24 Nettle and Bone, T. Kingfisher (e)
23 Shadow of the Swan, Nicola M. Cameron (Hidden Empire #1) (e)
22 Amongst Our Weapons, Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London #9) (e)
21 To My Muse, Nicola M. Cameron (e)
20 Unfit to Print, KJ Charles (e)
19 When Blood Lies, C.S. Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr #17)
18 The Last Revival of Opal and Nev, Dawnie Walton (e)
17 Bruno, Chief of Police: A Mystery of the French Countryside, Martin Walker (Bruno, Chief of Police #1) (e)
16 Spellswept, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #2) (e)
15 Last Guard, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #5) (re-read aloud w/Steve)
14 Dragonsbane, Barbara Hambly (Winterlands #1) (e)
13 Naked Once More, Elizabeth Peters (Jacqueline Kirby #4) (e)
12 The Pride of Chanur, CJ Cherryh (Chanur #1) (e) (re-read)
11 Written in Red, Anne Bishop (The Others #1)(re-read)
10 Shadow Scale, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #2) (e)
9 Seraphina, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #1) (e)
8 Grave Reservations, Cherie Priest (Booking Agents Series #1) (e)
7 Gothel and the Maiden Prince, W.R. Gingell (e)
6 A Gathering of Gargoyles, Meredith Ann Pierce (Darkangel #2)
5 Crystal Lattice, Paul Aurelius (The Crystal Cities #1) (pre-pub provided by the author) (e)
4 The 5th Gender, G.L. Carriger (A Tinkered Stars Mystery) (e)
3 Magic Lessons, Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic #1 or #3, depending) (e)
2 Snowspelled, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #1) (e)
1 Widdershins, Jordan L. Hawk (Whyborn and Griffin #1) (e)
Category: Blog
Books read in 2022
23 Shadow of the Swan, Nicola M. Cameron (Hidden Empire #1) (e)
22 Amongst Our Weapons, Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London #9) (e)
21 To My Muse, Nicola M. Cameron (e)
20 Unfit to Print, KJ Charles (e)
19 When Blood Lies, C.S. Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr #17)
18 The Last Revival of Opal and Nev, Dawnie Walton (e)
17 Bruno, Chief of Police: A Mystery of the French Countryside, Martin Walker (Bruno, Chief of Police #1) (e)
16 Spellswept, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #2) (e)
15 Last Guard, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #5) (re-read aloud w/Steve)
14 Dragonsbane, Barbara Hambly (Winterlands #1) (e)
13 Naked Once More, Elizabeth Peters (Jacqueline Kirby #4) (e)
12 The Pride of Chanur, CJ Cherryh (Chanur #1) (e) (re-read)
11 Written in Red, Anne Bishop (The Others #1)(re-read)
10 Shadow Scale, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #2) (e)
9 Seraphina, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #1) (e)
8 Grave Reservations, Cherie Priest (Booking Agents Series #1) (e)
7 Gothel and the Maiden Prince, W.R. Gingell (e)
6 A Gathering of Gargoyles, Meredith Ann Pierce (Darkangel #2)
5 Crystal Lattice, Paul Aurelius (The Crystal Cities #1) (pre-pub provided by the author) (e)
4 The 5th Gender, G.L. Carriger (A Tinkered Stars Mystery) (e)
3 Magic Lessons, Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic #1 or #3, depending) (e)
2 Snowspelled, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #1) (e)
1 Widdershins, Jordan L. Hawk (Whyborn and Griffin #1) (e)
Procrastinators take note!
In six days (US), it will be May 3.
Why do you care?
Because on that day, Fair Trade by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, the 24th novel set in their Liaden Universe®, will be published!
You are encouraged to take any — or all! — of the following actions before May 3.
1 Preorder the ebook from the vendor of your choice, and start May 3 with that little happy thrill you get when you see a new book has downloaded to your ereader.
2 Preorder a signed hardcover from Uncle Hugo’s.
3 Preorder a hardcover from the bookstore of your choice.
4 Block out time to read Fair Trade, and make sure there’s plenty of food in the fridge, favorite beverages and snacks on-hand, because once you start reading, you won’t want to stop.
That was the week that was
When last we heard from Yr Hmbl Narrator, she was looking forward to eight glorious, empty days, with nothing to do but play on Tinsori Light.
And that’s sorta what happened. To a point.
I knew going into the week that I needed to complete my application to take part on panels at ChiCon 8, which is ohsomuch more complicated than you’re envisioning, and with a deadline involved, but I figured to pursue that project during my writing breaks.
It started out well.
Steve had a dental appointment on Monday, but my services as a chauffeur were not needed, so I stayed home and — wrote. Tuesday was also pretty good, right up to the point where we heard from the narrator for Liaden Universe® Constellation, Volume Two (coming soon from Tantor! link), who was requesting a Weird Word List and a recording of same.
This was great news! Only — Weeding through more than a dozen stories for the Weird Words consumes Serious Time, and — book isn’t going to write itself. Happily, I hit on the notion of asking for volunteers, and giving each of them one story to read. And — long story short — many hands quickly returned separate lists of Weird Words, which I was able to compile into a list over the next few days.
