Monday Morning Musings: The 11th Anniversary of Michael’s Death…and a Request

Over the years since my husband Michael’s death, I’ve commemorated his passing a number of ways.

I’ve written about how important he was, the positive difference he made in my life, and about how much I loved him. (Still love him. I don’t think love goes anywhere. But I digress.)

The one thing I perhaps haven’t written about is what Michael liked to do.

While Michael wasn’t one of those “hail fellow, well met” types (and just as well), he enjoyed being around people. (Then he enjoyed going home and being away from people. A balanced life, as it were.)

Michael also loved to write. And if he could write something touched someone–or better yet, tickled someone’s funny bone– he counted that as a good day.

(Well, every day was a good day, so long as he was alive. But again, I digress.)

Because today is the 11th anniversary of my husband’s way-too-early death, I figured I’d ask a favor of you.

First, if you knew Michael, please come here and tell me what you remember most.

Second, if you ever read any of Michael’s work, let me know.

Third, I’d like it if you’d pick up a copy of one of five things: “A Dark and Stormy Night,” “On Westmount Station,” “Columba and the Cat,” “To Survive the Maelstrom,” and of course AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE. All of ’em are e-books, which Michael loved (he jumped onto the e-book bandwagon long before most people); all of ’em have some shred of something Michael told me in there, or better yet, some of Michael’s own words there.

Then come back and let me know.

Why do I ask these things? Well, it’s simple. I often feel alone, as if I’m the only one who’s grieving my husband’s death. And while I probably am grieving the hardest (especially after eleven years), there are others who do remember my husband. And remember him with fondness.

While I’ve contributed to all of the above things–and while I wrote AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE–I have discussed Michael’s importance at the end of every book or story I’ve written. (Or story that I’ve finished for him, in the case of “On Westmount Station” or “A Dark and Stormy Night.” Though “finished” is a bit much for the latter; I added a few touches, that’s all, to make it a legal collaboration in that case.)

I don’t know how many people read the very end of the book, but in every case, I’ve talked about my husband. Because he was incredibly important to me, and without his influence, I wouldn’t still be trying to make it in the crazy business of publishing.

So if you want to know why I still remember my husband, buy one–or more–of these stories. Then come back and let me know.

Now, I’d best get back to revising CHANGING FACES, as if all goes well, it’ll be released sometime in late October or early November as an e-book.

New Author Feature/Interview up at Nicholas Rossis’s Blog

Just a brief, drive-by bloglet…

My newest author interview/feature is up at Nicholas Rossis’s busy blog. Nicholas said some very kind things about me, which I appreciated; in addition, he seems to understand just why I’ve worked so hard to keep at least some of Michael’s work alive.

Here’s a bit from that featured interview, where I talk about my favorite writers:

I enjoy Rosemary Edghill’s work because she can write anything. Whether it’s a mystery, a romance, science fiction, fantasy, anything at all, she tells a compelling and well-researched story.

I enjoy Katharine Eliska Kimbriel’s work because she, too, can write anything. Her stories about Alfreda Sorenssen are inspired; they’re YA “frontier fiction,” and she predated the market for this by about fifteen years. Her first two in this series were written in the 1990s, I believe; her third was written last year. And her stories about Nuala, a world dealing with severe radiation issues and massive infertility among the population, are incredible.

I also truly enjoy Stephanie Osborn’s work. My goodness, can that woman write. She has a series out called the Displaced Detective, about Sherlock Holmes brought to the modern-day via the World of Myth hypothesis and some rather nifty hyperspatial physics. Because Stephanie is a former rocket scientist, she knows her science and she’s able to convey it to the layman in such a way that you don’t feel like you’re being talked down to – she even finds a way for Holmes to meet a woman who’s worthy of him! (And that’s not easy.)

There are many other authors I admire, including Andre Norton, Lois McMaster Bujold, Orson Scott Card, David Weber, David Drake, Ryk Spoor, Eric Flint… and I keep an eye on my fellow book reviewer Jason Cordova’s career, too.  Jason has a number of very solid short stories, plus he’s making a name for himself in the relatively new genre of kaiju.

And that doesn’t even go into the romance writers I read, or the nonfiction writers – there are so many, and I feel terrible that I have to name just a few.

And that doesn’t even name folks I will seek out and buy immediately, like Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, Deborah J. Ross, Julia London, Elizabeth Moon…it’s really impossible for me to name every last writer I enjoy, so if I left your name off this list, please do not take it personally. (Oh, yes — how could I have forgotten Kate Paulk? My goodness, her book about Vlad the Impaler is wonderful, and she writes funny fantasy, too. Or Sarah A. Hoyt — yet another fine writer who didn’t immediately come to mind here, though I did mention I read her blog often and find it of immense value.)

