Tag: life after the apocalypse

Rufo’s Box — 1st unfolding

Wednesday. Anything Can Happen Day, but we took care of that last night.

This is a quick post before I go off to the Arts Center for a change-of-venue Deep Writing Session.

So, first! Thanks to everyone for your congratulations.

1. Yes, I will be attending BaltiCon.

2. Yes, I’ll try to schedule a Friends of Liad breakfast, lunch, tea, something. I obviously don’t have a schedule yet — except that I’ll be busy at Opening Ceremonies — so I can’t say when yet. It’s good to recall here that BaltiCon is at the end of May and we are presently at the end of February.

3. Yes, I know there are typos and errors in the press release. It’s BSFS’s press release and Fair Play says that you use the press release as it comes in.

4. Nope, I don’t know how I’m getting to Baltimore yet. The New! Improved! Plan! has me driving and hitting the Corning Glass Museum (remember that plan?) on my way home. This is probably the third or fourth plan I’ve had regarding travel since I knew I’d have to be in Baltimore.

5. No, the cats are Not Impressed. This is, after all, why so many writers have cats. They keep our egos in check.

That’s the quick news from the Confusion Factory.

How’s everybody doing this morning?

Sharon Lee Wins 2025 Robert A. Heinlein Award

For Immediate Release: February 25 2025
From Baltimore Science Fiction Society

Sharon Lee Wins 2025 Robert A. Heinlein Award

Sharon Lee, novelist, is the 2025 winner of the Robert A. Heinlein Award. The award is bestowed for outstanding published works in science fiction and technical writings that inspire the human exploration of space. This award is in recognition of Ms. Lee’s body of work of over 38 novels and short stories. A majority of her space themed work is in the Liaden Universe®, written with her late husband Steve Miller, and features merchant families trading across the galaxy. The next Liaden Universe novel, Diviner’s Row, is forthcoming from Baen Books in April 2025.

The award will be formally presented during opening ceremonies on Friday, May 23, 2025 at 8:00 PM for Balticon 59, the 59th Maryland Regional Science Fiction Convention. Balticon will take place at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel in Baltimore Maryland. Ms. Lee will participate in the Balticon program across Memorial Day Weekend.

Balticon and the Robert A. Heinlein Award are both managed and sponsored by The Baltimore Science Fiction Society, Inc. BSFS thanks The Heinlein Society and the family of Dr. Yoji Kondo for providing funding for this award.

The Robert A. Heinlein Award is a sterling silver medallion bearing the image of Robert A. Heinlein, as depicted by artist Arlin Robins. The medallion is matched with a red-white-blue lanyard. In addition, the winner receives two lapel pins for use when a large medallion is impractical, and a plaque describing the award for home or office wall display.

The Robert A. Heinlein Award selection committee consists of science fiction writers and was founded by Dr. Yoji Kondo, a long-time friend of Robert and Virginia Heinlein. Members of the original committee were approved by Virginia Heinlein.

Virginia Heinlein authorized multiple awards in memory of her husband. Other awards include the Heinlein Prize, which is fully funded by Virginia Heinlein’s estate, and a National Space Society award for volunteer projects.

More information on the Robert A. Heinlein Award, including past winners, can be found at www.bsfs.org/bsfsheinlein.htm

Sharon Lee maintains an official website at https://sharonleewriter.com/

More information on Balticon can be found at www.balticon.org

To contact the Heinlein Award liaison at BSFS, email dale@bsfs.org

Sharon Lee lives in the town of Waterville in the state of Maine, USA.

I have only come here seeking knowledge

What Went Before:  Well! That was a productive running of errands. The only thing I didn’t get done was getting the car washed, because the entire city had that same idea.

I have One! Gotten my ears (re)pierced, a chain shortened and fitted out with magnets.

Two! Stopped at Holy Cannoli. Because I am Weak. Bought a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie bigger than my head (so I can have a cookie to eat while I’m baking cookies), and also a ginormous chunk of spinach lasagna, which is at least two meals and maybe three.

Three! Bought too much stuff at the grocery store, including Maine Root root beer, because if you’re going to buy things you don’t really need, buy the Good Stuff. I noted with dismay the lack of eggs and the thinness of milk. Saw two people I haven’t seen for more than a year. One was Steve’s former boss at the library, who introduced me to her grandkids, one of whom is taller than I am. The other was the guy who had owned our neighborhood liquor store when we lived in Waterville, and I did tear up talking to him — sorry, Joe, but no, I’m not really getting “accustomed.”

Four! Checked the post office box. No mail.

Five! Got home in time to greet the FedEx truck, which offloaded two packages, neither one of them my keyboard.

