Seven Miles from Yonder Shore

It's been awhile, eh? I apologize for lack of updates, lack of presence... lack of anything even remotely resembling life, really.

But oh, it's been busy. So, so busy.

Here, in fun-for-all-ages bullet points, is a rundown of the boring stuff that's happened since my last update.

• Hub and I bought a house a few days before Christmas. 
• Hub changed jobs shortly before the house situation, which caused all sorts of trouble.
• I changed jobs in the middle of March. No more two hour commute.

Now, a couple of not-so-boring things: I'm linking this blog to my Facebook for the first time ever.

Funny thing, that, because before I was the type of person who would all but throw myself at the computer to hide the fact that I was working on a story.

"NO NO IT'S PORN I SWEAR."

But, surprise surprise, that got old, or I just got tired of pretending those humongous text documents on my computer didn't exist.

So here we are. And-

If only my smile was this endearing.

 At this point, my work schedule has become so hectic that I haven't had a lot of time to work on my longer projects. This is good and bad, I guess. Obviously, it's bad because I'm not getting it done. But it's also good, because it means I spend my free-thinking time plotting ways to keep the longer projects going.

It's Conan gif day, apparently.

Also good is the fact that said free-thinking time lets me brainstorm on short story ideas. Which leads me to what else I'm doing.

Enough short stories to kill a small rhinoceros.

Last week, I submitted a 7,000-ish word short story to an upcoming anthology. I won't know anything until late June. The prompt was "alternative origins for holidays" with a heavy fantasy theme. Writing the story took a couple weeks. Editing took another couple weeks. Sending it took forever, because I would lock up and think "This is terrible why am I doing this I can't even why why why why why?!"

Just add four pairs of critter eyes peering from the edge of the bed, and it's good to go.

This happens about once a week with every story. Here's what's crazy about it, though. I have these meltdowns, in which I become absolutely positive nothing but unfiltered crap pours from my fingers. I resist the urge to self-lobotomize.

Then this happens.

"Inspiration."

"THIS WILL BE THE BEST THING EVER."

 So. Now I'm working on another short story. The anthology calls for young adult-themed science fiction. I have a vague idea of what I want to do, it's just a matter of getting the ins and outs figured out for it.

Also.

I can't believe I almost forgot this.

In June (as in NEXT MONTH HOLY CRAP), I'll be participating in a two-day writer's workshop with none other than Peter Beagle. I have to have five thousand words of copy ready to go for the workshop, so he can give me input on it.

Here's how I feel about it.

And also:

There's a betting pool going on, as to whether or not I hyperventilate, and pass out within ten seconds of getting to the workshop.

We shall see, friends. We shall see.