Also, here's my Twitter feed. I link it here, because the odds are very high that I won't be doing any blogging - just snapping selfies and other assorted shenanigans, and uploading it all for your amusement.
So! Tune in, show up, be amused. That's my suggestion.
And for now ... I'm outta here!
[:: zoosh ::]
Long story short, when all the extra layers of shingles were pulled away for the roof work, rotting trim and siding were revealed around the attic windows. No water is getting inside or anything, and really, it's to be expected; the house is over a hundred years old, and this looks like original material. It wasn't managed well over the years, and it should've been removed/restored with the rest of the exterior restoration before we moved in, but I will save that rant.
I resolve instead to quit being aggravated at the half-ass repairs and dumbass remodeling performed on this place over the years, and instead I shall be pleased that THIS MUCH, at least, will be done correctly - and by professionals this time, goddammit.
Anyway. Dude will be here tomorrow to give us a quote. Let's knock this out while we can afford to, and then not worry about it anymore - that's what I say.
In other news, this afternoon a freaked-out skittering noise gave me a heart attack, for it was coming from our living room fireplace. At first I figured, "Squirrel." Then maybe, when I thought I heard feathers ... "Baby bird." We have had chimney swifts in the past, and 'tis the season, eh? Maybe some tiny not-quite-a-fledgling fell from a nest.
I summoned the husband. We conferred. We booted the dog out into the back yard, made sure the cat was secure in the back room, found a stray pillowcase, and counted to three before removing the cast-iron summer cover.
At first we saw nothing but darkness and old soot. Then a pair of small, panicky eyes looked up from the gloom beneath the old coal basket.* I almost had time to get, "Awwwww!" out of my mouth, but then the tiny jerk made a beeline for my forehead.
It was indeed a chimney swift. Juvenile, and fledged - barely. Freaked out of its wee birdie mind. It bypassed the pillowcase entirely and bolted for the nearest window, where it left a sooty bird-print. Unharmed and undaunted, it set off around the house, leaving bird-prints all over the ceiling and walls until we finally managed to get the front door open and usher it back outside.
Godspeed, you fluffy little bastard.
(Last I saw, it was sitting on roof across the street, so I choose to believe that all is well, and our brief guest will live happily ever after.)
And that's all I've got today.
Tomorrow: Laundry, packing, printing up useful documents and instructions, and running last-minute errands. (I mean, in addition to the construction dude's visit.) I'll be gone from Thursday morning to Monday evening, and while I'm there you can find me at the following locations and times.
All the usual rules apply - come up and introduce yourself, say hello, hand me stuff to sign ... I'm happy to be of service! Just as long as I'm not eating, drinking, or in the bathroom. If you catch me running to or from a panel, you may have to run alongside me - but you're welcome to do so.
And now. Deep breath. Maybe a drink. Must settle in and let my heart calm down from the Surprise! baby bird incident. Good evening, everyone. Thanks for reading, and be well.
* It's a very narrow, long chimney - a set-up for burning coal, not wood. An adult bird might be able to navigate back out again, but not a baby.
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: October 15, 2013
New words written: 4648 (multi-day total)
Present total word count: 103,343 words
Things accomplished in fiction: Probably best if I leave off with these, at this point. Even the vague stuff could point to spoilers.
Next up: More cryptic shenanigans.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunts around the neighborhood with the dog; did some pre-travel shopping; went to an anti-fracking fundraising concert at Rhythm and Brews; went to a friend's birthday party at the Honest Pint; left the birthday party with a bruised up butt and back from the wood stools and the banister I leaned against all evening; returned a loose dog to its owner (for the second time - same dog); got caught in two thunderstorms and spent most of Sunday soaking wet but not in a good way.
Other: If you haven't checked out The Button Man and the Murder Tree at Tor.com, what are you waiting for?
