Robynettely

If that's not a racist thing to call it, it's what we're having now. I made it up, but it's defined as when the weather goes back below zero after the first commercial patio day. And we went to the Firkin's patio last Friday. Indian winter is nice for running, though. There's a construction site on my run, and a lot of mud. Today it was nicely firmed up, though I had to run around, not through, because they were working (on a Saturday!). I guess they're behind schedule already.

I first encountered this word a few weeks ago on Leah Bobet's blog , but I skipped over and paid it no nevermind. Anyway, it caught my eye again today when I was reading a short story . So I googled it. In November, I did like an hour of research of first-nations (specifically ojicree ) mythology when I was writing the zombie karate novel. How did I not find this? How did I not learn about wendigos (wendigoes?) when I was learning mythology in high school English? And manitous? One of my friends goes to Camp Manitou every summer. How did I not know? Was I asleep? Is this proof of my ADD which no one else agrees I have? What? I'm not needing to culturally appropriate or anything, but it would have been cool to know. Also, this is awesome: http://groups.google.ca/group/alt.fan.heinlein/msg/0920b2f01ac0a248?hl=en . Not sure I ever finished a Heinlein novel. I know I didn't finish "The number of the beast" on account of I found it totally sexist. When I was 15.

Last night I opened the file with my newest short story in it, and found the spot where I'd left off, and put my fingers on the keyboard, and about 600 words fell in. Nice.

So I started writing new, fresh words. How can I make things not get worse when I edit them? I am so scared to even look at the zombie thing.

Today I was surfing a job posting website in my field, and I came across this skill/requirement: Ability to gather, clarify and apply information transmitted verbally, while exhibiting a genuine interest toward the speaker. Too funny.

Last Sunday we went cross-country skiing. Yesterday (Sunday) we went rollerblading. Weird.

Yesterday my friend finished reading the karate zombie novel, which I find amazing. He got through the whole thing! He suggested I add a couple of chapters to give closure on some of the minor characters, which I don't know, may be necessary. I haven't read it. And I sent off Dolphin to the TPL writer-in-residence, which should provide interesting feedback. We'll see. So I think I'll give Dolphin a couple of weeks of rest, and work on Bezoar in the meantime. And maybe start reading my karate zombie novel.

Manners. First draft novel. 85% complete. "Dolphin". Short Story. Editing -- just finished the 4th draft? Got the POV right now. Trying to heighten the horror or tension or, well, anything. If every story has a flaw that you just have to get the reader to ignore, I think the flaw of this story is that nothing much happens in the first half. Maybe somehow I can fix that, or make my poor innocent readers ignore it. "Bezoar". Short Story. Third draft. "In a Nutshell". 233 words of start.

"Unicorn" - Out to market #3. Still. I need to get something else in circulation.

I intended to read five books this month so that I could keep on track to 52 books this year, but somehow that didn't work out. I blame Maire (sweater) that I was knitting. "Sun of Suns" by Karl Schroeder. He's the TPL writer-in-residence right now, so I thought I should read something he wrote in case I decide to go to one of his lectures or submit my work to him (I was thinking I would submit something, but I'm afraid he'll be all full up by the time I'm ready). He thanks David Nickle in the acknowledgements, another Toronto one degree of separation thing. Does every F/SF/H writer in TO owe David Nickle? V. strange. I didn't like the italic font, and the love interest sub-plot for the main character seemed very sudden. Other than that, it was a neat world, with neat characters. Way better than Ringworld. Clearly I don't read enough hard SF. "The Invisible Hook" by Peter T. Leeson. An entertaining look at how golden age pirates (1716-1...

...which is kind of lame. I did get to go cross-country skiing twice this weekend. These were probably the only two times I'll get to do that this winter, because the snow is going fast. It was nice to get some, though. I think it's time to start planning my approach to editing the karate zombie thing. I'd like to not wreck it. Finished Maire by Margaret Mills. Maybe later I'll photograph it and put it on Ravelry. It came out well.