Fri. Nov. 21, 2014: Prepping for Parties & Freelance Flow

Friday, November 21, 2014
Dark Moon
Sunny and cold

BUSY day at the library yesterday. Good busy, but busy, between patrons and short story group and programming and grant ideas and all of that.

Also, suddenly, I’m getting a lot of requests for my scripting and editing services. I need to make sure I don’t overbook. I wasn’t going to take on ANYTHING new between now and the end of the year, just finish what I’ve got and concentrate on my own writing, but some of these gigs are awfully tempting. And I’d like to bank a bit against both a rainy day and some of the things I need/want to do next year. But I also don’t want to overbook and not be able to give each piece the attention and skill it deserves. So I said yes to a few things, and asked for more information on other things. I’m grateful for a feast cycle, but I also don’t want to sabotage myself by taking on too much.

Grocery store after work, to get some additional things for Saturday’s party. I decided to make a few additional things.

Home, dinner, research. Exhausted and to bed early, which meant I woke up at 1 AM. Managed to get to sleep again.

Up early, writing, worked on student manuscripts. To work, for a busy day of promotion, programming, getting out information. Must run to the store again for a couple of last-minute things. I’ll be baking tonight and preparing what can be prepared ahead. Tomorrow, I’ll make three dozen devilled eggs, do the stuffed celery, and the chocolate bruschetta. I also have to run over to West Barnstable to visit the Woodturners’ event – they are always so good to us, I want to support them.

The book launch for CREED is tomorrow, late afternoon, here at the library. Sunday is going to be an intense writing and yard work day, as are Monday and Tuesday.

I can’t believe Thanksgiving is next week!

Have a happy one!

Devon

Monday, Oct. 21, 2013: Writing, Editing, Eager for the Week

Monday, October 21, 2013
Waning Moon
Mercury Retrograde
Sunny and cold

Yes, Mercury goes retrograde today, until the 10th of November. However, since it never felt that Mercury went direct for me last time, other than a temporary ease of psychological pressure, I’m going to use this retrograde to untangle what’s still tangled, instead of cowering in a corner.

I will also try to remember to be quiet and not just be reactive.

Weekend was good. I booked three editing jobs for the week that really excite me, have a Writer’s Center Annual Meeting (in costume), and my own work. Plus, of course, hustling work for the coming weeks and months.

The screenplay is 2/3 done. Love my central characters, but am worried it’s neither fish nor fowl. There’s not enough sense of urgency in the piece; I have to ratchet up the tension. I know it’s going to run long and need cuts, especially with the elements I’ve had to go back and plant so there’s a more dramatic payoff, but it’s still not where it needs to be. Which is fine, it’s a first draft, but it’s frustrating to know there’s a problem and not feel I can fix it until I have a full draft.

Did some work on the novella, which I had hoped would be done by now, but oh, well. Will get back to that again, this week.

Did some yard work, but not enough. We have to bring in the rest of the plants this week.

Went to a party on Saturday, at my friends’ place in Sandwich. That was fun. It was nice to get out of the house and have conversations with real people, rather than fictional characters in my head.

Off to work, and I’m looking forward to it!

Devon

Mon. Aug. 20, 2012: Autumn Arrives Early

Monday, August 20, 2012
Waxing Moon
Saturn Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Uranus Retrograde
Cloudy and cool

Busy weekend, but very good. The moonflowers were blooming when I got out on the deck this morning, with the morning glories ready to go as soon as the moonflowers closed. Sunflowers, calendula, and zinnias going strong. Harvested my first tomatoes and eggplant this morning. But it’s nippy out there, and leaves are falling. I weeded the front beds yesterday, and there are acorns everywhere. Autumn’s coming in quickly.

Hip’s still bothering me, but, as long as I don’t drive, I’m okay. Means next weekend will be a nightmare, but I only have short jaunts this week. Got some work done Friday, worked with students, etc. Saturday, had a good morning’s work, and then headed to my friend’s to help her with her dress, and then we attended a cocktail party together, which was fun. Sunday was a quiet day, and I finished up some material for Confidential Job #1, which goes off today. I got in some good research for two different projects.

