In Which The Writer Comtemplates Twinning

Posted on by Sarah A. Hoyt

Or at least growing a second (maybe evil) head.

This is the day of the week in which I’m too lazy to do a proper blog, so I give you an updated report on where I am, what is happening, etc.

So, here’s where things stand: this is the week HVAC ate, so I haven’t finished Through Fire yet.  This must be done this week, come h*ll or high water.

On the HVAC – I got it fixed Thursday, after calls and stuff that consumed a good portion of the week.  To be specific the electrostactic cleaner and – more importantly – the filtration system are now working and the intake vent in the basement is closed.  (It’s NOT a finished basement, and it’s open to a Victorian crawlspace with who knows what in it.)  There remains to be done cutting a new vent to the living space (we are running the furnace at half power which is fine now, but will freeze us in winter) and getting the ducts cleaned.

At first I thought the “I wake up able to think” effect was psychosomatic, but since I get cough attacks when I go to the basement – like the ones I’ve been getting regularly in the main part of the house for ten years, since they cut that stupid intake – it’s probably not.  And I’m getting a little better on the congestion every day.  I expect better when the ducts are cleaned, which I’ll arrange for tomorrow.

I’ve published (re-published) via Goldport Press Death of a Musketeer and The Musketeer’s Seamstress.  Then I went and re-listened/watched to the cover workshop (WGM – aka Dean Smith’s outfit) and the lettering is all wrong.  It will be changed sometime today.  Then I need to change some Naked Reader stuff.  This learning while doing creates a lot of wear and tear on the pixels.

When the books are out in hard cover those of you subscribing … I think (I’ll check) above 100 will of course get signed physical copies, unless you tell me you don’t want it.  On that, I will be putting stuff up in the subscriber space today and HOPEFULLY make that more regular.  (At least once a month, but I’m shooting for twice.  Sorry.  Life has been VERY itself.)

Anyway – other than the fact that I really need to be twins…  No, forget that, let’s get back to the fact I need to be twins:

When I get done here, I’m going to go – nay, shashay–  on over to Mad Genius Club for the next chapter of Elf Blood.  Then I’m going to drink two litters of tea, give or take a teapot.  Then I’m going to work on Through Fire until head stops working, when I’ll do covers.  (No, I don’t want to be stupid for covers, but it’s a different type of “head working.”)

Somewhere there I must fit the – trying to be daily – 3 mile walk which seems to mitigate, if not stop, the bad signs of peri menopause.  I also need to remind younger boy to set up his counseling meeting (he wants to make sure he’s scheduling everything right so he can finish his double engineering [electrical and mechanical] major in two and a half years (meaning a total of four years) always supposing he hasn’t a sudden attack of the stupid in finals [He’s a genius, so sudden attacks of the stupid happen.  They haven’t happened in three or four years, knock on wood, but that’s no proof he won’t suddenly decide “this test is too easy.  The question must mean something completely different.” He’s done it before.  He has the capability… as did I in his day, and without the excuse of being a genius.])

Witchfinder has come back edited, and is approaching completion cover-wise.  I’ve – after reluctant, long thought, decided that Goldport is bringing it out as a “major release.”  I.e. there will be “page proof” paper covers, which will then be sent out as arcs to review mags, etc.  No, I don’t expect wonderful reviews, but just being listed in “books received” will help some.

So… When it’s done with changes entered and a cover, it shall go to the subscribers in whatever e format they wish. And it will be removed from the site.  The week before removal, I’ll do a final call.  Right now it’s looking like two weeks or so.

Also, when I have it in arc and know how much it will cost, I’ll offer people the chance to buy the ARC at a discount over what it will be sold for in the retail outlets.  But I can’t give you an estimate now, since I haven’t even looked at its size vs. Create Space prices.

Playing with Create Space with my non fic how to is on the slate for this week – in an attempt to understand Create Space.  May You Write Interesting Books is a short book, and should be easier.

Oh, yeah, also, I am doing a series of marketing posts over at PJM Lifestyle.  start here and then there’s this one, and this one.  I think in the last one I forgot to note that Baen is an exception to “traditional is scaring the bs out of me” but I think everyone here knows it.  I also am a little afraid of flooding Baen with newbies writing romance and true crime and too mother-dumb to know that Baen doesn’t publish those.

