Category Archives: writing

Thoughts on 30: Goals for writing, goals for life

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I honestly can’t remember a time when I didn’t want to tell stories. But I can tell you when I started taking telling stories seriously (well, not entirely seriously… thankfully). I was 25, had just had a baby, and went through the ringer with postpartum depression. On the other side of that, a truth glimmered. I don’t mean to be hokey or corny, but in the space of a few weeks it became abundantly clear that writing, being a writer, required my attention. It was one of those things that made me, and something I’d been ignoring a long time in favor of more acceptable aspirations.

I’ve talked about this before, of course. But as I’m approaching my 30th birthday, I think of another goal I made myself at the time: get published before 30. Not short story published, novel published. At the time I had 3/4 of one book, and a few chapters of another. (Now I’ve got considerably more than that, which is good to know.)

Honestly, such a goal was silly. Maybe. On the surface it has no meaning. Time is irrelevant. Quality is important. These days, I’m okay with writing one book in a year. Or one book in two years, now. Writing books isn’t something I need to prove to myself I can do. But at that point, five years ago, I needed to finish. I needed to cross that line. And a silly self-imposed deadline definitely helped.

Granted, Pilgrim of the Sky will release sometime around my 30 1/2 birthday, but I count it as a win for my goal. At least, I consider that the fuel that fed the flames were set when I decided I needed to write for myself, and I needed to make writing Plan A (and set the timer on the whole “by the time I’m 30″ thing). So, it hasn’t turned out exactly how I thought. Life has a funny way leading you through its own back alleys while you’ve got your eyes on the sky.

But still: goal accomplished. So what does that mean for me now? Time for a new goal? Or time to meander down those dark alleys conscious of what makes me, what’s important, and which stories need to be told? I’m not sure.

I’m not where I want to be at the moment, writing wise. Distractions are high, time is sparse. That sense of determination, that drive I had when I was younger and sincerely unpublished has dimmed. But maybe that’s okay. Maybe one can find peace and inspiration in the flow, rather than in raging against it. Maybe it means going slower, planning more, and being more precise. I’m not sure.

What I am sure of, though, is what I want out of this book. I’d never have guessed that Pilgrim would be the first to publication, but here it is in all its strange complexity, all its layers and symbols and filigree. I want readers to follow me on the journey within the book, escaping not only from this world, but into the many worlds in the book. I want to share this story more than I ever have before. And there’s no time limit on that!

April… May… June?

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Yes, officially I suck as a blogger. But hey: I’ve been at this a while. Sometimes a gal needs a break.

I’ve been away long enough that WordPress now has a totally different dashboard, it’s almost June, and I’ve been to San Francisco and back. There are some big, awesome things going on. So I thought I’d let you know about them instead of, you know, just keeping them to myself. (Bad author. Bad!)

ConCarolinas – I am a guest! I am speaking on four panels: Changing History at 11:00 am on Saturday at University Ballroom A, Political Intrigue at 1pm in the same room on Saturday, Panel of Ice and Fire at 4 o’clock in Keynes on Saturday, and Mythology & Folklore in University Ballroom A at 1pm on Sunday. Come listen to me babble!

I’m an editor at Bull Spec! I am thrilled to be lending my eyes and brain to this fantastic publication, which isn’t just SFWA qualifying now, but also really gave me my first break. “Dr. Adderson’s Lens” appeared in Bull Spec #1, and people still talk to me about it. I’ll be concentrating on all things fantastical over there, so when we open to submissions please feel free to send us your best! I’m particularly drawn to fantasy that pushes past the expected, stories that start off in surprising ways, and unusual settings. Not that I don’t have a soft spot for a well-told S&S tale, just that I’m particularly interested in where fantasy is going, not just where it’s been.

Pilgrim of the Sky. It has its own website now! It looks like the book will be out now in December, which suits me quite well. One of my favorite scenes takes place during the holidays (granted, in Second World it’s Marymas, and not Christmas, but you know…) There are going to be lots of cool announcements re: the book in the coming months, including cover art and purchasing details. To say I’m excited is an understatement. In the mean time I’m planning on another vlog this week, as well as some research/windows into the worlds I made, and why I made them. (And also some Art History 101!)

