Wednesday, March 11

The Busy Bee

Listening to: The Hives, "Hate To Say I Told You So"

Why haven't I been around you ask? Oh, I don't know...it could be blog malaise. It could be blogger's block. Or it could be that my life has gotten so freakin' crazy that I can't tell my right hand from my left anymore.

Okay, so I couldn't do that to begin with. Whatever.

Seriously, it seems like I'm spread out all over the place here. I don't mind it so much, though. Let's make a list, so I can feel even more overwhelmed:

  • Still querying on Battle of the Hexes. What can I say--I'm slow. I don't have too many agents left to go, but I tend to query when I have the time. Which, lately, hasn't been very often. And for the past month I've been waiting for a query critique on a writer's forum from a pretty awesome agent, who's on my list anyhow. I figured I'd wait and see if I could get some good advice before continuing.

    When's the query crit, you ask? TODAY, I answer. Am I nervous, you ask? HELL YES, I answer. Who's the agent, you ask? STOP ASKING QUESTIONS, I answer.

    Lesson: query faster for the next one. I think I'll send out ten a week, regardless of when/whether I receive replies. That way I can just get it done and over, instead of dragging out the process for....dear lord. A whole year. Yeesh.
  • Grim Light is out to some betas, and I've gotten some great feedback. I need to do at least one more round of revisions before I query. I hope to be ready by mid-April.
  • House-hunting/selling: We just got a storage space, woo! So I have to start packing some junk away so the house looks all uncluttered and spacious when it's showtime. Which, it being spring, will be very soon. What I love about this? I'm going to pack away pictures and knick-knacks and stuff, and then in several months, whenever we finally find and get a house we love, I'll get to unpack them. And it'll be like Christmas! I love that. Yes, I'm weird.

    Also, I'm spending this weekend cleaning. That is NOT like Christmas.
  • Brainstorming for the next one. I expect to start as soon as revisions on Grim Light are completed.
  • Judging for the Golden Hearts. That took more time than I expected, and was certainly an interesting experience.
  • Working on my website. Yes, that's right. The blog will be moving as soon as the new website is up and ready. Which, again, I hope to have completed by mid-April, so I can comfortably use the email address that comes with my domain for my e-queries. The website thing is a new-ish arena for me, so it's been slow going. I learn as I go...and I don't go very fast. If I set aside one night a week to work on it, though, I should be done by my deadline.
  • Work. Oh, that's right. The day job. It's starting to get down to crunch time. As it's just a temporary gig, I expect to be done by June...but I was also supposed to be done last September, and they kept me on. So that is certainly subject to change. I'm surprisingly comfortable with this.
And, aside from family and friends and all the usual stuff, that's my life these days. I think that, once I hit mid-April--and especially once our current project at the day job is done--I'll have more time for blogging.

So...what's been keeping YOU busy these days?

6 comments:

  1. What's been keeping me busy? Nothing. Except getting ready for the impending arrival of Rachel LeeAnne in May. So I've been trying to get our small apartment in shape for a new baby. The fun part is that our seven year old boy has gotten in the habit of sleeping with us, a habit that will be changing. Soon. But it's not going to be easy.

    I went to the doctor today and got the results of my recent bone density test. Not good. My T-score is now 2.1, and the lower the score the higher your risk of fracture. I am now at high risk. I knew that already. I broke a rib in August during a Florida vacation from a relatively little fall, then at least one more six weeks ago from coughing. I'll be thirty three in four weeks, and I figure in a wheelchair in four years at this rate. But don't cry for me. Though a prayer would be nice. At least I can still write.

    Good luck with everything, can't wait to see your site!

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  2. Well Steve, I think preparing for a new baby is plenty to keep you busy! And that's a beautiful name you've chosen.

    Sending out prayers for your bone problems, both that they improve and that their impact on your enjoyment of life is minimal.

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  3. What is Grim Light about?
    well, welcome back.
    I was thinking about you today when I was reading and article in the local paper about some author who had recently released YA book. I was wishing it was you.
    It is a great story - Battle of the Hexes, be a cool movie.
    Yup, sounds like you have quite a list of things to do, no wonder you've been missing.

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  4. Grim Light is about a girl who can see death (and HATES it) and the reaper she falls for. That's the short, short, short version. =)

    Well, someday, Lisa...as long as there's a publishing industry, I'll be trying to break into it. Thank you so much for thinking of me! You're welcome to read Grim Light, if you'd like (after I make a few changes based on some early readers' suggestions).

    Yeah, I should be back on my game in a month or so. Can't WAIT.

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  5. Oh yes. I'd love to read. Falling for the grim reaper. Cool concept
    You can always count on me for beta readers!!l
    Lisa blogging from her iPhone

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  6. Awesome! I'm going to work on my changes this week, and I'll probably have it to you by the weekend. =)

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If you don't feel that you are possibly on the edge of humiliating yourself, of losing control of the whole thing, then possibly what you are doing isn't very vital. If you don't feel like you are writing somewhat over your head, why do it? If you don't have some doubt of your authority to tell this story, then you are not trying to tell enough. --John Irving