Blog Without A Name

More bidness email dealt with. More laundry done. Amtrak convinced of the Rightness of Refunding the cost of two first class tickets from Chicago to Albany. Documentation supporting this assertion mailed, certified, return receipt, at the local post office. Cat belly scrubbled. Grocery shopping accomplished.

Ran into one of my former faculty members at the grocery store: “Sharon?” he said. I blinked up, saw the face, took a minute to place it…”Hi!” “You look,” he said, “great!”

So does living dangerously improve us all.

Time to collect Steve, who has been dealing with bidness of his own, and hit the kitchen for some lunch. At some point realsoonnow, we’ve got to (re)establish a working schedule around this joint.

…that’s all I got. For those who are going to DragonCon — travel safe, and have fun!

Progress on Guaranteed Delivery

236 words/10,000 OR 2.36% complete

Light bloomed inside the treasure room.

Where was I?

Minneapolis, I believe.

So! We had a grand time on Saturday signing at Uncle Hugo’s, followed by a pleasant dinner with some local fans at It’s Greek to Me, after which we all adjourned to Scott and Irene’s house for chocolate fondue, vitamin dog, and more conversation. We reluctantly left the festivities to pack up again and fell into bed for +/- four hours sleep.

Sunday morning, Scott valiantly picked us up at ‘Way Too Early and drove us to the Amtrak Station, where in due time we boarded the Empire Builder to Chicago.

We had hoped that our timing was good, and that the Lake Shore Limited would take us up and put us down again at Albany-Rensselaer on Monday afternoon.

Alas for hope.

Amtrak was taking passengers only as far as Toledo, Ohio. At that point, quoth the lady at Customer Services, we were on our own; Amtrak had no responsibility (yes, yes, I will be calling Amtrak. Tomorrow, I’m guessing). We could, alternatively, stay three, or possibly four, days in Chicago at our own expense, until Amtrak could fit us into existing trains once it was judged safe to approach the East Coast more nearly than Toledo.

We opted to go home.

Once again, the cellphones proved their usefulness. From the first class lounge in the Chicago Union Station, we called the Radisson Park Inn in Toledo, where Josh set us up with a room, the number of the closest rental car establishment, and arranged to send a taxi to the train station for us. Well done, Josh; we appreciate your efforts on our behalf.

Monday morning, after about four hours sleep, we rose, breakfasted, and called a cab to take us out to Kistler Ford and the Hertz store, where we picked up a white Honda Civic, and got the hell outta town, heading east on I80.

We drove fourteen hours — about seven hundred miles — including encountering a Gap in the Proceedings on I90 just short of Albany, which meant a loooooong detour to Binghamton, and across the river that way, arriving at the Fairfield Inn in East Greenbush New York about four a.m.

We grabbed another four hours’ sleep, and hit the cellphones again, trying to determine if the train station was open, so that we could retrieve our car, which was parked in the covered lot.

The stationmaster at Albany-Rensselaer did not answer the phone, repeatedly. I finally called the local police station, where the dispatcher assured me that the station was open, and off we went again, to ransom Binjali, shift over all our luggage from the Civic, and then drive another howevermany miles to the Albany airport, where we turned said Civic back into the Hertz Corporation with half-an-hour to spare.

“You drove over seven hundred miles since yesterday at noon,” Manual, the Hertz rep, said to me. “That’s crazy.”

Um, yeah.

I bundled into Binjali and Steve drove us home. The cats are being clingy, but apparently satisfied. There was no hurricane damage at our house, or even signs of anything more than a heavy downpour, with a little wind.

Today has been spent sorting — clothes from the trip, snail mail, email, phone calls — and napping (twelve hours’ sleep over the last 72? Most of the awake hours fueled by sugar and caffeine? No wonder my eyes keep crossing). Tomorrow, we need to get back to work. Oh, and I should call Amtrak.

But right now? Mozart needs his belly rubbed.

At the moment, I’m in Minneapolis with my lovely and talented groom. We’re catching up on bidness before grabbing a light lunch and heading across the street to Uncle Hugo’s to say hi to Pat Wrede, who is signing Across the Great Barrier. After Pat finishes up, we’ll take her place behind the table, from which position we hope to sign bunches of Ghost Ship. If you’re within range of Uncle Hugo’s, please do come by to see Pat and us.