The cats wanted a lot of playtime.

I was saddened to hear of Ron Palillo’s death last week (best known as Horshack on WELCOME BACK, KOTTER). He did a table read of a TV pilot I co-wrote several years ago, and was terrific to work with. I was shocked to hear that Tony Scott jumped off a bridge.

I have a lot on my plate today, so off we go — my own writing (deadlines coming up quickly), the ghostwriting project, interview questions for upcoming articles, and for upcoming guest blogs. I need to get out a few more pitches, and write a couple of thank you notes. All good.

But it means getting down to work!

I love the fresh possibilities opening up.

Devon

PS Billy Root is still on vacation — his blog will return after Labor Day!

Tues. Jan. 10, 2012: Recovering from the Party

Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Last Day of Full Moon
Cloudy and cold

I’m back! Good to be home! I’m fighting a cold, but, that’s the way it goes.

Got a lot of work done on Friday, and then it was party prep.

Friday night’s party was a ton of fun. Eighteen people in the little house, lots of food, drink, and laughter. Everyone talked to everyone, and got along. The food was good, the decorations looked good, we’d set up the buffet tables to work with the natural flow of the house — one could basically graze one’s way through the house. Turns out one of my colleagues at the Marine Life Center is the niece of the owner of the house!

Tessa Houdini slipped her harness twenty minutes in, but was much happier roaming and playing extra hostess. She never tried to dash out the door as people came and went. She had a blast, because everyone adored her. The other two hid.

We cleaned up after it was over and pulled down the boxes for the holiday decorations before going to bed.

I woke up feeling like I could sleep for a week. But we started taking down the decorations. It took all day, but they’re packed and put away. And a trip to the dump to get all the party debris out.

Then it was packing for the trip and leftovers, which was all we had the energy to heat up.

Up early Sunday morning, loaded the car, on the road a little after eight. Stopped in Niantic for some books (always a treat) and in Old Saybrook, where I found a few little things, then on to Greenwich. Dropped Costume Imp off at the train and my mom at her site.

Found out I the site has now locked wireless access, so I couldn’t use my own computer. I HAD to get online, so I borrowed a computer and caught up with students. Some of them are pushing boundaries — I am not on call 24/7, nor am I required to explain where I am, AND I’m allowed to take off a day here and there, just like anyone else. At the same time, I appreciate that they want to make sure I’m not lying in a ditch somewhere. One of the students, however, pulled an absolutely unacceptable manipulation move. To say I hit the roof is an understatement. The passive aggression and constant turmoil this individual causes must stop NOW. Line crossed. Unacceptable.

I thought I was shaking because I was so angry — turns out I was also running a fever and had chills. Broke it with good, ole-fashioned aspirin.

Up early on Sunday, back in the car. Drove straight through to the Cape — well, I had to stop for gas, but that’s it. The cats were glad I was home — it looks so bare without all the decorations! I have to do laundry and convert the big buffet table in my office back into the low workspace table and get back to the routine.

I was congested and feeling icky. Broke down and took a Sudafed, which has always been my go-to. Nothing but an upset stomach from it. So, when its term was done, I fired up the oil burner and mixed eucalyptus, tangerine, and pine oils, letting it burn for a few hours. I could breathe all night without distress.

My throat is a little scratchy, but, other than that, I seem in decent shape. Will hit the page for a few hours. I’ve also got to finish a review and type up the minutes for tonight’s meeting. Then, it’s checking in with the students in both classes. The Year-Longs are soldiering along (5 out of 12 have completed the first draft that has to be done by the end of the month). The 5-in 10-ers have their first flash fiction piece due today. Of the four pieces I’ve read so far, all four are excellent. They took the found inspiration and ran with it, kept their unique voices, and kept within the word count limits. The stories are lively and pack a punch. Good stuff! My new private student’s doing really, really well, too. I’ve got some polishing to do for tomorrow’s Webinar — I hope some of you will join me. It’ll be fun.

I’ve got a busy week ahead of me. It’ll be fun, but demanding. I’m also looking forward to next week, which I’m trying to keep very quiet.

