Devon Ellington's Blog, page 42
March 14, 2024
Thurs. March 14, 2024: On the Picket Line with Scabby
Scabby the inflatable rat. Photo by Devon Ellington Thursday, March 14, 2024
Waxing Moon
Partly Cloudy and mild
You can read the latest on the garden over on Gratitude and Growth.
Today’s serial episode is from LEGERDEMAIN:
Episode 172: The Visitor from Aloofquina
A visitor from a strongly isolationist kingdom is in Legerdemain for more than theatre.
I got all the morning chores done, cut up the two batches of brownies and packed them in small foil packets, and walked down to MASSMoCA. I joined the picket line for a couple of hours. It was a lovely day to be out. Energy is good on the line. I was happy to see how few visitors crossed the picket line, and how much support passing drivers showed.
Walked home, shed some stuff, picked up the pre-packed bags I’d done for errands. My mom wasn’t feeling well, so I made her drink juice. Turned out she was dehydrated, and felt much, much better once she was properly hydrated. It’s got to be a constant cycle of juice, water, tea when she’s on this medication.
I ran errands. There was a mess up in the medication at CVS. The pharmacist was great about helping navigate through it; the insurance company was a prick, as they are. Picked up a few things at Big Y, including coffee filters. Did the library drop off/pick up.
Home, and exhausted. We had a somewhat late lunch. I worked on the next book for review while we enjoyed the sunshine on the porch. I should be able to do the review today, and hopefully get my next assignments.
Received the estimate for the car repair. More than I hoped; less than I feared. Now I have to book the appointment and get it done before I have to head out to Cooperstown for my play.
I went to tarot circle, which was terrific. I’m so grateful for that community.
Home, dinner, read B IS FOR BURGLAR (Sue Grafton). I had a later edition of the book, and it didn’t have the logistical lapses that my friend found when she read it a few weeks ago. Mine was published about eight years after it was first released. It may have been fixed in that edition or maybe the mistakes weren’t caught in the British edition. I was specifically watching the tracking logic of the stolen identities, and it followed through on this edition. Which is interesting.
I did not have it in me to do any script coverage; I have one today, and I hope to get in some more for today and tomorrow.
I’m thrilled to hear that off-Broadway crews are doing union organizing. May the coming generations struggle less than I had to!
On today’s agenda: meditation, writing, a book review, work on some videos, work on the grant proposals. I think I’ve figured out at least the next few episodes of LEGERDEMAIN. I need to do a run down to Pittsfield to pick up a couple of things I can’t get here. That will be later in the day, since they are doing some paving work around here, and it’s not like I can get the car out and take it anywhere at the moment. The computer has been running poorly, but until the car repair is done, there’s nothing I can do about the computer.
I put together a resource list for the artists in my cohort, and will send that out today. I will also bake lemon cupcakes to take to the picket line tomorrow.
I’m going to Suzette Martin’s open studios tonight, where she will show her new large canvases in progress, and talk about her work built around eco-grief. Suzette is such a lovely person (as well as being a talented artist). I’m looking forward to it.
Have a good one!
March 13, 2024
Wed. March 13, 2024: Figuring Out Some Next Moves
image courtesy of ha11ok via pixabay.comWednesday, March 13, 2024
Waxing Moon
Cloudy and a bit warmer
We’re in the middle of yet another week, people. It’s going by fast!
Two serial episodes are dropping today.
The first is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 119: The Plan to Deal with Cissie
Lianna determines to get information; Gaston wants to make sure no one gets hurt.
The second is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 70: Confrontation with the Sexy Saxon
Nina and Tom confront Winter’s married lover.
This is also a reminder that as of Saturday, March 16th, one episode PER DAY of DEADLY DRAMATICS will go live through May 13 of this year. Instead of two episodes per week going live, there will be seven. Easier to binge.
Remember, the first TEN episodes are now free – so if you haven’t had a chance to read the first ten of each serial yet, now’s your chance to do so for free. Likes, reviews, and comments affect our bonuses. At the moment, they are counting the first 10 reads in our bonuses, but I have no doubt they will soon stop that, so the sooner you can do read/like/comment on those early episodes, the more it helps me.
Doing math on how much some authors lose PER READER, it’s substantial. Say you lose $25 per reader with the new configuration. If you have 100 readers, that’s $2500 on that serial. Which is substantial. That’s a loss combining the additional 7 new free episodes (full token loss on those episodes), plus the token loss if any episodes are over 1K.
I am less affected than some of the other authors, because I had my own plan, separate to the “advice” being dished out. I created my serials structured the way I want and like serial episodes, and all of mine are over 100 episodes. I’m still affected, and I want to get my seasons finished before they stop giving bonuses (they change how they figure bonuses every month; the royalties on the new token packets will likely be less, too). I heard all the “advice” and decided most of it didn’t fit my vision for my pieces.
I considered releasing a bunch of short stories as “episodes” from a single collection that would only run 12-20 episodes, but didn’t find the world of the story where I felt it was viable within my overall vision for my body of work. The most likely would have been stories built around the 12 Days of Christmas for a quick holiday release, but now, that doesn’t’ make sense. Plus, I wouldn’t have the time for about two years, and I doubt the platform will still exist.
I’m going to keep the integrity of my seasons (LEGERDEMAIN will be the hardest, but I’ll figure good end points, using my own advice from my topic workbook THE GRAVEYARD OF ABANDONED PROJECTS, which I can apply to this situation). I will let them run, let them sit their required time so they can be binge-read, and then we’ll all move on.
I’m not getting into any of the arguments the various authors are having with each other. We all have different trajectories, and we need to do what’s best for our own careers. Those who count on it as their main source of income believe they can continue to make it work; for their sake, I hope they are right. I have a feeling the hobbyists are the ones who will remain on the platform longest, because for them it’s about “getting their work out there” and they have the luxury of being able to work without pay.
Ultimately, the only one who profits is Amazon. Which is not a surprise, but, as I’ve said in previous posts, the speed at which they’re screwing their authors is faster than I predicted. I see them taking down the platform (they claim it’s still in beta, but come on, people, it’s been THREE YEARS and they’ve made a profit or it would already be gone), and blaming the authors for not working hard enough. When their policies are the problem.
