Or, "When I said I liked backyard wildlife, this was not what I had in mind."
So, I was out watering select baby trees in my backyard a while ago due to the 98 degree heat today, when I stirred up something previously unnoticed -- a nest of ground bees just downslope from my little blue spruce. They came swarming up in a cloud; after brief confusion, I abandononed my yellow bucket and retreated, pursued uphill in a bee dance by the defenders. The kamakazis got me in at least 4 places, twice on the left leg and once on each bare arm. (No, I'm not allergic. Apparently. So far.)
Those of you who have read the Beguilement ARC may now go laugh someplace else. It's all quite useless for research at this stage anyway.
I am now staring out my back window and brooding over how to retrieve my bucket, abandoned still full to the excited, possibly thirsty swarm. That little apple tree wants another dowsing, darn it.
Ta, L.
Subject: (chat) An early TSK review surfaces
Date: Wed, 26 Jul 2006
Not too bad... nice, in fact -- but it does have quite a few spoilers, however, so the very spoiler-sensitive may wish to avoid
www.strangehorizons.com/reviews/2006/07/the_shari.shtml
I can tell already, I'm going to be driven nuts for the next year by all the responses to this book that mumble bewilderedly about its balance... of course it's not balanced, it's only the first half of a continuous narrative arc. The wind up -- much of the pitch is still to come. The events that double as the climax for the first volume are actually the mid-book-breather before the next big push. After the second half is published, things (and I) should calm down. But I suspect I'm about to spend a lot of time with my hands clapped over my mouth going "Mmm, mmm, mmph!" till next June.
Ta, L.
Subject: (News) October signing prelims
Date: Tue, 25 Jul 2006
Hiya --
My October book-promotion appearances are starting to shape up -- it looks like I'll be at Dreamhaven Books in Minneapolis on Saturday, Oct. 14 at 3 PM, and at Books & Co. in Dayton, Ohio on Monday, Oct. 16th (I don't have the time yet, but I suspect evening.) I also have tentative plans to be at the Midwest Booksellers Association Trade Show in Minneapolis on Saturday, Sep. 30 for their Author's Tea, and a possible appearance at the Book Mark at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, date not yet confirmed, but which might be a pretty drive that time of year.
I'll confirm the final schedule later on, when everything locks in.
There are plans for a larger tour in June 2007 for the second volume, probably including some of my traditional West Coast stops.
I am quite relieved not to have so grueling a promotion schedule in October, but it does mean the book will have a harder time getting, or rather, struggling for, placement on the assorted big bestseller lists. I hope the word of mouth is hot on this one!
bests, Lois.
Subject: (chat) If you liked Bride & Prejudice...
Date: Sat, 22 Jul 2006
...may I recommend I Have Found It or Kandukondian kandukondian, which is a Tamil-language (with English subtitles) two-and-a-half hour long contemporary Indian film version of Sense and Sensibility. I found a DVD in my local library. The "sensibility" sister is played by the same actress who played the lead role in Bride. Delightful. Five plots, six musical production numbers, much bewildering Indian detail but much that is utterly and transparently universal, and a happy ending. Who could ask for more...?
Ta, L.
Subject: (news) Eos blog
Date: Thu, 20 Jul 2006
Eos is starting its own blog...
Some very nice people over there, if I do say. It'll be interesting to see what they come up with. They have some good and worthwhile links, I also see. (Including to the Bujold Nexus.)
Ta, L.
Subject: (Chat) Foxes!
Date: Tue, 18 Jul 2006
Ha!
I finally just saw 3 of the 4 young foxes my neighbor reported, playing in her back yard. I think they may be hanging around looking for snacks in her woodpile...
I love this city.
Ta, L.
Subject: [LMB] Jim Baen 1943 - 2006
Date: Thu, 29 Jun 2006
The similarities of Jim Baen's passing last night from a stroke with that of my mother three years ago stirs up memories that mostly make me mute, but this stuff has been running through my head all afternoon, so I think it's time to get it out on paper.
I always thought Jim was about ten years older than me, but it turns out to only be six. Huh. He was one of those prematurely-white-haired people like Anne McCaffrey whose actual age is very hard to judge.
© 2006 by Lois McMaster Bujold
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