Devon

Fri. Jan. 6, 2012: Twelfth Night

Friday, January 6th, 2012
Waxing Moon
Twelfth Night
Sunny and cold

I woke up thinking, “What’s all that white stuff outside?”

Um. Snow. It does that in January! 😉

Worked a lot yesterday morning before yoga. Yoga class was great. Came back, Costume Imp and I ran errands and then cooked, and then ran some more errands. We tidied up and are setting up the place for the party.

An old friend — I’ve known him since I was maybe twelve or thirteen, and haven’t seen him for about fifteen years. It was so good to see him again and know he’s well and happy.

Busy evening cooking and getting things set up.

Busy morning, trying to fit as much work with students and other stuff in as I can — rest of the day is about the party! Managed to get a revision out for my pro bono client, another request revision out, work with students.

Struggling withe the current sequence in the book. Bet I’ll get a bolt of enlightenment over the weekend.

Tomorrow — the decorations come down!

Devon

Thurs. Jan. 5: Prep, prep, prep

Thursday, January 5, 2012
Waxing Moon
Cloudy and cold

Worked a lot in the morning. Never enough, but at least I got a solid morning’s work under my belt, although I’m struggling with a dinner party scene in the book.

Off to Dennisport, to the Natural Market (great, but didn’t have what we needed) and Deborah Ann’s Rainbow (which is closing next week, but I got some good stuff). Also got stuff in Yarmouth at the liquor store, prepping for the party. Circled back hoping to eat at the Optimist Cafe, which was closed; tried the 6A Restaurant, which was closing as we pulled up. So we wound up at the Beehive again.

Stop N Shop was next, and by then, it was after 4 in the afternoon! Did some more work and did some reading while Costume Imp made chicken enchiladas for dinner.

This morning, I drafted an events blurb and a press release for a pro bono client, checked in with my students, and am about to go to yoga.

Haven’t tidied up my office yet, so guess what today’s focus needs to be? Looks like I’m prepping for a yard sale, and I’m not! I’m also going to make ahead some of the stuff for the party, and we need to do a run to Trader Joe’s.

Getting up early was a little tough this morning, but I’m glad I did. I feel like I’ve got a lot done before yoga, and it takes a lot of stress out of the rest of the day.

Still reading a manuscript for a friend and trying to get a bunch of other stuff done before the week’s out. Also, have to finish and send off the materials for the Prompt Playground today.

It’s good busy, though, doing what I love.

Devon

Friday, January 7, 2011

Friday, January 7, 2011
Waxing Moon
Partly cloudy and cold

I’m happy to say the party debut of Imp and I was a success. A nice group of people who all enjoyed each other and interacted well, good food and drink, lots of laughter and actual conversation.

Spent the morning on the classes. Then, once Imp was up and about, we prepped the space and the food, and went out in mid-afternoon for the flowers and ice. We decided that, instead of cut flowers, we’d buy potted blooms (two yellow Victory roses, one red Victory rose, a peace lily, and a small, blooming kalachoe). They look lovely, and they’ll last longer than fresh cut.

I’d organized the class so, provided students turned in work on time, yesterday wasn’t a day when an assignment was due (today is). Of course, some of them didn’t, but there comes a point where that’s not my problem anymore.

And, since we cleaned up last night after everyone went home, it gives me plenty of time today to spend on the assignments so due.

Hardly anyone drank alcohol, so I’m glad I served Shirley Temples — and they were a big hit!

It was fun. They’re good,interesting, intelligent, fun people. I’m glad I met them. I’m glad I’m getting to know them, and I hope to build friendships with them moving forward. Friendship is based on time and shared experience, and now we get to share experiences.

I admit I was a little nervous — I used to be famous (or is it infamous?) for my parties when I lived on the west coast — monthly dinners for 20. I used to throw a lot of parties in Manhattan, especially when I had an apartment overlooking the ball drop at Times Square.

But my last living situation didn’t lend itself to much entertaining, so I had to kind of get my feet wet again. It was nice to do a small gathering on Twelfth Night in honor of a visiting friend.

