Blog – Page 228 – Sharon Lee, Writer

Be chivalrous to strangers you meet along the road

In which we prove that writing is a science.

Or not.

Astute readers will recall that I reported having broken 40,000 words on Book the Next on Monday evening.

Yesterday, I had what we’ll call A Better Idea, ripped out about 6,000 words, wrote 4,000 new ones, cut/pasted/re-worked a few existing bits, and! Realized a net loss of only 1,800 words.

Result: Book is stronger (I think), but 40,000 is once again ahead of me.

Answers to more questions received in Roll Call.

*I can probably Reveal the raw number of Roll Call answers at the end of June

*Roll Call is pinned to the top of Blog Without a Name until the end of June in order to give everyone who reads a chance to see it and respond, if they so desire. Some folks only check in once a week or twice a month, and we are at summer (for some of us), and people are on vacation

*The Roll Call was not mirrored on LJ because LJ has ongoing problems with spam, and I have had to sternly restrict the list of people who can post there. And, yanno, I wanted all the answers in one place. Thank you for your patience and understanding

*Nope, you are in no way obligated to read Blog Without a Name instead of Eagles Over the Kennebec. In most cases, content appears on both sites

*Returning for a signing at the Uncle’s in Minneapolis is, perhaps, in the future. Steve and I will be guests of honor at Marscon in Bloomington, next March and have been talking with Don about when would be best for us to come visit him while we’re in the area

In theory, yes, the new story goes live on Baen.com today. I stress that this is Only A Theory; I have not have confirmation of this from the folks who would know best. Also! I am scheduled to vanish into my volunteer gig for most of the day, so will be out of pinbeam range. So — you’re kinda on your own, here. Happy hunting.

Progress on Book the Next
38,191/100,000 OR 38% complete

The delmae, like Liadens had it. Smart woman, as far as he’d ever heard. Haz had a high opinion, but then, Captain Robertson, as she’d once been, was twice a hero in battle, and that was the kind of thing that would count for somebody with Haz’s bringing up.

Today’s blog title brought to you by Warren Zevon, “Ourselves to Know,” because, really, who can resist a rock song about the Crusades? Here’s your link

And I think to myself, What a wonderful world

Thanks to everyone answering the roll call. As I said in the original post, I am keeping the responses private. That means they won’t show up on the blog page.

Many people have taken the time to write me a note, or ask a question. Below are answers to those questions, in no particular order.

*Yep, still have the stone turtle; he hasn’t gotten any bigger, though.

*The book format that earns us the most is a moving target. By contract, we are paid royalties at a rate of 50% of cover, for ebooks; 25% of cover for hardcovers; 8% (I think — too lazy to get up and open the file cabinet) for mass markets to a Certain Point, when it goes up to 10%, and, at another Certain Point, rises to 12%, where it remains Forever; and I forget for trade editions.

*No, I don’t necessarily demand an answer every time “you” click onto the blog. In fact, I don’t demand any answers, really. Except for certain Special Projects, of which this Roll Call is one.

*Yay! The extra foreign language editions have found a good home in a school.

* No, I am not going to be shutting the blog down anytime in the near future.

*I’m not really sure that Theo would enjoy lace on her sleeves. She doesn’t strike me as a lacy-sleeve kind of girl.

*I doubt that Maine Life will commission Jen to do a piece about Archers Beach, as the author has Her Reasons for keeping those two Maines separate.

*No, I haven’t seen the video of the Buggati changing colors. I’ll look for it; sounds cool.

*Haven’t given any thought at all to the “next set of five.” We still have two books left on this set of five, and then two books on the next contract. We’ll see where we are when those obligations are met.

In other news, “Wise Child,” a Liaden Universe® novelette is, I believe, scheduled to appear on Baen.com this week. Possibly on Wednesday. So, yanno. Watch the Skies.

With the end of today’s work session, Book the Next has broken 40,000 words, which is pleasant to contemplate, at least for a couple minutes.

Tomorrow is primary elections, here in the State of Maine. Why, yes, we did long ago caucus for the presidential candidate; our primaries apparently address in-state housekeeping. Or do I mean house-cleaning?

Also, I am surrounded by coon cats. Who are asleep. I’ll foil their nefarious scheme by removing to the kitchen for the evening meal.

Progress on Book the Next
40,004/100,000 OR 40% complete

“Will you stare all day, sir?”
“May I?” he returned, opening his eyes wide.

Today’s blog post is brought to you by Louis Armstrong, “What a wonderful world.” Here’s your link.

Books read in 2016

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

Roll Call

I’m going to pin this to the top of the blog until the end of June. That means that any new posts will appear under this note. Thanks for your patience and understanding.

