Laura Anne Gilman's Blog, page 76

Weekend Wisdom (?) from the Wordwar Room...

For newcomers: the wordwar room is an online co-writing session, wherein convivial peer pressure (in 30 and 60 minute 'wars') makes the words happen.  Also the griping, whinging, and idea-testing.  The room runs 24/7, with members across the globe. Any serious-about-it writer is welcome to join us.

-------------------
 Ideas are easy.  Execution is where you make it your own. Or you make your own execution.

"When lacking alertness, substitute deadline panic." <-- my motto

You Might Be A Writer If: positive reader feedback on the WiP makes you feel MORE paranoid, because clearly they're missing something!

Proof-of-work today:

The blood hit the salt and spread, one single drop staining the entire line dark red.

(yeah, I really like that line.  Especially in context.)

I must be getting adulty....

I had, on my monitor, two tickets to the Springsteen show in Albany.... and I let them go (several times over) because I couldn't get seats I felt were "good enough."

Honestly, I love Bruce. Y'all KNOW that. But I've been to enough shows that I can close my eyes and BE there, in my memory. So getting stuck in the upper tier (for over $100/ticket) is actually cause for me to say "do I really NEED to be at this show?"

(and since my usual partners-in-Bruce can't commit to the show, I'd be buying on hope, not fact. Yes, I COULD have gone alone - and as a singleton I could have gotten perfectly acceptable seats - but it's just not as much fun.)

There will be other shows. There will probably be other shows this year, and closer to home (not a 90 minute drive each way). And hopefully those will be shows my partners-in-Bruce will be able to commit to at the time-of-purchase.

Responsible Adulting. It's actually not all that bad. In moderation.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go sulk.  And eat a cookie.

Send the love...

Today is Valentine's Day (a silly holiday but one I personally like, in small doses). If you're so inclined, take 5 minutes out of your day to send a valentine to a writer you like, in the form of an online review (Amazon, B&N, Goodreads, etc - wherever you frequent).

Hell, send two, or three, or a dozen. Writers are happy to share the love. And trust me, they WILL feel the love.

(naturally I'd be thrilled if you did this for one of my titles, but embrace it as you will...)

(image via The Reader Organization/ Poems By Heart)

Past goal, past stretch, into the extended yoga stretch.....

So I woke up this morning and overnight more backers decided that yes why yes, you WOULD like some insane Cosa Nostradamus reality tv transcripts, thank you.

$8,000 reached, and gone past.

Oh dear.  You people.  You lovely, insane people.

So it's time - since there's still a full day left - to roll out the next stretch goal.

If we hit $9500... you will get two exclusive  'backstory' vignettes of two characters... as voted on by you-the-backers. I won't have a clue who I'm writing about until you tell me.

*....rethinks the wisdom of this, does it anyway*

Onward!

Kitten of Thursday Update

Because I know you're really only here for the cats...

Castiel Kitten of Thursday has a clean bill of adult health, including some issues we had concerns about when he was a wee kitten. It was also confirmed that, at 9.4 pounds, he is NOT finished growing yet.

And, as he finally starts to show his "adult" self, we've been able to rule out certain breed influences, and narrow it down to two:

"When you are not available to entertain him, an Oriental will divert himself by jumping on top of the refrigerator, opening drawers, seeking out new hideaways to frustrate anyone who might be searching for him, and watching television with clear interest."

uh-huh. Also, "the Oriental resembles the Siamese, with the same svelte, muscular body, wedge-shaped head, and large, triangular ears" (but with a range of colors, and green eyes, not blue)

However, when I look at the picture here, y all I can think is "my god, that's him, down to the cowlicks." Except the eye color is wrong (see above), and Castiel's face is pointier (more like, well, an Oriental's).

What all this tells me is, well, that I have an affectionate, muscular, highly-intelligent, and very social cat of a particular breeding line.

So. Not. A. News. Flash.

Ladies, Gents, and Readers of all Identifications, WE HAVE FUNDED!