So, we make our choices from that knowledge. But it’s frustrating and sad on some levels. At the same time, creatively, I got a lot out of these past two years of serial writing, and I will take what I learned and apply it to the future. I’ve blown the ability to submit to even small traditional indie publishers, so I will have to handle the stories’ future lives on my own, when it makes sense so to do . Because, honey, I’m not going to be stuck in the KDP contract and only release through Kindle Unlimited, which is how they try to funnel the serial work. I have, shall we say, issues with that contract.
Enough already about them. I’m wrestling with the next episodes of LEGERDEMAIN, and I have to get them done, because pretty soon, I’ll run out of scheduled episodes. Did I write anything yesterday? Of course not.
It was sunny and lovely. I did a lot of admin work and household chores. I only managed to turn around one script. I had chicken in the crockpot. I baked brownies to take to the picket line today. I went to yoga, only the first hour of gentle yoga.
We had dinner, and I spent time going through some research books for a couple of different projects, because they have to be returned this week. I did some research on an individual who came up in other research, and will see where that leads.
Overnight, I had a positive but strange dream with a very specific individual in it, someone I do not yet know, but who exists (I did some research this morning, and yup, that’s the person from the dream). No idea why I would dream about a stranger who actually exists, but we’ll find out in due time, I guess.
On today’s agenda: morning chores, cutting and packing the brownies, a couple of hours on the picket line, errands, script coverage, notes on LEGERDEMAIN, tarot circle.
I have a feeling I won’t get any episode videos done until tomorrow, and that’s just the way it has to be.
I better get moving then, hadn’t I?
Have a good one.
March 12, 2024
Tues. March 12, 2024: Back to Work
image courtesy of RAEng_Publications via pixabay.comTuesday, March 12, 2024
Waxing Moon
Today’s serial episode is from LEGERDEMAIN:
Episode 171: The Life and Death of John Smoe
A dead soldier who switched allegiance might only be the tip of this iceberg.
Yes, “John Smoe” is both a play on “John Doe” and, historically, something similar to giving an unidentified person a name, AND a play on several tropes that are being turned inside out within the serial. What can I say? Legerdemain has a lot going on among multiple levels. That’s what makes it fun.
Friday started as foggy and mild. My mom felt well enough to help with the breakfast and make her own bed. I’m glad she wants to do stuff, but don’t want her to overdo it.
I got out a play submission and another submission.
Headed to the grocery store to pick up a few things. Got some flowers. Picked up my birthday cake. Headed to Wild Oats for a few more things, including wine and prosecco.
Stopped by the picket line to say hello and offer support. If they are still on strike this week, I will rearrange my schedule and spend some time on the picket line with them. One of my cohort people is out there on the line, because his job is affected. So is the person who keeps the cohort organized. The least I can do is spend a few hours on the line with them, especially as a fellow union member.
It was sunny and lovely out. I spent some time at the Spruces just being.
Did a drop off/pickup at the library.
The final episode of DEADLY DRAMATICS passed through the review process and will go live on May 13.
Worked on some script coverages, although I didn’t get as much done as I’d hoped.
Got an email that I have my very own caseworker at the state’s department that regulates telecommunications, they received my complaint about Spectrum, and are investigating. They were quite surprised at the number of regulations I cited as broken.
There was no need for any of this if Spectrum simply gives me that for which I paid every month, and for which I have paid every single month since I started with them three years ago.
Managed to sleep until 4 AM on Saturday, when Charlotte started being difficult.
My mom was feeling a little worse on Saturday than the day before, but she seemed better as the day progressed.
I worked on one of the big grant proposals and have the materials drafted. I can hone them this week, and then send them off. It’s a big proposal, but still less involved than the other one, which I started. I feel pretty good about what I’ve written. It’s both practical and also expresses my passion for the project.
I tried to get in at the Milne Library, both for their 150th anniversary celebration, and to see my cohort’s exhibit. But it was packed, and there was nowhere within a reasonable distance to park.
I ended up at Wild Soul River early for the tarot popup. There was a “tea and talk” session which I joined, and met some great people, while waiting my turn for a reading from Jane (using the tarot deck she created). The reading both made sense and surprised me, especially in the final card of the reading, which means I don’t/shouldn’t make any hasty decisions out of panic. (Hanged Man card, in case you were wondering).
I took a photo of the spread, and I think I may work with it some more, building on it.
It was a nice break during a stressful few days.
Made it home before it started raining again. Heard disturbing stories from the picket line today, about the crap management is pulling.
Re-read A IS FOR ALIBI by Sue Grafton. My friend Diane in the UK is re-reading the whole series, too, and inspired me. When I re-read the first paragraph, I remember the impact it had on me when it first came out in April of 1982, and how much Kinsey Millhone meant to me. I was still in college (NYU). The 80s were bad when it came to misogyny. I mean, when is it not? But we were supposed to have the big hair, the padded shoulders, and out-tough the men. We were supposed to prove we could do it all (remember the commercials for Enjoli? “I can bring home the bacon; fry it up in the pan. And never, ever let him forget he’s a man.” Talk about toxic expectations. Again, the woman is responsible for how the man feels, instead of him taking responsibility for himself).
Sara Paretsky’s first VI Warshawski novel, INDEMNITY ONLY, came out in 1982 , too. To have both of these strong female protagonists, who were as tough as men, but also had compassion and a different kind of strength, as well as intelligence and resourcefulness, was so important to so many of us at that time. It was, in a literal sense, life-changing. These characters were loners, refusing the traditional marriage and children path by choice, but also knew how to navigate and build community, and found community in surprising places.
Anyway, I remembered why it was such an important novel for me (and made me believe that maybe yes, I could write mysteries that didn’t fit the typical formula of the day). I also had more compassion for characters and choices that I was far more judgmental of at the time. Because, you know, now I have more life experience and it makes more sense. Even though I could now be Kinsey’s mother, age-wise.
Stayed up way too late, reading the whole book in a single sitting.
Moved the clocks back (except for the pendulum clock in my office, who has a hissy fit with time changes).
Slept until 5:30 jump-ahead time (which is 4:30 real time, so, basically, up as usual).
