K.C. Shaw's Blog, page 5
June 10, 2013
Fox Pockets Piracy anthology available!
I should have posted this last week but it slipped my mind. The first Fox Pockets anthology from Fox Spirit Press is available,
Piracy
, and it contains my story "Skyway." It also contains a lot of other awesome stories. It's a modestly priced, pocket-sized anthology, and while it's only available in print right now, next month it will also be released as an ebook.The next Fox Pockets anthology, Shapeshifters, comes out this summer and also contains one of my stories, "A Cloud Like a Bunny." So hurray!
June 4, 2013
Getting in Shape
Late last year several of my writer friends had debut books releasing soon and were getting ready to promote the books and themselves. I wondered what I'd do in their place, wondered how I'd promote myself and how I'd react to needing to do so. I'm shy and unsure of myself, after all.
But, I realized, if I really want to be a professional writer, I have to do certain things despite being shy. And one of those things is to gain more self-confidence. The easiest way for me to feel more confident is to know I look good.
So in December I started walking almost every single night, two miles at minimum. I started to feel the health benefits almost immediately, which made it easy to keep up. At some point I bought a pair of five-pound hand weights and started doing arm exercises too. And I added sit-ups to the mix--not every night, but I try. I started with five sit-ups, increased to ten sit-ups after a week or two, increased to fifteen, and so on. I'm up to fifty sit-ups now. Yeah, me, the girl who this time last year was worried about my health because I was in such bad shape.
I haven't lost all that much weight by the scale, but I can tell a huge difference in my body. I've gone down two pants sizes. I feel better. I hike a lot and every night when I walk, I try to run at least short distances. And yeah, I've got a lot more confidence.
Has it helped my writing? Not directly (although it's nice to know I probably won't keel over at the computer). But when it's time, when I have to get out there and get loud about myself, I'll be ready. And I will have some damn cute clothes, too.
But, I realized, if I really want to be a professional writer, I have to do certain things despite being shy. And one of those things is to gain more self-confidence. The easiest way for me to feel more confident is to know I look good.
So in December I started walking almost every single night, two miles at minimum. I started to feel the health benefits almost immediately, which made it easy to keep up. At some point I bought a pair of five-pound hand weights and started doing arm exercises too. And I added sit-ups to the mix--not every night, but I try. I started with five sit-ups, increased to ten sit-ups after a week or two, increased to fifteen, and so on. I'm up to fifty sit-ups now. Yeah, me, the girl who this time last year was worried about my health because I was in such bad shape.
I haven't lost all that much weight by the scale, but I can tell a huge difference in my body. I've gone down two pants sizes. I feel better. I hike a lot and every night when I walk, I try to run at least short distances. And yeah, I've got a lot more confidence.
Has it helped my writing? Not directly (although it's nice to know I probably won't keel over at the computer). But when it's time, when I have to get out there and get loud about myself, I'll be ready. And I will have some damn cute clothes, too.
May 10, 2013
One of those days
The first thing I did when my alarm woke me this morning was drop my phone when I grabbed it to turn off the alarm. It fell under the bed, where its alarm continued to go off while I crawled underneath and groped around for it among old Kleenexes and cat hairs and dust.
I was only supposed to work two hours today, but we had a meeting and it ran over and then we had a training session on some new tech, and by the time I could get away it was 11:30 and I was frantic to leave and get started running errands. I had just pulled onto the highway when I realized I'd left my phone in the office.
When I did finally get home, I promptly dropped a lightbulb, which shattered all over the dining room floor. I needed the lightbulb for a lamp in the garage, and after I'd cleaned up the broken glass and went out to the garage, when I opened the door a snake fell onto my head.
A snake. Fell onto my head.
It was just a garter snake--they're harmless and I like snakes anyway. But still. On my head.
At this point I suspect the best thing for me to do is just go back to bed. But the ceiling will probably cave in on me.
I was only supposed to work two hours today, but we had a meeting and it ran over and then we had a training session on some new tech, and by the time I could get away it was 11:30 and I was frantic to leave and get started running errands. I had just pulled onto the highway when I realized I'd left my phone in the office.
