Where was I?

[rolanni]

As reported elsewhere, the Epic Proofreading Job is done, for better or worse or possibly both, and the marked-up pages are supposed to be delivered to A Certain Editorial Office in North Carolina tomorrow, Thursday, morning.

My brain has that sticky, woke-up-exhausted-and-firing-on-random-infelicitous-cylinders feeling that usually accompanies typing THE END after the final paragraph of a novel. That needs to get done with, quickly, because, now that we're done goofing off -- there's a book to be written!

...guess I'd better print out what's there and read it, so I don't go haring off with the wrong story at top level.

This evening, in deference to the state of the brain, I Committed bookkeeping, which means that I can see the top of the dining room table again. This is a Good Thing.

I am at the day-job informed of the joyous hiring of my fifth report-to-directly boss. I'm assured by the chair of the search committee that this additional boss won't be any trouble at all. One suspects an unspoken end-clause.

Master and Commander goes back to the library tomorrow. As much as I hate to disappoint the legions who assured me that I would adore Patrick O'Brien -- I don't. I find his prose wooden and his characters annoying beyond the telling of it. Couldn't even make it to 50 pages. Ah, well.

This just in: The Hexapuma Relief Fund edition of the Cat's Job is being proofed at the printers as I type. It may be ordered by those interested off this link, with the understanding that there may be some delay in mailing.

The poll for voting on the Best Lee and Miller Liaden Universe® story, long form is still open. Go on over and make your preference known!

Wow, am I beat.

See y'all tomorrow.

edited to fix the spelling of Hex's name

Comments

[wolflahti.livejournal.com]

Okay - I've watched this come and go, and I finally have to ask:

Is it Hexapuma or Hexampuma?

Or are there two of them with similar names?

[kinzel.livejournal.com]

Most likely there's a problem with my dyslexia.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Hexapuma. Sometimes I type too fast for my own good.

Master & Commander

[murphy73.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who had this problem with the book. I don't know that I made 50 pages, so you got further into than I did. However, I did and do love Hornblower.

Re: Master & Commander

[jelazakazone.livejournal.com]

Exactly. I didn't read all the Hornblower books, but I thought the ones I read were quite good. I also read a book about Horatio Hornblower that wasn't written by the original author that was entertaining. I have never understood the fascination with Master and Commander. I'm glad to have good company:)

Re: Master & Commander

[sleary.livejournal.com]

I bounced off M&C pretty hard the first time I tried it, but I read it again and it clicked the second time.

Re: Master & Commander

[od-mind.livejournal.com]

I had an advantage when I started O'Brien. Alexandria Digital Literature's recommendation engine had assured me that I would really like H.M.S. Surprise and The Letter of Marque and The Thirteen-Gun Salute. (Books 3, 12, and 13 in the series, that is.) Daunting, but what the heck. So I wasn't really badly put off when Master and Commander was uneven and the characters weren't so loveable, because I wasn't expecting the Good Stuff until later.

And it did get significantly better; M&C was the weakest of the books until the very end of the series, in my opinion.

But it's certainly true that neither Jack nor Steven is very loveable. They both have sterling qualities, and both are admirable (in different ways), but they are also both badly flawed (also in different ways). The way their strengths and weaknesses complement each other (with a couple of glaring exceptions) is part of the fascination of the books, at least for me. And neither is anything approaching an antihero, thank God.

But, if you didn't make it 50 pages, that's pretty conclusive. Not Your Thing; move on.

(Addendum: as one dissenting datum, I tried later to read the Hornblower books, and bounced hard. I may try again some day, but not any time soon.)

[keristor.livejournal.com]

Ah, I was wondering what was extra in "The Cat's Job". I've ordered three copies, although I suspect the site doesn't allow enough for international postage (from earlier comments about how it has gone up again). I'll check when it arrives and if there's a difference I'll drop it in the jar.

(I'm not sure quite where you'll be delivering it, though, I put the shipping address in the SRM Publisher form but when it got to the end of the PayPal transaction it said it would be delivered to my home address. That may just be PayPal making assumptions, however. Any problems you now have at least three email addresses for me!)

[otaku-tetsuko.livejournal.com]

I couldn't finish Patrick O'Bryan either. Bleh

M&C

[(Anonymous)]

Weighing in on the subject:) Couldn't even get 10 pages in to O'Brien, ditto with whoever wrote the Sharpe's books. (Love the shows though- well, Sean Bean, really? who couldn't . grin.)
Read Hornblower when I was 11 and re-read several times later. It is a matter of the writing. Really, writing folks, writing.

Much luck with the multiple boss day-job. I find that pathetic, that they can't grasp real life. Sigh.
Off to plant before the storm. Thank you for every word you write and wrote.
Nanette

Master and Commander not the best to start with ?

[(Anonymous)]

When this has been discussed elsewhere lots of found difficulty with starting the Captain Aubrey Surgeon Maturin series with Master and Commander becuase of its dense style.

Lots did of course but I myself happened to start with either Post Captain (1972) or HMS Surprise (1973) - I can't remember which and read M & C much later.

So I suggest to Sharon to try these or any couple from the first ten and only give up if these also don't get finished.

Of course, for anyone an avid read of 1800's sea stories then _The Mauritius Command_ gives an weird AH view since at least two other series have their hero there at that historical moment !

Mike D
Little Egret in Walton-on-Thames

[gauroth.livejournal.com]

I am so glad to know that someone else apart from me cannot read O'Brien! I'm sure he's accurate in all sailing matters, but his characters are so unengaging. The book is a faint echo of C S Forester's 'Hornblower' books: now, there's a series that combines character and historicity and is still as exciting now as when it was published.

Every time I cook rice I'm reminded of Hornblower's first prize, which carried sacks of rice in her hold. Rice + water = an unhappy result.

[chazzbanner.livejournal.com]

I started with the third one, HMS Surprise. It's a good place, I think. Love his prose, love his characters. A good reminder, I guess, that Your Mileage May Vary!