address, and now I am wealthy in Russian Caravan, four sample tins of chocolate teas (I know, I know, but I live in hope of finding a chocolate tea that actually tastes good, and — samplers!). I also bought a six-pack of tea pearls, because tea pearls are cool and not because I can afford to make them a daily thing.

The USPS swears my Penzey’s order is out for delivery, though the whereabouts of tshirt remain a mystery. Is it in California? Is it in Connecticut? Has it vanished down the guts of a mail sorting machine in Malaysia? Is it occupying some temporal space beyond the ken of mere mortals?

Well. These matters are for later.

For now? Physical Therapy calls.

What mysteries are visited upon your day?