Glassmere. I am writing a book. With large quantities of vitamin B6 have done wonders on my hands (and, the good news, is that my carpal tunnel isn’t, technically, severe — i.e. there is no nerve death) work has commenced. But writing isn’t going quickly. Part of the reason is that I’m spending a ton of time researching. The book takes place in 1910, and getting details right is really important. But I’ve also been reading a great deal, especially books about English manor homes, like Howards End and The Edwardians. So far, I’ve just crested 8K (which is just a fraction of a book, I realize) but the pace is good for right now. It’s a complicated book, with lots of difficult themes (race, family, class, religion, love, revenge) that require attention. I’ve mentioned before that it’s a personal book, and obviously not because it’s real. But the characters are based on real people — or at least partially. Evelyn and Julia are much like my sister and myself, and their grandmother and great-aunt are much like my own. Except changed, moved around, and muddled with. Still, it’s a story about sisters. And it makes a person think.

Additionally, I’ve been falling into research pits every now and again. If it isn’t calendar houses, it’s Ming Dynasty jewels; if it isn’t fashion magazines and corset styles, it’s train cars and race relations. I will be an expert Edwardian when this is all said and done…

For now, that’s about it. Work is excellent, but definitely keeps me busy. Hard to believe I’ve been there half a year already. Finally falling into a writing groove is awesome, and I’m looking forward to the months to come!

Marching on…

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Oh, look, I’m starting this post with a pun about the month of March. But yeah. Looks like I went the entire month of February without posting a single darned thing to my blog. Apologies. Sort of. We’ve moved, I’ve been working full-time, and life in general has been speeding by so fast I’m having a hard time keeping track of time, let alone posts. I’m not really apologizing, because it’s not like I’ve neglected on purpose. Anyone who’s sent me email in the last month will probably attest to the fact that response times aren’t really my strength at the moment! But I’m getting there.

Anyway, in writing news:  I’ve tentatively started a new project, gotten some very good insight on an old project (which will, eventually, be revisited), and am preparing for the publication of that other project, Pilgrim of the Sky. In Pilgrim news, I do have some fun stuff to share. Just not yet. Things are looking very positive. The edits to the draft are so far very well received, and I couldn’t be happier on that account. I’ve secured an artist for the cover, too, which I’ll talk about soon. Good things are afoot. Not to mention, here in North Carolina, spring is blooming all around us–the pear trees are just starting to turn, followed quickly by the red buds and dogwoods. I never tire of spring here. The blooms just call to me to be creative, to breathe in the beauty, to go all Keatsian and romantic.

I also finally finished “The One in the Swamp” for the Shotguns v. Cthulhu anthology. I am so excited to be part of this project, as a fan of all things Lovecraftian. I’m even more thrilled that I was able to finagle a dark, weird west tale into the mix, and continue to tell the story of the Sutherland girls. This ain’t the last you’ve heard of them.

Writing as of late has been slow. I’m still struggling to balance work life and booklife. I’m getting an odd distance to some of my older projects, and spending all too much time thinking about what kind of writer I want to be instead of just sitting down and writing. Hence, I chose a more difficult project to attend to next. After wavering back and forth for a few months, I’ve finally settled on writing Glassmere; it’s magical realism, set in the 1910s in Kent. And while that might not sound personal, it’s probably the most close-to-life novel I’ve ever attempted. It’s dark, deep, challenging on every level. It’s going to require research, planning… it’s going to take a while.*

I also have not been reading enough. I’ve had Elizabeth Bear’s All the Windwracked Stars since last summer, when my lovely friend Julia Rios gave it to me. But I haven’t made progress in the book because I haven’t made progress anywhere. I’ve not been reading at all. Period. Which is a grave offense. I can blame work and moving and everything else, but the truth of the matter is that I don’t know how to write well if I’m not reading something, especially when we’re speaking novels. So I’m making time. And it’s amazing how restorative those moments are with the book, how they make me examine my own work as well as the world of storytelling on a larger scale. Marvelous.

At any rate. This week we’re headed to PAX East, and I am jazzed to have a chance to get out a bit, hang out with awesome geeky friends, and let loose. Yes, I work at an epicly cool place. I can’t imagine a better place to work than a video game company. However, work–especially when one is suddenly the breadwinner–has a way of warping life around you and making things rather different than they were before. I need to let my hair down for a few days, and PAX East will be the ticket.

I will try to not neglect the blog for another month. As I mentioned, good things are afoot, and I’ll be chattering more as the month progresses, I’m sure!