The oven is now heating so that it will be worthy to receive lasagna. I’ve already scheduled a haircut, and Trooper’s annual wellness check with the vet.

Tali is not sure I live here, even after the other three cats came to give me welcome-home bumps.

Sometime later:  500ish words written on my lovely repaired keyboard, which brings the total WIP in its various pieces to +/-10,600 words.

Trooper is insisting that Happy Hour is late, but he is not yet correct.

I made a batch of cookies, so the Rolanni Red Alert is no longer in force.

Tali is willing to have me live here if I’ll feed her. Of course, she says that now.

Oh! There were three cats in the picture; Trooper was in the copilot’s seat in my office.

Tuesday. Grey but warm. Trash and recycling at the curb.

Woke up at 6, attended to necessary business and went back to bed for another hour and a half. Apparently, I had too much excitement yesterday. I’m still a little fuzzy, so I’m thinking today is going to be the comfy chair in my office, a pad of paper and a pen. Jen Sin still hasn’t opened his mail. That! Man!

Breakfast was large and late: last of the leftover potatoes fried with onion and leftover sausage. Lunch will be (no really) the slice of store-bought quiche that was deferred yesterday in favor of lasagna. We Have A Theme.

Finished reading The Sign of the Dragon by Mary Soon Lee last night.  I see that Destiny’s Way from Jack Campbell downloaded this morning, which — you can’t get any more perfect timing than that.

Tali is starting to demand my lap, and is willing to fight Rook for the right. This is a little problematic, being as the household is down a lap, and everyone has lap rights. She is willing to share, which is interesting, and may be workable, if Rook can be made to see the advantages.

Today’s to-do, as above — mostly a writing day, with sides of one’s duty to the cats and remembering to eat lunch.

What’s on your to-do list?

Today’s title brought to you by The Police, “Wrapped Around Your Finger”

Below two pictures:  Rook’s selfie, and a picture taken to demonstrate to Alma Alexander that, yes, the cats do use the ring-bed on the floor.  When they want to.

This ain’t no kind of living for an honest workin’ man

Monday. Dim and cool. Temps said to be heading for 38F/3C.

Breakfast was a blueberry muffin and brie. Cup of tea to hand. Lunch will likely be some of the store-bought quiche.

We here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory are in a state of emergency — Rolanni Code Red. There are no cookies in the house.

No, I don’t know how this was allowed to happen, either. I suppose I’ll just have to do what Steve did when there weren’t any cookies in the house and! bake some.

Today I have phone calls to make and errands to run. Also, perhaps, some writing to get done. When last seen, Jen Sin had just arrived in his office and does not yet know that there’s a delightful letter from Shan awaiting him, and I really don’t want to keep him too long from his treat.

Yesterday’s conversation with Eileen Stevens was delightful, as always. We have another chat scheduled for Tuesday evening.

For those coming in late — Eileen is narrating Diviner’s Bow, which will be coming from Audible. We don’t have a date yet, but given the drop-deadline for the first cut, the best guess is close to the release of the hardcover.

Meanwhile, in another part of the jungle, Alex Picard will be narrating Ribbon Dance, which, it says here, is to be published by Tantor on August 12.

I do see Ribbon Dance in Audible’s catalog of Liaden books (link scroll to the bottom, just under Diviner’s Bow), so it looks like folks who buy their books from Audible will be able to download it from their Usual Supplier.

Note: The above constitutes the Entire Contents of My Head regarding upcoming audiobooks. If you have Questions beyond what I’ve told you, I can’t answer them. No, really; I can’t.

In so-called Real Life, Informed Delivery, FedEx and UPS all say that I’ll be getting deliveries today — no, wait! tomorrow! Er? Maybe? Sometime?

Of course, the thing I most care about — my keyboard — seems to have gone missing entirely, after apparently sampling the night life in Tacoma WA for a week. And I’m apparently taking delivery of another package from Petco, which — I think Petco has lost count, somewhere. Not that I’m about to turn back cat litter; it’s not going to go bad, after all.

So, the adventurous and slightly confused life of a writer.

How’s your life this morning?

Today’s title brought to you by Jude Cole, “Start the Car”

How many cats are in this picture?

He picks up a bus and he throws it back down

What went before:  Lots of staring out the window today. Which counts! Only you it doesn’t show up in the word count, which at close of business today is! +/-10,095 words. A milestone. Only 89,905 words left to go.

Sunday. Cloudy. Snowing very lightly at the moment. Temperatures said to be heading for the upper 30sF.

Sat up late last night, talking with Firefly. I was allowed to sleep in until almost 8am.

