What a week. Aside from Night Lost jumping the release date gate, I had five straight days under my own roof, the exact amount of time I needed to catch up on my housework. A five-month-past-due advance payment arrived just in time to pay for the new well pump we needed, also much appreciated. No road trip for me this weekend, either, so I can do something besides pack, unpack, and investigate strange bathroom fixtures and wake-up-call procedures.
I still have to figure out how to make three pig masks out of pink craft foam (my daughter is the school skit prop girl), give everyone with fur their flea/heartworm treatments, weed the garden when the smoke isn't bad, convince a black racer to move out of the garage (he's currently curled up behind the water heater) and catch up on a thousand writing-related things before Monday. I don't mind at all. Simply being able to cook my own food and sleep in my own bed feels like a luxury.
Some questions I haven't gotten around to answering yet via e-mail:
There are wildfires burning all around our region, but most in our area are under control. At times the smoke is pretty bad, but we're keeping the kids indoors and keeping a close eye on the news. We have a couple of acres of cleared land around us and other resources to use to protect our home, so even if the fire came right here we're relatively safe. We're also ready to live without power, water or access to town (hurricane season prep for next month) and we will evacuate if ordered to go.
I'm not getting involved in The Current Romance Hoopla. My post for Kate was written for fun before this happened. As for the hoopla itself, I've privately made my feelings known to the person I care about in the situation, and that's all I want to do. Unless she wants me to do more, in which case, I might put together a scorching parody. But not this weekend. This weekend, I have pig masks to make and pets to dose.
I am cleaning up work today, and then I'm going to start on e-mail. Tommy is going to talk me through uploading the critiques I owe people, since everything I'm doing is not working. I'm devoting the weekend to getting it all out of here, and if we can't figure out what I did wrong, I'll send hard copies to everyone I owe them to.
That's all the grumbling and complaining I can manage. My guy and my lovely bed are calling my name, so I'll be back in the morning. Got any questions for me this week?
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No questions. Just good wishes for your weekend home - less smoke, fewer snakes, more gardening, successful uploading, good food, comfortable bed, and three amazing pig masks.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the pig masks. The only thing I remember from when we did cat masks was to make the ears separately.
ReplyDeleteTechnical difficulties can be so frustrating. Hope you can upload! Glad you guys are braced for outages if they happen.
ReplyDeleteJust last summer we had a fire right behind our house, less than a mile away. I was pretty worried, for a while, but there wasn't much I could do.
ReplyDeleteHope you get everything accomplished you want to this weekend, you've got a full plate.
I remember having to evacuate a few years ago in the southern CA wildfires. Not fun.
ReplyDeleteI'm out of the loop on the romance hoopla (probably because I don't write romance). What's that about?
You guys are very nice to give me the day off. :)
ReplyDeleteAnmada wrote: No questions. Just good wishes for your weekend home - less smoke, fewer snakes, more gardening, successful uploading, good food, comfortable bed, and three amazing pig masks.
Thanks, Anmada. Smoke unfortunately didn't cooperate. We've been blanketed by it all day.
Darlene wrote: Good luck with the pig masks. The only thing I remember from when we did cat masks was to make the ears separately.
Just my luck, it had to be pigs. All I know about four-legged swine is what I learned from Charlotte's Web.
I finished Night Lost today...while at work...hiding in the bathroom...shame on me!
ReplyDeleteThanks for another great book :)
Charlene wrote: Technical difficulties can be so frustrating. Hope you can upload!
ReplyDeleteTom didn't have any luck this morning. I'm waiting for him to get off work tonight so we can fool with it one more time. I hate Adobe.
Glad you guys are braced for outages if they happen.
At this point I feel like I'm prepared for nuclear war. Last night we made temporary living arrangement reservations with relatives (a must if we have to evacuate) and we got all our grab-and-run bags packed. We both had recall in the military so we're both pretty good about preparedness. Something everyone should think about: what would you take if your house was threatened by fire, flood, or a tornado, do you know where it is, and can you get it packed in three minutes?
I can pack a kitten in three minutes. Question is, will the kitten stay packed?
ReplyDeleteI'm all for a scorching satire about the mess in Romancelandia. I spend an hour yesterday reading up on that one, and I don't even write romance.
ReplyDeleteThough I do have gay sex scenes in two of my NiPs. :)
but the current drama is so interesting. I keep telling people I'm going to pop popcorn if it keeps up.
ReplyDeleteGot any advice for the historically challenged? as in writing them....
Jason wrote: Just last summer we had a fire right behind our house, less than a mile away. I was pretty worried, for a while, but there wasn't much I could do.
ReplyDeleteYou're braver than me, Jason. I once drove down a road about 2 miles from an Everglades fire burning out of control. That's as close as I ever want to get to one.
Pat wrote: I remember having to evacuate a few years ago in the southern CA wildfires. Not fun.
ReplyDeleteI hear you -- I was there for the Malibu fire back in 1982. They moved unbelievably fast.
I'm out of the loop on the romance hoopla (probably because I don't write romance). What's that about?
Three brawls that I've heard of all involve Romantic Times magazine and various folks associated with it. If you run a search on Technorati or Blogpulse, I'm sure you'll find something on it.
Hanna wrote: I finished Night Lost today...while at work...hiding in the bathroom...shame on me!
