Good morning, Readers!

This morning on my walk into work, I came up with an entirely new character.  I'm thrilled about her, and she makes me smile, and I'm pretty sure she will be in my Avalon series.  I'm not telling you who she is except that she's quite prominent in Celtic myth (of course).  What I like about her is how I've somehow managed to twist the myth into something that makes total sense, but is also wonderfully odd.

I'm pretty chuffed with this character.

In writing news, I have none.  I haven't been writing.  Between the emergency of the martial arts school stuff, gearing up for CanCon etc, I haven't had much time to spend on writing.  Today I'll be getting back into it, though.  I hope.  It's been a bit of a struggle.  Maybe I'll switch it up and write some of the Avalon series in the week.  We'll see.  I normally don't do well trying to write two things at the same time.  Maybe I'll need to, though.  Who knows?

It strikes me as odd that no writing experience is ever the same.  I'm finding that the process that worked for one book utterly fails me for the  next one.  Skylark was one of the easiest writes I've ever had, the full first draft being finished in just over a month.  No book has been that way since, and I'm finding it harder and harder to write, despite having the stories buzzing constantly in my head.

Le sigh.

No complaints, though.  The only way to finish a book is to put one's butt in a seat and fingers on the keyboard, and type.  It doesn't matter if you write one word or a thousand, just write.  That's my advice to myself.

And on that note, I'm off to attempt to write.

Hope you're all well.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

The search for a new space for my martial arts school is continuing.  Algonquin really screwed us over.  By not giving us any notice, they've ensured that we have nowhere to go.  This late in the year, all the possible locations are booked already.

Bastards.

I'm still pissed.

There's one place that might work.  Fingers crossed that it isn't too expensive.

Grumble.

In happier news, I've had word that Skylark has now entered the layout phase.  They're fixing up the appearance of the inside of the book so that it's nice to look at as well as read.  I'm still hopeful for a 2018 release, but don't hold me to that.  Knock on wood, though.  It would be nice to have something go my way in this year.

A note for those of you following my Twitch stream, I have a function on Wednesday, so I am changing the stream to tonight for this week.  Sorry everyone for having to switch the schedule.  There might be more switching of schedules, depending on what happens with the martial arts school.  So, if you're following my play-through of God of War (4), then set your alarms for tonight at 7:00pm.

Welp, that's everything I have currently.  I'm off to search more for an adequate space for the martial arts school.

Hope you all had a great weekend.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

Today I am in shock and feeling mightily pissed.

Without warning or notification, Algonquin College has decided to pull it's evening continuing education classes.  That means, dear reader, that my twice a week refuge from life, my martial arts classes now no longer have a home.  I'm floored.  And I'm really, really angry.

You know, I bang on about how important my martial arts are to me, but I didn't really realise how much until it was threatened.  Honestly, I'm so upset about this development.  I'm more upset at Algonquin College for suddenly cutting the classes without informing anyone at all.

My Sifu found out about it because people were trying to register and couldn't.  That's how he found out.  You all are a bunch of cowards, Algonquin admin.

Anyway, I'm pissed.

I'm also on the lookout for a new spot for our school.  Seriously, guys, if you know of a place that a bunch of folks can training martial arts on a Tuesday and Thursday evening for three hours (6:00 - 9:00pm preferably), let me know.

Alternatively, if you want to just give me a whole bunch of money so I can build a school so we will never have to stress about being kicked out ever again, that would be great too.

Well, a girl can dream.

The point is, I'm not taking this lying down, and am actively seeking a spot for the school to train in.  No one is taking my martial arts away from me.  I swear on my pretty floral bonnet.

Anyway, I'm furious and upset, and so will be spending today buried in chocolate and dark thoughts.

Ciao.

Good morning, Readers!

*knock knock*

Hi.  Hello.  Excuse me.  I don't wish to be a bother, but have you heard about the good news?  Our Lords and Saviours Exceptional Programming and Mighty Fine Folk have returned to the people!

Hallelujah!

Okay, enough silliness.  Time to get real.  Ladles and gentlefolk, registration for CanCon 2018 is now open.  I've raved about how much I love this convention before now, and I will again in the future.

CanCon was my first ever literary convention.  I attended it as a self-published writer, with all of one book to my name - an anthology of short stories and poems called The Dying God and Other Stories.  Despite being shy, and feeling woefully inadequate, the folks at CanCon were so warm and inviting, and never made me feel lesser than.