Breakfast was a waffle with strawberries and cherry syrup, sausage, tea. Tali is currently occupying my lap, and it is Tali’s philosophy that her tail is magnificent and that if she chooses to smack you in the face with it, your only possible reaction is delight.

I have no idea what lunch will be. I have a couple of choices, including a store-bought quiche — which was actually cheaper than buying eggs to make a quiche — so not likely to starve.

This afternoon, I’m to speak with the narrator for Diviner’s Bow, Eileen Stevens, who has narrated many of our books. Diviner’s Bow will be coming out from Audible very close to the publication of the hardcover. I don’t have a DATE date, but the turnaround time is — very ambitious (what is it with this book that demands kamikaze production?).

In and around that, I have some straightening up to do, one’s duty to the cats, and maybe some writing. We’ll see what happens.

What’s on your schedule today?

Today’s title brought to you by one of the songs Steve and I would always turn up the radio for, and then sing along, and which has become strangely topical.  Blue Oyster Cult: “Godzilla.”

After Firefly came home from the vet the other day, Rook tried on her carry box for size.  I think I need to go one up, or actually convince him to walk on the leash.  He’ll wear his jacket all day long, and proudly, but he still doesn’t get the “let’s take a walk,” thing.  He’d rather chew on the leash.

. . . and wine for the woman who made the rain come

What Went Before: 901 new words today, and some rewriting of old words. Active voice, Sharon. Really; it make All the Difference. The total WIP now weighs in at +/-9,300 words, which is … OK.

Saturday. Sunny and already busy.

I Shout! Out! to the kind person who sent me a Penzey’s gift card. I had just been missing a couple things, and debating whether Penzey’s was a necessity or a luxury. Thank you, Mystery Gift Giver. Much appreciated.

I did sleep in a little — let’s hear it for 7:30! — and had a leisurely breakfast of blueberry muffin and brie. Second cup of tea is to hand, and I’m pretty sure there will be a third cup in my future. Lunch will be salad, because the tomato got ahead of me again.

I have a few chores to do, and some paperwork to straighten up. Honestly, where does All! The! Paper! come from? Mostly, though, I’ll be writing.

The sunroom office is full of — sun! And cats are napping everywhere.

I finished reading A Gentleman of Unreliable Honor, and am now giving all of my attention to The Sign of the Dragon.

What’re you reading today?

Today’s title brought to you by Cat Stevens, “Tea for the Tillerman,” because, yeah, I loved that album, back in the day.  Sold it when we sold all our vinyl to make the rent or some such silliness.  Still.  Great album.

Now, I’ve been crying lately, thinking about the world as it is

Friday. Sunny, and chilly.

Breakfast was tea and toast and brie. I haven’t given a thought to lunch yet, but I did have two oatmeal cookies and another mug of tea when we got home from the vet.

Firefly’s annual wellness exam and her three-year distemper shot was first on the calendar this morning. I learned Whole Lot of New Words on the way over, which, thank ghod, is just over two miles from home. I don’t know which of us would have cracked first, if I’d had to drive her in from the Previous Location.

The vet pronounced Firefly a Very Healthy (and of course Surpassingly Beautiful) Maine Coon lady of 4.5 years, and we came home. Firefly was willing to listen to The Boss instead of swearing.

When we got home, she did an immediate sweep to insure that she had been brought to the Right House. I noticed that Tali went up to her, sniffed her nose, and cleaned her between the ears, so *that’s* encouraging.

Yesterday was a quiet day. I wrote, did a few chores, sat in the sun and sipped hot chocolate, did some shopping, played with the cats, read. I’m expecting today to be rather like it, as we ease into the weekend.

What’ve y’all been doing that’s fun?

Here’s a picture of Firefly, just before she was betrayed by one she Esteemed, shoved into a tiny prison, and transported.

Today’s blog title brought to you by Cat Stevens, “Peace Train“

And it’s the night people’s job to take the day people’s money

What went before:  Yesterday went from bad to worse, and I took a couple hours out in the afternoon to sip hot chocolate and stare out the window, then watch Rook play with his robot mouse.  This toy had terrified him as a baby kitten, but yesterday, he deliberately knocked it off the shelf where it has been rusticating for months, and tried kicking it up and down the hall, so I turned it on and let it run until the charge failed.  He had a great time with it, and knew immediately to pick it up by its tail and get it into a open run space when it got (as it frequently does) stuck in a corner.

Wednesday. Sunny and cold.

Breakfast was hummus, naan, apple sauce. Something will leap out of the fridge for lunch, I’m sure.

First thing, I need to talk to somebody about a Confusion of Rights, to which I hope they have a definitive answer. Files under Why Writers Drink.

