More Busy Even Than God

March 8

11:40 a.m.

Hello! I feel so insanely energized this morning, it's marvelous! Whoo whoo whoo!

First, here are links to a couple of reviews: Bluejack's review of "Captain Fantasy", which is lovely -- that guy's too nice to me. Next, the Tangent Online review of "Famishing" by Heather. In all the excitement about getting the Nebula nomination, I never really said how much I love that story. I was there through the whole process of Heather writing it, and I was (and continue to be) astonished by the leaps and bounds by which she grows as a writer. While I've improved incrementally since I started writing fiction steadily (which was, oh, when I was ten years old), Heather has gotten dramatically better with every story, just in the past couple of years. I shudder in anticipation to think of what she'll accomplish in the future...

I've been productive, without actually writing fiction. Last night I made our hotel reservation for the Nebulas, paid bills, sent out a couple of queries, revised and submitted a story, wrote (with Heather) a "the deadline approacheth!" e-mail reminder for the people we invited to submit to Flytrap, and answered some Star*Line submissions! All this in addition to watching the last couple of episodes of 24, which really is an ambitious, courageous show, despite occasional missteps. The DVD included an alternate (read: happy) ending, and I'm so glad they didn't go with that -- it would have been a real letdown after the ratcheting tension of the show. The show has a more brutal, tragic shape as a result, which I like.

I've got a lot of little things piled up to work on (and one big thing -- starting my new novel! Or at least outlining it) to do soon, so I made an actual list, which is rare for me. I dove right in this morning, getting two more stories ready to go out, and reading some Flytrap fiction subs with Heather (all the decisions about fiction are hers, but since the stories are coming from writers I like, I want to read them!). Here shortly we have to go do laundry (boo, hiss), and then it's more work in the afternoon. Here's what's on my agenda:

• Revise "Winter on the Pyre" and, if time permits, "Living with the Harpy", and send them out.

• Answer all my outstanding Star*Line submissions.

• Put together the next issue of Star*Line.

• Mark my calendar with dates I'll be traveling, when bills are due, etc.

• Print labels and send out Star*Line contributor's copies.

• Write my bio and essay for the SFWA Bulletin Nebula-nominee issue, and find a photo for same.

• Outline the Frog novel.

This is in addition to cleaning up around the house, and, you know, eating and sleeping. Should be doable, if my energy level remains as high as it is now.

This is, I think, what it feels like to not be sick! I'd forgotten! Though my ear was clogged for about half an hour this morning, so I think I'm not entirely better. I was way less phlegmy than usual today, though (I know, too much info, sorry).

Ah, well -- off to do laundry.

5:00 p.m.

Laundry was relatively painless, as these things go. Afterward Heather went off to yoga, and I continued working. I got all my Star*Line contributor copies ready to mail, which entailed making labels, affixing stamps, etc. Then I started revising, and got "Winter on the Pyre" and "Living with the Harpy" in shape -- both required little more than polishing, which was a pleasant surprise, since I'd feared there'd be structural defects that I overlooked in the first drafts. I got them ready to mail, too -- I have stories out to all the top markets, now, and many of the small ones. La! 13 stories in circulation. Not bad. I marked up my calendar, too. Look at me slash through my to-do list! Look upon me and cheer!

9:15 p.m.

Heather got home, and we made dinner, and started watching the awful movie Tart. Man, the ease of Netflix gets us to rent some questionable stuff occasionally. Anyway, it bored me senseless, and the nihilism of the characters reminded me of John Kessel's "The Pure Product", so I pulled down an antho and re-read that story while Heather finished watching the film, which she characterized as "The kind of terrible movie I can actually watch."

Then we cleaned a bit, and moved Heather's craft-stuff (which includes a desk!) to my Upper Sanctum, because Holly wants to put a desk and her computer where the craft-stuff used to be, and we promised we'd clear a space for her before she got back from Indiana (she returns Monday night).

And since then... I've been reading The New Yorker, and Heather's been getting stories ready to mail out, and the productivity-frenzy of the day seems to be petering out. I may answer some Star*Line subs tonight, but won't do anything more strenuous than that. Tomorrow we're going to a café to work -- I have novel-outlining to do, and Heather has various things to work on, so we'll hang out in Berkeley and do so. Should be pleasant.

Words written since February 1, 2003: 9,600

Words written since last entry:
0.

Go buy mine and Erin Donahoe's new chapbook, Love!

Buy Floodwater via PayPal! $5, includes shipping. Or send a check payable to Heather Shaw to the PO Box below.