Bonus! other: This coming weekend I'll be at Phoenix Comic Con! And I, for one, cannot wait - but I also (probably) will not be able to wrap up a draft of Maplecroft before that occurs. I wanted to, but...I suspect that's not in the cards. That's okay. I have plenty of time, and when I get back ... THAT WEEK. That week I shall cough up the Draft Zero I so dearly want. I bet.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 99,169
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: October 15, 2013
New words written: 1700
Present total word count: 98,659 words
Things accomplished in fiction: Reassessment of the situation. Change in strategy before it's too late. In case it's not too late.
Next up: A science experiment.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; hosted a mini dog-park party in my yard (w/Jolly and a new adoptee named "Ian"); minimal yardwork (still watering down all the new stuff); exchanged some useful emails with important people; cooked lunch and then supper; crashed because I'm exhausted today.
Other: As previously mentioned - The Button Man and the Murder Tree is live at Tor.com and free for the reading! Click! Read! Get your killer mutant noir on!
Number of fiction words so far this year: 94,521
It's a story about a fellow I introduced in Fort Freak - Raul Esposito ... back when he was a button man for the mob in Chicago, and long before he became a genteel (if somewhat creepy) restaurateur in NYC. Raul's in a race against time, the mafia, and his own body. One of them will betray him before the week is out.
As a bonus, this story is accompanied by some truly kickass art by the inimitable John Picacio, so you should seriously click through just to get a look at THAT. Even if you're not so sure about a joker hit man with an awkward case and a hard-to-hide secret that could get him killed.
SO. Kindly go give it a read! Dip a toe into the Wild Cards universe. I hope you enjoy what you find.
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: October 15, 2013
New words written: 2491 (meh for a multi-day total)
Present total word count: 96,959 words
Things accomplished in fiction: A swim, a swear, and a lungful of air.
Next up: A crash course in talking to homicidal maniacs.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; paid several visits to our neighbors' batch of 5-week-old puppies; did a whole lotta yardwork; made a few shopping trips for various assorted sundries; made a few lunch breaks; took a little downtime, but only a little.
Other: Finally got the go-ahead to announce the ROGUES anthology! I mean, I'm IN it. I'm not the person in charge of it or anything - that's GRRM and Gardner Dozois. And holy crap, you guys - click the link and go check out the table of contents. I am in some magnificent company on this one.
Bonus! other: BBC Radio 4 is very kind to my Clockwork Century books. I am told that the relevant section starts at 12:12 - with me-specific material cropping up around the 18-minute mark. Huzzah!
House other: Because I promised to make note of this here,these are the folks who did our roof rebuild: Sprout Roofing. Again, I'm very happy with the job they did; and I'm planning to use them in the near future, to handle some siding and trim repairs. (As you can see at the link, they do more than just roofs.) Two thumbs up!
Et cetera: Let's see if I can get Maplecroft wrapped up in Draft Zero form before Phoenix Comic Con, in another week and a half. Maybe? I think it's doable, but we'll see. The best laid plans, yada yada yada.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 92,821
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: October 15, 2013
New words written: 1725
Present total word count: 94,468 words
Things accomplished in fiction: First roller coaster car has slipped over the hump of the highest hill. So to speak. From here on out, it's gonna be a bumpy ride. Bumpier, I mean.
Next up: Finish Lizzie's quest, keep her from drowning. Get the doctor - and who's with Emma? Wait...
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; returned loose dog to its appropriate owners (this makes six); got a visit from Jolly (Basset Hound - Greyson's buddy) and lo, the pooches did go frolicking in the yard; did some yardwork, in the wake of frolicking dogs + the roofing guys having been here for a couple of days; went to Taco Bell because of reasons.
Other: The roofing work is done, hallelujah! But we're not quite wrapped up yet - there's a repair that still needs to happen, alongside the house; we have some rotted wood that needs to be removed/replaced before the gutter can be fixed and we can call this "finished." The carpenter dude (from the same company) will be over either later this afternoon or tomorrow morning. I'm guessing tomorrow morning at this point. I might actually have a word with him about doing some trim repair/replacement while he's here. What the hell, right? We're already this far down the checkbook rabbit hole ... what's another few hundred bucks? May as well have a sharp-as-hell house when all the dust has settled. [:: sigh ::]
Beyond other: That having been said, the new roof looks killer. Very nice job. Vastly better than before.
