Hey, it’s not been a week since I posted, yippee!!

“tis Friday and the slithy toves… ahem, backtrack, never mind. Yeah, my brain, she is broken for so many many reasons.

Work was rather fraught yesterday – just project overload catching up to me. I’m better now, but still a bit eep!

I did watch the Supernatural finale. No spoilers here, just a sense of well done, boys, damn well done.

beledibabe teased me with the flailing for the Ugly Betty season wrapper. This a.m., I was up early and the ep was there on iTunes. I had loads of time before I had to leave for work, so I watched – I joing in the general ::flail:: Holy crap, girlfriends!

My editor, the incomparable Paula Guran, has a fascinating discussion going about the biz of publishiing. Stop in and take her poll.

I go visit Yogita tomorrow – my fabulous hairdresser. My untamed shag will be once more tamed, and back to its former lovely self. The woman is a gem and I’m so glad to have her. My last fabulous hairdresser was when I was in San Antonio. I tried to convince Patty to come to DC, but alas, she would not.

The day is rather grey, drizzly and rather chilly – a reflectiion of my mood (well, sort of) – the whole last-day-of-work for my star developer. I’m in mourning. We’re taking him to lunch today and later, there will be pie. I’m as fond of pie as the next, but I’d rather it be for a more joyous occasion. I am very happy, though, that he’s not leaving altogether, at least not quite yet. He’s graciously offered to help us out on weekend days. I am so very grateful, because we’re in a huge crunch.

I’m still taking vacation as I’d planned, though part of me is racked with guilt and worry – as in a lot. I’ve talked to my backup Project Manager, who is another gem. He’s right – it doesn’t really matter when I schedule vacation, it’s never a good time. Sigh. I’m just hoping that by next Wednesday, my last day in the office until June 4, that my mood/outlook will have improved.

In any case, life does go on and these are petty, miserable concerns compared to things like what Elaine Viets just went through and is still going through. She’s home now, and in high spirits, but her recuperation will be long and tough. She’s an amazing woman and I’m so very glad she’s still with us.

Well, looks like another brain dump!

Hope everyone enjoys their Friday and subsequent weekend.

You know, even though I spend pretty much 7 days a week online, it never ceases to astound me just how quickly time escapes and all of a sudden, it’s a week later or so and I’ve not posted a single word.

Yes, I’m busy at work and well, writing, but still. One would think that all those groovy thoughts that make their way into and out of my head throughout the day could be actually posted, instead of just thinking about posting. Oh well.

From today’s listings in Whedonesque
No Bones About It: David Boreanaz Turns 38 Today.
Happy Birthday to our favorite cocksure FBI agent/broody hot vampire!
(needless to say, when I skimmed this headline, I read a certain adjective quite differently…::g::) In any case, happy birthday to David B, who it turns out, went to high school at a school where my mom taught. Of course, it was many years later, as my mom taught there in 1970ish(?).

Some TV show thoughts – non spoilery
Heroes – how can one TV show be so brilliant? So many things happening, so much angst and squeeful occurrences. I’m not at all spoiled for anything, which makes it even better.

Yay for the Supernatural renewal!! I can’t say this restores my faith in the PTBs, but I’m happy that we’re not losing the boys.

Work is work and things are progressing. Sadly, I’m losing my most senior programmer at the end of the week. We’ll survive, but he’s a great guy and a fabulous asset to our team.

What’s going on in my writing world
I’m off to Mayhem in the Midlands next Thursday, then when I return, I’m taking an ENTIRE WEEK off – to write, to ponder, to rest. I haven’t done that in more years than I can remember. Maybe 10? I’m participating in a fabulous panel at Mayhem, called: Vampires Have Feelings Too: Making Fantasy Characters Work
in a Realistic World. My co-panelists are Dean James and Lee Killough, both who write brilliant books.

Matters seems to be doing well in the sales arena. I’m so happy to know that people have spotted it in bookstores across the country. My editor/publisher are in turn, happy with me because I’ve agreed to produce three more books for them in the same world. Book 2, now officially Blood Bargain, is due to them by November, so I’m cracking a whip on myself. Book 3, tentatively titled Blood & Bones. is due next May. Book 4 is…well, an unknown quantity at this point.

Matters will be released in mass market paperback later this year, which makes me even happier.

