Well, I'm back from the Gold Coast. And my house was not flooded in the big storm Melbourne had on Saturday, so that's a plus.
The weekend was high on the fun and hard work but low on the swanning around or writing opportunities. But it was great to see all the committee faces again and nut out some stuff which is much easier in person. The apartment we stayed at was loverly (with a beautiful view of the beach) and the hotel for the conference looks great too. It's going to be fun. Roll on August (which, judging by the fact it's almost freakin' March already, will be here before we know it).
Sadly, being in Queensland at this time of year, only confirmed my belief that I couldn't live there in summer. It's too darn humid. Winter though....
Keri's signing went very well and no, my copy of FMR did not arrive on Thursday. I'm sure it will be waiting for me at work tomorrow. I did manage to limit myself to three books at Rosemary's which is some kind of minor miracle for me spending four hours in a great book store (I did add quite a few more to my "I must read that" list) but have so far only read half of one of them on the plane. We work hard, we committee gals. So more on those when they're done.
Last week I read, amongst other things, Temaraire by Naomi Novik, which is kind of Horatio Hornblower with Dragons and a great read. If they make a movie, I vote for Ioan to play Will. The US title is His Majesty's Dragon which I think is a fab title. Hopefully there will be more in the series.
And now, to write.
February 27, 2006
February 22, 2006
Hump day
There should be some sort of early warning system for work explosions. You know, some loud siren that sounds when you wake up on Monday morning to let you know that by approximately 9.30am you'll be snowed under, flat out and not doing anything remotely resembling what you had planned for the week. But I think there's zero chance of that. All I can say is, at least it's Wednesday night and this week I have Friday off.
Which might give you some idea about how little writing I've done. Hopefully six hours on planes (just sitting still for a few hours sounds nice right about now) and some swanning around the Gold Coast with the RWA committee might give me some inspiration, relaxation and maybe a page or two.
We can only hope.
But I have gotten the bulk of the work stuff done (fingers triple crossed), my office is about packed for the move (farewell dear office, parting is such sweet sorrow. And hello cubicle - sorry, cubicles don't rate Shakespeare), the housework is up to date and I have a list of things to fling into the case when I get home tomorrow night (yes, my name is Mel and I am a Virgo).
So now it's time to feed the fuzzies and then chill out and perve at Goran on ER for an hour before catching la z's.
PS Amazon - where's my copy of Full Moon Rising? You sent it WEEKS ago. Or do I blame Australia Post? Maybe it will turn up tomorrow and I'll have a great book for the plane. Snort. Yeah, like that's gonna happen.
Which might give you some idea about how little writing I've done. Hopefully six hours on planes (just sitting still for a few hours sounds nice right about now) and some swanning around the Gold Coast with the RWA committee might give me some inspiration, relaxation and maybe a page or two.
We can only hope.
But I have gotten the bulk of the work stuff done (fingers triple crossed), my office is about packed for the move (farewell dear office, parting is such sweet sorrow. And hello cubicle - sorry, cubicles don't rate Shakespeare), the housework is up to date and I have a list of things to fling into the case when I get home tomorrow night (yes, my name is Mel and I am a Virgo).
So now it's time to feed the fuzzies and then chill out and perve at Goran on ER for an hour before catching la z's.
PS Amazon - where's my copy of Full Moon Rising? You sent it WEEKS ago. Or do I blame Australia Post? Maybe it will turn up tomorrow and I'll have a great book for the plane. Snort. Yeah, like that's gonna happen.
February 18, 2006
Where did the week go?
First let me say one thing.
Dear Writers of Lost. No more gouging of bullets out of shoulders with fingers. It's gross. And let Sawyer wash his hair - you're spoiling my eye candy. Thank you. PS Get on with the story.
With that off my chest I can report not much at all. More family dramas which meant total writing done for the week approximately one page. So today will be a concerted effort to get everything else done so tomorrow can be a writing day. I know what I have to do to get these *@!&$(*& three chapters finished, I just need the time to do it.
During the week I acquired a Dyson (yay). It's sparkly purple, it's light, the handle extends so you don't have to do an imitation of Quasimodo to vacuum (apparently Dyson recognise the fact that people over 5 foot 4 vacuum), it was 30% off and the amount of stuff it's sucking out of my carpet makes me wonder exactly what my other vacuum cleaner has been doing all these years apart from scaring the cats. So Dyson rates three thumbs up from me (or would if I had an extra thumb). From the orange cat and the grey cat there are reports that it rates flattened ears and exiting the immediate vicinity at even faster speeds than those caused by the old vacuum. But given that they are the chief culprits in covering my house with fur, they do not get a vote. Even if they think they deserve one.