Imp broke one of the wine glasses in the prep — not a big deal, it wasn’t one of the vintage 1950’s glasses from the Pump Room, just an inexpensive daily one from a box store — but there was glass everywhere — kind of like how could that much glass me in one, well, glass? It made me appreciate the central vac even more! No one got hurt, and we got it cleaned up before any kitty ventured in to see what the heck was going on.

Iris hid during the whole party. Violet made a flying appearance, dashing through, just to let them know she felt it was really, REALLY unacceptable to have all these strangers in the house (it was pretty funny). A flash of gray flying through the air.

The downstairs looks great — all tidy and everything put away. And what’s not put away has fabric artistically draped over it!

Unfortunately, a lot of what got stashed got stashed in my room, so I have my work cut out for me next week getting it sorted out and put away. But I want to PUT IT AWAY, give it a home, not just stash it in another place and then have to move it again six weeks down the line.

Today is about classes, shipping Imp’s books home so he doesn’t have to carry them, and just chilling out. There’s supposed to be a snow storm tonight into tomorrow. Depending on the moment, it’s next to nothing or a lot. So, when we wake up tomorrow morning and turn on the news and look out of the window, we’ll find out if we are heading back tomorrow, or on Sunday.

I’m looking forward to a couple of weeks of calm, where I can just write, focus on the class, unpack, and rest up from the past few months. Make that years.

I can finally take a breath!

Devon

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Thursday, January 6, 2011
Waxing Moon
Partly sunny and cold
Twelfth Night

Tonight is the last night of Christmas, Twelfth Night, Epiphany, etc. Have you been tracking your dreams? Each dream you’ve had on a particular night corresponds with one of the coming months: First night of Christmas = January, Third Night of Christmas = March, etc., etc.

I haven’t remembered many of my dreams in this period, and I should have written down last night’s so I could analyze. Let’s just say I hope it’s allegorical!

I worked in the morning yesterday again while Imp slept in. Caught up on classes, did some writing, caught up on some other business stuff, did some puttering. There are some students who still haven’t posted the first assignment, which is now two days late with the next assignment due tomorrow. Don’t whine at me about time: I’m teaching two classes, keeping up with my own writing, continuing my yoga and meditation practices, turning around a couple of short assignments that arrived unexpectedly, entertaining an out-of-town visitor who’s never been to this area, planning and throwing a party, dealing with continued house-move stuff, and fighting a cold (I’ll let the cold win for a few days next week, after I’m back; right now, there are things I need to do, and I’m keeping it at bay).

We finally got out of the house around noon and ran our errands. Pretty much everything was geared to the party. Picked up a few pieces I needed (and, no, it’s not just because they’re still packed). Stopped at Border’s to use our gift cards and Border’s Bucks — picked up a few things that look interesting, couldn’t find a book I really wanted, but got a new release for my mom by her favorite author. Grocery and liquor shopping — we did very well in both, I must say. We got some more ice melt in because there’s another storm coming, heading to my favorite hardware store in Osterville and catching up with the owner.

Then we went on the Eternal Lawnmower Quest, which is how I’m starting to think about it. Sears has lawn mowers on sale, but not what’s going to really work for me. We had a very nice sales guy helping us, who basically thinks we should wait until March or April when the new shipment of good ones come in, that will only be about $40 more, but be something with which I’ll be more comfortable. They’re trying to get rid of what’s left here, and the dregs of the season aren’t really what’s going to work in this case. Of course, I’m drawn the most to the one with NO engine, but I was convinced that would get real old real fast.

Cooked dinner, caught up on classes, watched HUMAN TARGET. Jackie Earle Haley continues to be wonderful in it — I’m starting to think he can make almost anything work. The scripts are all over the place, very uneven, and the series lost a lot of its internal logic. I understand a new showrunner coming in, wanting to take the show in a completely different direction, etc., but the fact is that the writing this season is very weak, and we need arcs set up last season resolved, not ignored. Even the episode that supposedly resolved a character arc from last year was way off the mark. It feels like it’s got too many cooks in there spoiling the broth during note sessions and meetings. I may not have always agreed with its vision last season — but at least it had one. The female series regulars they added in this year just aren’t strong enough. A lot of it is the writing, but JEH is making some of the weak writing work, so the rest of them need to step up, or they’ll all be going home. There are some really good ideas and action sequences, but the execution is getting weaker and weaker.