Meanwhile, in Wednesday, we took Belle to the vet for her annual wellness check, and, later that same day, Steve and I got long overdue hair cuts. The day was further livened by the arrival of 12 cases (240 books) hardcover edition of Fair Trade, for us to sign, repack and get ready to be picked up by UPS on Monday and given a ride to Uncle Hugo’s in Minneapolis.
While 240 isn’t a lot of books (back in the Meisha Merlin days, we signed thousands (yes, it’s true) and mailed them, too), but it’s a goodly number, plus I’m not a young thing of 50 anymore. So, we took some time to sign books, and box them back up — all done by Saturday evening, when I bore down and finished the ChiCon survey.
While Steve was signing the last two boxes of books, I recorded half of the Weird Word list for the narrator. While I was signing the last &c, Steve recorded the other half of the Weird Word list for the narrator.
Then, he boxed up the signed books, sealed the cases, attached the UPS forms, and in short got everything ready for Monday’s pickup, while I?
Finally got back to work on the WIP.
And discovered that my laptop has died.
Today, I’ve been writing. Sixteen hundred words on the day, so far, and Salvage Right has just broken 93,000 words. Support at System 76 has gotten back to me with a suggested course of action for the laptop, which I’ll pursue this evening, and tomorrow! Between 12 and 5, UPS will swing by and pick up 12 cases of Fair Trade and take them to the Uncle.
So, next week’s looking pretty good for writing — there’s some phone calls and Real Life stuff to deal with, and a Zoom interview with Baen host Griffin Barber on Thursday night, but pretty clear.
*fingers crossed*
I want to say that the cats have been very supportive during these unscheduled rushes and boxings. Trooper was particularly involved in the signing part of things.
Here’s a picture of Trooper, supervising Steve:
And here’s a picture of Trooper being removed from the signing table by Yrs Trly. For scale, I am six foot tall, and weigh 165 lbs. Trooper weighs just a thought over 17 lbs.
So! Now we’re all caught up. If you preordered a signed copy of Fair Trade from Uncle Hugo’s, you may commence waiting for delivery on May 2.
Fair Trade, the 24th Liaden Universe® novel
Fair Trade, by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, the 24th novel set in the Liaden Universe®, a space opera geography of their own devising will be published on May 3.
What, you may ask, does this mean?
I will tell you.
It means that on May 3, the book will be simultaneously published as a hardcover and an ebook, and you — yes, you! — will able to buy it at the vendor of your choice.
Before May 3, you may:
1 Preorder the hardcover from the bookseller of your choice
1a If you want a SIGNED copy of the hardcover, you may preorder it from Uncle Hugo’s only. Here’s your link.
2 You may preorder the ebook edition of Fair Trade from Amazon, BN, and other ebook vendors.
None of the above precludes any of the others. They exist simultaneously in time, space, and probability.
For those who consume audiobooks: No audiobook edition of Fair Trade has been scheduled. The person responsible for these negotiations tells us he’s working on it.
And that’s the entire contents of my head regarding Fair Trade, except, yanno — buy it, enjoy it, tell your friends!
Books read in 2022
22 Amongst Our Weapons, Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London #9) (e)
21 To My Muse, Nicola M. Cameron (e)
20 Unfit to Print, KJ Charles (e)
19 When Blood Lies, C.S. Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr #17)
18 The Last Revival of Opal and Nev, Dawnie Walton (e)
17 Bruno, Chief of Police: A Mystery of the French Countryside, Martin Walker (Bruno, Chief of Police #1) (e)
16 Spellswept, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #2) (e)
15 Last Guard, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #5) (re-read aloud w/Steve)
14 Dragonsbane, Barbara Hambly (Winterlands #1) (e)
13 Naked Once More, Elizabeth Peters (Jacqueline Kirby #4) (e)
12 The Pride of Chanur, CJ Cherryh (Chanur #1) (e) (re-read)
11 Written in Red, Anne Bishop (The Others #1)(re-read)
10 Shadow Scale, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #2) (e)
9 Seraphina, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #1) (e)
8 Grave Reservations, Cherie Priest (Booking Agents Series #1) (e)
7 Gothel and the Maiden Prince, W.R. Gingell (e)
6 A Gathering of Gargoyles, Meredith Ann Pierce (Darkangel #2)
5 Crystal Lattice, Paul Aurelius (The Crystal Cities #1) (pre-pub provided by the author) (e)
4 The 5th Gender, G.L. Carriger (A Tinkered Stars Mystery) (e)
3 Magic Lessons, Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic #1 or #3, depending) (e)
2 Snowspelled, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #1) (e)
1 Widdershins, Jordan L. Hawk (Whyborn and Griffin #1) (e)
Books read in 2022
21 To My Muse, Nicola M. Cameron (e)
20 Unfit to Print, KJ Charles (e)
19 When Blood Lies, C.S. Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr #17)