When I did finally get home, I promptly dropped a lightbulb, which shattered all over the dining room floor. I needed the lightbulb for a lamp in the garage, and after I'd cleaned up the broken glass and went out to the garage, when I opened the door a snake fell onto my head.
A snake. Fell onto my head.
It was just a garter snake--they're harmless and I like snakes anyway. But still. On my head.
At this point I suspect the best thing for me to do is just go back to bed. But the ceiling will probably cave in on me.
March 31, 2013
The Next Big Thing
Fellow Inkbot and excellent writer Emma Maree Urquhart tagged me on the Next Big Thing. I've actually done it before, or a version of it, but it's been a long time and I'm now working on a new project (as usual).
In fact, I'm working on two. I started some serious research for a YA steampunk story at the beginning of the year, and I've started writing it. But that's not the project I'm about to discuss.
What is the working title of your book?
The Adventures of Lizzy and Jo, Air Pirates
Where did the idea come from for the book?
I never write short stories. I just don't. But another Inkbot, Rob Haines, gave our group a heads-up on a new anthology series from UK publisher Fox Spirit, and I got interested in writing a steampunk story for the pirate-themed anthology. I already had the world built for my YA WIP. Suddenly I not only had an idea, I had two main characters, a setting, backstory for both, and a burning need to write about them. Oh, and here's the table of contents for the Pirates "Fox Pockets" anthology. My story's called "Skyway."
What genre does your book fall under?
Steampunk fantasy, short story collection
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I don't know anything about actors. I know exactly what my two main characters look like, though. Let me do a search.
Okay, here's Pia Glenn, who is so elegant-looking that I know she'd make a good Jo.
And Lizzy, hell. She just looks like Joan Jett.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Former highwayman Lizzy and runaway bride Jo take to the skies in a stolen airship in search of adventure, loot, and new lives.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Since this will be a short story collection, most of the stories will be published in various anthologies and magazines over the next few years.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I've written three stories in about six weeks and don't want to stop.
What other books would you compare this story to in your genre?
I'm still reading my way (increasingly obsessively) through the steampunk genre, and so far I've been discouraged by the lack of fun I've found. Steampunk is fun; it's inventive; it's enthusiastic about the cool stuff from the past while jettisoning the bad stuff or dealing with it in a more modern way. So why are so many steampunk books gritty grimdark terrible things are happening and we have no sense of humor? I'm sure there are books out there like the one I'm writing. I can't wait to find them.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
When you immerse yourself in a genre that's also a growing cultural movement (and yeah, I do think it is), you get sucked in. I always thought steampunk was cool. Now...well, I don't own a pair of goggles yet, but it's becoming more and more likely.
Tag Time!
I'll take a cue from Emma Maree and just tag all the Inkbots. Because I'm lazy that way.
In fact, I'm working on two. I started some serious research for a YA steampunk story at the beginning of the year, and I've started writing it. But that's not the project I'm about to discuss.
What is the working title of your book?
The Adventures of Lizzy and Jo, Air Pirates
Where did the idea come from for the book?
I never write short stories. I just don't. But another Inkbot, Rob Haines, gave our group a heads-up on a new anthology series from UK publisher Fox Spirit, and I got interested in writing a steampunk story for the pirate-themed anthology. I already had the world built for my YA WIP. Suddenly I not only had an idea, I had two main characters, a setting, backstory for both, and a burning need to write about them. Oh, and here's the table of contents for the Pirates "Fox Pockets" anthology. My story's called "Skyway."
What genre does your book fall under?
Steampunk fantasy, short story collection
Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
I don't know anything about actors. I know exactly what my two main characters look like, though. Let me do a search.
Okay, here's Pia Glenn, who is so elegant-looking that I know she'd make a good Jo.
And Lizzy, hell. She just looks like Joan Jett.
What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?
Former highwayman Lizzy and runaway bride Jo take to the skies in a stolen airship in search of adventure, loot, and new lives.
Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?
Since this will be a short story collection, most of the stories will be published in various anthologies and magazines over the next few years.
