In between the raindrops

[rolanni]

So!  We now have a chimney.  Which is good.  Tomorrow, we will have a working chimney, which will be Even Better.

Trooper has been a Hero of the Revolution, making sure he's with Steve or me, serving as back-up against the Noises and the Strangers.  Scrabble and Sprite have taken cover in various spots, and come out cautiously at quiet times, like when the crew takes lunch, or a rest break.  Sprite had been sequestered in the bedroom closet, but she vacated when we removed all the Stuff, so one of the guys could get up into the crawlspace/attic (the hatch for same being in the closet ceiling) to finish the joins up properly.

This has all happened despite the rain, which was amazingly heavy this morning when I went out to deposit the April royalty checks and the on-signing money.  The royalty statements always make for intriguing reading -- I see that Necessity's Child continues to be an unexpectedly strong seller and that, in general, ebooks tend toward providing half of our income on each book. I'm also. . .pleased to see that our biggest seller, from June - December 2014, was Liaden Universe® Constellation, Volume 2.

The real standout, though?

Carousel Tides, published in November 2010, has earned out.  Yes!  I got a royalty check!  *fist-pump*.  And Carousel Sun only has about $1,800 to earn out, so, who knows, I may see another check in the October royalty payment.

Moving back to the construction crew for a moment, and their projected finish date of tomorrow -- Steve and I are scheduled to go down to New Hampshire to pick up Belle on -- wait for it -- Thursday.

Except there's a big hole in the wall at the end of the hall.  By which I mean that there is no wall in the back of the hall, only a view of the new chimney.

We've been keeping the cats out of this Interesting Space by placing screens in front of the hole, but we haven't been leaving them alone with it, either.  So, now the questions arise:  (1) should we get the sheetrock guy in on Thursday, which means I stay home and Steve drives south, or (2) should we try to get the sheetrock guy on Thursday, find out that he's busy until the middle of next week (the likeliest scenario), and I stay home to keep the cats from experimenting with the Interesting Space while Steve drives south?

Perplexing questions, indeed.

But, hey!  We'll have a chimney tomorrow, which means also that we'll be able to turn the furnace on.  Hot water will happen!  Just...wow.

In the midst of chaos, and noise, and cat trauma, I have been. . .reading, mostly.  Almost through Kerry Greenwood's Devil's Food, the third? Corinna Chapman novel, and enjoying myself immensely.

Let's see, what else?

Oh, for those interested in such things, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books has just posted a lovely, thoughtful review of Local Custom.  Here's your link.

Also!  Remember that Uncle Hugo's is taking pre-orders for signed and/or personalized copies of Liaden Universe® Constellation, Volume 3.  Here's your link for instructions, deadlines, and Table of Contents.

. . .and I think that's all I got.

Comments

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

Information is always good. I'd find out the sheetrock guy's schedule first, then decide.

Interesting review. I'm always fascinated by how other people approach novels. It always makes me think about re-reading them. Again :)

[dancinghorse.livejournal.com]

Happy Royalty Day! It was Audible Finally Pays Up Day here, which is a cause for great celebration.

For the hole, from my experience with three curious cats and half a house worth of no floors: Get heavy plastic sheets and red or blue contractor's tape (which won't strip the paint off the wall) and make a wall over the hole, then block the bottom with something to keep them from digging through. Kept my house cat-safe for weeks.

We have graduated to blocking the current room with no floors with the disconnected door and a cat tree, which is a definite step up.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Oh, good idea! Thank you!

Corinna Chapman

[ann sharp (from livejournal.com)]

Corinna Chapman series by Kerry Greenwood

#1 Earthly Delights
#2 Heavenly Pleasures
#3 Devil's Food
#4 Trick or Treat
#5 Forbidden Fruit
#6 Cooking the Books

She has officially planned her next book to be #7, so we can return to enjoying the residents of Insula and their friends and relatives, but the filming of Phryne Fisher as a television series has interrupted the usual schedule. No sense at all of when a manuscript in either series might be expected.

Re: Corinna Chapman

[charlie russel (from livejournal.com)]

Yes, I'm not sure how I feel about that. I love the series, but want MORE BOOKS. Both series are excellent and quite a surprising treat. (We would never have known about Ms. Greenwood had it not been for our local public broadcaster, The Knowledge Network, picking up the TV series long before it hit the US.)

Re: Corinna Chapman

[margotinez.livejournal.com]

Greenwood has also written four stand alone books based on her take on mythology / ancient history. Thoroughly researched, with bibliography and some explanations at the end, by the way. I've read 3 and enjoyed them although I was leery of the subject matter going in (how do you put a happy ending on Medea?).
They are Out of the Black Lands, Medea, Electra and Cassandra. However, having read both series mentioned above, I LOVE the Phryne Fisher series. I started my aunt on Away with the Fairies if you just want to dip in mid-stream, or the first American publishing was of the one after that, Murder in Montparnasse. First in the series is Cocaine Blues.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

We just had a rollicking thunderstorm cell with deluge, power out for about a minute. Enter the UPS beeps . . .

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

We had a proper gullywasher last night, too. Heard the thunder and just got the last computer shut down before the skies opened.

Right now -- 6:20ish in the morning -- it's drippy but sunny, with a high fog. If this was Baltimore, I'd say: Gonna be a scorcher.

[reedrover]

Congrats on having happy items in the mail, not just bills. Money *in* is a lovely thing.

And I am quite a fan of hot water, regardless of season.

[ohlibn.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on earning out for Carousel Tides!!! I love that series and am so glad you were able to expand it into the trilogy, with other short stories set in the same universe. It makes a great gateway for young readers and anyone else wishing to dip toes in the Fantasy genre, too.

Looking forward to Constellation 3 ~

Earning out

[charlie russel (from livejournal.com)]

Congratulations on reaching every author's favourite milestone for Carousel Tides. Hopefully the rest of the series will too, and Madam Editor will be encouraged to buy more. :)