Cherie Priest's Blog: It's awards season, so here comes the shameless self-promotion, page 41
February 24, 2013
Too tired for lyrics
Here’s the weekend's pitiful progress on my fin de siecle gothic epistolary, now with Bonus! ghosts, guilt, and the threat of elder gods in the aftermath of two gruesome unsolved murders:
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: October 2012
New words written: 1580
Present total word count: 39,910 words
Things accomplished in fiction: A lot of fumbling in the dark, but good signs point toward a useful collaboration in the future. Hopefully, before it's too late.
Next up: The doctor and the murderess chat.
Things accomplished in real life: AnachroCon! Which was genuinely delightful, but it has exhausted me too thoroughly to let me in a position to do a write-up. Thus I'm counting the piddly few-hundred words I managed today and calling myself done for now. I need to make lunch and go walk the dog this afternoon, and I still have to finish unpacking.
Other: The landscaping lady was busy while I was gone. However, I could've bloody well told her that she'd need more than an hour to tackle the Mighty and Terrible HedgeHenge. It should probably receive its final squaring-away tomorrow ... and I think/hope that her team will get started in earnest on the retaining wall.
Return of the Living Other: I hope the yard wraps up sometime this week, because I'd really like to get the FINAL final tally on this and get started taking estimates re: the floor work we want done in the back end of the house. I'm kickin' it domestic, y'all.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 36,003
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: October 2012
New words written: 1580
Present total word count: 39,910 words
Things accomplished in fiction: A lot of fumbling in the dark, but good signs point toward a useful collaboration in the future. Hopefully, before it's too late.
Next up: The doctor and the murderess chat.
Things accomplished in real life: AnachroCon! Which was genuinely delightful, but it has exhausted me too thoroughly to let me in a position to do a write-up. Thus I'm counting the piddly few-hundred words I managed today and calling myself done for now. I need to make lunch and go walk the dog this afternoon, and I still have to finish unpacking.
Other: The landscaping lady was busy while I was gone. However, I could've bloody well told her that she'd need more than an hour to tackle the Mighty and Terrible HedgeHenge. It should probably receive its final squaring-away tomorrow ... and I think/hope that her team will get started in earnest on the retaining wall.
Return of the Living Other: I hope the yard wraps up sometime this week, because I'd really like to get the FINAL final tally on this and get started taking estimates re: the floor work we want done in the back end of the house. I'm kickin' it domestic, y'all.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 36,003
February 21, 2013
Word Metrics and AnachroCon
In the wake of this morning's big announcement (scroll back, if you missed it!), today has been a low word-count day, but I think I can be forgiven. Or perhaps you might think that I'm "calling it a day" too early, and I still have PLENTY OF TIME for word-making - and okay, that's fair.
HOWEVER.
There is NOT plenty of time for word-making, because now I must get my act together and begin packing for AnachroCon! For yes, I'm leaving in the morning, bright and early; and you can find me there all weekend, huzzah!
Best of all, I am within driving distance ... and therefore I can bring some cool dress-up clothes without having to worry about TSA making off with my rayguns.
[:: throws confetti ::]
[:: realizes we're all out of confetti ::]
[:: adds confetti to the shopping list ::]
So anyway, I just wanted to post that little tidbit right there, to account for why I'm unlikely to post much for the next couple of days. But REST ASSURED: My Write Every Damn Day routine shall remain in place! Word counts might be crap, but hell, if I can cough up a couple of paragraphs a day while trying to do a convention, I'll count it "productive" and let myself off the hook.
And here’s today's progress on my fin de siecle gothic epistolary, now with Bonus! ghosts, guilt, and the threat of elder gods in the aftermath of two gruesome unsolved murders:
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: October 2012
New words written: 1127
Present total word count: 38,330 words
Things accomplished in fiction: Two yucky corpses and more exquisitely awful smells.