How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript?
I've written three stories in about six weeks and don't want to stop.
What other books would you compare this story to in your genre?
I'm still reading my way (increasingly obsessively) through the steampunk genre, and so far I've been discouraged by the lack of fun I've found. Steampunk is fun; it's inventive; it's enthusiastic about the cool stuff from the past while jettisoning the bad stuff or dealing with it in a more modern way. So why are so many steampunk books gritty grimdark terrible things are happening and we have no sense of humor? I'm sure there are books out there like the one I'm writing. I can't wait to find them.
Who or what inspired you to write this book?
When you immerse yourself in a genre that's also a growing cultural movement (and yeah, I do think it is), you get sucked in. I always thought steampunk was cool. Now...well, I don't own a pair of goggles yet, but it's becoming more and more likely.
Tag Time!
I'll take a cue from Emma Maree and just tag all the Inkbots. Because I'm lazy that way.
March 8, 2013
Not how giveaways work
Every so often I list a giveaway on Goodreads for one of my books. I figure it's worth it even if it only bumps my sales by single digits (which seems to be the case). I usually get between 1,000 and 1,400 entries to each giveaway, with around 1/3 of people entering also listing the book as "to read." After each giveaway is completed, Goodreads sends me the winner's name and address and I inscribe the book, tuck a bookmark in the front, wrap it up, and mail it. Over the next few weeks a percentage of the people who listed the book as "to read" will delete it, which doesn't bother me. Sometimes the winner of the book will review it, usually they don't. That doesn't bother me either.
Here are some things that bother me.
Person A enters the giveaway, lists my book as "to read," and gives it a five-star rating. Now don't get me wrong, I love it when someone gives one of my books five stars. But I get uncomfortable when I'm 99% sure that the rater hasn't read the book. I suspect the five-star raters think that I'm the one who picks the giveaway winners and they're trying to influence me to pick them. Goodreads picks the winners and it's done by computer.
Person B enters the giveaway but doesn't win. They then give my book a one-star rating.
Sometimes Person A and Person B are the same person.
Person C enters the giveaway, doesn't win, and sends me a message asking for a copy of the book. Sometimes they friend me first, which makes this extra awkward.
Here's the thing, Person C. Writing a book takes a long time, and revising and editing it take even longer. I know I'm not a big-name writer. My publishers are small, my books are not on the shelves of brick-and-mortar stores, and even avid readers of fantasy most likely won't have heard of me. But that doesn't mean I don't work very hard at my craft. It doesn't mean my publishers and editors and cover artists etc. don't work very hard at what they do too. When one of my books is released, we all have bright hopes that people will find it, buy it, read it, like it, and give it five star ratings and reviews all over the place.
So why do you think I should just give you a free copy?
Sometimes Person C is a book blogger who wants a free copy (or two, or three, or seven--I'm not making this up). Those folks I refer to the book's publisher, who can evaluate the request and decide whether to send a review copy.
More often Person C just really wants the book and figures I gave one copy away, I probably have stacks of them lying around and it won't hurt me to give them one. After all, they're going to review it! And tell all their friends about it!
But I don't have stacks of my books lying around. My books are mostly published in ebook editions, with print-on-demand copies available. Sometimes I'm sent hardcopies by the publisher, sometimes I'm not. If I'm not, I buy a copy or two myself for giveaways (Goodreads giveaways are only for print copies of books). It's not cheap, nor is the packaging and postage cheap.I don't make a lot of money from my writing. I can't afford to give a copy away to anyone who asks.
Do you really, really, really want to read my books? Please do me and my publishers a favor. Buy a copy. They're not expensive. When you buy one of my books you keep my publishers in business and give me a little bit of money to repay me for all the work I put into creating the book for you to read.
February 13, 2013
Have a cupcake
I made cupcakes this weekend for Valentine's Day. Of course, they all got stale before I could eat them so I had to throw most of them out. But they were pretty while they lasted, sort of like flowers, but unlike flowers they also tasted good.I've started my new book. It's a YA steampunk fantasy and it's complicated. I need to write the outline, but I know roughly how the plots will run. There are...several plots. And they all tie in together at the end. Because I am awesome.
