Downtime
27 May
The vacation fended off the usual post-novel-finishing depression, but apparently not the exhaustion. I have the brainpower for precisely nothing– and though I have friends and family would disagree, that is in fact strange. I haven’t even read through the last three chapters of Plaguebringer yet, something I usually do before I send them to the first reader, my dear Meghan. The very thought makes me feel like my head weighs a metric fuck-ton. (Larger than the English fuck-ton… or is it?)
I love feeling tired. It’s like working out until your body refuses to move any more. So awesome.
But it’s been a good week. I signed my first ever book contract and found out that my short story, The Runner, made the cut for Dark Quest Books‘ Beauty Has Her Way anthology, edited by Jennifer Brozek. I only know a few other people in the ToC, and it’s already quite exciting. It can’t help but be a lot of fun, can it?
Fun fact: The Runner takes place in Plaguebringer-verse and is about Cami Rushclan, who was featured in several of my incessant WIP Wednesday updates over the last few months.
Well, okay, the fact is fun for me, anyhow. If I were a better Buddhist I would not be so worried that the excellence of this month must mean that something terrible is about to happen any moment. Alas, my practical meditation fell by the wayside years ago.
But I’ve done precisely nothing of use. I am supposed to be doing several things, for example: scripting the first chapter of a graphic novel, reading several research books in prep for round 2 on The Resurrectionists, and composing any number of short stories. Or perhaps cleaning my house in preparation for my parents’ visit this upcoming long weekend– for which I cannot use the “tired brain!” excuse. No, instead I’ve been playing The Sims 3 (finally got the World Adventures expansion… must solve tomb puzzles!) and occasionally pulling my head out of the sand to email/call/bother my friends about this and that (which I did not do during the last month nearly enough, as I was in Hermit Mode. My poor friends. I will never know how they tolerate me).
No wait, I did adjust the Scripped page slightly, so it’s now further up on the sidebar and has a much shorter intro. That counts, right?
So yeah, downtime. Recharge. All that good stuff.
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Now playing: Franz Schubert – 4 Impromptus, Op.90, D.899: No.4 in A Flat: Allegretto
via FoxyTunes
yay for you!
now get back to work!
I was thinking the saaaaame thing. Once the Weekend Guests leave, it’s time
My hand shook when I signed that contract. Fun, isn’t it? Congrats on the story, too!
Now get back to work. (sense a theme?)
You signed a book contract… It never gets old. Still squeaing at this end.
I need some “down time” movies. The ones I have from Netflix are too serious: “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance” and “Paradise Villa.”
Then again, they might have nudity.
Woo Hoo for your contract! Now back to work. No. Take a break. No. Clean the house.
I am going to be nice to you. Take a couple of days, gather your thoughts and then- here it comes- get back to work.
No work, guys. My parents are coming in like 36 hours! Now is not the time to get involved in anything!
Tuesday, however… yeeeah
Aaron, I giggled like a little girl at a boy-band show. Good god.
Cate, me too– thank you so much for sharing in the squee!
Nat, nudity would make up for the seriousness in my book. I bought myself Firefly because it was on sale for $20. Serious, but it has… er, spaceships?
Alan– right the house! Crap, THAT I actually need to do now.
Jamie, you are too kind, sir. Hehehehe!
Wow, a contract and a short story sale! You’re living the life of a writer.
Or so I like to make believe, Mike!
I bought myself Firefly because it was on sale for $20. Serious, but it has… er, spaceships?
Personally I think River compensates for any excess of seriousness. She’s the only reason I don’t scream when Serenity goes in the DVD player for the millionth time.
Also – downtime = good. One must till the soil before planting the seed, and all that. Hope the parental visit is going well for you… and don’t worry about that last file. I just finally sent you chapters 22-24, and I still have 25-27 to keep me entertained for… er… well… today, anyhow. After which I shall take Ten to defend Gondomon and see if she can survive long enough to keep Mathi from doing a faceplant. =P