Escape Time!

Time to Switch

2007-01-11T12:57:00.000-05:00

Being a busy person [and who isn't?!] I'm not able to keep up with both Blogger and LiveJournal. Since I'm liking LiveJournal better, I'm posting there now: http://kc-heath.livejournal.com/

I will, however, leave this Blog up for awhile because there's some good reading in here--con reports, etc.--and some great links!

A Pole for Readers

2006-12-11T12:57:00.000-05:00

As an author, reviewer, editor, and reader, it is very important to me to understand why people read fiction. I know my own reasons.

What are yours? What is it about certain books that makes you want to pick that one up? What is it about certain stories that keeps you reading to the last page and wanting to buy that author's work again?

The answers will not be the same for everyone. That's half the fun!

Exact Wording & Regulatory Compliance

2006-12-07T12:55:00.000-05:00

Being that I think of myself as an editor becomes a bit of a bother sometimes, like in conversation when I edit other people's sentences to make more sense [heehee]. I get glared at.

But being good with words helps a lot with the day job, usually. Sometimes though... like this letter I got from one of the high-and-mighty entities that oversees our operations: there's all of this anal picking [I'm used to that] and then the author of this legalese says, "The applicant shall provide all mineral interest ownership under the facility." O-kay. Literally, this means the high-and-mighty entity wants us to give them all of our mineral interest ownership. Uh, I don't think so. The man who wrote this meant to say he wants information on that subject, but that's not how the very very proper letter reads. So, I'm already irritated by the rest of the letter, and I sit down to compose my response. My first reaction is: "Do you mean information regarding mineral interest?" Cough. No, I'm not going to be as anal as the guy who wrote that letter. Try again: "We do not have mineral interests to give you." Scratch that too--too sarcastic. Sigh. I'm finally going with: "Mineral interest under our facility: we do not own it." Period. Then I wax long with the details, including: "It does not appear that the previous owner had mineral interest either. Our lawyer informs me that in order to determine who does have the mineral interests, a title search would be required, the expense of which we cannot afford." [My sarcasm took hold...] "Since this facility uses only the surface of the land, we are not going to persue further an expensive matter that has no pertinence to our operations."

State and Federal regulations are costing small buisnesses more than they can afford. I'm constantly fending off garbage like this! At least my writing backgroup pays off for something.

View Point

2006-11-18T14:24:00.000-05:00

The writing group I'm in is fun. We do all kinds of different writing projects. One of those is exchange of novel pages we're each working on. This has been a real eye-opener for me on the subject of view point. Now, I'm a stickler when it comes to this subject because not only do I write novels, I also read a lot of them for review at yetanotherbookreview.com. But it's come to my attention that romance writers have an entirely different opinion on the subject. Their stories switch heads in the same paragraph! Sorry gals, for the screeching, but this reader doesn't like that.

It is my opinion ANY story can be made stronger when special consideration is made for view point. Years ago when I was writing my first novel, I wasn't happy with a particular scene, so decided to rewrite it from the other character's point of veiw. Wow! --that turned out to be the best scene in the book [a manuscript that now collects dust on the shelf and probably won't ever see publication]. I'm reminded of an old cliche: "Don't criticize someone until you've walked 10 miles in his shoes." You have to LIVE that OTHER character even if your background work remains in the background. Spend time in that other character's shoes. Then come back to your story and watch it blossom! I enjoy reading romance, I really do. I especially like it when I can understand both main characters, and feel like each one is a real person. Any story that reads like all characters are just props for the main character is a flat read and doen't hook many fans. This is especially true when head-hopping writers have trouble SHOWing the reader whose head we're in at any given moment.

Need an example of good view point? Rudyard Kipling's CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS is a good example; so is the recently published author Sarah Monette [MELUSINE; & THE VIRTU]. In film I can think of two good examples: the ancient but still worth watching FATHER GOOSE; and ROMANCING THE STONE. These are incredible examples of view point. Please list more....