The worldbuilding has been a lot of fun for this one, although it's also ongoing. I find that some of the best worldbuilding details slot themselves into place as I'm actually writing, without me being even slightly aware ahead of time that they exist--but once they're on the page, I can't imagine the world without them.
Because this book has so many plotlines and so many characters (I'm writing it in omniscient, a point of view I very rarely tackle, but which is the only one possible for this particular narrative), I've installed Scrivener in hopes of keeping things straight. So far I like it all right, although it's very different from working directly in a single Word document with another document open to keep worldbuilding notes, plot notes, outline, a list of characters and placenames, cut scenes, and so forth. Scrivener can hold everything at once, and when the rough draft is done it's supposed to be easy to export the files I want into a single Word document. We'll see how that goes.
January 27, 2013
Fire! Trains! Steampunk! Chattacon 2013
This weekend I went to Chattacon, in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Chattanooga's only two hours from my house, which is the perfect distance: not so far that I'm over-tired when I get there, but far enough that I feel like I've actually gone somewhere. And I really like Chattanooga. So I went to Chattacon although I knew I wouldn't know a single soul there (I didn't) and I wasn't sure I would get much from the panels (I kind of did). I did enjoy myself a lot, though. Here are some pix and some excerpts from my travel journal. Warning: it's long.
Jan. 25, 2013
4:30pm
Despite freezing rain, I made it to Chattacon and checked in at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo Hotel. The room is quite nice, with a little balcony that overlooks the pool. Outdoor pool. Freezing rain. Not a good combination. I put my bottled water on the balcony to chill.
The program...hmm. Well, this is a very small convention. I didn't expect it to have a huge program of panels. Fortunately I really like downtown Chattanooga, and if I can't find anything to do at the con there's lots to do in town--ice and rain or not.
left, view from my hotel balcony
6:15pm
I bought a con T-shirt ($25, but I like the design) and took a walk before it got dark. I just walked down Market Street for around 20-30 minutes, crossed the street, and came back. That took me through a chunk of downtown, with lots of banks and nice restaurants with candlelit tables, and a TVA building that looks just like the one in Knoxville, and a big Krystal's office building, and more banks, and parking garages, and bike rentals. I passed a clothing boutique with actual gas lamps flickering on either side of its front door.
So far I've been surprised and pleased by the friendly feel of the con. Maybe it's because it's so small, I dunno, but everyone is very welcoming. I've had more conversations already than I had the entire weekend at Worldcon last year. One of the conversations was with an elevator repairman who happened to be on the elevator with me and thus was able to repair it when it didn't move. He seemed like a nice man, and was fortunately competent, although his outlook on life--at least as far as elevators are concerned--was a bit negative.
Not to self: find out where the stairs are.
Jan. 25
about 7pm
Wow, it's getting cold out! I walked over to the opening ceremonies and about froze in my light wool jacket. I brought my heavier coat but it's in the car.
10:10 pm
Bath taken. Shower also achieved so I could wash my hair. A few dozen pages edited. Many tweets tweeted. I'm in bed now, about to turn out the light.
They've fallen silent now--probably driven inside by the cold--but there are a few noisy groups on the balconies or maybe spilling outside from overflowing parties. From time to time they start singing or chanting and, once, howling. It's fun to listen to. If I was a more outgoing person--and boy am I not outgoing--I'd stop by one of the advertized parties just so I could howl too.
left, the Chattanooga Choo-Choo hotel sign
Jan. 26, 2013
9:43 am
The howling went on until past 2am. I kept waking up, but it always made me smile. There's some hungover folks waking up about now.
This coffee shop, Chattz, is like a Starbucks but with slightly less bad-for-you food. I have a hot chocolate and a cranberry scone. Both are good. It's still very cold out but the sun is trying to come out. It's supposed to warm up to over 50 today.
