Cover Art

Here is a working draft for the cover art of my new novel, currently on track to be released around the first of June.

Friday Afternoon Update

My publisher has contacted me to let me know there is a chance the artist might have the cover of The Ways of Khrem ready to look at this weekend. That would be awesome!

.

She also wanted input from me on a little synopsis...one of those little blurbs that goes on the back of the book. I hadn't even thought about those. I'll try and come up with something that she can work with, or at least give her something to build on.

.

I have been having a very productive day editing. I started over at the beginning of the book this morning, and started working my way forward. I'm now halfway through the book. With luck, I might have this edit out of the way by Monday and I can be rid of the thing.

.

I am so looking forward to getting back to writing.

Writer's NIght Out

I went out to Denny's with Cherri Galbiati last night, and we discussed our trade until...well actually, we only stayed until eleven. Not only that, I was good and kept my carbs down. Sigh, now I'm eating healthy and going to bed early on my writer's nights out.

I'm officially old.

Oh well, today I go back to editing. I had intended to do more yesterday, but forgot about my son's birthday party at school. That ended up taking half my day, right there. I will make much better progress today. I'm also marshaling my resources and doing research for my upcoming marketing endeavors.

When I'm done editing this novel, I think I'll take a break and go back to short stories for a little bit before returning to Argiope. The nice thing about short stories is you can get that feeling of accomplishment a whole lot sooner than novels. They're good for momentum. Besides, I've been working on a fantasy novel for so long, it's been months since I have worked on a horror story...although my first short stories will be Christmas stories, due to deadlines. That's okay, variety makes for a better writer.

On the home front, something has crawled into my garage and died. I'm going to have to figure out how to go digging through the debris out there and find it, so it can have a proper burial. Oh how I long for the good old days of living in an apartment! Where is my maintenance man!?!?!?

Edit Day

Okay, the housecleaning frenzy of the past few days has been a bit of a mixed success. The house is still a wreck, but the clutter is a little thinner. I'll just have to keep removing stuff they can mess the house up with. Sooner or later, I'll win.

But not today.

Today, I need to change focus and restart my editing. So today and tomorrow are "Edit Day," and I will be parked in front of my computer...with my music playing...and I will start at page one and methodically work my way through the manuscript hunting errors. I'm a little disgruntled that I'll be doing it knee deep in the kid's latest mess, but I guess life ain't perfect.

If I get enough editing done, I'll round up more stuff for the garbage truck on Friday evening. Who knows, maybe I'll find my garage out there. All this housecleaning also gives me a better idea of what needs to be replaced and/or repaired.

For instance, it's about time for a new...
1. Sink/garbage disposal
2. BBQ Grill
3. Couches
4. Curtain rods in the daughter's room
5. Camcorder

I realize the couches may have to wait until the kids are a little older and can be more effectively threatened not to jump on them. No point in getting new ones just to see them destroyed too. On the other hand, it may not hurt to start looking at what bargains might be out there...maybe something to tide us over until we can risk getting nice furniture again.

I know, I know...It sounds like I should be turning in my man card. But hey, there is a BBQ grill and a camcorder on that list! That counts for something!

Step One: Initiated

The pictured mountain of garbage is a beginning. There is a lot more to go. But it's still a good start.

There will be several more mountains, some bigger than this, before I am done.

.

It's just a matter of getting ruthless and doing what I know needs to be done...and finding the energy to do it.

.

Clutter is bad. Clutter is my enemy. Clutter is the soul killer. I must take charge of my environment instead of being a victim of it.

Stop Whining!

Okay, I have whined enough.

Yes, I have been doing a lot...and yes, there is very little to show for it so far...but today is Wednesday and the trash truck arrives today. So I'll take advantage of that to get a lot of stuff out of here, and get more done on this house.

Thursday and Friday will be "Edit Days".

There, now I have a plan. I'll update later.

Hmmm....

As I try a second day, with my diminishing resources, to find my house under all this mess...I wonder if there is not a horror story in all this. Maybe something about a long and losing battle against entropy, or something like that.

Striving Ever Onwards

Okay, I washed and folded laundry all day yesterday and ran two loads of dishes. The house is still a wreck, and I notice my stress levels are unchanged...only now I am completely wiped out from the exertion of yesterday. That's the problem with CMT, you can exhaust yourself and render yourself almost useless the next day or three. Right now my hands are shaking like a drunk with the DT's
.
I need to get back to editing soon. I put it on hold to try and get caught up on the housework. I either need to set a day or two aside just for this last editing project, or find a few hours a day to do it. I was going with the latter, but I was doing it at night and that was contributing to getting my nights and days all messed up...something that's not good when you have kids. So I will need to strategize a different approach.
.
I also need to start strategizing my marketing again for the upcoming novel. I will be selling books at Apollocon, and doing a radioblog interview at the end of the month, but I also need to look into other forms of marketing. I'm still thinking in terms of banner ads. An online friend also pointed out the possibility of online video marketing. So there are options to explore.
.
Right now though, I need to find my house under this mess. I know it's here somewhere.

God Help Me...

I've decided that doing laundry is therapeutic, and will relieve stress.

I have obviously lost my mind.

Somebody remember to feed the cats when they haul me away.