Why a roll call, you ask?

Good question.

As Steve and I go to and fro on the earth, I often meet people who tell me that they read my blog. Some read it for the cats, some for writing/publishing news, some because they feel a connection and like to check in with what Sharon and Steve are doing — all fine reasons to read, and thank you. (The cats would thank you, too, if they were, say, dogs.)

But here’s the thing: Apparently not everyone feels comfortable commenting on various blog posts. And that leaves me in something of a pickle. About the only way I can tell if this blog is reaching anyone is through reader engagement (yes, I have a stats page, and can read the hits, but that’s. . .not as satisfactory as it could be).

So, here’s what I would like you — yes, you — to do for me.

If you read here, would you just post a message in reply to this note? You don’t have to introduce yourself, or say anything at all beyond, Hi, or Yo, or Present. . .

I will keep the replies private so as not to embarrass or endanger anyone. I do reserve the right to use the raw number of replies in relevant discussions with publicist, and/or editor, type people.

Thank you very much for your help, your interest, and your care.

In which the writers goof off

So, yesterday. . .was too nice a day to stay inside and adult, so we decided to play hookey. It was, mind you, a brisk and breezy day, with Interesting Clouds against an azure sky. It was, in fact, much too breezy to go to the ocean and be in any way comfortable, so we cleverly went to Greenville.

Which is situated on the banks of an inland sea known as Moosehead Lake.

Duh.

It was 60F/16C when we left home, with a pleasant breeze, the aforementioned Interesting, and blue! sky.

At Greenville, it was 46F/8C with a strong breeze whipping directly off the water and into your face — yeah, yours, too.

Also? The town was, for our intent, at least, Not Open. Tomorrow, said the guy at the outfitter/internet cafe we stopped at, hoping for, yanno, a cafe — tomorrow, the place would be hoppin’. Well, one hopes so, for the sake of the town.

For our ownselves, We’d missed Auntie M’s, where we had more-or-less planned to lunch, by 20 minutes, the shoreside restaurant had, by the looks of it burned out over the winter, we did not wish to feast upon Chester-fried chicken in the car, so lunch was tuna salad in those weird little squishy white-bread finger rolls that Mainers do so love out of the Indian Hill Hannaford, which, alone in all of Greenville, was doing a booming business.

Allow me just to say here that fleece is a marvelous invention, and I don’t know what we ever did without it.

We decided against shopping at the Indian Hill Trading post, adjacent to the Hannaford, and, after our sandwiches were done, motored on home through Shirley, and Monson, and Guilford, and all, returning at last to the Metropolis of Waterville, where we took on groceries and stopped at the post office.

Speaking of the post office! If Candace reads here (and evidence indicates that she must), In the Teeth of Evidence, and Hangman’s Holiday arrived yesterday. Thank you very much.

We finished up the day of non-adulting by (me) reading for a couple hours, and (Steve) watching the ball game on the computer, after which we dined on grilled cheese and minute steak sandwiches, and read Chapter 12 of Visitor to each other (Chapter 12’s kinda long, so I read +/- half and Steve read the rest).

This morning, we went to gym, and I made pork-and-rice casserole for lunch, improvising! cream-of-something soup, of which we had none, by stirring some warm broth into about a cup of sour cream and pouring that over the pork chops. Worked fine.

Now, it’s time to get to work, by which I mean getting Hazenthull into trouble. When I mentioned to Steve that this was today’s goal, he said, “Well, that should be easy,” so, yanno, time to find out if it is.

Hope everyone is having a lovely Friday and that there’s a day — or at least an hour or two — of not-adulting scheduled for the coming weekend.

Updated Book Tour Dates

There has been a change in our book tour schedule. Short form: Pandemonium Books had a scheduling conflict, so we will not — that is NOT — be visiting them on this tour.

The new! improved! Alliance of Equals book tour looks like this:

July 5, 7 pm: Flights of Fantasy, Albany, NY
July 8, 7 pm: Annie’s Book Stop of Worcester, MA
July 9, 2 pm: Toadstool Books, Milford NH
July 14, 7 pm: Pandemonium Books, Cambridge MA Cancelled
July 16, 2 pm: Children’s Book Cellar, Waterville ME
August 14, 2 pm: Barnes and Noble, 1920 N. Rock Road, Wichita, KS

Captain Jack was a young man, when he went to sea

Well, we were going to go to the ocean today, but — rain. Also, exhausted. Maybe Thursday.

In the meanwhile, I do believe that all the train tickets and motel rooms have been reserved for the Big Northern Kingdom Alliance of Equals Book Tour. Details here.

