LOLCAT FREIDAYZ: The LOLCAT dost protest too much

BABY edition: All the bags are packed...

....Gosh guys.

I only have two more months. That is, until the *official* date.

panics

Lokidoodle is growing and very active, and that is great! The host organ is also growing, but what the host organ feels is more of a rampant tiredness than anything. Like even after three hours or so outside. It's big on pathetic.

The host organ did, in fact, go out yesterday and purchase the baby clothes (all Bio!!) that the Loki will come home in. It all matches. *squee* She will be the cutest Loki ever. For real.

Unless she comes out with ginger hair.

(Just kidding)

The host organ would also like to note that the ice cream she eats for supper seems to keep massive heartburn at bay. She's had a couple sleepless nights due to MASSIVE heartburn, and not only does the ice cream kill it, it's all digested by the time she goes to bed.

Utter win.

The host organ has also made appts for the hospital in depth visit (they do lotsa checkups on you here!) as well as a "Kita" appointment. The kita is basically a daycare for when she gets older but before she goes to school. You say it "Kee-tah" Like Cheetah. Only cooler.

The host organ has three books to revise and is afraid of the two month limit on time that she has. Very afraid of it. Excessively afraid.

The host organ also wonders why she is referring to herself in such an odd sort of third-personish way.

My brain is so fried.

JKB FAIL

Yeah, so I'm starting revising Panic.

*sigh*

I meant to wait, but I just can't.

I'm good to go.

Weird questions I ask myself today...

• If I have three books to revise and get perfect, can I do it in the next two months?
• Would my agent kill me if I did that?
• Is it possible to live on just ice cream?
• If cats lick their rear ends, how long does it take for that taste to go away?
• Do they want it to go away?
• How can it be so cold out and yet not snow?
• How can I spend three entire afternoons thinking about the motives of a Dog POV and not get bored?
• How much bigger is this baby gonna get?
• Why does her movement in my tummy remind me so much of the movie Alien?
• How is SHE GONNA GET OUT?

HM. I think I might have issues. :-)

Sweet, sweet accomplishment

Right before I wrote this post, I wrote

THE END

on my most recent manuscript,

Panic at the Dog Show: A Ren and Sam Mystery

I love this one. I truly do. I know I say that I love every one that I write and to a point that's absolutely correct, but this one is so much different in so many ways:

- it's a mystery

- it's like nothing I've ever tried before and it really stretched my skills

- it's got a boy protag, which I've not had an easy time of in the past *waves at as-yet completely unrevised singular ms that had boy protag*

- I plotted the entire thing when normally I allow the story to go where it will

- I used all my old dog show experience, which I've not ever used in a book up to now

As well as other things.

I absolutely, absolutely heart this book. And in a way, it's perfect timing. My agent has just finished reading my *other* most recent MS and has given me feedback that will require extensive thought. I've learned so much lately from revising from her and my editors, as well as my crit group friends, and I feel so much stronger on the revising front than ever before.

I always know the truly good books I write from the books that would be good second books or option books on a contract (I think, at least). The truly good books:

- have a great protag

- have interesting sidekicks

- have a question that goes deeper than just the plot, which is solid and packed

- roll out and off of my fingers to where I can hardly write fast enough.

The last few days, through no fault or will of my own, I was writing 5-8 thousand words at night. I couldn't get it out fast enough. I anticipated each action, I laughed at the right spots (smirking as I typed, half the time) and I got to the end with a real pang of regret. I was sad to see the end of this first draft.

THIS first draft, like my Possum Summer book, helped me remember that joy of writing and the thrill of discovery.

Gosh golly, I love this book.

So next comes revisions, which shan't take long as I've got a list already ready, and then to my agent. And then to subbing. Because this baby is GOLDEN! The agent thinks it sounds cool, too, which only serves to heighten my sense of rainbow and puppy-dog sparkles around this thing.

So yeah kitteh, have the Prozac. I'm good.

LOLCAT FREIDAYZ: *hee*

BABY edition: Um, I'm making a person

Isn't that so bizarre to contemplate? Every once in awhile I'm just ... whew ... man that is weird!

Little Loki! You are 30 weeks old! That means yo mama and yo papa only have 10 more weeks to go (at best!) until you are out and really shaking up the world! The hospital official "check out" visit is made, and you're getting closer and closer!