18 The Last Revival of Opal and Nev, Dawnie Walton (e)
17 Bruno, Chief of Police: A Mystery of the French Countryside, Martin Walker (Bruno, Chief of Police #1) (e)
16 Spellswept, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #2) (e)
15 Last Guard, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #5) (re-read aloud w/Steve)
14 Dragonsbane, Barbara Hambly (Winterlands #1) (e)
13 Naked Once More, Elizabeth Peters (Jacqueline Kirby #4) (e)
12 The Pride of Chanur, CJ Cherryh (Chanur #1) (e) (re-read)
11 Written in Red, Anne Bishop (The Others #1)(re-read)
10 Shadow Scale, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #2) (e)
9 Seraphina, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #1) (e)
8 Grave Reservations, Cherie Priest (Booking Agents Series #1) (e)
7 Gothel and the Maiden Prince, W.R. Gingell (e)
6 A Gathering of Gargoyles, Meredith Ann Pierce (Darkangel #2)
5 Crystal Lattice, Paul Aurelius (The Crystal Cities #1) (pre-pub provided by the author) (e)
4 The 5th Gender, G.L. Carriger (A Tinkered Stars Mystery) (e)
3 Magic Lessons, Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic #1 or #3, depending) (e)
2 Snowspelled, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #1) (e)
1 Widdershins, Jordan L. Hawk (Whyborn and Griffin #1) (e)
Writers’ Day Off
The weather forecast rain for the next, eh, six days, only yesterday was supposed to be cloudy and warmish.
So, we took yesterday off, and went down south to Ogunquit, a pretty little village by the sea.
The season isn’t quite in, so parking was Winter Well — aka free — at the public lot on Cottage Street. Steve and I alighted from Skylark the Subaru and walked out. The first thing Steve saw, after we’d crossed the street, was a sign that said, Footbridge to the Beach — so we did that.
There were people on the beach — barefoot children playing in the sand, their parents on beach chairs nearby. Lots of people, like us, walking, and staring, and walking some more. Ogunquit has a very interesting beach, and we were there at low tide, which meant we walking from the Norseman toward town center on the beach, rather than being forced by the tide to walk north, toward Wells.
Leaving the beach, we walked up to the village proper, where pre-season hours are in force at some places, while others were open. We stopped for tea cakes at Afternoon in Paris, bought chocolates at the chocolatier’s, explored the Village Market, and window-shopped.
We collected the car eventually and drove down to Perkins Cove to find that the public parking there was also on Winter Well, and had lunch at Jackie’s Too. Crab cakes, for those interested. Very good Maine crab cakes (this for those of us who grew up on the legendary Maryland crab cakes), with the interesting addition of (those who grew up on Maryland crab cakes may want to sit down for this next part) cheese in the mix.
After lunch, we walked around Perkins Cove, while the clouds congregated overhead. We got back to the car as the first drops began to spatter, and just over the town line into Wells when it began to rain in earnest.
Once home, we continued the theme. I did some embroidery, Steve read, we eventually had the evening meal, and so to bed.
Today, as predicted, it is raining. I have one, very brief errand to run out in Oakland, and then I’m in and writing for the next eight days, with two slight interruptions next Wednesday — to take Belle to the vet for her annual exam, and to get haircuts.
I’m aiming to finish Salvage Right by the end of April, so — off I go!
Ah, wait — have a couple of pictures from yesterday.
Fair Trade ebook up for preorder
Books read in 2022
20 Unfit to Print, KJ Charles (e)
19 When Blood Lies, C.S. Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr #17)
18 The Last Revival of Opal and Nev, Dawnie Walton (e)
17 Bruno, Chief of Police: A Mystery of the French Countryside, Martin Walker (Bruno, Chief of Police #1) (e)
16 Spellswept, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #2) (e)
15 Last Guard, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #5) (re-read aloud w/Steve)
14 Dragonsbane, Barbara Hambly (Winterlands #1) (e)
13 Naked Once More, Elizabeth Peters (Jacqueline Kirby #4) (e)
12 The Pride of Chanur, CJ Cherryh (Chanur #1) (e) (re-read)
11 Written in Red, Anne Bishop (The Others #1)(re-read)
10 Shadow Scale, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #2) (e)
9 Seraphina, Rachel Hartman (Seraphina #1) (e)
8 Grave Reservations, Cherie Priest (Booking Agents Series #1) (e)
7 Gothel and the Maiden Prince, W.R. Gingell (e)
6 A Gathering of Gargoyles, Meredith Ann Pierce (Darkangel #2)
5 Crystal Lattice, Paul Aurelius (The Crystal Cities #1) (pre-pub provided by the author) (e)
4 The 5th Gender, G.L. Carriger (A Tinkered Stars Mystery) (e)
3 Magic Lessons, Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic #1 or #3, depending) (e)
2 Snowspelled, Stephanie Burgis (The Harwood Spellbook #1) (e)
1 Widdershins, Jordan L. Hawk (Whyborn and Griffin #1) (e)