Bird other: I haven't checked on the finch nests since I hung the flower-baskets up in the dogwood tree the other day; I figure the least amount of disruption to them, the better - and since the carpenter will be working where they ordinarily hang, I'll just leave them where they are for now. I hope the mother birds stayed - I've *seen* them, hanging around the tree - but there's no telling. On the definite upshot, there's a robin nest which I assumed was done for, but no! The nest remains (the guys said there was no reason to move it - she picked a lucky spot) ... and she's still on it. So there's that, eh?
Randomize Other: Roofing guy is coming over soon to pick up his check and make arrangements for the repairs/carpenter. Once he's paid and all's settled, I'll post about who it was and give them my recommendation. I'm very happy with the work; we'll just see if the carpenter gets everything sorted out in a timely fashion, and then we'll be golden.
Fiddly bits other: We picked up some extra trim paint, enough to more than cover the carpenter's repairs. For one thing, the garage work has left exposed wood around the door frames (main and rear), and for another - we plan to paint over the built-in flower boxes (which flank the front porch, taking up quite a lot of space). Can't imagine what possessed the previous folks to paint them vivid yellow/green. Looks like 7-Up racing stripes on a lavender wedding cake.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 90,330
It was a busy weekend. The kind that requires a good long nap (or two, or three) and a good stiff drink (or two, or three). For you see, my cousin Chelsea graduated from college.
That may sound like cause for celebration, for there is now a new nurse out there in the world! And yes, it's a joy to be sure - but it also means that my mom's entire family came to town for the event.
And now a side note on my mom's family. When I say "everyone" I mean the following: my family matriarch grandma; my grandma's little sister; my mom; my sister, her husband, and her toddler son; my mom's sister #1; sister #1's four kids (including the graduate herself) plus sister #1's oldest son's daughter and youngest son's wife and son; my mom's sister #2 and sister #2's three kids, plus her daughter's husband and infant son.
By my count, that's about twenty people - all converging upon Tennessee.
Now, let's be real - under the best of circumstances, managing twenty people staying in five different locations around town for two days would be An Undertaking; but if you've ever had any passing encounters with these people, then you're probably laughing your ass off right now.
(Dad, I'm looking at you.)
Even the most ordinary task can devolve into a math/logic problem rejected by the SAT board on the grounds of BULLSHIT nothing that ridiculous would EVER HAPPEN.
SO LET US SAY prospective college student that you have people in need of lunch. Your party contains several vegetarians, a vegan(?), someone who violently loathes red Italian sauce, one person who eschews garlic with the vehemence of a vampire, and a large number of people who keep kosher.* Therefore Italian food is problematic, seafood is largely off the table, BBQ is right out - and you need to find a place that will host an indeterminate two-digit number of people because one branch of the family is participating in passive-aggressive feud-type behavior and may flounce off. There was a big fight a few years ago - death threats, gun quests, and a visit from the swat team on Thanksgiving. No one will mention it, because it upsets Grandma.
NOW let's say you have only five cars. But three of those cars have one seat occupied by car seats or booster seats, at least two are so full of luggage that their capacity is compromised; in addition to this, one of the older ladies is mobility impaired, and cannot get in and out of vehicles without the assistance of at least one strapping man - but there are only a fixed number of men to go around.
NEW PROBLEM: One person has other people's luggage in his car, but he has to take off for the airport before the family convenes for food after the graduation ceremony. Whose car can hold the extra luggage (for the people who are NOT headed for the airport) and take over passenger duties now that we're one car (and only two warm bodies) short? Can arrangements be made to swap the luggage before the ceremony ends and the crowds let out - when everyone tries to leave the parking garage at once? HINT: The two vehicles needing to make this exchange are parked a couple of blocks apart. Have fun with that.
