Robynettely

First Draft “Food Insecurity”. Missing bits. “Water Leopard”. I didn’t do nanowrimo , because the last thing I need is something to cut into my editing time. First drafts are not the problem. But I would have done this, if I was doing it. So I started it. I had 7900 words to start. Now there are probably 6000 more.   Editing “Food Insecurity”. Typed missing bits, made the ending and the beginning match a bit better. Deleted a thousand words, then added in a different thousand. Edited some more.   “Lucky Kate”. Read it and hemmed and hawed. Really I need to do a last copy edit and call it done. “ Clairvology ”. Research mostly. “Milo”. Typed. There wasn’t much to this actually, and while I remember what I was trying to do, this story doesn’t do it. Yet.  Connecting -- Circulating 2 Knitting Rust Damask Jacket (Takle & Kolstadt). Finished first ball of dark rust and second ball of medium rust . I’m past the armholes on the body, so th

“The 19 th Century Wind Band and Wind Ensemble in Western Europe” by David Whitwell. I’m not sure how Russia counts as Western Europe, but I’m researching for North America anyway, so … shut up. This book was what I needed though. I read this over two Friday afternoons at the Metro Reference Library.  “John Crow’s Devil” by Marlon James. This must be the magic that happens when you win a major literary award… people like me suddenly find out about you and read your book. This book was the sort of thing I could never write – the scatologicalness of it all, the sex, the language. The resolution totally made sense. I dind’t find any characters particularly likeable, but that’s not important to me apparently. Really good. Though I guess I was expecting something a little… more mainstream from a booker prize winner?  “Dreamhunter” by Elizabeth Knox. The sequel has been kicking around my house for years. I guess someone gave it to me, but I didn’t want to read it without readi

First Draft "Trepanneria and Scrimshawerie". Short story, not particularly satisfying, done.  "Labyrinth Moon". Short story, much more satisfying. Done.  Editing I a little bit fell off the wagon with editing this month, and days went by where I didn't do anything except maybe crosswords and sudoku, mostly because I was so close to done with Lucky Kate that it needed some space. Eventually I dealt with this by typing some things up. "Food Insecurity". typed this up and took out crap. Something I noticed typing this is I really can't tell which pages were here to write and which were easy. so that's good. Unfortunately while entering thechanges, I got stuck when I came across a spot where I needed to finish writing a scene I had somehow abandoned on the first draft. "Lucky Kate". At the end of the month I was able to convince myself to go through it. Really, one more draft of this and done this time for sure.   Connect

“The Buried Giant” by Kazuo Ishiguro. So much buzz! So much fake controversy! I found this book really slow – too much dialog. At the same time, that dialog expressed character really well. Sir Gawain was really funny. We have a game we play at my house: the “Are you calling me fat?” game. It’s where everything you say can be turned into a comment about my weight. I think it’s enormously fun, Ed maybe not so much (the boy seems to like it too, often chiming in with “Did you just call her fat?” before I even have a chance). Anyway, Gawain plays this game too, but not about fat: more about mass murder. “There are a lot of bones here,” one character says, and Gawain says, “I didn’t kill all those people!” at great length. I’m paraphrasing. Also, there’s a warrior who’s got his arm basically strapped to his side, and Gawain detects a certain weakness there. Awesome! Also, I thought the title must refer to the dragon, but what it does refer to was quite awesome when it resolved. 

“My Real Children” by Jo Walton. After plugging it to one of my friends, it seemed appropriate to read it myself. I wasn’t sure how well it would work, but it turned out fine. I started having to put it down about 40 pages from the end because watching Trish/Pat lose her memory was too distressing for sustained attention, but I pushed through. JW’s voice is so her own. There was more exposition than I thought was allowed, but it totally worked, so apparently that rule… isn’t. Whatever works for the story is how the story has to be told.  “Maplecroft” by Cherie Priest. This totally sucked me in and if I could have I would have stayed up all night finishing it. The story is told in diary entries, letters, and reports, and it was an interesting exercise in voice I think. When doing something like that it seems to me that you can’t let the different characters sound too different, or too the same. The sequel came out at the start of the month! “Deathless” by Catherynne M. Val

First Draft   “Food Insecurity”. Short story, finished again. “Smoke Zombies”. Short story, finished. “Trappaneria and Scrimshawerie”. Short story, started. I am starting to fantasize about NaNoWriMo again. Maybe this is water leopard’s year? Editing “Wind/Water/Salt ”. “Food Insecurity”. Typed up and took apart the crap part. “Lucky Kate”. Did Character/Setting draft. Connecting -- Circulating 2 Knitting “Ceremonial Armour” (Kaffe Fassett, knit from a photo). Tied in all danglers. Crocheted edging. Sewed on beads. Tidied steek edges. Blocked. After 35 months, this thing is done! Rust Damask Jacket (Takle & Kolstadt). Ignored. Gift item. Done. Gift item . 5%.