Devon Ellington's Blog, page 49
December 6, 2023
Wed. Dec. 6, 2023: Cookie Baking Marathon Begins
image courtesy of Silvia via pixabay.comWednesday, December 6, 2023
Waning Moon
Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Neptune DIRECT
Snowing
Yes! Neptune turns direct today. Whew! Makes it easier to connect to creativity and optimism. And we’re down to three retrogrades – until next Wednesday, when darned Mercury goes into retrograde just in time to make the holidays go cattywampus.
Over on the Process Muse today, we’re talking about integrating the holidays into writing and process. You can read it here.
Two serial episodes dropping today.
The first is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 91: Lianna as Gaston’s Catalyst
Kegan warns Lianna there will be fallout, both emotional and magical.
The second is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 41: Jake’s in a Jam
Jake believes they’re dead if they don’t come up with a missing key.
Yesterday. . .
As I mentioned, got the laundry done, and was back home a little after 7.
After breakfast, I headed out to do the Big Baking Grocery Shop. Got what I needed and was even a little underbudget. Ran out and got the last present for my mom. Good thing I bought the chocolate oranges when I did, couple of weeks back. The entire giant shelf that was five deep with triple-stacked boxes of them is sold out.
I hauled it all home and up the stairs, scrubbed down the kitchen, and started baking. I made 10 dozen chocolate chip cookies (2 batches) and 8 dozen orange cranberry cookies (3 batches). Once again, I procrastinated on the chef’s clogs and/or anti-fatigue mat, and paid the price.
But the baking itself went smoothly. I pretty much have the holiday baking down to a system, although I have 7 baking sheets, and I think I’ll invest in one more for 8.
While everything cooled, I did script coverage work. Then, we packed the cookies, and I cooked dinner. I finished one more coverage, then collapsed onto the couch.
Weird dreams last night. In one, I was taking over a role in a show (yeah, like I’d ever get back on stage again, nope), and I fell asleep in the dressing room and no one woke me up before the show started. The other was that I gave a dinner party in an old house during a storm/power outage. Some of the same people were in both dreams.
I found a recipe I want to try, not for this year’s cookie platters, but for future cookie needs. It’s a lemon sugar cookie, with a consistency like the orange cranberry cookie. It’s kind of like what’s called a “sand cookie” that uses both granulated sugar and powdered sugar. I’m going to make a batch with lemon, and try the same recipe, but swap lemon for lime, and see how they turn out. I’ve been looking for a viable lime cookie for years. That won’t happen until at least the weekend – and you KNOW what this weekend is – Stollen time. It takes an entire day to make the Dresden Stollen. This year, instead of the three gigantic overwhelming loaves done on cookie sheets, I’m going to try to make at least one set of mini loaves in small loaf pans, although I’m not sure how I’ll adjust the baking time yet.
Stollen is a big deal in this house, and the store-bought is too old and too yucky. I started making it myself a few years ago. Although it’s a lot of work, and takes a minimum of 8 hours, it’s worth it. And hey, it’s only once a year!
It’s snowing! Tiny little flakes, but gosh I’m glad I went to the laundromat yesterday! But it’s very pretty.
Willa and Charlotte were bored with their food, so they got wet food today, in gravy, and both ate it all up. Charlotte rarely eats much at breakfast, although she’s determined to get me up early (4 AM today), so it was good to see her chow down.
The packages sent Monday should start arriving today, as should the holiday cards.
After breakfast, I will start baking again. I have 7 batches of cookies to do today: 2 batches molasses spice, 2 batches peppermint chocolate crinkle, and 3 batches oatmeal currant lace.
I have a few small coverages to get done in between. I hope to get to tarot circle this afternoon, if the weather’s not too bad and everything is out of the oven.
IF I get all the cookies done today, and IF the peppermint chocolate crinkles turn out and I don’t have to substitute them with something else, cookie platter deliveries start tomorrow.
Speaking of which, I got a chocolate orange and a favorite chocolate bar for St. Nicholas Day! Yum, yum!
Have a good one!
December 5, 2023
Tues. Dec. 5, 2023: A Weekend of Cards and Packages
image courtesy of Yevhen Buzuk via pixabay.comTuesday, December 5, 2023
Waning Moon
Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
St. Nicholas Night/Krampus Night
Cloudy with dropping temperatures
I hope you had a great weekend.
Today’s serial episode is from Legerdemain:
Episode 143: Tina’s Fears
Tina wants to stop running here in Legerdemain, but she’s worried about consequences.
Friday was busy. As I mentioned, I wrote the first 19 pages (first act) of a new screenplay, early-early in the morning. I got some admin and blogging done. I promoted “The Forest Library” which is my weird little short story up on DOES IT HAVE POCKETS? (if you haven’t yet read it, you can read it here).
I wrote a confirmation letter to the landlord as a follow-up to the email I sent right after Thanksgiving, re-affirming that we would like to stay in the apartment, even at the higher rent. It’s still a good deal, it’s just, you know, higher rent.
Went to the library to drop off books and pick up a large stack, including a bunch of cookbooks. Swung by the grocery store to get some basics until I do the big baking shop on Tuesday. Mailed the rent at the post office. Realized I forgot something at Big Y, but stopped at a different store near the post office – and wound up buying a pair of gnomes.
I blame my friend, author Michelle Miles. We’ve been friends since, like, the 90’s or something. We met, I think, on an About.com writing site, before social media, when it was all bulletin boards. Michelle has an adorable collection of gnomes, and she’s been posting photos on Insta and FB.
So, of course, when I saw these, I thought of her (she has similar ones), and got them to come live under my tree. They’re pretty effing cute.
