I love this holiday...

This may be old news for some, looks like it's last year's, but I think it's freakin' awesome! (it should also be noted that I'm easily distracted by shiny objects, so...)

Things that make me smile

Just dropping by to show off yet another musical smile-inducer. I wish I had an ounce of this boy's talent.

Merry Pie-mas!

Tonight, I may have made the world's most perfect pie crust. Join me in basking in its beauty, won't you?

Ok, I'm a dork.

I fully admit that I'm a dork, but this just made me smile all day. How awesome!

The glory of the delete button

That's right, revision notes, I haz dem! Yay!

And really, they're not scary at all. It's mostly little stuff, things I can expand or clarify. And even better, I'm EXCITED again! Just looking at the notes The Editor gave me, my brain is already clicking through the different ways to fix/change/remove the things she's asked about. Guess I know what I'll be working on at karate class tonight.

Biggest news is that it looks like the title, A Devil in the Details, is definitely a go, and that I will be published under the name K.A. Stewart. (pending approval, of course) Now, I just have to come up with a name for the series as a whole (suggestions are welcome) and I think I'll probably start kicking around titles for Son of DD, too. Again, suggestions welcome.

Luckily, I DID pass 20K words on the Son of DD last week. In fact, I ended the week with 22,632 words. I'm gonna put it on hold for a little bit while I hash out these DD revisions, but I'm hoping the excitment will carry over when I return to it.

I have discovered, however, that methodical revisions seem to trigger my more...neurotic tendencies. I spent quite a few hours today working out a timeline on when my protagonist shaves, for Pete's sake, to make sure I get the continuity right.

There are times when I wonder about me.

And as a side note, on Twitter, I participate in a group that can be found by searching for #wordathon. This is mostly a group of folks who keep each other posted on their word counts during a set period, as a way of encouraging and motivating each other. This is all organized by the wonderful Julie Butcher-Fedynich ( @jimsissy on Twitter). This past week, we did a five-day wordathon, with the added bonus of prizes! And somehow, I managed to win the "best paragraph" prize. So if you want a teeny weeny tiny sneak-peek at Son of DD, you can head to Julie's blog and check out that one random paragraph. And if you're a writer, and on Twitter, the next time she declares a wordathon, just hop on in! There are some great people there.

This week is also the San Diego Comic-Con, and let me just say I'm so jealous of all who are there! (Including The Editor. She has been given instructions on what to tell John Barrowman should she run into him)

RIP Nameless Woman

I killed a woman today. It's no one you know. Now, it's no one anyone will ever know.

Once upon a time (ie: about eight hours ago) there was a woman who was to be a part of the Son of DD. She wasn't there very much, had no speaking lines. In fact, her only purpose was as a prop, to motivate other characters into action.

But, in my revisions of my synopsis (still trying to beat this writer's block, you see) I have eliminated her role. She's been downsized, I've gone in a new direction, etc.

And now, where she was to die in the course of the book, she instead starts the novel already deceased.

So, here's to you, unsung, unnamed cannon fodder. May you rest in piece.

Random Assortment of Stuff

So... In the ongoing water-in-the-driveway saga... The lady from the city said that the water is not city water, but a natural spring. Said it's not the city's problem. The insurance company says the water is coming from city property, therefore it IS the city's problem.

I figured I was going to have to take weapons of mass destruction and storm somebody's office over this mess.

But when I get home tonight, I see that someone has been here, spraying the location of all the underground power lines, etc. along the street/driveway/yard where the water is leaking. Is it possible that someone is going to deal with it? Dare I hope?

Also, my friend Cindy is having a contest to give away ARCs of her upcoming YA fantasy Silver Phoenix. So please, head on over to her blog and fess up to your favorite kind of Chinese food! Also, surf around her website and check out her gorgeous artwork.

And on a similar note, my other friend Kim is also giving away an ARC of HER upcoming book, The Unbreakable Child. Visit her blog and reveal your favorite comfort food.

And wow, that may be the most links I've ever put in one post.

Still trying to finish Project NaNo. I am about 1/3-ish into the final chapter, and I figure even if I'm just puttering along, I should finish it by next week. I'm anxious to get it finished, I want to do some basic revisions, then get it out to my betas.

Waiting to hear back from The Agent on the revisions I sent him. This effort may be hampered by the fact that my "professional" e-mail address seems to have borked itself. I'm waiting for word from the Intrepid Auggy on what has happened and when/if it can be fixed.

Hmm.

This was actually way more accurate than I expected it to be.

Which creature of the night are you? Your Result: Werewolf   You are a vicious fighter and a vicious lover, absolutely dedicated to your pack. You are pushed to anger by disloyalty and injustice and have a tendency toward sudden, periodic bursts of wild behavior.
Sorceror
Cthulu Spawn
Vampire
Incubus/Succubus
Demon
Ghost
Which creature of the night are you? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

I promise, a post with substance later.

Political Statement

Ok, I don't normally make political statements or any kind of declarations of my beliefs (or non-beliefs), but... Well, this is just damn funny. And Jack Black playing Jesus Christ is just blasphemous to make me giggle for hours.

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Cool stuff from Cool people

Today, a friend from the Absolute Write boards linked to this blog on her blog. That's just unspeakably cool, for starters. I'm unbelievably stunned that she even knew about my blog. (which is dumb on my part, since I link to it in my sig on that site)

But not only did she have links to my blog (and LOTS of cool others, check them all out seriously), but the post itself was pretty awesome.