ReplyDeleteHey, just don't get caught. Your mom will yell at me. :)
Thanks for another great book :)
I appreciate the investment and the endorsement, pal.
Buffysquirrel wrote: I can pack a kitten in three minutes. Question is, will the kitten stay packed?
ReplyDeleteNo self-respecting kitten would be that cooperative. ;)
Gabriele wrote: I'm all for a scorching satire about the mess in Romancelandia. I spend an hour yesterday reading up on that one, and I don't even write romance.
ReplyDeleteI know, and I'm tempted. But I promised Alfred that I'd only use my powers for good.
Though I do have gay sex scenes in two of my NiPs. :)
Oh, so you're going to burn in hell with me? :)
Hell looks quite crowded these days. Poor devils need to buy another of those XXL cauldrons. I found more than one link to gay writers yesterday. :)
ReplyDeleteShiloh wrote: but the current drama is so interesting. I keep telling people I'm going to pop popcorn if it keeps up.
ReplyDeleteI have two words for you, Ms. Walker: Bamboo Cane.
Got any advice for the historically challenged? as in writing them....
Writing an accurate historical is hard work, no doubt about it. It's probably the most exacting genre I've written in. So:
Write about a time period that fascinates you, because you won't mind doing the research.
Do the research meticulously, but don't try to describe an entire era in one book. Focus on what is relevant to your characters, your setting and the plot; as always show your readers a few jewels, not the whole jewelry store.
Have fun with it whenever possible, too. What people most love about history are the same things we love about our time: hidden treasures, outrageous scandals, notorious behavior, long-running feuds, great love affairs, unsolved mysteries and related audacious acts.
Read biographies of real people who lived during the time period you're writing in. They can help you sharpen your characterizations.
Did I mention have fun with it? :)
Gabriele wrote: Hell looks quite crowded these days.
ReplyDeleteUnderworld Warming Trend. Lol.
Poor devils need to buy another of those XXL cauldrons. I found more than one link to gay writers yesterday. :)
That or let us run the place so we can send all the sanctimonious asses who are going to get kicked out of heaven into a special level just for hypocrits.
Glad the firess in your area are under control. I hope it stays that way!
ReplyDeleteI'm so out of it. What's the "current romance drama?"
"Two words: Bamboo Cane"
ReplyDeleteI've got two words for you: Pina Colada. *gg*
I have two words for you, Ms. Walker: Bamboo Cane.
ReplyDeletefine, yeesh... okay okay... i'm researching. is that better?
and it's actually story related, not drama related.
I spent some time at the library finding period books but it never occured to me to try biographies. hopefully i can find one that won't bore me to tears. i rarely read biographies.
Poor devils need to buy another of those XXL cauldrons.
ReplyDeleteROFL!!
Sasha wrote: I'm so out of it. What's the "current romance drama?"
ReplyDeleteSasha, you survived RT! Welcome home. :)
As I mentioned to Pat, the three train wrecks I've heard about involve folks from Romantic Times. I'd rely on whatever Miss Kate reports on her blog; she usually weeds the hard facts out of the hysterical fiction.
Totally off topic, I love the cover art for the new book (for those of you scratching your heads, Sasha White's Lush just hit the shelves.) I got it faced out all over Central Florida so my neighbors can admire it, and will have much to say about it next week. :)
Ann wrote: I've got two words for you: Pina Colada. *gg*
ReplyDeleteNot for Shiloh. She has work to do. Where's my whip?
Shiloh wrote: I spent some time at the library finding period books but it never occured to me to try biographies. hopefully i can find one that won't bore me to tears. i rarely read biographies.
ReplyDeleteAnother trick I didn't think of last night -- get some children's illustrated books on the time period. Often they identify things that the grown-up books ignore. For example, the only book I found the names of all the parts of the armor used to protect horses was in a kid's book about medieval knights.
I barely survived RT!! LOl .
ReplyDeleteOh who am I kidding? I loved ever minute of it there. Yes, I even got a psychic reading while there. LOL Why Not? I'll blog more abotu my RT experience tomorrow or somethign, btu this past week I was just showing off pictures. Did you see my Name the Boobies contest? *wicked*
Thanks for the great words on LUSH. I do love that book, and the cover suits it perfectly!! And for facing them out? I LOVE YOU! *grin*
This seems like a good place to say that I just finished Night Lost and I loved it. Gabriel is sweet and strong at the same time and Nick is a genuine tough girl. We just don’t see enough of those. I fall a little more in love with John Keller every time he appears.
ReplyDeleteI got the ‘ask him what he gets from the many’ part and may I just say EWWW!! The ‘many’ made me twitchy. I hate them. Fabulous concept. ;-)
Great book. Thanks.
No updates. Hmm. I hope you haven't had to evacuate, but I know you guys were prepared for that.
ReplyDeleteI hope that you don't have to evacuate.(And I also hope that your anonymous person wants you to do more. Scorching parody is wonderful. Not scorching PBW)
ReplyDeleteWe're still here. The immediate wildfire threat has fizzled out, but severe thunderstorms came in and knocked the power out six times this weekend. I didn't want to fry the computer, so I've been keeping it shut down.
ReplyDeleteSorry for not posting an update sooner, folks.