Beta reader, given the first half of “Doghouse” to, well, beta-read:Â Â *readsreadsreadsdamnpatronsneedtobuggeroffsoIcanread* Me:Â oh, she’s liking it, Â it must not suck too badly! 3 seconds later:Â Â she must not be reading it closely enough. Just as no mother can see the ill of her child, no writer can see the good in theirs…. Regardless, […]
oh hai, have you MET me? Read More »
This week I’ve been head-down on the final push to get GIN & TONIC #3 into submission draft shape (aka “where I don’t flinch at the thought of my editor reading it and telling me what STILL needs to be fixed”). The problem with reading your draft out loud: by the time I get to
State of the Meerkat, revision edition Read More »
Oh hi, August, you’re going to be insane-busy, aren’t you? Â Connecticut, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Atlanta… And I have a birthday in there somewhere, too. First off, disappearing for a few days for for my first Agency Retreat, leaving the felines (reluctantly) in the capable hand of their cat-sitter. So I’ll ‘see’ y’all Sunday
oh hello there August… Read More »
And so, HEART OF BRIAR is launched. It’s strange, really.  That was a book I’d never planned to write – a distinct change from my usual theme and style – and looking back on it now a year later, it’s almost as though someone else wrote it.  Although it’s pretty clear that Martin, AJ and Jan
William Bartram, 1739-1823 Travels Through North & South Carolina, Georgia, East & West Florida, the Cherokee Country, the Extensive Territories of the Muscogulges, or Creek Confederacy, and the Country of the Chactaws; Containing An Account of the Soil and Natural Productions of Those Regions, Together with Observations on the Manners of the Indians. Embellished with
This Week’s Reading Material…. Read More »
So let’s see where things stand, shall we? 1.  This weekend has mostly been me lazing about, and doing bits of things that need doing. Rather boring to blog about. Except signing the contracts (finally!) for Gin & Tonic #3 & #4. That’s always exciting. 2.  Today is father’s day. As I said elsewhere in the
Five Things make a State of the Meerkat Sunday Read More »
Preface:  I am normally of the “it’s none of your business how much I earn, any more than how much you earn is any of my business” mindset.  But… maybe this will help people understand.  Or not.  I don’t know. ———————— mizkit posted about writerly income at a momentary reality check and I’m reposting here because, well, WHAT
Boosting the signal, and commentary: C.E. Murphy’s “a momentary reality check” Read More »
The contract for Gin & Tonic #3-#4 arrived in my inbox, and has been gone over. I will say that reading the marked-up pdf on my iPad mini was more enjoyable than trying to wrangle the legal-size paper Simon & Schuster still uses. Â Anyway, it reminded me that #3 is due in SEPTEMBER, not October
State of the Meerkat, Saturday Edition Read More »
Most days, I work out of my home office. It’s a nice space – lots of natural light, a comfy chair, easy access to good coffee, hot and cold sleeping kittens. And I don’t have to wear shoes. But when you work at home, alone, you can go a little batshit after a while, looking
My Other Office(s) Read More »
When I first started out in this biz, I heard a lot of writers talking about “casting” their books, and researching for visuals (typically actors, but not always) as part of their research prep. And this struck me as strange (then again, I don’t create playlists for projects, either. Â So I may be an outlier.)
On “casting” while you write. Or not. Read More »