62. Agnes and the Hitman, Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer (re-read)
61. Wild Ride, Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer (re-read) (e)
60. Arabella of Mars, David D. Levine
59. A Night in the Lonesome October, Roger Zelazny (Gahan Wilson) (re-re-&c-read aloud with Steve)
58. The Paladin, C.J. Cherryh (re-read) (e)
57. Fire Touched, Patricia Briggs (e)
56. Sweet Masterpiece, Connie Shelton (e)
55. Serpentine, Cindy Pon (e)
54. Mirabile, Janet Kagan (re-read) (e)
53. The Last Madam: A Life in the New Orleans Underworld, Chris Wiltz (e)
52. Monstress, Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
51. Marked in Flesh, Anne Bishop (e)
50. Peter Pan (Peter and Wendy), J. M. Barrie (e) (read aloud with Steve)
49. The City of Lightning, Kaja & Phil Foglio
48. Disenchanted & Co., Lynn Viehl
47. Tell me a Dragon, Jackie Morris
46. Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
45. Vision in Silver (e), Anne Bishop
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
Blog Without A Name
Wednesday To-Do List
Do dishesClean cat fountainClean bathroomPrint out section to be hand-editedPrep Number Ten Ox and load thumb drive with working filesPackExplain the schedule for the next few days to Trooper and Scrabble(also to Belle and Sprite,who will immediately forget all about it, and start to panic about elevensies on Thursday, whereupon Trooper or Scrabble will have to talk them down and Review)
Steve and I will be handing the Keys to the Cat Farm to the housesitter early tomorrow morning, after which we’ll be getting on the road to Providence, and the Rhode Island Comic Con. Since this convention doesn’t have a literature track, we will not be doing any panels, or readings, but we will be at the Wordfire Press booth in the Dealer’s Room at Booth 124, signing books and creating mischief.
Everybody stay safe.
Books read in 2016
61. Wild Ride, Jennifer Crusie & Bob Mayer (re-read) (e)
60. Arabella of Mars, David D. Levine
59. A Night in the Lonesome October, Roger Zelazny (Gahan Wilson) (re-re-&c-read aloud with Steve)
58. The Paladin, C.J. Cherryh (re-read) (e)
57. Fire Touched, Patricia Briggs (e)
56. Sweet Masterpiece, Connie Shelton (e)
55. Serpentine, Cindy Pon (e)
54. Mirabile, Janet Kagan (re-read) (e)
53. The Last Madam: A Life in the New Orleans Underworld, Chris Wiltz (e)
52. Monstress, Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
51. Marked in Flesh, Anne Bishop (e)
50. Peter Pan (Peter and Wendy), J. M. Barrie (e) (read aloud with Steve)
49. The City of Lightning, Kaja & Phil Foglio
48. Disenchanted & Co., Lynn Viehl
47. Tell me a Dragon, Jackie Morris
46. Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
45. Vision in Silver (e), Anne Bishop
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
Neckties, Contracts, High Mountains!
Audible lets us know that!
There’s a free excerpt available of the audiobook edition of Alliance of Equals. Here’s your link. Enjoy — and tell your friends!
I had planned to go to the ocean today, but that wasn’t possible, because Reasons. Steve and I did go cat-shopping (as opposed to shopping for cats), because one of the sisal-bound (you notice I say “one of”) scratchers has gone to that great sisal forest in the sky. So, naturally we need to replace it.
We knew what we wanted, we had found what we wanted on the web last night, but — we wanted to take a look at it before committing. According to the web, the item was available at PetSmart, so off to Augusta we went, to discover that —
You see where this is going, right?
Right. Plenty of devices made for the grooming of cat claws, but of the perfect scratcher there was no sign.
Since we were in Augusta, where there are two pet supply emporiums, we went down to the other one, but — no luck.
So, after stopping for lunch, we came home and ordered the dern thing off of the internet, anyway.
Neogenesis. . .stands at about 85,000ish words. Maybe. You know what I’m going to wind up doing, and so do I, and I might as well just make my bow, and Do It, instead of wasting energy trying to do it the other, more comfortable, way. But — old habits. Anyway. Back to writing scenes with an eye toward building bridges after I’ve written enough to know where everybody is, and when.
Next book — one character who sits in a room and pets his cat for 100,000 words.
Oh, no. . .wait.
About today’s blog title: AC/DC’s “Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap” has long occupied a Special Place in my Heart, which pretty much proves that I am Not a Nice Person. And the rendition that I know best includes, at the end of the third stanza, where our narrator is listing the services offered, he says:
Concrete shoes, cyanide, TNT
Done dirt cheap
Neckties, contracts, high mountains!
