Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in Sarah Zettel's LiveJournal:

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Saturday, September 2nd, 2006
1:25 pm	Moving On Due to one thing and another, I'm changing my LJ name. From here on out, I'll be sazettel. Because I'm too cheap to pay the LJ folks to flip things over for me, I'll be shutting this blog down in about a week. So, friends, Romans and Countrymen, please show sazettel all the courtesy you've shown me, and head over thataway for continued conversation. Thank you for your kind attention. To all who have lent an ear, I promise to give them back next week. (11 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, August 31st, 2006
8:51 am	Petty Crime Some utterly indescribable lowlife, scumbag jerkwad stole my sons tricycle. His TRICYCLE! Out of the park. While he and his dad were playing. May they come to understand PRECISELY how much that hurt a small child. May they come to understand EXACTLY what a senseless, lowlife and scummy thing that was to do. May they not only come to regret every aspect of this from first thought to execution, but may they never do such a thing again. Today, we not only have to go get a new trike (Alexander loved his trike. I have never seen another kid who could cheerfully ride a full half-mile and more on a trike), we have to go get a bike lock for the trike. What a flippin' world. (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, August 29th, 2006
12:48 pm	How 'Bout Them Tigers Okay, I admit it, I'm a fair-weather fan...But... Wow. 4 games ahead and playing like a real team! Yes, I like baseball. I like the sentiment and the history. I can follow the games, I like the strategy and the elegance, and the astounding athleticism (the other night the Tiger's pitcher caught a ball driven hard at him, BEHIND HIS BACK) that still requires the best players to be SMART about their play. It's hard to be a Tigers fan. There's absolutely no cache in it. Not like being a fan of really grand losers, like the Cubs, or the Red Sox. The Tigers for the most part are just...sad. Not this year though. Dang! Starting a series against the Yankees tonight. Now we'll see. You gotta realize though, if the Tigers win the Series right after the White Sox AND the Red Sox, something has gone seriously wrong with the findamental fabric of reality. (Comment on this)
10:19 am	Job Hunt What with Harlequin dropping my contract, I have come to the realization that for the first time in around 7 years, I'm essnetially unemployed. I have no contracts. I'm finishing up the Camelot series for HarperCollins UK, but...I have no other commitments. Before we get deep into this thread, I've got to warn you. I am a mercenary. I write because I love it, but it's the writing itself I love, not any particular genre or story. I also write to pay the mortgage, so I write for money, and I make no bones about it. This can make me sound rather harsh sometmes, but there it is. So, I'm in the middle of the writerly equivalent of a job hunt. And, thanks to the wonders of the internet, I'm going to tempt fate, and talk about what's going on. See, normally, superstition forbids. Mention something pending and it's sure to fall through. So, we'll keep at this until that starts happening, in which case, I'll clam up. Even before the contract got dropped, I was going through some major shift in attitude. Frankly, SF is not an expanding market. It is in fact shrinking. I've also been reading my royalty statements, and frankly, my numbers are...steady. I sell about the same number books every year. Which is fine, but you know what? It doesn't convince publishers that you're someone you've got to keep around when it comes time to clean house. What I need to do is open myself up to new markets. Or open them to me. We'll get to the bad news first. Yes indeed, I've got a straight romance proposal out there. 52% of all paperbacks sold are romances. On top of that, as with SF, there's a much wider range of stories than is commonly believed. What frightened me was as soon as I started thinking, "All right, what would a romance I'd like to read be like?" an idea moved in. And it brought friends. I also have the go ahead from a YA publisher to submit an SF proposal. Weirdly, as soon as I thought about writing for kids, I got the first set of solid SF ideas I'd had in YEARS. I'm not sure what brought on the shift, but whatever it was, it worked. So, I'm putting that together. And I'll tell you what, I went to Borders the other day to take a look at what YA SF's already on the shelves. You know what? It's not there. There is NOTHING. There's YA fantasy all over the place, but I found one, count 'em ONE that would be classified as SF. Oh, A Wrinkle in Time was there, but other than that, zippo, and except for this one book, nothing new. My jaw just dropped. Where that audience has gone, however, is not a mystery, and you can't blame Harry Potter for it. Neither can you blame the price of paperbacks, which SF authors are fond of doing. The reason was across the aisle. Manga. This