* Reading that paragraph I realize that’s the worst sell for Glassmere that I’ve ever seen. Consider this instead: Little Women and The Buccaneers meet The Chronicles of Narnia and Alice in Wonderland. With a bit of Gosford Park thrown in for good measure. The main players are two sisters in their late teens (Evelyn and Julia) and their grandmother and great-aunt. The magical realism part is important, as it’s a major plot function, but the heart of the book is about sisters, family, jealousy, grudges, and love.

Adventures in Editing

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Last night I turned in my book to my editor, Kate, over at Candlemark & Gleam. This is a first for me. You know, editing a novel that will actually get into the hands of readers. I’ve spent lots of time editing my own books, and I generally enjoy the process quite a lot. I know many writers find it tedious and awful. And it can be, absolutely. But I have a good feeling about this draft; the second I sent it off to Kate, I missed it.

As I saved the file, I thought of the last two years. In late 2008, I completed the first draft of Pilgrim of the Sky; it was somewhere around 65,000 words. It grew from a flash of an idea: a female protagonist getting sucked into a Neo-Victorian/steampunk world that’s a near mirror to her own. Now, in 2011, that one idea is a 93,000 novel.  A real novel. And it encompasses so much more than steampunk now; it really doesn’t even fit into a genre. Speculative, sure. But it’s got elements of fantasy, the Gothic, romance, and some heavy mythology and philosophy. It’s layered, like a painting, which makes sense since Maddie, the main character, is an art historian. Her eye is tuned to read into things, and so the book–told in a very close third person–reflects that.

But the book itself has undergone a journey, and most of it has been through editing. I submitted the novel in 2009 to another small press, and it was rejected on some rather curious reasoning. You can read the post I wrote, “Novelfail: Facing rejection with grace, or learning to” if you want more of the story. At the time it really did feel like the end of the world. I was furious at being rejected for such a stupid reason. Yet now, thinking on it, I am so glad the book was rejected. Sure, at the time it was a good 80K of a book. I’d beefed it up since its first draft, and done a significant amount of editing. But it wasn’t there yet. And thankfully I’ve had a brilliant editor help me get it to where it needs to be.

And that’s the thing. Editing isn’t just about dialogue and grammar and pacing. Yes, those are all important things. But editing gives you a chance to dig deeper, to find the themes that you might have missed the first time, that bring the book from good to truly complete.

The editing process didn’t just help me fix dialogue and tighten up the plot. It revealed a better story. This last edit was no simple run-through. It took a ton more research, and an editor who had the ability to, on one hand understand the book, and on the other challenge me to make it better. There are elements in the current draft now that would never have been there if Kate hadn’t made me sit back down with the draft and consider a few things. Of course I went a little deeper than she probably expected, but it’s only because I found so much room for improvement, so many places to make broader or more delicate strokes.

And most importantly, in this almost final iteration, my main character is someone I’d actually like to take out to coffee. The first draft, Maddie was so acerbic. She was crass and had a foul mouth, and as a result wasn’t a terribly compelling heroine. But that changed in the course of edits. She became softer in some instances and stronger in others. And most importantly, I dedicated a whole new section of the book to her truly discovering her own power. Before, she was passive; now she’s active.

Anyway, that’s a long rambly way to say: pay attention to edits. Take the time. Work at it. Use your editing time to push your novel to its limits, to stretch it far beyond your initial imagination. There are bits of magic hidden that will only out with work. The book will reward you in the end, I promise. It will make you a better writer, and it will surprise you at every turn.

That’s the magic of creation. People so often bemoan the difficulty of it all. And yes, it’s a tough world out there. Publishing is rarely rewarding, and the book industry is turning on its head right now. But you have the power to do remarkable things, to be better at every turn, regardless of the details out there. Writing and editing are in your control, completely. And that is power. You can always get better.

A Whole Lot of Publication Goin’ On

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Well. I have lots of things to share. Enough things to share to warrant a list. Yes, a list. With numbering and everything fancy. So: behold!

1.) Currently you can find me in the premiere issue of Fantastique Unfettered. My story is called “Without a Light”. It’s a story about deadly desire, set in early 90s New England backdrop where, well, weird stuff happens. Like that Stephen King guy, I grew up in the frozen wilderness of New England, Massachusetts to be specific, and it’s the first story I ever set there. I think it definitely owes a lot of its tone to King’s short stories, which I devoured as a kid. But I’m very honored that it was chosen for inclusion in this premiere issue.

