It's all about Balance

[cornerofmadness]

Funny I just finished reading a book about that and it's true. In my head I need to balance things. I was disappointed, severely, today when Soldiers of the Sun didn't get an honorable mention or final in the Rainbow Awards. It would hurt less but there were only 13 entries and only four didn't final. So yeah, ouch.

But you know what, I still love that story. Even if no one reviews it. And the only one who did outside of Kira and ELD hated it. I still think it's better than people give it credit for. I do think, however, it's in the wrong spot (It's just not really romance) and needs to be moved. I'll work up the energy to open that can of worms after the new year.

To balance that, I did post the Christmas Blog hop (go see jana_denardo's post today to see all kinds of LGBT holiday stories for sale and some free!) and in that one of the better known authors reposted it with the comment about how good The Darkest Midnight in December was. That made me smile. Just a little. But I'm still so disheartened by how bad Soldiers sold that I haven't even tried to do the next in the series.

I was gone all day today which did nothing to help me prep for this week. I need it all done by tomorrow since Wednesday is my endoscopy and none too soon seeming as I just threw up a little brown stuff so is that coffee form almost 3 hours ago or coffee ground emesis, i.e. bleeding. Guess we'll find out.

I had to get my oil changed. They did not do the filter. They said 'it wasn't necessary' and knocked 50$ off the price. I happen to know that filter is 5$. Dad was NOT amused by this. Nor was I. They say my tires are okay though which I thought they were balding. Fine. That'll save me hundreds. But that was all the way up in Chillicothe and if I had gone home I would have been there only a half hour before having to leave again for Athens for the nano's group combo happy birthday to our ML, TGIO and goodbye to one of the students party.

So I went shopping. I have now officially overbought. For like everyone but dad and my brother. Sigh. I couldn't resist some of the stuff. But what I couldn't find is celery root. I saw it all the time and now that I have a recipe that needs it Kroger's no longer seems to stock the ugly sucker. I went to three of them. Sigh.

I also went to eat at Red Lobster. Forgot my coupon (which turns out was in the trunk). I wanted that new thing in the ad but that was 30$. Um. No. I got a shrimp dish that was half that. I should have asked if I could have had my 'shrimp my way' as two helpings of scampi because one scampi and two fried shrimp types was too much grease for me. Oh well. At least I was too nauseated to eat Tim Horton's donuts when I finally got to Athens.

It was interesting because I have never driven 50 all the way from Chillicothe to Athens (which is ironically 50 miles). The land feels strange there, just off. Seriously so (the other Wiccan in the ground concurs). Especially between Londonderry and MacAruthur (I do like the feel of MacArtuhur).It's a strange drive closer to Chillicothe because you can see where the glacier flattened it to pancakes. Then there was one area that I'd swear was Adena Indian mounds. I wonder if they've been explored. Probably. One spot made me wish I had my camera on me. I was in a glacier bowl facing the Appalachian hills and a heavy mist was all around. Cool stuff.

Will be very sorry to see our student go. Wishing her luck in all that comes next. Also very grateful to have the ladies I do in our nano group. Also grateful that at least in the Tim Horton's in Athens a group of Muslims can be sitting there talking and laughing without anyone harrassing them (we gave them some of the party cookie). Athens is pretty good that way, a bastion of diversity in the backwoods. It's one of the reasons I really like it.

Comments

[tinhutlady.livejournal.com]

Don't give up on your story! If you believe in it, then it is worth helping it out by changing categories. (keeps fingers crossed)

I have never heard of changing oil without changing the filter. Seriously? Nowadays those filters cannot handle being reused as they filter too many particulates into their paper linings. Not sure why those guys pulled that on you.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I think in many ways part of the problem is I dared to have a female character. It's one of the reasons that after I finish the three novels I have started, I might back away from this genre. The fans are...so obsessed with men fucking they seriously will not read it if there's a single female character. That creeps me out.
Not all of them are like that but yeah. Enough.

I haven't either and the car was already out of the shop. Last time they couldn't get the filter in my car right and I was there 2 1/2 hours. I think I'll take it to the other honda in Athens next time

[tinhutlady.livejournal.com]

Wow. Can't believe you were slammed for a female character...talk about diversity issues. Sheesh.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

A lot of slash fanficcers have gone to the m/m genre. For every one who is honestly concerned about LGBT characters and issues and know there are supportive females who SHOULD be shown there is one who just wants man/man sex and nothing else.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Okay, the filter thing is so very very odd. D:

You've overbought, I'm still not sure I have presents for people I want to buy for...including you. >.<;

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

it really is odd.

oh geez. If you get fat butt anything, he doesn't care much for catnip

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

It is. And I think I'd do some research on it, just to make sure.

Granted, Connor needs to go in for an oil change and his whatever comes after a 50K checkup. Unfortunately, since Mom can't drive right now, that makes it even more difficult to schedule...the place I like to go isn't open on weekends and opens later than when I get to work.

I remember he didn't like the organic stuff I sent. Geeze, Kanda.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

i do plan on doing that.

Yeah that makes it tough. You might have to try another weekend allowed spot

he did not. But he did take the catnip toy i bought for so meone else. so go figure

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Yeah...I'll figure something out. Saturday, the only place open is Sears. They're not bad but...

So picky, Kanda.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

jiffy lube, wal mart, all open saturdays. Sears would be better than them but yeah there're options

Kanda is weird

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

I'll probably go to Sears.

I have a little something for Kanda.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

there you go.

He's hoping it's a mouse or a ball that I can step on in hte middle of the night and break my neck

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Dropping Connor off tomorrow and leaving him overnight. Wh00t. Mom's letting me borrow the Gold Bug.

It probably is, Kanda, though it doesn't squeak to give her a heart attack. Because that's what happens in THIS house.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

oh well that works too

yes no squeaks

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

C'mon, squeaky toys you stomp on are the BEST.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

no no they aren't

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Sure they are. :D

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

no squeakums

[silvrethorn.livejournal.com]

Do you get judges' feedback from the Rainbow Awards? It would be good to know if the judges had legitimate issues with the story, writing, etc. or whether you lost out because the judges were anti-woman biased or just batshit. Useful feedback could be valuable. Feedback of the "I detest all stories that contain the word 'the'" variety at least reassures you that the judge was the one with issues, not your story.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

no sadly they do not. It's no where near as organized as that. Basically it's just a bunch of authors who volunteer their time and reading in a genre they didn't submit in so that pretty much assures you have someone reading something that's not their genre to begin with.

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

Well, that stinks.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

honestly it was never meant to BE this big. It was more like frankly the fan fic awards since really there aren't that many for this genre and the ones that did exist often were only open to actual gay male authors.

Then it ballooned. At least the entry fees (donations to LGBT) charities do some good. So am I disappointed? Yes of course but at the end of the day it's not like I lost out on a Hugo award or something

[evil-little-dog.livejournal.com]

That's probably a good way of looking at it.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

Yeah I mean there's no money attached. At the end of the day DSP would put the picture of the award on their website and that would be it. It might help with sales.

[silvrethorn.livejournal.com]

Well yay, it sounds a bit like the RPLA, then. Except with RPLA you have like 5% of judges under the age of 70, which makes it a bastion of fuddy-duddy reading taste in addition to an exercise in amateur judgeship. I don't know what's best with these award competitions--wait for the awards to get more sophisticated and better-run, in which case they attract higher-quality entries, or plow ahead with the early going where you have a better chance at winning something.

[cornerofmadness.livejournal.com]

oh geez. It's a catch 22. Really at the end of the day the award doesn't mean much. All I get is a picture next to my title on the publisher's website saying I won