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!

a long time coming

Hi everybody! Long time no chat! April is my 2015 reboot. I'm calling a do-over on 2015. The first three months were all work and illness and no play, so we're just going to pretend like they didn't happen and move forward from here. So. Moving along.
What am I doing with my reboot? A LOT, let me tell you! I am settling in to my new apartment. It's different. I like it. I'm not used to roommates. Last weekend I celebrated my lack of freelancing by doing a ton of baking. Everybody loves baked goods!
I'm getting back to my writing. I have three big projects going all at once right now. I'm working on the last round of revisions on the ghost/witch novel. I'm editing the climax of Emmelina and finding beta readers for input. And I'm working on the first draft of Janny and Syska. All of these things will (hopefully) be done in the next month or so.
I'm also getting back into yoga. I'm going to a class in an hour, actually! I just did my first class in probably a year last week. It felt so good. I was sore for three days, but it was worth it!
And I'm getting back to my clarinet. My poor sad girl languished while I worked and packed and apartment hunted, but now that's all over with, so I can spend some time making music again.
I've read a few books this year so far, but not many. Here they are in a nutshell:
1) Death Watch by Ari Berk. I loved this book, all the folklore and little bits of knowledge secreted away in it. I own book two, and can't wait to read it. And will have to pick up book three at some point!
2) Scardown by Elizabeth Bear. I love everything Bear writes. This series is sci-fi, which I'm not as into as I am fantasy, but I tore through this and Worldwired. Her writing is just so good!
3) Worldwired by Elizabeth Bear. See Scardown comments.
4) A Curious Tale of the In-Between by Lauren DeStefano. This is a lovely, dreamy MG book. I won't say anything about the story itself since it's a few months from coming out still, but any MG lovers out there should definitely check this one out!
5) Zeroboxer by Fonda Lee. Admittedly, I'm biased; Fonda was my Viable Paradise roommate. I had such a good time with this book! Sci-fi, in space, sports, love, crazy hijinks! Definitely a keeper for me. :)
And now, I'm off to yoga. And I can't wait!

why do we?

Happy New Year, everybody! This'll be a fairly brief entry, but hey, first Friday of the year and here I am blogging!
I hope you all had a good holiday season. I spent mine in Oregon visiting family and friends. As always, it was great and too short, and I'm happy to be home. I helped my dad move offices, saw a friend who I lost track of when I moved out here a decade ago, got drunk with one of my favorite people in Oregon, spent a day with my best friend, and spent a couple evenings with my oldest goddaughter and her toddler. And on New Year's Eve, my mom and I made a Scandinavian dinner. It was great! I flew home yesterday, and awoke today to . . .
. . . a cold. That's right, the traveling funk got me this time. It's not TERRIBLE, just a runny nose and a scratchy throat and some tiredness. I'm going about my day around it. I just hope it doesn't last long.
My 2014 was a roller coaster. Some great things happened (VP! WtO!) and some terrible things happened (my grandfather passing). Some things were stressful (day job) while some things were fun (the workshops, and the pool league). I think 2014 was better than 2013 was, but I'd like to see 2015 do well for itself. And to that end, I've declared 2015 to be the year of self-care, and the year of piss-off-I'm-writing. On the self-care side of things, I'm going to start exercising again. I went for a long walk today! It's a start! I'm going to continue to be more conscious of my diet. I'm going to delve further into canning/preserving. On the writing side of things . . . Well, that's fairly self-evident, I think. I also want to read more. I didn't read NEARLY enough last year.
Do any of you have resolutions or goals to share for this year? Or thoughts on how the last year has gone?
And now, I'm off to eat homemade chicken soup and get back to my proofreading, because there's writing time this evening if I get enough work done. Happy Friday!