Invisible Trip-Wires

2006-11-15T17:34:00.000-05:00

Submitting a work of writing for publication is difficult to start with, then the publishing industry has to go and make it harder by creating inivisible trip-wires to cull the unsuspecting beginner, except even those of us who've been at this for awhile still get tripped up. Case in point: I submitted to a NYC agent. His webpage said: Contact Information--and gave an email address. I followed the Guidelines, then queried electronically. A month later, still no feedback, so I ask a friend who's already with that agency. He questioned me on how I sent it, then he said, "Ooo, bad form; you should have sent it snail." Okay, if that agent wants it snail, then how come the Contact Information doesn't give the snail address? Because it's one of those hidden trip-wires. I sent a copy of the query snail, but now I've gone and dirtied my nose by doing something that's secretly Bad Form. But just last year I found out that a publisher that I'd submitted to in hardcopy preferred it electronically--and that wasn't written anywhere either!

Writer Beware--even when you follow the Submissions Guidelines, you can still fall into a dark hole!

final scent

2006-11-13T17:09:00.000-05:00

Last thoughts on the con....

One is a memory that at more than one panel the pros were discussing how readers affect the story. I know this is true, because I've stopped reading three very good fantasy authors because their wonderful stories did not fulfill my expectations of what I wanted to read. At the con, this topic was discussed. Some pros try to adjust their stories to fit the expectations of their readers--writers beware, this doesn't work, according to the pros. But what to do? Accept it as a fact, they say. Every reader brings expectations to the story that the author cannot write around.
The other thing I'm remembering from the con was a wonderful "Reading Session" by Lee Modesitt. Sometime next year, I believe, he's going to have an Anthology of his own short stories coming out. He read one to us. This is what happened: First, we were late into the room because the previous person had run long, so Lee got a late start. So--when it came time for the next panel to enter our room, we were still busy listening. AND WE ALL REFUSED TO MOVE OUT OF THE ROOM UNTIL HE FINISHED! Yup, that sounds very much like a winner!

vapors

2006-11-10T13:27:00.000-05:00

As the memories of last weekend simmer on the back burner of my mind, vapors rise and demand attention. Things like: I found out that I'll need one pairing of agent/publisher for my female protagonist books and another pair for my male protagonist books--they probably won't sell in the same place [huh! go figure]. Another thing that bubbled to the surface was the discovery of why TOR probably turned down two of my novels. It seems Tom D. prefers black and white characterization "because it sells" and I'm not into absolutism. Oh well, guess I won't be submitting there again. And on another topic: one of the guest speakers who has at least 35 books out said that he doesn't believe his publisher has read more than two of them--now I believe that [have you ever read a stinker from a Name? --that's why--the Name sells, and only the author cares if the writing is any good or not...hopefully the author cares; I think I've read a few books where I think the author stopped caring]. Rumor has it that another famous author put out some stinkers because he made the mistake of listening to his fans and doing what they wanted and multiple inputs destroyed the vision [whoa!].

The convention really got me fired up, but horror stories abound. Like this one: One published author had an editor ask for a book "through the agent" but the agent wouldn't forward it because "it won't sell" even though the author already sold it, but the editor wouldn't take it without it going through the agent and that took a lot of fast talking to get the stuborn agent to Send It! Can't remember the names on that story, but seem to remember that the book won an award once out. Of course! :)

World Fantasy Convention

2006-11-06T13:05:00.000-05:00

Wow!

My mind is still spinning. This "convention report" won't be extremely detailed because I didn't take notes. I just ABSORBED. Ahhh, it was wonderful! I figure to let most of the details simmer on the back-burner of my mind, then I'll bring each topic forward on future posts.

The World Cons are a class unto themselves. It is my guesstimate that the average accomplishment level of most people there is a masters degree in something or other, and at least three books published. You go to panel discussions with different expectations than to your average local con. [Wish I'd brought a dictionary--and I thought my vocabulary was extensive!] The main differences between the World Fantsy Convention and the World Science Fiction Convention are: -1- The science fiction convention has about 10,000 attendees where the fantasy convention only has about 1,000; -2- topics of conversation at a science fiction convention might be over astronomy or artificial intellegence, whereas topics at fantasy conventions are more literary in nature; -3- and the best difference for the fantasy convention is Friday night's Signing Party. The pros sit at tables while the rest of us "smooze", drink in hand, getting books signed and having a spectacular time. I walked the room, glancing at name plates because I don't know faces like I do the names. I see one of the names I'm looking for, a very well published TOR author, and look up to see his face. "Why hello, Casey," Lee Modesitt says to me casually, then turns to the author sitting next to him and introduces me as one of his supporters. Well, I do have 17 reviews of his work AND an interview up at yetanotherbookreview.com for him. I smile big, chat, then move on to look for the next name on my list. Eric Knight was just as friendly, so friendly in fact that we chatted about all kinds of things that we have in common that have nothing to do with writing.

