way down by the sycamore tree

How's 2014 treating everyone so far? Things are okay over here. I wrapped up all of my freelance commitments so I've finally gotten back to editing. Emmelina and the Rat King first, and I'll follow that with the ghost/witch book. I feel like I'm really moving in the right direction with both of them. The climax in Emmelina needs a solid edit and cleanup, but I like where it's going. I'm still torn about what to write next, though. I've been thinking about the fey folk/secret society project for a while now, but for some reason I'm not totally convinced. Maybe that's just because I haven't properly focused on it, but maybe it's a sign that I should write something else next. Maybe my zombie novel? Something to think about. I'll keep writing short stories in the Twilight Child universe, regardless of what novel comes next. I know that eventually the Twilight Child materials will turn into something bigger, but I'm not ready for that yet. She's been in my head for so long; I really want to do her and her world justice, and I don't think I'm quite there yet.
It's been quite snowy and cold here in NYC. I know many people don't enjoy it, but I do. I'm a winter girl. Give me the cold snap, give me the air so frozen that taking a breath is like taking a drink of cold running water, give me the drifts of snow clinging to sidewalk and car and fence. It makes me feel happy, and calm, and in balance. That said, I do enjoy all four seasons. But winter is my favorite.
I've only read three books so far this year. I blame that on all the work I did in January. There's time to catch up! My goal is forty-five books again this year. And, while three doesn't sound like a brilliant start, I did reject five or six other books between these three, so I'm going through my books at a decent clip even though I'm not reading all of them!
1) Blood Magic by Tessa Gratton. I love this book. LOVE. The characters, the magic, the shifting undercurrent of tension. It was really well done. It's about magic and love and family and death and making choices. Go out and buy this one; you won't regret it! I can't wait to read more of her books!
2) Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey. This one knocked me off my feet, too, although it's extremely different than the first book I read this year. This one is gritty and snarky and dangerous and downright funny at times, and you can't help cheering for Stark as he tries to get revenge for the murder of his girlfriend.
3) The Hum and the Shiver by Alex Bledsoe. This book is a really interesting take on magic, family, and war and music. Highly recommended, especially for people who like urban fantasy and folk music.
And now, I have a lot still to do today, so I'm off to do it. Happy Saturday, everyone!

long time time coming

To wrap up last year . . . I'm embarrassed to say that I think I forgot a book. No, I know I forgot a book that I read. I got to thirty-nine. But I can only recall two I've yet to blog about, and the last book I talked about was number thirty-six . . . Bother. Here are the two I can recall:
37) The Fox Inheritance by Mary Pearson. This is the sequel to The Adoration of Jenna Fox, which I read a couple years ago and fell pretty hard for. This book takes us along for the ride with her friends Locke and Kara, the other two who were in the car accident with her. It's pretty intense, and tightly constructed. While I didn't enjoy it as much as I did the first book, this is still a great read, especially the moments when Locke is struggling to come to terms with who and what he now is. If you've read the first book, definitely follow it up with this sequel.
38) The Dark Crystal: Creation Myths, Vol. 1. Love. I love everything about the Dark Crystal universe: The characters, the animals, the land itself, everything. I wasn't disappointed with this graphic novel. It's a few different shorter stories strung together, which is fun, and Aughra is there, as always. I read this as part of my research for writing a last-minute submission to the Dark Crystal Author Quest, and can't wait to get my hands on the second volume!
39) UNKNOWN. Damnit.
So, diving headlong into 2014: I'm still struggling through my freelance commitments. One to go. I'm determined to take February and the early part of March off from freelancing so I can focus on editing my novels. And more ideas, I always have more ideas. There aren't enough hours in the day for all of the things I want to do, all of the stories I want to write.
Sometime early this morning I dreamed. I was in a fancy restaurant that I think was mostly empty.I was sitting across from a nice older man, he seemed sweet but somewhat self-conscious. Sandy brown hair. Kind eyes. His name was something fairly common, Richard or something. I don't recall for sure. We were talking, and when I paused in the midst of something, he handed me a ring box. He stammered a bit over his proposal while I opened the ring box, and cocked my head like a bird to look at the ring. It was made of some metal that was darker than gold, and had three sides to it. Two sides had a number of small diamonds set in two distinct patterns. The third side was one giant stone, a sort of orange-brown color with a million tiny facets cut into the face. There was a little card in the box that called the ring a huckleberry ring, or raspberry/huckleberry setting, or something. I looked at the gentleman proposing to me for a long moment. I wasn't in love with him. But he could provide something important: safety, security, home. So I said yes. He was very happy, and a group of other people came in and swept me up to prepare for the wedding. Some girls I know were in the crowd but I can't recall who. Then things get murky. Something about being outside, and a car, and maybe a dead body? And being questioned about my engagement/marriage. I mostly just recall sitting at the table and thinking it was okay that I didn't love him. That he was exactly what I needed.
And now, I'd best go. I have a bit more work to do tonight, and a busy day tomorrow. Good night, everyone!