starting anew

So much has happened since the last time I blogged, I'm not sure where to start or what to discuss. Perhaps I'll just nutshell everything, and then I'll move forward with blogging twice a week. Tuesdays and Fridays, that's the plan!
Work has been a little rough. I've had some problematic titles, and things have been quite busy. I've been doing over forty hours a week, not a ton over, but over. Occasional projects at home on the weekend, to try to get caught up. I'm also working on some really amazing books right now (Elizabeth Bear! Fran Wilde! Mary Robinette Kowal! Camille DeAngelis! Courtney Summers! and more!), and can't wait for the world to read them so I can talk to people about them.
I went to the Viable Paradise writing workshop in October. I had intended to do a full blog entry about it, but life got away from me for a while. VP was one of the best experiences of my life. To be in a dedicated creative space with a group of other people who are also serious about their writing was incredible. The input, the information, the focus, the community; all of it blew me away. I wish more of my classmates lived near New York so we could have writing dates and talk craft and etc., but I'm more than happy to have the extended online community. Martha's Vineyard was beautiful, the weather was great, the instructors were all amazing. There was good food, and good whiskey, and beautiful nighttime walks to the beach to see the glowing jellyfish tell their stories in Morse code lighting while the Milky Way spun in the darkness above us. I came back rejuvenated in my desire to write, to tell my stories.
In November, my grandfather passed away. I'm fortunate in that I flew out to Oregon in time to see him just hours before he passed. I stood in his hospital room with my family while he took his last breaths; that was a powerful moment to be present for. I miss him, and I'm sad he's gone, but I'm glad I got to be there. I'm glad I could support my parents and grandmother for a full week before coming back to the city, back to work.
I tried to do NaNoWriMo this November, and got derailed by obvious reasons. I did manage to write 15k of a new project, and it helped me get back into a better writing habit, so it was a completely worthwhile try. Maybe I'll do it again next year, depending on where I'm at with all my writing projects. I'm excited about this new project I'm writing, and once I get through a first draft of it, I'll do a final draft on the ghost/witch book.
I've read several books since the last time I blogged:
18) Ink and Steel by Elizabeth Bear. I think it's clear by now that I love all of Bear's books. This one is no exception.
19) Venom by Fiona Paul. I really enjoyed this one: the language, the setting, the plot. This is fun historical fiction, a little creepy, some romantic. In the end, it's not a keeper because I probably won't reread it, but I had fun with it and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys YA historical fiction.
20) The Desperate Adventures of Zeno and Alya by Jane Kelley. This is a great MG novel about the unlikely friendship between a very sick little girl and an African grey parrot. It's very well done, and it's easy to empathize with both Zeno and Alya.
21) Monument 14 by Emmy Laybourne. Another good YA book. This is the first book in an apocalyptic series where a group of kids get trapped in a big-box store as catastrophe after catastrophe occurs in the outside world. It's fast and gripping and action-oriented without losing a sense of how the kids are doing emotionally. This one's a keeper for me, and I look forward to reading more in this series!
22) For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund. I've loved her writing since I picked up Rampant, and this is no exception. It's a postapocalyptic rendering of Jane Austen's Persuasion. The language is beautiful, the characters wonderful, the love story sad and aching. Aside from the romance, this book also has some interesting things to say about class and slavery. Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys YA, and definitely a keeper for me.
23) Misfit by Jon Skovron. Another YA, this one about a girl who, on her sixteenth birthday, learns that her mother is a demon, and must learn how to use the powers she inherited from that mother. Her father, meanwhile, has brought her up in a very strict Christian household with no knowledge of the supernatural world. This was a fun read, and I enjoyed seeing Jael grow and change as a character, but this one's not a keeper for me.
24) Green by Jay Lake. Holy wow. Why did I wait so long to read this? Jay's language is lush and his worldbuilding is wonderful. Green is a girl who was taken from her family so young that she does not remember her mother or her native tongue. She is taught to be a courtesan at the Court of the Pomegranate Tree. And that's all I'm going to tell you, because it's better if you go and read it yourself! Part of the reason I enjoyed it so much was because it's not fantasy based on some version of Western Europe at some point in history. Jay Lake has created a world and a cast of characters that is startlingly different, and easy to connect with all at the same time. Definitely one of the best books I read this year. I'll be picking up the sequels soon. Everybody should read this!
25) Krik? Krak! by Edwidge Danticat. Sometimes I avoid reading contemporary classics. I'm not sure why; maybe it's that they're what gets shoved in my face by marketing and promotions and such, they're what's on the front tables at Barnes & Noble, etc. I finally read Krik? Krak! just a few days ago, and now I wish I hadn't waited so long to read this one. It's a series of interconnected short stories about struggle and survival in the Haitian community. It's intense to read about the hardships and loss these characters face, but there is a richness to their lives, their familial bonds, that stands out. The voice of these stories is distinct and engaging. This is a great book, and I'll read more by Danticat in the future!
What a long blog entry this has turned out to be. I'm done now. Happy midweek, everybody, and I'll ramble at you all again soon.