The next morning I had breakfast with an editor friend of mine who told me woes I cannot legally reveal in a public forum, just: O.M.G.! --the publishing industry is soooo cut-throat it's terrifying.

Let's see... I volunteered for the convention, put in 12 hours, most of them in Registration where I got to greet many people with a genuine smile of pleasure. The world-famous literary agent Don Maass handed me his card--ga! A writer I've done reviews for in the past loaded me up with another stack of free books to review. Oh, and speaking of free books--when you walk in the door of a World Fantasy Convention, you are always handed a book bag full of books [not exactly free since it isn't cheap to join the convention, but the great thing about this is the "exchange table" where you can trade books with other people who got a different assortment in their bags than you did]. Working Registration also earned me the friendships of three very cool people that I hope to keep up with through the Internet and the years to come.

The highlight of my trip was the Awards Banquet. It was well worth the $50. Not only was the food good, but the person sitting next to me--who started out as a stranger and is now a dear friend--caught me up in her pitch to a publisher she aimed at, and I got to pitch too, and.... might have sold a book! Though "send it to me" isn't the same as signing a contract, it still feels grand to have an editor take an interest in your work :)

The only other really important thing that happened was an intriguing panel discussion contrasting Blogger with Live Journal. It was described to me thus: Blogger is like standing at a podium--you speak to people and they can answer you. Live Journal, which is apparently FOR writers and other artistic types, is more like sitting at King Arthur's Round Table. Discussions are more robust, I'm told. If you want research done, name your topic and within twelve hours you might just have your answers [ha!]. Anyway, Live Journal has a way of spreading you around better, I'm told--you get more Internet exposure that way. So, when I get an extra minute this week, I'm going to start a Live Journal account. Anyone already there: pass the word to your "friends" please :) From the words of one of the guest speakers, "Live Journal is an online continuation of the convention, a way to take the communtiy feeling home with you." I'm in!

I'll post more comments on the convention as my mind sorts it out. It was an amazing experience and I've already signed up to work Registration next year in Saratoga [so the price of my attendace will be only $40, AND I can meet many more great people!]

Out of pocket

2006-10-31T13:31:00.000-05:00

Going to the World Fantasy Convention.

Will post a convention report when I get back :)

Editing

2006-10-20T14:58:00.000-04:00

Okay, it's true: I dream of being a "paid" editor one of these days --heehee--

I've done some editing that paid me with a Thank You, and that's fun [nicer than having someone get mad because I didn't tell him he was perfect--like, who is?].

But someone told me that in order to "convince the world" that I CAN edit, I need references. So, I'm going to ask any one who reads this--If I've edited for you, please feel free to comment here [as if you are speaking to a stranger and not me]. Then I'll have my wonderful friend Shaun cut-copy-paste these comments onto a new page on my website.

Thank you! :)

Rabbits

2006-10-20T14:41:00.000-04:00

Some of you know that I'm into rabbits in a big way. Since I can't have horses where I live, rabbits are the next best thing. I have a hard time convincing people of that fact, but really, rabbits and horses do have a lot in common. Besides their digestive systems, rabbits and horses share personality traits. Both species are incredibly currious and both startle easily.

Case in point: Bunny slippers. Okay, my old slippers wore out, so I decided to replace them with Bunny Slippers. Oh boy. The slippers are bigger than my roommates who weigh in at 4 pounds each. I put the slippers on, stepped across the room, and --boing!--no more bunny friends. "Hey, where'd ya'll go" heehee. Poor dears were at first terrified of my slippers. Then curriosity kicked in and they HAD to investigate these intruders into their world. The male had to take a piece out of the new slipper, of course. Ha. Life with pets sure is fun.

