The mason and his crew have arrived, a day early, and are already engaged in taking down the old chimney in order to build a new. The cats have. . .vanished into the safety of the basement. Trooper did come back upstairs briefly, to ask me if we needed reinforcements. I assured him that we had this, and he departed again for the depths.
In other news, the last piece has fallen into place and we’ll be taking a road trip to New Hampshire later this week in order to pick up Belle and bring her to Maine. Belle has just recently been retired, and spayed in April. She is Sprite’s mom, so we’ll have a whole little nuclear feline family with us.
For those interested, you can see Belle’s baby pictures here.
Yesterday, Steve celebrated the beginning of summer by hanging twinkle lights back up in the kitchen. This is a new set of lights; they’re purple, where the last string had been clear. It gives a nice glow of the evening, and I can’t begin to tell you how very, very glad I am to have twinkle lights in my kitchen again.
I was occupied for a little while yesterday answering a lengthy email from the cover artist for Alliance of Equals, who had finished reading the manuscript and had many interesting questions to ask.
For those who have been burning to know what I thought of The Martian and why I read “so many” books by CJ Cherryh, someone asked and I answered, here.
And! A local landmark has made the newspaper. A very interesting and in-depth article about the Bob In, a Waterville bar with a. . .checkered history, to say the least. Here’s your link.
All that said, I guess I’d better get something going for breakfast, as woman does not live by caffeine alone.
Slept late, had a leisurely breakfast with my lovely and talented spouse of many years, finished up such raking as I can do of the pine chips under the deck, sat for a while in the Cat Garden, which came All Over dandelions while we were away and is pretty much going to be Jungle this year, and considered the notion that I need to bury Mozart’s ashes. Came inside and brushed two coon cats, also giving one a front-paws manicure. Sat down at the computer to see what I might like to write next — Steve is lead on The Gathering Edge, since — solely my own fault! — I was lead on DragonandAlliance. Been thinking about indulging myself with another Archers Beach novel, or maybe finishing up the third book in the mystery trilogy, or, yanno, writing another story about Tommy Lee, since he has at least one, and possibly two, more owed him.
My brain, however, informs me that it’s forgotten how to write.
Well.
This is always a scary event, though it happens — or least, has happened — to me frequently. I’ve always had to have time to recharge after finishing a novel, and both Dragon and Alliance were very difficult books to write, in life situations that were unique, but similarly challenging. Still, yes, scary, because, though my brain has, historically, and eventually, remembered how to write — what if, this time, it doesn’t?
What? I’m a writer; I can find angst in a bowl of corn flakes.
So! Today’s schedule, seeing as there’s no writing getting done at this desk, save a blog post and a couple of outstanding emails, today’s schedule includes going into town to deposit a reimbursement check and pick up whatever the heck prescription CVS is on about, researching local builders of garages, and also home improvement loans. That’ll be fun. For recharge, I’ll spend some time with my current book — A Little Princess, which I somehow have never read, though I’ve probably re-read The Secret Garden at least 50 times. Lovely sentences. Need to figure out how to see some stories, too — so! also today need to research internet streaming services and costs.
Milford, New Hampshire, I think. Yes — we had a great time talking with the science fiction readers group at Toadstool Books’ Milford location on Thursday.
On Friday, our intrepid and very patient driver conveyed us to Annie’s Book Stop in Worcester, where we talked with a SRO crowd of avid Liaden readers, some of whom had traveled from the far kingdoms of Connecticut and Boston and New York state. We had a great time, and returned to the hotel tired, but happy.
Saturday, we shifted residence again, to our old standby, the Fairfield Inn, in East Greenbush. From there, we visited Northshire Books in Saratoga Springs, where I could have happily spent the day, but duty called. We spoke to a small crowd of familiar faces, and I got to talk about The Telling Detail in public, which is always a pleasure, and so back to base and a late dinner at, yes, Denny’s. (Fish. And salad. Honest, for those who fear for our longevity when we dine out: We’ve made it this far, after all.)