is where I'm about to jump off a cliff. But, you look at the rapid expension of lines, and the sales in the millions, and you've got to start considering it. So, I started reading it. And here's where any 15 year olds can start rolling their eyes. But... Wow. There is absolutely NO limit to the subject matter. You can write about anything and everything. The Life of the Bhudda is a big seller, as is the Rg Veda. You can be hyper real, you can be surreal to the point of incomprehensibility. It is also, get this, the only SF/F format that has acheived parity between male and female readers. In fact, while I was conducting my shelf-survey in Borders, a couple of teenage girls came in and were going over the shelves, exclaiming over new arrivals, looking for specific characters on covers, talking about the merits of titles, what they collected, what friends collected...When was the last time you saw kids voluntarily do this with books? So, you've guessed what's coming by now. Yes, I'm looking at putting together a manga proposal. I'm flying more than a bit blind here, but we shall see what we shall see. There are publishers doing original english language manga now, and at least some have said they're looking for novelists. It's worth a shot, anyway. And wouldn't it be fun if it came to something? Well, there it is. The overview of my professional life as it stands. Cross your fingers for me. (12 Comments |Comment on this)
10:18 am	A Day at the Movies So my son's off school, which means it's Mother-Son bonding time. Yesterday, as it was grey and rainy I decided we should go off to the dollar movies at the mall and see Cars. Was there ever a movie more calculated to appeal to a young boy? Loaded with cars speeding through various sorts of scenery, crashes and occasional explosions. Combine this with a world of in-jokes and nostalgia for the parents, and some truly eye-poppingly detailed animation, and you've got a good afternoon. The plot was an old standard, as Pixar plots are but they bring those out and paint them up so pretty, you enjoy looking at them. (Comment on this)
Thursday, August 24th, 2006
8:31 am	Return of the Green Thumb Between the heat and racing to finish the book, I have pretty much done zero gardening this summer. The results have been...well, let's just say if kudzu grew this far north, you wouldn't be able to see our house anymore. Now that I find myself with some time, I've been trying to make up for this. By pulling weeds. Lots, and lots, and lots of weeds. See, when we moved in here, nobody had actually cared for the yards in at least ten years. The back was pretty much a vacant lot. Planning on having a kid at that point, I went back there with gloves and a hoe and a lot of garbage bags, and when I got the worst of the weeds cleared, I found the outlines of two flower beds, running along each side of the yard. We even got some flowers, some beautiful pink tulips and some pistacio daffodills. Oh, and there were daylillies, and lilly of the valley, and this stuff called star of bethlehem. Since then, I have, as able, with my most feeble skills, been attempting to restore those flower beds. They're not that big. We've got an urban yard, approximately the size of a postage stamp, but jeeze, it's been hard keeping up. So, I got the front two beds done. Our Hardy Bugger rose bush, Gertrude, bless her, has put out a couple of late buds, I like to think in praise of my efforts. This bed is my best, sunny and reasonably sized, but the thing of it is, somewhere in here we got a volunteer strawberry plant. Great! Strawberries make great ground cover, and this one seems to think it is in strawberry heaven. It's putting out runners all over the place. So, while yanking up handfuls of crabgrass and Whatthehellisthat, I have to be carefull not to yank up strawberry runners. This requires patience. Which I seldom have while trying to clear out a disaster I feel is of my own making. FINALLY got out the extra hose we bought and got some water onto the heavily shaded part of our lawn which we had to reseed after it got completely dug up to fix the broken pipe down below. Now must face the backyard, which is rapidly returning to vacant lot status. I'm getting a break today though. Since I watered yesterday, of course we have rain today. I promise to use this power only for good. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, August 23rd, 2006