2.) My short story “Dead’s End to Middleton” — about seven gunslinging gals (the Sutherland sisters) with preternatural abilities to destroy paranormal creatures in 1880s Arizona — just went live on EscapePod. Originally it was in Crossed Genres about a year ago. But you can now listen to it, too! Bonus. The premise of the story is pretty simple. I wanted to write a story with lots of explosions that didn’t end up with everyone dying. Because, honestly, I write too many stories that end in death. So it’s surprisingly light-hearted in spite of its rather curious setup.

3.) On a related note, I also sold a story featuring two of the aforementioned Sutherland sisters to Stone Skin Press, for their anthology Shotguns v. Cthulhu. With a title like that, you can imagine how thrilled I was to contribute. Let’s just say it’s got a whopping monster foe, some Pinkertons, lots of Swampland, a family feud (including a shootin’), and a heist. It takes place about five years after “Dead’s End to Middleton” and follows Cassandra and Lydia across the country to Georgia, where the story is set. “The One in the Swamp” will blend two of the things I love quite dearly: steampunk Western vibes and Lovecraft.

4.) I also sold a short story to an anthology-that-I-can-not-yet-name. Of particularly cool note, and to anyone who’s a fan of the Aldersgate podcast, the story is called “Pushing Paper in Hartleigh” and tells the tale of how Sir Gawen left his cushy post as a paper-pushing captain in the Order of the Rose and defected to the unruly Order of the Asp. In the mean time you also get to meet younger versions of Sally Din and Sir Renmen. It was immensely fun to write, and I’m thrilled that it’s found a place to call home.

5.) In addition, I just got note that a short story I wrote called (tentatively called “Fish Eyes”) will be included in a future issue of Bull Spec. This little story (little for me, meaning it was actually under 2k) has been a darling of mine. I let it linger for too long and went back, did a serious edit, and sent it to Sam thinking it just might be the kind of thing he’d enjoy. Turns out I was right. Anyway, it’s very dark, very strange, and vaguely Viking/steampunk. Sort of. And there is a kind of creepy mermaid in it.

I’d say this is all quite a jolly good start to the New Year! I’m still entrenched in edits for Pilgrim of the Sky, and certainly trying to focus my energy (what I have left over after work!) on that. But it’s definitely cool to see so much progress so early on in the year. Work is keeping me pretty busy, but I’m having a blast (and, considering my husband is still unemployed, thanking my lucky stars each and every day).

2010: A Year in Review

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New headshot, courtesy of my ultra-talented sister-in-law.

In many ways, 2010 can be described in terms of loss. We started off by (accidentally…) losing our home. Then I lost the ability to write for a while, and spent the first eight months trying to figure out what the hell to do with myself. Along the way I lost 40 pounds (10 or so of which were surgically removed). Michael lost his job. Things felt pretty bleak there for a while, you might say.

But then, in spite of that, the year can be measured in terms of gain. I gained a new novel, Indigo & Ink, which I wrote during the pain period and, in my mind anyway, is one of the best things I’ve done to date. I gained lots of new publications (last year at this time, I had somewhere near two). I gained the sale of a novel. I gained amazing friends, local and afar. I gained a spectacularly awesome job. I wrote and wrote even when I couldn’t (thanks to dictation software) and gained the realization that yes, I am a writer. Even when I can’t type — when the unthinkable happens — I still tell stories. I tell them slower, but I tell them the same. And honestly, I don’t know what I’d do without that.

As I head into 2011, I have to believe it’s going to rock. I mean, it goes to eleven, people! Being part-hobbit, anyway, I have a superstitious thing about the number eleven. It’s got to be good.

Even before it’s started, there’s a heap of awesome: 2011 will see the publication of my first novel, Pilgrim of the Sky. My son will turn five and start kindergarten; I will turn thirty. I will celebrate seven years of marriage and eight years living in North Carolina. I like them odds, honestly.

So, come on over, 2011. Show me what you’re made of. I’m ready.

Updates in Nutshell. Or a Clam Shell.

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I’ve been inexcusably quiet here the last few weeks, and no, it’s not because of NaNoWriMo. Again, real life and things got in the way of that. Let me tell you, there’s nothing I would have rather done than write a novel from scratch, revel in the joy of creation, and bask in the awesome of writing for the month of November. But life has a way of being a stinkypants sometimes, and that’s totally what happened. I won’t get into the details of the personal life stuff, but it comes down to the fact that I’ve been job hunting, working on GeekMom, doing the holiday thing, working on Crossed Genres, and using my extra time to catch up on some anthology submissions (and a sale) as well as edits for Pilgrim of the Sky. When I had less work to do, NaNo was far easier.

