Journeyman

AsyouknowBob, I will be going to BaltiCon to accept the Robert A. Heinlein Award on behalf of the Liaden Universe®.

While the cats employ a very competent and capable house sitter, updating blogs is not part of her contracted for duties.

Therefore!  If you normally check this site for your daily dose of Randomness from the middle of Maine, please know this site will be not be showing updates until June 2.

During the hiatus, you may find Random Thoughts from the middle of Maine at the Lee-and-Miller Patreon page, here.  Note that only paid subscribers may comment, because that's how Patreon arranges itself, but you will be able to read.

Thank you for your attention to this administrative detail.

What went before: So Ron Currie's presentation at the library was interesting. He spoke and read to a Very Full Room of appreciative readers. He chose to talk about culture, history, what motivated him to write the book, and to set it in Waterville's South End, which was at the time the book is set, largely French. It was a good talk; I learned things. So! An afternoon well-spent.

Came home to answer some correspondence, and now? I'm kinda beat for some reason, so I believe I will leave the form that arrived in today's mail for a Sunday activity, perhaps with my second mug of tea -- flips through questionnaire. Ah. My second and third mugs of tea.

Everybody stay safe; I'll see you tomorrow.

Sunday. Rainy and cool. Argh.

Breakfast was oatmeal with cranberries and walnuts, second cup of tea in process. Lunch will be a fish sammich with, um -- grapes.

First thing on the day's agenda is Basement Cleanup and Cat Box Change Out. After, I can look forward to a lovely hot shower, a pair of soft old jeans, a sweatshirt, and! A lengthy medical form to fill out. I think I have enough milk to make a mug of hot chocolate, if I really want to get decadent.

I also want to finish getting the laptop updated and the duffel bag with my Corning Adventure Clothes packed (the overnight bag for Cooperstown is all set to go). That will leave the Big Wheeled Convention Bag to be sorted out, and a cooler to pack. I should maybe run the car through the car wash, too, just for fun.

All four cats visited me at the breakfast table, as I sipped my first mug of tea and redecorated Perry Wink's house in Finch. Perry and the pig will be finishing up their tour of the Rain Forest tomorrow, which is the day the pig becomes an adult. I need to decide which "pet" to bring to adult next, or if I'm just going to grab one of the cats send Perry to New York City.

The "pets" in this game, I just ... I got a PILE OF ROCKS for a "pet." I don't know who needs to hear this, but a PILE OF ROCKS is not a "pet." It is either a pile of rocks, a portal to another space/time location, or a conduit for magic. That's it; those are your choices, and you seek to make any of those into a pet at your very great peril.

Yeah, I gave the rocks back.

So, I'm reading The Elusive Earl and Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language. Everyone... continues to fascinate, but I'm getting a little Impatient with the Earl. I liked The Mysterious Marquess, despite the, um, airiness. The chemistry between Lucian and Penelope, the charm of the family that had worked out how to go on even with the head of the household long absent produced a comfortable feel-good air. I was happy while I was reading it, and that's all we ask of any book.

The Earl, however -- not nearly as charming in the telling; I don't feel the frisson between the leads. It broods, this book. Also, there seems to be an actual murder, if not several murders, to be balanced. Perhaps it's Scotland. Macbeth has a lot to answer for.

And -- fair being fair -- I had somewhat assumed that this book would bestow some well-earned good fortune upon our friend the Heir Finder, and I'm somewhat disappointed to learn that this will probably not be happening, at least in this book. I suppose there are still more heirs to find.

I think that's all I've got for the moment; my tea is gone; the skies have opened, and I? have a basement to clean.

What're you doing today?

What went before:  So, a low-key day. I did some This, some That, read, put the finished sampler into the embroidery book, ironed some con clothes. I'm still trying to decide if I'll wear black-and-grey, or black-and-maroon for Opening Ceremonies, a decision I can put off for a few days yet, as both outfits will be coming with me.

For those who are coming to BaltiCon -- I have Interesting News. We have a possible location for the Stuffed Animal Tea, but! We don't have a time or day. So, at this point, it's kind of a Heisenberg Tea. More news will be forthcoming, possibly on Wednesday. As soon as I know something firm (bearing in mind that I will be spending a large amount of Wednesday and Thursday driving), I'll let y'all know.