Off to catch up on classes, then I have some baking to do for tonight, some food prep, and cleaning. To answer both Lara and Teresa’s questions — yes, I sprinkle dried lavender and dried peppermint on the carpets, leave it for at least 15 minutes, and then vacuum it up. It leaves the scent of mingled lavender and peppermint.

I better get the writing and classes caught up on, because the rest of the day is party prep. The only thing we have to do this afternoon is get ice and flowers.

Devon

Monday, December 13, 2010

Monday, December 13, 2010
Waxing Moon
Neptune Retrograde
Mercury Retrograde
Rainy and cold

Busy weekend, but first of all, hop on over to the Savvy Authors’ Blog and read my piece on “Character, not Caricature”.

I hope you sign up for the deconstruction workshop on Stephanie Plum in January, the One Story, Many Voices workshop in January, and then, from mid-April to Mid-May, the Setting as Character Workshop. The latter two have limited enrollment, because of the intensity of assignments. The Plum workshop can fit in as many as want to take it.

The weekend — Saturday was busy. The breakfast at the National Marine Life Center was a lot of fun, I met a lot of great people, and the progress they’ve made in the past real is truly wonderful! They’re doing an amazing job, and once the center is complete and fully functional, it will make a huge positive difference in marine wildlife around here. They’re up for a $250,000 Pepsi Challenge grant, so if you could vote for them as often as possible (you can only vote once a day, but you can vote every day in the calendar month), it would help them get the grant and hook up the next part of the facility.

Came back, did some unpacking in the afternoon. It seems no matter how much I unpack, there’s no change, and it gets discouraging.

Decided, on Friday night, that I didn’t like where my bed was situated, behind the door. I started to feel claustrophobic. However, my head is in the North, (northeast, actually) which is the best way for me to sleep. But I moved it to the opposite site of the room, so my head is northwest now. The cats like it better, the room feels overall better, but I didn’t sleep well on Friday night into Saturday at all.

Read the papers Sunday morning, then planned to spend a couple of hours working on my room, which turned out to be the bulk of the day. Of course, a lot of it was spent rearranging the closets, so you can’t really see much impact on the room itself. However, I couldn’t unpack boxes in my room until I took out and unpacked the boxes in my closet which didn’t belong in the closet, but were stashed in there because I was afraid they’d go astray during the moving process.

Also managed to get a few loads of laundry done.

Got dressed up, went to the neighbor’s open house across the street. The little Westie no longer lives there — had to go to another home because of separation anxiety, poor thing! The Scottie is still there, and very cute. Met a bunch of the neighbors, who are all very nice, and each has their own unique qualities. They seemed relieved when I said we planned to be here for at least two years — I wonder if other renters moved in and out quickly? Anyway, I met the two women who live in the house on the corner, with the absolutely amazing yard, and they are happy to give me advice come summer. They also recommended a vet, and there’s a no-kill shelter close by they work with, and I may get my next cat there instead of the other shelter. We’ll see — it’ll be at least mid-January, to give these two a chance to settle in more, and for me to put away the decorations. New cat + many decorations is just an accident waiting to happen.

There’s a serial arsonist on the loose in the area. He (assuming it’s male) seems to be targeting people he thinks are rich, so we should be okay. This house is really cute, sweet, and loved, but it’s hardly a McMansion or in the throes of a multi-million dollar renovation. Still, it’s disturbing — a house in Sandwich was torched, a house in Barnstable was torched, and, last night, a lovely historic inn in Yarmouth that just went under renovation. I’ll have to be vigilant and set up some extra protections.

There’s an enormous black something sitting on the shed at the far end of the yard across the street. It’s much too big to be a cat (unless it’s like, a panther, and I doubt there’s be a panther sitting on someone’s shed washing its face), so I’m assuming it’s yet another Very Large Dog. It’s too far for me to see, but whatever it is, it’s calm and feels it’s on its home turf.

No one knows who owns Imp-dog. I told them my sense is he sneaks out without his owner’s knowledge. I’m hoping I can get close enough, eventually, to read his tags.

