Journeyman

For the third convention/show in a row, the Lee & Miller traveling roadshow table has been the -- last thing seen on on local TV coverage of the event. Alas, each time we're in the closing shot with a general voice over about something else -- you may recall that closeups of several of our SRM and Baen titles were seen in the NASFIC coverage showing Glennis LeBlanc's table The Missing Volume table set-up, just at the end of that coverage.

In this case, we weren't interviewed on TV because we were busy with customers or fans every time the crew came our way, and then we were off at the panels, and so missed that run through. There's an extremely brief glimpse of Sharon's head as she's adjusting the table at about 9 seconds into the clip -- you'll have to trust me on that.  But, somewhere around 38 seconds into this coverage we can both be seen (about 4 seconds worth!) sitting behind the table with the Saltation cover and (for the cognoscenti) Hexapuma's favorite book displayed on the corner. Event promoter Gibran Graham kept things going smootjly and we were happily impressed with the Spectacular Event Center's crew and venue.

http://www.wabi.tv/news/14337/bang-pop

We had a great time all day, talked to some folks well familiar with our work and some who'd never heard of us -- one of the joys of a convention or show in Maine is that you end up with Canadian visitors -- and finished up in time to visit the nearby Mr. Paperback where we signed available Lee & Miller titles in a driveby fostered by info supplied by the Hetleys. 

We're hoping to add BangPop to a regular schedule -- next year's early WorldCon ought to make that fairly easy for us.

Meanwhile, if you missed us in Bangor this week, maybe you can catch us in Augusta -- http://www.lithgow.lib.me.us/events/index.html  -- apparently several local papers have run a nice color photo and the full PR piece from the library -- like this:
http://www.thevalleyvoice.org/2010/09/16/science-fiction-authors-sharon-lee-and-steve-miller-to-read-at-lithgow-library-on-thursday-september-23rd/23352/     Come if you can -- we'd like to see you there.

 

Thanks to SF REVU ... Another good review of Saltation:
http://www.sfrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=9518
wonderful -- you'll see they were pleased with Fledgling as well:
http://www.sfrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=9039


Also the Publishers Weekly review at Powell's
http://www.powells.com/cgi-bin/biblio?inkey=62-9781439133453-0

Anyone seen anything else? Also, feel free to point these reviews out to your friends!

We've had a hectic week or two given cat things (thanks for all those who have donated to the Liaden Universe trip jar to help defray Hexapuma's ear-polyp clearing operation -- he's doing much better now!) and now we are settling back into an almost normal catch-up mode.  In the midst of planning our upcoming Guest of Honor trips to Orlando and Naperville we just got word that Publishers Weekly has a no-discouraging words review of Saltation posted: http://tinyurl.com/pwlaudingsaltation -- you'll need to drop down to the fantasy and science fiction section to find it.

We're also starting to firm up some of the NASFIC planning -- watch this space for more info as that gels. And have you checked out our recently updated cover collection over on Facebook? That's at: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2039257&id=1385731027&l=bdab0db1d5

First, Rolanni, aka Sharon, has posted a poll and there's still time to take part....

This is a poll for Liaden readers ... at http://rolanni.livejournal.com/464424.html -- please help if you have a few moments.

In other stuff, we have a  day lily count of three today.  Very near to the end of the season we are, yessir.
And, if you go to
http://www.simonandschuster.net/extras/pdfs/catalogs/Spring2010/Baen-Spring-10-seasonal-for-SandS.pdf

you can find the Baen catalog for next year, with a nifty PDF of Saltation ... suitable for sharing with friends, yep...
that's around page 5 of the pdf...

and at
http://www.simonandschuster.net/extras/pdfs/catalogs/Spring2010/Baen-Spring-10-seasonal-for-SandS.pdf
down around page 15, is the catalog featuring Fledgling ....

Hurricane rained on us slightly last night, but no tornadoes here, though there was one on Paris, and area I frequented when I was a sysop and trainer. -- http://www.wmtw.com/weather/20511186/detail.html

This morning I did one more pass on the Saltation manuscript, eliminating those pesky smart quotes, and then sent copies to Toni at Baen, and to our agent. Out the door! Whee...