Sunday afternoon, we had a pleasant lunch at Maria Perry’s house with the Flights of Fantasy book club, before removing to the store, where an amazing number of people waited for us, considering that it was a Truly Gorgeous day.
We were very lax on the photographic side this time — if anyone has pictures from any of our events, we’d love to see them! Kate Reynolds took this picture of us getting ready to read from Dragon in Exile.
Everybody seemed to have fun — we did! Many books were signed, and eventually we wended our way back to base, said a fond farewell to our noble driver, and retired to Denny’s for dinner (Chicken Bourbon — we split what Denny’s fondly believes to be one serving. We did sin slightly by taking a slice of cheesecake (one, which we split) back to the room for a late dessert). Returning to the room, we packed, I read, Steve perused Facebook, and so early to bed, in anticipation of Monday’s adventure.
Lee & Miller prepare to read. Flights of Fantasy June 7, 2015. Photo by Kate Reynolds
Yesterday. . .was Monday. Enterprise Rent-a-Car responded nobly to our 7:30 a.m. call, and sent Billy to pick us and our luggage up and take us to the East Greenbush location in order to fill out paperwork and take charge of the keys to a sleek black Jeep Compass, which we proceeded to drive north to Brunswick. We reclaimed Kineo from Amtrak long-term parking, turned the Jeep back to the Enterprise location on Pleasant Street and beat feet to the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory, with a short stop at the Waterville Hannaford to pick up a few groceries.
Trooper and Scrabble were on paw to greet us upon arrival. Sprite left her Ivory Tower as we were putting the groceries away, and. . . we shall, gentle reader, draw a curtain over the intimacies of the joyous homecoming.
This morning was about sleeping late, and getting the receipts in order to send on to the publisher, and skritching cats. Steve has been a ball o’fire, and has already started the laundry. This afternoon after lunch (salad!), and possibly a nap, will be about paying the bills that arrived while we were gone, and balancing checkbooks, brushing cats (all of whom swear that Mary did not brush them; or anyway, she did, but not The Right Way) and perhaps peering cautiously at the 200+/- legitimate emails that are waiting for my attention. Or maybe I’ll take up a corner of the sofa and read The Martian, which I’m finding Very Slow, but not quite irritating enough to give up on. Honestly, though; if the hero of this novel had been a woman? It would have been dismissed as a Mary Sue of the Highest Order. Also — cardboard characters, much?
. . .I think that catches me up.
So! What’ve y’all been doing for the last week?
Steve Miller, Kate Reynolds (modeling one of the original Liaden t-shirts), Sharon Lee. Photo by Jim Bride.
May I just say? That when I accompanied Steve to his cardiologist appointment this morning, I did not expect to spend. . .a significant part of the hour talking with the doctor about unhappy doglets.
So! The day started much too early, as will tomorrow, because we decided that we must, indeed, go see the house at Archers Old Orchard Beach. This will mean, among other pleasant things, that Steve will drive and I will give my hands a day off, which they really, really need.
Today, the Early Adventure was, as above, the cardiologist, after which we betook ourselves to CVS in order to receive our shingles shots and to pick up a few things, including a prescription. Thence, to the post office inside of a brilliantly sunny and very, very windy day.
How windy was it? you ask. It was so windy that there were at least a dozen dust devils playing gritty tag with each other in the post office parking lot. Dust devils (or, in season, snow devils) are itty-bitty little tornadoes that pick up dust and grit and paper trash (and snow). Sometimes, they get big enough to loft quite sizeable pebbles and pine cones and such. Rarely, they get big enough to flip over a mobile home. They’re extremely localized, though, again, you might occasionally see one walking down the street, paper fluttering around it like long white sleeves.
Anyhow, these today were of the itty-bitty variety; not really up to anything more than grit, and there were, as I said, quite a number of them, which I played dodge with on my way across the parking lot to the post office.
On the return trip, I was hurrying, and failed to see the devil until I had actually stepped inside of it.
One of the weirdest, coolest feelings of my life.
First step, it got A WHOLE LOT WINDIER than it had been just a step back, and a ton of sand was thrown in my face.
Second step, there was absolute stillness; a complete absence of grit, and movement that was startling and a little scary while also being. . .enchanting.