And now, back to chores. I leave you with this to brighten your day.
Dear Writers of Lost. No more gouging of bullets out of shoulders with fingers. It's gross. And let Sawyer wash his hair - you're spoiling my eye candy. Thank you. PS Get on with the story.
With that off my chest I can report not much at all. More family dramas which meant total writing done for the week approximately one page. So today will be a concerted effort to get everything else done so tomorrow can be a writing day. I know what I have to do to get these *@!&$(*& three chapters finished, I just need the time to do it.
During the week I acquired a Dyson (yay). It's sparkly purple, it's light, the handle extends so you don't have to do an imitation of Quasimodo to vacuum (apparently Dyson recognise the fact that people over 5 foot 4 vacuum), it was 30% off and the amount of stuff it's sucking out of my carpet makes me wonder exactly what my other vacuum cleaner has been doing all these years apart from scaring the cats. So Dyson rates three thumbs up from me (or would if I had an extra thumb). From the orange cat and the grey cat there are reports that it rates flattened ears and exiting the immediate vicinity at even faster speeds than those caused by the old vacuum. But given that they are the chief culprits in covering my house with fur, they do not get a vote. Even if they think they deserve one.
And now, back to chores. I leave you with this to brighten your day.
February 12, 2006
2 hours later
Well, sometimes the muse does come to the party. Did my chores then sat down in very fuzzy, tired brain state and somehow got 4 pages in half an hour. Think I'm starting to get a feel for this book (the reunion one). I might think said pages are crap in the morning but they're done, crap can be fixed and the weekend is not a total write off.
Sleep now. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Sleep now. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
2 steps forwards, 1.99 back
Well, this week has turned out to be not so good for writing. Busy days at work, followed by a family drama thursday morning that wrote off my day off on friday and saturday. Apart from finding some good hand stretches, writing progress, approximately 1 line thought of drifting off to sleep last night. On the other hand I did listen to Joss make mucho sense about story choices and other general geniusness on the Serenity commentary which I was listening to in the background while doing housework last night. (Do I know how to party on a Saturday or what?)
Today was my crit group meeting so that at least is writing related but not actual writing of the producing words kind. Still much fun was had, much good work critted, one imminent bub celebrated, two puppy updates received, one report of cute medicos in the Ferntree Gully region and one weirdo naturopathic diet tested (kudos to the virgo friend for willpower above and beyond the call of the female love of chocolate in the face of not one but two boxes of mint slice balls and assorted other temptations). And I acquired a Robbie Williams calendar for a bit of inspiration (thank you Borders bargain calendar prices). Still total writing progress approximately one line and a few ideas for tweaking the pages I had critted.
Tonight will be playing catch up on the various weekend adminish type tasks necessary to keep the house running and balls in the air for the coming week. Projected writing, still zero. Sigh. And sigh again. But there is NOTHING on TV (unless there's any iceskating on the Winter Olympics coverage), so if I zip through some stuff and manage to wake up from my too much sugar and junk induced energy slump, maybe I could do a page or two.
Otherwise, new goal for next week - finish chapter three and get this sucker of a partial in shape. Onwards and upwards as they say.
Today was my crit group meeting so that at least is writing related but not actual writing of the producing words kind. Still much fun was had, much good work critted, one imminent bub celebrated, two puppy updates received, one report of cute medicos in the Ferntree Gully region and one weirdo naturopathic diet tested (kudos to the virgo friend for willpower above and beyond the call of the female love of chocolate in the face of not one but two boxes of mint slice balls and assorted other temptations). And I acquired a Robbie Williams calendar for a bit of inspiration (thank you Borders bargain calendar prices). Still total writing progress approximately one line and a few ideas for tweaking the pages I had critted.
Tonight will be playing catch up on the various weekend adminish type tasks necessary to keep the house running and balls in the air for the coming week. Projected writing, still zero. Sigh. And sigh again. But there is NOTHING on TV (unless there's any iceskating on the Winter Olympics coverage), so if I zip through some stuff and manage to wake up from my too much sugar and junk induced energy slump, maybe I could do a page or two.
Otherwise, new goal for next week - finish chapter three and get this sucker of a partial in shape. Onwards and upwards as they say.
