Writing – Page 21 – Sharon Lee, Writer

In which every cat’s an editor

When I make notes for a short story, I pretty often write them by hand, with a gel pen, on one of those cheap 8.5×11 inch so-called “legal pads” with the rough paper that takes the ink well.

Belle, as per Maine Coon Standard, has tufts of fur between her toes. She likes to paddle around in the cat water fountain with her big, hairy feet, and then jump onto my desk and wander over my papers before curling up for a nap.

These two factoids are related. And not in a Good Way.

*peers at smeared ink*

*peers at page beneath note page, also smeared with ink*

Sigh.

I guess it’s just as well that the story flipped, anyway.

So! I haven’t talked about my health here in quite awhile, you lucky people, you, but I did want to note that the new, higher dose of levothyroxine — that being the Whole Gig dose — is working a treat. I haven’t felt this well in. . .years, really. The random fall-asleep hasn’t happened for weeks, and I can actually get up in the morning when the alarm rings (though I often chose not to do so, because there is such a thing as taking it too far), and function, and my brain seems to be ticking right along (which, right enough, may be a mixed blessing for some, but I’m calling a positive from my side).

After Labor Day, there’s a follow-up visit with the vampyres, to quantify this, and I very much hope that the switch back to synthroid (mandated by the insurance company) doesn’t mess with success, but I am, at this point, very optimistic.

So, yanno: Yay!

New entries have been posted in the Do It Like A Delm Challenge. Here’s your link. Remember! This week’s entry deadline is tonight, Saturday, at Midnight EDT. Sunday we will announce the Winner of the Week, and Monday?

Monday we’ll start a new challenge round.

Today’s chores are almost done; I’ve got the grates and drip-pans soaking, but the rest of the dishes and the vacuuming are finished. Which means? The deck is cleared for working on that story this afternoon and evening.

Note to self: Research waterproof gel ink.

Hope everybody’s having a good weekend, wherever you are.

In which there is music, and words, and coon cats

A couple weeks ago, Steve and I were the delighted recipients of Violet, the first CD from the ensemble Reverie, of which includes Marni Rachmiel, who in addition to being a Friend of Liad, is a flutist. The story behind the CD is that, in early 2014, three musicians were doing what musicians do after a full day of making music; they were — making music together, as it happened, for the very first time. That jam session was a magical thing, in the way that music often is, and four months later, the three musicians — Karina Wilson, Terry Wergeland, and Marni Rachimel — all having cleared their schedules in respect of art, and magic, they met at a recording studio, with virtually no plans, except to recreate that first jam session, this time in a form that they could share.

The result of that is Violet, featuring seven variations on English Country dance music, three original compositions, and two free improvs. I wish I could tell you how much I enjoyed this album — well, here — I enjoyed this album, and it’s playing as I type this. If this sounds like your kind of thing — or even if it doesn’t, y’know, because life is risk, and risk so very seldom pays off so pleasantly — you might check out the Reverie Music Facebook page, here. Ordering information for Violet is also available. Here’s your link.

In other news, Steve and I have been story conferencing, writing, and rearranging. As of right now, The Gathering Edge stands at 12,343 linear words, many of them dealing with Theo, and another few thousand more regarding events that do not necessarily have to do with Theo. Steve is lead on this book; and he is concentrating on the Theo line. I am writing the around-pieces. Yes, this will be another woven book.

Tomorrow. . .is Monday. Tomorrow, therefore, I have a dental appointment, the office having come up with one somewhat ahead of September 29 — go office! After that. . .we shall see.

Hope everyone’s Monday is grand!

No, really, I do.

Here, have a picture of Steve and Scrabble, hard at work:

Detailing the Arrival of the Contractor and Other News of Note

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.

Thursday at the Cat Farm

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 Dragon and Alliance. 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.

That looks like a full day, right there.

What’re you doing that’s fun?

Getting ready to leave town

So, last night, Steve and I turned Alliance of Equals, the 19th novel in the Liaden Universe®, in to Madame the Editor at Baen.

This morning, we posted the seventh chapter of Shan and Priscilla Ride Again. Here’s your link.

Tomorrow, we’re getting on the Downeaster at Oh Ghod O’Clock, heading for Boston and the first stop on the Lightning Northeast Book Tour in Support of Dragon in Exile.

Today, we still need to do an InfoDump, pack, hand off the keys to the house-sitter — and I need to clean off my desk.

Why do I need to clean off my desk, you ask?

This is why:

Also? the milk crate in the bottom right of the picture is full of Alliance-related papers, too.

So! What’re you doing today that’s fun?

EDITED TO ADD:

Cabana boy! Fetch me my wine!

Even more shameless self-promotion

There’s an interview with Steve and me up on the blog for Annie’s Book Stop in Worcester. Here’s your link.