The next two Sylvan Investigation titles are a go. I repeat, they are a go....

*does happy meerkat dance*
Bless you all, the backer and the boosters.

And, with 48 hours to go, we still have a chance of hitting the next stretch goal, where you get to see me delve into the sordid, sordid world of Cosa Nostradamus reality television....

if anyone's interested...

First and forevermore, when I think of "the boss" in SILVER ON THE ROAD, this is the face (and eyes) I see....


you probably know him, even if you don't recognize him. :-)

As is standard around here: cats. And books.

We've reached the point where, if I forget to give CatofSize his shot, he reminds me. I wouldn't have believed it, myself, and yet... there he was, sitting on the sofaback, looking at me like "hey mom, we're not done here yet!"

Huh.  Good kid.

(then I had a moment of panic, because once you've done something enough times it's hard to remember if you did or didn't do it that morning, because all the memories are exactly the same....but no, I hadn't)

Meanwhile, today the Kitten of Thursday goes in for his almost-a-year checkup.  Yes, he's been with us eight months!  I can't believe it either.
------------------------------------

and now, Your Daily Reminder (4th of 5 in a series)

We're in the final days and still a bit short of the goal...

Literally, only a bit short.  As in $485.  With 55 hours (tick, tick...) to go!

So, if you enjoyed the urban fantasy of the Cosa Nostradamus, this is how to keep it alive. Also, the opportunity to dedicate the books to yourself (or a loved one) is still available as a backer bonus!

(also, t-shirts.  And cookies!)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/980297055/sylvan-investigations-work-of-hunters-an-interrupt

and for those of you who missed the first novellas, a reminder of where you can find them:
DRM-free digital (or with DRM from Amazon, B&N or Kobo),
the omnibus print edition
audio.

death and taxes

Shirley Temple Black has died, at age 85 (somehow, I'd thought she was older).  I always found her movies far too Precious, but set in a historical context, they were amazingly positive and useful films, and she always seemed very aware of and pleased by the important role she played in American social history.  Plus, she's a solid example of how child stardom doesn't have to lead to wrack and ruin once you pass puberty.

Rest in peace, madam.

In other news....

Tax guy appointment this afternoon. Despite having 90% of the forms and information needed, I'm still certain he's going to give me that Heavy Sigh and tell me he's going to file for an extension...

(we go through this every year. He's so horrified by the rest of my work schedule, I think he just likes getting me an extension on deadlines where he can...)

Last year was a bit of a disaster, money-wise.  I did well enough in terms of monies earned, but there were so many unanticipated expenses ($5,000 in vet bills alone, for Pandora) and so many checks not arriving on time (and some that STILL haven't arrived), that I had to shuffle through the savings account more than I'm comfortable with, and I'm still trying to recover.  Which also means that my record-keeping slacked off from my usual standards.  Bad meerkat, no cookie.  Need to do better this year.

Also need to re-jigger my spreadsheets.  There are things that made sense 5 years ago that no longer make sense, and new categories and allocations to consider...

When it comes to taxes, are you a careful-keeper, or a shoebox-receipt-thrower?

Your Daily Reminder (3rd of 5 in a series)

And so, we're in the final days and still a bit short of the goal...

Literally, only a bit short.  As in, under $700 $500  With a little under three days to go...

And yeah, I've finished fleshing out the outline, and have written the first scene.  Because once I start thinking about Danny and Ellen's voices, I can't not.  It's like the best kind of sickness...

So, if you enjoyed the urban fantasy of the Cosa Nostradamus, this is how to keep it alive. Also, the opportunity to dedicate the books to yourself (or a loved one) is still available as a backer bonus!

(also, t-shirts.  And cookies!)

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/980297055/sylvan-investigations-work-of-hunters-an-interrupt


and for those of you who missed the first novellas, a reminder of where you can find them:
DRM-free digital (or with DRM from Amazon, B&N or Kobo),
the omnibus print edition
audio.