Category: Random

/cast “Book Love” on Bao

I’ve made it no secret in my past several posts that I’ve been hooked — okay, I’m a junkie — on Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn. I think it’s some sort of validation for how hard I worked as a white mage back in the days of FFXI.

Anyway, last night I told my Free Company (the equivalent of a guild, for those uninformed) that I was a writer, and they not only showed tremendous support but several members purchased copies of Librarian! If that’s not the magic of friendship, I don’t know what is, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t join the right FC.

Thanks, everyone!

PS — on chapter twelve! Eagerly awaiting beta-reader feedback!

Some Cocoa Butter, Please

So, aside from the fact that my very nicely compartmentalized heart —  mended all tidy-like from a year of therapy and some really fun drugs — has been torn to shreds in less than a week when I finally decided to let it be vulnerable again, I wanted to let you all know that contrary to my previous post, not everything in life is the utter crap-show I made it sound like. Some reasons:

  • The weather is nice and I have two pumpkins. Considering from the first purchase until Halloween I average about two pumpkins a day, the tally this year will be epic. This is key to my autumnal happiness.
  • I snapped up a 4″ Shining Armor pony (he’s kind of smexy) and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Monopoly, the latter of which is sure to provide hours of drunken amusement. Pinkie Pie will be screaming, “CANTERLOT IS MIIIIINE. WITH TWO COTTAGES, 700 BITS!”
  • I go to the gastroenterologist tomorrow. That doesn’t sound exciting, but keeping all the Bao parts in prime working order is becoming a big priority post-30. And who doesn’t love a barium milkshake!?
  • iOS 7 produces effects similar to being on mushrooms. Really. Using my iPhone is now like swiping Psilocybin AND BOOM! You’re manning the helm on the newly-designed Enterprise bridge from Star Trek.
  • Oh yeah, chapter ten turned out to be CHAPTERS TEN AND ELEVEN, which is happy news, as it’s (1) one less chapter needed writing, and (2) there’s some pretty big character development, and I hope it gives the reader some insight into some of the protagonists’/antagonists’/non-tagonists’ motivations. There’s also a big WAIT WUT? clue in there, and I hope that when the beta readers finish chapter eleven, they’re wondering about certain connections. Or lack thereof. (Beta-readers will be getting copies tomorrow.)

So, okay, that was a crummy list, and I know I’m whinging… but hey, what is an author supposed to do with his blog? Still, there are some good things to look forward to, like the new Sailor Moon musical, Downton Abbey (hope it doesn’t suck like last series), Strictly Come Dancing, and getting to level 50 white mage in FFXIV. Crap, I sound pathetic.

WELL, I LOVE MY FRIENDS.

In conclusion, reinforcing my new-found calling as Drunken Enlightened Buddha (DEB), I give you all out there a big ol’ fortune cookie of advice: never sign up to be someone’s emotional surrogate; sure, it doesn’t seem like a long period of time at first, but the stretch marks will last forever.

Wibbly-Wobbly, Timey-Wimey (An Emo Post)

Two weeks have passed and it feels like I’ve been in the States for aeons. I’ve been through a book signing where no siblings could or wouldn’t attend, some sort of pseudo-relationship and pseudo-breakup, and once again learned how completely batshit (pardon the language) crazy people can be. Names from the past return rather suddenly, and I’m not sure how to respond, and people I thought I was very connected to and sharing good, human bonds with turn out to be the kind that do a complete 180, or in other cases, belittle your friends and throw wine in your face. It makes me miss solid people like Megan and Henry.

Anyway, enough of the self-pity rant; I’ve got wine and pills and s’more episodes of Broadchurch to watch. Writers are supposed to write, though, so I figured putting down my thoughts, however public, would be something of a benediction or at least fodder for some book later to come. (My god, the story of my life is going to get me a movie somewhere, I promise. I’m going to call it ‘Mending Fences.’)

Drama aside, I plan on using all the weird energy around me to disconnect and focus on Apprentice, save for the odd book signing, the next of which is occurring in a pub! YAY BOOZE. Over half the first draft is done on the sequel, so hopefully within the next month, provided I focus (stay away, FFXIV…) all should be well and good book-wise.

Now all I need to do is start collecting pumpkins and figure out Halloween plans!

Back! Bold! My God, Let Me Sleep

Woaaaaah. In the jet-setting days of my youth, I used to bounce around the globe like a bad check and never suffer any overdraft fees. My body now? It’s screaming SCREEEEEW YOUUUUUUU FOR FLYING.

Work on Apprentice is slow, subsequently, though I’m excited to say I’ve worked a short story I had written about one character’s history into its own chapter, which effectively increased my word count to over my halfway mark. WOOTSAUCLES.

I had the benefit of going to one of Philly’s top 50 restaurants last night, although suffering from jet lag and not having unpacked yet, I’m not sure my tummy was physically or mentally ready for an 824802802-course tasting menu. Of course, by American standards, every course in a tasting menu is the size of my head, so needless to say, I couldn’t eat the TWO DESSERTS IT CAME WITH.