Your papa um, realized that this past weekend, on Saturday. We went baby shopping. As in, looking at cribs, looking at this, looking at that. Did you know that Germany has some of the UGLIEST child shoes in the world? True story. Lucky I can score you some American ones! And the prices! Dear child, does one really need some Nappy Protector Trash can - basically a regular trash can, mind you - but because it's for diapers and has the word baby on it it costs 50% more? Can that be?

After our long day of looking, hubs turned to me in a slight panic, eyes crazily askew & hair going in all directions (Note to genetics: PLEASE give Loki the blond curly hair he has! FTW!):

Him: "Um, wow. Let me process this."

Me: "Process what, you goofball?"

We stop at the red pedestrian light and wait. It's a slight rain/slight snow mix and the day is dismal. But we've been enjoying each other's company and living in Berlin the entire morning.

Him: "I'm gonna be a papa soon. I mean, she's real!"

Me: flashes my belly at him from underneath arctic coat. "Um, HELLO!" points to belly.

Him: "I know. But I've kind of gotten used to that! How will I get used to a baby?"

The light turns green and we start walking towards the U-bahn train again. I shake my head, laughing. You're moving and twirling inside me, just like a tiny ballerina, because you always wake up and get all excited when your papa talks. Even inside, you're papa's little girl.

Me: "I guess we'll just figure it out."

And we will, little Loki. Your beginnings are golden, your home will be full of love, and I've been working on some rad games for when, you know, your eyes can focus and stuff.

And your papa can't wait to play legos with you.

Blog Interview: Jill Myles!

Her debut novel, Gentlemen Prefer Succubi, released December 29th from Pocket and is selling like mad! I am lucky to have Jill drop by to answer a few questions earlier in the week about her reading choices and what got her started on her path!

Just for commenting on this post, Jill has a special surprise for you! Once your comment is posted today, you will be entered to win a personalized critique from Jill's uberawesome agent, Holly Root of Waxman Literary! For more chances to win, follow the rest of the tour!

Next stop on the tour: Jill will be speaking with YA writers Lisa and Laura!

How did your love of romance novels begin? Were you an avid romance reader?

I read pretty much everything I could get my hands on as a kid, but really loved historical stuff. When I was 12, we were visiting my older cousin on vacation. I'd just finished reading CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR so my mom was letting me ease into more 'adult' reading, and I'd finished reading everything I'd brought with me on vacation. My cousin offered to let me grab a few books from her shelves. She read romance - Zebra romances! With the pink and teal colors, the purple skies and the hologram sticker. I took home a whole suitcase full and devoured every one of them. It was awesome. For years, I looked specifically for books with that hologram.

What sets apart a truly good romance book for you, as a writer who reads?

I'm a big fan of authors that can either make me laugh or have such imaginative, amazing worldbuilding that I never know what to expect. If you can put the two together, I'm in heaven. That's why Kresley Cole is one of my favorite authors - she's super funny and her stories always go in unexpected directions. I love Ilona Andrews's books too, because her worldbuilding is freaking amazing. And Meljean Brook writes such detailed, layered, complex plots that I just want to sink into her world.

So basically I look for authors that make me jealous that I didn't write the story myself!

I read a lot about people really denigrating the entire "romance as a genre" thing. It irritates me, but I imagine it irritates you more. How do you deal with that?

Oh, I usually rant about it. Heh. It really does irritate me, I admit. For some reason, mysteries and horror and science fiction are perfectly acceptable, but a boy and a girl getting together is sneer-worthy? I don't get it. To me, it's a double standard - that if you write about relationships, you are somehow less of an author. I also hate it when people make cracks about romance being porn. My first book has three sex scenes. Probably a total of fifteen pages. And I've been told I write nothing but porn. Really? Fifteen pages out of over three hundred equals porn? What does that make a murder mystery? The equivalent of a snuff film?

Just a wee bit sensitive.

Do you enjoy other genres? What are your favourites?

I really like historical and fantasy novels. Oh, and Young Adult. I really enjoy the voice and the themes in Young Adult -- especially the fairy tale retellings. Shannon Hale and Gail Carson Levine are terrific. And since I'm naming names, Pauline Gedge is my favorite historical author, and Juliet Marillier is my favorite fantasy author.

Thanks, Jill, for stopping by!!

What a feeling!

As of yesterday evening at 20:00, I am halfway finished with Panic! 25k down!