Weird

2006-10-10T13:06:00.000-04:00

Okay, this is just toooo werid. For the last week, when I try to "visit" my own blog, to see if anyone else has visited it, I find the stupid thing opening in September and not Showing Me any of my October posts. BUT--when I come into Blogger's Dashboard, I see that people have answered my October posts that I can only review if I open the Dashboard. I've republished multiple times, but with no changes.

Comments? Help? What's going on and how can I change it?

something funny

2006-10-06T14:59:00.000-04:00

Accounts payable day is rarely dull--don't know why. Always something interupts us. This week, we open QuickBooks and get a DownLoad message. My secretary says, "Do you want to download now or later?" And I say, "Oh, go ahead and do it now, but it's probably just some tax update for New Jersey." Two minutes later, we sit here laughing, reading about tax changes in New Jersey. Now do you believe me when I say I'm a visionary? --ha--

Finished!

2006-10-06T13:31:00.000-04:00

Even though I'm still behind on all of those projects at work, I took the day off yesterday and finished my Reins of Time trilogy!

Well, it still needs polish, but! Yes! The story is now complete!

In celebration, I queried a prestigious New York agent. Wish me luck :)

fey

2006-10-03T13:40:00.000-04:00

Okay, I saw this word in a novel I was reading on Saturday and had to go to the dictionary to make sure I understood its usage correctly. According to Webster, the meaning fit what the author intended: "fated for death," but according to my Oxford dictionary, fey means "otherworldly"--something we artist types really get into.

On Sunday I bought another research book with a sound enhancing CD in the back. This one is tribal drums. So last night I sat watching the sunset slant rose light through the trees whilst listening to these tribal drums beat a soft hollow cadence, and I did slip into another world--the world of muse where story lives and breathes. I didn't want the moment to end.

Crits

2006-09-28T17:26:00.000-04:00

I enjoy critiquing other people's writing. I like to think of myself as an up and coming editor --ha-- But anyway, it came to my attention the other day that not all critters are alike. There was this group I was in years ago that thought a good critique is where you "criticize" every other word! Their goal, and they don't mind admitting this, is to chase you away as a potential competitor in the publishing arena. Nice friends. No, I'm not with that group any more. The next group I joined was the exact opposite. These nice ladies are sooooo nice. Too nice. How am I supposed to improve my work if no one tells me what's wrong with it? Hint--if you're not getting published, maybe it's time to find a new critique group.

And I did find the perfect crit group. They tell me when I need to beef up certain sections that I breezed by too quickly. And they're nice enough to tell me when certain sections are definitely good ones.

What is it, specifically, that makes a good critter? Well, if you want good crits on your own work, you need to give good crits to other people in exchange [that's how the system works--join a group and everyone exchanges manuscripts]. A "Good" crit doesn't necessarily mean every comment you make is sugar candy. No. "Good" means "usable." Now this is difficult for some people to get into. Yes, it's okay to write on the paper. No, it is not okay to rewrite every sentence. If you think every sentence needs rewriting, then hand the manuscript back and say, "You need to rewrite every sentence because...." Maybe that person really is a terrible writer. [Direct that person to the nearest Creative Writing Workshop.] Maybe you just don't like that person's style. Style is very important to a writer. You keep yours, let the other person have his/her own style. The goal of being a "good" critter is not to change the other person's style, but to improve the style that person chooses to use. Read the story and really get into it. ONLY make comments on what would make that story and writing better. Sometimes I just put a smiley face in the margin, which means "Good Job!" Writers need a balance between positive and negative reinforcement in order to grow into Authors!

We need each other. And I'm very glad I found such a great group!

Dreams of the Future...