Sometime today I must do a few short articles for PJM because the Week That Hvac ate didn’t give me time to.

Also I owe a novella to a publisher, and one to submit to Liberty Island, because I promised.

And in my copious spare time, I must get Musketeer’s Apprentice ready to release next weekend.

I think that’s all I need to do next week.  It’s looking decidedly light, but I’m sure some crisis will happen to make it all “exciting.”

That’s about it for now.  Elf’s Blood in an hour or so, barring interesting distractions.  I’ll post update here when it’s ready.

And now I must go make more tea.

97 thoughts on “In Which The Writer Comtemplates Twinning”

                2. Oh, is that how to wear it? I just put the sparse side to my right thigh, so it show in glimpses as I move. That’s how several of my evening gowns are cut, after all, so I figured that was what it was for.

                  …I think I like my way better than the official way.

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            1. This one thinks everyone so stupid as to think primitive cultures didn’t have a concept of self, ought to be choked with a copy of The Fountainhead.

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                1. Bearcat finds the question confusing. Does Foxfier think it is strange that Foxfier believes speaking in third person less annoying, or does Foxfier simply find it strange that speaking in third person is less annoying?

                  Bearcat also finds speaking in third person less annoying, but still stilted, and believes it not strange at all that Foxfier also finds it less annoying.

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                2. I like what Michael Stackpole did with the Gand species: in Gand culture (we’ll ignore, for now, the problems inherent in having a monoculture in a species), it was considered rude to refer to oneself as “I”, as that usage was tantamount to saying “I’m so famous that naturally you know who I am without needing to be reminded of my name.” Instead, Gands would use the third person in speaking of themselves — and which third person would depend on their achievements. If they were still young and hadn’t earned a name by achieving something notable, they would call themselves “this Gand”: “This Gand humbly disagrees with your suggestion.” If they had achieved something of note that their family would be proud of, they could use their family name — and if they had achieved something of particular note that stood out from the crowd, they could use their first name. This, the Gand X-Wing pilot named Ooryl Qrygg would use either his family name, Qrygg, or his first name, Ooryl, in referring to himself, depending on how proud he was of whatever he had just done. If it was a minor accomplishment that he thought was nothing special, he might say “Qrygg shot down two TIE fighters today.” On the other hand, if he was really proud of his accomplishment, he might say “Ooryl scored the highest in Rogue Squadron on yesterday’s combat simulation.” On the gripping hand, if he felt ashamed of his performance, he would revert to the third person with no name: “This Gand was shot down in the first minute of the simulation. This Gand will do better next time.”

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                  1. Forgot to mention that this was in the X-Wing: Rogue Squadron novel. Also, I apologize for the lack of paragraph breaks above, but I really couldn’t find a good place to put them in: that whole paragraph felt like a single thought, and it didn’t feel right breaking it up.

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                    1. *blink*

                      Read it in the wordpress addon to Chrome, didn’t even notice.

                      Then again, I’m deep in “husband’s at school for three weeks” funk, so anything short of a possible threat or a stampeding elephant I’m likely to miss.

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                    1. (Replying here instead of above because I’ve hit the WordPress nesting limit and want Foxfier to get the “new reply” notification on this).

                      My sympathies on your husband’s absence. I used to have only an intellectual appreciation of how that might feel — but now that I’m seriously dating a woman I met over here (who’s also an Odd, naturally), I have a more gut-level understanding of how it feels to have someone you care deeply about be absent for a significant period. So my sympathies on your temporarily-alone state, and may you be reunited with him soon.

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                  1. The illuminated edition? I think I’ve read that one. That’s the one that starts with, “All of Gaul is divided into three parts. No, four — for one small village of indomitable Gauls still holds out against the Roman invaders.” Right?

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  2. I’ll think kind, productive thoughts at you as I page turn the Choral Piece From Perdition ™. It’s new! It’s experimental! It’s atonal! It’s sending me and the accompanist fleeing to Vaughn Williams and Hayden as fast as we can scurry!

    My goal this week is to get 2000 words on N2:TS done. I’m hoping for a lot more, but there’s been some odd life-rolls recently. They pay, thanks be, but they make writing a challenge. I did get two miles walked this AM.

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    1. Gosh, are you in the same choir as my husband? Little bitty church that can barely scrape up a choir, but enough money to hire a really good choir director who has amazing ambitions for the Christmas program.

