Cat sitting is over

My brother and his wife are back. The cats survived. All is well. My cat is not happy with me but happy I am home. We'll be heading back to OH on monday.

I'm watching Miss Fisher's Mysteries right now. I would love to adopt her looks for that Steamtastic Beasts steampunk n ext year but you know what could not find ONE pattern at Joanne's. Then on AMazon found dozens of beautiful flapper dresses for like 40$. Here's the rub. I Know they'll be shit because I can't even buy the fabric for that. Two, if they don't fit sending them back would be a nightmare. I don't get how anyone prefers to shop this way, paying postage both ways and for what? Clothing I didn't keep. Sigh.

Buying the dresses from more reputable places are close to 100$ and for a dress I couldn't wear anywhere else. I'm still thinking of buying a straightlined dress and just appliqueing it or putting on fringe. I can deal with the hats and headbands. I already own two cloche hats. And man I wish Miss FIsher had more than 3 seasons.


And I came how to see an email to write my blurb. Gah yes, that again. You all know how much I love doing this (I almost wish I DID work for publishing houses that don't have the author do this). So expect to see that. I've got a publication date next May for Modified and Sacred (yeah that surprised me too)

I don't think my Saint Augustine Christmas story will fly. It's due in 10 days. Even if I can finish it, I have no prayer of getting it edited by then. Sigh.

Writerly Ways

I know we've talked about this a bit but since I'm facing it again. WHAT do you want to see in a blurb? I know what I want (or don't want). I want to have some idea of the plot and main characters. A hint to the genre is always nice. I don't want spoilers and I don't want it to be 10 paragraphs long (My publishers keep us around 300 words). But what do you want to see? Remember this is your best guide to what a book is about. Use it.

Links from around the web.


Characters: Raise the Stakes to Make Readers Love 'Em or Hate 'Em

Fiction Archetypes that Sell Like Wildfire


Imagine The Page As You Write Your Book

Vulnerability As A Way To Establish Trust


My 20-Step Plan to Writing a Book: Part 1 (Steps 1-10)

The Five Emotional Stages of Publishing A Book

So You Wanna Write a Black Person?

From Betty


Perpetual License for Derivative Rights

20 Top BookBub Ad Designs Readers Want to Click

Plot Problem? Fix It Fast with a Retcon I actually don't really agree with this one. BUT I did just do it slightly with Blood Red Roulette.

6 Reasons to Relaunch Your Book We were just discussing this on Queer SF and were split up the middle on if we should bother.

Evoking Emotions in Readers in a Masterful Way

Evoking Emotions in Readers in a Masterful Way Part 2

Five Types of Disastrous Reveals It's mythcreants so take it with a grain of salt. They like nothing and half their advice is crap.

character competence podcast





Yearly Word Count -

46221 / 100000 words. 46% done!


Haunted Hills -

53899 / 70000 words. 77% done!



Sacred Kin - Done and sold, yay.

Saint Augustine Saturnalia -

6212 / 10000 words. 62% done!


And two new things first line & post apocalyptic but not enough yet to say

Splinters - Ch 3 at the critique group. I've done squat all otherwise.

Rose Island - currently on hiatus

I wish I had left today

It was a bad day thanks to the neighbors. Remember the fox babies I mentioned? One of the neighbors murdered one today. Sigh. They called early in the day bitching that the fox had left a dead possum and coon on their porch. We tried to explain a) that is not their prey (especially not the kits) b) it was the Coyote (I heard him singing) if it was anything because wild animals don't waste food c ) it was more likely a damn dog.

So they go harrass my uncle and aunt for a live trap. So fine we'll go get that. Then the other neighbor was all hepped up over the foxes too for god knows what reason. So the two neighbors were all pissed off about the foxes and suddenly live trapping them and moving them went out the window.

My aunt told them if they shot the fox she's called they police. They shot the fox. My aunt called the cops (instead of the game warden which is what we told her to do because we didn't see any of this). The cop took the fox and told them they were likely in a lot of trouble. They told the cop the fox tried to attack them and looked rabid (we're talking a kit who has done nothing but play with insects and hasn't even bothered yet another neighbor's chickens.)

So yeah fighting all around here. Of course fighting all around in my apartment which it looks like I'll be stuck there. I was looking to see if there was any information on my promotion but found a long letter from the provost talking about how little private colleges keep failing. I think this is a prelude to closing my school. I dont' know what I'll do then.