Next up: What passes for an autopsy; an attempt to compare notes with someone without incriminating anyone; getting the story straight.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; adventures with Landscaping Lady and the Dog Who Just Wants to Help; couple loads of laundry.
Other: I got my second wind and hung up the curtains last night, in case you were dying of curiosity on that point, for some reason. They look great!
Bride of Other: Some of you have noticed that this morning's post header implied there might be another announcement to come. And some of you wanted to know if I was still going to keep up the Maplecroft metrics, now that I have a new project officially on deck. The answer to both of those questions is "yes," and you people are just going to have to be patient.
Return of Other: The Landscaping Lady got her task underway today, and I'm kind of sorry to see HedgeHenge go - but the whole thing was being choked by ivy, and much of the undergrowth was dead and rotting. I'm also kind of sorry about the birds, who love that damn thing ... but it's winter, at least. No wee baby birds in nests or anything; in fact, we only found a couple of nests, and they were empty. All will regrow (healthier, happier) this spring and summer, and all will be well. But for now, I feel like everybody and their brother can just STARE RIGHT INTO MY YARD. Because, I mean, they can.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 34,423
HOWEVER.
There is NOT plenty of time for word-making, because now I must get my act together and begin packing for AnachroCon! For yes, I'm leaving in the morning, bright and early; and you can find me there all weekend, huzzah!
Best of all, I am within driving distance ... and therefore I can bring some cool dress-up clothes without having to worry about TSA making off with my rayguns.
[:: throws confetti ::]
[:: realizes we're all out of confetti ::]
[:: adds confetti to the shopping list ::]
So anyway, I just wanted to post that little tidbit right there, to account for why I'm unlikely to post much for the next couple of days. But REST ASSURED: My Write Every Damn Day routine shall remain in place! Word counts might be crap, but hell, if I can cough up a couple of paragraphs a day while trying to do a convention, I'll count it "productive" and let myself off the hook.
And here’s today's progress on my fin de siecle gothic epistolary, now with Bonus! ghosts, guilt, and the threat of elder gods in the aftermath of two gruesome unsolved murders:
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: October 2012
New words written: 1127
Present total word count: 38,330 words
Things accomplished in fiction: Two yucky corpses and more exquisitely awful smells.
Next up: What passes for an autopsy; an attempt to compare notes with someone without incriminating anyone; getting the story straight.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; adventures with Landscaping Lady and the Dog Who Just Wants to Help; couple loads of laundry.
Other: I got my second wind and hung up the curtains last night, in case you were dying of curiosity on that point, for some reason. They look great!
Bride of Other: Some of you have noticed that this morning's post header implied there might be another announcement to come. And some of you wanted to know if I was still going to keep up the Maplecroft metrics, now that I have a new project officially on deck. The answer to both of those questions is "yes," and you people are just going to have to be patient.
Return of Other: The Landscaping Lady got her task underway today, and I'm kind of sorry to see HedgeHenge go - but the whole thing was being choked by ivy, and much of the undergrowth was dead and rotting. I'm also kind of sorry about the birds, who love that damn thing ... but it's winter, at least. No wee baby birds in nests or anything; in fact, we only found a couple of nests, and they were empty. All will regrow (healthier, happier) this spring and summer, and all will be well. But for now, I feel like everybody and their brother can just STARE RIGHT INTO MY YARD. Because, I mean, they can.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 34,423
Big Announcements Part One: I am Princess X
Ladies, gentlemen, and the otherwise affiliated - now it can finally be told: I'm bouncing into the world of young adult fiction, courtesy of a project with Scholastic!
[:: throws confetti ::]
[:: flails happy Kermit dance ::]
[:: puts on dancing shoes ::]
[:: wiggles it ... just a little bit ::]
And in a somewhat larger nutshell: May's best friend has been dead for years ... or maybe not, as she learns when a sinister, clandestine web phenomenon hints otherwise. One part Alternate Reality Game, and one part internet gothic - the book is tentatively called I am Princess X .
