Thought Patterns

Wow. What a conference!

I got to schmooze more this time and was more recognized so that helped. I signed about ten books and about five more at the bookstore (to go back on the shelf). That was an ego booster!

Everyone asked when my next book was coming out. Everyone. I considered each one a kick in the muse to get back into writing mode.

I was on two panels and both were a blast. Not only was I on a panel with THE Lee Lynch, but I sat next to her! And she is a sweetheart. Totally embarrassed by my playful fan-girl moments but laughed with me each time. The complete joy, the thing that made my trip worth it, was when she recognized MY name and went all nuts about my book. THE Lee Lynch loved it! Lee (and yes, I can call her Lee now) is human, sweet, cuter than cute, and far more energetic that I am. Oh, and she can dance way better than I ever could.

I feel that after the second book, if it is as good as everyone thinks the first one is, that I will have a well established fan base. And if the third is as good, there's no thinking to it. Lesbian readers are faithful and voracious readers. They give a new author two chances to impress them and if the third impresses as well…boom.

I've got some stuff to do today then when get to writing. My publisher agreed to take a look at Simple Sarah while I work on another Butch Girl book. I've got two friends (one a tough librarian) who have agreed to beta read anything I want to send them. I am going to run through Simple Sarah once then get their opinion. They've promised to tear it apart and not just say "I like it".

I'll give a longer report on the workshops later, promise.

Of course, when I get there, stuff will most likely have changed. It usually does with all the other cons I've attended. (link to the schedule)

Thursday

8am - check-in

9:00 - Creative Solutions workshop

11:15 - lunch

12:45 - Panel: First Time Authors/Famous At Last! Now What?

2:00 - break

2:30 - Author signing table

3:00 - Either Hey That's Funny! OR Feel the Heat

4:15 - break

4:30 - Stealing the Past: Historical Novels and Stories panel

5:30 - Break

7:00 - Opening Ceremony

8:00 - Meet 'n' Greet

Friday

9:00 - Plot and Plotting workshop

11:15 - 12:45 Lunch by GCLS

12:45 - Panel: Stretching the Rainbow: Do All of My Characters Have to Look Like Me?

2:00 - Author signing table

2:30 - Break

3:00 - World-Building, Utopias, Setting, and Fabulous Places panel

4:15 - Break

4:30 - Promoting Lesbian Books & Authors, and Moving GCLS Into The Future

8ish - Charis for book signing

Saturday

9:00 - Creating Dynamic Story People Workshop – Part I

11:15 - lunch

12:45 - Creating Dynamic Story People Workshop – Part II

2:00 - Author signing table

2:30 - Break

3:00 - Secrets of Successful Author Promotion panel

4:15 - break

4:30 - Autograph session in main ballroom

5:30 - break

7:00 - Pre-awards dessert

8:00 - "Goldie Awards" and dance

Sunday

8:00 - breakfast provided by GCLS

9:30 - Keynote

10:45 - Author Round-A-Bout

1:00 - break

2:00 - GLCS meeting

4:00 - Closing ceremony

italics - name of workshop/panel
underlined - panels or other activities in which I am directly involved

I've said numerous times, here and elsewhere, that the world revolves around priorities. What is more important than something else at any given moment.

Life and Limits

Friend of mine is dying. Well, technically we all are, but Lew really is. The time line from the doc is "many months to a couple of years". Narrows it down. It is frustrating that he and Elena are so many hours away. Right at the edge of the "easy day drive" limit, you know?

Lew and Elena's priorities are way different than mine. Yours are different from the person next to you. Etc etc. It is what makes the world go 'round, that difference, that constant changing.

Life and Leisure

I have critters around me, some furred, some finned, some…shelled? I have three goldfish and a bunch of snails. I have Malaysian Trumpet snails (Thiaridae Melanoides tuberculatus), Red Ramshorns (Planorbidae), and "Mystery"/Apple snails (Pomacea pomacea bridgesii and Viviparus malleatus). One of the mystery snails, Crash, has laid two clutches (egg groups). Bridgesii lay their eggs above the water line so they are easy to find, observe, and/or remove. Her first clutch should be hatching soon. The other has a while to go yet.

