Five things make a post

1.  This year, I'm participating in the Clarion West Write-a-Thon.  This is Clarion West's major annual fundraising event; all money raised goes to support the workshop that has produced dozens of professional writers and changed the lives of thousands.

2.  As you may know, Mike Brotherton is one of the leaders of the LaunchPad Astronomy Workshop for Science Fiction writers.  The workshop had previously been partially funded through NASA and the NSF.  Funding cuts at those agencies means that LaunchPad is looking for funds elsewhere.

3.  If you like trivia contests, you may want to put daily play at freekibble.com onto your schedule.  For every trivia question answered (two are posted each day), 10 pieces of kibble are donated to a shelter dog/cat.  The kibble is donated whether your answer is right or wrong.

4.  Also, remember freerice.com, where every correct answer wins 10 grains of rice to the World Food Programme to help end hunger.  You can rack up 1,000 grains of rice without breaking a sweat, so remember to set a timer before you start to play.

5.  Another picture from the BEA, this one taken at Saturday's book signing:

Sharon Lee, Steve Miller,
Millie Calistri-Yeh.
Photo by Jim Minz

* * *

Progress on Carousel Seas

80,649/100,000 OR 80.65% complete

"So, you're thinking world domination?" he murmured.

"Who wants all that work?"

In which the day is in turmoil

So, no writing today.

I did Other Things, so I'm not a Complete Loss as a human being, and perhaps words will happen tomorrow.  Certainly, it's possible.

Things that happened instead of words included:

Business and Other emails.

I followed Steve to Augusta, so that his vehicle could be made road-ready for his upcoming trip to the Old Country, Baltimore.

Had lunch at Longhorn Steak House in Augusta, while waiting for said car &c, where we preserved our unbroken record of not eating steak.  I had a bowl of (wonderful) tomato and basil soup with a chicken cobb salad.  Steve had the tomato and basil soup and a chicken fontina sandwich.

After lunch, we spaced around Pier One, which is an excellent forum in which to space around.  I cleverly purchased neither the Gray Owl (which I commend, if you or one near to you has a stuffie fetish -- a very soft, squishable and satisfying owl) nor the elephant tapestry curtains , though it was a Near Thing in both instances.  I do regret the Owl.

Following our adventure at Pier One, we decamped to Barnes and Noble, where we had the very great pleasure of catching up with Stew, who had been "in charge" of the SF/F section, back when BN had booksellers who were "in charge" of sections.  Also?  I bought books.  Be amazed.

From BN, it was back to Charlie's Subaru, where we collected Steve's car and, each in our own vehicle, proceeded in a homeward direction, through bands of heavy wind and rain.  It was on this return trip that I discovered that the minor problem my car had been having is now a problem that needs to be dealt with before Steve leaves for the Old Country, Baltimore, else I run the serious risk of being stranded 15 miles out of town for a week, which is not a proposition that I am able to entertain with equanimity.  So, tomorrow! Perhaps Even Before Coffee! I will be calling Mr. Smith's garage and hoping he will be able to see me in a forthwithly timeframe.

I also today sought out and found yoga lessons in Waterville, even, yea, yoga lessons that are affordable for an aging and inflexible woman on a freelancer's budget.  So, tomorrow, assuming all is well with the car in a timely manner, I will be attending my first ever yoga session.  Pray for me.

Have I mentioned here that Baen/S&S is sending Steve and me on a New England book tour in support of Trade Secret?  It will definitely encompass Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and (upstate) New York and may dip down as far as Philadelphia, depending on Circumstances.  When the tour is made solid, I'll post details here.

...and that's all I got, beside reading with Mozart on the couch for an hour or so.  Maybe I'll go back and read some more.

Hmmm...