Almost a real author

Kristin emailed my HarperCollins (Eos) contract today. After printing off 4 copies, signing, returning, and receiving an HC-signed copy back - can I at last call myself a "real author"? In any case, that's what my tax return will say next year and the IRS is The Authority on these matters.

The contract is for "two fast-paced, action-packed books of science fiction with a strong romance thread." The "tentative" title is Song of Scarabaeus, but considering how hard it is to spell and pronounce, I'm wondering if it'll stick...

We're heading off to Florida tomorrow for a few days - ahh, the humidity. Can't wait. I will pack my Alphasmart and try to survive.

Domestic rearrangements

My big non-writing-related news is that we have bought a new house! Exposed beams in the ceilings! Brand new kitchen and bathrooms! Swimming pool! Tomorrow and Saturday are the termite and house inspections, respectively, and assuming everything goes well we'll be moving in about a month. My husband Micheal wants to get a flat-screen TV, and I get to choose a new washer and dryer. I've already picked them out - they're sitting in my cart on the Home Depot website.

Micheal and I are not hoarders, so I feel like we shouldn't have much to pack. However, I know all kinds of junk will materialize once we get started, and that I'll be assigned sorting duties. 

And in writing-related news, I will have an office at last. Right now our computers and desks and paper-junk are side-by-side in the living room, visible in all their messiness to any guest who walks in the front door. I hate this set-up. Our new house has a third bedroom that we could use as an office, or we could screen off the large alcove off the dining area.

Most importantly, our new house has a linen closet and a cloakroom (well, the latter is also a closet).

One more nice thing: it's raining today, which is always a weird thing in Tucson.

No contract? No peace!

I'm still waiting for my contract from HarperCollins. The hold-up revolves around the Google Partners Program that has been making publishing news lately, and so there needs to be something about it in the contract (as Agent Kristin tells me).  I admit this is all a bit over my head, which of course makes me all the more grateful to have an agent looking out for me.

But until I have that contract in my hot little hands, signed by both parties, I won't be able to convince myself it's all real.

Meanwhile, the sequel is plodding along. I keep putting off sharing it with my critique group (because my first drafts are so awful) but I've done that for long enough. Next time we meet they'll get a couple of new chapters. That is, a couple of fifth-draft chapters.

Living long and prospering

Saw the new Star Trek movie today. Lots of fun, especially the first half as the characters were introduced. Halfway through I suddenly realized - no Scotty! (Yet.)

They have messed with Trek canon just a bit, but this is explained by [minor spoiler alert] a time-traveling accident that means all of the movie's events happen in an alternate timeline. Very convenient when it comes to future movies, because they can basically do what they like.

There was a fair attempt to establish relationships and personalities, but I don't think it went far enough (particularly between the Big Three - Kirk, Spock & McCoy). Still, as an introduction it was fine.

But the funny-faced ewok? BAD.

True crime

I always thought we lived in a nice neighborhood, but tonight just as we left the house to walk the dog, two police cars with lights spinning drew up and parked at each end of our quiet little street, and the police helicopter made a low pass overhead, spotlight blaring.

An ominous voice over the police car's loudspeaker ordered, "Return to your house!"

We did, locked the door, and waited a couple of hours before venturing out again.

I like writing about scary, dangerous situations, especially in the context of a sci-fi neverland, and who doesn't like to read that stuff? Living it - not so much.

Auction time

Go to Brenda Novak's site, where she's holding her annual On-line Auction for Diabetes Research.

I just headed over there to register and browse through the immense collection of offerings. Found some autographed books from one of my husband's favorite authors (which makes it sound like I have more than one husband... I really don't) so I bid on those.