The State of the State
We live in scary times. It’s probably relative. The problem is, we know so much more than we did before good old cyberspace rolled in and took over our lives. For myself, I want to know what’s going on so I can decide what to do next. That’s the rationale.
Omar in happier times.
Focusing in on my own little scary world, I’ve been agonizing about Omar, my cat. He coughed and sneezed through December and January. Nothing new. In the past, I’d take him to the vet and they’d say “allergies”. Then in February, a nasty lesion grew on his nose. Not good. We had it removed and biopsied. The verdict: allergies and a major bacterial infection. After that cleared up, the lesion returned. On to the veterinary dermatologist. Verdict: Feline herpesvirus. The antiviral medicine nearly killed him. So we quit that. Then there was another infection and general listlessness, weight loss, and excessive drinking. Verdict: diabetes. Are. You. Kidding. Me? Plus yet another “secondary” infection.
My sweet Omar took more antibiotics. He got really sick last Sunday, and we hurried to Pussy ER. One anti-nausea shot and some subcutaneous fluids later, we were sent home. I decided to hell with all the meds and threw them out. Today, after months of illness, he is eating again, drinking (but not excessively), and acting a bit like his old self. We’re taking it one day at a time. He’s 13 or 14, and I’m done experimenting. Call it instinct. I will keep you posted.
The State of the Book(s)
Lola eyeballs the snacks!
Meanwhile, last Monday I drove to Spokane to hang out with Linda and Jerry. This is an annual pilgrimage for me. I love Spokane, Linda is an old and dear friend, and the Baldwins are super hosts. This year they threw a book party and invited a bunch of friends over for champagne and Blackthorn. It was so much fun to give a talk and reading, sign books, and answer questions amid the comforts of home. Everyone was wonderful and receptive, and I am so grateful. Even the cats got involved!
On this same trip, I placed books in Auntie’s Bookstore, a wonderful indie bookstore in downtown Spokane. They also are available now in Waucoma Bookstore in Hood River, La Tea Da Tea Room in Tillamook, and, of course, Annie Bloom’s Books in Portland’s Multnomah Village. With more to come. Once again, I will keep you posted.
Amid marketing, Book 4 in the Emma series in beginning to take shape as an outline. I work with a rough outline, always leaving space for surprises. One of the absolute joys of writing fiction is to have a character or event drop in unexpectedly. I am also sorting out the cast of characters, in addition to those you have met in previous books, and must write bios for all the new ones.
The second edition of An Unholy Alliance has been released as an e-book, and is available to download from my website or from the usual e-book outlets. Design guru Aaron is formatting the book for paperbacks release, and it will be available soon. Not much has been changed, mostly clean-up of previous edition. I really enjoyed re-reading the book 10 years after it’s release! If you purchase Blackthorn, you will be able to download An Unholy Alliance for free by using the coupon in the book!
The State of Everything Else
We’re into summer this week, with heat expected in the mid-90s. Theatre season is officially over, but there are summer offerings. Things will be coming at a slower pace, which leaves more time for fiction writing and marketing.
I will be selling books at festivals around the valley, and have a couple of short trips planned–one to Mitchell, Oregon to visit My Dear Sister and Patrick in July and research Emma Book 5, and another to Steen’s Mountain in September. An almost-lifelong Oregonian, and I have never made it to the Alvord Desert, Steen’s Mountain, and the now-infamous Malheur Wildlife Refuge! There is so much to see in our beautiful part of the world.
Stay cool, y’all!