We're getting up toward ASL time, and I still need to close the windows.

Everybody stay safe; I'll see you tomorrow.

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Friday. Dim and damp.

Letters dispatched. Finished reading The Mysterious Marquess, and have pulled The Elusive Earl up for tonight's reading, unless it turns out to be a Dr. Who night. Zoom call upcoming, and a couple other such things as people are suddenly realizing that I'm going to be away. Laundry needs to be sorted, laptop charged and systems brought up to date

I have more this 'n that to do, including puzzling out some bits for the book after the current WIP, which may not be Jethri after all, if I'm gonna do mumblemumble with the current WIP, which I think may be Forced, given that I need to at least produce a soft landing, if not a Hard Wrap Up, and there are only three books remaining under contract (Current WIP, WIP After, Jethri Big Finish). And now you know why writers stare out of windows.

I'm slowly remembering the convention traditions -- pins, con clothes, tote bag, pens, ribbons, badge jewelry... For those who are coming to the con, I will have with me some "I Met Steve Miller" ribbons, so that those present who had, in fact, met Steve Miller may acknowledge that connection.

The cats are being very snuggly and maybe even a little clingy, which I'm guessing the memo I sent out has hit. If the teleporter worked, I'd bring them with me, but the geezinfluke is still on backorder.

I think that's most of what's going on here at the Cat Farm and Confusion Factory.

How's everybody doing today?

Today's blog post title courtesy of Mr. Bruce Springsteen, "4th of July, Asbury Park"

After breakfast cat census:

What went before:  Business first; list of title affected by price increases

We now return to your regularly scheduled frivolity.

It is Thursday in Central Maine; cloudy, damp, and warm(ish).

Breakfast was cottage cheese, grapes, and toast. Second cup of tea to hand. Lunch will be a sweet potato because I have two left and I'd better eat them before I leave to go walking up and down in the world.

Ashley will be by in half an hour, more or less, and I've picked up the house, except for the kicker that Rook and Tali keep dragging off the sofa so they can play kicker-ball. Kicker-ball seems to have much in common with Calvin-ball, and Tali is quicker at the rule shifts than Rook, though I fear the moment he realizes How It Works.

Tonight is ASL class; today, I have correspondence to answer and things to put in piles in prep for said walking up and down. Yes, I'm starting to pack already. If I try to do it all on Monday, or, as Steve would do, Tuesday, I'll hurt my back (no, I don't know why, I just know that's what happens), and we're trying to avoid that, since I'm driving.

I also need to recheck the routes/maps. No, they didn't move Cooperstown or Baltimore (though Baltimore is sinking, so that's exciting), but I'm running without a navigator (yes, I Keep Saying That, and it continues to be true).

Tali is now on my lap, nibbling my fingers as I try to type -- and, gone.

What're y'all doing today?

Ah.  Today's blog post title is of course attributed to Mr. Buzz Lightyear

What went before, short form:  Amazon sent me a letter informing me of changes to its royalty structure.  PRINT titles that have a cover price of less than $9.99 will experience a reduced royalty -- from 60% to 50%.  Some other books will receive NO ROYALTIES AT ALL.  Amazon was writing to me because I have titles that fall into the NO ROYALTIES AT ALL zone, and I have until June 10 to Fix This.

NOTE:  This is paper books only from Pinbeam Books, the Lee-and-Miller indie publishing side of It All.

NOTE TWO:  Pinbeam's paper books are produced and distributed by Amazon, so even if you buy one of Pinbeam's print book from another bookstore, you are still buying it from Amazon.

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Wednesday. Anything can happen day.

Please join me in a moment of silence as we contemplate this irony.

Right.

Sunny and going to hit the low 70sF. Windows my office are OPEN. Bathroom window is NOT OPEN.

The caffeine has done its work; and I've traveled through the Land Of O!God O!God, what the PHUCK am I going to do? I don't have TIME for this and we're going to be living in a tent by the river, and the Cats &c&c&c -- which is the toll I pay for having a bent brain -- and have arrived at A Place of Thinking.

