A T-shirt Poll

Okay guys, serious question. There are shirts online I want to purchase, and I need your help in deciding which one. Or ones, I suppose, but I don't have loads of money with which to buy T-shirts. So, without further ado, please check out the T-shirts below and let me know what you think:

• A writerly reference, the phrase on this T-shirt comes up regularly on several writer's blogs I read regularly;
• This adorable cartoonized version of Neil Gaiman;
• or, and this one I've posted about before, this great Buffy T-shirt

Any thoughts on the above? I kind of want all three, which I clearly can't afford.

February already?

Wow, what happened to January? That was fast. . . .
Anyway. A couple things. I submitted my novel to a bunch of agents on Friday. That's right, I finally did it! Here's hoping that someone likes what they see.
Although I did get my first (very gentle) rejection this morning. Ah, well. It's part of the process.
Somehow, although one of my goals for this year is to do less freelancing, I am seriously overbooked. So for the next two weeks, there won't be much in the way of creativity. I'm not worrying about what novel to write next, or short story ideas, or anything like that. It'll just be head down, get the work done. Come February 16, when the last project is due, I'll be free to do whatever writing I want! Patience, patience.
That said, simply out of curiosity, a poll. Do I next write:

1. a funny, quirky novel about two near-strangers stealing a cupcake truck and driving across America only to end up in a Western reenactment town hiding from the law?
2. teenage superhero fiction involving crazy superpowers, bad grownups, albinos, and teenage angst?
3. short stories?
4. something else entirely?

Books:
1. The Nixie's Song, book one of Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black and Tony Diterlizzi. I really enjoyed it. It's been a couple years since I read the original Spiderwick series, and I don't recall them being quite as dark as this one is. Holly just has a way of capturing the teenage experience that is spot-on. I've enjoyed everything she's put out, honestly, and can't wait for the next couple books!
2. Abortion & Life by Jennifer Baumgardner. This was really informative and interesting, covering a broad range of topics within the discussion of abortion. The history of abortion, a section on the Jane Collective, a discussion about post-abortion resources, and fifteen or so portraits of women who have had abortions along with their stories. Some of this was hard reading, emotional, trying. Some of it was very uplifting. Anyone who is interested in abortion as a political topic, as a personal topic, as a religious topic, anyone who has had one or knows someone else who has had one or would consider having one, this book is well worth reading.
3. Gideon the Cutpurse by Linda Buckley-Archer. A fun YA book about accidental time-travel. I enjoyed it; the characters were believable, the action well-paced, the last-minute save was great. But I don't think it's a keeper for me. This strikes me as one of those books that might not be quite as fun to reread, already knowing what happens. But, a really good book.
Anyway. I'm at work late, after coming in late (how rebel of me!), and have band rehearsal in 44 minutes. So I should go do another two minutes or so of work, and then head out. Happy Monday, everyone!

final books of 2009

Okay, a super-speedy post about the last couple books I read in 2009.
First, Witch Craft by Caitlin Kittredge. Love it! I really just dig the whole Nocturne City series. Something about the gritty police procedural feeling plus the urban fantasy edge plus the great little moments of flirtation just make this series great! People, really, go buy these books!
Second: Demon Bound by Caitlin Kittredge. You know, I enjoyed this one, but as with the first in the Black London series, it just felt slightly sloppy to me. But I really, really like these ones, too. Just not as much as the Nocturne City ones.
Third: Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink. And I loved it. YA historical fantasy with a dark edge, involving family secrets and creepy prophecies. Highly recommended, to anyone at all interested in any convergence of those topics! SO GOOD! I cannot wait for the rest of this trilogy to be released so the world can experience the awesomeness in its entirety.
Anyway. Onward to freelancing. I know, someday I'll work less and have some sort of life. Or do more writing. Or both. But for now, I'm getting paid to do it, so I need to get it done.
Ta!

a few more books

I remembered a few more books from last year:
Need by Carrie Jones: This is somewhat dark YA urban fantasy, which I usually love. But somehow, this one didn't do it for me. The main character, Zara, was a little too passive and then suddenly not passive for me. And strange things got accepted quite easily, if I remember correctly. I did appreciate the fact that it was werewolves and pixies, but no vampires, but still, this wasn't a keeper for me.
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead. This one was interesting. It felt middle grade, but creepy in a not-middle-grade sort of way, I think. It's a story about friendship and about time travel and about game shows. I enjoyed it, but it didn't quite gel for me. Not a keeper.
Playing with the Grown-ups by Sophie Dahl. I really, really enjoyed this novel. It felt like a memoir at times, and it was so easy to fall into the emotions of the characters, to feel all the turbulence Kitty felt while going through adolescence. It's about Kitty's experience growing up with a larger-than-life family. I absolutely recommend this one.
Rampant by Diana Peterfreund. Venomous, flesh-eating unicorns! Virgin unicorn hunters! Strong-minded heroines, close bonds of friendships, a couple cute boys, and the scenery of Rome! Crazy parents! This book is awesome. 100% recommended. I love this book. And can't wait for the next one.
Anyway. 5:15. Time to run. More books tomorrow!

mid-January already?

How did that happen? And here I was resolved to be a better blogger this year . . . Well, it's never too late to start, I suppose.
So, a little late, but here are my New Years resolutions:

• more writing
• less freelancing
• more time outside
• be more healthy (re: food and drink)
• more music
• finish watching Buffy
  

I think that's doable. There's also a list of writing goals for this year:

• submit Nor
• write cupcake truck Western novel
• write first novel in urban fantasy series
• outline entire urban fantasy series
• write three short stories
• edit the two shorts I wrote last year

Also doable, if I stay really focused. I'm already partially done editing one of the shorts from last year, have done some brainstorming on the novel, have an opening for the cupcake truck, and am only days away from submitting Nor. So. Here's hoping that this is a year of artistic productivity!
There are several books I read toward the end of last year, but didn't manage to blog about as work and freelancing were both moving at a breakneck pace. To get caught up, I'll try now to just list as many as I can recall and say if I liked it.
Splendor by Anna Godbersen: LOVED it. The concluding book in the Luxe series. So good, with a brilliant wrap-up to everything!
Poems of Anna Akhmatova: Interesting Russian poetry from around WWI. Good stuff.
Persepolis: brilliant graphic novel memoir. She was so ANGRY, and it just made such perfect sense.
The Bestiary by Nicholas Christopher: a slow starter for me, but by the end I was utterly entranced and inspired to do some reading on medieval bestiaries.
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman: Just utterly fantastic. Need I say more? I love that man's way with words.
Can't recall any more now, so I'll do the rest sometime this week. I ended the year at 52 or 53 books, which is great, so I'll set the goal of 50 books again for this year.
And now, editorial work is beckoning, so I'm off. Happy New Year everyone, and I'll be back soon!

Friday evening

Happy weekend everyone!

it's been a while

Sorry about that, everyone. Every so often, life gets too busy for this sort of leisurely pursuit! And, as always, I only have a minute before I have to run. Sometime soon I'll get around to blogging about the books I've read recently, and the two Broadway shows I've seen. For now I'll just say that life is good, although BUSY. Work is good, although REALLY busy. Thanksgiving was great, with my sister visiting as well as a surprise guest from Oregon. There is enough food still in my fridge to feed an army!
We're rapidly approaching the end of the year and there is still so much I want to accomplish. I need to remind myself that I've still got a month, and that's really plenty of time.
Well. Time to go meet a friend for a jaunt through the holiday market. I'll be back sometime this week. Happy December!