I saw a hand-lettered sign on the elevator advertizing a steampunk panel at 11am. It was either a last-minute addition or was accidentally left out of the program. I'll head back soon so I can go to that one since there's nothing much else I want to see at eleven. Then at noon there's another steampunk panel I'll attend. From the con garb I've seen, there's a big steampunk presence at this con. Not surprising, really, since we're surrounded by old trains.
10:04
I have close to half an hour to kill before I head back. I'm almost out of hot chocolate and I'm getting bored. I am the most easily bored person I know. But if I leave now, I'll get back way too early and then I'll still be bored, just in my hotel room instead of here. I suppose I can scope out a place to have lunch. There's a cafe at the hotel that does pizza. Maybe I'll have pizza for lunch. It'll probably be awful. Hotel pizza.
Oh hell, I can't leave here until someone else does. I don't know if this is a place where you bus your own tables or leave your dishes for the servers to clean up. I don't want to leave my mess and have them think I'm a dick but I don't see anywhere to put my dishes. But apparently everyone else here is killing time too. No one has left since I got here.
Maybe we are all waiting for someone else to leave.
left, the front of the hotel
Jan. 26
about 10:55am
The steampunk panel I'm at is actually the making of an indie steampunk movie called "Engines of Destiny."
noon
That was an interesting panel and the movie looks really good. I need to remember to look for their kickstarter next month. The director reminded me so much of my brother, enthusiastic without being overstated, and super articulate. He even looked a little like Richard.
Now I'm at the next steampunk panel, although the previous panel was just finishing up when I got here so now I know a little bit about brewing mead.
1pm
That was a good panel too, relaxed and fun, although kind of unfocused. I'm tempted to make this a steampunk morning and go to the costuming panel down the hall, but I'm not really into that so I'm going to stay in this room for the History of SF panel. Although I suppose I could go get lunch instead.
[After some debate, the sunshine and warming weather drew me outdoors and I walked to the riverfront at this point.]
Jan. 26
2:30 pm
Finally found a place to eat, Big River Grille. It's actually the restaurant I wanted to try when I was in Chattanooga last January--not for Chattacon, just a daytrip--but I ended up next door because I went through the wrong entrance. It's a weird building.
I ordered a beer, because I felt like it. Southern Flyer Lager. It's excellent and has an airplane on the label. But I did not get carded and now I feel old.
about 5:50 pm
I missed the 4pm panel I kind of wanted to attend. I decided it would be a better use of my time to see the carousel in operation and up close. It was awesome, too. I'm totally putting a carousel in my next book [which is going to be steampunk, incidentally: thus my interest in the morning panels]. I didn't ride it because I didn't want to be sad and/or creepy. There are a lot of things I don't mind doing alone, but a middle-aged woman without kids riding a carousel by herself? No. I have limits.
The name of this panel is "Welcome to My Fantasy," whatever that's supposed to mean. The panelists have gathered and I just heard Tim Powers say plaintively, "Does anyone know what this panel is about?" No one knew. He wandered around asking if anyone had an official description of the panel, and a woman behind me told him that Chattacon isn't very focused on panels. It's mostly about the parties. Powers got very interested in where the parties are being held.
Jan. 26
9:45 pm
That last panel was low-key but interesting. After that I wandered around in the dusk and took pictures, mostly of the gaslights reflecting on the trains' sides. I saw a steampunk couple getting pix too; the guy was dressed as a conductor, so he stepped up into the doorway of a train car so the girl could take his picture. It really was amazingly cool. I should have asked to take a picture too but didn't think of it until later.
I bought some chocolates and a Coke, since I haven't had enough calories today yeah right. Then I came back to the room and took a bath to warm up, did some editing, and now I'm zonked. Even the howlers aren't out tonight [yet], so I'm not the only one who's tired. Or maybe they're all at parties in the other buildings, or running wild among the streets of Chattanooga under the full moon.
left, FIRE AND TRAINS this is the coolest picture I've ever taken
Jan. 27, 2013
8:37 am
I woke up at 4am and couldn't get back to sleep. Finally I just gave up and got out of bed. Around 5am the howlers started up, singing drunkenly for a remarkably long time--past 6am.
