Bits and PiecesQuick Recap:Immortal Belov...

Bits  and Pieces

Quick Recap:

Immortal Beloved pubs in the US on Sept.7 from Little, Brown

Immortal Beloved paperback pubs in UK territories in September

Sweep bind-up, 1-3, pubs in September from Penguin

Balefire bind-up, 1-4, pubs in December from Penguin

Immortal Beloved hardcover pubs in the UK in January.

Website Stuff:

We're (I'm using "we" very loosely here) working on a fresh look for the website–no big changes, but a fresh look and a few tweaks in time (I hope) for the IB pub in September.

Guilt

I know I owe you guys blog entries, FB updates, answers to mail. It all gets overwhelming, and I'm trying to make progress on IB #2, which was due 8 days ago ha ha ha ha.

Excitement

I don't usually get that excited when a book comes out–but I'm excited about all the things happening this fall. IB is very exciting, and I'm so thrilled that Penguin is repackaging (new covers) and re-releasing Sweep and Balefire. It's like Cate Cate Cate everywhere I turn! Let me know if you get sick of me. I'll try to tone it down.

IB #2

Right now it's called Everlasting Darkness. I'm really enjoying it–poor Nastasya is in for some hard times–but I'm also at the stage where the structure of the book starts to matter even more, and I'm looking at it and seeing structural things I have to change, and it's not the fun "let's write another makeout scene" part. So I'm slogging away. Still loving the story, loving the characters, but seeing ways to improve it, make it better, which I am obliged to do because I want it to be the best it can be. I assume you also want this.

Summer

I need at least six more weeks of it. This summer has been really hectic and overfull, and I need a lot more time where the days go on forever and the weeks blend into each other. It's been ridiculously hot here, without a lot of rain. Several gray, rainy days would be very welcome right now.My kids go back to school next week. I'm not ready.

Doughnuts

Why do I crave them when I know they make me feel sick afterward? This seems to defy all logic. Including the imperative for the species to survive.

A Flaw

I am not good at doing nothing. I lie in my hammock, determined to simply relax for an hour, let my thoughts settle, refresh my imagination. I last an average of twelve minutes. I feel antsy, guilty, and know I should be inside working and doing laundry, or outside pulling weeds or something. I think of clutter I need to pick up, work I owe my editors, fan letters from *February* I haven't answered. Finally I can't stand it anymore and bolt inside to get back to work. Yes, it's been almost . . . twelve minutes.

Author Appearances

The publicity person at Little, Brown has been talking to me about author appearances. The very notion fills me with dread, but they seem to have their hearts set on it. Is that really something that readers like? If I were to appear in a town near you, would you bother to come out? Have I mentioned the shyness and agoraphobia?

Okay, back to work. Will have a new update soon.

Cate.