Also, if you haven’t read Necessity’s Child, you cannot categorically state that the authors did not tell you key things like where the agents came from or who the Bedel are. If you did read Necessity’s Child and you are still in the dark about these matters, then you need to re-read.

Also, also — Mouse and Dragon does include the first ever courier run for the good ship Ride the Luck, Aelliana Caylon, pilot-owner. The third such run is detailed in the short story entitled “Courier Run.”

Also, also, also — It is never wise to poke an author with a stick, but it’s especially unwise to do so when she’s on deadline.

Bonus also! There are many kinds of stories in the world, told at many different paces. Knock ’em, sock ’em thrill-a-second is one kind of story. Contemplative slow-moving rambles where nothing much happens during one perfect summer afternoon is another kind of story. Neither kind of story is wrong; they are simply different. A balanced reading diet will include many kinds of stories, and many genres, as a balanced food diet will include vegetables, and meats, and grains, and dairy. Diversity is not a bad word; it is a way of life. Or — you are what you eat.

And now, I’m going back to work, and Bast have mercy on the soul of the next person who disturbs me.

Quick update

EPIC thunderstorm came through while we were eating lunch. Lost 13 degrees and flooded the kitchen floor! You know your thunderstorm’s a success when the kitchen floor floods. The weatherbeans have us under a storm watch until 7:00 tonight, so we may have more excitement in our immediate future. Next time, though, we’ll close the kitchen door, even if the wind is amazing!

And! Because I know y’all are on the edge of your chairs: Update on the status of Alliance of Equals.

1. I have finished inputting all the correx. Manuscript now stands at more-or-less 102,638 words. Also? We have used up every sticky tab in the house.

2. The rest of today and tomorrow will involve writing and polishing the final scenes. (No, it’s fine. Really. Everything’s on schedule. Promise.)

2a. After we’re satisfied with 2, we’ll need to double-check if we need to go back and sharpen That Scene There, or if it plays well as it is.

3. Steve is putting the finishing touches on the Cast of Characters.

4. We anticipate a smooth compiling and that the manuscript will be on Madame’s desk on Monday. So we can, yanno, pack.

And that’s it. Situation normal. Except for the packing part. Also, I’m liable to spend a lot of our non-bookstore-time sleeping on this tour, because — end-of-book brain.

I’m turning the internets off now so I can get some work done. Y’all stay safe.

Progress and Press

The last half of Alliance of Equals is redlined, and I Figured Something Out, go me. Tomorrow will be All About the Keying In, and implementing That Which Was Figured Out, so I will not be much about the internets.

But! There’s an article in the Maine Edge about us, and the upcoming book tour. Here’s your link.

Postcards: Achievement unlocked! with bonus snark

Thank you, thank you, thank you! The postcards have all been spoken for, and will be making their appearances at cons and bookstores and book groups around the USA. We had one kind offer from Bury St Edmunds, which was very tempting, but I’m thinking the postage may be beyond us at the moment.

So, K. Tempest Bradford is writing today in IO9 in answer to an article in The Guardian defending “mega fantasy novels,” with the statement that you need the room to do proper worldbuilding. That worldbuilding cannot be done inside the borders of a short story. Which is. . .somewhat fantastic of itself. Part of Tempest’s response is a list of Really Good Short Stories that build worlds, too, with links (including “Eleutherios” by Lee and Miller). There’s a buncha yummy reading on this list that y’all really ought to check out. Here’s the link to Tempest’s article — and many thanks to Deborah Fisburn for pointing it out to me on Facebook.

There’s a discussion building on Facebook regarding the original article and the suppositions of the author thereof (here’s the link, though I’m not sure it will work for anyone who isn’t on Facebook). I’m reproducing my part of the conversation below, but not the comments of other people, because I don’t have their permission.

Sharon Lee Wow. Now I’ve seen/heard TWO professional authors, one an award-winning short story writer say: (1) There’s no room for characterization in short fiction and (2) There’s no room for worldbuilding in short fiction.
Clearly there’s room for both and a pony, too, if the author is so minded.
Perhaps they’re doing it wrong?

Sharon Lee Well, there’s this Magic Thing in fiction called The Telling Detail. Which allows authors to do characterization/world-building even in Very Tiny Spaces by picking one (or two, but we really don’t want to be wasteful) detail of the character/world that clues the reader into the fact that they’re not in Kansas anymore, and/or what this person is *like*.
It is, yes, very much about knowing what to leave out, and We Here in the Liaden Universe, as in Archers Beach, and in the Barrens use it a lot. *We* learned it from Georgette Heyer, being self-taught writers, but *surely* they must teach this stuff in Creative Writing Classes.

And, now?

I’ll be over here keying in the changes I red-penned yesterday. We need to take a break in the early afternoon so I can get a (long, LONG overdue) haircut, and do the podcast interview that was cancelled last week.

Then back with the manuscript for another round of editing.

Everybody stay dry.