After the morning chores, I did 4 small script coverages, and then I could call it time off until after my birthday.
I spent the afternoon starting the year’s worth of work through Nancy Hendrickson’s ANCESTRAL GRIMOIRE. I read it through once, and then started the work. We are in March; the work starts in January, so I spent the rest of the day and evening catching up on a lot of the work for the first two months, so I could start the March work on my birthday. I mean, there are still exercises from January and February I will finish during March, so the first three months’ work is being done in tandem.
It’s extremely intense work, both fascinating and surprising. It’s far too complex and personal for a blog post. We can discuss, at some point, if you wish, views about ancestral lineage of blood adjacent/versus/whatever emotional/inspirational/psychological lineage.
In any event, it’s deep dive, intricate work. It’s fascinating. It connected a good many creative dots, and me saying, “Oh, THAT’s why I’m drawn to creating projects around X, Y, Z.” I’m using it as a tool to dig around in the compost of my psyche and figure a few things out.
You need two tarot decks (at least) and one or two oracle decks. I chose THE TAROT OF THE MOON GARDEN as the primary deck. It really wanted to come out and play for this work, and once I dug in, the artwork tied into the questions and exercises with an eerie synchronicity. The Connolly deck really wanted to come out and play, too, so that’s another deck which will be involved, as with the Rackham deck for any dream work, since I’ve found the Rackham is the strongest when working with dreams.
For Oracle decks, I’m using both the Enchanted Map Oracle (because, mind mapping) and the Literary Witches Oracle (um, if you know me, that’s pretty self-explanatory).
I only used Moon Garden on Sunday, but I used both oracle decks.
There are also supplementary cards the user creates. I did those on index cards, but I think I will invest in a deck of blank tarot cards, so I can do something with more stability. And a lot of pendulum use (I’m using a tiger’s eye pendulum that was a gift from a friend), along with maps. My handy dandy Collier’s Atlas is happy to get the exercise.
If all this sounds confusing, all I can say is, read the book and it makes sense.
But doing about two months’ worth of work in about a half a day is, shall we say, a lot. I have a separate journal book for the work, and took very detailed notes, and also noted where I found dots connecting. We will see if/how they rearrange themselves over the course of the year.
It’s absolutely fascinating, and what a great creative tool. It also ties into the art project I plan to create based around the historical women I’ve written about and who inspired me. (The one with the wooden spoons). Since the framework for that art piece will be out of wood, albeit with kitchen implements, and one of the artist cohort’s advisors is an artist who works in wood, guess who’s going to be getting a whole big batch of questions? One of my cohort does visual industrial art, so I might ask them a few questions, too.
I spent most of the day being completely disoriented from the time change. My mom was doing a little better, but one of the medications increases confusion, and she hates that.
We got into the chocolate truffle bomb birthday cake right after dinner Sunday. I mean, why wait? It’s really good, and there are many ailments that can be solved with chocolate birthday cake.
Slept pretty well, up at the normal time on Monday – my birthday! 62, all y’all. My body’s like, “yeah, you’re 62.” My brain is often still in my late 20s/early 30s.
I felt very special, showered with many birthday wishes, both in real life and online. I am very grateful.
Eggs Benedict for breakfast, which was yummy. I did a few birthday-ish things, like unwrap the gifts sent by friends (they were wonderful), and do some more Ancestor work, starting the work for March. Which, so far, puzzles me, but that’s the way it goes sometimes.
I’d woken up feeling like I was getting sick, and determined not to get sick, but I rested a lot and felt better as the day went on. My mom was doing okay, too, so that took a lot of stress off.
I read a book that was mediocre, which was a shame. It had a lot of potential, but was too intent on fictionalizing the author’s lived experience to a point, rather than doing what was best for the story and characters. It Mary Sue’d instead of being more concerned with the story’s integrity.
I went to order my birthday dinner – from the restaurant I’d checked multiple times in the past weeks to make sure it was actually open today – and the online ordering was dismantled, and there was only a message on the phone that the voice mail box was full.
I wasn’t about to haul my ass to a different town and then find out it was closed. I looked at the other restaurants open on a Monday close enough to do a reasonable pick up. Only burgers, tacos, and pizza were available, and that’s not what I wanted.
So I cooked my own, it was good, I wasn’t disappointed because a restaurant meal didn’t meet expectations, and we had more of the wonderful chocolate cake (which we also had at lunch). I prefer not to cook my own dinner on my birthday, but at least I knew the food was good!
The first ten episodes free on Vella went into effect yesterday, and the “every episode is 10 tokens” is supposed to start today, but who the hell knows? I’m just sticking to my adjusted plan. ANGEL HUNT will run its course into June. DEADLY DRAMATICS starts burning off episodes daily this coming weekend. I’m working to end LEGERDEMAIN early. So many authors are justifying it so they can feel better about staying; hey, if it works, good for them. I need something else.
Sort of like with Substack – people are going quietly back to the platform, ignoring they monetize Nazis. Nope. Sorry. You’re on Substack? Not subscribing or following, even for free. They can continue their own hamster wheel of trying to make it work within a system that’s built to cause harm; that’s not for me. I didn’t even realize how much stress that platform put on me (not keeping up with the column, that was fine, but all the rest of the demands promoting the myth of “if you’re not wildly financially successful, you’re not working hard enough” instead of them doing their part in the deal) until I left.
On today’s agenda: working on Legerdemain; hopefully working on another project or two. I have to follow up on the estimate for the car repair; it’s been more than a week, and I haven’t heard anything. I have two medium script coverages to do in the afternoon. I’m baking brownies to take to the picket line tomorrow. Once this is posted, I’ll put some chicken in the crockpot. I have yoga tonight, although I think I’ll just do the one hour of gentle yoga. I also need to work on the grant proposals. I’d like to get both of them out the door by the end of the week. I should get this week’s videos up and posted; by the end of the week, I’ll have to create/schedule one per day for DEADLY DRAMATICS.
Somewhere in there this week, I need to get back to CAST IRON MURDER, and next weekend, I have my taxes to look forward (?) to. I’m also starting the deep spring clean this week, but I’m doing it slowly, so it will probably be May by the time it’s done. I usually start in the kitchen and work my way forward; this time I’m starting in Tessa’s room, right off the porch, and working my way back. I’ll do the front porch when it’s warmer, because those windows and blinds need a good wash.