And I, for one, cannot WAIT to get this bad-boy underway in earnest!
As some of you might have guessed, yes - this was the Potential Project of Utmost Secrecy I was working on toward the end of last year. But all the fine points were not agreed upon until yesterday, so until then, this was one of the big things I was holding under my hat; and let me tell you, my hat has been TO THE BURSTING POINT as of late.
Now to answer a handful of questions that are bound to be frequently asked:
When will Princess X hit the stores? At present, the plan is for spring/summer of 2015, and yes, that is a HELLA long way off and it feels like FOREVER ... but good things come to those who wait, eh?
What ages will this book be aimed at? The protagonist is about seventeen, so somewhere in that general ballpark, I should think.
What about Ninja Planet? We kept hearing about THAT one. I still have plans for NP, yes - but PX will definitely be my young adult debut. There may be more to say on this matter one of these days. But today is not that day.
Will it be paranormal? Steampunk? Fantasy? This project is set in the real world, here and now - but it's got a little bit of a sci-fi edge. If you forced me to genre-fit it, I'd say that it's (in essence) a dark modern mystery. And I'll leave it at that.
I've been interested in doing some fiction aimed at teen readers for quite some time now, and I'm blessed and lucky that I get to take the plunge with such a great company. I can't tell you all how tickled I am to have this opportunity, and how much I'm looking forward to trying my hand at something new.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to run around and do some more happydances! And also make lunch. And also get ready for the landscaping lady. It's high glamour over here, you guys. All fancypants, all the time!
So thanks so much for reading, everyone - and if you have any additional questions, post them below and I'll answer them if I can.
[:: throws confetti ::]
[:: flails happy Kermit dance ::]
[:: puts on dancing shoes ::]
[:: wiggles it ... just a little bit ::]
And in a somewhat larger nutshell: May's best friend has been dead for years ... or maybe not, as she learns when a sinister, clandestine web phenomenon hints otherwise. One part Alternate Reality Game, and one part internet gothic - the book is tentatively called I am Princess X .
And I, for one, cannot WAIT to get this bad-boy underway in earnest!
As some of you might have guessed, yes - this was the Potential Project of Utmost Secrecy I was working on toward the end of last year. But all the fine points were not agreed upon until yesterday, so until then, this was one of the big things I was holding under my hat; and let me tell you, my hat has been TO THE BURSTING POINT as of late.
Now to answer a handful of questions that are bound to be frequently asked:
When will Princess X hit the stores? At present, the plan is for spring/summer of 2015, and yes, that is a HELLA long way off and it feels like FOREVER ... but good things come to those who wait, eh?
What ages will this book be aimed at? The protagonist is about seventeen, so somewhere in that general ballpark, I should think.
What about Ninja Planet? We kept hearing about THAT one. I still have plans for NP, yes - but PX will definitely be my young adult debut. There may be more to say on this matter one of these days. But today is not that day.
Will it be paranormal? Steampunk? Fantasy? This project is set in the real world, here and now - but it's got a little bit of a sci-fi edge. If you forced me to genre-fit it, I'd say that it's (in essence) a dark modern mystery. And I'll leave it at that.
I've been interested in doing some fiction aimed at teen readers for quite some time now, and I'm blessed and lucky that I get to take the plunge with such a great company. I can't tell you all how tickled I am to have this opportunity, and how much I'm looking forward to trying my hand at something new.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have to run around and do some more happydances! And also make lunch. And also get ready for the landscaping lady. It's high glamour over here, you guys. All fancypants, all the time!
So thanks so much for reading, everyone - and if you have any additional questions, post them below and I'll answer them if I can.
February 20, 2013
Nobody knows the trouble I've seen
Holy cow, you guys - the Nebula Award nominees have been announced! And I know SO MANY PEOPLE up in there! I am 100% thrilled silly for all of them - congratulations all around, and best of luck to everyone!