Done dirt cheap
Google Lyrics renders “high mountains” as “high voltage,” which just isn’t the same. And what does Google know, anyway?
So, I have used that line as I know it, for the blog title. And now? I’m going to send you to Joan Jett’s cover, which she ends at the bottom of the third stanza. Here’s your link.
#
“Indeed not!” Bechimo sounded scandalized. “It is the captain’s place to order for ship and crew.”
Books read in 2016
60. Arabella of Mars, David D. Levine
59. A Night in the Lonesome October, Roger Zelazny (Gahan Wilson) (re-re-&c-read aloud with Steve)
58. The Paladin, C.J. Cherryh (re-read) (e)
57. Fire Touched, Patricia Briggs (e)
56. Sweet Masterpiece, Connie Shelton (e)
55. Serpentine, Cindy Pon (e)
54. Mirabile, Janet Kagan (re-read) (e)
53. The Last Madam: A Life in the New Orleans Underworld, Chris Wiltz (e)
52. Monstress, Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
51. Marked in Flesh, Anne Bishop (e)
50. Peter Pan (Peter and Wendy), J. M. Barrie (e) (read aloud with Steve)
49. The City of Lightning, Kaja & Phil Foglio
48. Disenchanted & Co., Lynn Viehl
47. Tell me a Dragon, Jackie Morris
46. Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
45. Vision in Silver (e), Anne Bishop
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
The bread also rises
In this case, too much.
Having finally achieved mastery of my form in the Pullman Class, I decided, naturally, to vary. I thought that it would do no harm, and possibly significant good, if I were to make the honey-oatmeal-wheat bread that I’m partial to, and bake it in the Pullman Pan, thus creating Square Sandwich Bread.
So, I did that. The recipe for the honey-oat bread normally makes two one-pound loaves; the Pullman Pan accommodates one really big loaf. Things went pretty much as I expected that they would to the point where I put the bread into the oven.
With a Pullman Pan, you cover the bread for the first 25ish minutes of cooking, to keep the bread square, taking the lid off in the last 10 minutes in order to brown the top of the loaf.
When I opened the oven to take the lid off, I noticed that the bread dough had overflowed and there were curlicues of bread on the oven rack. Not good. I took the pan out in order to remove the lid — and it took Steve holding the pan and me pulling on the lid to finally get it off. The bread crust, of course, was torn.
Back the pan went into the oven for the final 10 minute browning, came out, thumped appropriately hollow, and went onto the cooling rack.
. . .and, as it began to cool, it began to. . .sag.
Experienced bread makers will know what this means.
Yeah, not done in the middle.
So, as an experiment, for Science!, we have a success, in that we tried. Obviously, if I wish to continue on this course, Tweaking will be required.
For the moment, then, since we’re writing a book and all like that, the honey-oat will go back to being baked in its two regular bread pans, whence it emerges tasty and, more importantly, cooked through. And I will continue to bake Pullman Bread for Steve, so that sandwiches can happen.
#
Writing has been going forth, with about 14,000 more-or-less usable words written in the last four days, which is, Ladies and Beans, what can happen when the calendar is clear and you turn off Facebook and Twitter.
It also helps if you know where this bit goes, because it’s one of the foundation shticks that convinced you to write this book in the first place. Run while the route goes downhill, and all like that.
For those who dote upon numbers, Neogenesis — by which I mean the melded Part One, and the still-under-construction Part Two — now clocks in at plus-or-minus 82,400. Which would be more exciting news if we were looking at a 100,000 word book, but at a projected length of 130/140,000 isn’t, so much.
Given the structure, I briefly flirted with SFWA’s lower limit for novels and an adding machine, but I’m not sure I can make it all come out even. And 160,000 words is a LOT of words.
#
Today, for the first time in a couple weeks, I go back to the gym, and hope not to collapse into a hacking heap on the treadmill. After, there are errands, while I’m in town and all, and then home, for the midday meal, and so to work.
Tomorrow, I get my hair cut, which is Long Overdue, and then things are pretty much clear on the calendar/writing front until November 6, which, in addition to being the Death of Daylight Savings Time, is our wedding anniversary. Not sure what we’ll do about that. Possibly put off the celebration until Tuesday (since we Early Voted), and run away from the news, upcountry.
End of the week is Comic Con, which will be fun for All the Usual Reasons, and also because I’ve Completely Missed ever being in the state of Rhode Island before.
So that’s today’s episode in the Exciting Life of a Writer.
Hope y’all are doing well — and welcome to November.
#
“Surely, you’ll do better to appeal to Captain Waitley in this matter?”