So there’s a lot to get done, along with the regular stuff, and only a few spoons with which to do them.
I better get going then, hadn’t I?
March 11, 2024
Mon. March 11, 2024: Intent for the Week — A Good Day Starts a Good Week Starts a Good Year
image courtesy of Manfred Richter via pixabay.comToday is my birthday!
I am well into being “a woman of certain age” and certainly into my Crone years!
My intent for this week is to have a good day today for my birthday (I have a fraught relationship with my birthday, which I will post about at some other point). I want a good day today to be a catalyst to a good week, which then sets the stage for a good year.
Of course there will be trials and tribulations. But I want to build on last year’s foundation and keep creating the life I want.
What’s your intent for the week?
March 8, 2024
Fri. March 8, 2024: Trying To Keep It All Running
image courtesy of Pavlo via pixabay.comFriday, March 8, 2024
Day Before Dark Moon
International Women’s Day
Foggy and mild
Happy International Women’s Day! Wouldn’t it be nice if this country stopped stripping away women’s rights and going backwards?
Today it will be in the high 50’s; over the weekend, another snowstorm is coming in.
Today’s serial episode is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 118: Gaston Hesitates
Gaston wants to avoid Cissie’s aggression.
Tomorrow’s serial episode is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 68: Winter Is Missing
The friends figure out a plan to search for Winter. Tom offers to help Nina.
Managed to move the release dates on 10 episodes of DEADLY DRAMATICS before meditation.
An astrological meme came up on Insta yesterday, warning me “not to be overly enthusiastic” yesterday. On the one hand, yeah, doubtful that’ll happen with everything going on. On the other hand, why the hell not? Shouldn’t I try to find gratitude and silver linings and try to make things better? Argh.
Because I’m stressed, things (and people) that normally wouldn’t bother me are, so I’m just trying to take a breath and not be reactive. Because we’re all dealing with a lot, and only your inner circle knows the full story.
I got a response from author non-support to my question to the rescheduling process that was basically useless, but as long as the rescheduled episodes keep going through, I’ll just keep going.
I decided to live dangerously after breakfast and reschedule 10 more DEADLY DRAMATICS release dates. Then I decided to REALLY live dangerously and reschedule all of them for the season.
If everything goes through, one new episode will drop every day from March 16-May 13, finishing the first season. I rewrote the author note on the final episode of the season. Fingers crossed it all goes through.
That means VICIOUS CRITIC moves up in the writing queue, once I’ve decided how to end LEGERDEMAIN’s season.
I updated the “Why read serials?” video on the Serials page, with the new dates, the 10 free episodes/10 tokens, and taking off REP.
As each serial season finishes, I will make a “bingeworthy” video for them. Because completed serials are required to sit on the platform for a bit.
The people who claimed they don’t read serials because they don’t like waiting to know “what happens next” will have no excuses!
As of this morning, all of the DEADLY DRAMATICS episodes are rescheduled – except the very last one. I’ll wait a couple of days, and then give them a little push, over at Customer Disservice.
Meditation was fine. Got the morning chores done. The weather was nasty. Spent most of the morning dealing with rescheduling the DD episodes and trying to rework the rest of the LEGERDEMAIN arc. Got out a press release about FALL FOREVER. Got us fed for lunch (in the past, we basically foraged our own lunches, but now I’m responsible for both of us and the post-lunch dishes). My mom wasn’t feeling great, but a little better than the day before. There’s still a lot of monitoring happening.
Vacuumed, which meant Tessa pouted and sulked until dinner time.
Researched some other serial platforms, but I don’t like the pay structure, so that’s a pass.
Pondered some more information for the grant applications.
In the afternoon, I turned around two medium coverages, and did part of the reading for a third.
Found out that an online friend I’ve known for a couple of decades passed away recently, and mourned with some other friends.
I was going to make ham & cheese in puff pastry, but the puff pastry would not behave, so I tossed it, and heated up leftover enchiladas instead.
I ordered two small birthday gifts for myself (books; I bet you’re shocked, shocked I tell you). One arrived on Wednesday, and I finished it last night. Lots of good stuff in there. The other arrived yesterday.
On today’s agenda: some writing or at least outlining (I hope). Grocery store, library, Wild Oats, pick up my birthday cake. Swing by the picket line at MASSMoCA and offer support. Most things are closed on Monday, and, if the storm is as bad as they are now saying, I probably won’t get to pick up a dinner order (and I won’t order delivery in bad weather; that’s just mean). I was going to go down to Stockbridge for a play reading on Sunday, but the weather looks so awful, I cancelled.
I think, I hope, that tomorrow I can go to the 150th Anniversary celebration at the Milne Library in Williamstown (and see my fellow cohort’s exhibit there), and then head over to Wild Soul River, where a friend and fellow artist is having an event. That will make me feel like I at least did something for my birthday, even if the weather doesn’t let me do something on the actual day on Monday.
I have a handful of script coverages to do this afternoon and at some point over the weekend. I hope to take Monday off.
I had a heck of a time getting the computer booted up this morning, which does not bode well.
My mom is feeling a little better today, and is on the exercise bicycle. Let’s hope we are in a permanent upswing.
Have a good weekend!
March 7, 2024
Thurs. March 7, 2024: Feels Like I’m on a Hamster Wheel
image courtesy of Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke via pixabay.comThursday, March 7, 2024
Waning Moon
You can read the latest on the garden over on Gratitude and Growth. And there’s some growth since last week!
Yesterday was kind of all over the place, but a lot of it was good.
Today’s serial episode is from LEGERDEMAIN:
Episode 170: The Purpose of the Protest
Not all protests are negative.
I dealt with Amazon, and my episodes have cleared.
I did all the morning monitoring and chores early, then packed up my mom and took her to the doctor (we had a 9 AM appointment). I came in armed with documentation that would put the Watergate Commission to shame.
The doctor spent 5 minutes with her, took her off the medication that makes her feel better, put her back on the medication that does not, said I’m doing a good job and know what’s what, and she’ll see us in six months.
