Books read in 2021

62  Creatures of Light and Darkness, Roger Zelazny (re-re-re-&c-read) (e)
61  Midnight Blue Light Special, Seanan McGuire (e) (Incryptid #2)
60  The Widows of Malabar Hill, Sujata Massey (e) (Perveen Mistry #1)
59  Sixty-Five Hours, N.R. Walker (e)
58  Silver Silence, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling #16) (re-read)
57  His Sacred Incantations, Scarlett Gale (Warrior's Guild Book #2) (e)
56  Any Old Diamonds, KJ Charles (e)
55  Think of England, KJ Charles (e)
54  Fast Women, Jennifer Crusie (re-read)
53  The Goblin Emperor, Katherine Addison (re-re-read) (e)
52  Mouse and Dragon, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (#3 in the Space Regencies internal arc of Liaden Universe®)(e)*
51  Scout's Progress, Sharon Lee & Steve Miller (#2 in the Space Regencies internal arc of the Liaden Universe®) (e)*
50  Witness for the Dead, Katherine Addison (e)
49  The Kingdoms, Natasha Pulley (e)
48  His Secret Illuminations, Scarlett Gale (Warrior's Guild Book #1) (e)
47  Logan's Run, William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson (re-re-re-&c-read)
46  The Hellion's Waltz, Olivia Waite (Feminine Pursuits #3) (e)
45  The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows, Olivia Waite (Feminine Pursuits #2) (e)
44  Fugitive Telemetry, Martha Wells (Murderbot Diaries #6) (e) (read aloud w/Steve)
43  Subtle Blood, KJ Charles (Will Darling #3) (e)
42  Welcome to Temptation, Jennifer Crusie (Dempsey Family #1) (re-read) (NOTE: Yes, I read the Dempsey books "backward." I read them that way the first time, too.  Plus, I prefer #2 to #1 by an ooomph of an inch)
41  Faking It, Jennifer Crusie (Dempsey Family #2) (re-read)
40  Angel of the Overpass, Seanan McGuire (Ghost Roads #3) (e)
39  Upside Down, N.R. Walker (e)
38  Network Effect, Martha Wells (Murderbot Diaries #5) (e) (read aloud w/Steve)
37  Exit Strategy, Martha Wells (Murderbot Diaries #4) (e) (read aloud w/Steve)
36  Rogue Protocol, Martha Wells (Murderbot Diaries #3) (e) (read aloud w/Steve)
35  A Dead Djinn in Cairo, P. Djèlí Clark (e)
34  The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting, KJ Charles (e)
33  Artificial Condition, Martha Wells (Murderbot Diaries #2) (e)(Steve read to me)
32  All Systems Red, Martha Wells (Murderbot Diaries #1) (e) (read to Steve)
31  Quiet:  The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking, Susan Cain
30  Stranger Planet, Nathan W. Pyle (Strange Planet graphic collection #2)
29  Foxes in Love, Toivo Kaartinen
28  Strange Planet, Nathan W. Pyle (Strange Planet graphic collection #1)
27  What Abigail Did that Summer, Ben Aaronovitch (e)
26  Sizzle, Jennifer Crusie (e)
25  Tangle of Need, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling #11) (read aloud w/Steve -- and this catches us both up)
24  The Secret Language, Ursula Nordstrom (re-re-re-oh-hell-who-can-count)
23  Fugitive Telemetry, Martha Wells (Murderbot Diaries #6) (e)
22  The Rose Cottage, Mary Stewart (e)
21  The Girl in the Green Silk Gown, Seanan McGuire (Ghost Roads #2) (e)
20  What the Devil Knows, C.S. Harris (Sebastian St. Cyr #16)
19  Last Guard, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling/Trinity #21) (pre-pub copy provided by the author; read aloud with Steve)
18  Tipping the Velvet, Sarah Waters (e)
17  The Consorts, Melissa Addey (e)
16  Brightfall, Jamie Lee Moyer (e)
15  Spider Woman's Daughter, Anne Hillerman (e)
14  Wild Sign, Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega #6) (e)
13  Marian Halcombe, Brenda W. Clough (The Thrilling Adventures of the Most Dangerous Woman in Europe #1) (e)
12  The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics, Olivia Waite (read aloud w/Steve)
11  An Easy Death, Charlaine Harris (Gunnie Rose #1) (e)
10  Paladin's Strength, T. Kingfisher (Saint of Steel #2) (e)
9   Strange Bedpersons, Jennifer Crusie (read aloud w/Steve)
8   The Sugared Game, KJ Charles (Will Darling #2) (e)
7   The Rules of Magic, Alice Hoffman (Practical Magic #2)
6   Smoke Bitten, Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson #12) (e)
5   Bonds of Justice, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling #8) (read aloud w/Steve)
4   Hostage to Pleasure, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling #5) (read aloud w/Steve)
3   Anyone but You, Jennifer Crusie (read aloud w/Steve)
2   Mine to Possess, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling #4) (read aloud w/Steve)
1   The Duke and I, Julia Quinn (Bridgerton #1) (e)

NOTE:  I've started to list the series, if any, a particular title is part of, as well as its place in series, if known.

*Yes, yes, it's a sad thing, an author reading her own stuff for fun, but there it is -- I recently had to proof Local Custom, the first of the threesome, and found it, err, compelling, and I had the two follows on the phone, so here we are.  For the record, I'm having fun.  The trilogy runs thusly:  Local Custom, Scout's Progress, Mouse and Dragon.

Writers at Play

So, we took a couple days off (for those recently come to the site, "we" is myself, Sharon Lee, and my long-time collaborator-in-life, Steve Miller).  We'd tried to do something like taking a few days off in August, but spiking COVID numbers and a freaking out oncologist kinda put paid to that.

This time, however, we lucked into an apartment in Belfast to use as a base, and we managed to keep away from crowds, even though part of our stay was on a holiday weekend.

Now, yes, we are doing revisions on Fair Trade, and they're due realsoonnow, but!  All the new scenes but two have been written, and all that remains beyond that is putting the manuscript back together, reading it one! more! time! for continuity and send it back to Madame the Publisher.  Since we're freelancers, we, err, pushed hard to get five "free" days, which meant that my back went out on Tuesday night, and we missed one day of vacay, but we had fun on the days remaining.

The little apartment in Belfast had much to recommend it -- a downtown location within walking distance of everything, and furnishings including a gas fireplace,  fridge, microwave, electric kettle, coffeemaker, and a toaster that could do everything but play bridge.  It was inadequately lighted to our way of thinking, but, forewarned, we packed in our own LED lights and so could see to play Scrabble and Rummy in the evening.

In no particular order, we went to Owls Head, Blue Hill, Deer Isle, Stonington, Swan Lake, Bucksport, Lincolnville, Camden, Rockland, and so on.  All familiar territory, barring the islands, which I don't get to often enough; pleasant driving, and good weather.

At Owls Head, we took in the Light and the Transportation Museum; at Blue Hill, we viewed the reversing falls.  We walked around Stonington Village for a bit, took pictures, and played tourist.  It was late by the time we hit the end of the line, though, and we had to head back before I was finished.  One of these days, we're just going to have to get up early, and say, Today, to Stonington!  And go there without any other faffing around on the way.  We can faff on the way home, if there's time.

So, anyway, we're home now, and I've got a scene to write, and a COVID booster to schedule, and some follow-up medical things to follow up on -- Life as Usual, in other words.

Hoping your days are pleasant and smooth.

Here are some photos from our adventures.