Laura Anne Gilman's Blog, page 52
November 10, 2014
I'm baaaaaack!
From World Fantasy in DC, that is.
It was, as ever, a gathering of some of the smartest, most talented, most interesting people in the fantasy genre
(some, not all. some of you couldn't make it this year)
I... am too tired to recap anything more than "writers good, whisky pretty." And I need stop going to bed at 2am, and then waking up at 6am to go to the gym. Ow.
And now? I have a novella to finish revising, and an apartment to finish packing up. I'll sleep in December?
It was, as ever, a gathering of some of the smartest, most talented, most interesting people in the fantasy genre
(some, not all. some of you couldn't make it this year)
I... am too tired to recap anything more than "writers good, whisky pretty." And I need stop going to bed at 2am, and then waking up at 6am to go to the gym. Ow.
And now? I have a novella to finish revising, and an apartment to finish packing up. I'll sleep in December?
November 6, 2014
Updatery, various and sundry
My only comments about the election are that with democracy, sometimes we get the government other people deserved. Also, that not giving up/not losing faith is the best fuck you we can give to those who want to haul us back to the 1950's (or 1850's).
I'm off to World Fantasy today. Over the weekend, Subtenant will be cat-minding, as she starts to move into the space and make it her own.
(the advantage of subletting to a good friend is that this sort of thing can happen)
Westward Ho! Updatery: Lease, confirmed. Movers, confirmed. Cat moving, confirmed. Insurance coverage for both locations, pending but pretty much confirmed. Self-moving, confirmed. Offsite storage, done. Pretty much in work-and-wait mode. Which leads us into....
Writing Updatery: Novels are with their respective editors. The two Sylvan Investigations novellas are being revised. Short stories are being plotted. WillWrite2FeedOthers is going to launch RSN. Maybe even tomorrow, if I get bandwidth while traveling. And next week I get to put my head down and focus on DEVIL'S WEST #2. Am I psyched about that? You have no idea.
Feline Updatery: Two people now who've seen the Kitten in recent days have literally leaned back in surprise and said "he's gotten big!" Yeah, I guess he has - his tail now looks normal compared to his body length, rather than extra-long, and I'm pretty sure his tail didn't shrink.... 18 months old, and he's a lean, clean purring machine, who has gotten into the habit of sleeping with me at night, although he's still not much of a cuddler, otherwise. That's all right, there's really only room for CatofSize on my lap, anyway. And he's showing no signs of giving that space up, even when he's cranky from being ill...
(we're still waiting on his most recent bloodwork before panic/relief)
And that's all the news I'm allowed to print....
I'm off to World Fantasy today. Over the weekend, Subtenant will be cat-minding, as she starts to move into the space and make it her own.
(the advantage of subletting to a good friend is that this sort of thing can happen)
Westward Ho! Updatery: Lease, confirmed. Movers, confirmed. Cat moving, confirmed. Insurance coverage for both locations, pending but pretty much confirmed. Self-moving, confirmed. Offsite storage, done. Pretty much in work-and-wait mode. Which leads us into....
Writing Updatery: Novels are with their respective editors. The two Sylvan Investigations novellas are being revised. Short stories are being plotted. WillWrite2FeedOthers is going to launch RSN. Maybe even tomorrow, if I get bandwidth while traveling. And next week I get to put my head down and focus on DEVIL'S WEST #2. Am I psyched about that? You have no idea.
Feline Updatery: Two people now who've seen the Kitten in recent days have literally leaned back in surprise and said "he's gotten big!" Yeah, I guess he has - his tail now looks normal compared to his body length, rather than extra-long, and I'm pretty sure his tail didn't shrink.... 18 months old, and he's a lean, clean purring machine, who has gotten into the habit of sleeping with me at night, although he's still not much of a cuddler, otherwise. That's all right, there's really only room for CatofSize on my lap, anyway. And he's showing no signs of giving that space up, even when he's cranky from being ill...
(we're still waiting on his most recent bloodwork before panic/relief)
And that's all the news I'm allowed to print....
November 4, 2014
Two Things Tuesday
Two things to remember today:
1. if you're in the US: VOTE!
2. If you're in the NJ area, come see me-aka-Ms. Kornetsky (and four other fine writers-not-me) at the East Brunswick B&N tonight at 7pm!
And hey, even if you're NOT going to be there, you can probably call the store and have them reserve a signed copy for you to pick up later....
1. if you're in the US: VOTE!
2. If you're in the NJ area, come see me-aka-Ms. Kornetsky (and four other fine writers-not-me) at the East Brunswick B&N tonight at 7pm!
And hey, even if you're NOT going to be there, you can probably call the store and have them reserve a signed copy for you to pick up later....
November 2, 2014
A Very Blustery Day....
One nice thing about the cold weather coming in (well, there are lots of good things, but...) was that I got a chance to try out the leather anorak I picked up in a secondhand store in Colorado. Two thumbs up - it fits loosely enough for a heavy sweater underneath, but not so loosely that it feels oversized, and it stops wind gusts from getting through. Plus: four very deep pockets. If it only had inside pockets, it would have been perfect... but considering I paid about $30 for it, I'm not complaining!
Meanwhile, Things Are Being Packed Up. Yeah, I'm here through the end of the month, but the movers will swoop down to take my things mid-month, and I'll be gone five of those days beforehand for World Fantasy, so... packing-up it is. And I know I really don't have that much stuff, but a considerable percentage of it's breakable, and the other considerable percentage is heavy. So there are a lot of boxes, and it's kinda stressful...