2006-09-22T14:47:00.002-04:00

Hmm, according to a Cosmo Quiz http://quiz.ivillage.com/cosmogirl/tests/April2005-SecretPower.htm [that Connie tipped me off to], I'm a "Visionary" with "great intuition" and "excellent people skills" [hear that New York?!] and I should be working either as an "Editor-in-chief" or a "Foreign Ambassador" [heehee] --two jobs that I've always wanted. Since I only speak English, I'll aim for Editor. Hey, I'm half-way there already~!!! :)

Author Update

2006-09-22T13:26:00.000-04:00

Yes, I'm back to writing SIXTH-FOCUS SEEKER and am making great progress toward finishing the first draft! No, I'm not working on my reviews--sorry folks, maybe in a week or two I'll get back on them. My muse is currently busy on a new story line--YES!--and I've spent more money than I meant to on research books [oh, but they're fun to read!]. At work I am severely overloaded with three HUGE projects that "must be done ASAP!" --sigh-- So my off-duty time swings between heavy productivity and none at all. It's been a rough summer and I'm not over it yet. Thank you, my friends, for being there for me--your attentiveness means more than you can imagine. :)

floppies are going out?!?

2006-09-12T13:28:00.000-04:00

Okay, this is proof that I keep my nose too tight to the grindstone! I did not know until last weekend that floppies are going out.

My old laptop worked just fine for six years. Then the hinge broke, and my tech-guy said, "Can't be fixed." So I broke down and bought a new laptop [ooo, real sleek too: a Sony VAIO], only: "Where's the floppy go?" --I ask the salesman. He laughed in my face.

O-kay, so. This was a real challenge. Windows 98 on the old laptop couldn't identify the tiny new 2GB stick I bought, so I had to take the floppies to work and used the work computer to transfer all my old files, then took the 2GB home to get the old files onto the new laptop. Huh! What a world...:)

overtime

2006-08-31T19:31:00.000-04:00

tired.... working overtime and sunburned from it.

*#*#* auto mechanic had my PU 2 1/2 days and "didn't get to it" and "hasn't gotten to" the work truck yet either. Gonna have to find another mechanic.

Writing? What's that?

Brain fried from twisting it tooooo many different directions lately. Going yet another responsible direction tomorrow. Oh joy.

Need a vacation.

Send me smiles, my friends. I love ya for it :)

~kc

Blah...

2006-08-24T14:47:00.000-04:00

I've got the day-job blues and can't seem to write when it's time to write. Any helpful suggestions?

out of pocket

2006-08-16T13:50:00.000-04:00

Hey guys, I'll be out of pocket for a few days so if I don't answer my e-mail, this is why: going to a trade show for the day-job to look at large equipment [oh joy]. Am definitely taking a full book bag with me! Back next week. :)

Personal Space

2006-08-15T17:41:00.000-04:00

Dug into my library and pulled out WALKING IN THIS WORLD: The Practical Art of Creativity, by Julia Cameron, and renewed my aquaintance with that volume by looking in the table of contents then turning to the chapter that addresses my current dilemma. Chapter 5 is "Discovering a Sense of Personal Territory," and made me cry to read it. Section 1 is "Sexuality vs Caretaking" and explains one of the reasons I've been so down lately. I quote from the book: "Creative energy and sexual energy are both our personal energy. Our use of them is private, and to pretend otherwise is debilitating and abusive. In point of fact, the two energies are so closely intertwined, they may be experienced as nearly identical. We conceive children and we concieve creative projects. Both energies are sacred. They spring from the same source, our inner core. Our creative energy, like our sexual energy, must not be sqandered. And yet, we are often asked to do just that." Ms Cameron goes on to say that, as artists, we should respect our own need for personal space and not let others--no matter how much we love them--steal that energy from us on a continual basis. She gives us permission to say, "No, not now." In the following chapter, she adds, "Contrary to mythology about us, artists are generous, often overly generous [ain't that the truth!]. We listen to others deeply, sometimes too deeply for our own good. We are susceptible to their hurt feelings and their pouting when we withdraw, and so sometimes we do listen to them even as our creative energy ebbs out of our own life and into theirs [yup!]. This creates exhaustion, irritation, and, finally, rage. It's not that we are unwilling to share our time and attention. It is that people must give us the courtsey of listening accurately to our needs about when and how we can do it. We may have huge energy stores, but they are our energy stores and we have the right to determine along what lines we want our energies to flow. For this reason, we may need to draw more boundaries than many people, and those who love us must be conscious that unless they can respect this, they are not a freind at all." So, even though I'm supposed to be responsible for my day-job 24-7, I think I'm going to start saying, "Hey, guys--I'm not answering the telephone any more from 7-9 on weekday mornings; and if you don't like it...grow up, please. I need my space."

