home

I'm home. Finally.  Everything but Mile Hi Con is shuffled aside or cancelled in lieu of writing and fun social stuff with friends, until my book launch in February.

I've had a big year, career-wise, and promotions cut into a lot of this summer. I'm not sure how effective they were. There's a long tail to this sort of activity. But I see my name building slowly, which I kind of feel like is right. But it's abundantly clear that I'm tired to my bones from being "on" so constantly. I'm a writer at heart and more introverted than a lot of people believe. I tend to be super extroverted at times but I need a lot of alone time to recover and regain my energy--hours-wise it's probably something like twenty to one.

I did get some very exciting news (ROB THURMAN is coming next year!!!!) and started laying plans for next year's Colorado Gold. The woman who runs it is determined to make it the best writers conference in the nation, and I think it's well on its way. I'm filing away workshop and panel ideas.

Highlights:

One of the best panels I've ever done. Lynda Hillburn, Aaron Ritchie, and I talked about urban fantasy. I've never had so many people come up to me after a panel and tell me how much they enjoyed it. We went in with questions instead of answers, engaged nearly everyone in the room in the conversation, and it went smashingly! Yay, writerly audience! You all rock!

Getting to know Jim Minz from Baen.  I can't wait to look up all his book recommendations. We like the same kind of books: action adventure epic fantasy! Yay!

Hanging out with Terri Bischoff from Midnight Ink. She's good people.

The hand massage in the hospitality suite. Thanks, Colonel!!


I sold out of Archive of Fire, plus several people told me they'd downloaded it. That was super fun.

Got my friend Courtney Schafer's new book: THE TAINTED CITY. Saladin Ahmed (!!) says: Fantasy is in the midst of an exciting sword and sorcery renaissance right now and Courtney Schafer's carefully observed, white knuckled fiction is a shining example of this renaissance."

A few instances of making good business connections, including a potential copy editor for Electric Spec.  Getting advice from some writers who know. Seeing so many great friends. I love you all!

Now for the Broncs and dinner with friends. Whew. I'm so glad to be home.