Tomorrow, ‘way early, we’re due to catch a train to Chicago, and from there we’ll punt, since much depends on where Irene is in her dance up the East Coast and if Amtrak considers
Albany to be in the Northeast Corridor.

Fans of Scrabble and Mozart will be relieved to know that their auxiliary minion is making all reasonable and prudent arrangements for their safety and comfort. As the auxiliary minion is well-known to be reasonable and prudent, especially in the matter of feline safety and comfort, we may with perfect confidence leave matters in her hands.

Prior to Minneapolis, there was a WorldCon, in Reno, where we met lots and lots of Liaden fans, participated on panels, had several working dinners, attended the SFWA meeting, and bought a corset. Well, I bought a corset, which Steve is now in charge of lacing up, if I ever want to wear it again.

Friends of Liad Angie, Deb, Shawna and Thuy did incredible work at the Liaden Universe® fan table and put on a super FoL party, as well as a Liaden Open House. We are very much in their debt.

After WorldCon, we got on the California Zephyr, which was late, and got later, until I ran out of patience with BNSF’s complete disregard of passenger trains in favor of moving empty coal trains, unlimbered my cellphone, talked to a puzzled but willing reporter at AP and a very nice dispatcher at BNSF in Austin, Texas, I believe. It was nice that I had something to do, since were were fourteen hours late getting into Chicago, where thank ghod we had a hotel room waiting. We got to use said hotel room for a four hour nap and showers before we were due back on a train — the Empire Builder — bound for Minneapolis, where Mickie kindly picked us up at the station and drove us to the Midtown Sheraton, aka temporary Confusion Factory headquarters.

Yesterday, we slept in, and had lunch at Pham’s Deli in the Global Market before reporting in to Mr. Blyly, who put us to work personalizing pre-ordered Ghost Ships. We then returned to Temp Headquarters, crashed, took care of bidness, had dinner and crashed again.

Kudos to Sheraton desk personnel in Chicago and in Minneapolis, for helping to make the transition from fraught train travel to restful napping places smooth and easy. A special thank-you to Manager Andy Finsness for the free bike tickets, the laundry detergent, and the cabernet sauvignon. And a heartfelt thank! you! to e-leaven deli in Chicago for not only producing breakfast on demand, but for wrapping us up a wonderful turkey sammich on pumpkin sage bread to eat on the train.

…I think that brings y’all up to date. How’ve things been going in your part of the world over the last couple weeks?

Magic Under Glass, Jaclyn Dolamore (e)
Silver Borne, Patricia Briggs (e)
Warrior Sheep One: Quest of the Warrior Sheep, Christine and Christopher Russell
Phoenix Rising, Pip Ballantine and Tee Morris (e)
Crown Jewels, Walter Jon Williams (e)
Explorer, C.J. Cherryh (read out loud with Steve)
Defender, C.J. Cherryh (read out loud with Steve)
Bond of Blood, Roberta Gellis (e)
Inheritor, C.J. Cherryh (read out loud with Steve)
I Don’t Want to Kill You, Dan Wells
Invader, C.J. Cherryh (read out loud with Steve)
Library Wars Volume 1: Love and War, Kiiro Yumi
The Perilous Gard, Elizabeth Marie Pope
Edie Ernst, USO Singer — Allied Spy, Brooke McEldowney
Silver Phoenix, Cindy Pon
Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson (e)
Foreigner, C.J. Cherryh (read aloud with Steve)
Betrayer, C.J. Cherryh (read out loud with Steve)
Right-Ho, Jeeves, P.G. Wodehouse (e)
American Rose, Karen Abbott
The Bull God, Roberta Gellis (e)
Sin in the Second City, Karen Abbott
Of Blood and Honey, Stina Leicht (e)
The God Engines, John Scalzi (e)
Or Else My Lady Keeps the Key, Kage Baker (e)
Unseen, Rachel Caine
Total Eclipse, Rachel Caine
Weight of Stone, Laura Anne Gilman
The Story of Chicago May, Nuala O’Faolain

For those who care about such things, brand-new Liaden Universe® novelette “Kin Ties” is now live! on the intertubes! right here.

Enjoy!

In the woods at the edge of a farmland, there lived a wolf. Hunting had been thin of late and his ribs showed through rough fur.

