like i'm made of glass

I'm off to a bit of a rocky start with the blogging this year, I know. But remember how I said I had a few prior commitments I need to do in January, and then I would do a lot less freelancing? Well. January turned into madness. Two copyedits (the prior commitments), giving feedback on a friend's novel, band rehearsals, and I got a new job. So I've been working late most days to get everything in good shape for my coworkers to take over my books. Plus I'm still trying to squeeze in a few minutes here and there on my own novel. Oh, and I somehow joined the Sunday afternoon pool team at Boulevard. So, put that all together, and I am BUSY. Things will settle down after next weekend though. I need to be done with both copyedits by the end of that weekend. And I won't be scrambling to wrap up my job anymore.
I know it was yesterday, but happy Imbolc, everyone. Imbolc is a quiet holiday about purification and dedication. We did ritual last night with a couple friends who are becoming our regular company for religious observances. We created candle spells for ourselves to focus on what we need to happen in our lives in the coming months, and did a little dedication magic as well. It was nice. I'd like to incorporate more of my spirituality into my everyday life; that's definitely another thing I'll be thinking about more once I'm not running myself into the ground with work.
I read three books in January, which is a miracle given how busy I've been. Thank goodness for subway rides, that's all I can say about that.
1) Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. This book is CRAZY. It's a thriller about a missing wife, that's all I can tell you. It's smart, and horrifying, and witty as hell. If you like thrillers, or good writing, read this one.
2) Poltergeist by Kat Richardson. This is the second book in her Greywalker series, and I enjoyed this one as much as the first. I like Kat's setting quite a bit. Her books take place in Seattle and she's really captured the steady gloom with occasional bursts of beauty, and the weird history of the city. Her approach to the otherworld is really different than anything I've seen before. And Harper is a great flawed heroine. I recommend this series for anyone who likes smart urban fantasy.
3) Elsewhere by Will Shetterly. This was my first foray into Will's fiction outside of his Shadow Unit work, and I quite enjoyed it. It takes place in the Bordertown universe (if you're not familiar with Bordertown, check it out, it's great stuff). Will's language is sharp, his characters are raw in interesting ways, and I love that it's hard. There are no easy answers. You make your choices and you live with them, and sometimes that's not easy but all you can do is keep going. I really liked it, and am looking forward to reading the other fiction by him in my collection.
And now, as much as I could go on, I need to go freelance. The Super Bowl is tonight, so I'm hoping my partner-in-crime heads out to a bar for that so I can have a few hours of solitude this evening. That'd be pretty amazing.