Con Report

2006-08-13T14:51:00.000-04:00

Just got back from ArmadilloCon and thought ya'll would like to know what transpired. Anyone who knows me, knows that I go for the panels. Sure parties are great, and I adore meeting people--both old friends and new. But I go to conventions to learn. I'll give a list of the panels I attended with quick blips of each. If you want greater detail on any subject, just ask.

-1- "Now that you have written a story...how do you sell it?" I got my question answered on how to handle that one NY publisher that's had a submission of mine for over 2 years without giving me a response--I was told, "Politely inform them that they no longer have exclusive rights to look at it." I must admit that made me feel a lot better, because waiting for over 2 years with a submission at only one house is enough to drive any writer batty. I also heard other things in the panel that I already knew but will share here with you: Speculations.com and SFWA are good writer's resources. The Pikes Peak Writer's Conference is a good one. And Writer's of the Future is a good place to submit. Here are a couple of resources that were new to me: some place on the Net there's this "Evil Editor" who is quite good a critiquing query letters. And if you're in the market for an agent, try AgentQuery.com

-2- "Meet the Pros Party" Well, this isn't really a panel, but it is fun! Especially when a friend of yours drags you up to a NYC editor and orders you to pitch your story :) Thanks Chuck.

-3- "Building the Perfect Universe" Perfect? Panels that start at 10:00 on a Friday night do not come up with perfect scenarios. They come up with rediculous ones. Watching James P. Hogan, Elizabeth Moon, Julie Czerneda, Paul Benjamin, and Mikal Trimm compete on how fast they could come up with a complete working universe was histerical. Especially when the main point devolved into a discussion on how their worlds revolved around beer.

-4- Mmm, somewhere along the way I stumbled onto a panel about a TV show called "Lost" that a lot of people seem to be addicted to. Oh boy, I've had my head in books too long [I've never even heard of it.] Sounds interesting enough that I might go look one of these days.

-5- A tangent: I found out that David Gemmell died a few weeks ago of a stroke. That does make me very sad. I met David at the World Fantasy Convention in 2000 and he took me aside and told me all about how important it is for writers to have critiquers. After that I discovered what a great story-teller he is/was. A tragic loss to our community.

-6- Okay, then I stumbled into the art show and, darn it, one of the pieces bit me. I'm now down $75 but have a very nice fettish [necklace with carved animals] of serpentine and ?bone done in the Chinese Zodiac. I forgot to get the artist's name--will need to find that out.

-7- along the way I had great food to eat. Started the con with a scrumptuous steak dinner at Texas Land & Cattle Company. And for breakfast every morning I ate at this little Mexican resturant that serves great eggs & chorizo for $5. The rest of my "meals" were compliments of the con suite [thank you!] [and yes, I did deposit tips]

-8- The first panel I went to Saturday morning was called the Art of Editing. I learned the shades of editing that I'd not previously been familiar with; and that as a reviewer I need to be aware that "all published books have typos, so get over it."

-9- "What you should have read this year" panel discussion brought suggestions like: Elizabeth Moon's newest book [forgot the title], Spin Control by Chris Moriarty, A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore, some author named Giddeon DeFoe who is said to write "very surreal", a fantasy called Miliceene Virtu by Sarah Monett, the author James Morrow, and a series called Star Fist. They also told a funny Robin Hobb story--I had known that her real name is not Robin Hobb, but the why-fors of the change are interesting: Seems her original publisher decided not to buy her next book, so she changed her name and sold the next book to an English publisher who then resold the rights back to her original publisher who didn't know it was her! Ooo, sneaky!

