cautiously

I'm at the Beacon Theatre right now while Scars on 45 open for Tori Amos. Ah, nostalgia. '90s angsty rock!

I keep think about the elections last night. I am cautiously hopeful. I've been near tears off and on all day. Maybe we can really take back our country from the bigoted fuckwads in charge. 

I'm less stressed than I have been lately. Work's in a bit of a lull and I'm actually enjoying my freelance project. I'm also making a big effort to offload my stress before I get home, in case my stress is causing Isabel's stress. (Missed that story? Our two-year-old cat, Isabel, is stressed and therefore pissing in inappropriate places.)

Writing is still going slower than I want but at least it's happening. I've sussed out the climax to the eye-stabby novel, and I'm nearly to it in the draft. Progress!

Okay, kittens. I'm going to put the phone down and enjoy the show. Blood and kisses, all of you!

a new blog post for a new year

Well, here we are. January, 2016. Last year went by in a blur. I’m not going to dwell on 2015; there were a number of things about it that were not good. But there were some other things that were good. It was a year of transition, and those are always difficult. Now I’m choosing to look forward. The transition year has left me poised to move ahead confidently in the direction of my art, and I’m excited to do so. I don’t really do New Year’s resolutions, but I like to do goals, so here are my (vague) goals for 2016: Take better care of myself. Write more. Freelance less. Give myself more down time. 

How about you? What are your goals or resolutions or dreams for 2016?

I will tell you one highlight of 2015: my partner-in-crime and I adopted a kitten. We still have Zoe, our smart, beautiful, antisocial girl who is now almost nine. And now we have Isabel. She's a delightful terror, and is eight months old. I'll post some photos at some point, I promise.

I read a lot more books than I blogged about in 2015. There’s not time to discuss them all, so here’s a list of some of my favorites from last year that I haven't mentioned previously: Magonia by Maria Dahvana Headley, The Archivist Wasp by Nicole Kornher-Stace, Chimes at Midnight and The Winter Long by Seanan McGuire, Uprooted by Naomi Novik.

I’ll leave you with links to two blog entries that I read the other morning and found inspiring:

https://mariadahvanaheadley.wordpress.com/2015/11/06/taking-writing-risks-new-adult-novel-sold-to-fsg-and-more/

http://pacificrain.blogspot.com/2016/01/2016-new-direction.html

Blood and kisses, and Happy New Year!