It's a Writing Thing

I was going to say something pity and meaningful, but after reading Neil Gaiman's blog post, I'll let him say it instead since it's way better than what I could have done:

I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you dream dangerously and outrageously, that you make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked. And most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now) that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind.

Wishing each and every one of you a fantastic 2009.

Happy solstice all!

I wish each and every one of you the best of the season.

Traditionally, today is a day of giving thanks in the U.S., for everything we appreciate. Me, I try to do it throughout the year, but it's also cool to have one day to celebrate our good stuff. Pre-warning...it's all very schmoopy!! ::g::


The Lima's List:

Thanks to my amazing parents, sister, brother-in-law, stepbro, step-sis-inlawish, and all my extended family, whether of blood or choice. Family is the most important thing in the world. You all are the best!

Thanks to John, Sean and Paula at Wildside/Juno for taking a chance on me. You all rock beyond the telling of it.

Thanks to JP, my team and all the folks at Matrix Group (my day job). You are all fabulous and make me happy to have a job I enjoy.

Thanks to all of you, for being my friends, fellow fannish folks and fans of well, moi, because it's all great. I have met many of you in person, which is cool. I am joyful and grateful for having you all in my life.

I wish you and yours a fabulous Thanksgiving holiday.


I'm off in about an hour and a half to Union Station for a train trip north to visit starrcat. Feast and be merry!!

Wishing all of you that celebrate, a Happy Independence Day!

I'm off in about an hour to Union Station, where I'll take the train to go visit starrcat. Tomorrow the gang will join us.

Traveling with me, will be Morgause, my new MacBook Air. JEEEMINY, she's gorgeous. Nameless, the MacBook has now gone to a good home.

I'm hoping to get starrcat's router hooked up so I can have wireless access at her place. ::g::

Cheers and happy holiday!

You know how you can fall in love with a character? (I mean in the meta way, not the I-want-to-have-your-babies way).

Today, while working on Blood Bargain, I had an epiphany. I'd been struggling with part of the book, trying to trim down the exposition and just make stuff happen, dammit - as my internal editor was beating the proverbial stick against my head. When all of a sudden, I'm in the middle of merging two scenes together, and the magic was happening and I realized why: one character.

Not my protagonist, Keira Kelly, whom I adore in so many ways, but dude, face it, she's got issues. Not Adam Walker, hot vampire lover. Hot, but wow, his issues beat the crap out of Keira's, hands down. And face it, without their issues and angst, there would be no story, because half the fun is giving them hell so then there can be a great payoff.

Not Bea, who is a fabulous friend, but due to circumstances in this book is much more peripheral.

Who does that leave - yeah, Tucker - Keira's brother, friend and confidante. I've come to realize that Tucker is the Duck McDonald of Rio Seco (if Duck had an infectious grin and sarcastic sense of humor). Tucker's angsty issues are long since resolved. He's settled in himself and knows who he is and what he wants. Thus, a perfect sidekick/shoulder-to-lean-on for Keira. Plus, he's also quite easy on the eyes, and for whatever reason, makes the writing go easier.

It's really odd sometimes when creating a world, creating characters that some of them just seem to take on a life of their own - that is, become more prominent than intended. In the original drafts of Matters of the Blood, Tucker was kind of an afterthought. I wanted Keira to have a family member around that she honestly liked, not just tolerated. Somehow, his tiny role turned out to be a lot more substantial. So much so, that I knew he had to stay in Rio Seco and not go back to the clan.

Once again, Tucker is bailing me (and Keira) out of some tangly stuff. Good thing he's around, eh?

On a side and rather amusing note: After I finished up my day's writing yesterday (Sunday), I started up Witness, which I haven't seen in years. I had a total fangrrl squee moment when it started - not over Harrison Ford, but dudes, Jan Rubes is in it as Eli, the old Amish farmer. I squeed aloud and yelled, "Mort!" at the screen. Six degrees of Benton Fraser, anyone?

In any case, I enjoyed watching the movie again.

I've treated myself to some new audiobooks for post-writing enjoyment today. I just bought Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time (read by the author) and Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere (also read by the author).

I've noticed that I seem to enjoy audiobooks more if it's something I've already read and enjoyed. I'm looking forward to listening to both of these.

Hope you are ALL having a fabulous holiday. I'm definitely enjoying the time off from work and am happy with my writing progress, so yay, holiday!!

So, hey, Internets - I'm still here, believe it or not.

( What I've been up to )

Oh, before I forget, I finally posted my World Fantasy pics on a mini-Web gallery.

Geez, has it really been more than a month? What the heck happened to the time? Le sigh.

Oh well!

Wishing everyone a Happy Hanukwanzamasolstice!!

Stay warm. Stay safe. Stay free.

Hope all the US based folks on my f'list are having a wonderful holiday and spending it just the way they want to.

I'll be at home today, spending time with my characters and making them do things they may not want to do. ::g::

If you're feasting, enjoy! If you're just enjoying time off work, revel in it! If this is just a regular day for you, hope it's a good one!

No, not Tom Baker, but that's how many of us are at work today. It's D.E.D. dead. Building is locked, so we're just here. La la la. I have one requirements doc to write, which I've been procrastinating about, but other than that, nothing much else.

Tried to do Target during lunch as I need some additional DVD shelving - why, yes, I *am* stupid. D'oh! After seeing the parking lot, we turned around and went to a restaurant instead.

Darling cousin allaboutm_e commented with my Booksense link - so yay!! My book, now available for pre-order from my favorite indy store. :)

Spent the long weekend mainlining Bones - got through the remainder of season one and a few episodes into season two. Note to self: seeing maggots right before going to bed is not a good thing.

Is it 6:00 yet?

There are gifts, and there are GIFTS!!

Among the latter:
-- Sleep with a side of Death - beledibabe got me 2 volumes of the Sandman
-- bheerfan got me a TARDIS!!! (okay, keychain size, but it has the sound and everything!)

We left work early (for us - before 5) and then coworker E and I journeyed to Shirlington for Thai and a movie: Curse of the Golden Flower.

Dinner was brilliant and the movie was everything you want in a dynastic soap opera drama martial arts film: betrayal, denial, multiple secrets, love, incest, fratricide, costumes, stylized fighting, the Chinese interpretation of the Battle of Helm's Deep - it was exactly what I needed.

Directed by Zhang Yimou, starring Gong Li and Chow Yun Fat.

Home now for the remainder of the 3-day weekend, which is a Good Thing, indeed.

Oh yes, and one of the BEST pressies ever: My sister got the library job she wanted. They called her this morning and she starts on 1/15. Go, her!

Because I must follow reginagiraffe's fine example...plus it was too funny, not to:

( My Christmas Song )

In other news:
TGI--oh wait, it's only Wednesday. Damn.

Oh well, the week will be done soon and three-day weekend!! (yes, I know it's Christmas, but I don't much celebrate as exchange gifts, much of which I've already done).

I have little to say about SGA's newest ep: the Game, other than "squee!!!". If you want some really well-thought out meta, check out rageprufrock's take. (Warning - quite spoilery!)

Made a quick run to Whole Foods at lunch for Veggie Booty and a few items. Plan to go nowhere this weekend: just relax, think, write, recharge.

I've gotten a couple of lovely holiday cards from some of you. Many thanks!! (And I'm beginning to think penguins are definitely "in" this year - our company holiday cards have them, as did several I received in the mail).

Hope everyone is enjoying/surviving/whatever the holidays!




* to totally rip off tx_tart