After my phone call, and hopefully armed with Answers, I need to write a letter. Then, I will be going over the damned tax packet *again* and if all looks good will be delivering it to the accountant’s office, and from there to the grocery to take on food and wine.

I got up early (after 7.30 hours of sleep; someone was concerned that I was not getting enough rest with all these early hours. The fact is that getting up early begets going to bed early, and I, a lifelong Night Person, am now apparently a Day Person, something I’m not particularly happy about, but here we are.), and have already written one letter, so progress is progressing.

Way back when the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory was still in its Country Location, I discovered that there’s a Life Limit on how much coffee one person can imbibe, and, what with years of mainlining the stuff, I had hit that limit. That was when I switched to tea, and Steve, after watching in Stark Terror every time I poured boiling water from a saucepan into a mug (and pretty often over the countertop, too), bought me an OXO Stainless Steel Whistling Tea Kettle with a Geniune Cork Covered Handle.

I love the OXO tea kettle, but it, like me, is starting to show its age, and I thought to get another (because, honest, if me pouring boiling water out of saucepan into a mug was scary ten years ago, it’s only gotten worse. Even *I* get short of breath when I do it.). OXO of course, does not make this tea kettle any more, and I wound up with a Mr. Coffee Whistling Tea Kettle, and may I just say? What a piece of junque. I mean, yes, I’m spoiled; we’ve discussed this, and Steve always bought The Best, whether we could afford it or not — but Mr. Coffee has not achieved a 10 year tea kettle.

On the other hand, given the on-gong axe-work against society and human beings, 10 years may not be something I have to worry about.

Below, another photo from last night — you can see that Tali and Firefly have Made An Accommodation — Firefly on *her* side against my hip, and Tali on *her* side, from hip to knee.

It was all very comfortable.

What makes you comfortable, lately?

Today’s title brought to you by Ray Wylie Hubbard, and there’s a story that goes with that.  I remembered the line about the night people’s job being to take the day people’s money, but not the title of the song.  I asked the internet, which served me up “Rabbit” which was not the song I’d been thinking of, but which I like on its own terms.  A little more digging got me the song I was after, “Nighttime.”

Many cat pictures below.  I note that Tali and Firefly are working out the evening reading positions.

Explosions at Midnight

What Went Before:  Yesterday, I wrote 1,147 new words, for a WIP total of +/-7,160. Only 92,840 words left to go.  I also received what I believe in my heart to be the last piece of Official Paperwork needed in order to complete the Tax Packet.

What Went Before, Early Morning Edition:  So we had an explosion last night. I’m not sure what exploded, but there were two consecutive BOOMs, followed by the UPS’s going briefly nuts, some (but not all) of the touch-lamps lighting up, and this morning the clocks are crazy — they got kicked half an hour into the future — the bedroom clock said it was past 7 when I woke up, but the phone said it was 6:45.

Freaked the cats bad. Rook came and snuggled under the covers, which he never does. Tali went to the top of the bookshelf in the bedroom. Firefly and Trooper Investigated. Trooper eventually came back to bed, but Firefly never did. Guess it was her shift.

Kettle’s on for tea.

Two CMP trucks backed up in the drive, and drove back toward KMD. They specifically paused at the transformer across the street, but moved on. I guess they’re walking the lines.

Tuesday. Sunny. Windy. Cold. The trash is in the garage, and the trash can *stay* in the garage.

Breakfast was cottage cheese, toast-and-jelly. Lunch … I ought to bake those three chicken tenders that weren’t sacrificed to the stew, so, path of least resistance — chicken tender and fried potatoes, since I have potatoes left over.

I had been toying with the idea of going to the sewing club, but that was before I was contacted by a colleague who had worked with us on a dozen or more projects — and who hadn’t heard that Steve had died.

For those playing along at home, Thursday will be one year since Steve died. I’m kind of dreading that as if it will be some kind of nightmare Groundhog Day. I am therefore trying to keep busy, and put my brain to other tasks.

Today’s task will be finalizing the taxes, and if there’s day left over after that, more words would be good.

I’ve checked various sources, including the neighborhood group, CMP’s webpage, and the local newspaper, looking for more information in re the Midnight Explosion. A couple of the neighbors heard the booms, one guy saw flashes, but Actual News, we have none. And, yes, clocks getting kicked a half-hour into the future is a new one on me, too.

EDITED TO ADD:  I have been reminded that the power outage would have kicked all the clocks back to 12:00 and that 7:20 is time-elapsed-since-reset.  Sigh.  Need more caffeine.

How’s everybody doing today?

We had a crow conclave in the Long Back Yard yesterday afternoon.