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teddy_radiatorWell, Evan just turned in the Epilogue to The Chine, and while I'm very excited that it's in the can so to speak, I'm kinda sad as well. It's been so much fun, listening to each chapter throughout the month. He worked incredibly hard on it, and turned it out in record time - roughly 10 Hours and 45 minutes of recording. And it is exquisite. I've been blown away by his work. I've always admired Evan as an actor and improvisor (he does improv on a weekly basis, which to me is like walking a tightrope over the Grand Canyon wearing a blindfold and rollerskates), and he's just brought my story to life. Every character is given a different feel, timbre, and voice, and they are all so well defined. I'm actually quite wistful about it all being over. I'm also very proud of both of us. Hearing him speak my words gave me a real ego boost. There were times when I thought, "You know what? This is good. I'm a decent writer." He even made me cry at one point, and I started laughing, thinking, "You numpty! You're crying over your own stuff."
Of course, as I read I send him notes, which he edits, and then I'll listen to it all the way through one more time, in case I missed anything on the first go round, but in reality I'm looking forward to listening again. And you know I'll be promoting the heck out of it when it goes live on Audible. I actually have some freebie copies to give away, if anyone's interested...
TheHubs™ and I spent all day yesterday at my mom's house, cleaning and de-cluttering. Mom wanted to help us with our UK trip fund, and as she has grown older, it's harder for her to really deep clean, and her bathroom really needed it. There were a few other odd jobs around the house, so we arrived early and got to work mopping floors, cleaning rooms, and checking some faulty lighting.
We spent the majority of the day cleaning out her third bedroom, which we converted a few years ago into a closet room - rails line two of the walls and the third is full of chests of drawers. It's also her laundry room as well, and it was a mess. I don't know how one little old lady can generate so much laundry. And clothes! I tell you, that woman has more clothes than most JC Penneys stores. We threw out about 20 bags of junk, mostly old clothes (and some with the tags still on them she bought and never wore), and crap she just accumulates and then never uses (who has 30 bathmats? My mother, apparently). Unfortunately, her tendency to just let junk pile up in this room meant that a thriving mouse community lives there. We found a troubling amount of mouse droppings, and millions of acorns. Apparently, these mice are really into acorns. We didn't see anything live, but found a couple of very dried up dead things we assume were mice, and tons of empty acorn caps. The critters made nests in baskets of old clothes. Mom's reply was, "Well, they must be very considerate mice. I've never heard or seen any of them." I think some major pest control is in her future.
After all the scrubbing, de-cluttering and mopping, I was so tired last night I was in bed by 9. Getting up at 6 this morning to go for our morning walk wasn't easy, but I'm always glad when we do it. I'm trying to continue to build my stamina for the trip. I think this might be the best shape I've been in for years, even though I still have a long way to go.
My website needed a good bit of tweaking, and I had the time today to finally get stuck in and fix it. I use Wix, which is good, but some of the things you have to do to make things work just baffle me. I'm sure there's an easier way to do stuff there, but hell if I can figure it out. If you have a moment, please click HERE and see what you think. I'd welcome comments.
I'd also welcome comments over at Amazon for The Chine, or Her Minder, if you'd read them. Actually, they tell me that any comments are helpful, even if you only say, "I read this book". But of course, if you do enjoy them, I'd love a bit of an ego boost myself. I've had very little feedback on Chine, and what I have has been positive, but I'd love to know what you think.
Seeing all these promos for the SSHG_Giftfest has me longing to participate, but it's been so long I don't know if I dare to. It might be nice to flex my SSHG muscles, since I haven't in a long while, but who knows what kind of train wreck may follow?
Well, I'm off to tuck into bed with a good book. Stay fresh, cheese bags!
Of course, as I read I send him notes, which he edits, and then I'll listen to it all the way through one more time, in case I missed anything on the first go round, but in reality I'm looking forward to listening again. And you know I'll be promoting the heck out of it when it goes live on Audible. I actually have some freebie copies to give away, if anyone's interested...
TheHubs™ and I spent all day yesterday at my mom's house, cleaning and de-cluttering. Mom wanted to help us with our UK trip fund, and as she has grown older, it's harder for her to really deep clean, and her bathroom really needed it. There were a few other odd jobs around the house, so we arrived early and got to work mopping floors, cleaning rooms, and checking some faulty lighting.