“Possibly so, sir, but — there’s a. . .complication.”
“Of course there is. There can be nothing other than complications, in Captain Waitley’s orbit.”
Books read in 2016
58. The Paladin, C.J. Cherryh (re-read) (e)
57. Fire Touched, Patricia Briggs (e)
56. Sweet Masterpiece, Connie Shelton (e)
55. Serpentine, Cindy Pon (e)
54. Mirabile, Janet Kagan (re-read) (e)
53. The Last Madam: A Life in the New Orleans Underworld, Chris Wiltz (e)
52. Monstress, Marjorie Liu and Sana Takeda
51. Marked in Flesh, Anne Bishop (e)
50. Peter Pan (Peter and Wendy), J. M. Barrie (e) (read aloud with Steve)
49. The City of Lightning, Kaja & Phil Foglio
48. Disenchanted & Co., Lynn Viehl
47. Tell me a Dragon, Jackie Morris
46. Feet of Clay, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
45. Vision in Silver (e), Anne Bishop
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
Friday morning advert
It’s raining in East Winslow, and aims to do so all day. So, fine. I have a section, ahem, “outlined” and words to go before I sleep.
In the meantime, your Friday morning adverts.
- Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (and a Cast of Thousands) will be at the Rhode Island Comic Con in Providence, RI, November 11-13. Look for us at the Wordfire Booth in the dealers room. Here’s your link
- “The Road to Pomona’s,” a new-old story, with author’s commentary, has been posted to Splinter Universe. Here’s that link
- Lee and Miller and the Liaden Universe® were spotlighted in the October issue of Locus Magazine. You can download a pdf of the article here.
- Speaking of the October issue of Locus, Alliance of Equals appeared in the Number 2 spot for bestselling hardcovers (in July).
- Alliance of Equals currently has 241 reviews on Amazon. Steve and I thank everyone who took the time to comment. It’s never too late to review a book on Amazon — any book on Amazon, not just ours — and by doing so you help the title, the writers, and other readers.
- The winter holidays will be here before you know it, and of course you want something Totally Cool to wear. This is where the Liaden Universe® store at Offworld Designs comes in. Polo shirts, long-sleeve denim shirts (in cool blue or formal black), the always–popular t-shirts, and! coffee mugs, which make a lovely gift for the hostess or host. Here’s your link.
- The Gathering Edge, the 20th novel-length Liaden Universe® adventure, will be published by Baen in May 2017.
- Neogenesis, the 21st novel-length Liaden Universe® adventure, has been scheduled for publication in January 2018.
- Steve Miller and Sharon Lee are currently scheduled to attend three science fiction conventions in 2017. They are: Boskone, February 17-19, 2017, Boston MA; Marscon (Lee and Miller, writer guests of honor), March 3-5, 2017, Bloomington MN; Confluence (Lee and Miller, writer guests of honor), August 4-6, 2017.
- Neogenesis, aka The Book Scheduled for January 2018 publication, now stands at 73,891 words, more or less.
As a reward for reading this far, here’s a snippet:
“Only think! I may call upon soldiers and specialists. You may call upon — forgive me — a gaggle of pilots. While they are very fine pilots, they are of little use to us in the absence of –“
Time isn’t holding up; time isn’t after us
So, I’m trying something…newish with Neogenesis. What I’m trying — it isn’t actually new, but it is stretching — codifying — something I naturally do in storytelling, mostly because of how I tend to think. Anyone who has tried to hold a conversation with me will know that I skip from here to there to over there, and back again, all the threads related, however tenuously, and interspersed with mini-stories. I’m told it’s exhausting.
Anyway.
For this book, I’m trying to take control of that tendency to bounce around and use it, consciously, as a solid structure. And, it’s kinda kicking my butt. I tell myself that at least it will be an unusual book. Unusual’s good, amirite?
In other news, annual medical exams have been take care of, car maintenance has been taken care of . Steve and I have voted. Sadly, this has not kept any political ads, or phone calls out of our sphere. There really ought to be a filter you can apply to your phone and your computer once you’ve done your civic duty, so you don’t have to be bombarded anymore. Somebody get to work on that, will you?
Today, I really ought to vacuum, and make the bed, too; but everybody’s sleeping so nicely. . .and it’s not like I don’t have anything else to keep me occupied.
Maybe later.
Oh. And today’s blog title is, of course, courtesy of Talking Heads; Once in a Lifetime. Here’s your link.
New-old Story up on Splinter Universe
Splinter Universe has been a little quiet lately. So! Just to prove to the landlord that we still live there: “The Road to Pomona’s,” by Sharon Lee, with author’s commentary, is now live.




