March 2007

March 09: Reading & Writing & Gaming
March 18: Imaginary Worlds
March 31: Miss Jennifer

March 9

March 9, 2007
Reading & Writing & Gaming
I have been in a reading mood lately. I go in reading and writing cycles and, usually, when I hit a reading cycle, I stop writing. Not this time. Writing is my job. However, it has not stopped me from gobbling up the last four books in Steve Perry's Matador universe (The Omega Cage, The Albino Knife, Black Steel, Brother Death) in the last ten days.

Granted, the Steve Perry Matador universe is all popcorn reading for me. I can snack on those kinds of books like there is no tomorrow. However, I do prefer intermixing my popcorn reading with something more substantial. I've done just that with this current book I am reading: "Earth Abides" by George R. Stewart.

"Earth Abides" is a 1949 post apocalyptic novel and winner of the first International Fantasy Award. I don't remember who recommended this book to me but, my gosh, am I ever thankful. This is the kind of book that you savor. You stop and reread passages just because they are so damn intriguing. This is also the kind of book that I read no more than one chapter at a time because I want the story, and my memories of walking within the story, to last.

I know I'm about to go on an apocalyptic book surge now. I've collected a series of apocalyptic books recommended and/or given to me by my apocalyptic minions. Books like "Dalgren," "Plague" and "Wolf of Shadows." If I am going to start an apocalyptic book series, I could have no better start than "Earth Abides."

I am amazed that a book almost six decades old can tell a modern day, near future post apocalyptic story and still be so on contemporary.

My writing is going pretty well. I am over the 43,000 mark on Novel #1 and I'm already starting the April TEoP story. The thing I really need to focus on right now is the non-TEoP story for March as well as some submissions. I think I will schedule new submissions for Sunday. I don't want to get behind on my Writing Year "report card" (as my Mom likes to call it).

I can't tell if this is a good thing or a bad thing but one of the reasons I am so into Novel #1 right now is because I sort of feel like I'm reading a book while I'm writing it. Better yet, it is a book I'm eager to get back to each morning. I'm really curious what is going to happen next. Yes, I have the basics of an outline but I have not stuck to it. I have. I have also added to it. Or, should I say my protagonist has added to it. Some days, I sit down to write one thing and something completely different comes out.

In other news, I start freelancing for Amazon.com in April. That will add a new layer to my writing stuff for this year. It will be more money and it may blossom into a new (part-time or fulltime) career for me.

Also, I have an interesting possible offer on the table from a small press about Grants Pass. I'm not sure where it is going to go but after I see where this last query goes (either way), I really think I'm going to sit down and have a lot chat with this small publisher about a couple of projects - either Grants Pass or maybe even the first year of TEoP.

Saturday I am going to start the new-to-me Emerald City Chronicles LARP at the University of Washington. I'm really hopeful that this is going to be a good time. I like what I've done with the character I've chosen to play (a southern Ventrue jewel merchant - yes, a real Ventrue by choice) and the connections I have set up between myself and several of the other characters in the game. Most of the people I have connections will in an IC sense I do not know at all in an OOC sense. Meeting and getting to know new people makes me happy.

In a way, this feels like it did when I joined the Palo Alto crowd. There are a lot of new people to meet and a number of potential new friendships. Change is scary but change is also good for me. I know this. Besides, I haven't had a weekly game in far too long.

Tarot Card for the Day: The Tower, Inverted

March 18

Imaginary Worlds
Life, she is doing good these days. I'm more than 2/3rds done with Novel #1 and I think I just got another poem accepted by a magazine. It is a tentative "yes" and that makes me happy. Novel #1 should be done at the end of this month or the beginning of next month which will be right on schedule. Then, I will shift over to the next novel and let Novel #1 stew for a couple of weeks before doing a full edit on it. Then I will send it out to the first round reader group.

I have a number of projects that going to press soon in May and June. So, it will feel like I have a bunch of stuff showing up, then nothing until November which is when the most recent THINGUS from MWProductions is scheduled to hit the distributors. I know. This eight months later than when it was originally scheduled but at least it is still going to press.

I have to say; sometimes waiting for the finished product is one of the hardest things about being an author. It can take many months to years to see some products finally in hardcopy print. The waiting time kills me. The second worst part is the editing and re-editing of your project until it is perfect.

Since I can see the light at the end of the tunnel for Novel #1, I am going back and forth on what I what to write for Novel #2. Originally, I said I wanted to work on my YA novel(s). Then, I started wanting to work on the second novel in the Hedari series. Now, I'm waffling. I know I cannot (and should not) do both at the same time. I guess I will make my choice after Norwescon and I should not worry about it until then.

In the meantime, I will continue to work on short stories and TEoP. I'm very proud of TEoP. It is shaping up to be a very nice webzine.

Happily, my brain is being eaten up by my Emerald City Chronicles character, Chloe Livingston. I revealed her big basket of trouble to a couple of her allies on Saturday night. Some of them are making the intuitive leap that it is connected to one of the main plotlines going on. I did not know if it is or not. I presented my personal plotline idea to the STs and one of them has taken it and ran with it. It might. It might only be a red herring. I won't know until it all plays out. Hopefully, Chloe won't be dead-dead by the end of it ... or dead-wraith.

