It is written in the stars above

OMG guess what! Library Journal gave Fiddlehead a starred review! I'm so relieved, you have no idea; the trade reviews have been slow to come, on this one - I just thank heaven that they're great so far. (Even Kirkus's wildly backhanded piece was overall quite positive. And funny.)

Here's the pertinent text, just so you don't have to go clicking around. Ahem:
This is a compelling finale to a fantastic series. The good guys are complex and sympathetic; the villains are suitably clever and malign. The action rattles along at breakneck speed, and the reader can’t resist coming along for the wild ride, which includes a climactic battle featuring a wheelchair-bound Abe Lincoln and a temporarily sober Ulysses S. Grant. Highly recommended for all readers of fantasy and steampunk.
Hooray, I say! And many thanks to the fine folks at LJ who took the time to be so kind.

And actually, that's not the only good news I got today. Indeed, my editor at Ace has delivered unto my inbox ... the Maplecroft editorial letter! She's thrilled with the draft, and her notes are minimal! (Holy crap, got a lot of exclamation points going on in this post. SO BE IT.) It's a hell of a weight off, knowing that the project is well received - and not returned with a note that says, "Kindly push yourself off a cliff, thanks."

However, it does mean that the rest of my year looks like this: (1). Perform revisions/provide Draft One of Princess X, (2). revise and provide Draft Two of Maplecroft, (3). complete most of a draft of Jacaranda, and (4). not collapse and die over the holidays or anything.

[:: checks calendar ::]
So... right. That's what, like, six weeks? I probably won't collapse and die. I bet.

And on that note ... here's today's progress on my poltergeist-plagued hotel horror story, wherein everyone’s favorite steampunk Texas Ranger joins forces with a goth-as-hell gunslinger-turned-padre who may (or may not) have supernatural powers:
Project: Jacaranda
Deadline: March 31, 2014
New words written: 1729
Present total word count: 3026



Things accomplished in fiction: Arrived at sinister hotel.

Next up: Meet a nun about a thing.

Things accomplished in real life: Morning jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; went to lunch; fielded a number of important emails; declined a couple of conventions due to scheduling issues; coordinated some logistical things re: the last little bit of the remodeling/getting new furniture in and old furniture out; still managed to get some writing done. [:: high fives self ::]

Other: I'm pacing myself on this one, much like the Maplecroft draft. Apparently, if my Ace editor can be believed, my drafts turn out much stronger this way. And besides, it's not like I can dedicate all day to it, or anything - not with the other stuff looming.

Four-legged other: Greyson showed real progress at yesterday's dog park outing! First of all, when he realized where we were going, he dithered around and hemmed and hawed, but he didn't make me chase him down to put the leash on him. He sat the door like a gentleman and then got into the car with only a little drama. Then, upon our arrival, he leaped out of the vehicle tail wagging and ready to romp! (Usually it takes him a few minutes to shake off the car anxiety.) Best yet, he quit pretending we were his embarrassing parents who were following him around a mall; he checked in with us repeatedly to say "hello," and let me leash him up easy-peasy when it was time to go. (Previously, he's always turned leaving-time into a game of nervous tag - and we've had to corral him before we could take him home.) It's working, you guys - it's working! Slowly but surely, our furry bundle of neuroses is turning into a normal dog! (I mean, he still shakes and drools while he's actually in the car, but I think he's getting the general idea. Maybe?)

Number of fiction words so far this year: 172,632