Third step, REALLY WINDY with GRIT.
Fourth step — I’m out.
. . .I kinda wanna do that again. . .
The rest of the errands were accomplished with verve if not actual style. We have eaten a very early lunch indeed, and it’s now time to get to work, even though the cats are whispering, “sleep. . .sleep. . .”
This is a picture of Trooper right before he shoved all those papers, and the book he’s leaning on, off the desk and onto the floor, so he could stretch out.
EDITED TO ADD: “Chimera” is now up on Baen.com, starting on the first page and jumping inside, and! the book has been claimed. Thank you all for keeping the Story Watch!
Busy few days, and a busy few more ahead. I shall sum up.
On Wednesday, I did in fact have a doctor’s appointment. It was both irritating and puzzling, but the important thing is that we managed to forge a plan of action that meets the needs of both of us. So, that.
Also on Wednesday, we looked at a house. The house was. . .not as advertised. We were disappointed; our realtor was. . .annoyed.
Also! on Wednesday, someone was scheduled to look at our house at 4:30, so we dutifully left the premises at 4:00, only to receive an email at 4:27 from our realtor, letting us know that the buyers had cancelled. We were in Augusta by that point, so we stayed at the Barnes and Noble for a while, looking at books and wondering when in ghod’s name the Fashion for Dystopia will have run the course.
We had a cup of soup and split a sandwich at the BN Cafe, then headed back to Waterville, because! On Wednesday, we had tickets to the second sold-out showing of The Last Unicorn (which I had never seen), at Railroad Square Cinema, with Peter Beagle himself on-hand to answer questions.
We had fun, the movie was good, and we got home late and over-caffeinated.
Moving on. . .
Thursday was a working day, until the arrival of the mason early in the evening. He slung his ladder up over the eaves, walked across the roof and confirmed, by picking up bricks, and throwing down nuggets of mortar that, yes, indeedy, we do need to replace — that’s replace, not repair — the chimney. As we had summoned him because we’d found bricks in the lawn, this wasn’t exactly a surprise.
Today, is a working morning, then a short trip out to — wait for it! — look at a house — then back for the second shift. My intention is not to budge from this house over the weekend, and finish up the manuscript. We all know what they say about intentions, right?
Also, today! Is the beginning of the period when “Chimera,” a Liaden Universe® short story, may appear on the Baen.com front page. As advertised on Twitter, the first person who alerts me to the presence of “Chimera” on the Baen front page will win! a rare Russian edition of Crystal Dragon, signed by the authors.
And that? Catches us up.
Oh, except for Sprite.
Sprite was helping me edit yesterday’s chapter this morning:
Sprite helping with the editing
Then, she got curious about the camera:
Hey! Whatcha doin?
Today’s blog title brought to you by James McMurtry, “Rachel’s Song.” Here’s your link.
You may have heard the rumor that we’re writing a book here in East Winslow. Well! The rumor’s true, and work continues. Yesterday’s project was to frog about 5,000 words (thanks to Brenda Clough for this very useful word, “frog”), and to wander around the house wailing and rubbing ashes in my hair, finally to gather with Steve at the kitchen table for two hours of serious staring at each other, interspersed with sentence fragments, after which I repaired to my office to make several pages of dense notes. I also identified the section that needs to be built up in order for this other section here to work, and the place where I forgot to put back in a scene that I took out because it was in the wrong place the first time.
Today’s project is to fix both of those problems and to get with the notes.
Yesterday, we also signed 180 books. Today, we will sign the remaining 60, and commence in to personalizing 68, after which we will tape up the boxes, affix labels, and on Monday call UPS to make a pickup.
Today we will also view two, perhaps three, houses in the Greater Waterville Megaplex. I’m in the mood to choose one of the three and Have Done, so it will be Steve’s job to Be Prudent.
Yesterday, we also had the Dead River guy, who repositioned the propane tank, which had been displaced by the Snows of Winter, leveled it, and replaced the cutoff valve which had been savaged by ice. It’s interesting to note that, when a particularly intense CLANG! came forth from the work site, Sprite ran back to my office, to take shelter in the Safest Spot — which would be Grandpa Mozart’s place under my desk.