Anyway, there’s some stuff in here you may not know about me. So please do go over to Nicholas’s blog, will you? And be sure to say “hi” — also, give his books a good, solid lookover and see if anything interests you! (Hint, hint: he has a new release out called INFINITE WATERS that contains a number of intriguing short stories that might just get you started.)

Don’t forget — Novella Promos Start #Today!

As promised, folks, I have two novellas that are on discounted promotions starting today (I think at eight a.m. Pacific Daylight Time — don’t ask me why Kindle did this, ’cause I really don’t know) and ending on Monday morning at roughly the same time.

So for the next five days, you can get my novella “To Survive the Maelstrom” for just ninety-nine cents, and you can get my late husband Michael’s novella “A Dark and Stormy Night” for free.

(Yes, I said “free.”)

A quick check shows that “Dark and Stormy” is already available for free. But “Maelstrom” is still listing at $2.99 — since I did both at the same time, I find this bizarre. But hopefully within an hour, this will have corrected itself…

“But Barb,” you ask, “both of your names are on both stories. What’s going on there?”

Ah, you must be new to my blog.

But to answer this question: “A Dark and Stormy Night” was written by my late husband Michael before he died. I added about 1500 words to it to make it a legal collaboration, and sold it in 2007 to an online magazine (which was not archived). I sold it again to the now-defunct E-Quill Publishing in 2010, withdrew it from E-Quill in early 2012, and offered it again in 2013 independently as an e-book via Amazon Kindle. (Thus why I’m credited second, and also why I took an editing credit there.)

And before you ask again, I wrote “To Survive the Maelstrom” based off 2000 words of Michael’s about how Peter met his weremouse companion. But I knew there had to be more to that story, so I decided I had to write the story for myself. It is a true posthumous collaboration, but I wrote over three-quarters of the story, which is why I’m credited first.

Both are military science fiction stories, of a sort.

I say “of a sort” because “Dark and Stormy” deals with Ensign Joey Maverick’s “low-tech” sailing adventures while on leave before he ships out for space. (His low-tech sailing equals roughly late 20th Century or early 21st Century tech. So if you love sailing, you will not be thrown by anything in this novel despite it being a futuristic piece.) And “Maelstrom” deals with space marine Peter Welmsley’s struggles with PTSD after losing nearly everyone he cared about during the battle of Hunin, including his fiancée and best friend. (Peter does meet up with his weremouse companion, as Michael had envisioned, though I changed a few of the steps to get there.)

Anyway, I truly hope you will enjoy these stories! (Come back and let me know, OK?)

A Quick Wednesday Round-up

Folks, I’m busy writing and editing. Plus, I’m working on a book review for Thursday and perhaps another one for Saturday…lots to get done, and very little time to do it in.

So I figured I’d give you a quick, “drive-by” blog, just to give you an idea of what I’m up to this week.

I’m working right now on a short story plus the rewrite of CHANGING FACES, plus I have two edits in train. (One will finish by the end of this week. The other I hope will finish the second pass by the end of this week; it’s for a relatively new writer, so I agreed to do three passes for him. Most professional editors tend to do two.)

But I have some exciting news…want to know what it is?

OK, I’ll tell you.

Chris the Story-Reading Ape’s blog is going to feature a guest blog, from me, sometime tomorrow. As Chris is a few hours ahead of me, time-wise, I can’t tell for certain when my guest blog will show up. But once it does, I’ll skedaddle and get something up over here, so you all can meander over and read it.

What’s it about? Well, Chris’s website is a little different from other blogs, in that Chris wants you to introduce yourself as if you’re speaking to a room where you know not one, single soul. So I called my piece “An Intro to Barb Caffrey,” figuring that might make some sense…that means most of you will know everything there, but maybe the way I’m putting it will still intrigue you?

For the record, it’s because I’m going to be featured at Chris’s blog that I decided to put “A Dark and Stormy Night” up as a free e-book for five days starting on the 23rd (tomorrow), and it’s also why I decided to drop the price of “To Survive the Maelstrom” to ninety-nine cents for five days, starting again on the 23rd. Chris’s blog is very well-read, so maybe I’ll find some new readers.

In addition, Nicholas Rossis asked me to do a guest blog for him as well. I’m not exactly sure when this will come out. But when it does, of course I will let you know about it, soonest…as always.