We spent the majority of the day cleaning out her third bedroom, which we converted a few years ago into a closet room - rails line two of the walls and the third is full of chests of drawers. It's also her laundry room as well, and it was a mess. I don't know how one little old lady can generate so much laundry. And clothes! I tell you, that woman has more clothes than most JC Penneys stores. We threw out about 20 bags of junk, mostly old clothes (and some with the tags still on them she bought and never wore), and crap she just accumulates and then never uses (who has 30 bathmats? My mother, apparently). Unfortunately, her tendency to just let junk pile up in this room meant that a thriving mouse community lives there. We found a troubling amount of mouse droppings, and millions of acorns. Apparently, these mice are really into acorns. We didn't see anything live, but found a couple of very dried up dead things we assume were mice, and tons of empty acorn caps. The critters made nests in baskets of old clothes. Mom's reply was, "Well, they must be very considerate mice. I've never heard or seen any of them." I think some major pest control is in her future.
After all the scrubbing, de-cluttering and mopping, I was so tired last night I was in bed by 9. Getting up at 6 this morning to go for our morning walk wasn't easy, but I'm always glad when we do it. I'm trying to continue to build my stamina for the trip. I think this might be the best shape I've been in for years, even though I still have a long way to go.
My website needed a good bit of tweaking, and I had the time today to finally get stuck in and fix it. I use Wix, which is good, but some of the things you have to do to make things work just baffle me. I'm sure there's an easier way to do stuff there, but hell if I can figure it out. If you have a moment, please click HERE and see what you think. I'd welcome comments.
I'd also welcome comments over at Amazon for The Chine, or Her Minder, if you'd read them. Actually, they tell me that any comments are helpful, even if you only say, "I read this book". But of course, if you do enjoy them, I'd love a bit of an ego boost myself. I've had very little feedback on Chine, and what I have has been positive, but I'd love to know what you think.
Seeing all these promos for the SSHG_Giftfest has me longing to participate, but it's been so long I don't know if I dare to. It might be nice to flex my SSHG muscles, since I haven't in a long while, but who knows what kind of train wreck may follow?
Well, I'm off to tuck into bed with a good book. Stay fresh, cheese bags!
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no subject
Date: 2019-08-23 02:08 am (UTC)As for SSHG Gift Fest, you know it's only a 1K minimum... *she says enticingly* ...so you could pretend it's just a looongish drabble and have fun with it... (But no pressure if you decide otherwise!)
no subject
Date: 2019-08-23 02:10 am (UTC)With regards to the fest, it's true that I might just be able to manage a thousand words. I'll do some serious thinking about it over the weekend and see what the Muse thinks. Thank you for the encouragement!
no subject
Date: 2019-08-23 12:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-08-23 02:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-08-23 02:47 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-08-23 02:43 am (UTC)I don't envy the job of what you did at your mother's. When my grandparents moved to assisted living we had to cleanse 40 years from their home - the place where I basically grew up. And I had no idea just how much CRAP was stuffed into that beloved split level. No mice, but the mothballs, oh man I can still smell them.
Take care of yourself, yeah? After overheating at the garage sale and this you've earned a break.
*coughs* Come join the fun and gift fest *coughs*
no subject
Date: 2019-08-23 02:49 am (UTC)I understand that all too well. We moved into that house in 1966, and while outwardly her house is neat and tidy, every drawer, every closet, every cabinet is stuffed full of shit. I clean it out every couple of years or so, but it just comes back. I don't know how she does it.
As far as the gift fest, I'll re-read the rules and see if it's something I can manage. I'm pretty rusty on my SSHG game.
no subject
Date: 2019-08-23 04:04 am (UTC)would doWILL do an amazing fic! :Dno subject
Date: 2019-08-24 02:59 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-08-23 04:02 am (UTC)And good lord that sounds like a ton of work! I hope you've gotten some good rest. Hugs and hugs and hugs!
no subject
Date: 2019-08-23 05:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-08-24 03:01 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-08-31 07:09 pm (UTC)Promise me you'll post lots of pics when you're in England!