*golf claps*

I really, really can't wait to get this little book into the hands of my agent, and the nice thing is, she can't wait either! She cracked me up by asking when it would be done when I told her the premise. *loves*

As a fun fact, I thought I'd highlight the dogs that are big players in this mystery caper. Because in this mystery, the below dogs don't talk or anything, but they're still the main act.

We've got Ren and his dog Sam, who I've showed you before.

We have the pug, Eddie.

His nickname in the book is a play on one very famous owner of pugs. Did you know Edward (the Edward that abdicated the English throne for Wallis of Windsor) loved pugs? In fact, they'd have four to five of the dogs at any time. One of my online buddies also has a pug, and he's a dandy fellow.

Then we've got the Yorkie, Bitsie.

Bitsie was particularly named after my well-loved uncle's (who died last year, RIP Uncle P) last Yorkie. They had Yorkies the entire time I was growing up and a highlight of visiting my grandparents was the visit to my Uncle P and Aunt Elmer and seeing Walter and the succession of Bitsie-girls that happened after Walter (as they got older, they just recycled their favourite name). The last Bitsie was a true companion to my old Uncle, and I wanted to give her her due.

And then the Peke, Sugar.

Back when I showed dogs, I always, always, always wondered what the thrill of these dogs was. The hair? The nose? The history? I could never figure it out, but when I'd take dogs to the handlers at the Peke ring, the aisles were filled with people oogling them. While the hounds were underrepresented. *shakes head* This is the only dog I didn't choose for a particular reason. Or maybe I did choose it for its WTF aspect.

Finally we have the Chinese Crested, Precious.

You know, I love hairless (or practically hairless, BlackCat!) cats, and the dogs of this persuasion are just as...interesting. You can either get one nice looking dog or the Ugliest Dog in the World (which unfortunately the Crested has been, for several years running). I saw a really gorgeous all-black Crested back in my showing days and he was a real little superstar. So I wanted to make sure one of our main characters was an interesting type that perhaps others haven't seen before.

It's so fun to find out information on other's research and why they used/chose the things that they utilised in their books. I want to make sure and do this for Panic, because I just love this book. Even though it does have some sad parts (and one particularly melancholy subplot) it is really the story of a boy who's uncertain finding his way to his self-confidence with the help of a plucky little four-legged detective.

LOLCAT FREIDAYZ: *so* *so* me & pregnancy

BABY EDITION: Positivity, people!

I hate that it soundsl ike I'm always whining about this. (Yes, off one post I am assuming that about myself and I do not like it).

I mean, come on! Little Loki, we tried and tried for three years, numerous different medications and lots of tears and struggle to have you, and I am SO very glad you're here! (Even when you wake me up at 3 am doing your kickboxing routine. *AHEM*)

There are some positive things too. I never ever thought that that craving thing was real. But it is. I love to feel you kick (in the DAYTIME, kid!!) and see my tummy move, and get things for you and imagine what you'll look like, and what your temperament will be like. How your papa's face gets all soft when he feels you kick, or how he giggles when he catches you hiccupping, like last night. The fact that he bought me a bracelet I've been yearning for for months as a present to always remember this time (altho there will certainly be a few things I aim to FORGET!) And hey, lest we forget - only two more weeks of work! THAT is a beautiful, beautiful thing! I waddle, I don't walk!

The dream I had just the other night where your great-grandma, my beloved and cherished Gran, had me sit by her and patted my tummy over where you lay inside and told me how much she also loved you, and warned me you were going to be a real 'firecracker', like her.

Tell you what, kid, you end up like your Great-Gran and you'll be a bit of all-right.

Feeling torn

You know I love you guys, right?

I do. I love you. Your comments make my day, especially lately when I'm feeling like a fat lump and being pummelled from the inside while trying to work full time and write yet another book.

And this is why I'm feeling torn.

You see, mostly I consider this a blog for me. I write out things I want to remember, funny LOLCATs that really tickle me, progress so I'm able to track myself, etc.

You guys are the frosting on the cake.

I'm feeling guilty that I'm not doing what I'm seeing other writers do, i.e., making comments of my own to your comments that you add to my blog.

It's not that I don't love you. But I never really considered answering your comments, because you were making a comment to my post. Does that make sense? I really, really try to stay away from any type of navel gazing (I have a navel-gazing allergy, actually) and I just wonder if that would put me over the navel gazing edge.

