Lilith Saintcrow's Blog, page 216

Slow And Steady

Slow and steady wins the race, sure. But it's also frustrating as hell.

Steady output helps when it comes to writing for publication. Slow and steady weight loss helps one remain fit longer. But Jesus wept, sometimes I just feel like Veruca Salt stamping my feet and declaring that I want it now, dammit!

This is one of those impatient days, where the world is far too cold and slow to suit the fire in my veins. Deep breathing is in order, and reminding myself that it took decades to get here and ...

All and then it's nothing to me, yeah…

Yeah. Like this:

You and I got something

But it's all, and then it's nothing to me, yeah

And I got my defenses when it comes to your intentions for me, yeah

And we wake up in the breakdown

In the things we never thought we could be, yeah…

I'm not the one who broke you

I'm not the one you should fear

We've got to move you darling

I thought I lost you somewhere

But you were never really ever there at all… (Goo Goo Dolls)

Yes, I want to get free. But you don't need to talk to me. I'm done...

Oh, Louisa May. You go, girl.

It's funny–the further along I go, the more the Universe steps in to help out. I could also view it as my thinking changing so I can take better advantage of opportunities. Potayto, potahto. Like I told the Princess when she asked me if the gods are real: whether they're psychological constructs or actual beings, the net effect is the same–and you need to be just as careful about what you believe.

Anyway. The Selkie sent me this great link about Louisa May Alcott this morning; the American...

Time To Get Laid Back

I might post tomorrow, I might not. In any case, all the social stuff is done. I miss my sisters already. I've had a full house for two days and find myself wondering what I have to cook next and then realizing that it's back to the normal schedule.

The kids have settled down to watching Marx Brothers movies and I'm considering getting back on the treadmill. A couple days off is a nice, but I need to get back in the swing of things. An odd thing has happened, though, I'm getting wordcount...

Cookiepalooza!

My sister's here and I'm about to engage in preparations for Cookiepalooza. It's very simple: I invited a bunch of people and will be making sugar cookies. There will be wine, laughing, and a spaghetti feed for whoever wants to stay and eat. That way I get all the fun of making cookies and I don't have to overeat OR throw them away. Plus, my friends get cookies. Everyone wins!

Of course, I would be still fighting off the flu while I do this, but that's academic. I've only got a mild case and I...

No Choice

First, the links! An octopus who loves his Mr. Potato Head. Lauren Leto's screamingly funny Readers By Author. And Bitten By Books is discussing the Jill Kismet series today.

And now, for the Friday post.

Not everything in my life centres around writing. It just looks that way.

I've lost a considerable amount of weight lately. Part of that is stress, another part of it is exercising six days a week. Also, a couple weeks ago, I picked up a book about using cognitive therapy to help normalize

Even my best friends, they don't know…

First, the links: I did the Page 69 Test for Flesh Circus. Here's James Scott Bell on What, Writers Worry? and Nathan Bransford on how to respond to an editorial letter. The inimitable Gillian Spraggs has more on the Google Books Settlement and Monica Valentinelli on Plagiarism and Too Much Free. I've been saving some of those links for a bit, things are crazy.

I was on the treadmill this morning (big surprise, I'm up to six days a week on that damn thing and wishing I could do more) and Van M...

Busy. Back soon.

Today is a day for clothes shopping. No, not for me. I'd rather have my skin peeled off in strips than go clothes shopping for me. But I do like going shopping for the kids. We're doing the midyear school clothes basics tour today–jeans, T-shirts and solid sweaters, because they keep growing and this will provide a base for them when they Go To School. It's going to be fun.

Sadly, it must be a banzai run rather than an all-day safari, because I've line edits to keep whaling at. Editing makes m...

Major Life Change

It is my firm opinion that every major life change deserves a major hair change. Therefore, I have gone back to my natural color.

This comes as a shock to anyone who's seen me, but I am actually blonde. Born that way. I got so tired of blonde jokes and the like that as soon as I could, I started dyeing my hair. The dyes grew progressively darker and darker until I was consistently black-haired. You know, most people want to bleach their hair out to blonde, but not me. I wanted to get as far...

Know What You're Doing?

The Friday post is late today, since I made the call to go to Burnside Powell's with the kids and the Selkie. We had an Adventure–lost the car in the parking garage for a bit, but eventually found it before anyone starved to death. I found a Catullus in Latin with the English translation facing, and a lit-crit of Nabokov for $5. Color me happy.

So, first this Friday, the news. Betrayals is on the NYT Children's Paperback List again at #8. That makes three weeks. I'm literally speechless with a...