I grabbed some stocking stuffers, and then headed back to Big Y to get what I forgot, and headed home. I was getting a pre-storm headache.
Made lunch and so did not feel like doing coverage in the afternoon, but with what was stacked up, too bad for me, right? I got done all I needed to get done.
And guess what? The package to Germany, that they said MAYBE would get there by Christmas Eve unless I coughed up an extra $200? Arrived on Nov. 30. So all good.
Pre-storm headache was correct, although we had rain rather than snow.
Cooked dinner, read on the couch with Charlotte pinning me down, went to bed early (hey, I’d been up since 3:30 AM).
Slept 10 hours, felt much better, even though it was foggy and raw out.
Had some more ideas about the script, including a title change. Friday morning, I’d written just under 4K on that, as I said, pretty much the first act of it. The upside of having the piece drop into my brain almost fully formed. I sat down after breakfast to write the next 10 pages of the script (about 2K).
I have a sense it’s going to run a bit long for this type of piece, so I’ll brace myself to cut in the next draft. I considered having it run on parallel story lines between the characters who fall in love, but I don’t want that. I want it to be mostly one character’s story.
Did some decorating in the morning, including getting the lights and the small tree up on the front porch. We’re using the small blue globe lights in the porch windows this year. I was afraid it would look a bit like the aliens had landed, but because the decorations on the small tree are mostly in shades of blue, silver, and teal, and the garland is out of faux pearls, it works. And the painted sand dollars, shells, and starfish are beneath. I rarely have a tree in a single color palette, but I’d been tasked to buy these ornaments back on Cape years ago for an event, and they decided to go in a different design direction. I liked the ornaments (and I’d paid for them), so I kept them, and they work on the small tree. It used to sit in my office in the Cape house.
Dashed down to a store to pick up something I saw yesterday, didn’t buy, but wanted to before it sold out. Picked up a few more stocking stuffers, too.
Home, did some small coverage work.
Then, it was time to write the domestic cards. It only took about 3 ½ hours. The years where I wrote several hundred cards are gone, sadly. It was also sad to see how many names in my Rolodex are marked “deceased.” Yes, I still use a Rolodex, that’s my main source of All the Addresses. I need to write up some fresh cards for some of the new addresses.
I’m only in contact with some of those on the list once a year, around this time. Someone on Twitter, coupla years back, who derided the whole writing cards thing, said if you’re only in touch once a year it’s not worth it. I disagree. That once a year is often a touchstone.
Anyway, the cards are done, and went out yesterday.
Made turkey Lo Mein in the wok. Tweaked the sauce recipe so it’s finally where we like it. I love my wok. I bought it on sale at Macy’s for $10 when I was in high school (which was a Very Long Time Ago) and have dragged it around the country with me.
Put on all the lights – porch, stairs, mantel, tree – and we enjoyed them. Because that’s what we do all season. That’s why we put in the decorating effort. So we can enjoy it.
Intense dreams overnight into Sunday about someone who was important in my past, but is not a part of my present or future, so that was strange. But it was a positive dream, not a negative one, so all good.
Had some ideas to tighten the script. Red-penned some of the printed pages. Wrote 12 new pages (about 2400 words).
I’m having trouble with the keyboard. I hope it holds out until the end of the year, and then I’ll send it in for repair again.
We packed the domestic packages, which took longer than we expected, nearly 5 hours. There are not even that many of them, but things needed to be bubble wrapped and then wrapped in paper and ribbons put on and jiggied into the boxes.
A friend finally gave notice at the work that lost its joy a long time ago, and I’m so happy for him. He deserves so much better.
If you aren’t following the hilarious Sunday stories over on Instagram on the @specialagentbobcat account, I suggest you start. They are wonderful.
Author Sarah Addison Allen, one of my favorites, is also doing an Advent Calendar on Instagram, where each day she has a 100-word short story. An absolute delight.
It rained all day, dreary and raw. Better than snow, maybe? Not sure.
A volunteer commitment I’d agreed to against my better judgement has been pushed back a week, which is a relief. I burned out on volunteer work in my previous location, especially since it wasn’t appreciated, only more demanded, and have been very cautious about making any commitments here. But this sounded worthwhile, and is a state-wide project, so we’ll see. It getting pushed back a week means I will have cleared out the post office and baking and delivery necessities, and just have to juggle it with my own writing and client work, which is do-able. It’s supposed to be only 12 hours spread out over a month, which to me, seems a little on the low side. We’ll see. The organizers have been great about clear communication so far.
Started reading the book for review. Started reading a book in a different series by an author about whose work I was on the fence. I got frustrated by the protagonist for the wrong reasons by p. 15. By p. 42, I was saying, “She’s an idiot” at least once a page. I doubt I’ll finish the book, and probably won’t read the series. Later, one of the supporting female characters used “witch” as a slur against another woman without consequence, so yeah, I’m out for good, and that author is crossed off the list.
Goddess Provisions, of course, ignored the customer service exchange and has shipped the items I don’t want, for which they pulled money they shouldn’t have, and refuse to make it right. I realize they no longer give a damn about their customers, but what a terrible way to end their run, by grifting. It shows that all their talk about wellness and healing and walking the goddess path was performative and a marketing shtick. I shouldn’t be surprised, by I am disappointed. And angry that they took money that had been budgeted for something else.
Slept pretty well into Monday, although I felt a little overwhelmed by everything that had to get done.
Wrote 4 more pages on the script first thing. I want to touch it every day until the first draft is done (which, considering we’re at the midpoint, shouldn’t take all that long.