And then I wonder if I'm being a jerk that I don't answer your comments with a comment of my own. I mean, I make comments on other writers blogs. Do I obsessively go back and see if they answered my comment with a comment of theirs? Nope, never.

I wonder if this makes me weird or something.

You? Do you comment? What's your position on it?

I think for right now I'll keep that up. I DO want to emphasise that if you DO comment on my blog I go to yours and automatically add you to my reader. And then I comment on your blog post.

I just don't comment here to your comment.

Geddit?

sha-zaaaaam

Hey guys!

This weekend was a wonderful writing weekend.

4,500 words!

O_O

I know. Me too!

It's the best I've had in awhile, and I think this means I might FINALLY have pummelled baby brain back into writing mode. I think I'll have to see how this week pans out before I can be confident and assured.

Of course, it didn't hurt that it was snowing the entire weekend, hubs was tired and so we vegged. That didn't hurt.

I don't think I'll even put up a goal for this book for this week. It'll happen, or not.

I'm trying to be zen.

:-)

How's yours going?

LOLCAT FREIDAYZ: SNOOOOOW

... because we're expecting up to 40 centimeters of snow this weekend ...

BABY EDITION: This is for you.

I recently had someone come to my blog here from a search term that I could have written myself. It was:

"Why aren't I a happy pregnant person?"

I almost cried when I saw it.

And so this post is for you, dear Unhappy Pregnant Person.

Dear searcher, I am in your camp. I know MANY other women in your camp, but I only got that information after I opened up and was honest about it. I mean, h*ll. I have complications to little Loki's pregnancy, and I'm taking it on the chin and being proactive, getting everything done. But am I walking around in a haze of rainbows and puppy dog breath?

No.

Because let me let you in on a little secret that nobody seems to put in those 8 billion STUPID pregnancy books:

Cooking up a baby is HARD WORK. Your body struggles. It overdoses on chemicals. It gets too much sugar. You get pains you've never had, feel tired like never before, and you watch in horror as your baby MOVES IN YOUR BELLY. Just like in ALIEN. No kidding!

There are wonderful parts too, don't get me wrong. Seeing your belly move. Seeing the joy on your partner's face as he (or she) feels your baby move. Picking out the going home outfit, or special something for your partner to help them remember this time. So many things.

But this is hard work. And nobody expects you to be Miss Tubby Joy Wonder about the whole thing. Give your body and your mind a break, and just take it as it comes, and try not to judge yourself by those cracked-out earthmothers that EVERYONE seems to have been.

Because they so weren't. Trust me.

And if you need to vent, shoot me a mail. I'm here for you.

-----

Little Loki,

We're coming down to the wire! Third trimester, HELLO!! And I want you to know that whatever pain, irritation, unhappy pregnant or whatevs I am, that you are worth it all. It's not your fault that evolution threw out a wicked curve ball for human mothers.

And you're so active, and scrabbly, and I can see you move across my belly. You're so strong, in fact, that you woke up the Blackcat from his deep sleep this morning as you kicked out - and hit him. His expression was priceless (for I was already up and reading my emails from my iPod touch, you are a STRONG kicker!!) because he stuck his nose out, ever so gently, and nudged my belly where you were. You kicked again, and he moved up to the crook of my arm to sleep the rest of the time.

It's little moments like these that I write these posts for. I want to be able to remember them all, to tell you one day.

How special you are.

And how much your entire family loves you already.

(Well, except for the Blue cat okay. He wakes you up from your naps with his LOUD MEOWS)

Blog interview: Heidi Willis!

Hi guys!

Today we've got the lovely and talented Heidi Willis, here to have an interview on my blog! *golf claps*

I've known Heidi a long time. Somehow she was one of the first blogs I found, and one of the first commenters on *my* blog (when I got the guts to start it) and has been a helpful and friendly influence in my life ever since then! Happy day!

And now sister's got a brand new book! But I'll let you read for yourself. :-)

All that stands between her daughter’s life and death is a tenth grade education, a zealous group of Baptist ladies, and 1.8 million Google hits.