On the home front, mail, with a very modest check from the sale of German rights to Plan B among the stack of car insurance ads. If I shop carefully, my check'll cover food for the week!

My BaltiCon schedule is firming -- will I see you there? Looks like I'll have a busy Saturday afternoon and evening on the program front. I'm expecting to be there through the end of the con on Monday, Labor Day. If there's not a schedule conflict you may see me at the Baen slide show... and if you're up to breakfast, perhaps Monday morning would be good!

On the SRM Publisher front, I got to read the story that came in yesterday -- yessir -- watch for news, this one is a winner! We hope to get it out in time for Christmas.

And really -- I have to go to the office and I have to go food shopping.

And now:

National train footage:

Sunny this morning, which is good, thought the ground is still too damp for me to go do a tree census. Thanls for those of you who wrote here or in email with tree books suggestions. We decided that, given the current zombie apocalypse, we better just borrow some books from the library, which I have done. More on that later ....

Still calling for rain or chance of showers through Monday night ... May showers bring May mud -- you can count on it.

Yesterday I stayed home, working on Saltation... and in the midst of pouring rain we ended up with truck, truck, truck, including the new monitors for the office, a Smekday something or other book for Sharon, and the replacement router for the office.. which got delivered here as the old address of record -- go figure. At least I was here to keep it dry.

I'll go in for a short while today but may not have time to finagle the new router and all ...

Also yesterday, I got the electronic files of a chapbook project I'm hoping to have out in October. Looks like a busy few weeks coming up.

Saltation - finished rewiring a very difficult section which had to move from here to there in order to make a timing change work. We'll hope. This should have been done last week, and now time presses, alas.

This morning I'm: watering the cats, cooking chicken so we'll have some for the weekend writing extravaganza, looking over the the grocery list for when I come home from work, catching up on some email, printing some orders, finding socks that match, and maybe cutting a tomato so I can have a salad for lunch at work.

The day lily grounds are looking good; the tree that was dying last year is now dead and that means the lily-spot will have full sun. Zoom!

Yes, coffee. had some, will have some more.

Question for the masses: has the H1N1 virus affected your travel plans short term, midterm, or long term?

and just in case you got used to that toobie thing, a rerun:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRXFIphZLpc

which is the Buzzy Multimedia video including a bit of Michael Shanks reading from Local Custom ...

As promised some time back (isn't RSN a useful time-frame?) we have the first installment of Saltation, rough-draft podcast. No, the podcast isn't rough, but the weekly posting will be from the rough draft and not the (still being worked on) final draft.




Long time Liaden fan Charlie Schlenker is providing voice, Sam Chupp has arranged hosting and support and the image you see here, and starting next week the podcast will go live on ... Mondays, instead of Monday evening as it did this time.

Please feel free to spread the word!

Here's a something to do on your coffee break:

Everyone, or almost everyone, uses Google. Sometimes, though, Google wears thin. So are there other search engines you'll use from time to time?

Here's a couple I've played with ...

Ms. Dewey is one ...

but wait, there's more! Don't use Ms. Dewey until you turn down your speaker just a bit, just in case...
and for some offices, she might draw a frown if a boss is nearby.

http://msdewey.com/

That's because Ms Dewey has been known to break into song, just because you've requested a search...and yes, sometimes she's a bit ... brazen. You can practice on "Liaden, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller" if you like

http://kartoo.com/

kartoo is a different kind of graphic search engine: not as noisy, and you've got to be willing to interact and make choices. Again "Liaden, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller" is a good first search...

Also, an interesting Google result:

Use Google, type in" saltation ... click on the first Lee and miller story link you find...

ah, I'd also suggest James Hetley, Lawrence Schoen, and Clarion West as potential kartoo searches...

And now, I ate my pumpkin donut, finished the day's second cup of coffee, so it is back to work.