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      1. Naw, I got begged into turning for a local college chorus. The piece was (is) painfully modern, more of a 24 page tone-poem than a song. I think Ives’ ghost (see below) may have had a hand in it. The acapella stuff was great, though.

        “My” choirs are attacking the Bach “Magnificat” (Bach is ahead by four at the half), Vaughn Williams “Sine Nomine,” and the Rutter “Gloria,” among other kibbles and bits.

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    2. Oh golly. I remember an Ives piece that we couldn’t get the weird sprung rhythm on. Not to mention the “melody”.

      We finally tried just chanting it to get the rhythm.

      Sounded better.

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    3. Ooh – is that from the songbook with

      Yes, we’ll gather at the stream bed,
      the beautiful, the beautiful dry stream bed.”?

      Gee, I love that hymn.

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      1. Close. It’s from the one that starts with “Nero, my dog has fleas,” and goes through “My goat knows the bowling score.” The one you’re thinking of has the picture of Gladly, the cross-eyed Bear on the cover.

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  3. I don’t know about “twinning” or “growing a second head”.

    First, you and your twin might very well get into a fight over “who writes what”.

    Second, the same thing could happen with the second head with the additional problem of which head controls the body.

    Very Big Evil Grin

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    1. And they’d fight over who gets the hands. Unless the evil twin was left handed. I suppose they could each take a keyboard and type one handed. Not sure that would increase the output, though.

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          2. Would you like a few needlepoint or cross-stitch patterns? I not only do them, I design them. I’ve got one that will take you six months to finish, but once it’s done, it’s suitable for framing. 8^)

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            1. Aw, thanks, I used to do cross-stitch but I can’t see well enough any more. I just do crochet now.

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    2. A second head would increase the cost in time and money of washing & drying your hair. It will also cost you twice as much to get your hair done — maybe more, depending on how much difficulty the neck length(s) causes for your stylist.

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  4. Redoing and cleaning the HVAC system might very well help clear up some of your respiratory system complaints. Wholly redoing ours certainly has slowed down the chronic cough which I suddenly developed about a year ago. The stuff in the old ducts was gross beyond belief, not to mention the mold and the mouse droppings. Well, and it has rained good and hard (clearing more of the mold and pollen out of the air) and cooled off enough that we can open the windows and turn off the HVAC.
    My daughter and I took a break yesterday … yes, I didn’t do a speck of work on the retelling of the Lone Ranger. We went downtown and had lunch at a lovely old-fashioned delicatessen, two blocks from the Alamo; Schilo’s. In spite of being in the heart of downtown, the food is excellent, quite affordable, and the staff are wonderfully attentive. Then we went down to the arty part of town and walked the Riverwalk through the old King William district. It’s where the mid-19th century gentry build their huge old mansions – and the Conservation Society gave me permission to take a picture in the hallway of the Steves Homestead to use for the cover of Quivera Trail. I wanted to give them a free advance copy in thanks for letting me do this. (And also in the hope that they might stock the darned book in their museum store, seeing that a lot of the drama takes place in a mansion in King William.) But today – back to work.

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  6. “(It’s NOT a finished basement, and it’s open to a Victorian crawlspace with who knows what in it.) ”

    That wooden casket in the NE corner? Just knock …

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        1. Really? Now I haven’t really liked any of the Dracula films I have seen, most of them turn Dracula into this Byronic romance novel bad boy and I’d prefer something just evil, not romantic and evil which seems to be the best you can get in films, but if you are stuck with just the films I’d think the Langella Dracula wasn’t that bad. At least a touch better than Gary Oldman’s Dracula with his pining for the dead wife and all the other stupid… never mind. Besides, the director is of course more to blame than Oldman. ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’. Really. And Keanu Reeves too. Damn.

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    2. Wooden? Aren’t you worried about termites? I’d recommend something metallic, especially if you keep it someplace like a crawlspace. Now a tasteful mausoleum, that might keep even a wooden casket in good shape. Marble mausoleums can look nice, but I have a fondness for good old granite.

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    3. Just knock? Okay — it’s a crappy casket, made with inferior wood, cured improperly and poorly constructed. The lining is cheap synthetics with padding that won’t last a decade, much less eternity. The “brass” fittings are flawed, so brittle they will break off before the casket has been lifted more than a few times. Gaius Iulius, whoever sold you that casket clearly saw you coming.