Started work on an article, but there was a break in the rain, so I gathered my bags and raced to the post office to mail cards and packages (after writing a few more I needed to write). All the packages are out, and will be delivered in 2-5 days, around the country, according to the estimate — which, to me, means in actuality, mid to late next week. Which is still in plenty of time.
What a huge weight lifted off!
Now, I just have to worry about the baking.
Came home, and all I wanted was a nap. However, that was not an option.
Had to create 7 videos for this week – the six regular episode videos for the three serials, plus the Catch-Up video I do every 12 episodes of Legerdemain. One of my Nightwood cohorts is setting up a virtual reading of the play she developed in the group, and I gave her the dates in her range I could do it.
Did two pretty major script coverages in the afternoon, and was cooked by the end of it. Heated up some leftovers. Hoped to do a little more decorating, but was too tired.
Slept well, woke up a little before 5. Just enough snow fell to look like the neighborhood was decorated with powdered sugar. Caffeinated, fed the cats, hauled my ass and the laundry to the laundromat and was back a little after 7. Christmas cards have started to arrive, and that makes me happy. I finished gluing ribbon to edge the fabric-covered corkboard we use for cards, and now I have some cards to put up. The temperature is dropping, which is why I chose to do laundry today instead of tomorrow.
The board with the cards sits on the mantel. All my life, we used to put ribbons around the doorways and windows and attach cards, but it doesn’t look right here, so we came up with a fabric covered corkboard that we store in the Christmas closet off season. We pin the cards to the board and can enjoy them all season. When we get a few more cards, yes, there will be photos.
First order of business this morning is the grocery store for the Big Baking Shop. I want to get either one or two kinds of cookies baked today. I have to finish an article, draft an episode of Legerdemain, work on the script, promote Legerdemain and both “Just Jump in and Fly” and “Lockesley Hall.” I’d like to do a video for “Lockesley” like I did for “Just Jump” but I think that will be later in the week. This afternoon, I have one medium and two small coverages, along with a couple of score sheets. Had an idea while I was at the laundromat for a short story, so will make some notes, and then it has to wait its turn. In order to participate in the Smashwords end-of-year promotion, all my digital offerings have to be available at the same discount, which makes too many of them free. That doesn’t work for me. I should be able to pick and choose. So I’m not doing it this year.
Better get going. None of this will get done on its own, now, will it?
Tonight is St. Nicholas Night – put out your shoe, get it filled with candy, or Krampus will come and birch your butt.
Have a good one!
December 4, 2023
Mon. Dec. 4, 2023: Intent for the Week – Pace
image courtesy of Christel SAGNIEZ via pixabay.comThis is a busy week, and it’s about pacing myself and not burnign out.
The packages/domestic cards are done and will go out. The baking starts tomorrow and the platters go out at the end of the week.
Then I’m done with almost everything that has to be done for others for the holidays, and it’s just about finishing a creative project before Yule, finishing the decorating and our own food for the holidays, and getting in as much work as possible, both my own and client, before the Solstice.
It means juggling and re-juggling priorities daily, and pushing through, even when I’m tired. It can be done, if I keep a steady pace and focus, and don’t faff around.
What’s your intent for the week?
December 1, 2023
Fri. Dec. 1, 2023: New Short Story Published!
image courtesy of Tumisu via pixabay.comFriday, December 1, 2023
Waning Moon
Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Sunny and cold
Happy First Day of Opening Advent Calendars!
One of my short stories, “The Forest Library” was published by DOES IT HAVE POCKETS magazine, and goes live today. It’s a strange little piece that I totally love (and loved working with the editor on), and you can read it here.
Today’s serial episode is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 90: Astral Beach Hideaway
With Kegan’s help, Lianna survives.
Tomorrow’s serial episode is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 40: Jake’s Business
Jake tells Nina how he got caught up in all of this.
Meditation was fine yesterday. As I suspected, the teacher says she’s keeping the Thursday virtual group going, but not every Thursday. I have a feeling it will trail off. But I learned a lot, and I will do my early morning meditations and join the group ones when I can. It frees up a big chunk of my Thursday mornings after mid-December. Prime writing time.
However, yesterday, I didn’t write. I spent most of the day on script coverage, which was a good way to burn out and certainly not as financially rewarding as it should have been for the work involved. But I needed to get in as much as possible before the pay period ended.
What wasn’t script coverage was backing up my Gmail and Photos and stuff, so I can free up some space. Very frustrating.
Double yoga session, and I was just cooked by everything by the time I got home. Ate dinner and just sat around until bedtime.
Charlotte woke me up a little after 3 AM – out of dreams about zombies, but still. As I tried to get her to let me sleep and get back to sleep, a screenplay idea dropped into my head. By a little after 5, I got up, fed the cats, and went to the desk. I wrote the first 19 pages, about the first act of it. Which is why the blog’s going up late.
It’s not something I expect to get produced, but it will be a good writing sample for all kinds of opportunities, because it shows an understanding of trope and genre while also turning some of it inside out.
And it’s fun to write, and is, in many ways, a love letter to New York City.
But I’ve already put in a full day, and I have a lot more to get done.
I need to work on Legerdemain. I think maybe, MAYBE I’ve figured out how to get myself out of the corner I wrote myself into a couple of weeks ago. I have to do the clip sheets for “The Forest Library” story. I have to pay the rent, and go to the library and go to the grocery store.
I have a LOT of script coverage between now and Tuesday. I’m grabbing what I can to make as much money as possible going into the holidays.
