the season is upon us

So I blinked and it was the 4th week of November. What is up with that. Also, why does November have so many weeks?

Gearing up for Thanksgiving here in Gracetopia. My favorite holiday! Already made vegetable stock and baked bread for the stuffing, so I think that means that Thanksgiving has actually officially started. Or something. If I can get my camera and computer to talk to each other, maybe there will be pictures later in the week.

I have also, for once, gotten a head start on Christmas. Sort of. My sister’s present arrived in pieces and dripping, so back to square one there. (And I was doing so well.) But I’ve already bought a few things so I won’t be rushing around on the last week before Christmas or buying everyone Amazon gift certificates on December 24th. (Not that I’ve… ever done that. Nope.)

My wish for everyone this holiday season is minimum stress and maximum Good Cheer, so my wish for you all is to go forth and be merry! Eat all the things! Hug all the people! Sing songs! Be joyful! And stay at home in your pajamas if you’re so inclined.

wednesday night in Boston

It’s almost 11pm on a Wednesday and I’m installed at the big Harvard Square Starbucks with my novel-in-progress and an abysmal cup of coffee. (Like, abysmal. WTF, Starbucks.) Kidbro has apparently made it safely back to the US from Asia and I’ll be heading to the airport soon to pick him up. Meanwhile, I’m eavesdropping on conversations about Steve Jobs and trying to write.

This thing I’m working on may end up being the shortest “novel” I’ve ever written. Also possibly the first first draft I finish in a dozen years, so… hmmm to that. Perhaps something for me to learn.

I’m tired. I keep thinking I’ll grow out of the days when I want to sleep til noon, but apparently not. Thank goodness for energy drinks, man.

 

boston book fest

(Scroll down for book giveaway!)

Hello! Today Gracetopia is blogging at you LIVE from the Boston Book Festival. It’s the first one, which is kind of shocking; you’d think Boston’s Book Fest would be old and established since the city always goes on about how old and historical and established it is. Oh well.

It’s fantastic, even if it is a little grayer and damper and pouring rainier than one might desire. They seem to have gotten a good turnout, though I can’t really judge. The session I went to at 12:30 was overflowing. On a related note, I would like to say that John Hodgman is the shit.

The session was in a beautiful old church, and like I said packed to the rafters, and the first thing he says is, “I’ve always wanted my own megachurch!”

He said many other interesting, witty, and even useful things, as well, on writing and on life. He talked about rooting for your writing friends to do well and then wanting to punch them in the gut when they do. He talked about how the internet has changed the concept of being a writer. He talked about hobos. Truly a fabulous show. Tom Perrotta was his interviewer/companion/interlocutor. Also quite funny.

And now I am in the beautiful courtyard of the Boston Public Library, sheltered under some arches and gratefully using their free internet, writing until it’s time for Orhan Pamuk at 5.

Which brings me toooooo…

Writing Update: 10,257 words since Sunday!

writing what?

Well, today’s update is that I am 3708 words into a brand-spanking new story. Yes, I know I shouldn’t. But I’m going to fake NaNo it—fake because I’ve already started—and I’ll write hardcore between now and November 30 and then stop and see what I have. I figure it’ll be easier to just power through something I don’t really care about, as opposed to the magnum opus that I’ve been working on for over a year, and I think actually finishing something—anything—would be really good for my self esteem.

Not that my self esteem is particularly shaky at the moment. Let’s face it, I’m pretty wonderful.

So anyway. I’m just going to write for a month and a half and see what happens. I’m aiming for 75K in order to keep proper NaNo pace. (That’s about 1700 words/day for those of you playing at home.)

And away we go.

Off to Chicago!

See y’all later. Except for those of you I will see in Chicago.

WRITING UPDATE: 5020 words

mish-mash muddle

Hi! I’m here! Been busy this past week, what with work craziness and friend awesomeness. So a quick catch-up of my recent activities and ponderings.

So. Bullet points, methinks? Why yes please.

• On Kanye: I’m with O’Bama here, what a jackass. I don’t care if you’re drunk, I don’t care if you haven’t recovered from your mother’s death (I mean I do, but dude take some time off, nobody will blame you, and stop using it as an excuse) but you don’t have to ruin the girl’s moment. On the other hand and also, I’m tired of hearing about it. I’ve enjoyed its week of press, but enough is enough. Move on.
• On Joe Wilson: Okay so maybe I’m an insensitive bigot, but could everyone just chill the fuck out, please? Telling the President he’s a liar is okay. No, really. I personally think O’Bama is the shit, but if we can’t call our politicians out when we think they’re wrong, what’s the point? Sure it’s disrespectful. Wilson didn’t mean to be respectful. He doesn’t like our President. And that’s okay.
  Of course, if he doesn’t like our president because our President is black, as some people are saying, that is not okay. I haven’t really looked into Wilson’s past—he’s a Republican from South Carolina, but that doesn’t necessarily mean anything. But even if he were a card-carrying member of the KKK, those two words—”you lie”—don’t reflect that at all. They’re just rude and ill-timed and my god people get over it already.
  Devil’s Advocate, that’s me.
• 9: Don’t go see this movie. It does not live up to expectations at ALL, and I was really expecting it to be good. It’s really really pretty, and if you have to see it, definitely see it on the big screen, but ugh plot wtf. It’s taken Harry Potter and Star Wars elements and squished them all together with the apocolypse. Things are not explained, things are weird, dialogue is blah, it’s just a total ugh.
• One of my bffs just moved to New York City and I am sooooo jealous of him. Haha I just called him a bff. I hope he properly appreciates it.
• I would not make a good politician’s wife, because I don’t know how to tie a tie. (Currently watching Brotherhood.)
• 
  RIP, babe. I’ll miss you.