That would be incorrect.
We have an appointment booked for April. I told the nurse, and he agreed, that we will hold the appointment, and work from there.
Not a happy camper, and am going to continue the monitoring/documentation. And make changes based on data between now and next month.
While we were at the doctor, I got a message that MASSMoCA/Assets4Artists employees are on strike (good for them). It means that all of our planned cohort activities are on hold. A couple of A4A managers are still required to work; I told them if they needed to be removed from the premises and plied with an adult beverage, to give me a shout, and I’d come get them. I mean, I won’t cross a picket line, but I will take them out for a stress-relief drink.
On the way home, I stopped at Carr’s Hardware to get potting soil. Of course, I saw both sweet pea and more black-eyed Susan vine seeds and bought them.
I came home to find an invitation from Suzette Martin for her open studios event next week on her new eco-grief paintings. I’m delighted to go (her art intrigues me and she is such an excellent human). She said I should invite other artists who might be interested, so I sent an email to my cohort. Anyone who wants to turn up can, and my fellow cohort artists don’t have to feel like everything is on hold because of the strike. It’s at a different venue, so we won’t be crossing any strike lines.
And I won’t be crossing any lines on my birthday (I planned to go to MASSMocA on my birthday, but that can wait).
Changed the release date on the next 10 DEADLY DRAMATICS episodes.
Got us fed and the after-lunch chores done.
Sat in on the Creative Capital grant seminar. Most of it was information with which I was familiar, from other various grant writings, but it helped me hone my idea for this particular grant. I started working my way through the application questions after, drafting the statements which I will hone over the coming weeks.
The most time-consuming portion will be the budget, although once I have a handle on actor/stage manager/designer salaries that will sort that. I have a good idea of rehearsal space costs, having just recently investigated them. And, from my production management days breaking down scripts for budgeting purposes, I will remember to add the caveat that the budget increases by 20% for each three months from its original creation to the start of the project. Because prices go up, and a budget you made 3 years ago is mostly irrelevant. And it might not have gone up that much, percentage wise, across all categories – but it’s gone up.
Charlotte was upset because it was a webinar, not a two-way Zoom call, and no one could see her and tell she’s pretty.
Found out I forfeit the pittance in my Actors’ Equity pension plan, because I’m not considered “vested.” Sigh.
I am, however, vested in the Local 764 plan, so at least there’s that, although it won’t kick in for a few more years.
Went to tarot circle, which was a lot of fun. Very intense discussion, but in a good way. Grabbed some more chime candles.
It was raining on the way home, but the storm really didn’t kick in until a few hours later, thank goodness.
I made pasta with pancetta, roma tomatoes and spinach that should have been wonderful, and just kind of wasn’t. It was fine, it just wasn’t amazing, and I want amazing. I will send that cookbook back to the library, and maybe play with the recipe on my own at some point.
Tried to stay up later, and only made it about a half an hour more. Woke up at 3 AM, pondered some LEGERDEMAIN plot points. Was just starting to doze off again around 5 when Charlotte and Tessa had a spat and knocked over the table in my reading corner, smashing a several things that were on the table, including a pair of red champagne flutes and a pot with a small jade plant in it. I’m so mad at them. Tessa refused to discuss it until I fed them, and then she apologized. Charlotte is trying to show she is a good kitty; when we first got her, she would have hidden for three days, but I think she finally realizes that I can be annoyed with her and still love her.
I cleaned up as best I could (at 5 AM), and put cardboard down on the floor, just in case, until I can vacuum later this morning at a reasonable hour. I don’t want any glass shards to wind up in paws. They ran as soon as everything fell, so they didn’t step in it right after.
It’s just stuff, but I’m still sad and discouraged.
Got a message from someone on social media that a mutual friend has passed away. Only I can’t find any confirmation, so I’m not entirely sure it’s true? No one’s heard from her since mid-February. But there’s no obituary or any other information listed. I hope she’s okay, and just on vacation without internet or something.
On today’s agenda: meditation group, household chores including making sure all the glass is cleaned up, some writing (not sure on which project), moving 10 more DEADLY DRAMATICS episode release dates, several medium sized script coverages. I might be able to finish up a book for review and write it, or that might have to wait until tomorrow.
Onward.
March 6, 2024
Wed. March 6, 2024: Trying To Keep All the Balls in the Air
image courtesy of Nona via pixabay.comWednesday, March 6, 2024
Waning Moon
Rainy and raw
There are two serial episodes going live today. The first is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 117: Akseli Varden in the Circle
Akseli teases Lianna and Gaston with partial answers.
The other is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 67: Dmitra’s Opening Night
Dmitra’s performance is unlike anything Nina’s ever seen before. Is that a good thing?
Yesterday was exhausting. After the laundry, I came back to do the monitoring. My mom wasn’t feeling great, but she felt better as the morning continued. She’s very tired, which is understandable.
Breakfast, litter boxes, folding and putting away laundry, grocery shopping. I managed to get the grocery shopping done before the storm got too bad; it was just spitting when I was out and about. Much worse by the time I was home, unpacking it all.
Put everything away. Found out most of the social networks on the internet went down. Whose cat was it who broke the internet? I’m looking at you, Calamity Joon!
Rather amusing.
The artist cohort is set to use What’sApp, which is not something I am fond of; I’d been griping to a witchy friend. As soon as they heard that was one of the sites down, they said, “I know you’re not a What’sApp fan, but did you have to crash the whole internet?” It was pretty funny, all around.
I guess you had to be there. 
Tried to reschedule 10 DEADLY DRAMATICS episodes so that they are releasing one per day, starting on St. Patrick’s Day. Of course, Amazon, who approved the initial episodes when they were first scheduled, is dragging their feet, and I had to get in touch this morning. The only change to the episodes is the release date (and the new assurance that I do not use AI when I write). The episodes already passed review. I want to make sure these episodes move before I move all the rest, so that the release schedule is tighter.
Reading posts from authors in various Vella groups. Kind of sad how mean so many authors are to each other. This work holds different positions in each of our careers. We need to make the best decisions FOR OUR OWN CAREERS as we can. It’s going to be different for someone like me, where Vella can only be a portion of the career to someone who uses Vella for their entire income to someone who does it as a hobby for a little extra cash. It’s no one else’s business as to our individual decisions, based on our vision and needs. Hey, for those who do it as a hobby, great. STFU on the snark to those who write as their career.