One evening, the wolf was prowling along the edge of the forest, looking, he said to himself, for deer, though in truth he would have settled for a mouse, or even a vole.

In the shadows up ahead, something moved. The wolf’s heart leapt — and fell, because it was no deer that moved toward him out of the dusk, but a sleek brown farm dog, out for a bit of a ramble.

“Well met, cousin!” the dog called to the wolf. “It’s been some time since we’ve talked.”

“So it has,” the wolf said resignedly, as the dog came close.

“Why, cousin, whatever has befallen you?”

“The hunting’s been a little thin,” the wolf said. “It’ll pick up eventually. It always does.”

“Starving can’t be good for you,” the dog scolded. “You know, you can be as well-fed as I am, if you’ll follow my advice.”

Now, generally the wolf didn’t think much of the dog’s intelligence. On the other hand, he could hardly dispute that the dog was in fine shape, while he…might not survive the winter.

So, he made himself humble and he said to the dog, “What must I do?”

“You must bark when a stranger approaches.  You must snarl at beggars, growl at thieves, and fawn on the people who live in the house. Do this, and you will get as much as you can eat, and more, as well as clean hay to sleep in, and a box to keep off the rain.”

This sounded almost too good to be true, and yet, the wolf said to himself, the dog was well-fed.

“To whom should I apply?” he asked, trembling at the thought of so much benefit in return for so little effort.

“Because we are cousins,” the dog said loftily, “I will sponsor you to my master. Come along and I will do so now.”

The wolf fell in beside the dog. They passed out of deep wood shadows into the twilight of the field-edge and there the wolf saw something alarming.

“Cousin!” he cried. “What has happened to you? Your neck — the fur is quite worn away, and the skin is chafed and raw!”

“Oh, that’s nothing,” the dog said. “Don’t mind it.”

“But, what has caused this?” demanded the wolf, thinking perhaps a thief hadn’t cared to be growled at.

“It’s only the mark of my collar,” the dog said, a little sharply. “Where my master fastens the chain.”

“What? Can you not wander as you please?”

“Of course not,” said the dog. “But that’s of no mind. My master lets me off the chain to ramble…quite often.” And he started off again, but the wolf didn’t move.

A few paces out, the dog stopped and looked over his shoulder.

“Well?” he said. “Aren’t you coming?”

“No.” The wolf shook his head. “Not at all. Never.”

And he turned around and ran back into the woods.

Better to starve free than be a fat slave
–Aesop

Liaden Universe® InfoDump No. 90
To WorldCon we shall go…

Free Reading! Coupon Offer
1. “Intelligent Design” will be retired from the Baen front page on Monday, August 15, to make way for a brand! new! story! Once it is retired, “Intelligent Design” will be added to the free eBook compilation of front page stories, which can be downloaded here.

2. “Kin Ties” will be available for free reading at Splinter Universe on August 12 (that’s Friday!). To help people who may not have read its elder brother, “Changeling,” we (that’s Steve and Sharon, acting as Pinbeam Books) are offering a more-or-less half-off coupon for the eBook. This coupon is Smashwords-specific. All you need do is go here, choose your preferred format and use coupon code KB93Q (not case sensitive) at checkout. The coupon will expire on August 12 (yep, that’s still Friday).

Bestseller Lists!
1. A friendly bookseller lets us know that Ghost Ship has hit the Bookscan Bestselling SF List for the week of August 1. Which isn’t too bad for a book with a pub date of August 2. 

2. Speaking of Ghost Ship — there’s a nice review at SFRevu

3. Also! The editors at Amazon.com (why does a bookstore have editors? No, on second thought, I don’t want to know) have chosen Ghost Ship for inclusion in their Fall Reading Preview   (http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=br_lf_m_1000535991_grlink_6?ie=UTF8&plgroup=6&docId=1000535991)

4. Even cooler, Uncle Hugo’s has posted its bestsellers for July, with Ghost Ship at the top of the list — but that’s not the cool part. The cool part is that of the 12 bestselling trade editions for July, Lee and Miller books hold 11 spots, cheated — cheated! — of a full house by the presence of Warrior Sheep #1:  The Quest of the Warrior Sheep. (Note to self: Get a copy of Warrior Sheep #1)

5. Proving that mere planetary divides such as oceans and hemispheres mean nothing to those who call deep space home, Ghost Ship appears on the bestseller list at Galaxy Bookstore in Sydney, Australia.