I did have espresso with TWO SUGARS (gasp), so yeah. One month and counting without a proper night’s sleep. Also, I have consumption.

zzz

PS — book signing on Saturday! DON’T FORGET; I’m giving kisses, pictures, and puppies.

Don’t Sleep Where You Weave

Consider this my PSA for the week. I’ve recently started playing Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, and when I do get to play (read the internets if you want to hear about launch issues) I’ve been running around collecting various jobs and the like. Last night I became a level six Weaver.

FFXIV maintains a lovely site for the players and displays profiles of what your character is up to. Well, I was tired and logged out in a STUPID OUTFIT. *sigh* Now the world can see what a numpty poor Nivvy looks like. :/  (Check here if you want to see, too.)

In further news, or rather, moving on to proper news, after the big compilation last week and my birthday, I’ll be honest and say not much work was made on Apprentice. But that’s all right! That’s what server maintenance in FFXIV is for! Right? …right? Right… *sigh*

Also, less than a week left in Blighty, so if anyone wants to see me and grab one of the few books I have left (I think like two or three paperbacks?) let me know ASAP; I’m getting pretty booked up (no pun intended — promise)!

I am looking forward to getting home to the States, though I imagine that will wear off quickly. Happy birthday to me, because I’M GETTING MY MOTORCYCLE LICENSE. Booyaka.

xoxo

High-Waisted Jeans and Compilations

As the title suggests, yes: I’m wearing high-waisted jeans. These are, however, helpful in sculpting an absolute perfectly-shaped bum, so I am willing to suffer a little for the sake of selling more books (pics to come, I promise). In any case, when in London…

The weather has been beautiful, and despite my gamboling about the parks and imbibing all of Blighty’s ale, I actually have been productive. I’m wrapping up chapter nine of Librarian‘s sequel, Apprentice (webpage to come soon, too), and as the conclusion of chapter eight ends on quite a revelation about the NATURE OF THINGS, I figured now was a good time as any to start looking for beta-readers.

So if you read my blog and have read the first book, you know the deal. Hit me up, and I’ll send you the rough first draft of the chapters 1-8.

Anywho. Back to work (and wine). I’m getting ready for the production of an audiobook, so watch out! Soon you’ll be able to bitch about Lenna in your cars, trains, or as you drift to sleep at night with your device of choice in your ear.

Hunting for Dragons

Ah! It was so amazing to catch up with my former flatmate from Oxford, Megan! She’s my favorite dragon, and it’s gladdening to know that I can just pick up with her as though we’ve never stopped living together, even though it’s been… what, four years?

I had a very non-productive weekend (read: I did NO WORK ON APPRENTICE), but the market was lovely yesterday, and I had yet another delicious lunch. I WILL LOSE A STONE YET!

Heading back to Oxford this week, meeting up with some old friends, doing a SEKRIT SIGNING)… much excitement! I proooomise, however, to make sure I get some work done on Apprentice, as chapter eight is nearly finished and I’ll be proactively hunting for beta-readers.

Also, people are starting to finish up Librarian and the reviews are pretty nice! Check it out on Amazon!

July, Come Back!

This month has practically FLOWN by, meaning my Goodreads giveaway only has a week or so left, so if you haven’t entered to win a signed copy of Librarian (paperback only), you should do so! Stat!

We’ve had some miserable weather, some family troubles, and in my own case, a bit of writer’s block this month, so I wish I could rewind and start it over on a better foot. Don’t worry, though, Apprentice is still on track; chapters 1-5 are already out to early beta-readers, and barring any more of this horrific slump I’m in I should be able to get a couple more chapters in before I head off to England.

Worry not, though: I’ll still be hard at work even though I’m technically on vacation (just most likely I’ll be working from a pub instead of my office).

Keep cool, kiddos!

x

Meltybao

Holy crapola, kids, this is quite a heatwave! I woke up this morning at 8 am and it was already 82 F. This week is supposed to be mega-hot-super-sassy-sauce, and it’s making me think of that hysterical Black Books episode when Manny turns into a neanderthal.  Well, those who get it, get it.

I’ll try to keep up my steady resolve, though! Yesterday I cranked out 3540 words on Apprentice, finishing up chapter five. That at least makes me feel a big better about the huge amounts of nothing I did over the weekend.

In further news, the Goodreads giveaway for Librarian is half over, so if you haven’t entered to win a free signed copy, you’d better sign up soon!

WAIT! Summer Vacation

…it’s happening! I had enough miles banked up with Virgin that I scored a free ticket back to England, so I’ll be there from 2 August until 2 September! In addition to being very excited about seeing all my old mates and visiting my haunts in Oxford, it means I’ll have a lot of time to work on Apprentice (from pubs).

Also, I’ve scored my first official book signing of Librarian — September 7th (Sat) at 1 pm and the Barnes & Noble in Brick, NJ.  Nervous as anything, but I have my fingers crossed that it’ll be a success.