seven days later

Hey, at least I seem to be hitting the Fridays fairly consistently.
What a long week! I wanted to get here earlier to ramble about half-forgotten dreams and interesting musicians and books and such, but things have been just busy in my little office. But I didn't want to leave you all high and dry for the weekend without saying hello.
It feels like autumn today, and I love it. I can't wait for the weather to really change! It's not like this summer has been particularly bad or anything, though. I'm just craving fall. Oh, to go sit in the park with the autumn leaves swirling down around me. . . .
I've been going through the things I've got bookmarked here on my work computer recently, since the list was a little out-of-hand. I may have to post some links here soon. There is some fantastically interesting, inspiring stuff out there on the internet!
I've started planning Yule gifts for people already, and I've got a good start on it, I think. Anybody else out there started already? I think my idea for people's stockings is going to be great. I'm making little magic sachets full of herbs, and different people's sachets will have different focuses. And yes, I'm sewing them myself. By hand. I bought the sweetest little fabrics for them at Purl last week!
Countdown to parent visit. They get here next Tuesday, late late late in the day. Should be a lot of fun!
I've been slowly wending my way through Nor for one last tidy. Unfortunately, I won't finish by the end of August, which was my original goal. But perhaps mid-September; we'll see what happens. I need to spend more time crafting a query letter, too. Those are hard for me. Are they hard for anybody else? I'm sure they must be. Hmm.
Anyway. I just want to go sit in the park and read, that sounds so lovely. I think I'll reserve part of tomorrow for that. Now I think I'll dive back into cleaning my office for a bit, and then head home to my freelancing project. Have a good weekend, all!

August?

Wow, where did August go? it's the 21st already. Wasn't yesterday the 6th?
Well, life has been busy. Or, occupied, at least. I've been sick; last week was a total wash, outside of work. But since the last time I blogged I have managed to finish draft zero of Emmelina and the Rat King and draft zero of the Winter Queen. I've received feedback on Nor from four people, so this weekend I'll dive into my last round of editing on that. and I've only got one freelance project going right now, so I'm not totally overwhelmed in my free time.
My parents are coming to visit for the first week of August, which I think will be a lot of fun. Any thoughts on what I should do with them?
(You know, I always have so many ideas to blog about, but then when I get here my mind goes silent!)
Two bands I'm considering seeing this fall. First, Rodrigo y Gabriela. They're so amazing! Such brilliant guitarists! Second is a band called Murder by Death that I'd never heard before today. A coworker was listening in his office and I was immediately intrigued. They're sort of indie Americana stuff. And their cellist is the hottest girl ever.
Anyway, there's been a lot of drama this summer. It's unpleasant, honestly. Friends breaking up, business partners splitting, family drama for some people, unemployment for others, friend drama for yet others . . . It's tough stuff to deal with, and it just seems like there's been a lot of it this summer. Hopefully the autumn breeze will blow all of that negativity away soon and we can start the next season cleansed and uplifted. I'm going to spend more time on my spirituality this fall, that's a sure thing. I find it harder to connect with the God and the Goddess here in the city. Not as much Nature, and I'm not comfortable practicing outside. I've got to make more of an effort though. I miss being more spiritual. Honestly, I miss the circle I used to practice with, too. And find it mildly disconcerting that two of the three others from the circle have gone back to Christianity since I moved to the city. That said, I don't need anyone else in order to practice. What I need is just to devote more energy to my connection with the world and the positive energy and the God and the Goddess.
Last night I had a strange dream: first there was something about catching two gorgeous large tabby cats (Maine Coons, perhaps?). Then there was something about these vines that were sent to me, that were wrapping around my arms to immobilize me, but I somehow ripped my arms out of them and knew that I had to disappear if I was going to solve whatever it was I was trying to solve. (Maybe something before that about driving away from a school-type campus, like Sheldon? It was night out?) Then I entered this huge underground compound to look for someone. I was with two other people, I think, both men. And there was a man playing the neatest upright bass I'd ever seen, and so I stopped to talk to him about it, and my two companions were really pissy about that. I wish I could remember more of this dream, it was really trippy and interesting. I think my younger sister was there at some point. Possibly my other sister as well. Agh. I'll try to remember more this evening. . . .
Also, three more books to report:
Ursula, Under by Ingrid Hill. This is huge, epic fiction, spanning two thousand years of ancestors who culminate in this little girl who falls down an abandoned mine shaft. It's poignant, and lyrical, and beautiful, and I felt very involved the entire time I was reading. I really, really enjoyed it. But in the end, I passed it on to a friend. A book like this is a serious commitment, and I just couldn't see myself undertaking it again anytime soon. But I will absolutely recommend this book to anyone who likes serious fiction.
Falling Boy by Alison McGhee. I enjoyed this one much more than I thought I would. It's about a boy who is paralyzed from the waist down who works in a bakery, and his relationships with the other people in the bakery. The slow unfolding of how everyone is related and the intricacies of their interactions is remarkable to watch. And the central mystery, how the boy was injured, is kept a secret until just before the end. This one's a keeper, I think. A good study on how we respond/react to the people we love; how we can hurt or heal them, even without realizing it.
The Boundless Deep by Kate Brallier. This one was also a pleasant surprise. Good writing, firmly rooted in the history of Nantucket. The characters are interesting and fun, the whaling history is fascinating. This book made me yearn for a trip to Nantucket. A keeper! (But fair warning for the more modest readers out there; this one has some steamy scenes!)
All right. Time to wrap it up and head home for the weekend. Stay dry!

some author recommendations

I've been meaning to do this for a while. Here, in no particular order, is a list of some of my favorite writers. Enjoy!

Neil Gaiman --- What can I say? Do I need to say anything at all? The man is brilliant. The most interesting, weird stories come crawling out of the depths of his brain. His book Neverwhere is probably in my top five favorite books of all time. The man can tackle any sort of story he puts his mind to, it seems. I am unendingly impressed with his body of work.

Alice Hoffman --- Magical realism at its finest. I love a number of her books. The lush language, the way the characters interact, how true to themselves they are . . . I wish I could write books as lovely as hers. Do yourself a favor; if you haven't read her, go pick up Practical Magic or The River King right now.

Holly Black --- Her YA urban fantasy is twisty and true and creepy and lovely all at the same time. Read Tithe. It's so good!

Charles de Lint --- He writes mythic fiction at its finest. His books move a little slower than a lot of fantastic fiction does. It's a lot about the character growth and the interaction between the mundane and the amazing. I just love his work, especially his older books, like Moonheart and Someplace to be Flying and Memory and Dream.

Susan Cooper --- Everyone should read the Dark is Rising sequence. These books blew me away as a kid and they continue to do so as an adult. They're amazing. I've always wanted to just climb into the pages and exist there. And if you appreciate Arthurian legend, that adds a whole other level of enjoyment to these!

I could keep going. but I'm not going to, because it's time to get ready to go, and I've got a three-day weekend ahead of me. I'll try to be back soon! Ta!