[:: throws confetti ::]
Maybe if I am very lucky I will have some good news of my own to announce tomorrow. (Maybe even two pieces of good news, you never do know.) But today is for the Nebula people, and I raise a mighty toast in their general direction. [:: clinks glasses ::]
Anyway!
Here’s today's progress on my fin de siecle gothic epistolary, now with Bonus! ghosts, guilt, and the threat of elder gods in the aftermath of two gruesome unsolved murders:
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: October 2012
New words written: 1510
Present total word count: 37,203 words
Things accomplished in fiction: Confirming and refuting testimony; a little getting-to-know-you with the Boston inspector; a really bad smell.
Next up: The funeral home, where we get to check out some truly grody corpses. Probably (just guessing, here) some more bad smells. Note to self: ask editors about the possibility of scratch-and-sniff covers. Or not, come to think of it.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; Adventures With Curtains; trip to Target; lunch of nachos.
Other: So I ordered some lovely curtains for the master bedroom, and when they arrived, the husband and I thought they might actually look better in the study. But I already had rods/rings/etc. for the new curtains on hand, and the old curtains in the study (which we figured we'd move to the bedroom, where they might look good) were too heavy for the new rods; and this is an old house with old house quirks of plaster and stuff and really high ceilings and LOOK OKAY IT JUST TURNED INTO A MESS. Basically I spent all afternoon fighting with ladders and drills and fabric and ended up putting everything back the way it was.
Bride of Other: Tomorrow I'll hang the curtains in the bedroom, as previously anticipated. Let that be a lesson to you about EVER CHANGING YOUR PLANS or being FLEXIBLE IN ANY WAY it only leads to grief I swear [:: beats head against the wall ::]
Number of fiction words so far this year: 33,296
[:: throws confetti ::]
Maybe if I am very lucky I will have some good news of my own to announce tomorrow. (Maybe even two pieces of good news, you never do know.) But today is for the Nebula people, and I raise a mighty toast in their general direction. [:: clinks glasses ::]
Anyway!
Here’s today's progress on my fin de siecle gothic epistolary, now with Bonus! ghosts, guilt, and the threat of elder gods in the aftermath of two gruesome unsolved murders:
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: October 2012
New words written: 1510
Present total word count: 37,203 words
Things accomplished in fiction: Confirming and refuting testimony; a little getting-to-know-you with the Boston inspector; a really bad smell.
Next up: The funeral home, where we get to check out some truly grody corpses. Probably (just guessing, here) some more bad smells. Note to self: ask editors about the possibility of scratch-and-sniff covers. Or not, come to think of it.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; Adventures With Curtains; trip to Target; lunch of nachos.
Other: So I ordered some lovely curtains for the master bedroom, and when they arrived, the husband and I thought they might actually look better in the study. But I already had rods/rings/etc. for the new curtains on hand, and the old curtains in the study (which we figured we'd move to the bedroom, where they might look good) were too heavy for the new rods; and this is an old house with old house quirks of plaster and stuff and really high ceilings and LOOK OKAY IT JUST TURNED INTO A MESS. Basically I spent all afternoon fighting with ladders and drills and fabric and ended up putting everything back the way it was.
Bride of Other: Tomorrow I'll hang the curtains in the bedroom, as previously anticipated. Let that be a lesson to you about EVER CHANGING YOUR PLANS or being FLEXIBLE IN ANY WAY it only leads to grief I swear [:: beats head against the wall ::]
Number of fiction words so far this year: 33,296
February 19, 2013
E.M.P. from the mother and son tore the digital down
Here’s today's progress on my fin de siecle gothic epistolary, now with Bonus! ghosts, guilt, and the threat of elder gods in the aftermath of two gruesome unsolved murders:
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: None at present
New words written: 1734
Present total word count: 35,693 words
Things accomplished in fiction: Investigation at the new crime scene, which is totes disgusting and stuff.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; lunched with the husband; went to Walgreens to refill a prescription; exchanged many emails; wished for many more emails; still holding out hope for a phone call or two.