8:43 am	Fiddlin' Around I've been meaning to post about the music party Alexander and I went to. Last week was my second bout as a Pennsic Widow. This year, we're taking a different approach to the phenomon and instead of mooching around the house, I'm taking Alexander on trips. The Big CT trip you've already heard about. This trip was much shorter. We woke up Saturday morning, threw a few things into a suitcase, had lunch at the local Max & Ermas, and drove out to Grand Rapids to visit with Dave Alway who throws a series of filk parties every year. Anybody here not know what filk music is? Speak up, don't be shy. The drive went smoothly. As expected, Alexander napped for a good chunk of it. We found the house without a hitch, and the music in full swing. Dave, very intelligently, has a separate play room set up for the kids, and Alexander made a bee-line for the HUGE wooden train set. I and my "mystery instrument" joined the music-making circle. I was scared to DEATH. See, I have spent a long time being...told in various ways that I am unmusical. Suspicions of actual tone-deafness have been voice. And my particular tastes, which lean heavily toward folk and traditional music, with a morbid love of murder ballads are mocked. Frequently. By friends. A lot. And this is before they find out about my Barry Manilow thing. So, it was taking a great deal of nerve for me to go out and expose all this in public. Even very friendly public. However, it turned out my voice, which has been getting better since I've been practicing, was in fairly good form, and this was a group that was willing and able to appreciate things like "The Three Minute Hamlet." The fiddling...was a bit clumsy and I flubbed more than I would have liked, but everybody was tolerant. And we sang SF songs, and some Stan Rogers, and even some Johnny Cash, and somebody trotted out a version of "Vandy Vandy," from a Manly Wade Wellman story that I have adored for YEARS. The company was also very good and very comfortable The kids got along pretty well. No major flare ups. There was pizza and pot luck for dinner. Alexander even came out with his moose, Eyore and frog pillow to listen for awhile. Dave put us up in one of the guest rooms, and that all went fine too. In the morning we packed up, cheerfully accepted some spare plants from Dave's extensive garden, which is managed by the master gardener Mary Etta, and drove down to Kalamazoo to hook up with some other friends and go out to brunch. Alexander fell asleep almost as soon as we hit the restauraunt, so we had a long time to linger and catch up. Drive home was as uneventful as the drive out. Tim made it home about 3 in the morning, which was expected, and all was right with the world. And I'm now a little less scared about performing. Go me! (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, August 22nd, 2006
9:26 am	DONE! I am the Fiction Goddess! I just finished the rough draft of Camelot's Blood, with a week to spare on the original deadline, that due to the amount of sh*t that has rained down upon me this year, was extended by a month. Oh, and did I mention, this is the SECOND book I'll be turning in this year? D*mn, I'm good! (8 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, August 15th, 2006
8:53 am	Travels with Family: Mystic Last Rock: Mystic So, our last full day, Annie, Esther, Alexander and I drove out to Mystic to go to the aquarium. It is a most plesant little place, with lovely things like penguins, sea lions and beluga whales, and fruit bats. Alexander was in full four-year-old mode and was far more interested in running about than actually looking at anything, so he ran and I chased. He did agree to watch the movie about dolphin communication though so Annie and her friend whom we met there could go on the thrill-movie ride (you know, one of these things where the seats tilt and vibrate while various monsters come to get you on the screen). After that, we went to an excellent restauraunt Annie's friend recommended. It was right on the water, and had big windows, so we got to watch the boats, and once, see the draw bridge go up. Most entertaining for young child. Then there was the excellent local ice cream parlor right across said bridge. There is nothing like a native guide for good travel. And back to Madison, with a stop at the very fine local bookstore, and an equally fine playground, and then back to the cottages. We had been thinking about going out for dinner, but it was decided to do Chinese carryout instead (this was not a gormet trip. Comfort and convenience came decidedly, and properly first). Then it was all to bed and up to pack up and load up and hit the road, with a stop at a yummy bagel restauraunt for breakfast, where we had the one and only accident of the trip. It was a Massive Milk Spill, at which I did not cry, but admit to being heavily annoyed. After that, however, it was smooth sailing. Thanks to WJs excellent advice about when to leave, we sailed down 95 with only the very lightest of traffic. This was where I learned NYC really is different from Chicago, the truly large city with which I am most familiar when it comes to driving. Chicago has suburbs and sister-cities in all directions, and trying to time its traffic is pointless. Everybody's going everywhichway all the time. You just go through it and accept it. NYC though, has most definite patterns and a clear direction for the traffic, and you can wait it out, if you know what's going on. Again, I speak in praise of native guides. The drive home was just as it ought to be: smooth and unadventerous. We got a meal in at Friendly's, a relic of my childhood. We got a swim in at the Days Inn pool. We got home in the early afternoon in good order and Alexander got to play computer games for the first time in a week, while Mom collapsed and was glad not to be moving for a little while. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Sunday, August 13th, 2006
12:28 pm	Books, Books, Books I have fallen way behind in my attempt to read what I've actually got in the house as opposed to buying new ones. And perhaps I should be ashamed to admit some of the new books I've been bringing in are Romance novels. Yes, I read them. I could say that this is all research because I intend to start writing them, but I'm not sure that makes it any better. So, now you know all my dark secrets. I'm very boring. Anyway, found a new (to me) author, Stephanie Laurens, who is unusual in that she actually has, or had, an interesting mystery in the middle of her romance What Price Love? which revolved around horse race fixing. So, I started reading the rest of the series. And they're entertaining enough, but after awhile, a problem creeps in, and it's in the sex scenes. Every flippin' last kiss, caress, pinky gesture and...what have you, is the absolute best, the most intensely superlative, the dizzyingset of the dizziest, each and every time. Until the protagonists don't dare shake hands because they're going to be gripped by paroxysms of paroxysms. The woman's Thesauraus must be really, really worn out. I mean, I know what these books are for and about, but, you know what? Couldn't it just be...nice? Comforting? Companionable? A good snuggle? Just once in awhile for variety's sake? On my quest to read what I own, however, I did finally read Thud! by Terry Prachett. Well... You have to understand, I'm an early adapter on Terry Prachett. I was given The Color of Magic in England before it came out here. Some of his stuff is the best fantasy I've ever read. Small Gods leaps to mind. Lords and Ladies. The Fifth Elephant. But lately...eh. It's nice to read someone who I know I'll agree with, and his zingers are still amusing, but after 27 books, I get the distinct feeling he might be running out of new things to say. I was looking at Thud! going, "You know, he's got what would have been six books worth of ideas and development for him, say, 10 or 12 books back." And I don't mean this in a good way. Sigh. After that, I read Sweeny Todd:The True Story of The Demon Barber. Very, VERY interesting. The guy was real. They think he did in about 160 people over 10 or so years. As a barber surgeon, he did the butchery and trucked the...results over to Mrs. Lovett via an underground tunnel that originated in the church next door. The motivation, Soundheim to the contrary, seems to have been robbery. The Bow Street Runners, who caught the pair, got on the scent (literally, 'cause one of the things that clued them in was the terrible smell in that church), was a missing string of pearls, and the missing courier who was supposed to be taking them uptown. Not good for lunchtime reading, but a really interesting look at the truth behind the musical. Now reading Louis XIV, also facinating. More on that later. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
12:10 pm	The Bad News Well, now that I've talked with my agent, and have mostly calmed down about it, now I can go public. Harlequin has dropped my Luna contract. That's right, dropped. Before the series ended. The last book of the Camelot series will not be published by Luna. Very kindly, they are going to pay the full advance for this book and let me keep the on-signing money for the 2nd book of the contract. Gee, thanks, guys. To say that this sucks is putting it extremely mildly, and you guys were spared the tears and swearing and pacing that was going on around here over the past few days. These are the times, however, when you find out why you employ an agent. Shawna, bless her, talked me down off the ceiling and the calmly said what we were going to do was go to HarperCollins, my UK publisher and find out if they'd like the American rights to the book they're already going to be publishing in the rest of the English speaking world anyway. Now why didn't _I_ think of that? 'Cause I'm not an agent, but I happily pay mine her 15% to think of these things. So, I'm feeling much better now, and can only say: FOOLS! I'LL SHOW THEM ALL! MMMMMWWWWAAAA-HAAA-HAAA! (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, August 12th, 2006