-10- "The magic of Collaboration" --I tried collaborating on a story several years ago. My friend & I came up with a great story, but we both got too busy with other projects to keep this one alive. I've since met someone else and am toying with the idea of asking her to collaborate on a story, so these tips I learned might come in use.... These are the things that are most important to remember when you are collaborating on a project with someone else: (a) respect the other person, put the project first, egos just get in the way; (b) have fun; (c) play on each other's strengths; (d) don't use the word "no".

-11- "NASA's Robotic Missions to Mercury & Pluto" Cool! For your information, the MESSANGER will pass Mecury on 1-14-08, 10-6-08, 9-30-09, and again on 3-18-11. And the New Horizons Mission to Pluto--did you know that it was "the fastest space craft to ever have left Earth?" I hadn't known that. It crossed the lunar orbit in 9 hours! Launched January 19, 2006, it will take 9.5 years to get to Pluto, and 8.4 years of that will be after Jupiter. The fuel source of the Mercury probe is solar, but the fuel source of the Pluto one is radiothermal and it will use a boost from Jupiter's gravity-well when it gets there.

-12- "Why we need small press" As if life isn't complicated enough, the small presses go and make a very convincing argument against the larger publishers. I'm still on the fence. The news on Smart Paper and electronic books that hold entire libraries in your hand yet turn pages like a real book appear to be about 15 years away in technological development that makes the product available to the mass market, as I understood it anyway.

-13- "Paranormal Romance" --I only caught the end of this panel, but heard a good joke and got a good tip. The joke: "You can lead a horticulture but you can't make her think." The writing tip was: if you're going to write paranormal romance you better write fast because the publisher will want to put out several sequels a year for as many years as you can keep it up! Recommended reading: A Civil Campain by Lois McMaster Bujold [I've read it and absolutley adored it], and The Time Traveler's Wife.

-14- "Space Opera: Not Just an Adventure Anymore" devolved into a discussion on the label Space Opera. I didn't find this panel that enjoyable, except for Jame's Hogan's wonderful sense of humor. I did learn, however, that "Mixed Genre" is now called "Slip Stream." Whatever.

I got tired after that. Sat in on a few Readings then went to bed. Ditched out on the Sunday program because I wasn't feeling well. Can't wait to go back to Austin, however, for the Big One this fall!

~kc

2006-08-03T13:07:00.000-04:00

Blah summer. I don't know what it is--the heat or the yucky day-job--but everything seems to bog down at this time of year. If you are waiting on me to complete a book review for you, please don't hold your breath. I have a large stack to read and am not doing much about it right now. Got caught in the muse and have to write on novels and poems for therapy against reality. I just can't stop writing [GRIN] I'll try to get to those books I need to review within the next six months.

As for editing--I am still doing that, so please keep sending as I very much enjoy it and dream of someday making editing my day-job [well, one can dream!] though I wouldn't want to live in New York City--I dearly love the Southwest for it's colors, people, warm sunshine, and especially the FOOD! :)

I'm going conning next week up at ArmadilloCon in Austin. Hope to see good friends and make some new ones.

2006-07-13T14:04:00.000-04:00

Mmm, lazy summer days are great for creativity. Having trouble getting started? Just listen to the sounds around you and let them carry you into another dimension.

Wedding

2006-06-13T14:06:00.000-04:00

I know, I'm behind on my e-mail and reviews again. Sigh. This time's excuse is: ta-da--my son got married!

grin...

Reviews & Letters

2006-05-19T13:50:00.000-04:00

Ahhh, my secretary finally came back from her Maternity Leave! [doing her job and my job both at the day-job wasn't easy] So, now I can finally get to those books I need to read for review and all of the letters I owe.

In writing news, I've finished the outline for SIXTH-FOCUS SEEKER [yeah] and have even gotten a few chapters started! Did more research on electromagnitism and came up with some great new story ideas for the conclusion to Reins of Time. Having fun, in other words.

How's your writing going?

~kc

New Website!

2006-05-02T17:44:00.000-04:00

Hey, it's up! Check it out:

http://www.kcheathescapetime.com

Hello~

2006-04-26T16:03:00.000-04:00

I want to write about writing, and hear what other people have to say about writing too. I'm currently having a very heated debate with one of my e-mail contacts about the publishing industry today. What's your opinion about the state of the current market? ~kc