Rosemary Kirstein

No work today!  I was not up to driving to work in this mess, nor willing ask my poor sister risk life and limb hauling me off to the day-job.

I stayed home, and mostly worked on the proofing for The Outskirter’s Secret ebook — kindle version.   (Sorry Kalessin — and other non-Kindlers!  It’s about all I can handle at the moment.)  And it’s quite weird how many oddities of formatting show up from what looks like a clean copy, once it’s actually compiled.  Some back and forth is required.

For the non-Kindle formats, I’m going to try to recruit some assistance — about which, more soon.   It’s become clear that in my current compromised state, I just can’t handle everything myself.

Chemo number four was on Monday, and again it took a little more out of me than the previous, and the effects are lasting longer.   But as of now I’m halfway through the chemo process, so even while it’s getting harder, the end is in sight and approaching.  My final pre-op chemo should be in early April, followed by chemo vacation!   Four weeks with no chemo, in preparation for the surgery, in May.

I’m gettin’ a little tired of the steroids, too — they pep you up, but they also puff you up, and I’m starting to feel like a stuffed sausage!   For four days.  Then I go back to normal.  Except, sleepy.

I’m missing more and more day-job days.   Next week I’ll have some talks with Human Resources and discuss time off, and short-term disability issues.   Everybody at work thinks I’m nuts for still going in most days, and I’m starting to come around to their way of thinking.  Might be time to regroup and hunker down.

In other news: hey, it’s Con or Bust auction time again!

Don’t know about Con or Bust?  From their website:

Con or Bust helps people of color/non-white people attend SFF conventions (how to request assistance; upcoming cons). It is administered by Kate Nepveu under the umbrella of the Carl Brandon Society, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to increase racial and ethnic diversity in the production of and audience for speculative fiction. Con or Bust isn’t a scholarship and isn’t limited by geography, type of con-goer, or con; its goal is simply to help fans of color go to SFF cons and be their own awesome selves.

Con or Bust is funded through donations and an online auction held each February.

Every year I’ve offered something for auction – I don’t want to miss this year, but I’m way behind (because, as the saying goes, reasons).  I might not be able to get a hand-bound blank book done in time, but over the weekend I will put up something, possibly involving trade paperbacks and maps.

HOWEVER — Check this out!  Delia Sherman (of my old writer’s group the Fabulous Genrettes) also has something up for the Con or Bust auction and it is: a critique of your novel.   She will Skype you to do this!  That’s how cool she is.

This is a rare opportunity, folks.  Delia is an amazing writer, teacher, font of wisdom.  She does adult fantasy, YA fantasy, interstitial.  She’s edited anthologies –  She knows her stuff.   You should go and bid.  When will you ever get a chance like this again?

As a member of the Genrettes, Delia provided a lot of insight while I was working on The Lost Steersman and The Language of Power.  I can’t praise her enough.

Oh, and other authors are also offering critiques of stories or novels in the auction.  Here’s the list — and it’s impressive.

Well. Must go now.   Getting kinda worn down, and it’s day-job again tomorrow.    Then snooze most of Saturday on my steroid crash.