In addition, we just released the first issue of Crossed Genres edited by Jaym Gates and myself. A momentous occasion, to be sure, as I’ve never been an editor of such proportions before. I really enjoy the process of finding those stories that shine. I’m particularly fond of the steampunk/Chinese influenced world of Jaymee Goh’s story “Lunar Year’s End“, but the TOC is really strong all throughout. What other magazine brings you such a width and breadth of genres? It’s truly fun to be part of the Crossed Genres team, and we have lots in store for the months to come.

Also important to note, I decided to axe the original ending of the Pilgrim of the Sky in favor of something more… transcendental. The book now contains 100% more quahog and 100% sphinx. I will rework some of the 10K I chopped, including the climax scene, but my heroine needed more punch. And now she’s got it.

Meanwhile, I am doing my darndest to focus on Pilgrim and edits and publication and try not to let other issues in the publishing industry get to me. But it’s hard. My husband is always the first to remind me that I’ve made a huge amount of progress in the last few years, but I can’t let go of that annoying voice in the back of my head. The one that doubts. That tells me I’m really not terribly marketable (squids and exploding eyeballs and whatnot).

Then I tell myself to shut up. Because, in the end it doesn’t really matter, does it? It comes down to the fact that, hell or high water, I write. And writing will happen whether or not I’m marketable. Maybe one of the weird ass books I write will start a trend. Or maybe it won’t. It makes me happy. And that’s the most important part. *cue the strings*

Anyrot! The gears do keep on moving, and I am the machine. So tally-ho!

NaNoWriMo: Thoughts on What it Means

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I’ve read my share of NaNoWriMo arguments, dissenters espousing the uselessness of the event — always very happy to point out that 50K does not a novel make, that the end product is not a true novel (let alone in good enough condition to share with the world at large) and, of course, if you really want to be a writer you don’t need an event to get you to do it.

To some extent, I agree with them. I think, in some cases, writers use NaNoWriMo as the be-all end-all, approaching it with the mentality that, if they “win” they would then be A True Writer with a True Book. This is simply not the case. 50K, unless you’re writing for a younger market, is about 1/2 to 2/3 of a novel in most genres. And chances are, once you’re done with that mad dash after November 30, by the end of the event what you’ve got in your hands is not going to be anything near a finished novel. In fact, it’ll probably be less than a Draft Zero. And it’s certainly not something you should even consider querying! (But people do… heavens knows people still do.)

But that’s not to say that the exercise isn’t important. In 2008 I participated in my first NaNoWriMo, after the insistence for years by my husband. I’d never had trouble writing novels, so I didn’t think I needed to do something like NaNoWriMo. I mean, what was the point?

The point was not the actual production of words. The point was producing words on a schedule. 1500 words, do or die. Like a professional writer. Getting on that schedule, proving to myself that I could start a totally different project in the middle of working on my Big Fat Steampunk Epic was truly eye-opening. I didn’t have to be bogged down by one story; I didn’t have to write on whims. I could actually do it, day in and day out. That was always the biggest road block for me.

Last year, I didn’t do NaNoWriMo. The biggest reason? Well, in the year between I’d written so much that was in need of editing that writing another 50K, in anything, just didn’t seem like a good choice.

And as exciting as NaNoWriMo is, it’s not for everyone. Sometimes the timing doesn’t work out right. Especially if you’re no longer in the aspiring writer category — things can get much more complicated.

This year the timing is right. I’ve been saving this idea for a situation just like this. Before the carpal tunnel incidence of early 2010, and all the surgery and crazy stuff this year, I was writing an average of 2K a day. Now, it’s less than that — but I’ve still managed to write one book and sell another this year (Pilgrim of the Sky started out as a 50K draft on my first NaNoWriMo, after all). I really need to get back into the groove, albeit on an ergonomic keyboard and PC of all things.

And even if you can’t do NaNoWriMo to the max, even if 50K is impossible, you should at least join up for the community. Because writing with other writers, well, that’s really one of the benefits of the event: linking up with other writers online and on Twitter and Facebook, and having accountability for what you’re writing. We too often write in the dark, and for many of us, anyway, letting others a window into that process can really be the kick in the pants you need. At least, so it was for me.