So.

I've gone through the list of titles affected by Amazon's newest flexing of its muscles. It is Less Bad than the first reading/panic attack made it seem. There are 22 Pinbeam Books titles affected by this...new arrangement.

Despite the explanation in their letter, five of Pinbeam's 22 affected titles are listed at $10 (aka above the Magic $9.99); the rest are listed at $8.

I need to research what's going on with those five $10 titles; also -- there's a separate problem with The Tomorrow Log, which someone seems to have hijacked. However Amazon's system is for some reason a little overwhelmed at the moment, and I can't actually GET to TTL's publisher listing to see what's going on there.

Focusing on the below-magic-list-price titles . . . 17 @ $8. Here, I have three choices: (1) I can let Amazon continue to sell them and pay me nothing; (2) I can increase the cover of all titles to $10, or (3) I can take them off-sale.

(1) is Right Out.

Frankly, (2) and (3) both pretty much add up to $0. People can't buy a book that's not listed, and! I doubt anybody will buy these titles in paper at $10. However, exposure is a thing, and keeping the titles in view has benefit.

So (2) it is.

I will be increasing the price of the affected titles on Monday, May 19, so people still have time to buy these titles at the older, lower price.

Why am I doing this so quickly, since Amazon isn't implementing their changes until June 10?

Because I will be traveling, and then I will be exhausted from traveling, and having to catch up with All The Rest of the stuff that somehow piles up when you're traveling, even if you're -- ahem -- old, widowed, and Have Nothing To Do All Day.

And that's Anything Can Happen Day so far at the Confusion Factory.

I'm going to go get a third cup of tea, and what's left of that chocolate mint brownie. Panic really uses up calories.

I trust that everyone is abiding in a state of Calm Peacefulness this morning?

In good news, the cat tree was in bloom this morning.

What went before: So! 600-odd new words today, bringing the total very drafty WIP to +/-40,200 words.

Quitting to do some ASL review and maybe see how much of my acceptance speech I remember today.

Tomorrow, I have an early(ish) appointment for a haircut, and some errands to run while I'm out and about. Then! I have Endless Phone Calls to make, and then? We'll see.

So, I'm checking the weather for my various locations starting next week. Cooperstown's more or less on par with my part of Maine, and Corning's a tad warmer, but Baltimore? Baltimore, what's going on with you? It ain't Summer.

Of course, we here in Central Maine are operating under an Active frost advisory from midnight to 6 am tomorrow. Just in case anybody thought it was Spring.

Everybody stay safe; I'll see you tomorrow.

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Well. Monday, eh? Damp and dim and at the moment, chilly.

Waiting for my tea to brew, then there's a raisin bran muffin with my name on it to be toasted.

It looks like two of my friends have been whatever the FB term is for "hacked" overnight. Both visible in the city. Both women. Of course, you might say.

Sometimes, I think that I'd like to know what goes on in the heads of people who do this kind of crap (ref "hacked" above), so I could understand why they do it. If for nothing else, look at the material I could get for my stories, O! Me of Can't Write Believable Villains.

But, then, yanno, I think, no. I'll just sit over here writing overachievers who at least try to be compassionate, if they can't be kind, and who recognize that none of us go it alone, we all need each other, even the bullies and the billionaires who proclaim themselves Self! Made! Met your mother, mate?

"The comfort of the rich depends upon an abundant supply of the poor." Thank you, Voltaire.

I think I'd better go find that muffin.

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And. A name I didn't recognize liked my previous post and in the time it took me to click on the name and block it -- I had two messages from that same name.

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Glam shot:

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Haircut achieved, per evidence previously provided. Firefly approves and that's all the validation I need.

Stopped at Holy Cannoli and bought a slice of lasagna that will easily be two hearty lunches, and a chocolate mint brownie bigger than my head, which will also be eaten across days. In fact, I've just eaten a slice, which I washed down with the tea (still hot!) in my Yeti tumbler.

