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Now that work is (less) crushing, I’m going to try to get back into the habit of doing a bit out of Tamago outreach.

Nothing crazy. The big obligation is still to my writing. However, I may be approaching some of you about being interviewed, and posting cool things about you here. One of the things I try to do is interview writers NOT about writing, because it’s interesting to know what multi-faceted people you all are. However, I’d love to talk about books or careers if that’s helpful to you, and what you’d really like to do. So, expect some more of that again, starting with Monday’s Drollerie Blog Tour and Fraser Sherman’s guest stint.

Meanwhile, my writing landscape shifts. Today, I’m doing something unusual. I have lunch with my friend, LaDawn. She works at Kirkwood part-time, and one of her many other activities is that she writes press releases for a local entertainment story. When she was at the “family reunion” this summer, she suggested she should write some sort of press release for me.

I suggested that it might be a bit too soon for that, given my world wide fame, and she suggested I was cracked. She thinks people would be interested in all my small press work. So, today, over drippy barbecue sauce, we’ll talk about my stories and *sniff* my career as a fantasy writer.

It’s amazing how we rely on the good will of others that we connect with, and how surprisingly handy those accidental connections can become. And that sounds like a seg into pimping Jon’s interview.

Jon Gibbs was interviewed over at The Book Bundle. In the interview, Jon talks about the power of blogging as an author. Here’s a really relevant quote for me today.

“It’s true that developing an online journal takes time and effort, but in my opinion, the benefits are well worth it. Aside from the fact that a blog can help you get your work seen by new readers, there’s a wealth of knowledge and writing know-how on the web. How much would you pay for helpful advice from successful authors, agents and editors in your genre? An online journal gives you access to people from all around the world. Many of them share their knowledge and experience on their blogs, for free.”

I’m finding this to be very true as I continue my writing journey and connect the dots.

Continue reading “Connecting the Dots”

Just when you began to think this phoenix wasn’t coming out of the ashes, we pick up where we left, oh, about a month and a half ago.

***

At this point in the epic poem, there are two sets of brothers that are rivals: The Pandavas, who are the sons of Kunti and various gods, and the Kauravas, who are the sons of Gandhari and Dhrtarastra.

Duryodhana, the eldest of the Kauravas, hates the Pandavas the most. He sees Arjuna as his chief rival, and he’s tired of being bullied by Bhima. He would like to cause their downfall.

It turns out that his uncle, the brother of Gandhari, is excellent with dice. They decide to play the Pandavas at dice.

Yudhisthira, the eldest brother of the Pandavas, has a gambling problem. The dice game is on, but Yudhisthira has rotten luck. He loses everything–his kingdom, his brothers, and himself. In a last desperate gamble, he bets Draupadi, the wife of the five brothers, and he loses.

Duryodhana sends his brother Duhsasana to fetch Draupadi, because she is know his slave. Draupadi is off in her seclusion because she is menstruating, but Duhsasana drags her in front of all the men in disgrace because she is now Duryodhana’s property.

Draupadi is pretty angry. She is angry at the Pandavas for getting her into this situation. She is angry at the elders of the family for not protecting her honor. She is angry at Duhsasana and Duryodhana because they disgrace her.

Duryodhana makes lewd comments, which makes the Pandavas vow vengeance. Especially, Bhima says he will kill Dusasana and drink his blood in revenge for dishonoring Draupadi. Duryodhana orders Draupadi stripped naked to show her slave status.

Krsna (the god!) is on the Pandavas’ side, and he will not allow this to happen to Draupadi. She is suddenly wrapped in the never ending sari, and she stays clothed, much to the amazement of everyone.

The Kauravas decide that it’s a bad idea to make the Pandavas their slaves, so they send them out to the wilderness instead, because exile is better than nothing, and the Pandavas obviously have the divine on their side.

So, what about the wilderness anyway? That’s next time.

Catherine

Here’s a brother sister moment from The Winter the Troll Danced with Old Nick.

***

Siegfried ducked around the corner just as Quartz climbed the stairs, wrapped her scarf around her neck, and ducked out into the cold winter morning Sigurda bumped into him from behind, and he turned, cross.

“I wasn’t the one that stopped short,” she said in answer to his look.

“You were right.”

“I often am. In what way?”

“Quartz just went outside.”