Got us fed for lunch (yay, grocery shopping). I turned around three short coverages, wrote and submitted a book review, dealt with moving a book into a contest category into which it’s more suited.
Put in a Chewy order – we have another bag of food, but sometimes it’s out of stock, and it’s back in stock right now, so I got the Great Big Bag – which is the same price as it was last time, but a pound less food within in. Sigh. I already stopped ordering cat litter through them because I get a better deal at Big Y for the same quality litter (1/3 of the price).
By then, I was wiped. Spent an hour or so as cat furniture for Charlotte, trying to work out the best way to structure the next Legerdemain episodes to end the arc and the serial.
Managed to get to yoga, but I only stayed for gentle yoga, and I barely made it through that. I’m glad I went, I needed it, but it was physically and mentally a struggle. Considering it was gentle yoga, that was not a good thing.
Home, dinner, after dinner chores. Went to bed ridiculously early.
Which meant I was wide awake at 3 AM. Got the email off to Vella to sort out the episode rescheduling issues.
Going to work on the March newsletter now, then do the early morning monitoring and get my mom ready for her morning doctor’s appointment. This afternoon, I have a Creative Capital workshop around their grant. I hope to get in a medium script coverage before I head off to tarot circle – although, if the storm comes in early and is as bad as predicted, I might have to skip tarot. But I would like to be with them.
I’m hoping to get some writing in there, at the very least on an episode by episodes outline for the upcoming Legerdemain episodes. And maybe work on the short story, but that might get pushed off until tomorrow.
Fingers crossed the doctor’s appointment goes well. My mom seems a little better this morning, at least so far. Let’s hope she’s on the road to recovery.
March 5, 2024
Tues. March 5, 2024: The Need For a New Plan — Yet Again
image courtesy of Pexels via pixabay.comTuesday, March 5, 2024
Waning Moon
Rainy and mild
I hope you had a good weekend. I alternated between feeling like I was coping reasonably well, and feeling like roadkill.
Today’s serial episode is from LEGERDEMAIN:
Episode 169: Councilman Grabham’s Threat
An unpleasant councilman threatens Shelley’s job.
Friday, I was basically running on fumes. I did the early morning monitoring, and then I was out the door and at the mechanic by 8 AM. The internet didn’t connect properly, and I’d forgotten my flash drives, so I did what I could offline and then switched to pen and paper.
I toyed with some ideas for a short play, and tried to think of a plot for the short story I want to get out the door by the end of the month. I have the characters and the setting, but it needs a plot.
The car will be repaired in stages; they will get back to me with the initial estimate. It’s drivable, in the meantime.
I brought my computer home, picked up a few things at the grocery store, and did the drop off/pick up at the library. And then, I was basically toast. Got us fed for lunch, but was very, very tired.
I’d planned to rest, but then I saw a call for a grant which would support the Playland Painters Project, so I put everything aside and worked on that. The grant application itself wound up being around 2500 words, with the pitch, statements, etc. I had to put together a work sample from other pieces, which I did, but cutting and pasting into Windows11, when it changes everything into its preferred format even when the document’s been set up in the format needed meant it took longer than it should have, since I had to put a television pilot sample, a stage play sample, and a radio play sample all into the same document.
But that went out the door.
Then, I had to go over the cast list for the play, and send that approval back in. The character that was originally Lorenzo will be played by a woman, so I went through the script and made adjustments (which, in some cases, go beyond just pronouns and changing the name to Renza). But I got that all done, all 119 pages of it, and sent that draft back, so it can go out to the actors over the weekend.
Then, some paperwork came in for the Artist Capacity Building Program that had to be done before Monday, and I figured, get it out the door now, so I did.
By then, I was running on less than fumes.
But I cooked dinner, did the dishes, and did the evening monitoring. I went to bed ridiculously early, but I just couldn’t anymore. The last box of books for the other contest arrived, so I will dig into those.
Although I did manage to sign up for Dramatists’ Guild End of Play program again this April. That’s where I plan to finish THE WOMEN ON THE BRIDGE this year. I wrote FALL FOREVER, the play that’s being done in Cooperstown this spring, over last year’s End of Play program. I got my confirmation, so I’m all set.
Up early on Saturday, did the morning routine and monitoring, got the cats all sorted, did the breakfast and dishes, took out the garbage, went to the store for something I forgot, and then went to Wild Oats for a few things.
Some scripts came in and I knew I needed to work over the weekend, although I would have rather rested. But bills still need to be paid, and I only earned about 1/3 of what I should have in this last pay period. So, back to the desk. I did one large coverage, and that’s all I had the energy for.
Did evening monitoring and the dinner and all the other stuff that needed to be handled. Went through some research books. Finished reading a book of short stories that was fun. Let the short play and the short story I want to write this month percolate.
Dreamed that I went to pick up a friend who was working in an industrial city. He had to leave the emergency exit propped open for me. I went up to the top floor, helped him pack, we snuck out the emergency exit, and I drove him away from the place.
Woke up with ideas for the play and the short story. After the morning monitoring and chores, I wrote the first draft of the short play, and then did another draft. It’s cute, a romantic comedy, with a bunch of characters and double casting. Hopefully, I can do a couple more passes in the coming days and get it out the door. It’s called “Where We Meet” and is location specific to a bench and a lamppost. I’d written one of the opening speeches when I was at the mechanic’s on Friday, but it’s a minor moment in the show.
But it felt good to sit down and really write something.
The short story is also percolating. I wrote nearly 900 words on it (It can only be 5K). The anthology call is totally in my wheelhouse – comic noir mystery. I mean, it’s supposed to be noir. I hope they don’t mind the comic. And golden era film. Right smack in my wheelhouse. If the anthology doesn’t want it, there are other markets.
That felt better, although by the end of it, I was tired.
I read the next book for review, which was very good.