June 21, look for me at the American Library Association Convention. I’m staffing the Sisters in Crime booth at 1:00 p.m. Not sure if I’ll be doing anything with my publisher that day, but I expect I might be.

June 30, I’ll be signing at Borders in Warrenton, VA. More details later.

Of personal computing
Blanche, my lovely iBook has left the nest, and now resides with co-worker E’s mom, who received it as a Mother’s Day gift. This does not leave me without a laptop, however, because I succumbed to the lure and purchased a brand new MacBook. It’s soooo shiny!! I’ve not figured out a name, though. Any thoughts?

On memes
I totally skipped over the personal canon meme, like an idiot – then yesterday, was reading synecdochic‘s contribution and realized this was a cool way to get some background info written down for my own characters. I’d love to read a few more, though, so if you’ve done one, or read one you liked, I’d love a link!

Wow, I feel like I’ve just done a total brain dump! WHEW.

And it’s only Wednesday.

Let us speak of Thursday night, shall we….

Wherein Chickwriter, due to the discombobulation of having Monday off, then having a BUSY work week, did remember not the day of the week, despite all the pre-squeals on eljay. In fact, had one asked, Chickwriter would have been hard pressed to tell which week this was, much less the actual day thereof.

Why, pray tell, is this important? Because lo, she did spend yestere’en reading and catching up on iTunes show episodes (a laudable task, on most ordinary days), and so did not recall the import of said evening, thereby missing (in its entirety) All Hell Breaks Loose Part I.

::points to icon::

Yah, I feel a bit moronic right now – yet, entirely still unspoiled, which means I must avoid LJ squee all day. Thank goodness we have our all-day client meeting and I will not be able to wander over.

Thank goodness for DVR.

Happy Birthday, Brooklinegirl!!!!

In honor of your special day, my hand-made baby dragon waves Paul Gross Arms:

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Heya Texas area folks – just wanted to pass along the info on some upcoming (this means tomorrow and Friday) events on behalf of Elaine Viets.

Please feel free to pass along!

Thursday May 10, 2007
7 PM
Borders Books
10720 Preston Rd., Suite 1018
Dallas, TX
Harry Hunsicker, Suzanne Frank, James Lavish and Dan Hale will be standing in for Elaine.

Friday May 11, 2007
6 PM
Murder by the Book
2342 Bissonnet St.
Houston, TX
Contact: David Thompson
713-524-8597
Dean James, Bill Crider and Leann Sweeney will be standing in for Elaine.

CHEERS!

Wow, although I *meant* to come home early on Sunday, I never did. Ended up staying late so I could have dinner with SF and Dana Cameron, and then stayed post-dinner for drinks and brain-picking with Dana. Well worth it!

Malice Domestic was a blast, as always. More so this year because Matters is everywhere! My publisher, in the person of John Betancourt, was kind enough to take me to lunch on Saturday and was pimping my book wherever he went during the con.

I got to meet some lovely folks, plus was on hand to cheer on good friends Toni L.P. Kelner on her Agatha win for Best Short Story and Nancy Pickard, for Best Novel. It’s so fabulous when folks you know win.

Our panel went extremely well and the audience seemed to enjoy it.

Me, I’m totally pooped! Spent all of Monday trying to veg out and get rested so I could be ready for work this a.m. – not so much. I did rest, but my brain is still on con-time. ::g::

Before I forget – a special congratulations to Charlaine Harris, who will be the GOH at Malice next year on its 20th anniversary. Should be a fabulous time!!

Other highlights:

• Traveling to Barnes & Nobel at Potomac Yard with starrcat and SF (we were looking for the Supernatural comic) and seeing my books in the wild. (I don’t have a pic, b/c I don’t own a camera but I did sign the copies!)
• Getting to meet Toni’s fabulous hubby, stevekelner in person. We’ve known each other via online for years, but never had met. I’ve known Toni since about 1998 or so.
• Seeing the advanced copy of Many Bloody Returns, an upcoming anthology edited by Toni and Charlaine and getting to squee over the dedication.
• Spending time with Alexandra Sokoloff – whose book is fantastically creepy and beautifully written.

In conclusion: A photo of Matters in the wild in San Antonio – my dad emailed me the pic just a few minutes ago.

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