EXTRA CREDIT: No one over the age of fifty can hear very well, half the people with cell phones aren't answering them at any given point in time thanks to service issues in the conference center, and no one has made reservations in advance.
HONOR ROLL: No one knows where to find the graduate in the crowd of thousands at the convention center, due partly to lack of planning, and partly to the extra credit complications.
NEXT: Your head count for lunch remains uncertain, but someone needs to pick a place and make reservations NOW. A cousin and his wife - let us call them Red Leader Team - commit to finding a food-place that will take us all. They look up likely phone numbers and make calls, even though their son has pooped his pants (I think?) and now they're headed off-site with the Bonus! luggage to try and maybe put everyone down on a waiting list someplace. Can you and your sibling/remaining cousins cat-herd the rest of the family and (a). figure out how to get perhaps as many as fifteen people into three cars? (b). nail down that head count, for that matter, (c). make sure you have one Strapping Lad, so you can get mobility-impaired aunt in and out of your vehicle, and (d). track down the graduate somewhere in the convention center?
GOOD LUCK. Oh, by the way - coordinate this from the ceremony itself, whispering back and forth down two aisles of people, some of whom more or less refuse to talk to one another, and some of whom are absent - walking fussy babies who have had it up to HERE with all this sitting still and being quiet ... while everyone around you glares, hisses for you to SHUT UP, and generally hates you. You totally feel them.
HINTS: Once you've retrieved your vehicle, you have as little as 2-3 minutes to complete the task of loading all pertinent parties and securing them, for you will be evacuating from not-exactly-a-loading zone that blocks a lane of traffic, otherwise the Itty Bitty Biddy Committee will be forced to exit through the expansive, crowded, winding halls of the conference center and this will not happen any sooner than oh, say, June. So, really I guess you have however long it takes the cops to notice what you're doing. Should you accomplish this particular feat without being ticketed or arrested, you must get them on the road and await word from Red Leader Team - while hard-of-hearing people repeatedly make cell phone calls from your vehicle to other vehicles, primarily to ask "What's going on? Where are we going? Who's in charge here?" and you give up answering them, in favor of just driving them to a location and trusting that one way or another, everyone will find some-goddamn-thing to eat wherever Red Leader Team has found enough seats to hold them all.
DEAN'S LIST: Upon locating the graduate, you find that she's retrieved her boyfriend and he (a). has no ride back to campus, and (b). will be joining the family for after-commencement food-times. How will he accompany you?
(Teacher's edition answer: Your sister will rock out and save his day - he will ride shotgun in her car, with the graduate sitting on his lap ... so that one was kind of a trick question. This arrangement holds until it's time for everyone to part ways, because the graduate and her mother - plus Red Leader Team - are going back to Atlanta and literally could not bring him unless he was folded in half and shoved in sideways. Then you notice that you will be bereft of strapping lads to help elderly ladies in and out of cars, and you still have to take them back to their hotel and load up their room - and you tell the boyfriend [a lovely fellow, mind you] that if he'll share the back seat with your mom and grandma, you'll take him home. And then you use him for his good-natured strappingness, for it will become his job to load the car with the ladies' hotel room contents and also to lift older ladies in and out of SUVs.)
Gentle readers, this was just four hours on Sunday.
I just ... I can't even. I mean, look - it's always great to see everyone, and of course I love them all dearly; but it makes for an exhausting couple of days, and I wasn't looking forward to spending the next three days getting up at 7:00 a.m. for roofing work and/or some work on the garage (which coincidentally overlaps the roof work a bit).
So I say all that to say this: Today I am trying to relax, and tonight I am going to bed early. Tomorrow morning bright and early, I'll relocate the hanging flower baskets which have become bird nest baskets ... thirty feet away, to the dogwood tree in the front yard - where it is to be hoped the mother-birds will follow. (The eggs haven't hatched yet.)