9:52 am	Continuing Travels Day at the Beach It was a leisurely morning with PBS cartoons and breakfast a la kitchenette. Nice thing about a holiday cottage, they are much more comfy to lounge about in than your average hotel room. Esther, WJ and their daughter Annie showed up around ten and we all trekked off to the local beach. What a great beach. Shady trees and a big playground, and, of course, a sandy beach, and an absolutely terrific snack bar and grill. I haven't played around in the ocean in a donkey's age, and had almost as much fun as Alexander. Annie and Alexander had hit it off wonderfully and they had a great time. The grill, as I said, was terrific and I got a steak n cheese for lunch while Alexander had fish n chips, which had become his New England meal of choice. Our friends had to take off early, but we hung around, variously in the water, on the sand, and on the playground, and, for awhile, asleep under the trees (I was in Nerd Hell for that one. An hour and a half of relatively free but stationery time, and NOTHING TO READ. Fortunately, I had a notebook for writing). Around 4, we were back in the water and a young man came round warning us to watch out for jellyfish, they'd already found 3. Alexander, sensibly, decided it was time to go. Which we did. Back at the cottage, our friends showed up with pizza for a relaxed dinner at the cottage. Esther and I finally got some serious discussion in about a project we're thinking about collaborating on, which was part of the reason for this trip. And then to bed. Comfy beds in this place. And Alexander loved sleeping on the sofa bed, as all kids do. Next: Last Day in CT and The Drive Home (Comment on this)
Friday, August 11th, 2006
8:53 am	Trip Report: NYC and Me Day 3: NYC and Me So, we woke up the next morning. Alexander woke up before I did and played happily with his trains and books until Mommy got out of bed. We had breakfast off the groceries Esther & WJ had most helpfully gotten us (bagels for Alexander, oatmeal for me), and got dressed and ready to go, for today was the day to go to New York City. Esther and WJ arrived right on time, and off we went. I did the driving because of child seat requirements. We made it into New Haven no problem, acquired tickets, and got down to the platform in plenty of time, and when the train came, we got a set of seats facing each other. It was the front car, and Esther suggested we take Alexander to the conductor's compartment, which we did, and when we told the man that this was our train-loving child's first ride, he let Alexander blow the horn. Perfect. Alexander enjoyed the ride, looking out the windows and reading the various station signs. The adults enjoyed good conversation and thus we got into Grand Central Station sans problem. We went to the Famous Clock where we had arranged to meet Susan before going to the planetarium. After waiting a bit, we began to get a little worried, but we needn't have. Susan was soon spotted and we were off again. We had been thinking of taking the subway to the planetarium, but the route would have been most circuitous, so we opted for taxis instead. We had to present bags for inspection at the planetarium, and Susan told the guard we were there from Michigan, and it turned out the guard had cousins in Warren, and proceeded to make bird calls for Alexander. My child charms another total stranger! Alexander loved the planetarium, which is very modern and very interactive. As expected, he impressed the heck out of everyone in earshot with his ability to recite the names of planets and moons The planetarium show, with narration by Robert Redford, is absolutely spectacular. Again for the sake of simplicity we decided to have lunch in the cafeteria, and as we were lingering, Alexander fell asleep on the booth. So, we hung around and chatted about everything under the sun until he woke up, at which point I said, "Alexander, do you want to stay here and see more planetarium, or go to the fancy toy store?" Alexander loves planets, but he is four. Fancy toy store it was, and off we went to FAO Shwartz. Okay. This place is cool. A toy soldier and a fairy princess open the doors for you and you walk straight into the stuffed animal section, with a whole display of life sized stuffed animals, and, incidently, a life sized Batman made out of Legos. You can make your own hot wheels car. Of course there are tons of demos and displays, and, of course, Alexander wanted to go to the Thomas the Tank Engine section, which we did, where there was a large train set the kids could play with. I had come prepared to get Alexander one present, and chatted a bit with the clerk (let me tell you, working the train section at this store was not always an easy job from what she had to say), and asked what they had there that we might not find elsewhere. Turns out they'll customize a section of train track with your kid's name and a message. Too cute. Must have. Did get. And found out why this wasn't Toys R Us. Not only do they custom engrave the track, but it's brought back by a guy in a conductor's uniform, calling out your child's name saying there's a special delivery, and he hands it over in front of all the other kids, and then blows a train whistle. It was a whole production number, and worth the price of admission. Then, we had ice cream at their ice cream parlor. Impressive menu. IMPRESSIVE portions. Unfortunatley, it for some reason took them twice as long to get Alexander's dish of chocolate ice cream as it did to bring the rest of our orders, which was weird, and I was getting annoyed. It did come and the waitress brought a dish of M&Ms to help make up for the wait. So, we were assuaged. WJ had also gotten Alexander a new building block set that allows one to make a replica of an Egyptian temple. Alexander loves it. Then