If faith is all her daughter needs to be cured, Babs is sure the church and her family have more than enough. When twelve-year-old Ashley falls into a coma and is diagnosed with diabetes, everyone in their small Texas town deals with it the way they deal with everything else: food, friendship and prayer. But when Ashley develops a rare and deadly allergy to insulin – the only medicine that can keep her alive – Babs turns to the Internet and science instead of friends and God to find the cure the doctors say isn't there. What she discovers is an answer no one wants to hear: a risky stem cell operation that pits her against her husband, her faith, and the conservative church that’s been their biggest support.

Here's where you get to learn more about Heidi.

How long have you been writing?

I remember writing my first book in school when I was in second grade. I was so proud of that book. We wrote it, then revised it, then rewrote it in our best writing, colored a cover on cardboard and laminated it like a real book cover and then bound the whole thing. In the About the Author I wrote that I didn't want to be a writer because I was going to be a singer when I grew up. I love that book.

In middle school I started writing novels on my own, but they never made it past 50 pages or so, and I didn't attempt more stories until college. I wrote short stories there and took several graduate level fiction writing classes as a senior, but then I graduated, got a job teaching, and between grading essays and planning lessons, I didn't get back to it until several years ago.

I'd say I've been seriously writing, trying it on as a career, for three years.

Even though you suffer from diabetes as well, your book required a significant amount of research to complete. You had to become an expert on all of the complications of diabetes and their specific treatments, as well as someone who is well versed in stem cell research and its applications to diabetes. How did you go about conducting your research? Did it take up a lot of time? Was most of the information accessible on the internet, or did you have to interview specialists or go to medical journals? Would you write a book again that required a significant amount of research?

Actually, researching about stem cell therapies was what brought about the idea for the book. During the presidential primaries I'd received several pamphlets showing where each of the candidates stood on various issues. One block was for stem cell research, and it included both embryonic and adult. Across all parties, every one of the candidates supported adult stem cell research, and that stumped me. For one, I'd never even heard of it, and for two, weren't the more conservative candidates supposed to oppose stem cells?

I started out googling adult stem cell research, and came across a huge amount of info on the internet about it that completely floored me. Body parts were being regrown. Spinal injuries were healed and paralyzed people were walking. It just went on and on. I couldn't stop reading. And suddenly, in the middle of one of the articles, I thought, "Wow. This would make a great book."

At that point I started bookmarking all the websites I'd read, and began plotting the idea of how to turn this into a story. When the story started fleshing itself out, I knew how to be more focused in my research.

That preliminary research was mostly news articles, but as I outlined and wrote, I focused more on medical journals, most of which were online. I went to diabetes forums and asked parents for their personal experiences on specific things, like when their children were diagnosed. Those parents were incredible. They wrote long, beautiful, heartrending emails, and nearly every one I took something from to incorporate in the story.

In the midst of trying to sort out why a young diabetic would have the critical need to undergo stem cell therapy, I came across a blog from a young woman who is allergic to diabetes. That blog provided me with more personal story than I could ever have gained from a medical journal or newspaper article.

It did take a big chunk of time. After I had enough information to lay out the story, I wrote and researched specific needs as I came to them. Some days there was more research than writing, but it helped that I had a good personal understanding of diabetes myself, and so I could ask myself the very specific questions that narrowed down the research significantly.

It never felt burdensome to research. I was so passionate about it that the research was as much fun as writing. I don't think I could do that kind of research on something I didn't care so much about. And the fact that I have diabetes gave me a huge foundation to build on. I've thought about other plotlines for books that would require research and when I start researching my eyes glaze over. I can tell quickly that if it bores me, I won't be able to write about it engagingly for others.

Was there a particular reason why you chose Texas as the home state for your heroine and her family? I know you lived there for a while yourself. Did that have anything to do with it?

Having lived in Texas made a huge impact on where to set the book. Setting has always been one of my most loved parts of a book, especially when I'm writing. The place should be like a character, whether that place is a home or an office or a town. The place should have personality. And even though I don't include a lot of visuals in this book, it was really important that I know what it looked like.

I'd set my first attempt at a novel in Southern California where I'd lived when I first got married. I loved that town, so every time I sat to write, it was like getting to live in it again for a little while. When I sat to write Some Kind of Normal, I knew the town had to be politically conservative and stereotypically Bible belt because a main part of the plot was the town's reaction to the idea of stem cell treatment. Southern California didn't fit the bill, but central Texas, where I'd lived several times, was perfect for it.

Where did the characters' names come from?