As previously advertised, I have phone calls to make and, to reward myself for phone calling and getting my hair cut, I have reserved a seat at this evening's free talk-and-film at the Waterville Arts Center. This evening's movie is The Shape of Water.

Waterville is doing the city-wide clean up, and people are throwing away Perfectly Good Stuff, so I thought, but figured it was Just Me. Turns out not. I chatted with a lady who had rescued several small child amusements from piles on people's lawns, took them home, washed and disinfected them and, hey, presto! The grandkid wins.

So. Brownie slice consumed -- man, that was good -- and tea finished.

Time to make my first phone call.

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primal scream

Phone calls accomplished. I may not have a copy of my log that the insurance company keeps on me, which is a record of every time I've called them, or they called me, and a synopsis of our talk, on account of that is ... proprietary?

My first contact was with someone who wanted nothing to do with me and bounced me to another department, which fortunately got me someone who thought her job was solving problems.

Unfortunately, all she could do was research and compile a case, but she had to send me and the information back to the general office, where? I was "helped" to fill out a grievance that I cannot have a copy of, and I should hear "something" in 30 days.

Takeaway: Insurance company does not care if it has a trust issue, because -- where else you gonna go?

I'm going to go heat up some of that lasagna for lunch. I do not believe I will be going to the movies tonight, but I may binge Dr. Who.

Today's very late blog post title brought to you by Mr. Steve Winwood and Traffic, "The Low Spark of High-Heeled Boys"

Convention Business: The BaltiCon Program is now live. Word is that it's still being tweaked. I was, for instance, double booked for Saturday evening, and have been moved from the panel discussion of how to make your characters relatable. Here's the link. Note that you can search the schedule by day, and by person, and you can create your own list of things to do and see.

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What went before: So, that's 636 new words on the day, along with some retrofitting of old words. The WIP Entire now weighs in at +/-39,597 words.
For a book that has quite a large cast of characters, Salvage Right is amazingly tight, and I have to keep going back and refreshing myself on what happened when and to whom, as well as what was left over.

Also, prep for BaltiCon, including the travel details, and speeches, and reservations at Corning -- not to mention the stupidity with the insurance company and! something else that landed on my desk today -- is all kind of borking my concentration on the story. Well. Maybe I'll have time to write at the con.

Yeah, who am I kidding?

The rain has stopped and the wind has come up. Word is that tomorrow will be sunny and beautiful.

We'll see, she said darkly.

In the meantime, everybody stay safe.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Sunday In Two Parts

ONE
Oh, my gods and goddesses.

Rookie fell out of the bathroom window.

SPOILER: He's OK; I'm -- a little stressed, and so very VERY pleased that he didn't run away, but just sat in the garden under the window and YELLED. Firefly and Tali came to get me, both looking very worried, and I had heard a cat calling, but thought it was Trooper singing the song of his people downstairs, as is his habit.

But Trooper was on the copilot's chair. I ran to the bathroom; the screen was awry and I could hear a cat YELLING. I closed the bathroom door, ran outside -- and there was Rook, staring up at the window and YELLING. I called him and he came to me, just like the spoiled kid he is, and I picked him up and told him how brave and smart he was, and brought him back into the house, where we both collapsed onto the couch. He's only just gotten up to grab a snack.

I pushed the screen all the way out, closed and locked the window. I'll figure out how to put it back in later.

Offerings to Bast are in order.

TWO
Sunday. Sunny and still a little chilly, though warm enough that I opened the bathroom window for the edification of coon cats.

Breakfast was ... eggs scrambled with tomato and onion and rice. I guess I ate about half of it before Adventure overtook me. I hate cold eggs. I did finish my toast and jam. Lunch will be chicken tender and mashed potatoes out of a bag and, oh, peas, why not?

I have a letter to write, but mostly I want to write. I really hope that isn't too much to ask.

I ... am still a little shaky, and so glad that Firefly and Tali came to get me instead of following Rook out the window. I might've talked Firefly in, but Tali'd be halfway to the mall in Augusta by now. Fans of Trooper will be pleased to hear that he slept through the entire thing.

So! Who's up for Adventure today?

Picture of Rook after the fall: