Books read in 2016

11. The Thief of Time, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
10. Foxglove Summer, Ben Aaronovitch
9.  Broken Homes, Ben Aaronovitch
8.  Soul Music, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
7.  Whispers Underground, Ben Aaronovitch
6.  Moon Over Soho, Ben Aaronovitch
5.  Reaper Man, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
4.  Conflict of Honors, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (e) (re-read)
3.  Mort, Terry Pratchett (read aloud with Steve)
2.  The Sculptor, Scott McCloud
1.  A Short History of a Small Place, T.R. Pearson

To-Do

For those who may have missed it (like, err, me, *blush*), yesterday was launch day for C.E. Murphy's Magic and Manners.  Links and info may be found here.  I had a chance to read an ARC of this novel, and had a very good time with it.  If you're a fan of Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice, C.E. Murphy, Regency-Magic crossovers -- or all of them! -- you want to read this book.

Here at the Confusion Factory, things are, well. . .confused.  This isn't particularly unusual, obviously, but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed by the current state of the to-do list, which includes such low-pressure items as:  Finish final draft of The Gathering Edge (due April 15), which would be somewhat easier to accomplish if it wasn't currently sporting one of those notes that writers leave for their future selves, which pretty often lead those same future selves to have Serious Doubts about our past and present sanity. In this case the note is the ever-popular, And here a miracle occurs.

The to-do list also includes completing my WorldCon questionnaire (deadline March 31); finishing up an interview; writing a rant/soapbox speech on characterization for RavenCon (for those who are coming to RavenCon, this is Something Rare.  I never do individual presentations at cons; they simply require too many spoons, and play to none of my supposed strengths.  On this topic, however, I am Just. That. Cranky.  Consider yourselves warned.  Also be aware that soapbox sessions  at RavenCon are scheduled for an hour.  There is no way I can talk for  an hour, no matter how cranky I am.  With questions, we're probably looking at half-an-hour, tops.)

Where was I?

Oh; the to-do list.

Also on the list -- short story, due May 15; novel, due August 15.

In addition, we're traveling this year -- RavenCon, BaltiCon, WorldCon, and a Mini Book Tour in support of Alliance of Equals.

. . .and, back at the to-do list, we have a soupçon of house, medical, private life stuff to cope with, none of which is really intense, but it still needs to be dealt with.

So, yeah, the to-do list feels a little larger-than-life at the moment (I am aware that the to-do lists of Other People are many times more Terrible than my paltry to-do list.  I salute those people; they are mighty)  If I retire the interview and the worldcon survey, I expect I'll feel a little more sanguine about the Whole Rest of It.  If we figure out what Miracle That Is, Exactly, Which Occurs, Precisely Here?  The to-do list will be as nothing.

And that's about where things are at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory.  Hope y'all are having a good and productive Friday.

Here, have a picture of today's loaf:  Pullman bread, 2 cups of red whole wheat, 3 cups of all-purpose.  I usually use 5 cups of white whole wheat, which rises much more lightly than the red, but I ran out of white whole wheat and cleverly did not replace it the last time I was at the store.