Not that it really matters today. Temps are expected to be 110 degrees, but we KNOW we'll see lower temperatures coming. At least a little lower. I tell people we have two seasons here, hot and hotter. Thank God I'm an author, and not a landscaper or other outside professional.
So, what does September mean to me as I sit in front of my keyboard...
3/4ths of the year is gone and I'm feeling a bit unproductive. Yes, I've written a lot this year and have several projects in the fire, but they weren't screaming at me to devote every waking hour to their lives. Until SDCC. During the drive I was chatting a premise out with my BFF Gini Koch and her PA Joseph Gaxiola. I retold a 'true story' I'd heard way back when I was in the military and how I wanted to make it into a SF story.
Sometimes ideas just needs to be said out loud, because the next thing she asked was 'what's that noise' was coming from the back of the car. It was me on my laptop. Characters and voices were shouting out the story and I've been rocking the first draft.
There's still appearances to make.
Sept 12-14 I'm at HawaiiCon (Comicon on the Beach).
TusCon Oct 31- Nov 2 in Tucson.
Tucson Comicon Nov 7- 9th.
Then on December 11th we go to Las Vegas, my BFFs Gini Koch and Sharon Skinner for the B&N Wyked Women who Write Booksigning at the Henderson Barnes and Nobel on December 13th.
With all this, it doesn't look like my annual retreat will happen this year, so I better make the best of my Hawaii trip.
Then preplanning for 2015.
While I have to spend every minute I can writing, I also have to attend the many Cons that take place, and there are so many. However, I do have a life outside of writing. Really I do. I have to have my other knee replaced in February, finally. And I have to plan a military reunion for April. As the Phx resident where our reunions take place (we were all stationed at Gila Bend), I've done the planning in prior reunions and will continue to do so unless someone else volunteers. That's not a hint to my GBAFAF followers. I love doing it.
So, while I say writing is not my only activity, it doesn't ever leave my brain. I'm always thinking 'what's next?' and when can I politely return to my keyboard, because the characters can get you a bit schizophrenic if you ignore them too long. Right now they're screaming at me to get back to where I left them lingering over their scene, while another part of my brain is screaming that I have a rocking panel set up for HawaiiCon and I'm not ready for it.
I have research to do, but maybe my friends can help me out with that. I'm compiling a list of the BEST Women Science Fiction Authors, your favorites. Tell me who makes YOUR list and win a prize. That's right... Follow the blog, enter your BEST of the Best and I'll do a drawing for a winner. Deadline is Sept 17th.
I'll announce the winner when I get back from Hawaii.
Anne McCaffrey (Ship Who series), Lois McMasters Bujold (Miles Vorskogian series) and Gini Koch (Alien/Kitty Katt series)
ReplyDelete(If this has posted a billion times, I apologize.....it never looks to me like it's posted.....)
The first science fiction book I ever bought was by Andre Norton and that's where my allowance went for the next few years. In high school, I discovered Anne McCaffrey and she had a huge impact on my young adulthood. I tend to mix my sci fi with fantasy but for straight genre, my go-to women are Gini Koch (Alien/Kitty Katt series), Marcella Burnard (Enemy series), Sherrilynn Kenyon (League series), Jody Lynn Nye and Elizabeth Moon.
ReplyDeletebejeweledcat
C.J. Cherryh, Julie Czerneda, Linnea Sinclair, Jean Johnson, Mickey Zucker Reichert, Sharon Lee, Lois McMaster Bujold, Ann Aguirre, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Andre Norton, and of course, Anne McCaffrey and Gini Koch and many more! (how long a list did you want, lol)
ReplyDeleteMy first SF was Anne McCaffrey. I fell in love and never fell out. Out of more than 100 books, I only met one or two I sort-of didn't like. Even her Dragon Riders of PERN, which you'd think would be fantasy, are actually SF. But, if you want hard SF from her, go with The Ship Who Sang. Next, Andre Norton. I had to compare the Beast Master books with the movies. The books are better - more emotional depth, world-building, and character development. But, my fav is Gini Koch for her Alien (Katherine "Kitty" Katt) series. That is where I go for snarky wit, laughs, and the best friends a girl could want in the entire universe. Also, she's the one who clued me onto your contest in her newsletter. P.S. If this posts twice, blame the Google signin process. bookwormpov (at) gmail (dot) com
ReplyDeleteI love Michelle Patricia Browne. She's new on the scene, but is creative and exciting.
ReplyDeleteA new author for me is Sherly Nantus who just wrote In The Black. Other are C.J. cherry, Gini Koch, Ann Aguirre, Sharon Lee, Elizabeth Moon, and I could go on and on.
ReplyDeleteMy favorites are Anne McCaffery, Lois McMaster Bujold, Ann Aguirre, Sherrilyn Kenyon and Gini Koch. All are amazingly talented authors who got me hooked on the genre.
ReplyDeleteGeorge R. R. Martin
ReplyDeletebn100candg at hotmail dot com
I'm looking to plan a military reunion this December. It seems like you've already planned a few successful reunions of your own! It's great that you enjoy planning and organizing the event. Do you have any general suggestions for me planning my first reunion? http://www.armedforcesreunions.com
ReplyDeleteThanks for reading the last year of my blog to find my reunion comments. Yes, I am the organizer for my GBAFAF group, sort of by default.
DeleteGeneral suggestions: November and December are BAD months for reunions. Thanksgiving and Christmas take precedent over reunions and people will be forced to choose. January they're still recovering the price of Christmas.
So start planning a year in advance. Create a Facebook page for THAT group's reunion. Have other members reach out and invite people who might not be on your lists, but they've remained in contact with. Make sure everyone can see who to contact for questions. Find out rom them when and where works. That will give you a general feeling of interest and numbers.
Pin down a hotel and set up the block of room with (1) enough overlap days before and after the reunion and (2) no penalty if you don't meet the minimum number of reservations.
Locate events in your area taking place around the time of your reunion. ie. March doesn't work here because of baseball training camps driving the hotel rates way up. Find nearby golf courses, festivals, rallys, sightseeing day trips, museums, and that type of stuff. I leave the days open for the attendees to go have fun, then plan evening events at the hotel or local restaurants for everyone to sit and tell war stories.
That's pretty much it, except, have a lot of patience. Good Luck and thanks for reading.