Robynettely

“The Music Men” by Margaret Hindle Hazen and Robert M. Hazen. More research. This book covers the band movement (mostly brass bands) in the US from 1800 to roughly WWI. It explains a lot why the actual band I play in is the way it is today – the repertoire we play is geriatric, the places we play are mostly seniors’ residences, the band keeps getting older. It didn’t go that much into why the “golden age” of bands ended, but it totally suited my needs. The band in my novel is at the right time, but I need to find a way to motivate there being women/girls in it, as most bands at the time were male, some few were female, very few were mixed gender.  “Dreamquest” by Elizabeth Knox. The ending of book 1 was quite unsatisfying. This volume wouldn’t have stood alone, either. At the same time, it was probably good to read something else in between, just because all that re-explaining exposition at the beginning wasn’t so awful this way. I quite liked the resolution. “The Wind-up ...

1st draft “Water Leopard”. 22,000 words? Editing "Food Insecurity". I might not actually have worked on this. December quickly descended into desperately knitting gifts. "Lucky Kate”. I’ve got some notes. “Clairvology”. Research mostly. "Milo". There wasn’t much to this actually, and while I remember what I was trying to do, this story doesn’t do it. Yet. The second draft will be closer, at least. I've got some notes. Connecting Apparently I don't do this anymore Circulating 2 Knitting Rust Damask Jacket (Takle & Kolstadt). Started one sleeve, worked on the body a bit. Hoodie (Norah Gaughan VK S/S 2005). After starting and frogging the hood maybe six times, the sleeves seemed like a better travel project. Finished one. Then went back to the front and finished the right hood and right front, and I’m maybe 8 rows from the left hood. Also started the second sleeve. Gift item #5.  Finished. Gift item #6...

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 t...

“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 with...

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...