So, life is pretty good. While I’ve started researching the next book, that “research” so far consists mostly of reading a bunch of novels written in and set in the historical time and place where my book will take place. Not exactly hardcore historical work at this point — I’m just trying to soak up flavor and feel for now.
Otherwise, apart from writing a book review (Daniel Polansky’s Low Town, a good and bleak noir/fantasy hybrid), I didn’t do a lick of work all weekend. Mostly I played Alice: Madness Returns, which is a ridiculously pretty game. Play gets a bit repetitive sometimes, but it’s worth it for the scenery, and I love how the NPCs all refuse to provide any of the useful exposition you’d expect from such characters. Mostly they just go off on appropriately Wonderland-ish tangents and rambles.
After months of spending my weekends working as much as possible, I was finally able to do a family outing! I went with my wife and kid and sister-in-law and nephew to a pool on the other side of the Caldecott tunnel. (It’s been cool in Berkeley, but was hot over the hill, so we did the drive.) Lots of fun splashing and a bit of lounging and reading. It’s always good when the adults outnumber the children. Nephew did a sleepover, and both kids were pretty good, for the most part, though when they got up at 6 a.m. on Sunday I wasn’t thrilled. Still, that was a good day, too — did a little shopping with the family in the morning, then took the kid to a playground all afternoon so Heather could get some work done. All very pleasant.
Also: I am experimenting with making alcoholic popsicles.