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      1. Dare one knock? The casket might fall to pieces, and then you have no place to put the occupant. I’m not sure I’d like leaving something like that lying around uncovered.

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  8. interesting. we are going home this weekend! getting shipping supplies to pack everything that won’t fit in the suitcases. Maybe I’ll see one of you at HonorCon–The David Weber Con in Greenville, SC.

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  9. You probably should skip consideration of cloning. When I expressed interest in having myself cloned to keep workload manageable, I was informed that cloning was possible, but I’d have to wait for it grow and mature for a couple decades or so before it would mature into a useful worker.

    And skipping sleep to work then is probably a bad plan. Sleep is important.

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        1. IIRC the Zentradi experiment didn’t quite work out as hoped. (Why yes, I do have the first series, original DVD release, in my office. And the original US soundtrack CDs in my collection. And the art book. Why do you ask?)

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    2. And then you’d have a young, healthy and much better looking version of old you around (I wasn’t half bad around 20). One might get envious.

      Maybe brain transfer?

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    3. Cloning in order to cover the workload would be assumed to come with forced-growth to maturity, coupled with memory transfer. Still need to wait for the new person to gain coordination, because that is something you have to learn in the ganglia, rather than the brain itself.

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  10. I don’t need a clone so much as I need a reliable housekeeper that works for peanuts. I’ve even considered having my nephew look for one of his wife’s relatives who would work for room and board and the chance to go to college here in the US. Today, with the cold front moving through, is one of those days where it even hurts to breathe. Thank G_d for pain pills!

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      1. I might offer but I don’t eat potatoes or peanuts often (mostly low carb, although I do go for good carb when I can’t afford real low carb so yes, sometimes, although then it’s more veggies like cabbage rather than potatoes).

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  12. Ya know, this post isn’t so different from those a few weeks back, what with you having obligations to fill 5 lives … except for the tone … You sound ever so much more upbeat and energetic … already! Good air works miracles.

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  13. The waking up able to think isn’t psychosomatic. The next part, which’ll be just as weird, is the waking up with energy. That comes as the congestion goes away!

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  14. OT: What are they teaching in our schools these days? Because it certainly isn’t math! I was buying dog food today and get a ten percent discount off the bag price when buying it by the pallet. Pop Quiz: What is 10% off of $23.95? After both girls at the cash register had done the calculations 3 TIMES!* they decided it was $21.40

    *I had done it in my head twice to double-check myself before they had managed to figure out HOW to do it on a calculator, and told them the answer. There was a line forming behind me by the time they had done their calculations, so I figured if they wanted to short themselves after I had already told them the correct answer, I wouldn’t hold anyone else up any longer.

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    1. Wow…that’s not even as good as the “NOVA” show with the math cops (think the X files, but with math instead of Art Bell) where they had a big fight about taking a 15% discount before or after taxes.*

      *in Washington it is sometimes “calculate the taxes on the original price and pay that”

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      1. *Slaps forehead*

        Not that most people here would need to know this, but (assuming a tax rate of 8%): OriginalPrice × 1.08 × 0.85 = OriginalPrice × 0.85 × 1.08. Multiplication is commutative, after all.

        … Though if Washington does have that “calculate the taxes on the original price” thing, that changes the necessary equation. In that case, FinalPrice = (OriginalPrice x 0.08) + (OriginalPrice x 0.85). Still simple to calculate. Funny how flat-out *adding* percentage values (subtract 15 “percent” then add 8 “percent” for a total discount of 7 “percent”) turns out to be the correct answer in this weird case, since that usually produces wrong results.

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        1. I wish they had it on Netflix, it was actually pretty good about making math interesting to an eight year old. Mostly because I was delighted to figure out the “Fib-oh-nah-chee” sequence from another episode.)

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    2. Okay, I do not count well in my head, but even I can do that in a few seconds (something like 10 % is easy, but I might take a while with something like 16 %). And they had a calculator? Nice.

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    3. Bearcat, they must be related to the grad student at Flat State U who asked how I could stay in my household budget. She boggled at me when I told her that when I went shopping I kept a running total in my head. She couldn’t imagine being able to do that, much less do the cumulative addition. *siiiiigh* And math is my weakest field.

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