Other: Writing Every Damn Day is working out pretty well - so long as I keep it up, and do close to (or at least average) a thousand words a day, I can afford to be a lot more flexible about *other* things. Which is nice.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 31,786
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: None at present
New words written: 1734
Present total word count: 35,693 words
Things accomplished in fiction: Investigation at the new crime scene, which is totes disgusting and stuff.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; lunched with the husband; went to Walgreens to refill a prescription; exchanged many emails; wished for many more emails; still holding out hope for a phone call or two.
Other: Writing Every Damn Day is working out pretty well - so long as I keep it up, and do close to (or at least average) a thousand words a day, I can afford to be a lot more flexible about *other* things. Which is nice.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 31,786
February 18, 2013
Lonely days turn to lonely nights, you take a trip to the city lights
Here’s today's progress on my fin de siecle gothic epistolary, now with Bonus! ghosts, guilt, and the threat of elder gods in the aftermath of two gruesome unsolved murders:
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: None at present
New words written: 1805
Present total word count: 33,959 words
Things accomplished in fiction: Admissions of impossible things, and an inspector is coming in from Boston. He wants to see the doctor, at the crime scene.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; consulted with a nice landscaping lady about the absolute wreck of our back yard; made lunch; took some phone calls; answered and sent a lot of emails.
Other: I think I'm going to like the plant lady - she places a lot of emphasis on local flora and natural 'scaping, rather than strict manicuring. We're having her manage our HedgeHenge, create a retaining wall under the garden, and set some foundation plants in place where we have some potential drainage issues around the house. And that's just for starters. It'll take some time, but it should look pretty killer in time for spring/summer.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 30,052
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: None at present
New words written: 1805
Present total word count: 33,959 words
Things accomplished in fiction: Admissions of impossible things, and an inspector is coming in from Boston. He wants to see the doctor, at the crime scene.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; consulted with a nice landscaping lady about the absolute wreck of our back yard; made lunch; took some phone calls; answered and sent a lot of emails.
Other: I think I'm going to like the plant lady - she places a lot of emphasis on local flora and natural 'scaping, rather than strict manicuring. We're having her manage our HedgeHenge, create a retaining wall under the garden, and set some foundation plants in place where we have some potential drainage issues around the house. And that's just for starters. It'll take some time, but it should look pretty killer in time for spring/summer.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 30,052
February 17, 2013
Blue masquerade strangers look up
Here’s today's progress on my fin de siecle gothic epistolary, now with Bonus! ghosts, guilt, and the threat of elder gods in the aftermath of two gruesome unsolved murders:
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: None at present
New words written: 1048
Present total word count: 31,106 words
Things accomplished in fiction: Confessions and refusals.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; lunch with the husband; trip to the mall area to run some errands; laundry in wake of the cat barfing all over the bed to wake us up this morning.
Other: No, it's not a huge word count. It is Sunday, and I have other things to do, and I am allowed to be a little lazy - which is my favorite part of this Write Every Damn Day business: I can afford to say "only a thousand words today, and I can quit." Once in awhile, anyway. This whole "pacing myself" thing kicks ass.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 28,247
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: None at present
New words written: 1048
Present total word count: 31,106 words
Things accomplished in fiction: Confessions and refusals.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; lunch with the husband; trip to the mall area to run some errands; laundry in wake of the cat barfing all over the bed to wake us up this morning.
