Many Things: Immediately after LosCon I learned I needed 2nd foot surgery to take out the hardware that had kept my wee, formerly smashed bones together (just did that---am on the mend), had a slew of contacts/projects to follow up on and maintain, received the new SUNDARK: An Elle Black Penny Dread e-book cover :D, which you can see in the pic included (it's LIVE at all e-book venues, but hasn't aggregated to BookLikes just yet), and I continue to work on the latest manuscript, secret for now, because keeping it so is just one way for me to get it done. I see a wrap-up by end of December, with apologies to my poor editor, who should have had the doc weeks ago.

The latest manuscript is my Charm School series in fiction (WAIT, WASN'T I SUPPOSED to keep that SECRET?), and I'm finding that because I'm writing in a contemporary fantasy setting, the writing is Faster. No need to check too many historical facts, except for correlating when the Norman invasion in what was England happened and what time period the Huns overran the eastern Roman Empire (500 yrs earlier). Chinese dynasties and dress styles were researched too, but not to the extensive, obsessive depth I'm usually capable of (FREEDOM). No need to run to Etymology Online to find out if I've written dialogue that would not have been heard in 19th c. Victorian London. I'm happy, Ecstatic I tell you, to be able to write the story and get it done, when as a graphic novel I'd probably be only on page 4---and looking at another year or so of drawing something people would finish reading in 5 minutes.

This story I'm working on was the one I'd always meant to follow "Hotroddin' To Hell And Back!", which still needs to be wrapped up in the comic book series. When there was a very low period in my life where I had to give up being an artist (long story having to do with hand injuries), I really saw no way for the story to ever be brought to life. I was only practicing writing fiction at the time, when my thumbs cooperated, and it was very hard to 'see' the story as something other than sequential art. Very hard to let go, shall we say, of my old injured self and become something unknown and new. I also could have offed myself during my Black Period and then we'd have never seen any of what I wanted to tell. :-p But I didn't, we are here today, it is being written, Words Alive to more depth, knowledge, and exploration far different from Drawing, and the girls, Bunny, Fairer Than, and Dean are living, speaking, doing, and making the story quite amazing. To me. And this is why I am thankful and happy.

Which means I may be hit by a truck in an hour or so, when I visit the doc, so let's hope that doesn't happen. The rest of the story hasn't been sent to the beta-reader yet. :-p

Now why did I link to Nabokov? Because I'd just bought the book on mp3 CD, seeing as I never give myself leisure time to really Read, not even to pause and look at the Kindle. Which is why I've unfinished reading commitments, though I'll always read a non-fiction work for research purposes. Theodora Goss shared this on her FB (and certainly feel free to Friend her there or at her Tumblr):

"There are three points of view from which a writer can be considered: he may be considered as a storyteller, as a teacher, and as an enchanter. A major writer combines these three—storyteller, teacher, enchanter—but it is the enchanter in him that predominates and makes him a major writer … The three facets of the great writer—magic, story, lesson—are prone to blend in one impression of unified and unique radiance, since the magic of art may be present in the very bones of the story, in the very marrow of thought … Then with a pleasure which is both sensual and intellectual we shall watch the artist build his castle of cards and watch the castle of cards become a castle of beautiful steel and glass."

—Vladimir Nabokov

Someone in the thread recommended "Ana or Ardor", and after reading what it's about, I felt it fitting to give myself a break and listen to it when it comes in.

I hope you too are in the midst of building such things, or enjoying them. :)

all the best, ~eee ^v^

(crickets)

Actually, the event info is here, 'tis at the LAX Marriott, with Guest of Honor Catherynne M. Valente (cheer):

http://loscon.org/40/

I arranged my NOV con schedule waaaay back in the beginning of the year. Who knew I'd poop out so fast and soon. :D I could say it's due to the mending broken foot (and I'm super grateful to the friends and fellow creatives who've come out to share table space and help Lame Me at these shindigs!), but I didn't know waaaay back in Jan or March that I would be deep in certain manuscripts---mostly behind, I'd say---and wanting to have *5* Charm School graphic albums in print.

So that's where my mind dwells. That and I'm quite comfy wearing thermal jammies and drinking hot chocolate. I can swing hot chocolate at the Marriott, maybe, but the pajamas have to stay home. ;)

SEE you at LosCon, if you're going! I will be in the dealer's room with my Dark Victorian and Sundark books. :D

from the site:

The History of Loscon in a Nutshell…

In December 1975 the Los Angeles Science Fantasy prepared LA 2000, a special convention to celebrate the club’s 2,000th meeting. The event was so enjoyable that it was repeated in 1976. At this time it moved to October to honor the club’s anniversary and called itself LOSCON for the first time. It was held twice in 1977, the second that year being the first with an official guest of honor, Dr. Jerry Pournelle. By 1978 it had finally settled into an annual November affair, the Los Angeles Regional Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention. Then starting with LOSCON 9 in 1982, the Thanksgiving weekend was chosen and became subsequently the traditional date.