Fear My Productive Wrath

What a good day.

I revised "The Scent of Copper Pennies" first thing this morning. I'm quite fond of that story, now-- right after I wrote it, I thought it was stupid and talky and dull. I think it's sweet and wistful and sad, now. Man, I hope I'm right this time.

I also revised "Meranhu's Gifts," which took a bit more work than "Scent." I had to weed out my excesses. I have this tendency to mention pointless back-story, and make oblique references to weird stuff. I did that in "Meranhu's," to the justifiable annoyance of my first readers. They also pointed out some big flaws in the ending, and chided me for getting a little self-indulgent-- I mean, there's no real reason to talk about the Trichoteuses, the "Furies of the Guillotine" from the French Revolution; I just thought it was cool, and found a way to bring it up. I could have justified a neat digression like that in a novel, but not in this story. I'd like to thank John Sullivan, Mike Jasper, and Hilary Murphy for their feedback-- I don't usually send drafts out to so many people, but I thought this story had both great potential and serious flaws, and I wanted advice. Those fine first readers pointed out very different things and helped me triangulate on the story's deepest problems.

I didn't take all their suggestions, of course. But that crawling unease I got when I read the first draft is gone, now. I'll do one last adverb-hunt, and a polish, and then send this baby out. Hurray!

After that I took a break, chatting for a while with D. and his girlfriend Jess, who's just moved out here to live with him. I broke the news to him about the death of his fishies. Then I went to Pergolesi to read Octavia Butler's Bloodchild, loaned to me by Tim Cooper. Such a good book! Butler is one of the best.

In the evening I worked some on "Rangergirl." Even when I trim it, the thing is going to be at least 12,000 words long. Whatever will I do with this beast? Ah, well. It's a good story. Maybe I can chop it down further... This story is my current revision-priority.

Did about a thousand words on "Uncrowned Kings." Which probably won't end up being called that. But we'll see. I should be able to finish that story this week, barring the unforeseen. I even have an inkling of where it's going, now.

Bikini Kill rocks. I love Kathleen Hanna. The Blake Babies rule, too. I'm so excited about their new album, supposedly coming out next month! And there's even talk of a tour. How lovely.

I checked on my car today, and found a dangling metal thing. Terror, terror. But closer examination revealed that it was just a plate that covers part of the drive mechanism, not actually an integral part of things. The plate connects in four places, three of which were sheared off. I assume a couple of those connection points have been broken for a while. So I broke it all the way off (which took exactly one nudge with a stick). I drove the car a bit afterward, and all seems well. The plate did its job, protecting more important stuff. Of course, now the important stuff is unprotected, which is a problem. But it's not desperately urgent. I'll get it fixed soon, even if I only re-attach the plate myself with coathangers or something...

Oh, if you haven't already, go over to the Preditor's and Editor's Poll and vote for your favorite online everything!

Hmm. It's 9:15. I went to dinner with Scott and Lynne. Then we got cookies. I'm stuffed and feeling lazy. No more work for me tonight, methinks.