But still went to bed early. Had three different nightmares – Tessa pulled me out of the first one (about war), I pulled myself out of the second one (about not being able to find a costume for a quick change in an actor’s messy dressing room), and Charlotte pulled me out of the third one (which I promptly forgot). So I was exhausted by the time I woke up.
My mom was not feeling well on Monday morning. The doctor told me to stop giving her Lasix after Saturday, but the numbers were going up too high again, so I gave it to her again on Monday, and it helped. I should not be in the position of deciding dosage changes. I am not a medical professional.
On top of that, Spectrum, the internet provider, is being a total asshat – even though they are fully paid and all payments went through, they claim I am delinquent. So much of what they sent me is in direct violation of MA’s telecommunication regulations. I sent a 5-page, detailed letter about their crap to the CEO of the company via certified mail with a fuckton of documentation, including where the company is in violation of state regulations. I sent a copy to the state Telecommunications regulator, a copy to the person in Pittsfield I met at last year’s 1Berkshire event who’s working on digital equity, and to my state senator (who is advocating for more digital equity). Spectrum can bite me.
As it is, in addition to all the regulations they are violating, between the 25th of the month and the 10th of the following month, they slow down my speed, so I’m only getting a portion of what I pay for. On top of that, the radius of coverage the increasingly priced router gives diminishes every month (it’s supposed to cover the entire property, including the porch and the balcony); guests have trouble signing in to the network. They also change payment dates and rates whenever they want, without appropriate notice.
And they are the only choice in this area, so they don’t give a fuck.
But that meant I lost my writing time, dealing with their bullshit. And I had a big stack of underpaid script coverages to turn around that were due on the 5th.
Another friend sent my mom a get well card, which cheered her up.
I managed to do another pass on the short play, and got it out the door to Ireland. Fingers crossed it’s the type of comedy they actually like.
Daylight savings time starts this weekend, just before my birthday. I could cry. I hate springing forward. It takes me weeks to adjust and stop feeling exhausted when things are on track. I can’t cope with that leap this year.
But I dug in, and I turned around 7 small coverages. I’m really excited about the parameters for the scripts for which they’re looking; too bad the pay sucks so badly.
On top of that, Amazon has screwed us yet again for the serials. Wow, not even a week since the last screw. Now, they will make the first TEN episodes free (instead of the first THREE) and charge 10 tokens per episode for the rest. Which screws everything up in so many different directions. There’s also a rumor that if you are an author and read fellow Vella authors, your tokens won’t count toward their payments, and theirs won’t count towards yours. The everything 10 tokens is bad for ANGEL HUNT and some of DEADLY DRAMATICS, because some of those episodes are intentionally less than 1K words. It’s fine for a lot of DD, and for most of LEGERDEMAIN, which usually hovers around 1300 words. It’s hell for the authors whose episodes were much longer, and screws them even more than it does me.
So much for the videos I made last week and the ad buys I planned!
So how does this change the serials?
At the laundromat this morning (yes, I hauled my ass out the door early to the laundromat), I sat down and made a new plan. Which, honestly, isn’t all that different from the original vision plan as to how these pieces fit into my overall career plan. But the timeline is tighter, and moving formats tighter. It affects ANGEL HUNT the least, although THE LIGHTHOUSE LADY will not go up first as a serial (nor will the other three titles planned after LL). DEADLY DRAMATICS will take some tap dancing as far as trying to change the release schedule. I’m going to do some cautious rearranging today and see how that goes, then make my decisions from there. It means that VICIOUS CRITIC will not go up first as a serial.
LEGERDEMAIN is the most complicated, since it was designed to be open-ended. Obviously, now, it can’t be, and it needs to finish sooner rather than later. I’m up to Episode 176 scheduled, so maybe I can finish the arc – and the serial – around Episode 200.
But what then? I’ve put a lot of work into the world (although not enough work into the Legerdemain website). I already planned to release novellas built around tertiary characters later this year, while the main serial was still running.
A friend thinks the early episodes would be great at a series pilot, and could garner attention in contests. I hadn’t even thought of that. The grant for which I used the excerpt from THE WOMEN’S PRECINCT pilot made me want to finish that pilot, polish it, and get it out the door. But maybe LEGERDEMAIN could be another example.
Something to think about.
What does this mean for REP and VIXEN’S HOLLOW?
Neither will debut as serials. I’m not sure when or where they will get back into the writing schedule, but they will be re-envisioned as novels. Possibly pointed to small, traditional publishers.
Ream is not a platform appropriate for my work; they prefer romance. While I have romantic elements and love in much of my work, it is rare that it can be classified as romance and be fair to reader expectations. The other serial platforms pay even less than Vella.
There’s a lot of anger and frustration among the authors, and it’s understandable. Many of them are upset about the Student Free Reads program, which I think is a good program. I don’t mind students reading for free for six months. Yes, it affects royalties, but Amazon should then boost our bonuses – which they won’t do, since they want to eliminate bonuses. And, of course, there are the snide authors who always have something nasty to say about authors who are worried, and who buy into the capitalist crap that if you just work “hard” enough, you’ll make a profit. No, boo, Amazon’s the only one who’s made real profit here off our backs, although there is a percentage of authors who are tap dancing fast enough to make some real money. Again, learn a lot, even from the snark, and know whose work I will not seek out/purchase elsewhere.
The serials are PART of my career. They can’t be the full focus of it. They started eating too much time and focus during the strike, because I leaned on them to make up income I lost from script coverage work. I need to do what is best for MY vision for my career, and Vella ain’t it anymore. It was fun at the start, I learned a lot, I remembered why I loved these characters in the first place, and it got me to create Legerdemain, a world I have no intention of giving up.
In any event, I want to be done with Vella by the end of the summer, if not before. With the way they’re squeezing authors, I doubt the platform will last the year. And it certainly no longer fits my vision or my business plan.
Anyway, I wrote down the latest version of the plan at the laundromat, and that made me feel better.
I was a few minutes late getting to the laundromat and someone else was already there! Using my preferred machines! Oh, horrors! However, the world didn’t end, I picked other machines, and it was all fine.
I will adapt the serial videos on the websites. I will hold off on the ad buys. I may skip episode videos this week, and then start them up again next week. I believe in the stories, but I don’t see that platform as being the best place for them anymore.