They wandered past the information kiosk toward the fireplace. A trip to one of their warehouse stores had given them the right props and clothes. Sigurda wore a white nylon jacket and white leggings, which made her look even more like she was made of snow. None of the college students noticed that she was wearing her crystal sword. He had settled for jeans and a cable sweater, and Sigurda had observed that mortal women were staring at him. He had suggested that this was usual behavior when he had been among the Believers, so why shouldn’t it be here. Sigurda suggested she’d let the air out of his vanity by using Aud as a surgical aid.

Outside, Siegfried saw that it was snowing in lazy, lacy flakes.

“Quartz,” he reflected.

“We need to divide and conquer.” Sigurda leaned toward him and lowered her voice. “The question is where can you do the least harm.”

Sigfried snorted. “You really think I’m that reckless?”

“Honestly?” she teased. The flames flickered in her eyes. He knew she was laughing at him, on the inside. Her voice softened. “I don’t want you talking to Quartz.”

Siegfried’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not weak. I can handle Quartz.”?

“It’s not that, Sieg,” she said flatly. “I imagine it will feel like having your heart clawed out. Why would I want you to go through that?”

He opened his mouth to retort, but since she said something he hadn’t expected, he closed it again to regroup. Finally, he said, “I’m no diplomat. You should see the trolls.”

“Maybe we should do it all together.”

…if you want to make an author happy about her first sale, go visit Karen Mahoney and congratulate her on her sale of Iron Witch and its sequel to Flux books.

Because good news should be shared.

Catherine

Seven hundred and sixty new words, more or less, about the devil and espionage. Uphill all the way.

The spirit is willing, but the spirit is also tired. I like to think of this as a victory over the wave of bureaucracy that was my day.

Now I think I will watch The Battleship Potemkin. Because nothing helps you recover from a hard work day like Bolshevik propaganda.

Catherine

The Love Song of Oliver Toddle will appear in the November 16th, 2009 issue of The Absent Willow Review.

Cue happy sigh. It’s a victory for romantic gnomes who work at automotive garages everywhere.

And the Drollerie music post is done. With much maligning of the 60s TV shows of Irwin Allen.

Now, onto my contributions to Squid Boy for the week.

Catherine

Some writers work better in solitude, pounding out words of deep meaning into their keyboards like the deep thrum of a taiko drum.

…me neither.

If you want to join a group of writers supporting a wide variety of writer goals for a month and a half, consider
JoNoWriMo, where a lot of very cool writers hang out.

I’ll be finishing my troll novel. What will you be doing?

Catherine

Back in February, Writer Tamago was fortunate to host Fraser Sherman for the Drollerie Press blog tour. Well, Fraser’s back, and this time he’ll be writing about music. His article will be up September 21st.

I wrote an introductory article about Fraser, and I’ll hope you’ll check out his varied writings and works.

Meanwhile, I’ll be over at Twisted Fairytale, Isabelle Santiago’s place.

Catherine

Maybe you’re thinking where’s last week’s snippet?

Last week was all revision, so I have nothing new to give you. I’ll see what I can do this week.

Writing times for this week

9-14: 7-8:30 (after SF book group)
9-15: 12-3 (My usual afternoon gig)
9-16: 6-8
9-17: 6-8 (Meeting with Cat about squidboy at 8 CST)
9-18: 7-9 (While Bryon is at film group)

***

Making my Viable Paradise bus reservations today, and getting the feeling after talking to the woman on the phone that this part isn’t going to work well. Also found out that my return bus doesn’t leave Woods Hole until 2:20, which gets me to the airport with under an hour before my flight leaves. Well, before, it seemed that there was an 11:30 bus, but now that no longer exists.

It should work. Yeah. Especially if I check my baggage in advance.

If not, I’d better pack C’s number, just in case…

Catherine

How cool is it that three scenes that I thought might be scratched turn out to be usable and full of action if I just reshuffle the cards in the deck?

The troll revision is now just shy of 20K words, and having the Widow disappear a child early in chapter five moves the Grant/David fall out right along.

I may start writing through on single plot threads for the next sessions and then shuffle them into chapters again. That seems to be a good strategy for this story.

Trolls are a little stubborn in telling me their story. Not like Binders, which are eager to tell their stories in flowery, melodramatic language. Silly, reticent trolls! Work with me!

Then again, a lot of the Norwegians we met at the Nordic Fest were kind of close-lipped too.

Catherine