since i could say

It's been a while. I'll not make excuses; I feel like I do that so often when I come here. It is what it is, and that's all. A few things of note have happened:
Writing the Other, the workshop I attended in June that was hosted by Mary Robinette Kowal, was amazing. Three days of intense lectures and discussion about how to approach race, sexuality, disability, history, etc. in writing, followed by three days of writing time. I made some good friends, and write a lot of words, and had some great conversation. And baked pie with Mary and Stina, and played LARP croquet. It was perfect. I find myself still mulling over points made in various discussions, and I definitely view books I read through a different lens than I did previous to this workshop.
Shortly after attending Writing the Other, I found out that I was accepted to Viable Paradise, a weeklong writing workshop held every October in Martha's Vineyard that's taught by prominent editors and writers in the SF/F community. I'm going to Viable Paradise!! YEAH!!
Pool: I'm finally settling into my game and improving as a player. Which is great. Both teams I play on are doing really well this season, and I'm really enjoying it.
We've managed to go camping twice now this summer, and it's been SO NICE to get out of the city. Both camping weekends were beautiful, lots of mellow time around a campfire. Reading time. The second weekend I was barefoot most of the time, reconnecting with the earth. I need to do that more often, out of the city, feet on the dirt, surrounded by trees.
Last weekend we spent at the beach with a friend and her family. Like the camping weekends, it was great to get out of the city and breathe in the salt air of the ocean. We were on Fire Island, which is a phenomenal beach, clean and lovely. And I only got a little sunburned.
Books:
12) The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab. This book has a fantastic eerie fairy-tale quality to it. Definitely recommended.
13) Queen of Kings by Maria Dahvana Headley. Cleopatra as undead? Awesome! Seriously, this is a good read. A grim, unsettling version of what happened to Cleopatra and Antony. I can't wait to read more from Maria Dahvana Headley.
14) Shadowfell by Juliet Marillier. I really enjoyed this read. It's about a young girl in troubled times in a fantastical land who loses her family and is helped along her journey to figure out who she is and where she belongs by several mysterious figures. Great fantasy YA. And the first in a trilogy, I believe; I'll have to go find the others.
15) Sixty-one Nails by Mike Shevdon. One of the blurbs on the cover of this urban fantasy says, "Neverwhere for a new generation." I don't think this one is quite as good as Neverwhere (which is one of my most favorite books ever) but I did really enjoy this. It's dark, but it has a sharp sense of humor and the fairy folk are interesting, not the traditional elves etc. I definitely want to read the sequel.
16) The Gaslight Dogs by Karin Lowachee. This was a really interesting read, especially through the lens of the Writing the Other workshop. Picture an alternate version of early America, when the white settlers were fighting with the Native Americans, but add expeditions to the north, one of which brings home an Inuit girl suspected of witchcraft. It doesn't actually take place in America, but the parallels are clear, and it was really interesting to read the approach to both Sjenn (the Inuit girl) and the interactions between the colonizers and the oppressed indigenous groups. While I was somewhat dissatisfied with the ending--I felt that there was more story to be told--I thought that Lowachee did a good job with approaching writing other cultures carefully and respectfully.
17) Three Parts Dead by Max Gladstone. Holy hell I enjoyed this book. Magic, fantasy, corporate intrigue, dead gods, and gargoyles; what's not to love? The writing was snappy and sharp, the characters well drawn, the plotting tight. I'm excited to read the rest of this series. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes fantasy.
I did a good job taking care of myself this year until this summer, when I sort of fell off the wagon. Not that I've been crazy, I just have fallen out of my good habits. On Friday I reinstituted them. So far, so good!
And now, I've got four and a half hours until pool starts. I intend to write 500 words, edit at least five pages of Emmelina, start my proofreading project, and handwash some sweaters before I have to leave. Think I can do it? I do! Happy Sunday!

never afraid to burn

End of May already. Half the year is gone, nearly. That went really fast. Most of it is a blur of freelance work, but right now I'm in the middle of my freelance hiatus. Last weekend we went camping! It was so nice to get out of the city for a couple days, to be out in nature. We cooked over a campfire. We went for a hike. It was great.
I've been spending regular time on my writing again, and I really want to keep it up all summer. Next week I need to send my application for Viable Paradise, and the week after is the Writing the Other workshop. This Friday is my first summer Friday, and I can't wait! Farmers market, and writing time, and a bike ride. And who knows what else?
Books:
10) Fathomless by Jackson Pearce. I loved this. Such a great, interesting take on mermaids! It's kind of a creepy book, honestly. I can't wait to read more books by Pearce. It's a keeper!
11) Ashes of Honor by Seanan McGuire. Sixth book in the Toby Daye series. As always with this series, this book raked my heart over the coals. This one wasn't quite as grim as the previous couple in the series, which I was grateful for. These books are difficult, and intense, and they're probably the best urban fantasy series I've read in the last couple years. I can't wait for more. Everybody should read them!
I'm in the middle of approximately four other books at the moment, so I'm sure I'll have more to report soon.
And really, I don't have much else to say today. That will change at some point, I'm sure, but right now I'm just trying to redevelop good habits and get a lot of writing done. Happy Wednesday, everyone!