I wanted a bagel or something light, but the hotel's coffee shop has nasty-looking pastries. I got a tiny hot chocolate that cost $3, although I must admit it's excellent.
The con ends early today and there are no panels and very little programming. If I check out and hit the road soon, I'll be home before lunchtime.
Jan. 25, 2013
4:30pm
Despite freezing rain, I made it to Chattacon and checked in at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo Hotel. The room is quite nice, with a little balcony that overlooks the pool. Outdoor pool. Freezing rain. Not a good combination. I put my bottled water on the balcony to chill.
The program...hmm. Well, this is a very small convention. I didn't expect it to have a huge program of panels. Fortunately I really like downtown Chattanooga, and if I can't find anything to do at the con there's lots to do in town--ice and rain or not.
left, view from my hotel balcony
6:15pm
I bought a con T-shirt ($25, but I like the design) and took a walk before it got dark. I just walked down Market Street for around 20-30 minutes, crossed the street, and came back. That took me through a chunk of downtown, with lots of banks and nice restaurants with candlelit tables, and a TVA building that looks just like the one in Knoxville, and a big Krystal's office building, and more banks, and parking garages, and bike rentals. I passed a clothing boutique with actual gas lamps flickering on either side of its front door.
So far I've been surprised and pleased by the friendly feel of the con. Maybe it's because it's so small, I dunno, but everyone is very welcoming. I've had more conversations already than I had the entire weekend at Worldcon last year. One of the conversations was with an elevator repairman who happened to be on the elevator with me and thus was able to repair it when it didn't move. He seemed like a nice man, and was fortunately competent, although his outlook on life--at least as far as elevators are concerned--was a bit negative.
Not to self: find out where the stairs are.
Jan. 25
about 7pm
Wow, it's getting cold out! I walked over to the opening ceremonies and about froze in my light wool jacket. I brought my heavier coat but it's in the car.
10:10 pm
Bath taken. Shower also achieved so I could wash my hair. A few dozen pages edited. Many tweets tweeted. I'm in bed now, about to turn out the light.
They've fallen silent now--probably driven inside by the cold--but there are a few noisy groups on the balconies or maybe spilling outside from overflowing parties. From time to time they start singing or chanting and, once, howling. It's fun to listen to. If I was a more outgoing person--and boy am I not outgoing--I'd stop by one of the advertized parties just so I could howl too.
left, the Chattanooga Choo-Choo hotel sign
Jan. 26, 2013
9:43 am
The howling went on until past 2am. I kept waking up, but it always made me smile. There's some hungover folks waking up about now.
This coffee shop, Chattz, is like a Starbucks but with slightly less bad-for-you food. I have a hot chocolate and a cranberry scone. Both are good. It's still very cold out but the sun is trying to come out. It's supposed to warm up to over 50 today.
I saw a hand-lettered sign on the elevator advertizing a steampunk panel at 11am. It was either a last-minute addition or was accidentally left out of the program. I'll head back soon so I can go to that one since there's nothing much else I want to see at eleven. Then at noon there's another steampunk panel I'll attend. From the con garb I've seen, there's a big steampunk presence at this con. Not surprising, really, since we're surrounded by old trains.
10:04
I have close to half an hour to kill before I head back. I'm almost out of hot chocolate and I'm getting bored. I am the most easily bored person I know. But if I leave now, I'll get back way too early and then I'll still be bored, just in my hotel room instead of here. I suppose I can scope out a place to have lunch. There's a cafe at the hotel that does pizza. Maybe I'll have pizza for lunch. It'll probably be awful. Hotel pizza.
Oh hell, I can't leave here until someone else does. I don't know if this is a place where you bus your own tables or leave your dishes for the servers to clean up. I don't want to leave my mess and have them think I'm a dick but I don't see anywhere to put my dishes. But apparently everyone else here is killing time too. No one has left since I got here.