WorldCon or Bust!
1. We (that’s Steve and Sharon) are going to be traveling for a few days, with a WorldCon at the end of it. This means our access to Things Internetly will be limited, first by the conditions of the train and then because we’ll be enjoying the con. So! If you should see Ghost Ship or any other Lee and Miller book or story on a bestseller list, or see a review (Amazon reviews not counting), sing out, do!

2. While we’re traveling (see #2, above) we’ll be keeping in touch somewhat via Twitter and Facebook. To join us on Twitter and share the news: Liaden Universe fans & Friends of Liad at and before the convention should try #liadens for news; @Clankorval is Sharon Lee, @bechimo is Steve Miller.

Twitter may be most useful for non-attendees for catching glimpses of the Worldcon action at Renovation where it looks like several dozen Friends of Liad will be joining the fray for a FoL fan table, parties, FoL breakfast, Lee & Miller kaffeeklatsch, L & M signings, and more. You can check up on the schedules of the intrepid Cat Farm and Confusion Factory contingent by looking over the (ahem) 70 plus page Pocket Program downloadable here.  There are some day rate and at the door memberships still available if you just can’t resist a late decision, or know someone who can make it in your stead.

3. Watch the skies — most WorldCons produce at least one Marvel or Wonder, and some produce both.

But wait, there’s more!
On SATURDAY, August 27, from 2:30 until 4 p.m. Steve and Sharon will be signing Ghost Ship (and other books. Yes, you can bring books you already own to be signed and/or personalized) at UNCLE HUGO’S SCIENCE FICTION BOOKSTORE AT 2864 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55407-1320. For more information, check out the Uncle Hugo’s site. A local meal or two with readers and fans is also likely.

Can’t make it to WorldCon?
Lee and Miller will be Guests of Honor at the following upcoming conventions — maybe we’ll see you at:

THE GREAT NEW ENGLAND STEAMPUNK EXPOSITION
September 16-18, 2011
Courtyard Marriott/Central Massachusetts Expo Center
Fitchburg, Massachusetts
http://www.thegreatnewenglandsteampunkexhibition.com/index.html
Steve and Sharon will be Guests at this Steampunk Extravaganza. Other attending luminaries include but are not limited to Abney Park, Phil and Kaja Foglio, and Jake von Slatt.

CHATTACON 37
January 20-22, 2012
Chattanooga Choo Choo
1400 Market St
Chattanooga, TN 37402

Chattacon

Chattacon is a classic southern convention that Steve went to several times in very early incarnations — but hasn’t been back to for more than 30 years! This year coming, as for the last several, the convention will be held at Chattanooga Choo Choo — a train station turned into a hotel — a destination worth a trip all by itself! GOH list includes Steve Miller and Sharon Lee, Laura Anne Gilman, John Picacio – Artist GoH, Rachel Caine – Special Guest, and Mark Van Name – Toastmaster

Support your local bookstore
Uncle Hugo’s: http://www.unclehugo.com/
University Bookstore: http://www.bookstore.washington.edu/services.taf?dept=about&category=loca
Pandemonium Books: http://www.pandemoniumbooks.com/
Missing Volume: http://www.themissingvolume.com/
Borderlands: http://www.borderlands-books.com/
Dream Haven: http://www.dreamhavenbooks.com/
Flights of Fantasy: http://www.fof.net/
Mysterious Galaxy: http://mysteriousgalaxy.booksense.com/
Constellation Books: http://www.constellationbooks.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp
Children’s Book Cellar: http://www.indiebound.org/stores/childrens-book-cellar

All of the above folks do mail order and take want lists.