I've returned to CanCon every year since, and it has gotten better and better every single year.

I can now safely say that many of the folks involved with the convention are, if not good friends, than folk I feel very warmly towards.  I'm so proud of what CanCon has become, and I can only see it getting better and better thanks to the hard work and dedication of the team behind it.  Seriously, they're awesome.  They say like attracts like, and the convention is full of wonderful people.  Honestly, every CanCon feels a little bit like coming home.

If ever I get successful (like, REALLY successful), and end up travelling, or if life takes me away from Ottawa, I will always make time to return to CanCon.  I love it so, so much.

Honestly, if you love the world of Science Fiction and Fantasy, you really need to come to CanCon.  I've had a sneak peak at their programming list, and it's so damned good.  Plus you get to rub shoulders with writers of your favourite genres.  There's the opportunity to find a new favourite author, too.  Even better, you get to support the local SFF community.

You simply must come.

Register here.

I swear, it's a wonderful time.

Also, I'll be there.  Don't let that dissuade you, though.  It's big enough that you will probably be able to avoid me.

Heh.

Right, I have work to do.

Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

Well, last night was exciting for me.

I received an email from an acquaintance who was getting rid of an old television.  The telly we had before that was also an acquisition from someone else.  It was a wee thing... closer in size to a smallish computer monitor than a television.  I had to sit really close in order to game.

NOT ANY LONGER!

I am now in possession of a quite old (as in pre-LED, pre-flatscreen stuff) but absolutely enormous 50" television.

I plugged in my console and everything worked well, and I'm far too excited to game on that television. Like, stupidly excited.  I am, in fact, a child.

With a TV that big, I think I'll start streaming on YouTube on Monday (nights when I'm able), starting in September.  This would be in addition to my Wednesday night regular stream.  I think I'll be streaming on YouTube on Mondays.  I've been talking about it for ages, and it's never happened, so maybe don't hold me to that.

Anyway, this telly is huge, and I'm overly excited about it.

Can't wait to kill me some dragons on that screen.

Ahem.

Right, I have work to do.  I must dash.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

I have some stuff I really want to write, and I have a new highlights reel to set up, and emails to send, and a website to build.... I'm busy.  More to the point, I haven't much interesting to say for this blog post.  So instead, I'm posting two episodes of my video podcast where we talk about books and films of a geeky nature.

I'm quite behind on editing these things and posting them, but I'm slowly catching up.  Hopefully we'll be back to our regular schedule soon.  But that's not the point.  The point is, there is not point.

Anywho, here are the two episodes of the podcast.

Can you do me a favour?  If you like the podcast, would you mind heading on over to YouTube and subscribing?  We could use the numbers, particularly when fighting YouTube on things like sudden video erasures and disputes about content.  Apparently, if you're really wee, YouTube feels like they can crap all over you and you have absolutely no recourse whatsoever.

Ahem.  Anyway, here are the episodes.  Enjoy!

Okay! Now I go.

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

Last night I cracked open the new God of War for my stream, and so far I'm really enjoying it.  The whole feel of the game, from how it looks and feels, to how it's played is wildly different from the previous God of War games, and I'm really liking these changes.

I'm finding the combat a little difficult to get used to.  In Hellblade it was so seamless and intuitive, I really loved it.  This one is a little less so, but it's still an improvement over the previous games... most especially because it hasn't totally abandoned the manic crowding and over-the-top gory nature of the previous games.  There's just less random button mashing in this one.  It's much more strategic.  I'm finding the response rate a little on the slow side, though.  Not to keep comparing it to Hellblade, but Hellblade got so much right I'm gonna, however, by comparison, the response rate for Senua was much better than it is for Kratos.

Also, I'm really enjoying Christopher Judge as Kratos.  He's got a great voice, and I feel it's an improvement on the character.  Now it feels vaguely soulful, lending a sort of gravitas to the character.  It might also be the writing for the game.

Anyway, I'll stop here, and save it for a Sassy Review when I've finished the game.  Needless to say, I'm really enjoying it so far, and though I'm terrible and have died a tonne, it's fun.

Now I have a tonne of work to catch up on.  Hope you all have a great day.

Ciao!