Many Pennies

January 15

So, whoo! My quantum physics voodoo love story "The Scent of Copper Pennies" is a bestseller on Fictionwise! Yesterday it was #14, today it's #7. (Does anyone know what this means in terms of actual readers? Does it mean, like, 4 people have read it, or what?). Go pony up your 61 cents and read it, and rate it, and suchlike (it's got two "great" ratings so far -- I mean, hey, the people have spoken). The story is all about the garden of forking paths, ghosts and lost chances, loss and loneliness and car accidents, and it's set partly -- though this isn't evident from the text -- in the same coffee shop that features so predominantly in Rangergirl!

Not much else to report, though there are things brewing beneath the surface -- a possible strange fun writing gig that's so tentative I can't even begin to talk about it, and weird anthology stuff I'm not s'posed to talk about until it's finalized. Still in not-working mode, though I was less lacking-affect today than I have been lately, actually feeling pretty cheerful. Heather went to the dentist today, more bad news -- this could potentially cost us thousands out-of-pocket, though fortunately that cost is spread over several months, not landing on us all at once -- at any rate, it's pretty much definite that we can't afford a wedding this year, and I hope the people we've borrowed a car from don't need it back any time soon. We'll get by, though, and I'm not too stressed. So we eat ramen for a while, take buses, start borrowing books instead of buying them; we'll get by. Writing money seems to be coming in an intermittent trickle, at least, and that helps. Still waiting on a big check from Realms that should be here any time now, and which will pay for, oh, half a root canal...

I'm trying to figure out what to nominate for the Hugos, what to recommend to the final ballot for the Nebulas. Facing the stunning gaps in my reading, especially regarding the Nebulas, and trying to catch up on that reading, because I'd like to be an informed voter, you know? Hugos are easier, because I can nominate things I've already read and loved...

We watched a little Buffy tonight, and Angel, which I like more and more, though tonight's episode was mostly transitional. I made grilled cheese and soup for dinner, because Heather's wasn't up for eating anything more solid/substantial. Heather just finished The Lovely Bones, and she recommends it highly. I'll read it once I finish Summerland, I guess...

Words written since February 1, 2002: 204,600

Words written since last entry:
I almost wrote a grocery list, but then I winged it instead.

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