time marches ever onward

Let's be honest. 2013 was a pretty lousy year for many of us. There were a lot of things about last year that I was uncomfortable with. I spent too much time on the wrong things and not enough time on the right things. I made some questionable decisions. A lot of things didn't turn out how I'd planned. So I've decided that 2014 is going to be a year about me. I will take better care of myself. I will spend time and energy on people who I feel are worth it, and not with people I don't. And I will spend more time doing the things that are most important to me: writing and making music. The only specific goals I'm laying out for myself are writing goals, though. I want to wrap up Emmelina and the Rat King and the ghost/witch novel, and submit both of them. And then I want to make a really solid start on a new project. I'm going to a writing workshop/retreat in June, and am going to apply to a couple others.
What's everyone else thinking for the new year?

one slip was all it took

Look at that. It's been two months again. I think one of my New Year's goals needs to be "pay more attention to social media." I keep meaning to blog more, and I keep just not getting around to it.
Several books to report:
31) The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. This book is horrifying. The culture it depicts is repellent. It's an interesting, important look at the direction our culture could go in if things go horribly awry, and I'm glad I read it, but I can't say that I'll put myself through it again.
32) Late Eclipses by Seanan McGuire. This is the fourth book in the Toby Daye series, and as always with this series, I loved it. I love the characters, and the way the action plays out, and how imperfect everyone is. People make mistakes. Sometimes other people die for them. This book isn't as bleack as book 3 was, but there's a real sense of desperation and loss in this one. And of building tension, like a storm is brewing. Really, this is some of the best urban fantasy I've read in years. Do yourself a favor and check it out.
33) Timeless by Gail Carriger. This is the fifth and final book in the Parasol Protectorate series. I loved the first four books, but this one . . . I have to be honest, I feel like this book is trying too hard.I wanted to know how the series ended, so I stuck with it, but I wasn't nearly as enamored with this one as I was with the previous books. Which was disappointing.
34) Stories edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio. This short-story anthology was hit-or-miss for me, but there were a couple stories in it that made it a keeper for me. Kat Howard's "A Life in Fictions" and "Joanna Harris's "Wildfire in Manhattan" in particular.
35) Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. I loved this. It's such a different take on the zombie idea. I love the characters and how they evolve in relation to each other, and it's well written, and I thought the whole thing was really refreshing. I definitely recommend this one to anybody who wants a good story to read!
36) The Venetian's Wife by Nick Bantock. I enjoyed this one, but not nearly as much as Bantock's Griffin and Sabine trilogy. I don't think it's a keeper for me, largely because I don't think I'll reread it. But it's an engaging story and an enjoyable read.
I've had a hard time with books lately. I keep picking things up only to find that they don't appeal to me. It's strange. I have so many books I know I'll adore. I'm sort of leaving those be, for now, for the most part, to try the iffy ones first. I could always stop that and pick up something that I'm sure I'll love, but it's more challenging to sift through the unknowns.
My parents came to town for a week recently, which was really lovely, and now I'm on Christmas staycation. I'll really try to blog once or twice more before I go back to work in January. I'm also trying to get through some writing projects, and some things around the house that I've let languish while I have been doing an excessive amount of freelance work for the last two months.
Happy holidays, everyone!

breathed so deep i thought i'd drown

Well, everyone, I feel like I'm really starting to get into the thick of it. I'm delivering my manuscript in a week for that professional critique. I did register for Mary Robinette Kowal's workshop next June, "Writing the Other." I thought of another middle-grade book I'd like to write. I'm continuing to re-evaluate other aspects of my life, and I do feel like I'm taking steps in the right direction.
With those things in mind, I do have more work I should be doing right now, so I'll keep this brief. I have three more books to report:
28) Fray by Joss Whedon. This is a graphic novel in the Slayer mythos, but set in the future. I went into this read knowing I would love it, and I was not disappointed. I did love it. Melaka Fray is a great Slayer, complex, more sassy than Buffy, but also less knowledgeable. I really liked the ragtag family she'd built for herself. I'd love to read more about her. The storyline was solid, and I want some more!
29) The Coldest Girl in Coldtown. Ah, Holly Black, you kill me. Your books are so damn good. All the time. Seriously, this book was a lot of fun. It put vampires squarely where the belong: in the "predator" category. Tana is a fairly regular girl caught up in irregular happenings, and she handles them with aplomb and just the right amount of shock at the right moments for her to be quite believable. The Coldtowns are a great idea, and I love how this book takes our world and tilts it just a little bit so things feel familiar, but off-kilter. It's almost our world. Almost here and now. Except for the vampires. This is in my top five for this year. Definitely a keeper, and I'm already looking forward to reading it again!
30) Doll Bones by Holly Black. Yeah, I read two books by her in one month. October just feels like the right time for Holly's books. Doll Bones is a middle-grade book about a trio of preteens and what happens when their regular game takes on a life of its own. This is great creepy writing. It's a ghost story and a coming-of-age story all at one. Holly's books really made my October great!
And now, back to it. Two chapters left to edit, and a little tidying outside of that, and I need to deliver the novel on Friday, November 1. I can do it, I just need to say focused. On that note, I'll be back to report after I submit my novel for critiquing.
Happy October, everyone!