This weekend, I have to finish the decorating. Get ahead on Legerdemain. We are writing the domestic cards on Saturday, packing the packages on Sunday, and everything goes to the post office on Monday. Next week, the baking happens, and I hope to get it done early enough so that I can get the cookie platters out the door Thursday and Friday. If not, it may need to spill over into the beginning of next week. Next weekend, I have to see if I have to make more pieces for the big project I’ve been working on, and I have to make the stollen. And do Ornament Hospital. After that, it’s Solstice and Christmas and Boxing Day and New Year’s. It’s happening fast. And I want to actually enjoy it. I was so burned out last year.
Oh, I tallied up the word counts. This was lighter on the new writing and client work than most months, and heavier than usual on the editing.
New material written (my own): 42,416
Edited material: 44,217
Client work: 14, 820
Video creation hours: 6
Marketing rounds hours: 12
If I’d taken on Nano, I would have had to write 50K in addition to those 42K, because those were all words that had to be written anyway across a range of projects, and nothing that could have worked for Nano. So I’m glad I skipped it this year. And I need to up the marketing. 3 hours/week isn’t getting it done.
I’m going to track December and January, too, to see how they compare.
Have a good weekend, and I’ll catch you next week!
November 30, 2023
Thurs. Nov. 30, 2023: Trying To Get It All Done
image courtesy of cocoandwifi via pixabay.comThursday, November 30, 2023
Waning Moon
Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Cloudy and cold
The latest on the garden is over at Gratitude and Growth.
Today’s serial episode is from Legerdemain:
Episode 142: Tina’s Real Identity
Tina fills in some missing pieces
I forgot to mention, in yesterday’s post, how utterly overwhelming the emails were for Giving Tuesday. I was torn between annoyance that we live in a society where organizations and individuals have to beg for support and depression that I can’t do more.
Anyway, yesterday. I spent most of the morning putting together a video for “Just Jump in and Fly.” I did the TikTok version first, then had to do the wide version for the website and various channels, then another version for Instagram. Because heaven forbid one can convert sizes easily. It’s quicker to get a new template and start from scratch, providing you keep a detailed editing log.
This time, I’d taken careful notes on each cut, timing, etc., so it was fairly easy to recreate, once I had the initial video done and timed to work with the music. The easiest way to watch it is on the News page of the website, although it’s also after the buy links on the Delectable Digital Delights page. Or you can find it on my Tik Tok or Instagram page.
I was too tired to do the video for “Lockesley Hall” as well; I will probably do it tomorrow, when I do the episode videos for next week. It takes a couple of hours to really do the initial video well, and I want each video to reflect the flavor of the piece itself.
I also knew I had a lot of script coverage to get through, especially one coverage that was more unwieldy than I expected.
Goddess Provisions has gone silent. Big surprise (yes, that was sarcasm). The bookseller contacted me and will refund the price of the missing book and shipping. So at least that bit’s sorted.
Did coverages all afternoon, and didn’t get as much done as I hoped, plus new ones came in, so I will have to dig down today. Either start work in the morning, or do some more after I get back from yoga.
Went to tarot circle, which was great. There are some wonderful people there. Picked up a gift for a friend, to go into his package this weekend. I think it will amuse him.
I’m having trouble finding bayberry candles again. Wild Oats doesn’t have them this year (although they have ever so much cool stuff), and neither did Wild Soul River. I will keep looking.
Tapers are getting awfully hard to find for anything anyway.
Home, baked biscuits to go with the leftover fish stew, started reading Julia Kelly’s A TRAITOR IN WHITEHALL, which is very good. I was up far too late reading, although I didn’t finish it.
I didn’t get a residency I’d hoped for next spring; I’d sort of figured I didn’t, since the announcement came out this morning and they hadn’t been in touch. It would have been fun, but it’s a place that was never on my “must go” list unless I was being paid to go there, so it’s not as upsetting as it might otherwise have been. But still a bit disappointing. It would have overlapped with a large, paying project, and that might have become an issue, especially as that project might be larger this year than usual (I’ll know next month), but pays well.
I was sad to hear of Frances Sternhagen’s death. She was a class act, in every sense of the word. Not so sad to hear about the Genocidal Ex-Secretary of State beloved by the Establishment’s death. The Anthony Bourdain piece about why he hated the man so much is making the rounds again, and well worth a read.
Meditation this morning, then lots to get done, then a double session of yoga tonight.
Have a good one!
November 29, 2023
Wed. Nov. 29, 2023: This Week is a Challenge
image courtesy of Micha via pixabay.comWednesday, November 29, 2023
Waning Moon
Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Cloudy and very cold.
Over on The Process Muse, we’re talking about artistic security. You can read the post here.
There are two episodes going live today, on two different serials.
The first is from ANGEL HUNT:
Episode 89: Attempted Capture
The magic killing Gaston tries to include Lianna in its deadly thrall.
The second is from DEADLY DRAMATICS:
Episode 39: The Romance of Stuffed Bear CPR
Nina remembers why she fell for Jake.
Today’s DEADLY DRAMATICS episode is one of my favorites in the entire season. It shows the more positive side of Jake, the fun he and Nina can have together, and why she fell for him in the first place. That will resonate a few seasons down.
I was seriously annoyed when it was sunny yesterday morning and I could have gone to the laundromat. I did have the pre-storm headache, but still, if I hadn’t listened to the weather report, I would be ahead of the game. It didn’t snow until evening, and then, the snow didn’t stick.
Tessa and Charlotte fussed at each other in the morning, and both got into trouble. After breakfast, Tessa sashayed in front of me from the kitchen to my office, jumped into my chair, and stared at me with defiance.
I managed to convince her the rocking chair in the reading corner was a better choice.
But Madam Was Not Amused.
