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All Hercules, all the time.

37 / 46 (80.4%)

40,914 / 45,000 (90.9%)

Tomorrow, then!

Catherine

I should have expected that I wouldn’t have written at Icon this weekend. I did dutifully take my work with me, and dutifully ignored it. Still, we’re back in the saddle. As I work on my write for the next several days, I will be concentrating solely on Hulk Hercules, as I am determined to have the draft in hand and in others hands before I go on the wrestling field trip.

At this point, Kizmet and Mark are going to look it over for me. My pastor wants to read it. She’s a good soul, but she just wants to read it. Bryon is also going to look at it, and I’m sure he’ll have some plot ideas, because he’s clever like a fox.

Tonight, then, my time will be divided quite nicely between HH:PW and domestic chores, including the allergy conversion of our bedroom.

***

Just sent off Two Vampires and a Panel Discussion to Abyss and Apex.

Soon (today?) the next piece of Blood is Thicker than Water will be posted at Las Habladoras. We begin chapter 4, which introduces Chip Hyland.

***

I had a great time at Icon. I want to thank all my VERY SUPPORTIVE friends who came to watch me read. As at Convergence, a squad of people I knew walked into the room just as I was beginning. This time, about twenty people wandered in, some I didn’t expect. One of my creative writing students came from a couple of years ago. THAT was awesome! So, thank you. If only I could pay for all of you to follow me around to various US conventions 😛 )

The rest? Vote early and vote often tomorrow.

Catherine

Tonight 3 Hercules scenes! Ten to go!

36 / 46 (78.3%)

Verbage!

42,160 / 45,000 (93.7%)

***

The Spy-o-meter

12 / 24 (50.0%)

I didn’t write today. I wandered around the book shop, the coffee shops, the manicurists, and I felt myself refreshed and renewed. Some days are like that.

As I looked in the bookstores, and thought about all those books, who was selling, who was published, my profound thought of the day is almost always the one I return to.

I can only be myself. That will take me where it takes me. I’ll let it take me where it takes me as well.

Off to handout candy and, you guessed it, write.

Catherine

Yesterday was a crummy day. I didn’t write because I had to deliver disheartening news at work, and felt depressed about that. My office looked very much like a villain in my eyes, but if things don’t pan out, the real villain will be the economic recession. I was operating on 2.5 hours of sleep given that Bryon had trouble sleeping without the fan, the first in our unsuccessful night of dust allergy management. (BTW, Wednesday’s test revealed that I am allergic to dust. I can never read Phil Pullman’s Compass books again. )

But today is better. Bryon went to bed at 8 upstairs with his fan. I spent my night downstairs on the couch. We have a plan to de-allergize our main bedroom, so it doesn’t look like we have to go Victorian with the whole separate bedroom thing after all. I’ve decided to get allergy shots to see if I can improve my condition for the future.

Today my head is in a good space. I like having a plan.

***

As you know, I’ve been putting together another plan, my research plan for Hulk Hercules. It’s a good thing that we authors are used to getting rejected.

I contacted the Chicago Schools three times, and I’ve been pretty much blown off. That’s not a big deal, as I can create a fictional school, place it somewhere in Chicago, and go with it. I like the touch of authenticity, but I have more flexibility this way, so I’m okay with not using Jane Addams.

I just got off the phone with the Brookfield Zoo. My contact there was very nice and very apologetic, but I was told in clear terms that the Brookfield Zoo name is trademarked and can not be used in the the novel. Further, their keepers are much too busy to be interviewed. I could go to the zoo and visit their designated keeper chats. After their educational chats about the animals, I might be able to snag them for some questions. I think not. I don’t want to nosily interject myself into their work day, especially after being told how busy they are. We tried this the professional way, and the zoo wasn’t interested, so I think I will cobble together an imaginary zoo as well, and we won’t worry about them.

THE BEST of the batch are the wrestlers. Windy City Pro Wrestling, I love you! There was no awkwardness, no levels of bureaucracy, real interest in the project and being helpful with the project–in short, being decent and pleasant like we Iowans are used to.

So, at this point, my only objective in going to Chicago is to talk to the wrestlers. I am still a great believer in doing research for my work, but I perceive that maybe Chicago institutions don’t care about my work as much as I do. Who’d have thought it?

How about you? Have you done much primary research for your work? How are you usually perceived as you try to find out what you need to know?

Catherine

Today’s Hercules stats:

32 / 44 (72.7%)

WORD CUT!!! (Finally let go of the food fight orphan scene. At this point, it will not be in the story. Combined a couple of other scenes that were repetitive.

41,825 / 45,000 (92.9%)

***

In the realm of Jackal’s First Hunt,

8 / 24 (33.3%)

***

And here’s one of my favorite bits:

“Wait a second!” Drew popped between them. “What does this have to do with my sister?”
Alan pulled the shade down a tiny bit more. “Drew, right?”
“Spill it, Uncle Alan.”
“Chas, what’s Zoey’s cover?”
“Model.”
“Your sister is a model. And she’s a spy.”
“And you two are spies?”
“Good guess.”
Drew nodded. “I could see that. You look like James Bond. But you,” he eyed Chas, “you don’t look like a spy.”
“Yup,” Chas said. “Guess that makes me the best spy of all.”
“Well, not the best,” said Alan. “That’s reserved for us guys that look like James bond. Chas is pretty good though. He’s our resident weapons expert. If you give him the contents of your lunch box, he can make your Jello pudding into a high powered explosion.” Lynx stood up. “Maybe they didn’t follow me. They would have done some shooting by now.”

See you tomorrow!

Although the Savage Dogs scene will be revised, still, here’s a couple more scenes tonight. We’re moving into the mythological part of the story, so the action is going to get more magical.

31 / 45 (68.9%)

Verbage?

42,640 / 45,000 (94.8%)

And the new project–Jackal’s First Hunt, the last of the salvageable old fiction. I gotta say I love the spies from the Agency. Zoey, Chas, and Alan are some of my favorite characters, and I’ve missed them.

4 / 24 (16.7%)

First of all, around the internet, Elizabeth Chadwick‘s soundtrack is up!

***

And then…

I want to encourage you to support Drops of Crimson because it’s a cool new magazine for Urban Fantacists. Other reasons?

Ilona Andrews is interviewed.

Karen Mahoney has a story there, and I know her!

I have a story there as well, if you like YA vampire killers. There may well be a future series with these two, and you can say you read them when.

Have a spooky week, getting ready for Halloween!

Catherine

So far, the writing I’ve done today.

28 / 44 (63.6%)

Verbage:

42,351 / 45,000 (94.1%)

Two Vampires and a Panel Discussion will be proofed for the next round of submissions to Abyss and Apex, and will be sent after the first of November.

And that’s it for today.

Catherine

Icon let me know that this year’s theme is spooktacular, given Halloween and all, so I decided to read from Substance. However, since I’ve read the beginning at a couple of other venues, I’ll read the curse reveal, the four corners conversation, and as much of Esme’s Trial as I can get through.

I’m sneaking out for a while now to write and edit, as I have to come back tonight to observe a teacher.

Catherine