I am starting to get my gaming fix satisfied in a major way and that makes me very happy. (Especially in light of Masquerade dying a sudden and ignoble death.) Chloe is working out well. I seem to have set up this character's background well enough to slide her across definite boundaries. She has friends in the Giovanni, the Anarchs and the Ventrue. She even got in trouble for being a bit TOO buddy-buddy with an Anarch in Elysium. (Chloe: "Why would anyone care what I do? I have no status. I'm just a little ol' nobody." Primogen: "You are Ventrue! I expect you to act accordingly.")

It also looks like I will be joining a Dark Ages table top game with some of the EC crowd in the next couple of weeks or so. I have wanted to get into a table top Vampire game for a while. I'm really looking forward to it. It will be good to get to know some of the EC crowd outside of the game. It is hard to get to know a new bunch of people in such an environment. Everyone is getting ready to play beforehand or in a twitter afterwards because of what just happened. I generally don't have the patience for a big group for "Afters" after the game. I usually take off with the Nexus crowd and either go eat or go home. So, this will be nice.

Finally, on the gaming front, Rory and Jim are spinning up their monthly Firefly LARP Ji Dian Station. We were play testing the system part of it in mock pit fight combats and everyone learned real quick like that grenades suck in a major way. But, the system seems to be doing alright in speeding up combat - the part about LARPs I hate the most. We shall see what happens. It is another game that I am looking forward to.

Tarot Card for the Day: The Star

March 31

Miss Jennifer
There is an interesting thing that has manifested throughout my various groups of friends up here in the Seattle area. People have spontaneously started calling me "Miss Jennifer" or "Miss Jenn." These are people who do not know each other. I am not certain why this has happened but I really like it. It has a bit of old world charm to it, being called "Miss Jenn." It might be because there are a number of 'Jennifer' type people up here and none of them like "Jenny." It might be just a way of distinguishing me from the others. I don't know. I just know I like it a lot.

I have just ended my third month of my Writing Sabbatical Year. Let's see where my Year-to-Date report card is:

  • Submissions: 17 of 60+ (ahead)
  • New Short Stories: 8 of 24+ (ahead)
  • Freaky Friday Fictions: 14 of 50+ (on track)
  • Books read: 10 of 24+ (ahead)
  • Novel #1 word count: 70,000 of 75,000 (on track)

    Plus, I have been approved to do product descriptions for Amazon.com and I have been approached to write all of the interesting web content for a new independent store that will be opening a online store within a couple of months. I had a brief conversation with the owner on the phone and she loved the ideas I was coming up with on the fly. I am very pleased by all this. By this time next month, I will be starting my YA novel AKA SSB or Novel #2.

    I am racing like mad to finish Novel #1 by the time Norwescon hits. Mostly because I am so bloody close to finishing. Secondarily, I really want to take the week after Norwescon to do some serious bedroom and closet cleaning. Basically, take a week off of all writing that is not fun writing. I think I deserve it. Not to mention the fact that my bedroom is a mess and if I ever want to have Company of the Intimate Kind in there, I want to not be embarrassed by it. Finally, a small writing break will be good for me. I suspect I will be doing a lot of reading and walking during that time, too. Refilling the creative well as it were.

    I have been doing a lot of "facing my fear" lately because fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little dead. This generally involves me driving to places I am unfamiliar with or driving a different way to get me to some place I already know how to get to and never mind if it is the LONG way, thankyouverymuch.

    Thus, I have been doing a whole lot of driving to new places or different ways. I know that, eventually, these ways will be old hat for me and there is no reason to get upset at the beginning. But, I do. A lot. I get very tight and terse. But, then I do it anyway and feel silly when I get there for being so upset to begin with. It is a thing. I know it is a thing. I deal with it. I face it. I'm working on getting over it. It ain't easy.

    Mostly because I get lost. A lot. But, you know what? That is OK. I still made it to go sailing with some of the EC crowd on Saturday. As it turns out, the soon-to-be former HST, Kevin, is a big sailing nut and frequently goes. I jumped at the chance to go when he offered last minute. I had a blast once I got there. Yes, I got lost but I did make it.

    We were out on the water for almost six hours and I loved it. It was cold and wet. But I got to pull rope, winch things, gib things, hoist things, steer the boat and stopped us dead in the water... for lunch... on purpose... That's my story and I'm sticking to it! I have to say, sails are fidgety things and keeping a boat going in a straight line is a lot harder than it looks.

    I cannot wait to go again.

    On the gaming front, I had to put myself on hiatus from my occasional Saturday D&D game because my weekends during convention season suck. However, to make up for it, I am about to start a Wednesday afternoon Dark Ages game with some of the EC crowd who work nights. Thus, I will be gaming with people I barely know again but it is Dark Ages Vampire game and so far, these guys have been a blast to roleplay with.

    Emerald City Chronicles is really heating up and I am happy about it. Chloe is in trouble but she is still alive and kicking. Plans are starting to come together. I could probably burble happily about this character for hours but I won't. Just because it is probably boring to some and shouldn't be read by others. Typical LARP stuff with some excellent scenes.

    Tarot Card for the Day: The Star, Inverted

    • Continue on to: APRIL 2007
    (Created by JLB)