February 07, 2006
Reading, writing and arith- well, watching
So. Some progress. Spent much of the weekend noodling on the jigsaw book. Playing with bits and trying to get a grip on the world. Also did a brain dump/synopsis/outline on one of the other wips which is still very rough but helped me figure out what went wrong with these two in the past (it's a reunion story) and that helped me figure out what the conflict is (well, mostly). It's given me a bit more of a sense of direction so hoping to have a partial done soon to give to some wiser heads for critting.
Otherwise, it's uneventful. Have been on a Joss lovin' streak, watching Firefly and awaiting my Serenity dvd's arrival from Ezydvd. How come Keri's got hers already when you shipped 'em both on the same day and we live in the same freakin' city? Huh? Answer me that Australia Post. I also, being a lame-o Joss geek, bought the official Serenity companion with the shooting script. I like reading scripts to see how the writer originally envisioned a story and what got cut in the release. I'm hoping a lot of what was snipped will be in the extra features because there's some great Mal/Inara moments for us hopeless romantics (oh come on, those breeches, those boots, that face? He's hot. Even if, as my brother says "but he was so evil in Buffy". : ) Forget Caleb, it's Mal all the way). And if you were going to have a girl crush then Morena ain't bad either. Joss is a man who understands world building. And story. And music. And character and, well, okay, I so need to buy the Joss Whedon is my master tee now. So hurry up Australia Post. I guess I'll have to break out the Buffy to hold me until then.
Saw Brokeback Mountain on the weekend. To which I say "okay". It's a good story but long on the meaningful looks and pretty scenery. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. I also bought one fantasy by an author I've heard good things about (no, I'm not saying who, it's my opinion only and ymmv) but it was a lesson in what not to do in worldbuilding. To make up for it I bought Poison Study by Maria V Snyder and really enjoyed it. Interesting mix of military dictatorship, magic, spies, some romance and intrigue. And a great cover. It's the second Luna I've read and the second I've liked so keep doing what you're doing, Luna.
Otherwise, it's uneventful. Have been on a Joss lovin' streak, watching Firefly and awaiting my Serenity dvd's arrival from Ezydvd. How come Keri's got hers already when you shipped 'em both on the same day and we live in the same freakin' city? Huh? Answer me that Australia Post. I also, being a lame-o Joss geek, bought the official Serenity companion with the shooting script. I like reading scripts to see how the writer originally envisioned a story and what got cut in the release. I'm hoping a lot of what was snipped will be in the extra features because there's some great Mal/Inara moments for us hopeless romantics (oh come on, those breeches, those boots, that face? He's hot. Even if, as my brother says "but he was so evil in Buffy". : ) Forget Caleb, it's Mal all the way). And if you were going to have a girl crush then Morena ain't bad either. Joss is a man who understands world building. And story. And music. And character and, well, okay, I so need to buy the Joss Whedon is my master tee now. So hurry up Australia Post. I guess I'll have to break out the Buffy to hold me until then.
Saw Brokeback Mountain on the weekend. To which I say "okay". It's a good story but long on the meaningful looks and pretty scenery. I'm not sure what all the fuss is about. I also bought one fantasy by an author I've heard good things about (no, I'm not saying who, it's my opinion only and ymmv) but it was a lesson in what not to do in worldbuilding. To make up for it I bought Poison Study by Maria V Snyder and really enjoyed it. Interesting mix of military dictatorship, magic, spies, some romance and intrigue. And a great cover. It's the second Luna I've read and the second I've liked so keep doing what you're doing, Luna.
February 02, 2006
It sucks, therefore it is
Well very little progress has been made on either goal the last few days. Got hit by a migraine on Monday night which then decided to be joined by some sort of 24 hour bug on Tuesday night. Net result - two days of sleeping and not much else. And a big stack of work piling up at the day job. At least my new pillow is extra comfy.
So tonight I sat down to write a synopsis for one of the wips. Which kind of morphed into an outline. Which pointed out some plot holes but closed up some others. So more pondering required but at least I have a sense of direction for that one now. In a two steps forward, one and a half steps back kind of way. The others are nowhere near the vague synopsis stage anyway.
Oh and yesterday, my friend Keri's new book came out in beautiful hardcover. It's called Full Moon Rising and if you like your urban fantasy steamy and intriguing, you should check it out.
So tonight I sat down to write a synopsis for one of the wips. Which kind of morphed into an outline. Which pointed out some plot holes but closed up some others. So more pondering required but at least I have a sense of direction for that one now. In a two steps forward, one and a half steps back kind of way. The others are nowhere near the vague synopsis stage anyway.
Oh and yesterday, my friend Keri's new book came out in beautiful hardcover. It's called Full Moon Rising and if you like your urban fantasy steamy and intriguing, you should check it out.
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