Tuesday morning goodness

I woke up to an acceptance from Emerald Tales this morning. Yes, "Cult of the Butterfly" will appear in the first issue! Not only that, but I'll share a TOC with Catherine J. Gardner, whose story "Empty Box Motel" was also accepted. I can't wait to read her story and see what weird flights of fancy she took the "follow the butterflies" issue theme on.

Anthology Builder is running a contest that looks interesting. You pick a cover from their database (and they have hundreds) and write a story about it. There's no entry fee and the winner gets $200 and publication on Anthology Builder. Finalists get a critique by founder Nancy Fulda and a $30 gift certificate to Anthology Builder (and I've put together an anthology there and have stories listed, so I think that's a great prize). I'm definitely going to be looking through their covers sometime this week.

It's a sugar spoon

Conversation this evening between me and my mom:

Me: Where's that fancy spoon I always use for ice cream?
Mom: We have a fancy spoon?
Me: Yeah, the one with the scallopy edges. We only have one of them.
Mom (dryly): You mean the sugar spoon?
Me: Is that what it's called?
Mom: I can't believe you're almost 40 and you don't know what a sugar spoon is.
Me: I don't remember you ever sitting me down and giving me the silverware talk when I was a little girl.
Mom: I think it's in the sink.
Me: Everything I learned about silverware, I learned on the street, man.
Mom: Here it is.
Me: It's no wonder I'm tarnished.
Mom: If I wash it for you, will you shut up for a while?
Me: I'll try.

Now I'm eating ice cream with a newly-renamed ice cream spoon, about to start another round of revisions on The Weredeer. One day I'll feel comfortable enough to send that manuscript out again.

How to love squash.

Step 1: Have a mother who's friends with someone whose closest friend is an olive oil connoisseur, and who gives Mother a bottle of extremely fine, fresh, and expensive olive oil to thank her for helping him unpack after moving.
Step 2: Plant yellow crook-neck squash in the garden. Harvest several young squashes.
Step 3: Rinse and cut up squash into bite-sized chunks. Roll in cornmeal. Saute in a little olive oil for about ten minutes or until tender.

Step 1 is the important part. I will never go back to cheap grocery-store olive oil again.

In writing news, I revised and sent out a story this evening. It's not much, but it's better than nothing. I thought I had other stories to send out, but no; I've either sold or retired all but five of my stories. If I have time tomorrow I really want to finish "Standard-Bearer." I'm very close to being done with the rough draft, but it's very rough. The sooner I finish it, the sooner I can start hacking it down to a reasonable length as the first step in revising.

Thank goodness for hats.

I spent July 4 with my extended family in Kingsport, Tennessee, where my aunt and uncle live on the side of a steep hill. Me, my mom, aunts and uncles, cousins, and friends had a great time talking, laughing, playing croquet, playing cards, and eating. The humidity was low for a change, so it didn't feel very hot--so I think most of us ended up with sunburns. Even I did, after I'd complained loudly that I never tan but at least I don't burn. Hubris! Fortunately I was wearing a ball cap so my face was mostly shaded.

I'm home now, listening to the distant thunder of the town's firework display going on. If I wanted to walk down to the little playground/park on the corner I'd probably be able to see some of the fireworks, and if I wanted to walk a few minutes more and go downtown I could watch them from the Commons--but I just got out of the shower, and I just slathered my sunburn with aloe lotion, and I'm tired and ready to go to bed and read for a little while.

Obviously I didn't get a lick of writing done today. Tomorrow.

I keep thinking it's Saturday

Happy Fourth of July, myfellowAmericans! The rest of you, enjoy your non-holiday weekend.

Why the hell am I still up?

It's sucking my will to live

The Week from Hell is over at last. Of course I didn't accomplish half of what I should have gotten done, but that's all work stuff and I'm happy to drop it like a coat when I get home. But I am awfully tired from working flat out all week, although staying up until midnight watching Ghost Hunters last night didn't exactly help.

I've got a lot I want to do tonight writing-wise, like type up the new story I've tentatively titled "Standard-Bearer" (another of my rotten titles) and finish it, or do some minor revisions of a few stories that have come back recently and need to be sent out again, or at least do some heavy-duty thinking about my idea for a major rewrite of the second half of "Never Be Alone." But I'm too tired. So instead, I'm going to read a little bit tonight and go to bed early. Tomorrow I'll do all that other stuff.

Hey, I'm 25 books into my read 50 books in 2009! Halfway through and exactly on schedule!

DragonCon is go!

My serial Twitter story, "Unicorn Chase," started today at Thaumatrope (@thaumatrope). It'll run throughout July.

I just asked a coworker (well ahead of time) if she can fill in for my Saturday hours on September 5. She said yes, so that means I can attend DragonCon in Atlanta this year for the first time! I've been to conventions before, but never a SF/F con. I need to get online and see where it's being held this year and so forth. If anyone out there's planning on attending, we can meet up!

ETA: I'm definitely going now--I just Paypaled the membership fee ($90 until July 15, after which it raises to $100).