it was good-bye to Susan and thanks for helping us about the city, and back into the taxi and back to Grand Central where once again we caught the train and got seats without trouble. Trip back was a replay of trip there, smooth and easy and Alexander had a great time looking out the window and we got to talk. Adult company! I was in heaven. Got back to New Haven, started for the highway and going up the on-ramp, a low, testosterone-red sports car revs around us, all but cutting us off. Jerk, I think with much force. So, we're driving on, and I see a cloud of smoke rising ahead. Burning car. Burning car in breakdown lane. Get over into left lane. Drive. Don't look, don't slow down. Bad to have car in vicinity of fire. Let passengers look. Keep driving. Passengers note emergancy vehicle arriving, looks like driver's out. Then WJ realized, and I Am Not Making This Up, it was the car that had just cut us off. I swear I will use this power only for good. Made it home without further incident. We'd been thinking of going out for dinner, but by this time I was too exhausted to drive anymore, so WJ once again went to the market for us and came back with cheese, cold cuts and PB&J. Said good-bye to friends, ate sandwhich dinner, had bathtime, went to bed, incredibly tired but very happy. Next: Day at the Beach (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, August 10th, 2006
8:05 pm	Trip Report Part 1: The Drive I meant to post this earlier today, but got some bad news. Nothing life threatening, We're all okay, and we'll remain okay. I'll post more when I have a few more details. Anyway. We woke up on the morning of the third, ate breakfast, and Tim loaded up the car, and the kid. I kissed my darling husband farewell, and off we drove. Traffic was light, Alexander slept and woke, and used the rest area potties more or less willingly. We listened to a round of Beatles music, and the original London cast recording for Cats. Alexander, in his endless round of shifting personalities has decided he's Jennyannydots. Alexander read flap-books in the back seat and played with various car toys, and all went well through Ohio, and well into Pennsylvania Then, about ten miles away from the hotel where we were going to stop that first night, highway 80 stopped dead. I mean dead. I mean completely, both lanes stopped dead. After about 15 minutes, I realized that the only reason we were moving at all was because people were getting off at the exit. I decided that we should follow this example and we got off too. Alexander was distressed at the realization that we weren't going the "right way" to the hotel, but I convinced him we were going to find a new way to go. We talked to the attendants at the nearest gas station, and got directions for the back roads, and joined the queue of everybody else who was taking the back roads. Alexander calmed down, and decided we were playing hide and seek with the hotel. It was a bloody long game, let me tell you, and a tour of dying towns tucked into the Appilaichian foothills. Fortunately, the noise "scooonch" is very funny when said by Mommy as slow progress is made in stop-and-go traffic. We made it, made it back to the highway, found the Days Inn, got pizza delivered from a local joint, and went swimming until it started to rain, which was, unfortunately, about five minutes after we got into the pool. Still, Alexander took it pretty well, and eventually consented to go to sleep. And thus passed the first day. And we got up, and had the hotel's continental breakfast, and got back on the road. And it was pretty much Day 1 Mark II. The Poconos are lovely. The route around NYC is well marked. And then we hit I-95 to head north into Connecticut. And we hit the traffic. And hit the traffic, and hit the traffic, and, oh, yeah, did I mention the traffic? It was a succession of multiple-mile traffic jams that lasted for 3 hours. Again, I speak in praise of my own child, who read his books, played with his toys, got into the game of guessing whether we'd make it under the bridge this time, and helped decide when we were still scoonching, and when we were actually _going_. But we did make it to the Beech Tree Cottages where we were staying in CT. Called Esther and WJ, the friends we were there to visit, to let them know we had in fact made it. They then showed up and conducted us to dinner at a local seafood joint that not only had delicious food, but had an old-fashioned carosel for the kids, complete with brass rings for grabbing. Alexander ate fish and chips, and rode the carosel, and dropped his ice cream, but handled it pretty well. Exhausted, we returned to the cottage, and went very quickly to sleep. Next: NYC and Me (Comment on this)
Wednesday, August 9th, 2006
3:42 pm	Back in Town Back now. Great trip. Exhausted. More later. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, August 2nd, 2006