They told me, however, who’s most likely to be tossing the beer cans on the lawn. It seems there are some renters around the corner who think, because they’re renting, it doesn’t matter what they do in the neighborhood. They give renters a bad name.

Bad storm last night, but I slept better anyway, and the basement remains dry, so that’s good. The house definitely passed the “squishy test.”

Weird dreams last night (head in the West), but they might turn into an interesting story.

I want to spend some time on the page before I go back to the Search for an Ethical Insurance Broker so I can get these plates switched out and be in compliance with the law. In addition to just being angry at Allstate for not knowing the regulations in the state and not caring to find out, I have no confidence that, if, heaven forbid, anything happened, they would make good on the policy. Yes, they have in the past, but we had an individual dealing with it, not an outsourced 800 number where the person on the other end has no reason to care. (An Allstate commercial came on last night when we were watching TV and we started yelling at it).

Had a lovely conversation with someone for whom I worked who booked me for a week in February and another week in May. That will be fun. There will be some organization necessary on the cat front here, but we’ll figure it out, and it’s one of my favorite gigs, so I’m happy they still want me.

Also got a call from the family in Maine –we’re going to nip up for the big Christmas Day dinner. We’ve never been able to spend Christmas with them, because of distance and I was usually working on either Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or both, depending upon the show schedule. We do our big celebration on Christmas Eve anyway, and then just stockings on Christmas Day morning. We’ll nip up for the meal and come back the same day.

And the neighbors are all good about keeping an eye on each other’s houses without getting into each other’s business, so we just tell each other our schedules and keep an eye out. A utility truck and a jumpsuit do not credentials make! Not in this neighborhood! 😉

Watched Carrie Fisher’s WISHFUL DRINKING on HBO last night. It’s well done, very well done, in fact, but more bitter than I expected.

Off I go. Maybe I can get some of the kitchen boxes in the garage unpacked today, so that I have everything I need for the party. And I have to finish writing cards and packing gifts. I kind of got stuck mid-N.

Devon

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Saturday, August 2, 2008
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Hot

I survived yesterday, which was exciting and scary and all that good stuff.

I finished and sent off the articles just before I had to jump into the shower to get to the party.

The CDs arrived as I was going out the door.

I couldn’t get a cab when I arrived at Grand Central, so I had to schlep the bag full of stuff across town. I wore flats, with the stilettos in the bag – and the flats ripped up the side of my foot. By Sixth Avenue, I changed into the stilettos, which were much more comfortable!

Stopped by the theatre to pick up some Topstick for the dress, some Band-aids, and my check. One of the producers didn’t recognize me. I mean, come on, I didn’t look THAT different! Typical producer.

Got to the restaurant; Costume Imp arrived seconds later to help me set up, and he and another friend taped me into the dress within an inch of my life. Because otherwise, I would have been, shall we say, “overexposed.”

The party was great fun – a good mix of people from various walks of my life, theatre, writing, blogging, and some even from all the way back to my off-Broadway days, which was nice. It was small enough so everyone could really talk to each other and have real conversations, but enough people so there was a good mix. I couldn’t have imagined a nicer launch. It was at Sosa Borella, a lovely Argentinean restaurant in the theatre district. They’re getting a thank you card for taking such good care of us!

After, we had a quick meal. I stopped by the theatre again to say a quick hi/bye to my actors who were about to go onstage (yes, I broke the “no visitors after half hour rule”, so sue me), chatted in the wardrobe room for a bit, then treated myself to a cab back to Grand Central (I got one this time) and got home.

The book’s got a good start, and it seems to appeal to a wider audience than I expected, which is great. I made a joke in an interview earlier today about it being my recommendation for a good summer electronic beach read, and that’s been picked up by a few sites, which is a good thing.

Colin, Lara, and Lori were all kind enough to give me nice mentions on their blogs – thank you so much!

It was a good day, and a relief after all the stress and worry leading up to it. Now it’s up to me to keep the momentum going. And the best way to do that is to get back to the page.

Yes, I actually have some real writing time coming up – in addition to the revisions for REAL!