I intend, in the near future to do a "what did NaNo teach me" post. I also intend to write a couple short stories for my WoW friends, finish The Project Formerly Known as NaNo, edit said project as well as project 3, AND finish this round of revisions on Project 2. (project 2 gets priority)

I promise, meaningful blogging is to come! Sometime...

In lieu of real content

This one's for the Intrepid Auggy

Recreational Reading

So, over on Absolute Write, I've been loosely monitoring the sci-fi/fantasy board and the book club they've started. I am bound and determined to read every book they pick, even if (especially if) it's outside my usual comfort zone. This has led me to read Ender's Game (which is apparently a sci-fi classic) and I just finished A Deepness in the Sky by Vernor Vinge.

Now, strictly sci-fi is pretty far outside my chosen genre. I'm a fantasy girl, since I read the Hobbit at age 5. (yes, I was a geek even then) And space-based sci-fi stretches me even thinner. It's not that I don't understand the physics concepts (weightless living, bizillions of years passing while you're in transit, etc.) but they are things that my mind doesn't easily adapt to. Yes, I ~know~ that the characters are floating down the hallway, not walking, but every time it's mentioned it kind of yanks me out of the story because I have to actively stop and visualize that oddity.

That said, I thought it was a good book, and the fact that it took me multiple weeks to read it I think is more of a reader malfunction than a writer malfunction. Maybe I'm just not meant to read sci-fi. I do, however, feel much more accomplished for adding it to my "have read" list.

And bless the book club folks. Next month's book is Storm Front which I've practically committed to memory anyway. Much more in my comfort zone.

Just call me Lemming

I blame Jen for this:

You are The Moon

Hope, expectation, Bright promises.

The Moon is a card of magic and mystery - when prominent you know that nothing is as it seems, particularly when it concerns relationships. All logic is thrown out the window.

The Moon is all about visions and illusions, madness, genius and poetry. This is a card that has to do with sleep, and so with both dreams and nightmares. It is a scary card in that it warns that there might be hidden enemies, tricks and falsehoods. But it should also be remembered that this is a card of great creativity, of powerful magic, primal feelings and intuition. You may be going through a time of emotional and mental trial; if you have any past mental problems, you must be vigilant in taking your medication but avoid drugs or alcohol, as abuse of either will cause them irreparable damage. This time however, can also result in great creativity, psychic powers, visions and insight. You can and should trust your intuition.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

The sad thing is, I don't think anything in this surprises anyone that knows me.

I'm working really hard on plotting out the NaNo project. It shows in my chapter summaries that are turning into writing projects in and of themselves. Just goes to show that my usual outlines don't garner this much pre-planning. Still, I find myself stopping to examine character motivation from time to time (largely my antagonist). I just can't seem to move the story forward unless I know just what he WANTS from my good guy. (Right now, he wants him to die, but that's at the end of things)

Survived kiddo's sixth birthday yesterday. She had a makeover at Club Libby Lu. She was gorgeous but I'm just not ready for her to be a knockout. That can wait another decade or so, right? Maybe four decades or so?

Chuggin' along

I finished new scene 5-of-6 today. One more to go, then I can start doing the nice blending that is required all around it. (and re-writing a big chunk of the final chapter to account for the changes I've made) I don't think I'll get the revisions done by the end of this week like I wanted, but if I get the big chunks done, the rest should be fairly simple (but will require a few solid, uninterrupted hours of my time).

I'm also just shy of 75K words. This makes me gleeful.

Anyone who keeps up with this blog (there's what...two of you?) might notice that I've adjusted my link list to the left. Check out Jay Lake, Cherie Priest and Janet Reid for all your agenting snark, author-y goodness, and random link needs.

News of the Weird

On the way home tonight, we were brought to a dead standstill in traffic while an entire flock of about thirty Canadian geese crossed the street. They did so in a very orderly single-file line, but it took quite a while for the entire line to get across. And kiddo in the back seat asks "Mommy, why are the geese crossing the road?" For some reason, this struck me as unbelievably funny. I was laughing too hard after that to answer her. I'm still giggling a little.

I also found out this week that spaz means something very different in the US than it does in the UK. I don't know that I'll ever be able to use this knowledge productively, but I thought it was an interesting tidbit.

I have another one of my new/heavily reworked scenes done today. If you're keeping track, this should mean that I have two more left to go, but oh no! I have now added another one! So, to all appearances, I am making zero progress.

However, I have come to some understandings with the new material. These are things that may never make it INTO the actual book, but that I as the author needed to know in order to lay all appropriate groundwork. Part of me feels like my characters all just turned into method actors. "What's my motivation?" But I got it figured out (I think) so yay me!

I think, after some minor melting down last night to both Theo and Gita, that I have finally reached my balance with this whole "ZOMG I R real riter nao!" (Did reading that hurt you as much as writing it hurt me? *shudder*) thing. I don't suck, my agent isn't going to suddenly fling me to the curb and point and laugh at me... Just...deep breath and keep doing what I love.

I got this.

Something of Interest

Ran into this link here on Janet Reid's blog, and just had to take the test. (I fancy myself a mimic of accents, though some are harder than others)

I actually only got 6 correct, but oddly I learned that had I trusted my first instincts instead of rationalizing my answers, I would have answered four or five more correctly.

I'm officially on vacation, as of 4 pm today. Yay!

I need a nap.

ElfQuest

And for the record, anyone who loves ElfQuest as much as I do is spectacular in my book. Not to mention, she's a pretty damn fine author too.