Blogs and other webly things of note:
Theo_Waitley is the discussion group for readers of Fledgling and Saltation: http://community.livejournal.com/theo_waitley/

Where Dragons Rest: http://community.livejournal.com/liaden_readers/

Steve Miller’s blog, Journeyman: http://kinzel.livejournal.com/

Sharon Lee’s blog, Eagles over the Kennebec: http://rolanni.livejournal.com/

SRM Publisher blog: http://srmpublisher.livejournal.com/

Sharon Lee’s “Professional” blog: http://sharonleewriter.com

Splinter Universe Discussion List: http://splinterverse.livejournal.com

Facebook Connections — please feel free to add us!

http://facebook.com/kinzel — Steve Miller

http://facebook.com/rolanni — Sharon Lee

Liaden Interest Groups on Facebook
Clan Korval: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=38719490864&ref=ts

Friends of Liad: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=16280839259&ref=ts

Flaran chamenthi: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=2213414696&ref=ts

GoodReads
Sharon’s Author Page:http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/57980.Sharon_Lee
*Steve’s on Twitter*: http://twitter.com/bechimo

*Sharon’s on Twitter, too*: http://twitter.com/ClanKorval

DISCLAIMER STUFF
This InfoDump is a product of the Liaden Universe®, accept no imitations. You have received this message because you asked for it. If you wish to subscribe to the Liaden Universe® email list, go: http://www.fireopal.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/liadenuniversenews

Still sick, but I got ’em on the run. *eyes saltwater gargle wearily*

Because I slept all day yesterday, I did not fulfill my goal of completing the last of the workshop papers, nor did I dig a hole in the Cat Garden. Today, it’s raining, and Steve has respectfully — not to say, reasonably — suggested that we conduct a Proper Burial after our world travels are through. Below, therefore, a Revised To-Do List.

In case one has missed the announcement elsewhere, there is a teaser up at Splinter Universe for “Kin Ties,” which goes live — anyone?

Yes, excellent! “Kin Ties” goes live on Friday.

And, now, to work.

To-Do Before Leaving for Reno
1. Finish critiquing the submissions for our section of the WorldCon Writing Workshop: 1, 2, 3
2. Do prep for the panel I’m moderating
3. Make sure The Leewit has the latest edition of George on her SDcard, and the notes for “Guaranteed Delivery”
4. Write an essay with Steve. Must isolate a topic.
5. Have and recover from pre-departure panic attack
6. Pack, which includes “do laundry”
6a. Find all pertinent wires
7. Upload “Kin Ties” to Splinter Universe
8. Turn over keys, house, and felines to cat sitter

1. Remember that “Intelligent Design” will be retired from the Baen front page on Monday, August 15, to make way for a brand! new! story! Once it is retired, “Intelligent Design” will be added to the free eBook compilation of front page stories, which can be downloaded here.

2. “Kin Ties” will be available for free reading at Splinter Universe on August 12 (that’s Friday!). To help people who may not have read its elder brother, “Changeling,” we (that’s Steve and Sharon, acting as Pinbeam Books) are offering a more-or-less half-off coupon for the eBook. This coupon is Smashwords-specific. All you need do is go here, choose your preferred format and use coupon code KB93Q (not case sensitive) at checkout. The coupon will expire on August 12 (yep, that’s still Friday).

3. A friendly bookseller lets us know that Ghost Ship has hit the Bookscan Bestselling SF List for the week of August 1. Which isn’t too bad for a book with a pub date of August 2.

4. Speaking of Ghost Ship — there’s a nice review at SFRevu

5. Also! The editors at Amazon.com (why does a bookstore have editors? No, on second thought, I don’t want to know) have chosen Ghost Ship for inclusion in their Fall Reading Preview

6. Even cooler, Uncle Hugo’s has posted its bestsellers for July, with Ghost Ship at the top of the list — but that’s not the cool part. The cool part is that of the 12 bestselling trade editions for July, Lee and Miller books hold 11 spots, cheated — cheated, I say! — of a full house by the presence of Warrior Sheep #1. (Note to self: Get a copy of Warrior Sheep #1)

7. Proving that mere planetary divides such as oceans and hemispheres mean nothing to those who call deep space home, Ghost Ship appears on the besteller list at Galaxy Bookstore in Sydney, Australia.

8. We (that’s Steve and Sharon) are going to be traveling for a few days, with a WorldCon at the end of it. This means our access to Things Internetly will be limited, first by the conditions of the train and then because we’ll be enjoying the con. So! If you should see Ghost Ship or any other Lee and Miller book or story on a bestseller list, or see a review (Amazon reviews not counting), sing out, do!

. . .To the best of my knowledge at the moment, that’s all the news that’s fit to print. Now, I’m for the couch and the workshop papers, which I will finish today.