Aside from that, the Racine Concert Band will be playing again on Sunday out at the Racine Zoo, and it’s absolutely free (don’t you just love that word, free?) If you’re anywhere within reasonable driving distance, do come and check us out.

So that’s about it.

Have a great rest of your week, folks!

Book Promotions Coming from July 23 to July 27, 2015

Before I forget — and I’ve got so much going on right now, that’s a real possibility! — I will have two book promotions going on starting on July 23 and ending on July 27, 2015.

First, I’ve put my military SF story “To Survive the Maelstrom” on a ninety-nine cents deal. (It’s normally priced at $2.99.) It is set in my late husband Michael’s Atlantean Union universe, and thus he is credited second.

What is “To Survive the Maelstrom” about, you ask?

Here’s the blurb:

Command Sergeant-Major Sir Peter Welmsley of the Atlantean Union has lost everything he holds dear. He wonders why he lived, when so many others died at Hunin — including his fiancée, Lydia, and his best friend Chet.

Into his life comes Grasshunter’s Cub, an empathic, sentient creature known to those on Heligoland as a “weremouse.”

Weremice are known for their ability to help their bond-mates. But how can this young weremouse find a way to bring Peter back from the brink of despair and start living again?

Next, I’ve decided to offer Michael’s “A Dark and Stormy Night” story for free during July 23 to July 27, 2015.

What’s “A Dark and Stormy Night” about, you ask?

Here’s the blurb:

Joey Maverick, a young Ensign in the Atlantean Union, takes part in a low-tech sailing regatta right before he’s supposed to ship out for space. A storm hits, causing Maverick to take command of his ship and mount a rescue mission. Along the way he picks up stranded nurse Belinda Simpson, along with many others. Sparks fly while the tension mounts . . . what will be the outcome of this dark and stormy night?

Note that both are novellas. I added about a thousand, maybe 1500 words to finish off “A Dark and Stormy Night,” but it is substantially Michael’s story.

Anyway, I figured I’d give you all a heads-up about these book promotions — otherwise, why bother running them? — and now, I have.

Enjoy your Monday, folks!

Free Novella Promo Ongoing, and Other Stuff

Folks, today is my thirteenth wedding anniversary.

On this day in 2002, Michael B. Caffrey and I married, in front of a small group of family and friends. At the time, we didn’t know we could write together, and the Elfyverse wasn’t even on the horizon. (I was, however, writing CHANGING FACES, in earlier draft form.)

It’s because of the deep love I shared with Michael that I’ve continued to keep our writing alive, as best I can. Whether he started it or not, it’s all come down to me…and I keep my promises.

Especially to my husband.

This is why I decided last week, when I knew I’d be able to get the two stories up (“To Survive the Maelstrom,” and “Columba and the Cat,” both novellas), that I’d put our co-written novella “On Westmount Station” up as a free e-book in honor of that love. (It will be free until the end of June 27, 2015. So do go grab it, while you still can get it for nothing.)

Note that I added subplots here. Wrote a good half of it, in fact. But I wouldn’t have done this without what Michael left behind…and I think Michael might just like what I’ve done, even though had he lived, I would never have touched his stuff unless he’d asked.

Now I need to talk about something else…something that has worried me for quite some time. Especially as it was something near and dear to Michael’s heart as well.

You see, as a science fiction and fantasy writer, I’ve watched for months — nay, years — as our community continues to eviscerate each other. Some of this is over the Hugo Awards (who should nominate, and why); some of it is much deeper and far more worrisome.

I have friends in the Sad Puppies community, those who believe the Hugo Awards should be nominated on by all SF&F fans willing to pay the WorldCon membership fee.

And I have friends in the traditional publishing community, those who mostly believe the Hugo Awards have been tainted because the Sad Puppies (and Vox Day’s unrelated group, the Rabid Puppies) decided to get into the mix.

I have continued to stand in the middle of this mess, as I am convinced that Michael would’ve also done the same thing.

That being said, I have more sympathies with the Sad Puppies than not. I think if you have read SF&F stories, and you’ve grounded yourself thoroughly in what’s available (including the newest releases from all the various publishers, including small presses and indies), you have a right to nominate if you want to pay the WorldCon membership.

I also want to point out that neither the Sad Puppies nor even the Rabid Puppies have said anything bad to me at all. They seem to respect my principled stance. And I appreciate that.