the breeze drifts on by

The world just keeps on turning, doesn't it? Whether or not you want it to, life just keeps on plodding along, and the commitments keep on stacking up, and the work, and the lack of time and sleep and energy. It's intense. And it's such a fine line for me. I am happy beyond happy that I am fortunate enough to spend all day every day working on books. To surround myself with story, with language, is a blessing. But sometimes I get swallowed whole by other people's stories, and lose track of my own. And that's what has happened for a good portion of this year so far. There's some irony there, in spending so much of this "year of me" on other people and their work so far.
Please don't take this as a horrible complaint. I take full responsibility for it. I, and only I, have made the choices I have made. I accept that. I accept them. I also accept the fact that learning how to focus more on myself, on my own wants and needs, is more than the flip of a switch that I thought it would be. It takes time. And effort. And frustration, and more effort. But I can get there. And I will.
Only two freelance projects stand between me and the time to write again. So I'd best hurry through them.
I think that part of the problem is a sense of validity. With my day job and my freelancing, I can go to bookstores and point out tangible proof of my efforts. I help other people improve their art. With the writing, there is no proof of anything yet. It's intangible. Which means that I don't always feel that it's valid to take time away from the tangible money-making tasks to indulge in the act I am most passionate about. Intellectually, I know that's silly; I need to spend time on my writing in order to improve, in order to find an agent, in order to sell books. Emotionally, even though I inch closer and closer to it, I think I'm still afraid of taking the plunge and truly focusing on it, truly pushing myself. I need to figure out how to get over that. I don't want to spend the rest of my life improving other people's art, as nice and fulfilling as that is. I want to spend the rest of my life improving MY art.
Anyway. A book and a dream for you, and then I need to get back to work. So without further ado . . .
9) The Raven Boys by Maggie Stiefvater. Why on earth did I wait so long to read this book? I love everything I've read by Maggie, and this one is no exception. It's beautiful and sharp and cuts like a knife, and it hurt SO GOOD to read this. I love Blue and Adam the most, though the other raven boys are endearing, too. I love Blue's strange family, and how the weird is the normal, for them. I have the next book, and will read it soon. Some books/authors just cleave to your soul and never leave, and that's how I feel about this series and Maggie's Wolves of Mercy Falls trilogy as well. They turn me inside out, they make me cry and give me hope all at once.
Dream: Last night, it started with a little boy. I was on some sort of public transportation (train or bus, not plane) and he was with his mother across the aisle and I think one row of seats up. He was upset, and his mother wasn't succeeding in calming him down. I got tired of his wailing, and asked if he would like to sit next to me and color in my notebook with my pen. He and his mother accepted, and he sat with me for however long we were all on the train. And by the end of it I was fast friends with him, and his mother adored me. Then the scene changed; I was in a swamp, I think, surrounded by green trees covered with ropey vines that seemed as though they leaned down to greet me as I passed. I was working at some sort of waterside (partially floating) plant nursery, I think it was. I was moving potted plants, talking to people, that sort of thing, although it had a bit of a museum feeling to it as well. A gaggle of girls showed up, and in my dream I had flashes of memory about hanging out with one of them; we were good friends. She was the older sister of the boy I'd befriended on the train, and at this point I was friends with the whole family. I left work to hang out with the girls at the family's house, which was huge and labyrinthine. We were eating snacks from the fridge and generally being saucy girls, laughing and trying each others' clothing on and etc. Then I scene changed again, I was no longer at the house. I was maybe at my own? Although I don't recall what it was like. What I do recall is calling my friend, but her mother answered, and she wasn't there. "But Edward is, why don't you come over to hang out with him?" I was intrigued. I knew there was an older brother but didn't know him, so I did. I let myself in and went to his bedroom door and knocked, and when he said I could enter I slowly pushed the door open and he was laying in bed, only his face and a bit of dark curly hair showing. I gave him a flirty smirk, and at the same time I could tell that there was something really wrong with him that only I could fix. (Truly. This was not a "Fix the bad boy's attitude" thing. He was ill, or hexed, or something.) So I made friends with him and I was healing him with plants and such, and got so comfortable with the family that I was basically one of them, although Edward stayed fiercely self-conscious around me. For some reason I thought of him as the Sea King, though if that was true or not I don't know. I wish I'd stayed asleep through the end of the dream to see if I'd healed him; he was only partially better when I woke.
And now, back to work so I can finish these projects so I can get back to mine. Happy Thursday!