I have so much fun watching the snails and the fish. Their priorities are much different than mine. Theirs are simple: eat, sleep, have sex, explore, then forget what we just did so that we can do it again as if for the first time.

Leisure and Limits

My body won't do what I want it to. I want to do some things and it says "Ha." Actually, it uses more complicated verbiage than that but I can't repeat it here. Yeah, the colorful metaphors are quite rough. Lew's body is tired from the chemo and the other stuff it has had to go through. Elena's body is arguing with her, too, although I'm sure its language is a little cleaner than mine. She's more sophisticated than me so I would assume her body is too.

We are getting ready to go to Atlanta for the GCLS conference. We are also planning how to not spend the money we don't have. Meals are going to be the biggest outflow of cash. Lorna wants to take milk and cereal. Eh, I guess.

Linkage:

Elena's Blog about Lew's cancer
Elena's "About"

My aquatic website
Aquatic Photo Gallery
All about apple snails

Golden Crown Literary Society
GCLS Con - Schedule

Here. Some there but mostly here.

I've been hit hard by migraines followed by seasonal allergies. Just as the headaches stopped, the nose stopped up.

I wish the two were related 'cause then I could stop the headaches. But nope. The headaches are because I have the silly habit of turning my head. Mustn't do that.

I have been doing some writing. Not much. Maybe a couple hundred a day. Mostly on BG3. My heart's not in it though. I'm considering editing Simple Sarah and sending it to my publisher. She can decide what to do with it but at least I will have done what my heart wants. You know?

I leave in a week for the Golden Crown Literary Society's convention. I'm excited about that! I am on a panel again this year as well as going with other authors with my publisher to a book signing gig. I'll also be doing some book signings at the Convention. The schedule is fairly packed this year. Lorna will be going too so I'll have her to keep me going.

Speaking of the panel, I realized that THE Lee Lynch is also on the panel. THE Lee Lynch! OHMYOHMYGHOD! Fan girl moment. As a lesbian, and now a lesbian who writes lesbian books, the very concept of meeting one of the greatest lesbian writers is just, well, OHMYGHOD! THE Lee Lynch has written a lot of books. All of them are quite literary and way cool to read. The Swashbuckler, Dusty's Queen of Hearts Diner, Toothpick House, and perhaps my fave, Home in Your Hands. The recently released Sweet Creek shows she's still got what it takes.

Where was I? Oh, right, convention. Lorna will be able to go with me this year so it will be funner for me. We probably won't take Joella, though. Her, um, gaseous eruptions are getting worse. During our recent Vacation from Heck, we also realized how much time we spend trying to get her to eat and do her business. It's one thing to have a dog that farts but to have a dog that farts while her stomach growls loud enough to be heard across the room is just too much.

Just thought I'd show y'all that I was indeed there and I did indeed actually dress up.

This is me with Zero (in her leather jacket) tying my tie and Cheri (in her leather skirt) watching.

larger version

I've gotten most of the notes/thoughts down for two of the Master Classes - Theme and Revision.

Let me know if you have any questions, 'kay?

Got home earlier today from a freakin' wonderful conference. Boy howdee!

I had a blast. So many notes to sift through! So many new ideas! So many pages to cut from my novels since now I know in what ways they suck!

I met my editor, Jane Volbrecht, as well as the head of my publisher, C.L. Both are fantastic women and I feel honored to have them on my side.

I also got to hang out with over 300 lesbian writers and readers. The energy there, the emotional and physical energy, was…astounding, empowering, rejuvenating, awesome, cool, groovy, and a bunch of other similar big words.

And with that, my partner of 16 years prefers I shut this thing off and get ready for bed. I think she kinda sorta missed me a little.