Whereas I’ve lost at least one good friend from the traditional publishing community, all because I had the temerity to support my friend Jason Cordova as he’s been nominated for the John W. Campbell Award.

I can’t do anything about that, though I hope down the line my friend will realize I’m the same person I’ve always been.

Look. I, personally, would’ve tried to get Katharine Eliska Kimbriel nominated, if I had my druthers. I think her book SPIRAL PATH is outstanding; by far the best YA book I read in 2014, and by far the best book I read in any genre in 2014. Period.

But she gained no traction, partly because her book was put out by the author’s consortium Book View Café.

I think this is a travesty.

I also would’ve tried to get Emily St. John Mandel’s book STATION ELEVEN on the ballot. It is an excellent post-apocalyptic novel that actually is inspirational in spots, and contains some dark but welcome humor amidst the gloom.

Note that Mandel was an indie author for a time, and only now is breaking through to traditional publishing.

Both of these books deserved to be on the Hugo Award ballot.

There are other authors I support, and support strongly, including Stephanie Osborn and Jason Cordova. (I like his short stories in particular. But MURDER WORLD is also good, though very violent as you’d expect due to it being a Kaiju novel.) My friends at Twilight Times Books, including Chris Nuttall, Dora Machado, Scott Eder, Dina von Lowenkraft, Heather McClaren, and Aaron Lazar are interesting writers who give full value for the money spent on their books.

And that’s just a start of the authors I support. Because I’ve maintained an avid interest in Kate Paulk, Sarah A. Hoyt, Amanda S. Green, Mrs. N.N.P. Light, E. Ayers, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, Julia London…the list goes on and on.

Why is enjoying all of these disparate authors’ work a bad thing?

Folks, there are some very good books out there being published by both indie and small press authors. (For the purposes of this conversation, Book View Café will be viewed as a small press.) These books should not be overlooked.

“Yay,” my friends in the Sad Puppies are saying.

And just because the Big Five publishing houses seem to be putting out more derivative stuff than ever, that doesn’t mean everything they put out has no value. (Witness Mary Robinette Kowal’s excellent Glamourist history series, which combines Regency Era historicity with excellent fantasy underpinnings along with a very fine and believable romance.)

“Yay,” my friends in the traditional publishing community are saying.

Why can’t we all get along? At least in part?

Because supporting each other, even as we all do slightly different things, is the best way to go.

I don’t blame my friends in the Sad Puppies for being upset. They’ve been vilified. Sometimes unfairly so. And they’re tired of it.

I also don’t blame my friends in the traditional publishing community. Some of them have been vilified. Sometimes unfairly. And they, too, are tired of it.

But a rapprochement does not seem possible between these groups.

Which truly saddens me. And would’ve deeply upset my husband.

I keep hoping that the SF&F community will remember that we do have more in common with each other than not. And that what we’re writing matters, even if it doesn’t seem like it at the time.

Anyway, my anniversary message for you all is a plea that somehow, the SF&F community will start pulling together again.

I believe that’s what my late husband would want. And I know it’s what I want, too.

Two New Stories Up at Amazon Kindle, Plus a Free Promo Announcement!

Folks, I have good news.

My military science fiction novelette “To Survive the Maelstrom” (set in my late husband Michael’s Atlantean Union universe) is now up and available at Amazon. It is initially priced at $2.99 — that’s what they recommended, and while I thought that a little odd, I went with it.

And Michael’s fantasy romance novelette, “Columba and the Cat,” is also now available at Amazon. It, too, has a primary price-point of $2.99, for the same reasons.

Both are available in time for my anniversary later this week, just as I promised.

In addition, starting tomorrow, “On Westmount Station” (co-written by me and Michael) will be available for free for five days. (Consider it my anniversary present to y’all.)

I sincerely hope that at least a few of you out there will find this of interest.

And please, feel free to share the news far and wide!

Comparing Joey Maverick to Miles Naismith Vorkosigan, and Vice Versa

Folks, a good friend recently asked me this question: “How would Joey Maverick compare to Lois McMaster Bujold’s hero Miles Naismith Vorkosigan?”

And it got me thinking.

You see, my late husband Michael wrote about space Navy Lieutenant Joey Maverick — something I’m doing my best to carry on — and my friend felt there were a number of similarities between Joey and Miles. And since the two stories haven’t found a wide audience as of yet (stories are available here and here), perhaps a comparison might prove useful . . . and at least it’s something new and different to write about, always a plus.