Steve is in the Comfy Chair, reading The Gathering Edge, ably assisted by Belle. I have Trooper and Scrabble assisting with travel arrangements in my office. Warrior Princess Jasmine Sprite, Scourge of Field Mice, Suzerain of Toys, and Mistress of the String is, I believe, downstairs in her Princess Tower.

After lunch I’ll sit down with Book the Next (previously Fourth of Five), now that all of the various lines are sorted to my satisfaction. There’s maybe 5,000-ish words that might belong in Five of Five, but I’m going to keep them, until I’m surer of directions. In Theory, Next is due to Madame on August 15, which means I have most of June, and most of July before me. August is pretty much cut up with traveling There and Back Again, with a WorldCon in the middle. Well. We’ll see how matters progress over the next four weeks.

And, apropos of nothing other than my magpie mind, I need to find a ribbon or a piece of leather cord. At BaltiCon, a friend gave me a tile necklace that has a graphic of a dragon on one side, and, on the obverse, my favorite side, the Shakespeare quote, “Come not between the dragon and his wrath.” However, it’s only strung on a piece of green bakery twine, which you just know is gonna break, and I won’t know it, and I’ll lose the tile.

adds ribbon to list

So! back to the word factory.

Progress on Book the Next
37431 / 100000 (37.43%)

“So he’s been downgraded from menace to joke?”

Today’s blog post comes from one of songs that was the inspiration for Carousel Seas, “Captain Jack and the Mermaid.” Here’s your link.

Part of the water garden at McKelden Plaza, Light Street, Baltimore

Books read in 2016

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

In which it’s time to start the next book

So, today I read what there is of Book the Next, formerly Fourth of Five.

. . .it’s not bad.

It is, of course, all in narrative chunks by character. Structure-wise, it may stay that way. Or not. I still have about a quarter-zillion pages of hand-written notes to go through, but the happy news is that the action in The Gathering Edge — which y’all won’t get to read until next May — actually fills a vexed hole in the story lines, instead of Making Moot All that Has Been Written. I really wish my back-brain would get me the memos on this stuff before I decide that I’m the least competent author in seven states.

In other news, it’s Quite Warm here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory. All three of the coon cats were in the living room with me, early, helping to read the manuscript. Because of the creeping warmth, I had revolving occupation of my lap, starting with Belle, who was replaced by Trooper, who was replaced by Sprite. Right now, Trooper and Sprite are assisting me in my office, where the lights are out, the fan is on, and the windows are open. The good news is that the weatherbeans are calling for a much cooler tomorrow, which is great, though I’ll note that the average daily temp for the next ten days is tending toward warmer, rather than cooler.

Oh, well. I suppose it has to be summer some day. Or even two.

In addition to reading the manuscript for the next book, Steve and I have been making plans and reservations for the Alliance of Equals Northern Kingdom Book Tour, in July.

For those who came in late, the schedule for that tour is:

July 5, 7 pm: Flights of Fantasy, Albany, NY
July 8, 7 pm: Annie’s Book Stop of Worcester, MA
July 9, 2 pm: Toadstool Books, Milford NH
July 14, 7 pm: Pandemonium Books, Cambridge MA
July 16, TBA: Children’s Book Cellar, Waterville ME

Also! Because people have been asking — “Wise Child,” a new Liaden Universe® novelette, will be published to Baen.com on or around June 15.

Because we haven’t done enough driving in the last four days, I’m toying with the notion of driving down to the ocean on Tuesday, in order to stay out of range of Politics. Right now, though, Tuesday’s weather downcoast includes thunderstorms, but, yanno — it could change.

In the meanwhile, I guess I’d better take a look at those notes. . .

The glamour. . .

Added to today’s to-do list:
Take Kineo the Wonder Subaru in to town to have her State inspection done. Yes, that is the State inspection that was to have been done in May. Happily, Mr. Smith, in town, has a 1:00 slot open.

Also added to today’s list:
Go to the town office and pay the excise tax on Kineo the Wonder Subaru. Why, yes! That was supposed to have been done in May, too.

What? I was busy!

Today’s to-do list therefore looks like this:

Promo copy — due today! (Steve is lead on this; I’m on second)
Print out and read “Wise Child,” one! more! time!, keeping an eye out for Really Egregious Errors
Print out the first 30,000-ish words of Book The Next and read it
Do something about the laundry other than wince
Vacuum. My ghod, where did All This Fur come from?
Get Kineo’s State Inspection done
Pay excise tax and get shiny new May 2017 stickers for the license plate

. . .that’ll do.

Here, have a picture of Steve practicing dance at the Light Street Waterworks (I have no idea what its proper name is):