I'm not allowed to bitch about yesterday's craptastic day. At the end of it, I did manage to finally write the 3600-word next chapter for Echoes (even if it was more like words on paper at the end of it), and about 200 words on the first chapter of my next book. Plus, Craig was a darling and ran out to Starbucks to get me a gingerbread latte after the kids went to bed. Of course, he did that primarily because he was feeling guilty about what he had for lunch, but oh well. I'll take it any way I can get it.
He's working from home this morning, which I haven't decided yet is a good or bad thing. I'd planned on finishing up stuff for Alex's birthday, but with Craig home, Alex isn't going into nursery. I did manage to get the gifts that are bought wrapped, though, so I suppose that's better than nothing. We opted against the party, but there's still work to be done. Then I can concentrate on Christmas proper. The decorating is 99% done, but I haven't finalized the menu, finished the baking, or finished wrapping the gifts. There's also the issue about what I'm going do gift/cardwise with my family. We're so out of touch that I think everybody's just getting gift certificates.
So, with my werewolf book done and out to publishers and my short story that lost the competition off to a different publisher, I've decided to write something specifically for Linden Bay again. They've always been eager for a Rhapsody-esque type of story, so that's what I've started working on. The basic bones of the plot are going to be the same---a painting that transports the touchers to 1940---but the ensemble will be smaller and tighter, and the two leads are new. No vampires. No slayers. It's all going to be magic/revenge based instead. My biggest regret is that I'm not using the same title. I always *loved* "Rhapsody in Oil" as a title. But this is going to be original enough not to merit pulling the Spuffy story so it has to have an original title. Right now, it's called "Two Lives in Waltz Time," which I like but don't love. However, I can't find anything else I even like, so that's going to stick for now.
After that, there's going to be a sequel to "Chains of Jericho" at some point, and I have a novella I've been dabbling in about a cinematographer. I'm sure something else will pop its head in and beg me to write it along the way. That's the way it was with my werewolf story.
OK, I know it's stupid reality TV, but the finale for "America's Next Top Model" was on last night, and I'm *still* pissed about the results. They get it narrowed down to the apple-cheeked young white girl from the Midwest who bitched and moaned during half of the shoots (even blamed her choking in the Cover Girl commercial on the lights instead of taking responsibility) and the beautiful, sophisticated woman from Atlanta who hasn't taken a single bad picture (by their own admission) and was deemed the most professional throughout the entire competition, and they give it to the whiner?!? What the fuck? What happened to rewarding people who work their tails off and excel at what they do? *continues to fume*
I know it's stupid. I completely realize that it means absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things. I understand that these girls will fade into obscurity faster than the daily newspaper left out in the sun. But on my crappy day yesterday, it just rankled. I *hate* seeing mediocrity rewarded. Hate it, hate it, hate it. Always have. If someone is good at what they do and works hard, why shouldn't they be able to own that? Arg. Sorry. This has roots in personal history, history that's almost 20 years old and still manages to piss me off, but still. I stand by it. Hard work and success deserves to be rewarded. End of story. /rant
Just like everybody else suddenly getting comments mailed to them from 3 weeks ago, I just want to take a moment to apologize to those didn't get a response. Stupid LJ. Hopefully things will be better now.
Tags: life, model, writing