I’ve been pondering this blog in the odd quiet moment, this past few weeks. I arrived home from Oakland last Thursday. Marianne headed off to Staten Island that Sunday, and I’ve been taking care of the family stuff since. Hence, the occasional lack of timely responses from my corner of late. Anyhow, I was thinking that the blog has very few readers. This is entirely fair. I don’t post here much, and when I do, it’s not of the greatest import, so other things make for better reading (like everything else in life, you get out of a blog what you put into it). I’m not interested in generating faux controversry, as some of the younger bloggers seem to like to, and I don’t really want to gossip or air the details of my business. So, I’m continuing to ponder.  Having few readers is a kind of freedom, though. If I get interesting, then I’d have to keep being interesting. Who needs the pressure…
And how are things here? I just abandoned C.J. Cherryh’s Cyteen sequel, Regenesis. I’d read about 250 pages of its closely detailed interpersonal relationships and couldn’t find the desire to continue. I’d taken a break to read Ken Scholes’ second novel, Canticle, which I really enjoyed (you need to read this guy – buy his collection and snap up his first novel when it hits the stores early next year), and was more interested in reading the new Dan Simmons, which had just fallen through the door. I might come back to it.
On the work front, Eclipse Two should be on the shelves very soon. I’ve seen reviews from Locus and The Fix, all of which were gratifyingly positive, but none of which I agreed with completely. I’ve just finished The Best Science Fiction and Fantasy of the Year: Volume 3 and most of my work on The New Space Opera 2 for the moment. I’m currently reading a terrific John Kessel space opera and a story from Conquering Swords. I’m also negotiating a couple other books, so busy.
I really don’t know what you mean! Faux controversy? Gossipig? Airing my business? *bats eyelids innocently*
It’s a bit disappointing to have “few readers”, I guess, but rest assured I check your blog way more often than I ever reply, and I’m sure others do. The books you produce make the blog inherently interesting, so there’s a small core audience, I think. Besides, you sound a bit overstretched most of the time, so I’m not sure if much more blog activity is really what you want!
At the moment, I’m checking in mainly to see the bewildering name changes, while waiting for news about Volume 3 of your Best!
Oh Alisa, you know I wasn’t talking about you :)
I’m reasonably comfortable with few readers, Peter, but less comfortable with the idea that it might be because I’m being boring. The name changes (glad you noticed!) are whimsy of the moment. As to news of the BSFFOTY3 – bar one permission and a re-reading of the intro and story notes, it’s done. It’s due Dec 1, but it’ll be in before then. I think people would like to see the ToC, but given the response to some recent ToCs I’ve posted here I’m feeling distinctly gunshy about releasing the info. I’ll probably get the publisher to post it, when I send the book in.
If you need a volunteer to finish the Cherryh book and review it, I’ll be only too happy to oblige.
Btw, I’ve been lurking and reading here regularly for about two years now, iirc. I wouldn’t be here if I thought it was boring.