Sitting on the back patio again, nursing a beer, reading rock criticism, and listening to Augie March. It’s been a wearing mid-January, but I persevere. I find myself tired, irritable, impatient, and not quite myself. Aren’t you glad you’re far away?

I can’t even say I’m reading. Started a few thins, but they all lie abandoned, and year’s best reading is anathema of the deepest sort. Maybe I am, at last, all gatekeepered out? Who knows. April will tell.

Till then, though, Robert Forster’s wit and thought make me wonder again, as I often do, at the sheer plod that is science fiction book reviewing. sigh.

 

The mighty John Berkey rocks the house with this awesome cover for the fourth in my series of year’s best anthologies for Night Shade Books. It is many, many different types of awesomeness!  You can pre-order the book, which I’m very happy with, here.  A big shout out to NS editor Jeremy Lassen, who’s overseen this rocking cover. I am delighted.

I have just emailed the submission manuscript of Life on Mars: Tales of New Tomorrows to my editor at Viking Pengiun, and to my agent’s office. If I didn’t feel so rotten with this virus, I’d be very happy. This book went through a lot (don’t they all?), but I’m happy with it and delighted to see it in the hands of the publisher.

I’m sure there will be questions about the table of contents. Just as soon as my editor has accepted the manuscript for publication I will post more information here. The book should be out in 2011, I think.

Sorry for not blogging. We had a great weekend, which was productive and fun (we bought a car!), but I was struck down (again) by the flu (or some other flu-like bug) on Sunday afternoon. Been tired, lackadaisical, and mostly useless since then. I think someone expects me to edit tomorrow, but that’s vanishingly unlikely. Back to the office, but don’t know how functional I’ll be.

Boy, the rest of the day was less peaceful. Got to work. Did that. Was sorta productive, but not hugely. Chatted and so on. Had a good walk into the city, getting my legs well and truly stretched. Then back to the office, all hot n sweaty. Bought an Avett Bros cd recommended by Ange. Then more work, and home. Sat on back patio, had a beverage, and basically didn’t do much. Whined about doing things, but didn’t do. Then dinner, and am now sitting where I started this morning, blogging, and listening to horrible horde next year making enormous noise and wishing for a little peace. A retreat perhaps?

As to SFnal work: progress made on Mars, which is good. No progress on end-of-year essay, which is always like pulling teeth, until it isn’t. Weird.

Almost time for Colbert Report. After that, rock show and bed. Sneurgh. That was Thursday. Considered posting on Realms of Mantasy, but it’s already been said.