Maybe we are all waiting for someone else to leave.
left, the front of the hotel
Jan. 26
about 10:55am
The steampunk panel I'm at is actually the making of an indie steampunk movie called "Engines of Destiny."
noon
That was an interesting panel and the movie looks really good. I need to remember to look for their kickstarter next month. The director reminded me so much of my brother, enthusiastic without being overstated, and super articulate. He even looked a little like Richard.
Now I'm at the next steampunk panel, although the previous panel was just finishing up when I got here so now I know a little bit about brewing mead.
1pm
That was a good panel too, relaxed and fun, although kind of unfocused. I'm tempted to make this a steampunk morning and go to the costuming panel down the hall, but I'm not really into that so I'm going to stay in this room for the History of SF panel. Although I suppose I could go get lunch instead.
[After some debate, the sunshine and warming weather drew me outdoors and I walked to the riverfront at this point.]
Jan. 26
2:30 pm
Finally found a place to eat, Big River Grille. It's actually the restaurant I wanted to try when I was in Chattanooga last January--not for Chattacon, just a daytrip--but I ended up next door because I went through the wrong entrance. It's a weird building.
I ordered a beer, because I felt like it. Southern Flyer Lager. It's excellent and has an airplane on the label. But I did not get carded and now I feel old.
about 5:50 pm
I missed the 4pm panel I kind of wanted to attend. I decided it would be a better use of my time to see the carousel in operation and up close. It was awesome, too. I'm totally putting a carousel in my next book [which is going to be steampunk, incidentally: thus my interest in the morning panels]. I didn't ride it because I didn't want to be sad and/or creepy. There are a lot of things I don't mind doing alone, but a middle-aged woman without kids riding a carousel by herself? No. I have limits.
The name of this panel is "Welcome to My Fantasy," whatever that's supposed to mean. The panelists have gathered and I just heard Tim Powers say plaintively, "Does anyone know what this panel is about?" No one knew. He wandered around asking if anyone had an official description of the panel, and a woman behind me told him that Chattacon isn't very focused on panels. It's mostly about the parties. Powers got very interested in where the parties are being held.
Jan. 26
9:45 pm
That last panel was low-key but interesting. After that I wandered around in the dusk and took pictures, mostly of the gaslights reflecting on the trains' sides. I saw a steampunk couple getting pix too; the guy was dressed as a conductor, so he stepped up into the doorway of a train car so the girl could take his picture. It really was amazingly cool. I should have asked to take a picture too but didn't think of it until later.
I bought some chocolates and a Coke, since I haven't had enough calories today yeah right. Then I came back to the room and took a bath to warm up, did some editing, and now I'm zonked. Even the howlers aren't out tonight [yet], so I'm not the only one who's tired. Or maybe they're all at parties in the other buildings, or running wild among the streets of Chattanooga under the full moon.
left, FIRE AND TRAINS this is the coolest picture I've ever taken
Jan. 27, 2013
8:37 am
I woke up at 4am and couldn't get back to sleep. Finally I just gave up and got out of bed. Around 5am the howlers started up, singing drunkenly for a remarkably long time--past 6am.
I wanted a bagel or something light, but the hotel's coffee shop has nasty-looking pastries. I got a tiny hot chocolate that cost $3, although I must admit it's excellent.
The con ends early today and there are no panels and very little programming. If I check out and hit the road soon, I'll be home before lunchtime.
January 17, 2013
Snow at last
The weather started getting bad this afternoon around three, with the endless rain (it's rained for a week!) mixing with slush and then turning to driving snow. Ordinarily I'd have worked until 4:30pm today, but thank goodness the college where I work decided to close at 3:30. It took me an hour to get home. Well, okay, ordinarily it takes me around 50 minutes and today I stopped on the way home to get a pizza, but still! An hour!When I stopped for the pizza, I had a hard time stopping myself from doing donuts in the slush-filled, near-empty grocery store parking lot nearby.
I got home at last and put my car up in the garage, then grabbed my camera before the light went. Here's my little house in the cold and snow:
There's not much snow on the ground, and the falling snow turned to rain and then stopped completely, but I think it's supposed to start again in another hour or so. We might get another inch! What's less thrilling, of course, is that it's going to freeze tonight and everything is sopping wet from all that rain.