I hate it when software insists on updating itself when I'm in the middle of a project. Convenient? No.

I also despise APPLE for their sneak attack Safari-dumping. No Macs here, no IPhones, no silly little music boxettes, OK? My ears are clear. Safari is *not* what I want. I have Firefox 3 beta 5 running, I have the newest Opera running. Take a hike, Safari!

So, that said, I did manage to finally get the Saltation chapter up today, about an hour late. Even if it isn't as clean as it ought to be. Some drafts are like that.

Chess tonight. Maybe I'll get to try out my new digital clock. I kinda dislike digital clocks, which are hardly as readable as analog for someone who has been playing chess with *real* clocks for 43 years, but I'll need to have some experience with them if I want to TD these days. Progress.

Soon we'll have more info for you about the Write-a-thon for Clarion West. Wheee....

We see that Sony's online e-book store admits we exist:

http://ebookstore.sony.com/search/ebooks.htm?searchtype=q_author&searchtext=sharon+lee&q=&q_author=sharon+lee&q_title=&q_isbn=&x=23&y=10

A cute thing is to try searching on Steve Miller ...
if you find that page with a photo of a guy with no beard? That ain't me.

Hokay, away we go!

Chugging right along:
Did you know that May 10 is National Train Day? Is. See http://www.nationaltrainday.com/
News in Maine is that the Downeaster gets closer to Downeast! http://www.sunjournal.com/story/264124-3/MaineNews/Downeaster_may_expand_in_Maine/
... and so if the Downeaster comes to Brunswick, that'd make our trips south another 1/2 hour smoother.

Managed to get something up for Theo on Saltation yesterday, yay, team. At the time that was getting online I was making multiple trips to town, having gotten all the way to the driveway of the hospital for a bloodwork appointment before realizing I'd forgotten paperwork I needed to bring with. I was already feeling out of order because of the thick air, I guess. I have several routine doctor appointments this week, and .. .well see the end of the post.

Last night was chess night, which I went to despite still feeling under the weather, or under the pollen, at least. Arrived a little late, to find all available players in games. I waited, staring at other people's games, wondering why I was still there because my snuffle seemed suddenly well on way to sinus headache. Eventually a game ended, and it was my turn for some short games. In my first game...I let a won game wander away; changed my glasses from reading glasses to prescription glasses in middle of it but by then it was too late. Second game I won, almost accidentally, when my new opponent misread the motive for my early pawn spike and castled into my attack. Despite fierce resistance... and a blunder on my part ...I managed to pull that one out. My third game, I won on time. My opponent tried to show he had a won game (if the game had gone on) but... I don't trust instant at-board postmortems and besides that, I'd won, so I took the game and then went home very early, headache winning out over chess. Once home a quick snack and to bed fighting the headache, which mostly won. I did get a few hours sleep and slept right through breakfast as Rolanni got herself together and out to work.

Today is a high pollen count day, too, lucky me..and tomorrow looks to be as well. Wheee....

Meanwhile, we (as SRM) did manage to get in a few cases of books from the latest and last rescue of Meisha Merlin stuff. Some of the recent arrivals are not in as good shape as we'd like, looking like returns or warehouse age, since the warehouse was in some disarray there at the end, I gather -- watch for some specials!

And so it can be rumored...looks like our Credit Union mortgage specialist has managed to cut through some red tape we couldn't figure out and we'll be going to closing on our refi in near record time, all things considered. Given the labyrinthine path we've taken to get here --- I think we've worked through six government agencies and seven or eight or nine addresses as they merged, emerged, remerged, and renamed themselves since we first applied for the original mortgage ... so much for stable government, eh?

So, (thank you Walter) if all goes well, we'll be closing on the new, non-government mortgage on Thursday, at the credit union office. I am *so glad* we joined the credit union. And after it all, the difference on our monthly payment will be about enough for us to go out to breakfast once every other month. Well, that's useful. Hey, this'll happen in time for us to eat breakfast three times at WorldCon if we save up!