And so, as we hit the final day before the craziness starts: good look to all!

The Gnome and the Necromancer

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With the month of November looming, it’s time to consider NaNoWriMo. Last year it was NaNoEdMo for me, as I was busy doing edits on Queen of None.  But this year,  I haven’t been writing much at all since I finished Indigo & Ink, and figured I could use November to focus. Edits on Pilgrim of the Sky aren’t due until early 2011, after all. Things have been… well, meh in a lot of ways, and I’m seriously in need of some writing therapy. Not to mention, it’s really fun being involved in something creative with a group of awesome friends.

So: enter The Gnome and the Necromancer. This is a departure for me. For one, it’s Urban Fantasy, and takes place in the modern day, here in our world, and not in a secondary world where the rules don’t apply. It’s also YA, the main character, Ruby, being all of fourteen. The other MC is a gnome, for lack of a better term, who is a professional kidnapper. He’s supposed to steal magical children and bring them to his side of the world, but he sort of slips up in Ruby’s case, and she ends up unleashing her powers inadvertently on our world.

Anyway, here’s the synopsis:

Ruby Benson is fourteen, and her life couldn’t be worse. Or so she thinks. When her cousin Calvin passes away in a tragic car accident at the age of sixteen, she accidentally brings back his soul from the Underworld: into her corgi. Her inadvertent magic spell triggers the Changeling Court, who realize–for the first time since her birth–that she was not taken as a baby, as she should have been.

Talfryn Windwake, the changeling gnome in charge of her case, gets sent back to Ruby’s side of the world to retrieve her. He expects the transition to go smoothly: after all, aside from not taking her when he should have fourteen years ago, he’s got a perfect record. But Ruby isn’t going down without a fight. As Talfryn struggles to redeem himself after his unforgivable error, Ruby must come to grips with her new abilities, and decide whether or not she wants to trade her old life for a new one… the life she should have had in the first place.

A bit more marketable? Perhaps. Nothing wrong with that, I don’t think. But it’s going to be both lighthearted and sad at times. Themes of death, loss, love, duty… you know, those sorts of things. And shorter. Hopefully no more than 65-70K, which should work well for the genre and the time!

Anyway: if you’re doing NaNoWiMo this year, feel free to friend me! You can find my page here!

My October Projects*

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Novel editing has taken a pause in order to attend to two anthology submissions I want to finish. The good news: finished one last night, edited it tonight, will submit in just a bit. It takes place in the world of The Aldersgate, featuring three familiar faces to those who follow such things: Sir Gawen, Sir Renmen, and Sir Din. It takes place ten years before the events in the book, and tells the story of how Sir Gawen–once known around the Continent for his prowess and crazy mad skull-crushing skills–gave up his cushy captainship and joined the Order of the Asp.

The second story is posing more of a challenge. I am setting it in 1920s, post-Revolution Mexico City. And it has a jazz singer in it, as well as a Zapatista woman. Details are a little murky. Hoping to tease that one out in the next few days. (Now that I’ve written this down, chances are when I start to write I’m going to end up in Zimbabwe or something entirely different than I planned.)

Additionally: it’s almost Halloween! And it’s my husband’s birthday this weekend. So, I’m in Betty Crocker mode. Tomorrow is going to be dedicated to the making of sugary things, the sewing of creepy and cool things, and the entertaining of the child whilst attempting order. I have some truly intriguing stuff planned, including a host of squid-themed cocktails (a Squid Blood Martini, anyone?), spider chocolate eggs, and oh yeah, a birthday cake for my husband. I’m debating whether or not I should go for geeky or sappy. I have one idea that would likely make him cry in front of his friends.

At any rate, writing will stall out this weekend most likely. But once this second story is done, I’ll be able to resume edits on Pilgrim of the Sky (at the moment, it’s entirely a re-write; I’ve decided that the end needs to be redone. For the better. Really, truly, it’s a good idea… and only about 50 pages or so… parts of it I’m keeping, but the… well, clearly this requires a post in and of itself, but that will have to wait!).

I should totally be in bed.

*October Project was also a delightful musical group. I have them to thank–and my friend Elijah who introduced me to their album–for finishing my first novel, Peter of Windbourne, the first time. I finished it two other times since then, but y’know… The characters in the book are inextricably related to their self-titled album; I can’t even listen to it without thinking of scenes from the book.