Good morning, Readers!

I have a new project completion to report. I actually finished it in September, but was prevented from announcing anything because of the sudden need to relocate... and then the act of relocating. I'm a bit more settled now, so I can finally start catching up on all the work I need to do.

Good morning, Readers!

I don't normally blog Fridays, but since I skipped Tuesday and there's a special event on this weekend, I figured I may as well.

It's just a quick reminder that RenVCon is happening this weekend. I'm on some panels, and there are other brilliant panels that I'm not on that you should probably check out. All the details are here where you can also register, and best of all - it's all completely free!

Right, I have a very full day ahead of me, and I need to get going.

Hopefully see you on the weekend.

​Ciao!

Good afternoon, Readers!

I am on my sixth attempt and creating an expanding circle in chainmaille. It's frustrating that I'm not able to pick it up quicker. But I will get it. I will. I am determined.

I have not been doing much with my time save work on the chainmaille (I WILL get it), and watching shows. I watched Jack Ryan, and very much enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to whenever the next season comes out. At the moment, I'm blasting my way through Lucifer. I'm in two minds about this show. It's very standard cop with civilian tag-along, will they won't they kind of a deal. And there are times when I think the character of Lucifer is a bit... iffy, and then other times when it was absolutely completely nailed. I very much appreciate that they made him bisexual, though.

The show itself is cute, often funny, and very often a tad melodramatic. Still, I'm enjoying it well enough, and there are some scenes that are knocked out of the park, so I shall continue to watch.

Yesterday, however, I did have a lovely interaction with someone online, who queried me initially on the whole EI thing I'm struggling through right now. They bought a book (Human) in the end, and I got word today that they're really enjoying it.

I was really struggling this week keeping myself together. Financial stress, coupled with feeling like a complete failure with my writing and anger at myself over my life choices made for a potent depressive episode. In any case, this lovely interaction and the follow up left me feeling so much better.

And literally just now as I type this, someone contacted me on Twitter to let me know that they just finished Skylark and enjoyed it.

Listen, I'm not saying you have to or you should, but sometimes letting a writer know you liked their stuff can really make or break their day. My whole month has been made.

So, thank you to those who have reached out. I really do appreciate it. It has lifted me up when I needed a boost.

Right, I have more chainmaille to attempt. 

​Ciao!

Good... afternoon, Readers!

So I made a post on Monday about how I was back, and then didn't post at all yesterday.

Oops.

Sorry!

In my defence, I was running around yesterday going to interviews. I'm trying to find a job so I can continue to eat and have a roof over my head. It's stressful, and not great. There aren't a lot of jobs out there, and those that I'm qualified for and think I could do well have a tonne of competition. And then there's the issue of having had too much time to think about what I want from life.

And what I want from life seems impossible.

I want the work on my own schedule, with work that I find fulfilling. HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH! I feel like that is a dream that I shall never achieve.

To that end, I've been applying to literally every administration job I have even the remotest shot at qualifying for. I've had two interviews so far, but I'm not optimistic that they'll result in anything. Further, while I'll be pleased to be working again, I'm not optimistic that I'll be happy.

I'll have to find happiness and fulfilment elsewhere. Which I normally do; what with my writing and now my painting and leatherwork. I just wish I could do so in a way which would support myself.

But, if wishes were fishes we'd all be fed.

Until I get a job, and some stability back in my life, I imagine my mental health will take a beating, as it is currently. Still, I'm here, and I will find my way through... I hope.

Always in the back of my mind are stories of people who didn't make it through. Those who, despite their best efforts, fell through the cracks into destitution. I know that I have family who won't really let that happen, and I'll at least have the very basics taken care of. Thoughts of having to give up Galahad should it ever come to it pop in and out of my mind. Thanks, anxiety. Having to do so would probably destroy me.

It won't get to it, I don't think.

But my minds does travel sometimes.

In the meantime, I'm applying like crazy. I think once November passes, I'll be broadening the search. I like coffee, and coffee houses will hopefully still be open, and hopefully hiring. Maybe I'll be lucky and get to work in that setting and still be able to go to all my martial arts stuff in the evenings and weekends. Maybe I'll be really lucky and will manage to scrape together enough time and energy to write, paint and do my leather craft.

Today, after the stress of interviews (lord I hate them - I hate being the centre of attention and having to mind everything I'm saying) yesterday, and the fact that I managed to give myself an asthma attack - the first in a very, very long time - when I tried to exercise on Monday, I am taking the day off the job search and instead trying to teach myself how to make a circle in chainmaille for a project I want to have done before Christmas.

It's the only day off I'm giving myself. I need a job. I need to get myself settled and employed and feeling secure again. Only then will I be in the right headspace to start writing again.

Wish me luck, folks!

​Ciao!

Good morning, Readers!

It's been a long while, hasn't it?

My apologies for being away for so long. Life was in flux, and I was all over the place. Things haven't quite settled, there are a number of loose ends that require tying up. And life is still flying at me thick and fast, and some of it is to do with my writing stuff, so I can't really not do the blogging thing any longer. I left it for as long as I could.

One of those writing things is the fact that I'm going to be at a virtual convention this weekend. My fabulous publishers, Renaissance Press, are hosting another virtual conference, and I'm in. I'm doing a bit more than a reading this time.  This is my schedule:

Saturday, 24 October

4:00 - 5:00pm
The End
I and a bunch of other brilliant writers discuss writing a satisfying ending, and why that is important. Or not? Who knows! Join the panel to find out!

7:00 - 8:00pm
Building Worlds
Setting tends to become central to the conflict in speculative fiction. But how do we build believable worlds?

Sunday, 25 October

4:00-5:00pm
Writing Gender: A "Cis"temic Problem
What should the role of SFF be in addressing issues of gender? How do we write gender well?

There are some brilliant panels that I'm not on, too.  Check out the full list here, and register for those panels that interest you most.

I'm really looking forward to this, and I hope that I will see you soon. Well, over the internet, in any case.

Right, I haven't had breakfast yet, so I'm going to go do that now.  It feels pretty good to be blogging again. I've missed you.

Ciao!