8:23 am	AWOL I know I've been gone for awhile, and I'm about to take off again (my first trip with just Alexander. THIS should be interesting). But, I thought you might like to know: 1) Mom's home from the hospital, over the pneumonia and getting additional physical therapy for her mobility issues. 2) I know where Mr. Deku is interred and although I missed the funeral, I will be able to visit his grave, which makes me feel better. 3) THE HEAT IS BREAKING!!! 4) I was going to post all this stuff before, but I got a whole heap o' rewrites dropped on me last Friday with the oh-so-generous alottment of one week to get them done. Which would not have been any big deal, except I had a long-standing commitment that ate the whole weekend and I'm taking off on this vacation on Thursday. I did however get them done and they go in the mail today, go me! So, anyway, have fun, keep it to a dull roar, and I'll see you all when I get back. (Comment on this)
8:22 am	Bumper Sticker Saw what may be the perfect writer's bumper sticker the other day: Metaphors be with you! Okay, so I'm easily amused. (1 Comment |Comment on this)
8:22 am	Too Damn Hot The heat is supposed to break tonight. I am giddy with excitement. I hate heat. I really, really hate it. I hate feeling like a big, sweaty blob. I hate not being able to go outside without getting unpleasantly, stinkily drenched. I hate having to figure out what we're having for dinner based on how much I can do with how little stove work. I hate being constantly uncomfortable just doing every day things. I also break out, gain weight and just get generally unpleasant. I have no comprehension of people who plan vacations to places where the main attraction is that they'll have more time to sit around and be hot. Grump. Grumble. Gripe. Storms moving through tonight and it's supposed to drop 10 degrees. Whoo-hoo! (Comment on this)
Friday, July 21st, 2006
9:29 am	Mr. Thomas B. Deku I had a teacher in high school named Thomas B. Deku. He was a cheerful, small, bearded man, with a tenor voice that could cut through the rowdiest class conversation. Not that anyboy got rowdy in his classes. He wouldn't stand for it. I first had him for American Nobel Prize authors, where I found out he had the incredible gift of introducing great literature in a way that did not make it boring. I discovered I hated Hemingway, but loved Steinbeck and Bellow, and learned how to parse a Faulkner sentance in that class. The class that changed my life, though, was the next elective I took from him. He taught "Writing for Publication." This was not a normal writing class. We did not learn about composition or theory. We were supposed to get that from Mr. Shramm over in Comp I and II. No. In this class we learned how to reasearch a market, prepare a manuscript, and submit it to an editor. Not only did we learn how to do this, we actually did it. I got my first rejection slip on a story I wrote and submitted in Mr. Deku's class. As far as I know, he is the only high school teacher who ever taught such a class in such a fashion. He was also the only teacher I ever had who told me that in fact, if I wanted to be an author, I could do to. It was possible. He never went on about how hard it would be (I'd fictured that one out), he never said it was ridiculous, impracticle or that I'd starve. He just showed me the tools of the trade and the beginnings of a business sense for it. Never again did another teacher or professor do so much for me. Oh, and did I mention he was a fearsome critiquer? I also got to take a directed study session with him. This meant I got to sit in his office for an hour every day and write. That was the best semester of my high school career. I was graded, and hard. I was also critiqued hard. He was not about to let me get away with anything. No sloppy construction, no sloppy thinking, no un-checked facts. He taught me what real criticism was, and how to face it and use it to make my work better. Two years out of high school, I made my first small sale. Four years after that, I had my first national sale. Three after that, I sold my first novel. That was the book formally dedicated to Thomas B. Deku. But this teacher was responsible for every last one of them. I cannot say without Mr. Deku I would not have become an writer. I wanted it badly. But without him, it would not have been such a straight shot to professional author, and it certainly would not have happened so quickly. We remained friends, in and out of touch for the time after I escaped high school. He was also a talented photographer, and took my first publicity photo, which I used up until this year. He attended my wedding. And he knew, God, I hope he knew, I did tell him, how much he meant to me. May he rest in the light. I miss him. (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, July 20th, 2006
1:25 pm	Updates and Thanks Thanks for all the good wishes, folks. I'm back from seeing Mom, and now am cautiously optomistic. She does have pneumonia, which is, of course serious, but not as serious as some other things. The big confab with her doctors is this afternoon, after which we will know more. Her spirits are good, and she hates the hospital. If you're well enough to be grumpy, you're on the mend. (1 Comment |Comment on this)