I have no idea where Bab's name came from! I'm sure there was some sort of decision making there, but honestly, it feels like she just appeared, name and personality and all. The rest were more deliberate. Because I wanted this to be very much a Texas story, I looked up the top 100 baby names in Texas in each of the years I thought the characters would have been born, and chose names from there. Looking through the lists, Travis, Ashley and Logan leaped out as exactly the people who'd been rolling around in my head.

Were they fully formed or did you have to work on character development?

Most of the characters were pretty fully formed when I began writing, but they definitely developed more as I got to know them. Logan especially grew into a much larger role than I'd anticipated, and at the onset, I thought of him as a bit detached and a troublemaker. He grew himself as the story grew, and I found the layers of him through his dialog with Babs. Donna Jean was also another one that changed a lot as I wrote, not because I worked on her but because her character evolved and deepened on her own.

There were two characters that were quite flat after the first draft though, so I did have to work more on them with some purpose.

Will Babs show up in another book somewhere down the line?

I don't have plans for Babs to show up, but you never know. Sometimes characters write themselves into a book. Still, at this point I feel like her story is pretty finished. I've started another book that takes place in the same town, and it's very possible that Ashley and Logan will play minor roles there, but not nearly to the extent that they were in Some Kind of Normal. More like a walk-on part.

What's your next project? And how is it coming along?

I have several projects in the mix right now. There are three novels I've started that are each about 20,000 words along, which is a little less than a quarter finished. I have a heart for each of them and love the characters in them. Now I just need to pick one to stick to until it's done.

Thank you, Heidi. If you'd like to know more about Heidi, see the amazing book trailer she developed (on her own) or learn more about Some Kind of Normal please click here.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

I know you're saying, Whut? Happy anniversary?

Well, exactly one year ago today the intensely fabulous, fantastically sparky SUPER AGENT Marlene and I became "a thing".

She's so wonderful, but you all know that. What you might not know is that she is the definition of a super fantastique agent.

So Marlene, here's to you! Happy one year! May it be many more!

Good morning, dear readers!

I have fun news!

Although I am an MG writer, I know many writers and they are not all MG. Shocker, I know. In fact, two of these writers NOW have books out!

*pauses in respect*

To celebrate their accomplishment, because hey, anybody that gets one out in these times deserves it, I am going to interview them shortly on the blog.

First up is Heidi Willis, and soon (on the 20th of this month) Jill Myles. They might not write what I write, but they got it done and have a book to show for it!

Heidi's this week, and like I said, Jill is on the 20th. Please feel free to come by and show these talented lay-deez some love!

Happy New Year...

to you all!

Two years. Two years since I started this blog, and since then I've moved, gotten pregnant, finished five books, queried two, gotten representation and then found the PERFECT AGENT, thought and ruminated and pondered and travelled and above all else, written.

Every day. Even if it was a small amount by some's standards, I've done it.

What have I learned?

• It takes more than an idea to finish a book. It takes picky beta readers and your best game. All the time.
• My husband is possibly the most supportive, cool guy in the world.
• I can finish multiple books, edit them and get them "done."
• Some books take *so* much longer than others to get right.
• There is no set rule of thumb for when a book is finished. But I can sure tell you, it's not after you finish that first draft.
• Finding an agent is hard, but so worth it. Don't take the first one that offers unless you *really* feel like they are the one.
• You are never ever finished. Got the book done? Great. Go find an agent. Did that? Wonderful. Now try and sub in a sub-zero book buying environment. Get a deal? CONGRATS! Now panic yourself into a breakdown worrying about your sales numbers and if that second deal will happen based off your results. It never ends, man.
• You will stop believing in yourself, and you'll have to find that belief again. But only those that don't stop will become published. Don't give up!

Last year I did goals, which was funny because I'd never really tried the whole goal thing at the beginning of the year thing. And you know what? I accomplished every one of them, but it wasn't because I had a resolution to do it. I just wanted them for myself, so I went step by step, day by day, and by the end I'd done it. I don't think I really agree with the resolution thing.

So for this year I'm simply continuing on the path I'm on. It's gonna be a big year; I'm deep in Panic, have next book on ice waiting, I have two to revise, and oh yeah, soon we'll have a little baby that will take massive amounts of time. So no, this path I'm on is fine. I won't stop, and I won't give up. I'll get it done, and I'll have some fine, fine news this year.

I know it.

You? Do you do resolutions?

LOLCAT FREIDAYZ: We're in snow, people!