you can't choose what stays and what fades away

Happy Saturday! What's everyone got planned for their weekend? I've got a crazy amount of editing I want to get through, and shopping plans this afternoon with my friend K. Aside from that, the usual: tidy, laundry, balance the checkbook, play some pool, play my instruments.
I've been working on reprioritizing, so that the writing comes first, and I think I've made some good headway on that. I'm working my ass off on this draft. I've committed to getting it professionally critiqued in November. While the critique is happening I'm going to start working on the next novel, and I'll try to wrap up "Emmelina and the Rat King" as well. I really want to keep my momentum going. There's also that writing workshop next June. Registration happens in a week. Fingers crossed that I'm fast enough to get in when the registration opens!
Other autumn things: I'm starting to bake more again. The weather doesn't quite feel like autumn yet, but it's inching in that direction. Next weekend we're going apple picking, which I'm really excited about! I made sauerkraut, which turned out really well, and I also made fire cider, which only needs about two more weeks to steep before it's ready too. All in all, it's been a really productive couple of months around here. I'm dying to do a serious clean/purge of the apartment, but that'll have to wait until November as well. There's just not enough time in the day for me.
Two more books to tell you about:
26) St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves by Karen Russell. These stories are powerful. Uncomfortable. Raw. Extremely well written. This is a great collection of short stories by a great writer. The first three stories are my favorite. Ava is such a strong character, and I love reading about her family running Swamplandia. I can't wait to read the novel about them. "Haunting Olivia" is creepy and beautiful and heart-wrenching. And the sleep-away camp for dream disorders is brilliant and frightening. Karen Russell really has a knack for seeing to the heart of things, be they everyday happenings or otherworldly occurrences.
27) Locke & Key: Welcome to Lovecraft by Joe Hill. The first book in the Locke & Key graphic novel series. Wow. This is imaginative, scary stuff. The art is perfect for the thriller of a storyline. The juxtaposition of actually possible (home invasion, moving to a new town) with the supernatural (ghosts in wells, magic keys) is smooth and well managed. The characters are believable, as are their reactions to things. If you enjoy thrillers or paranormal fiction or graphic novels or damn good writing, check out this series. I'm going to buy the next book on Tuesday I think.
And now, readers, it's time for me to move on with my weekend. I think next up is finishing my tidy. Blessed Be!

spill yourself at her feet

Happy September, all. And happy Mabon! That's technically tomorrow but we all know that entries two days in a row on this blog never happen.
Mabon: This is the second harvest festival, and celebrates the balance of light and dark. At Mabon we celebrate the abundance on our table and in our cupboards for the coming winter.
Vacation was . . . well, it was hectic. It was great to see my family and great to be out of the city, but it was a little stressful as well. I'm happy to be back in New York and settled back into my routine.
I have books to discuss!
23) The Kingdoms of Dust by Amanda Downum. This is the third in her Necromancer Chronicles, and I love this series. I love how flawed her characters are, and how vibrantly her settings come alive, and how the choices the characters have to make are never easy or black and white. Amanda, when are you going to write more books so I can devour them?? If you're a fan of fantasy, check out Amanda's work. She's a great writer.
24) Discount Armageddon by Seanan McGuire. This is the first book in her Incryptid series. As you all know, I ADORE her October Daye series, so I was excited to give this a shot. And I love the idea here. I love the story, and the cryptids, and the two opposing groups of the Covenant and the Price family . . . but I have to be honest, this didn't quite do it for me. I felt like the book was winking at me, a "Look how clever and funny I am!" sort of feeling. And there were a couple jokes that I felt were overused. Don't get me wrong, this is a well-written book, just like her other work. It's just not quite my cup of tea.
25) The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. People have been recommending this book to me for a couple years. Last year a friend pressed his copy on me, telling me I should read it. So I finally did. And you know what? It's a well-written book, with great characters full of depth. You know what else? It's depressing as all hell. Why didn't anyone warn me about THAT? It's cancer fiction! Which there's nothing wrong with, it's just not the type of thing I like to read. So I just powered through it. And really enjoyed a lot of the character interaction, and the sense of humor, and etc. But I knew form the beginning who was going to die, and spent the whole book tense, waiting for that. I can't enjoy books like this. It's extremely well done, and if you like books that make you sad, then check this one out. As for me . . . Well, I'll definitely read something less sad next.
I'm plugging along on editing my novel, thankfully. With the exception of the first half of chapter three, it's gone pretty well so far. We'll see if I can shift that into high gear so I can get through it and move on to the next novel(s). I also found a writing workshop that I want to attend next June; cross your fingers that I can manage it!
It's noon on a Saturday. I'm seeing a play at 3 p.m., which will be nice. I also have a list of things to get done, so I should probably get moving. Enjoy your Mabon weekend, everyone!