I may have forgotten to mention the other day that, when I had my height taken at my annual, I was found to no longer be six foot tall. I’m now a paltry 70.75 inches tall. I suppose no one will look up to me now.
TomorrowOn Monday I shall visit the vampires, which means that tomorrowtonight I shall fast, and then I will come home to write some more.
Tomorrow, then, being Sunday, will be a Day of All Writing.
Procrastinators Take Note: You are at deadline. This is not a test; this is an actual, real-world deadline. Tomorrow, Friday, May 1, 2015.
Those of you who have been meaning to pre-order a signed and personalized copy of Dragon in Exile, the eighteenth novel in the Liaden Universe® by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, the hour is upon you. Now is the time to go to Uncle Hugo’s ordering page and order your book. Use the blank box on your order form to type the personalized message you would like us to write in your book. Be careful! Proofread! Because we will write exactly what you put in that box, unless: (1) It is, in the sole judgment of the authors, too long, or (2) It offendeth us.
For those who do not desire a personalized book, but would like to have a signed edition — carry on. Uncle Hugo’s will continue to take orders for signed copies until the signed copies are gone. I believe that Mr. Blyly ordered in 200 copies, total. They may go fast, or they may go slow, but when they’re gone, there aren’t any more.
For those who doubt that this fabled volume exists, here is proof:
Steve opens a box o’dragons
All righty, then.
In other news, Argent the Wondercar, Steve’s 2002 silver Subaru Forester was retired yesterday. We’ll be a one-car family for a bit, which has certainly been done before, while Other Things sort themselves out. And the repercussions of Uncle Sam taking more than half of our last check of last year just keep on repercussing. Gah.
Let’s see, what else is doing?
Oh!
As illustrated above, our authors’ copies of Dragon in Exile arrived yesterday, and a handsome book it is.
Several people have asked, and — yes. I will be doing an accountability post about Patreon just as soon as the first check comes down, for the illumination of donors, and also to assist anyone who may be thinking of setting up a Patreon account, but would like to see how things play out in Real Numbers.
Speaking of Patreon — it’s not very easy to find other Patreon accounts, unless I’m doing something really wrong. I’d’ve thought there’d be a cross-referencing system of some kind, so that people who like to support bands, or writers, or artists could find more of the Sort of Stuff They Like, but it does not seem to be so.
I seem to have lost my pedometer, which. . .sort of sucks. I hope Princess Sprite didn’t knock it under the stove. OTOH, I have a whole bunch of stuff to do while sitting down, so I guess it’s not that much of a loss at the moment.
And! The Question of the Hour: Steve and I are starting to think about how we ought to structure our “book signings,” which are actually events where we do a little performance, and then sign books. Last time, we gave a history of the universe’s publishing history, took questions and signed books. I don’t think we even read from the book — which would have been Trade Secret.
So, the Question: What should we talk about this time? Or — if you were coming to one of the stops on our book tour, what would you want or expect to hear? Do you like author readings? Is there something regarding the Liaden Universe® or the writing life that you’d particularly like to hear about? Now is the time to put your question(s) forward. We want your input.
. . .and now? Time to turn off the internets and go to work.
Here — have some cat pictures:
Sprite holding the dragons downScrabble did not want to have her picture takenTrooper, on the other paw, was ready for his glam shot
On Friday, Steve took his car, Argent, the 2002 silver Forester, to the shop to “get a sticker” as we say here in Maine. Except, Argent did not get a sticker this year, and the reason is two words: Salt Rot, which has eaten through the underside of the chassis and perhaps the gas tank itself. Steve will be taking Argent for a second opinion next week, but right now it’s looking like Argent’s days are numbered, indeed.
Yesterday, we went down south to look at houses. Six houses, three-and-a-half hours. I was Completely Exhausted by the end of it, and in awe of our real estate agent’s patience and fortitude. Also, we did not find our dream house.