I went down a rabbit hole looking for various holiday short stories I’ve written over the years. Realized a bunch of them must still be on the Macbook, so that wasn’t going to get finished yesterday.
Worked on the newsletter. I want to get it out a little early this month (wait, it’s not December yet, sorry), rather than right before the holiday, so people aren’t overwhelmed. Promoted yesterday’s episode of Legerdemain.
I found the holiday novelette I was most interested in tracking down. I wrote it for the 2017 Newsletter, and it was set in a snowbound diner. I really love the piece, and had always hoped to do more with it.
I re-read it and still really love it. That doesn’t mean it’s ready to go. I did a few tweaks on it. I created a cover. But, in order to make it by the holidays, I’d have to submit it by December 4, latest, and then it might clear everything by the 14th or 16th.
Part of me wants to get something new out there THIS year, instead of just promoting “Just Jump in and Fly” and “The Ghost of Lockesley Hall” again. I have a new post about the two of them up here. I mean, I’m working on the novella for next year that will run 100-200 pages. I’m looking at putting the holiday shorts I’ve done over the years for newsletters and that appeared in publications long ago, where I now have rights back, together in a collection, probably for the following year, and working on the comic mystery holiday collection. So, shouldn’t something new go out THIS year? And isn’t this piece the best candidate?
The plot is tight, the characters engaging, the situation ticks a lot of boxes for the genre.
BUT some of the secondary characters need more development, and more time to their stories, which means I will need to re-orchestrate some of the ensemble scenes once I develop those characters. I have a character who is only heard over the radio, never seen, and there are specific carols chosen as leitmotifs under particular scenes. Do I bring him in at the end? That creates a potential love triangle for the protagonist, none of which would get resolved in this novelette. Do I have him interact on the phone with my protagonist? I kind of liked keeping him separate. I need to develop some of the conflicts between other characters, and make a particular threat more threatening.
I feel like I need to play with those options, and all of them will take time to try, and some will be tossed.
December 4 is too close. I love the piece, so having it be its best self is more important than the ego of wanting something new out there this moment. Or, at least, it should be more important.
I have a short story appearing in a publication in early December (and I’m even getting paid for it). So I’ll be running around promoting that, too, along with the backlist holiday tales.
We’re ignoring the fact that I should have gotten my act together in August about a holiday release, LATEST, for this holiday season.
We’re ignoring the fact that I’m working on two flash fiction pieces for the upcoming December newsletter (which, yes, are exclusive to the newsletter, so if you haven’t signed up, how about doing so here)?
I mean, only ONE will wind up in the newsletter; the other will probably go up on Ko-fi. I’m trying to decide which is the best fit for which, since the plots are wildly different.
And what about marketing? It doesn’t give me time to create a solid marketing campaign. As it was, the time I spent on the story, now with a fresh title, would have been better spent creating videos for “Fly” and “Lockesley” because the videos are, right now, my best sales tool.
I’m already working on next year’s marketing campaigns for the serials. It needs time and planning, and the big-ass calendar, and the smaller content marketing calendar, so I can track everything.
This is where I really miss Twitter. Because my reach on Twitter allowed me to reach a wide enough audience to know I could pay certain bills every month through sales, and that grew, month-to-month. With those contacts scattered across platforms, many of which are less than supportive of artists, it takes more time, which means more money, and not just on ad buys. Though next year will see more ad buys on my part, and I’m working out the ad budget.
My ego needs to shut up and sit down, and I need to be smart on both the business and the creative side, or the novelette won’t work. And the piece working is the most important factor.
Thank you for letting me brainstorm with you this morning.
I’m also working on my writing schedule for next year. Serial-wise, I think I may do what I did when I wrote for KIC, all those years ago: focus on a month’s worth of episodes of a single serial per week, instead of switching between serials every day. That way, I can stay deep in the headspace of each for a week. Then, I have to figure out which novels, plays, radio plays, and stories to work on, knowing that I’ll have to reshuffle them depending on contract schedules.
Goddess Provisions is stalling, and then they’re going to say, oops, box shipped, nothing we can do. I called them out on the stall. The proper customer service response is, Sorry you had trouble with the system. Here’s your refund. Thanks for being a good, steady customer for five years. But I doubt they will do that.
I requested a refund from the bookseller who supposedly shipped an ordered book in early November, but it’s still not here. It’s a secondhand research book, so I doubt they can replace it. If it turns up, in, say February (because DeJoy is running USPS into the ground), I’ll send them the payment again.
I worked on the holiday novelette most of the morning instead of doing the other stuff I should have been doing. I did coverage work all afternoon. Then I went back and did more work on the novelette.
I skimmed a couple of books by an author whose third book in a series I’d read a couple of weeks back and liked okay, but was on the fence about a few things. I got the first two from the library. There’s some cute stuff there, and decent character interaction, but the logic in the mystery doesn’t work. It’s so out of the realm of possibility that I can’t suspend my disbelief, and missy’s ego makes me dislike her as the central protagonist. I ordered the first book of her other series from the library; if I don’t like that one, either, I’m done. But I learned a lot!
I indulged myself in buying Jackie Lau’s HOLIDAYS WITH THE WONGS omnibus of holiday romances (which, I have to add, was at the price of many single books, so this omnibus is a great deal). She’s a Bluesky pal. The promo was fun, and when I went to her site and read about the books, they seem like something fun for the holidays, although I probably won’t get to read them until the big Icelandic Christmas Eve read. One is set at Thanksgiving, one at Christmas, one at Chinese New Year, and one at Valentine’s Day. I’m looking forward to them.
I have a GREAT TBR pile to read between Christmas and New Year’s, across a wide range of genres, and in fiction and nonfiction.