When all is said and done, we'll have a new roof - and we won't have to worry about it for another 25 years. We'll also have a garage that functions as something more useful than a shed, and we'll once again have the peace and quiet I so cherish.
But that won't be until Thursday at the soonest. So don't expect word counts or anything.
Something tells me, they aren't gonna happen.
[:: collapses ::]
* We were raised SDA, but not all of us remain in the church, cough cough.
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: October 15, 2013
New words written: 1411
Present total word count: 92,743 words
Things accomplished in fiction: Thought I was finished with the backfill, but I was wrong. Oops.
Next up: The beginning of the end. No, for real this time. I sat around and mapped it out last night - which was when I realized I was missing a piece or two of backfill, which I fixed today. This whole book-making business ... it can be imprecise. Yanno.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; yardwork; lots and lots of Fiddlehead line edits.
Other: YARGH. So this morning I go to water the hanging flower baskets on the front porch, and WHAT DO I FIND? Two more bird nests with eggs in 'em, that's what. [:: headdesk ::] They can't be more than a couple of days old, and the eggs won't hatch before the roofing guys come on Monday ... so I don't know. It's warm enough they might be all right without a full-time sitter, but I'm afraid the parent-birds will be chased off for good by all the commotion. And unfortunately, I can't just leave them where they are and hope for the best; the baskets are immediately beneath the worst of the damage, and they have to come down. I'll try to put them somewhere safe and cross my fingers, I guess. We can't put off the work any longer.
Bonus! other: At least the new birds are camped in baskets. Hell of a lot easier to move a basket than a nest wedged up in the eaves. (And I don't really care if the flowers die. It's not that big a deal. I can get more flowers when the birds are gone.)
Fiddlehead Other: I hate line edits. I mean, they're important - and how! - but I hate them. Sword of Damocles, up in here. Can't do much of anything else while they're hanging over my head; but regardless, I'm not sure I'll be done by the time my editor wants/needs them. My mom/family/etc. arrive Friday, and as soon as they're gone, it's two days of roofing work stomping about overhead. I'll do my best, but I may have to weasel an extra couple of days next week.
Number of fiction words so far this year: 88,605
Project: Maplecroft
Deadline: October 15, 2013
New words written: 1260
Present total word count: 91,332 words
Things accomplished in fiction: Finished the necessary backfill. Tomorrow, we move forward again.
Next up: Bad things. Regrets, confusion, and an advancing foe who won't give the Maplecroft crew a chance to recover before he attacks.
Things accomplished in real life: Daily jaunt around the neighborhood with the dog; went back to Walgreens for prescriptions; lots of Fiddlehead line edits; not much else.
Other: The rear-entry frame and door for our garage has finally arrived. Now we just wait for the installation guy to make an appointment and do his thing. Much like the main door, this one was a custom job - because that's what happens when you have a house/garage that's old and wacky. *sigh*
Bride of Other: In another week, we'll celebrate our one-year anniversary of moving into Rosebury Haunt. In that time, we sure have dumped a bunch of money into the place. I don't mind it that much, I mean, it's all been important stuff ... I just wish we could've sprung for some of the more frivolous things on the wish-list, like "getting rid of the guest room carpet."
Fiddlehead Other: Over the last couple of days, I've gotten halfway through my first pass of Fiddlehead line edits. I say "first pass," because I give the doc one go-over that tackles all the easy stuff; then I go back and handle the trickier things on a second pass. I'm hoping I can wrap this up by the end of the week, since I have family coming into town (and then the roofers) - but we'll see.
Animal-Related Other: Woke up this morning and realized the bird nest was empty. I've seen them hanging around on the power lines and whatnot, still sticking close to the area - but they definitely seem to have all gone flying for now. I'll give it another day or two to be on the safe side, then knock the nest down. *sigh*
Number of fiction words so far this year: 87,194
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