Other: No, it's not a huge word count. It is Sunday, and I have other things to do, and I am allowed to be a little lazy - which is my favorite part of this Write Every Damn Day business: I can afford to say "only a thousand words today, and I can quit." Once in awhile, anyway. This whole "pacing myself" thing kicks ass.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 28,247
February 16, 2013
Only came outside to watch the night fall with the rain
Here’s today's progress on my fin de siecle gothic epistolary, now with Bonus! ghosts, guilt, and the threat of elder gods in the aftermath of two gruesome unsolved murders:
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: None at present
New words written: 1354
Present total word count: 31,106 words
Things accomplished in fiction: MOAR MURDERINGS. [:: throws confetti ::]
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; a little leftover housework cleanup; not much else. Have some errands to run now, so I'm calling it an early work day. Besides, it's Saturday and I've logged over 1000 words for about the twelfth day in a row. I'm prepared to cut myself a little slack.
Other: My Write Every Day Dammit campaign is actually going pretty well! And no, the word counts haven't been earth-shattering daily, but the accumulation feels pretty good.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 27,199
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: None at present
New words written: 1354
Present total word count: 31,106 words
Things accomplished in fiction: MOAR MURDERINGS. [:: throws confetti ::]
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; a little leftover housework cleanup; not much else. Have some errands to run now, so I'm calling it an early work day. Besides, it's Saturday and I've logged over 1000 words for about the twelfth day in a row. I'm prepared to cut myself a little slack.
Other: My Write Every Day Dammit campaign is actually going pretty well! And no, the word counts haven't been earth-shattering daily, but the accumulation feels pretty good.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 27,199
February 15, 2013
I remember the night and the Tennessee Waltz
Here’s today's progress on my fin de siecle gothic epistolary, now with Bonus! ghosts, guilt, and the threat of elder gods in the aftermath of two gruesome unsolved murders:
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: None at present
New words written: 1682 (ok)
Present total word count: 29,752 words
Things accomplished in fiction: The girlfriend suspects something is up. She's not wrong.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; did a couple loads of laundry; cleaned my bathroom and most of the rest of the house; busted out the shampooer because SOME FLUFFY DOG just HAD to barf copiously in the ONLY room of the house with carpeting in it; saw one of the aforementioned fluffy dog's buddies out and about with his people, and invited them into the yard for an impromptu playdate - which both dogs LOVED.
Other: Gave up on the yard yesterday. Have contacted a professional about helping us with HedgeHenge and the weird terracing that's eroding around the garden; it needs a little retaining wall or something, and the rest of the yard (the back, in particular) is just kind of a wreck. The nice landscaping lady is coming over on Monday, and I'm feeling pretty good about that. I will try to prevent myself from greeting her by yelling SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY just fix it please I beg you okay?
Son of Other: Because a couple of people asked yesterday (in light of Greyson's birthday post), the truth is - we have no idea when Spain the Cat was born. She was 2-3 years old when we adopted her, so we don't even have a season to go by, and that's why she never got a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY online. That having been said, we brought her home in early March of 2002, so we arbitrarily set her birthday at January 1, 2000. She is one fabulous and well beloved little cat all the same, I assure you.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 25,765
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: None at present
New words written: 1682 (ok)
Present total word count: 29,752 words
Things accomplished in fiction: The girlfriend suspects something is up. She's not wrong.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; did a couple loads of laundry; cleaned my bathroom and most of the rest of the house; busted out the shampooer because SOME FLUFFY DOG just HAD to barf copiously in the ONLY room of the house with carpeting in it; saw one of the aforementioned fluffy dog's buddies out and about with his people, and invited them into the yard for an impromptu playdate - which both dogs LOVED.
Other: Gave up on the yard yesterday. Have contacted a professional about helping us with HedgeHenge and the weird terracing that's eroding around the garden; it needs a little retaining wall or something, and the rest of the yard (the back, in particular) is just kind of a wreck. The nice landscaping lady is coming over on Monday, and I'm feeling pretty good about that. I will try to prevent myself from greeting her by yelling SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY just fix it please I beg you okay?