So here are some of the similarities and differences I saw with regards to Joey and Miles, with a side order of my own hero Bruno the Elfy from AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE thrown in for good measure:

Similarities:

Miles is a very smart young man who out-thinks others and has any number of adventures, most of which he can’t talk about on Barrayar itself due to security concerns. He’s steadfast, resolute, has morals and ethics and principles, and will stand by them to the death, if need be — though thank goodness for cryosuspension. He has an unusual sense of humor.

Joey is a very smart young man who thinks faster than others and has several adventures, most of which he can’t talk about on the planet of his birth due to security concerns. He, too, is steadfast, resolute, has morals and ethics and principles, and like Miles, has an unusual sense of humor.

And just for kicks, Bruno the Elfy is a very smart young being who is used to out-thinking others, but gives himself no credit for doing so because he’s been told he’s stupid his entire life. He figures talking about any adventures he has is pointless, because at the start of AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE, he has no friends worth mentioning . . . and afterward, well, his new friend Sarah has been with him the whole way through, so why bother talking about anything? (She already knows it.)

Bruno’s sense of humor is so odd, it’s downright bizarre . . . and while he has morals, ethics and principles, he comes at things from a sideways angle that may or may not always be fully understood by those around him.

Differences:

Miles is handicapped with brittle bones. He’s actually died and been revived, which left him with a seizure disorder. He’s retired from his main career as a commander of a mercenary unit (that did a great deal of spying for Barrayar on the side) due to his injuries, suffered in the line of duty. He’s a man who’s maximized the totality of his existence, and knows it, and is satisfied by it.

Joey, as yet, is still a healthy young man, though eventually he’s going to lose an eye (Michael’s story “A Dark and Stormy Night” references Joey’s cybernetic eye in the prequel section, where Joey’s an old man). Only one life for Joey . . . his military career is ongoing. He’s still in the process of coming to his full adult capabilities, and many adventures await as he comes to terms with the totality of himself. Eventually Joey will bond with an empathic, sentient creature . . . but that, too, is in his future.

Bruno the Elfy is a very young being — an adolescent, in our parlance. While Bruno has enormous magical gifts, he’s not fully aware of what to do with them, and because he was intentionally mistrained at the behest of the Elfy High Council, he’s having to throw off a whole lot of nonsense in addition to becoming the Elfy he was meant to be.

Mind, it’s not that easy to compare a fantasy world — even if it’s an urban fantasy like my own AN ELFY ON THE LOOSE — with either Bujold’s own Vorkoverse or my husband’s Joey Maverick universe. But it is fun, talking about three of my favorite heroes . . .  especially as I never once thought Joey Maverick had anything whatsoever in common with Miles Naismith Vorkosigan before my friend pointed it out as a possibility.

At any rate, what do you think of this comparison? Does it make any sense? Or is it just odd? Please let me know in the comments.

Heard from the WotF Contest . . .

Folks, I didn’t expect that I’d still be able to send off my story — the one I told you about a few days ago that I carefully did not identify — to the Writers of the Future contest (WotF for short).  (Please see my last post for further details; just hit the “back” button.)  But I heard from the Contest Administrator, Joni, who said that under the circumstances, she’d accept my entry.

(Perhaps I wasn’t the only person who had this problem?)

At any rate, the story is away.  We’ll see what happens . . . it’s possible that sending it today (as I just received the e-mail today) is too late to be entered into the WotF contest for last quarter.

If so, I’ll send it to Fantasy and Science Fiction (F&SF), as previously planned.

But if they do accept it, I hope this will be the entry that finally gets noticed.  It truly was my final attempt after eleven long years of trying.  And as it’s based off an unfinished story of my late husband Michael’s — though I did much rearranging to suit myself, and wrote over two-thirds of it in the process — it has even more meaning.

Speaking of stories of my late husband’s, I’d appreciate it if you’d go to Amazon and check out Michael’s Adventures of Joey Maverick series.  (Please go here and here for further details.)  They’re both tales of military science fiction, one set on a low-tech sailing vessel, the other at a space station.  I edited these stories and completed them to the best of my ability . . . if you want to support my and Michael’s writing, this is the best way to do so.

But there are two other ways if you would rather read something else . . . my story “On the Making of Veffen” is included in HOW BEER SAVED THE WORLD, while my co-written story with Michael, “Bright as Diamonds,” is included in BEDLAM’S EDGE.  (Even though I have been led to believe that the latter anthology never earned out, it’s possible it may someday, and if so, I’d perhaps get some more money out of it.  But  even if it never does, I’m proud of our story and I want people to read it.)