I wish I could get my mom to use my Kindle; romance is her favorite. I don’t read all that much romance (I often get impatient with it when the obstacles come across as forced rather than organic), but I have a soft spot for holiday books in general.
Didn’t get any decorating or cards written. I have a feeling Saturday will be the push to write the rest of the cards, and Sunday packing the packages, so they all go out Monday. Then, the baking begins.
I was not about to haul my ass out of bed at 5 AM to hump laundry out in 20-degree weather. I’ll see if the temperature’s a bit better on Friday.
I’m going to do some writing this morning and then coverage work in the afternoon. The poor CAST IRON MURDER edits have been in limbo lately, but I feel like I want to get all the holiday stuff out the door (cards and baking), and then focus on the edits after. I’m enjoying the editing process; I am not looking forward to writing the outline and synopsis for the submission process. Too bad for me.
Hopefully, I can get to tarot circle this afternoon. I need that connection.
My meditation teacher out in Concord is shutting down her nonprofit next month. She says she’s going to continue with our weekly Zoom library sessions sponsored by the Concord Public Library, but I bet they will end over the winter, too. She’s given a lot in the time I’ve known her (I joined the group in September of 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic). I’ve felt that she was detaching for a few months now, so it’s not that much of a surprise. I’m grateful for our time together, and learned a lot from her.
It’s been a rough, frustrating, challenging start to the week. I hope it evens out soon.
Have a good one!
November 28, 2023
Tues. Nov. 28, 2023: Just Chugging Along
image courtesy of Miriam Müller via pixabay.comTuesday, November 28, 2023
Last Day of Full Moon
Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Sunny and cold, with clouds and snow coming in
Hope you had a great weekend.
Gemini Full Moon is not my friend.
Today’s episode is from Legerdemain:
Episode 141: Annoying Men Getting Annoyed
Shelley doesn’t have time to soothe fragile male egos when her city’s at risk.
Friday morning, I started by stripping down the mantel and a couple of shelves/tables in the living room and covering them in yuletide fabric. That took longer than expected, mostly because I was trying to figure out what to do with some of the stuff I stripped off, like books and magazines that are in the TBR pile. I’m going to have to figure out where to stash them.
I got some of the fabric swapped out in my office, and packed away some of the year-round items. We’re doing things a little differently each year, which is fun. It takes longer to do it, because you’re figuring stuff out, and often what you think works doesn’t so there’s rearranging going on, but the process is fun. It just takes some time.
Got the boxes out from under the guest beds that have garlands and non-breakables in them. Put some up; others were put where they will go, although I haven’t yet put them up. The hallway decorations require layering.
The wide scarfing ribbon I tried on the sewing room doors didn’t work; I have some softer scarfing on one glass door side, but I don’t have a matched set.
As I unpacked some of the ceramic ornaments, I found a bunch of Christmas mice I bought last year (I have a thing for Christmas mice). I forgot about them. I might give them their own space on top of the rolltop desk. Maybe the scarfing ribbon that didn’t work on the doors will work there.
The mantel is taking a lot more time this year, too, because we are being more elaborate. I hope, in the coming year, I can find the size and style of mirror I want for it.
Charlotte slept through most of the chaos. Tessa marched around after me letting me know she didn’t like that I used the Chewy box to pack things.
Accepted the new rental agreement, since we want to stay here, at least for now.
Did a couple of small coverages.
Started the garlands on the stairs, and wrapped the handrail and the top banister with lights. We’re using colorful lights this year instead of white ones.
Could feel the lifting and working in my back and the bad hip by the end of the day.
Leftover turkey dinner and then some reading. I read the fourth of the Elouise Norton series; it’s a good one. Rachel Howzell Hall is such a good writer.
Up early on Saturday. Puttered around bit, but we were out the door before 9 to drive down to Whitney’s in Cheshire for a wreath. Found a good one, right off, but they didn’t have small enough bunches of greens for which I hoped. Everything was either in ropes or big bunches.
We just bought the wreath, and that was an ordeal, because first the cashier overcharged me $6. When I pointed it out, she changed it, then double charged me for the wreath. I pointed that out and she refunded one. Hopefully, it all sorts through the bankcard properly. I will keep my eye on it. It wasn’t like it was busy; she wasn’t paying attention and didn’t care.
Stopped at another store on the way home to get more artificial garland for the empty spot on the top banister. Of course, the one I wanted was on the top shelf where I couldn’t reach it, so I had to hunt down an employee and ask them to get a ladder. I felt bad, since I only wanted one, and it was only $4, but they were very nice. AND, I found the Terry’s chocolate oranges, so I stocked up on those. Because last year, I didn’t buy enough my first or second time out, and they sold through.
Back, got everything unpacked, did two small coverages, then decorated the wreath and hung it on the door. It’s simpler this year than last, but I like it.
Decided to use the new garland all way along the top banister (because it fits). Took the other garland off and put it in Tessa’s room instead, on the bureau, where it looks good. The new garland is fine, but it was a PITA to redo the lights after I’d firmly fastened them and wound them. Then we decorated the top banister, and the section of banister that curves down. Last year, I used red ribbon and turned the rest of the white banister into a candy cane, but I’m not sure I want to do that again. Added decorations to the garlands.
Got the deer and the Nutcrackers unpacked and organized on the stairs. Some of the Nutcrackers need to visit Ornament Hospital this week. A lot of them have lost the bottoms of their boots over the years. I need to learn how to make them new boots.