And, I came home to find my friend’s CD arrived – I’m looking forward to sitting down and really LISTENING to it today. Because you KNOW I’m going to have an opinion! 😉

By the way, the much-advertised Borghese nail color – not worth the price. It chipped on the way from the apartment to the train station, and that’s only across the street, and I hadn’t done anything to make it chip. Very disappointing.

Horse Racing fans: Big Brown races today in the Haskell, in Monmouth, NJ. I suppose I should be there, but the thought of traveling down to NJ to stand out in the heat for hours after the past few weeks of hard work just doesn’t do it for me. I’ll cover the race remotely.

Back to the page.

Devon

Devon’s Bookstore:

Hex Breaker by Devon Ellington. A Jain Lazarus Adventure. Hex Breaker Jain Lazarus joins the crew of a cursed film, hoping to put to rest what was stirred up before more people die and the film is lost. Tough, practical Detective Wyatt East becomes her unlikely ally and lover on an adventure fighting zombies, ceremonial magicians, the town wife-beater, the messenger of the gods, and their own pasts.
$4.00 ebook/ $6.00 on CD from Firedrakes Weyr Publishing.
Visit the site for the Jain Lazarus adventures.

5 in 10: Create 5 Short Stories in Ten Weeks by Devon Ellington. This ebooklet takes you from inspiration to writing to revision to marketing. By the end of ten weeks, you will have either 5 short stories or a good chunk of a novella complete. And it’s only 50 cents, USD. Here.

Writing Rituals: Ideas to Support Creativity by Cerridwen Iris Shea. This ebooklet contains several rituals to help you start writing, get you through writer’s block, and help send your work on its way. It’s only 39 cents USD. (Note: Cerridwen Iris Shea is one of the six names under which I publish). Here.

Full Circle: An Ars Concordia Anthology. Edited by Colin Galbraith. This is a collection of short stories, poems, and other pieces by a writers’ group of which I am a member. My story is “Pauvre Bob”, set at Arlington Race Track in Illinois. You can download it free here:

August 1, 2008 — HEX BREAKER release!

Friday, August 1, 2008
New Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Lammas
Hot!

It’s here!

Today is HEX BREAKER’S official release date.

If you want to buy a copy, go to Firedrakes Weyr publishing. The page you land on from this link has a line near the top that says “Bookstore”. Click that, and you’ll land on the bookstore page, click on “New Releases” in the left hand column, and I’m somewhere on it. I was near the bottom yesterday, but I should be in stock today, so maybe I’ll have moved up!

I’m thrilled, excited, and nervous. I hope it’s a good, strong start to the series.

Of course, the CDs that I need for the party that were supposed to be here on Wednesday have yet to arrive. Isn’t that typical?

I should have something special for all of you pertaining to the series by early next week.

The Creative Heartbeat Collective has the review up for HEX BREAKER. You can check it out here. Phew. Wouldn’t it be awful if they spent all that time with me and then hated the book?

And Michelle Miles was kind enough to invite me for an interview on her blog, Ye Olde Inkwell. It’s a fun one. Check it out.

Now comes the stuff I’m bad at – being out there, trying to be interesting enough so people actually want to read this genre adventure. But it’s part of the gig – the audience can’t find the work if they don’t know about it, right?

Here’s an article we should all read, by Ann Patchett, in THE ATLANTIC, about the Book Tour.

I don’t have to worry about book tours until I have print books rather than digital, although I plan to do as many blog tour stops as possible, but her article hit home.

We did a test run with the dress, the hair the make-up. An acquaintance wanted to design a “look” for the party. Unfortunately, it was Mortiz hair and vampire makeup. (The former reference you’ll only get if you’re familiar with the show SPRING AWAKENING). Now, why would I want to look like I had two black eyes, deathly pale skin, and stuck my hand in a socket? This is supposed to be a celebration. Keep it simple!

Did another round of interviews, and, just when I thought I didn’t have one more word left, found some more to do an interview with Crystal Adkins for her book blog. I’ll let you know when it runs.

Carolyn Bass Burns has a question about one’s five most annoying habits. I have more than five, so I’m not sure if I should participate!