On the plus side, I get to look forward to two weeks of take-away, once they take away my kitchen stuff! Unless I can convince Incoming Sub-Tenant to drop off some of her cookware early.... (I have paper plates and plaastic forks and cups already on the shelf)
And speaking of food, the asshole cats are insisting it is TOO dinnertime, an hour early. Boomer may not talk much, but when he does he insists on being heard....
So what've you been up to, this hello-wintery weekend?
Meanwhile, Things Are Being Packed Up. Yeah, I'm here through the end of the month, but the movers will swoop down to take my things mid-month, and I'll be gone five of those days beforehand for World Fantasy, so... packing-up it is. And I know I really don't have that much stuff, but a considerable percentage of it's breakable, and the other considerable percentage is heavy. So there are a lot of boxes, and it's kinda stressful...
On the plus side, I get to look forward to two weeks of take-away, once they take away my kitchen stuff! Unless I can convince Incoming Sub-Tenant to drop off some of her cookware early.... (I have paper plates and plaastic forks and cups already on the shelf)
And speaking of food, the asshole cats are insisting it is TOO dinnertime, an hour early. Boomer may not talk much, but when he does he insists on being heard....
So what've you been up to, this hello-wintery weekend?
This was not the morning I was looking for...
On this first morning of standard time winter 2014, I was woken up at 4:40 by the cats, who were understandably confused. Gave them half-rations and staggered back to sleep - only to be woken up at 5:20 by an unknown number on my cell. At 5:20am you assume it's an emergency, right? Nope. Radio station calling the wrong number.
(why? I have no idea. I honestly idn't ask - but the guy seemed to think that I knew why they'd be calling.)
So let's just say I'm going to be running on leftover adrenaline & sheer pissed-offedness for the rest of the day. And the asswipe didn't even apologize before hanging up on me (once I explained to them in slightly groggy tones that yeah maybe they DID have the wrong number).
Day, you had BETTER give me something better today to offset this, or I swear I'm just going back to bed until Monday.
(why? I have no idea. I honestly idn't ask - but the guy seemed to think that I knew why they'd be calling.)
So let's just say I'm going to be running on leftover adrenaline & sheer pissed-offedness for the rest of the day. And the asswipe didn't even apologize before hanging up on me (once I explained to them in slightly groggy tones that yeah maybe they DID have the wrong number).
Day, you had BETTER give me something better today to offset this, or I swear I'm just going back to bed until Monday.
November 1, 2014
And on the first day of NaNoWriMovember....
And on this first day of NaNoWriMo2014, I wish all you lunatics good luck, and strong livers.... (if you want to be a writer, you need both).
Me? As of yesterday, both my in-progress novels AND the novella are officially done (pending revisions/production). I'm such a rebel.
I did just open the file - officially - for DEVIL'S WEST #2. But that's gonna take more than 30 days to write....
Me? As of yesterday, both my in-progress novels AND the novella are officially done (pending revisions/production). I'm such a rebel.
I did just open the file - officially - for DEVIL'S WEST #2. But that's gonna take more than 30 days to write....
October 31, 2014
All Hallow's Eve and the jack is shining, shining, shining your way to your final home....
Lovely gripe-about-work/planning-the-move dinner with a friend at An Beal Bocht last night (Irish comfort food and microbrew FTW), followed by relatively early-to-bed. That means I should be wildly productive today, right?
Yeah, right. But there are some things that have deadlines today, so we'll get to that. Appropriate, no, having a deadline today....? (perhaps more appropriate tomorrow, but: Saturday)
And - knowing that we don't get trick-or-treaters in this building - I have not bought any candy. This was probably wise. Not much fun, but wise.
If anyone has any leftover Butterfingers or KitKats tomorrow, I promise to give 'em a good home....
(fess up: what's your "I swear I bought 'em for the kids!" favorite Halloween candy?)
Yeah, right. But there are some things that have deadlines today, so we'll get to that. Appropriate, no, having a deadline today....? (perhaps more appropriate tomorrow, but: Saturday)
And - knowing that we don't get trick-or-treaters in this building - I have not bought any candy. This was probably wise. Not much fun, but wise.
If anyone has any leftover Butterfingers or KitKats tomorrow, I promise to give 'em a good home....
(fess up: what's your "I swear I bought 'em for the kids!" favorite Halloween candy?)
October 30, 2014
If you're in the NJ/NYC area next Tuesday....
And have nothing better worse to do after discharging your civic duty and voting....
I'm part of a multi-author panel and signing at the East Brunswick (NJ) B&N, at 7pm!
Brunswick Square Mall, 753 Rt 18 Brunswick Square Space 318, East Brunswick, NJ 08816, 732-432-0100
C'mon, if I'm hauling down there, can't you? *looks hopefully at all her NJ friends and readers who own cars*
I'm part of a multi-author panel and signing at the East Brunswick (NJ) B&N, at 7pm!
Brunswick Square Mall, 753 Rt 18 Brunswick Square Space 318, East Brunswick, NJ 08816, 732-432-0100
C'mon, if I'm hauling down there, can't you? *looks hopefully at all her NJ friends and readers who own cars*
October 29, 2014
It's raining tonight but nothing like my memories
Two years ago tonight, I had moved my bed away from the windows, had stocked up on candles, batteries, and jugs of water, and made sure all my tech was fully charged, watching the news and wondering how bad it was going to get.
We were lucky - all we lost here was a tree (I still miss that tree) and power only fluctuated. But there are areas of NJ and NYC that still haven't recovered entirely.
I like storms. But if I never see Sandy's like again, that'll be good.
flashbacks:
the eve of the storm
during
the day after
We were lucky - all we lost here was a tree (I still miss that tree) and power only fluctuated. But there are areas of NJ and NYC that still haven't recovered entirely.
I like storms. But if I never see Sandy's like again, that'll be good.
flashbacks:
the eve of the storm
during
the day after