If you’re waiting for ELFY, though, I guess I can understand that . . . though really, I’d prefer it if you’d buy everything I ever wrote, just because it makes it a little easier to keep going in this crazy business.

Anyway, the story is off and I’ve done what I can . . . now to figure out what else I can send to F&SF.

A September ’13 Catchall Post

Folks, I’m in one of those places right now where I have a lot to talk about and very, very little time to do it in.  So let’s get started.

First off, Carlos Gomez was suspended yesterday and fined for one game due to his part in the bench-clearing incident in Atlanta.  Brian McCann, who to all intents and purposes precipitated that incident more than anyone else, did not get suspended, but did get fined.  Freddie Freeman got fined, too . . . still not sure what Freeman did that was so egregious . . . and Reed Johnson, the guy who actually threw two haymakers at Gomez before ducking down behind much more brawny fellow players to avoid retribution, also got a one-game suspension and a fine.

I think the suspensions for Gomez and Johnson were fair.  I think McCann not getting suspended, not to mention failing to get thrown out for blocking the plate and refusing Gomez to even touch home plate after hitting a booming home run, was utterly ludicrous.  McCann was the instigator there as much as Gomez or Braves pitcher Paul Maholm (who’d thrown at Gomez back in June, thus creating bad blood), and all he gets is a piddly fine?

What’s up with that?

Next, I wanted to update you all about what’s going on with Michael’s two “Joey Maverick” stories.  The files mostly tested out well after being converted, but there were a few minor bobbles.  Because of that, I’m going to take the opportunity to go over them one last time as I found a few minor issues after the file was sent off (why, oh why, does it always seem to happen that way?) before my good friend ends up reformatting the files for me to get the extraneous code out.

The reason the formatting is so important is because these files are over ten years old.  (At least, parts of them are.)  Michael and I used to use Word Perfect exclusively; I still like it better than just about any word processing program I’ve found, but these days I mostly use Word 2002 or, if pressed, Word 2010, because everyone has these programs and they’re the easiest for other writers and editors to deal with.

Anyway, because these files are older, there are artifacts in them that are not compatible with newer software.  Thus when converted into an e-book, odd things can happen.  As I try to present myself as a professional no matter what — even though I’ve been sick often this year, even though I’m not well known — I want to put out files that are as close to clean as possible.  Partly because that’s what I demand as a reader and partly because that’s what I demand from myself, but mostly because they are Michael’s stories and I want to do right by them.

Speaking of illnesses, I’ve been fighting a bronchial infection, again, for the past ten days or so.  I can think again, my chest is no longer really tight, and I feel much better than I did.  But because of this, I haven’t been able to play in the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Community Band since the second week of rehearsals for the first concert, and I’m still not really up to playing.  It’s very difficult to be in this position, but I have to think long-term, both about my music and about my overall health.

A quick update regarding the status of my book, ELFY . . . I’m working on the final edit, and have an editor working with me who I trust.  I may start writing quick blogs as to what my progress is with regards to going over it one, final time, as that has seemed to help a number of my fellow writers (most particularly the excellent Katharine Eliska Kimbriel).  So my health has slowed the progress there, significantly, but it hasn’t completely stopped it — and if I can just shake off the last of this nasty bronchial stuff soon, I should be able to get it done within another few weeks to a month.  (Sooner is better than later, obviously, and you wouldn’t believe the pressure I’m putting on myself to get this done, even though I know that this sort of pressure is counterproductive at best.  I just want ELFY out so people can read it, that’s all . . . just have to do what’s required and believe it’ll get done.  I’m way too close to the goal to quit now.)

As far as the writing and editing goes, I have talked much about what I can’t do this past year.  I haven’t talked much about what I can do.  I am a good editor, an excellent proofreader, I can handle conceptual editing just fine and can still bring something to the table if someone wants to work with me no matter what my health is like.  And I can write . . . I’ve kept up this blog now for over three years, I’ve done many, many book reviews both at Shiny Book Review (SBR) and at Amazon, and I’ve actually sold a science fiction story this year to HOW BEER SAVED THE WORLD.

Mind you, I’ve also been turned down by the Writers of the Future contest (again), so it’s not all a bed full of roses, but I’m trying my best and have made some slow progress.

And any progress beats none . . . right?

Anyway, over the next week, I will have a guest blog by fellow author and book reviewer Jason Cordova, and I hope to have an end of the year summation about the Brewers 2013 season.  So please, do stay tuned for that . . . and thanks for bearing with me during one of the most fractious, difficult years of my life.