Son of Other: Because a couple of people asked yesterday (in light of Greyson's birthday post), the truth is - we have no idea when Spain the Cat was born. She was 2-3 years old when we adopted her, so we don't even have a season to go by, and that's why she never got a big HAPPY BIRTHDAY online. That having been said, we brought her home in early March of 2002, so we arbitrarily set her birthday at January 1, 2000. She is one fabulous and well beloved little cat all the same, I assure you.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 25,765
February 14, 2013
Happy birthday dear Greyson ... happy birthday to yooooou ...
Today's not just Valentine's Day - it's Greyson's first birthday! [:: throws confetti ::] More or less, I mean. We were told he was born "sometime in the middle of February," so it seems like the perfect date for the world's most lovable dog.
And he is a dog now - though he'll always be our puppy, never mind that he's 75 pounds of pure brawn and has a bark like a wolf.
Edit: Just now a trio of neighborhood kids came over with a birthday bone (and dad in tow). We turned the kids loose in the back yard with Greyson, and woo boy howdy this is officially the Best! Day! Ever! Seriously, you've never seen such a happy dog in your life.
I wish I'd gotten video, but they caught us by surprise. You'll have to settle for this birthday video instead, wherein I am puppy-assaulted and licked mercilessly. (You also get to hear his "quiet bark," which he's learned to use if he just wants to go outside or play, and he's not trying to raise an alarm.)
And here’s today's progress on my fin de siecle gothic epistolary, now with Bonus! ghosts, guilt, and the threat of elder gods in the aftermath of two gruesome unsolved murders:
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: None at present
New words written: 1402 (ok)
Present total word count: 28,070 words
Things accomplished in fiction: My girlfriend's back and you're gonna be in trouble...
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; some yardwork; lunch with the husband; went to the post office; exchanged important phone calls with important people about stuff I can't announce yet.
Other: OH SUCH THINGS WOULD I LIKE TO ANNOUNCE. And will. As soon as I can. I promise. STUFF IS IN THE WORKS. Yes, more stuff than Jacaranda, which is pretty awesome all by itself. The year is starting to shape up, and there are many good things ahead.
Son of Other: Here's one Bonus! shot of the birthday boy, looking like a poster child for the "Don't Shop: Adopt!" campaign. As he well could be.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 24,083
And he is a dog now - though he'll always be our puppy, never mind that he's 75 pounds of pure brawn and has a bark like a wolf.
Edit: Just now a trio of neighborhood kids came over with a birthday bone (and dad in tow). We turned the kids loose in the back yard with Greyson, and woo boy howdy this is officially the Best! Day! Ever! Seriously, you've never seen such a happy dog in your life.
I wish I'd gotten video, but they caught us by surprise. You'll have to settle for this birthday video instead, wherein I am puppy-assaulted and licked mercilessly. (You also get to hear his "quiet bark," which he's learned to use if he just wants to go outside or play, and he's not trying to raise an alarm.)
And here’s today's progress on my fin de siecle gothic epistolary, now with Bonus! ghosts, guilt, and the threat of elder gods in the aftermath of two gruesome unsolved murders:
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: None at present
New words written: 1402 (ok)
Present total word count: 28,070 words
Things accomplished in fiction: My girlfriend's back and you're gonna be in trouble...
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; some yardwork; lunch with the husband; went to the post office; exchanged important phone calls with important people about stuff I can't announce yet.
Other: OH SUCH THINGS WOULD I LIKE TO ANNOUNCE. And will. As soon as I can. I promise. STUFF IS IN THE WORKS. Yes, more stuff than Jacaranda, which is pretty awesome all by itself. The year is starting to shape up, and there are many good things ahead.
Son of Other: Here's one Bonus! shot of the birthday boy, looking like a poster child for the "Don't Shop: Adopt!" campaign. As he well could be.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 24,083
It's awards season, so here comes the shameless self-promotion
Hello everyone! It's awards season and this is my job, so please click through and take a peek if you are so inclined. Don't worry - it's short! I only published a couple of things this year, and I in
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