And I really don’t need this coming down on me RIGHT NOW.
Although maybe this frees me up to get the CAST IRON MURDER edits finished and out the door in a timelier manner, because I’m aiming it at several small, but traditional publishers.
On top of that, if IATSE goes out on strike for film/tv at the top of the summer, I really have to find other work. The script coverage has been erratic since the last strike, we got zero support during said strike, and the payments have gone way down, while the pressure to increase volume has gone up. The serials carried me through part of the strike, and the grant through the rest of it, but neither of those are options this year.
Let’s hope some of those LOIs and other grant applications bear fruit! I’ve got payments for work I did a few months back due in March, but I have to up the LOIs and outreach. Which, with having to work twice as hard for a third of the money from the script coverage AND do all the extra monitoring/caretaking on my mother’s illness and the car repairs and the play going into rehearsal and the cohort commitment, is a lot.
My mother’s echocardiogram was finally scheduled, toward the end of the month. So they can’t be THAT worried. And it’s here at the North Adams hospital, not down in Pittsfield.
As far as wrapping up February (I wasn’t up to the math on Friday):
New Material: 64,011 words – this is about what I expected, and a good sweet spot, across a wide range of projects.
Edits: 19,861 – not as much as I’d like, but still decent, considering what it was on.
Client work: 11,991 (I am waaaay underpaid for this work – this is a wakeup call).
Scholastic contest reading: 13 hours – a little above what I hoped, but dealable.
Video creation: 8 hours
On today’s agenda: laundry (already done), the big grocery shopping, writing, planning, monitoring, caretaking, script coverage, a book review to write, contest entries (I’m being paid for those, at least) to read, yoga. I’m not sure if I’ll do one or both hours of yoga. I have to see how I feel.
That’s that, then.
Onward.
March 4, 2024
Mon. March 4, 2024: Intent for the Week — Prevail
image courtesy of 巻（Maki）via pixabay.comAfter a pretty decent weekend, my mom is feeling poorly again this morning.
On top of that, Spectrum, the only internet game around here, is behaving like an asshat. I mean, no surprise, but still.
And the scheduler for my mom’s echocardiogram doesn’t call and can’t be reached.
This week is about digging down and dealing with the assholes.
Good vibes appreciated.
March 1, 2024
Fri. March 1, 2024: Artists Inspiring Each Other
image courtesy of Uwe Baumann via pixabay.comFriday, March 1, 2024
Waning Moon
No idea about the weather
Happy March! Did you remember to say, “rabbit, rabbit!”?
Today’s serial episode is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 116: Gaston’s Ritual Room
Gaston demonstrates his trust in Lianna by inviting her into his ritual room.
Tomorrow’s serial episode is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 66: At the Theatre
Lesley sets Nina up with Tom. He’s cute, but what’s the catch?
We got the initial monitoring done, and then my mom did 15 minutes on the exercise bicycle.
Charlotte and I did the Zoom meditation with Concord Free Public Library while my mom rested. Charlotte was so happy to be back in meditation! Well, back on ZOOM at least.
My mom made the toast for breakfast (I did the rest). She made her bed when I wasn’t looking. It’s important to her to regain as much independence as possible; I just have to keep an eye on her so she doesn’t do too much too soon.
My friend Diane is re-reading the Kinsey Millhone series by Sue Grafton, and that’s inspiring me to do the same. I ordered the first one from the library (because my set is in storage). I remember how important that series was to me as a writer starting out working with mysteries.
I wrote up and sent off an LOI package for a job/company where it sounds like we would be perfect for each other. They sent back a lovely note already letting me know they received the materials and are excited to review them. Fingers crossed. The values, mission, hours, and pay all fit into what I’m looking for in a new client right now.
Really grateful for the support of friends and colleagues right now, both virtually and in person. It’s been a big help.
Made the devilled eggs for the potluck. I didn’t like the inexpensive plastic platter I’d stress-bought when I broke my good one. So, instead, I found some cute little ceramic dishes and used those instead.
I am pulling back from some individuals online, because although we are supposedly “mutual follows” those individuals only interact on something in response to one of their posts; they do not interact on anyone else’s posts (unless they feel that person is above them in the publishing hierarchy and can be useful). I’m kind of done with that attitude. That’s not treating me as a colleague; that’s treating me as a customer. No, thank you. I’m not fussing; I’m just gently pulling away from them.
Did a lot of health monitoring and data gathering. Turned around a medium coverage that came unexpectedly and a bunch of score sheets. Have a stack of small coverages to start the new pay period, but for a contest I’m really excited to work on.
The audition videos came through just before I left for the potluck, and I sat down, went through them and made my notes. There are various ways to shuffle the deck of the actors who auditioned, each of which would bring out different facets of the script.
The potluck was at an amazing Victorian house being restored by some wonderful artists on a hill overlooking MASSMoCA. I am madly in love with everyone in the cohort – what an amazing group of people. The diversity of experience and medium is truly wonderful. The food was delicious. The conversation and shared inspiration was wonderful.
It lasted far longer than expected, and everyone was having such a wonderful time, and our host was so lovely and kind not to kick us out.
Home, wrote up my notes on the casting, and sent them off. Whatever decisions are made, I’m not going to have a hissy. I know there are all kinds of factors in play, and I will learn something no matter what.
Finished writing this up and scheduled it to post. It was nearly midnight when I got to bed, and I need to be up early and out to the door to the mechanic. By the time you read this, I will be at the mechanic, and hopefully, it will be good news.
If it’s not complicated and I’m not in a state of shock by the time we’re done, I have to swing by the post office, the grocery store, and the library. Then it’s home for some script coverage work, updating the FALL FOREVER draft for the gender switch in one of the roles, and, hopefully, get some rest over the weekend. The second box of contest entries is also supposed to arrived.
I was actually kind of maybe looking forward to my birthday this year (I have a very fraught relationship with my birthday). But with everything going on, I might just skip it. A friend suggested celebrating a little bit every day leading up to it. I did order a small treat for myself (although it probably won’t arrived until a week or so after). But that’s okay. However it shakes out will be fine.
Hold a good thought for me on the car repair, and I’ll catch you on the other side of the weekend. Have a good one!