Here's the road just in front of my house.
And here's the commons, an open area just past the picture above. It's flooded from the rain. That will freeze tonight. Brrrr.
January 10, 2013
Bits of good
I didn't actually mean to stop posting after my 1,000th post. I've just been busy.
Right before the new year, I saw a tweet from someone who suggested keeping a jar throughout the year where you put slips of paper with notes about good things that happen to you. Then at the end of the year you take the papers out and read them, to remind yourself of small kindnesses and pieces of luck that came your way. I love this idea. It's so easy to forget the good stuff and only remember the bad.
I need to buy a jar, but I already have a few slips ready to put in it. And we're only ten days into the new year.
Right before the new year, I saw a tweet from someone who suggested keeping a jar throughout the year where you put slips of paper with notes about good things that happen to you. Then at the end of the year you take the papers out and read them, to remind yourself of small kindnesses and pieces of luck that came your way. I love this idea. It's so easy to forget the good stuff and only remember the bad.
I need to buy a jar, but I already have a few slips ready to put in it. And we're only ten days into the new year.
December 31, 2012
1,000 posts
This is my 1,000th post since starting this blog on September 1, 2007. I think it was 2007. Anyway, milestone post!
Writing-wise, 2012 was a disappointing year in some ways. Three different markets that had accepted my work went toes-up. On the other hand, I did have a story in Daily Science Fiction, which was pretty cool.
I wrote two full-length books in 2012, the YA Shadow Trail and the fantasy Wharf Rat. I'm in the final throes of revisions for the latter, which I hope to finish tonight so I can send it out to beta readers. I am no closer to getting an agent, but I have a kick-ass YA steampunk fantasy lined up for my next project, so maybe....
As for resolutions, I didn't make any for 2012 because it was so crazy and horrible with Mom's death on Jan. 3. The only resolution I've ever made that I've kept was from 2011, when I resolved to floss my teeth every single day. I have, too.
But I feel the need to line up all my ducks (OMG, I seriously didn't write ducks the first time) and make some resolutions for 2013. I will try to keep them simple.
1. Get a tattoo. (I've been seriously intending to for about 15 years. This is the year! I just need to figure out what and where and then find someone to hold my hand when I go to get it done.)
2. Take up a sport, whether fencing or horseback riding (or both) or something else. Exercise daily, even if it's just for a few minutes.
3. Hike more.
4. Travel more.
5. Reach my weight loss goal, or at least get to a point where I feel better about my appearance. Respect myself and take care of myself.
6. Do more interesting things and spend less time sitting in front of the computer.
7. Keep striving to improve my writing in every way.
Writing-wise, 2012 was a disappointing year in some ways. Three different markets that had accepted my work went toes-up. On the other hand, I did have a story in Daily Science Fiction, which was pretty cool.
I wrote two full-length books in 2012, the YA Shadow Trail and the fantasy Wharf Rat. I'm in the final throes of revisions for the latter, which I hope to finish tonight so I can send it out to beta readers. I am no closer to getting an agent, but I have a kick-ass YA steampunk fantasy lined up for my next project, so maybe....
As for resolutions, I didn't make any for 2012 because it was so crazy and horrible with Mom's death on Jan. 3. The only resolution I've ever made that I've kept was from 2011, when I resolved to floss my teeth every single day. I have, too.
But I feel the need to line up all my ducks (OMG, I seriously didn't write ducks the first time) and make some resolutions for 2013. I will try to keep them simple.
1. Get a tattoo. (I've been seriously intending to for about 15 years. This is the year! I just need to figure out what and where and then find someone to hold my hand when I go to get it done.)
2. Take up a sport, whether fencing or horseback riding (or both) or something else. Exercise daily, even if it's just for a few minutes.
3. Hike more.
4. Travel more.
5. Reach my weight loss goal, or at least get to a point where I feel better about my appearance. Respect myself and take care of myself.
6. Do more interesting things and spend less time sitting in front of the computer.
7. Keep striving to improve my writing in every way.