I’d hoped to unpack the big Christmas closet in the sewing room and then repack it all before we put up the tree, but the most fragile ornaments are packed in a special bin at the bottom of the Christmas closet. So I unpacked what I could, moved a bunch of stuff into my office for the moment so we have room to put up the tree, and then I’ll rearrange things.
The tree sits in the doorway, framed by the glass doors partially opened, between the sewing room and the living room, so once it’s up, I have to take the long way around to the sewing room. Which is fine.
Unpacked the Santas and needed two staging areas because they don’t all fit on my big work table in my office. I have 43 Santas now (in a wide variety of sizes). And 35 Nutcrackers, also in all sizes. I haven’t counted the contents of the bin of stuffed animals, the Christmas mice, the elves, or the snowmen. There are quite a few of those, too.
I LOVE these decorations, and each one tells a story. The decorations are my personal history.
Re-read last year’s short holiday tale, “Comfort, then Joy” that was in the newsletter, and it’s kind of fun. Too short to be released on its own, but could be combined with a couple of other holiday tales for a Delectable Digital Delight volume. Probably next year. I have to look through the other Christmasy-stories I’ve created for the newsletter over the years to see if any can be combined into a holiday collection. There’s one, that takes place at a diner in a blizzard, that needs to be expanded and developed. I came up with an idea for a collection of very darkly comic holiday mystery shorts, but don’t know when I’ll get a chance to write them. Maybe sneak them in around other projects throughout the year?
Up early on Sunday. Wrote about 2600 words on a novella. Felt good to slide into the fiction again.
Spent the rest of the day decorating. We got the tree into the stand (the new one I bought last year, after I gave up on the one that came with the tree when I bought it at Pergament in 1990 or whenever it was). Got the lights on (my least favorite part). Tied off the tree to the hinges of the sewing room door with monofilament, so it can’t fall over.
Charlotte watched from a safe distance. Tessa supervised. We kept the branches a little higher than usual, so she can walk under the tree without smacking anything. She likes to go back and forth under the tree between the living room and the sewing room, knowing she can do it and humans can’t, while the tree is up. Willa visited now and again. I’ve nicknamed them the Tuna Artists. Although Charlotte prefers smoked salmon to tuna, which she thinks is for peasants.
We got most of the ornaments on the tree, but there’s still another shelf full of boxes in the pantry. And we unpacked a bunch of stuff that doesn’t go on the tree, but we’re not sure where to put it yet.
It’s a process.
Managed to get some reading done in the evening, Martha Wells’s latest Murderbot book, SYSTEM COLLAPSE. The voice in that series is so strong. It’s a lot of fun.
Slept pretty well into Monday. Had trouble getting going. The Gemini Full Moon is not my friend.
Plus, I felt like I hadn’t had a day off, so I’m tired. But I need to push hard to get things done this week and next week, before Mercury goes retrograde on the 13th. I want to finish the decorating, do a session of Ornament Hospital, get out the domestic cards and gifts, do the baking, make the cookie platter deliveries. Get some writing done. And do enough client work to keep the bills paid and have a little something-something extra for the holidays.
Once everything is done and Mercury goes Retrograde (until New Year’s Day, for crying out loud), the plan is to do as much of nothing but sit by the lit tree as possible, along with writing and client work. And creating next year’s business plan.
But there was still Monday to get through.
Ha.
Wrote a little over 1K on the novella. Tried to figure out how to get out of the corner I’ve written myself into in Legerdemain, because that has to be fixed this week. Dealt with some admin – someone keeps trying to hack the Devon Ellington Work website. I sent my editor information so I can be paid for the short story coming out in December. I did the episode graphics for this week’s episodes of Legerdemain, and also the episode videos for all the serials and got them uploaded/scheduled to TikTok. Did a round of promotions for “Just Jump in and Fly” one of my favorite shorts under the Ava Dunne name. Got my unlimited class pass for yoga for the next month – that takes care of the lower back clinic, the regular Thursday class, a couple of special classes, and I might see if I can start going on Monday evenings, too. I booked all the regular classes I take through the end of the year, and will make a decision about the Mondays the night before.
Did a drop-off/pick-up at the library. Had to sort out a Commonwealth Catalog book I returned last Monday, but was still on my record as checked out.
Turned around two medium coverages and a couple of score sheets. Have a bunch of stuff in the queue, but most of it is small, and I’m not sure I will make my nut this pay period. I’ll be okay, but not where I want to be. At the same time, it’s only just starting to ramp up again after the strike. I doubt I’ll be able to take the week between Christmas and New Year’s off from coverage work.
Got Wednesday’s Process Muse post polished, uploaded, scheduled. I would like to finish all of December’s this weekend and get them up and scheduled. I also have to write the social media wrap-up for Ink-Dipped Advice that needs to go up next week.
Didn’t get any decorating done or cards written, which stressed me out, but I was cooked by the end of the workday.
Didn’t sleep well. Woke up to a recruiter wanting me to interview for a position as a practical nurse. I shot back an email reminding said recruiter that I am a writer – why are they trying to pitch me as a nurse, which is not my profession? Also found out that Goddess Provisions charged me the monthly subscription – even though I cancelled it, and they had to help me get into the account to cancel it. So I went back in, re-cancelled it, reminded them of the exchange couple weeks back, and asked for a refund. Hopefully, we are not ending five years’ worth of customer relationship on such a sour note.
I didn’t go to the laundromat this morning, because it was supposed to be snowing. It hasn’t started yet; let’s hope it’s not snowing all the way through tomorrow morning, which is my backup laundromat day.
My Mercury is already Retrograde, and I am tired. And a little discouraged.
Hope your week’s off to a better start.