I worked on the articles that are due today; I’ve got to finish the final one, give them all a polish, and get them off by noon.

Of course, they turned the water off again this morning – but at least they warned me. Otherwise, I’ll be stopping at the theatre to shower before the party!

I still feel betwixt and between the theatre and the writing. The whole month of July was an emotional roller coaster for many reasons. I’m hoping to get my focus back on the page in August and that things will quiet down – but up the ante on work coming out!

Devon

Devon’s Bookstore:

Hex Breaker by Devon Ellington. A Jain Lazarus Adventure. Hex Breaker Jain Lazarus joins the crew of a cursed film, hoping to put to rest what was stirred up before more people die and the film is lost. Tough, practical Detective Wyatt East becomes her unlikely ally and lover on an adventure fighting zombies, ceremonial magicians, the town wife-beater, the messenger of the gods, and their own pasts.
$4.00 ebook/ $6.00 on CD from Firedrakes Weyr Publishing.
Visit the site for the Jain Lazarus adventures.

5 in 10: Create 5 Short Stories in Ten Weeks by Devon Ellington. This ebooklet takes you from inspiration to writing to revision to marketing. By the end of ten weeks, you will have either 5 short stories or a good chunk of a novella complete. And it’s only 50 cents, USD. Here.

Writing Rituals: Ideas to Support Creativity by Cerridwen Iris Shea. This ebooklet contains several rituals to help you start writing, get you through writer’s block, and help send your work on its way. It’s only 39 cents USD. (Note: Cerridwen Iris Shea is one of the six names under which I publish). Here.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Waning Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Hot and sticky

I’m in a weird kind of disconnect right now, and I don’t like it. I don’t really feel a part of the show anymore, because I’m not there and I’m not sharing the daily experiences, and I feel rather adrift; and I don’t feel fully back in my writing life.

Get over it, right? Life goes on.

A lot of the day was taken up with party arrangements. I decided to stop stressing about promotional giveaway items – unless I can run them off myself here at home, I cannot get anything done by Friday. So I’ll concentrate on the food and the company.

I went to Party City, which was just depressing. If I wanted to decorate as tacky tiki, no problem. But pulp retro goth? Nothing. I went to Michael’s, though, thanks to Lara’s suggestion, and they had some really cool stuff out already for Halloween – some of which is right within the theme of HEX BREAKER. I picked up a few things to toss around on the table that are fun, the food and drink will be elegant, the company will be good, and we’re done. Other than worrying about what to wear, it’s time to get over myself and concentrate on other things.

Paid some bills (always painful), caught up on a lot of stuff I’d been ignoring in my various inboxes in email. Spent some time honoring the 36th anniversary of my father’s death, which was yesterday. Broke up with one of the men in my life who has become more of a liability than a support, and I just can’t have that in my life right now.

In other words, it was a busy day.

And not much writing got done, so I have to make up for it today.

Finally, had a good morning’s yoga session. That’s one of the unfortunate things that slid during the intense weeks at the show – the yoga practice did not get the attention it deserves, and I feel the results in my body. So it was good to get back to the mat this morning for a mindful practice, not one where my mind is racing trying to solve show issues.

Got an email this morning from another colleague, whose mother passed away last night. Lots of loss, lots of transition in this cycle. Lots of emotion.

Devon

Devon’s Bookstore:

5 in 10: Create 5 Short Stories in Ten Weeks by Devon Ellington. This ebooklet takes you from inspiration to writing to revision to marketing. By the end of ten weeks, you will have either 5 short stories or a good chunk of a novella complete. And it’s only 50 cents, USD. Here.

Writing Rituals: Ideas to Support Creativity by Cerridwen Iris Shea. This ebooklet contains several rituals to help you start writing, get you through writer’s block, and help send your work on its way. It’s only 39 cents USD. (Note: Cerridwen Iris Shea is one of the six names under which I publish). Here.

Full Circle: An Ars Concordia Anthology. Edited by Colin Galbraith. This is a collection of short stories, poems, and other pieces by a writers’ group of which I am a member. My story is “Pauvre Bob”, set at Arlington Race Track in Illinois. You can download it free here: