Laura Anne Gilman's Blog, page 66
May 22, 2014
Five Things Make a Post...
1. Tahini and popcorn. No, really. Okay, it's a little messy, but it's tasty, and healthy (tahini is a good source of calcium, iron and Vitamin E, among others). Just drizzle a tablespoonful over a bowl of air-popped popcorn, let it set a few minutes, and munch!
2. Second pass draft work always, as I said elsewhere, reminds me of tap-dancing on needles, while someone yells at you to go faster. But progress is progressing on SILVER ON THE ROAD, and the first 16 chapters are much stronger and tighter, now. Hopefully there will be time for a third pass before I have to send it off to Agent and Editor. Hopefully.
3. We're getting into the "oh god I need to be promoting the new book" stage for DOGHOUSE (out in July). Save me some agita and just pre-order it now? Amazon BN Amazon UK Powells and your favorite indie store...
4. CatofSize's neuropathy isn't showing the improvement we hoped for (and it seems to get worse when I go away) but he's otherwise in good spirits, and keeping that upstart Kitten in his place...
5. I make damn good chili. Just observing that fact, as I breathe fire and sigh contentedly.
2. Second pass draft work always, as I said elsewhere, reminds me of tap-dancing on needles, while someone yells at you to go faster. But progress is progressing on SILVER ON THE ROAD, and the first 16 chapters are much stronger and tighter, now. Hopefully there will be time for a third pass before I have to send it off to Agent and Editor. Hopefully.
3. We're getting into the "oh god I need to be promoting the new book" stage for DOGHOUSE (out in July). Save me some agita and just pre-order it now? Amazon BN Amazon UK Powells and your favorite indie store...
4. CatofSize's neuropathy isn't showing the improvement we hoped for (and it seems to get worse when I go away) but he's otherwise in good spirits, and keeping that upstart Kitten in his place...
5. I make damn good chili. Just observing that fact, as I breathe fire and sigh contentedly.
May 21, 2014
asshole of the day
If someone with strong digital skills has not already made a gif of Vanna turning tiles to show “ASSHOLE,” I’m disowning the lot of you.
May 20, 2014
That weird feeling...
When you discover that your name has been invoked as "I like her book better than the one I'm reviewing."
Because yes there's "YAY! Reader-love!" but there's also "oh god, I've been on the other side of that and it SUCKS."
So I'll say that I'm glad the reviewer likes my books, and I'm glad that the reviewer acknowledged that it was their preference for my style, and not that the book they were reviewing was bad.
And maybe someone reading here will like both kinds of books, so here's the link.
Because yes there's "YAY! Reader-love!" but there's also "oh god, I've been on the other side of that and it SUCKS."
So I'll say that I'm glad the reviewer likes my books, and I'm glad that the reviewer acknowledged that it was their preference for my style, and not that the book they were reviewing was bad.
And maybe someone reading here will like both kinds of books, so here's the link.
May 19, 2014
my fetishes, let me show you them...
Yep, we've got some raised eyebrows out there... you people are SO predictable.
As usual when I get anywhere near the west/southwest, I come home not with jewelry, but fetishes. This trip, despite hoping to pick up another buffalo, I found myself acquiring first a badger, and then a lovely corn maiden - my first-ever corn maiden! They're both lovely, and I don't regret breaking my budget a little to bring them both home.
(For size reference, the corn maiden is about the size of my index finger, and the badger is smaller than my pinky. The corn maiden is mother-of-pearl, and the badger is carved from Boulder turquoise with coral for the eyes)
And then there was the white bear kachina by Chester Polyestewa that stopped me dead in my tracks. $300. Ouch. He stayed on the shelf. For now, anyway. (if you're ever in Colorado Springs, stop by the Flute Player Gallery and talk to John for a while. Even if you don't buy anything (but you probably will), the time will be well-spent.)
As usual when I get anywhere near the west/southwest, I come home not with jewelry, but fetishes. This trip, despite hoping to pick up another buffalo, I found myself acquiring first a badger, and then a lovely corn maiden - my first-ever corn maiden! They're both lovely, and I don't regret breaking my budget a little to bring them both home.
(For size reference, the corn maiden is about the size of my index finger, and the badger is smaller than my pinky. The corn maiden is mother-of-pearl, and the badger is carved from Boulder turquoise with coral for the eyes)
And then there was the white bear kachina by Chester Polyestewa that stopped me dead in my tracks. $300. Ouch. He stayed on the shelf. For now, anyway. (if you're ever in Colorado Springs, stop by the Flute Player Gallery and talk to John for a while. Even if you don't buy anything (but you probably will), the time will be well-spent.)
Out of the car and back into the saddle...
Small joys of being home: my own bed, good coffee, being woken up at 4am by CatofSize who wasn't feeling well... *sighs*
But yeah, it's good to sit at my desk, coffee at elbow, cats now asleep on the sofa, and have a full day of (re)writing ahead of me. Although it will be odd, not having the scenery change out the window...
Trip report to come. And if anyone's wondering, I dislike the new LJ format because it's more difficult to navigate. What's with Twitter trying to be more like Facebook, Facebook trying to be more like Twitter, and Livejournal trying to be more like both of them in all the bad ways? C'mon, guys, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
But yeah, it's good to sit at my desk, coffee at elbow, cats now asleep on the sofa, and have a full day of (re)writing ahead of me. Although it will be odd, not having the scenery change out the window...
Trip report to come. And if anyone's wondering, I dislike the new LJ format because it's more difficult to navigate. What's with Twitter trying to be more like Facebook, Facebook trying to be more like Twitter, and Livejournal trying to be more like both of them in all the bad ways? C'mon, guys, if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
May 15, 2014
Aint'd dead yet!
Greetings from Kansas!
We have driven many miles (600? 700?) with more to come. We have taken many photos, and I have taken many notes for the books. We have seen dust devils, prairie dogs, rock formations, turkeys, raptors, roads that weren't on the map, many maps, utter lack of connectivity, chicken fried everything, lots of really nice people (and one ass).
And we have done it all in the Best. Rental. Car. Ever.
(yep, that's a 2013 Dodge Challenger. It's an automatic so it's not really a muscle car, but it's really a muscle car. And it's really fun to drive.)
Tomorrow, we head across the border into Colorado.
We have driven many miles (600? 700?) with more to come. We have taken many photos, and I have taken many notes for the books. We have seen dust devils, prairie dogs, rock formations, turkeys, raptors, roads that weren't on the map, many maps, utter lack of connectivity, chicken fried everything, lots of really nice people (and one ass).
And we have done it all in the Best. Rental. Car. Ever.
(yep, that's a 2013 Dodge Challenger. It's an automatic so it's not really a muscle car, but it's really a muscle car. And it's really fun to drive.) Tomorrow, we head across the border into Colorado.
May 13, 2014
my Tuesday night viewing habits
Agents of Shield is fun.
Supernatural is occasionally cracktastic and heartbreaking.
But Person of Interest? Is fucking terrifying.
Also, I just totally chewed all my fingernails off.
"...There's still one thing left in Pandora's box."
*hides under the blankets until season 4*
Supernatural is occasionally cracktastic and heartbreaking.
But Person of Interest? Is fucking terrifying.
Also, I just totally chewed all my fingernails off.
"...There's still one thing left in Pandora's box."
*hides under the blankets until season 4*
May 12, 2014
short week, twice the work
Monday morning I kicked my houseguest to the curb (okay, I put her in a cab) and returned to the usual schedule of All Book All Day.
Second pass on this book is...different. I'm not changing actual scenes, but instead adding or subtracting lines to support other elements elsewhere in the book, and/or changing details to match on-going research. It's less a revision and more a fine-tuning... and yet, those fine-tunings are significantly revising the story. As an example of this, it took me AN HOUR to rework a passage (three short paragraphs) to my satisfaction, which created a cascading change for the next three chapters.
I haz a headache.
I also resurfaced after 5 hours of work to become very puzzled by the chatter on Twitter, as though I were having to reacquaint myself with this century all over again. Tomorrow will be more of the same, with the hope-and-the-plan being to make it to chapter thirteen (I'm currently 3/4 of the way through chapter 8).
Because on Wednesday, Travel Companion and I are packing up and heading to Kansas (well, Missouri-to-Colorado by way of Kansas) to drive the route (more or less) my characters are taking, so I can fact-check and extrapolate-with-confidence the details of their ride*.
Next person who says "oh, writing fantasy is easy, you just make stuff up?" Send them to me so I can slap the stupid out of them.
And oh yeah by the way? DEAD MAN'S HAND is on-sale tomorrow. In case you want a fix of The Devil's West (and some other fabulous stories) a little early...
*No, we are not renting an Impala. We can't afford to feed it.
Second pass on this book is...different. I'm not changing actual scenes, but instead adding or subtracting lines to support other elements elsewhere in the book, and/or changing details to match on-going research. It's less a revision and more a fine-tuning... and yet, those fine-tunings are significantly revising the story. As an example of this, it took me AN HOUR to rework a passage (three short paragraphs) to my satisfaction, which created a cascading change for the next three chapters.
I haz a headache.
I also resurfaced after 5 hours of work to become very puzzled by the chatter on Twitter, as though I were having to reacquaint myself with this century all over again. Tomorrow will be more of the same, with the hope-and-the-plan being to make it to chapter thirteen (I'm currently 3/4 of the way through chapter 8).
Because on Wednesday, Travel Companion and I are packing up and heading to Kansas (well, Missouri-to-Colorado by way of Kansas) to drive the route (more or less) my characters are taking, so I can fact-check and extrapolate-with-confidence the details of their ride*.
Next person who says "oh, writing fantasy is easy, you just make stuff up?" Send them to me so I can slap the stupid out of them.
And oh yeah by the way? DEAD MAN'S HAND is on-sale tomorrow. In case you want a fix of The Devil's West (and some other fabulous stories) a little early...
*No, we are not renting an Impala. We can't afford to feed it.
May 11, 2014
Sunday in the Park with Kate
Main Lawn, George Washington Bridge in the distance
Shaded steps off the veranda
The Palisades and the Hudson River (view from the herb gardens)
all views from Wave Hill, The Bronx.
And yep, this year I gave in and got a membership. $40 to support one of the prettiest and most restful places in the city, and the added reminder to get off my ass and go there more than once or twice a year....
And now, off to dinner with the folks, for a combination mother's day/mom's birthday fest...
Shaded steps off the veranda
The Palisades and the Hudson River (view from the herb gardens)
all views from Wave Hill, The Bronx.
And yep, this year I gave in and got a membership. $40 to support one of the prettiest and most restful places in the city, and the added reminder to get off my ass and go there more than once or twice a year....
And now, off to dinner with the folks, for a combination mother's day/mom's birthday fest...
May 9, 2014
"Shade"
Sometimes, you take a hundred photos, and only one or two really work.
But when they do work, it's kind of...yeah.
"Shade"
(NY Botanical Gardens, The Bronx, May 2014)
But when they do work, it's kind of...yeah.
"Shade"
(NY Botanical Gardens, The Bronx, May 2014)