November 27, 2023
Mon. Nov. 27, 2023: Intent for the Week — Focus
image courtesy of Vinzent Weinbeer via pixabay.comThis week and next week will be intense and busy, trying to clear off everything before Mercury goes retrograde on December 13 (and we’re stuck in the retrograde until New Year’s Day). But good last minute bargains on small stuff.
Part of that is juggling the holiday stuff with the necessary writing to stay on track, and the client work necessary to pay the bills and have a little extra, we hope, for the holidays.
So this week and next week, are about focus and pacing. If I push too hard, I’ll burn out and resent it all; if I procrastinate, it won’t get done.
The intent is to find a steady, sane pace and ENJOY the process!
What’s your intent for the week?
November 24, 2023
Fri. Nov. 24, 2023: Yuletide Decorating Begins
image courtesy of wildhearts via pixabay.comFriday, November 24, 2023
Waxing Moon
Neptune, Chiron, Uranus, Jupiter Retrograde
Cloudy and raw
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, if you celebrated. If you did not, I hope it was a great Thursday.
The 2024 Questions to ponder are up on the Goals, Dreams, and Resolutions site.
Today’s serial episode is from Angel Hunt:
Episode 88: A Risky Attempt at Healing
Lianna determines to save Gaston’s life, no matter the odds.
Tomorrow’s serial episode is from Deadly Dramatics:
Episode 38: Nels Intervenes
A mysterious stranger urges Nina to run during a rest stop.
Wednesday, the weather was awful, and I was grateful to stay home. I cleaned the house, I made gingerbread. I felt like I was coming down with a cold, sort of, so I took it easy, and didn’t go to tarot circle, because, even if it’s not the plague, I don’t want to expose anyone to anything. The potential planning chaos for next autumn seems to be resolved (until I sign a contract, I will worry, but that’s me).
I finished detailing the big project, but it was too wet to put on the finishing spray. I hope to do that later this morning.
Made some notes on a novella that I may start drafting over the coming weeks for release next holiday season. I like to write them in-season, even though it’s then too late to submit them. I have a whole Process Muse post planned for that topic!
Somebody was trying to hack my Google mail/drive Wednesday night, claiming to be from Chase bank and that there was a problem. Honey, I stopped doing business with Chase more than a decade ago, and loathe Jamie Dimon more than any other human on the planet. I had to report it multiple times to Google before anything was done.
Up early on Thursday. I felt better, but tired. My mom wasn’t feeling well. I gave her some medicine, which helped.
Made the stuffing. We’ve had a lot of ciabatta lately, so that was the base for the stuffing, along with carrots, onion, celery, the last of the fresh herbs from the front porch, apple, currants, and butter. Got the bird in the oven a little before 9.
Set the table, climbed up to the high cupboards to get the serving dishes, got everything all set up, and then read while the turkey cooked, and noodled in my head on several projects in reading breaks.
Took out the garbage. Picked up the mail. Letter from the landlord: Happy Thanksgiving, your rent’s raised. It’s not that much and still do-able, and at least he hasn’t sold the building. Yet. But still a little depressing on Thanksgiving.
I finished re-reading John Gregory Dunne’s MONSTER, about screenwriting, and the 8-year process to get UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL on screen. The days when screenwriters were paid well. He’s very open about the fact that he and his wife, Joan Didion, wrote for screen for the money, the freedom the money gave them for other projects, and the health insurance.
Read the second Julia Phillips memoir, DRIVING UNDER THE AFFLUENCE. Most of it was a nonsensical word salad. When she researched a specific project, or talked about misogyny or politics, there was actually good material, but the rest of it was a hot mess.
The dinner was good. Even the gravy turned out (gravy is often my nemesis). The rest of the turkey was stripped from the bones and put away; dishes done; and stock made. By mid-afternoon, we were in a comfortable turkey coma. It was a nice, stress-free day.
Read a book that was highly recommended, but I found the writing mediocre and the characters whiny. Was annoyed that I’d wasted several hours with them. Started to read another book, also highly recommended, but it’s in present tense, so nope.
Slept pretty well. The winter holiday decorating begins today. I already brought out all the fabric (bless me for ironing it before I put it away last winter, so I don’t lose a half a day ironing). Already started stripping down the mantel, because I want to do something very different with it this year. Will strip the tables, etc. after breakfast, put the fabric down, and then rebuild all the displays/décor from there.
The tree probably won’t go up until Sunday. In the Cape house, the tree had to go up first and everything built around it. Here, it’s easier if the tree goes up last, because it’s in the doorway between the living room and the sewing room.
I’ll do what I can and not worry today. I have to take a break after lunch to turn around two small script coverages. I’d like to do some writing, but don’t think that’s going to happen.
Not doing Nano this year made my life much less stressful.
I don’t shop on Black Friday, although I do have to go to the grocery store later to get the basics: coffee, milk, bread.
Tomorrow, (Small Business Saturday), we go to Whitney’s for the wreath, and possibly some other greens. And do more decorating. Sunday’s all about the decorating, and it’s the First of Advent. But I hope to have the Advent table done by today, even if the mantel isn’t finished.
I’m taking the cats’ favorite Chewy box and packing the year-round decorations in it for the holidays. They won’t be happy about that, but they love the Christmas tree (and they’re really good with it).
I’ll be posting photos of the decorations on Instagram (@devonellingtonwork), which should cross-post on FB.
Have a great weekend!
November 23, 2023
Thurs. Nov. 23, 2023: Happy Thanksigiving!
image courtesy of 30726203 from Pixabay.comHappy Thanksgiving!
Peace, joy, love, and friendship to all.
I am grateful you are in my life.