We did come home to find money in the mail: royalty checks from our essay in Dragonwriter: A Tribute to Anne McCaffrey and Pern. My half will cover the purchase of a new corn broom; Steve says he’s using his to buy a lobster dinner.
I may have been remiss in mentioning that the galleys for A Liaden Universe® Constellation, Volume 3 arrived on Friday. I proofed the first story this morning.
Tomorrow morning, Chapter Two of Shan and Priscilla Ride Again will be posted to Splinter Universe. If you haven’t been following along, two outtake chapters, the prologue, and Chapter One, are all awaiting you. You can start here.
If you haven’t seen this posted elsewhere: Cheyenne Wright is the colorist for Girl Genius since Volume Five, and his work really brings the art to life. Cheyenne and his family have also been mired in the Compleat Stupidity that has been 2015 thus far, and he is reaching out for help. If you’re so motivated, and you’re able, please do what you can. Here’s the link.
Tomorrow, I have an appointment with the radiology department of my local hospital, so I may be somewhat scarce.
So yesterday Steve had a doctor’s appointment, after which we achieved K(entucky) F(ried) C(hicken) for a take home lunch (hot grease and salt still do the trick, and that’s the second KFC meal in four months. Given that KFC is the Ultimate Comfort Food, and reserved for times of stress, we’ll hope that the next is a long time in the future).
After lunch, Steve hit the mattress. I finished getting the InfoDump in order, then sacked out on the couch, where Trooper joined me. May I just say? Trooper gives excellent nap.
Once we were all awake again, we reviewed one of our favorite documentary films, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, before supper, read aloud a chapter of Chanur’s Legacy, and so to bed.
A strenuous day.
Today, there is checkbook wrangling, and writing, and laundry on the schedule.
Several people have written to ask me this question; I am therefore posting the answer here in hopes that it will find others who are baffled by reading the sample chapters for Dragon in Exile. Which are here, free for the reading.
Rys Lin pen’Chala figures prominently in a novel entitled Necessity’s Child, published in February 2013 by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller. This novel is currently available from Baen, as a hardcover, a paperback, and an ebook. It is also available as an audiobook, from Audible.
If you gave Necessity’s Child a miss because it was only a side book, you will, yes, have missed Rys entirely.
* * *
So, yesterday, we ventured forth in the snow to do a spot of house-hunting with our agent. We went armed with three houses, one at the lower edge of our price range, one in the middle range, and one at the top of our range.
I had thought, going in, that the middle house would prove to be an acceptable compromise, despite it was an older house (most of the houses in this part of Maine are older houses; they built ’em to last, back in The Day). As described, it had much of what we’re looking for in a house, including a sun porch, two offices, a bedroom, and two baths.
Sadly, it quickly became clear that the middle house was. . .not for us. So much for my powers of precognition.
The lowest priced house had plenty of space, was wired for a generator, and had a backup heat source (belt-and-braces, a Maine tradition!). No sun porch, but a ginormous back yard, and what are reputed to be “extensive gardens,” which we couldn’t see, because — snow. It needs what our agent refers to as “updating”, but we could move in without, and then “update” around ourselves. The trouble with that being freelance income. We’re really, really trying to come up with a house that can run what it brung. This may not be realistic of us, but, really, trying to buy a new house isn’t particularly realistic of us, either, so why not shoot for the moon?
The high-priced spread was. . .very nice, indeed: Sunroom, dual furnace (oil/wood), fireplace with a stove insert, nice, workable kitchen, plenty of good cat windows, half-finished basement — everything goomeki. Except — at the top of what we can theoretically afford.
So. . .the hunt continues.
Today, I need to write one more scene for the as-yet titleless story, so it can sit for a couple days before we do a cold read. I should also pack some more boxes for the archive, so we can get rid of the pile at the end of the hall before Sprite declares it her summer fortress.
In other news, BN tells me that our copy of Tracker will arrive via UPS tomorrow.
In the meantime, the experimental $500 Patreon goal has, as of this morning, hit $1,166, via the kind subscriptions of 149 Liaden readers. Thank you all. (Here’s the link, if anyone would like to stare in wonder at that number.)
