Status Report

* Writing

—Yearning
is selling okay– it will help, I think, when the book comes out at amazon.com and ARe–I’ll let you know what that happens. In the meantime, the link I just posted will get you to the Torquere website, and they have Kindle and Nook compatible formats available there.

–Living Promises is COMPLETE. Yup– that’s right! It’s done! I’m waiting to hear from my editors to see if it’s accepted (cross fingers, say a prayer, hope a LOT!) but the third Promises book is done. I’m planning for a ‘revisiting’ book in a year or so, but this is the final power couple– Jeff and Collin, and it tackles some difficult issues and, well, it was a bear to write. I’m so glad it’s done–and I so hope it doesn’t suck!

–Waiting (sequel to Yearning) will be out on April 9th! Go Jack & Teague!

–The Locker Room has just had it’s second edit– and an editor that totally saved my bacon! It’s weird, how much stuff that I LIVED THROUGH I completely forgot the details to. The trip from Sacramento to Carlsbad– why did I write 700 miles? Was it because I was thinking seven or eight hours? I don’t know– but it’s really 450 miles, and geez, wouldn’t I have looked stupid! The same thing with the correct spelling of LeBron James, or which game in the series Robert Horry of the Lakers beat the Kings with an outside three-pointer. I want to bake this person cookies I’m so grateful– and since that’s the kitchen and cooking, you all KNOW how grateful that means! Anyway, on the second edit I noticed that it might not suck–so that’s exciting too. Seriously– my boy, Xander, ain’t perfect, but he’s truly endearing, and I really love him. A lot. (Xander’s the one holding the ball in the picture above. Christian is the cutie standing on a box and kissing his neck. Yeah, I know, you can’t see the box– but since Xander’s 6’9″ and Christian’s 6’3″, you figure that’s the way it’s gotta be.

–Am breaking paper on Quickening this week. No– I can’t write it full time, and that’s going to be hard, and slow. But I’M STARTING. Because I promised, And because I missed my Little Goddess a lot. And because so did you.

–Have broken paper on an interesting project that, for the moment, I’m calling “A Solid Core of Alpha”. I likes it. I’m not going to talk about it for a while, until I get my world building just so, but it’s sci-fi, which I really haven’t done, and I’m hoping for a rather heart crushing dilemma, because, yanno, that’s just my speed.

And that’s writing!

* Knitting

–Going to knit night on Thursday. I loved it so much. This time, I’m NOT dropping someone off at a school activity on the way, no matter how much big T begs.

–Am working on six pairs of socks. Yup. You read that right. The good news is, I’m almost done with two of the vanilla pairs. The bad news is, the patterned ones have been in progress for over a year.

–Am working on a lovely alpaca shawl made out of chunky yarn. So, you know. If there’s an ice age coming, my grandmother will be ready. it’s designed side to side, with three medallion cables on the back center (and, I’m wishing I’d started those a little earlier, but I’m not gonna rip it out, because there’s a deadline.) The design is… well, it’s working. I didn’t think it would work, but it’s working. I think. When I’m done I’ll take pictures and let you all decide for yourselves.

–Am working on another pair of fingerless mitts. I’ve got sort of a basic pattern here for worsted yarn and really small needles that I like, because they feel sturdy and solid. The pair I’ve shown here is using heavy worsted (not quite chunky) and slightly larger needles–I have large hands, they fit fine, but for normal people, I suggest a regular worsted weight and the size 4 or 5 dpns. I’m posting the pattern right here, in case anyone wants it:

Worsted weight yarn
DPN’s, size 4

CO 40 stitches
k2 p2 for as long as you want
knit one round plain.

Start increasing for gusset in next round.

For right glove–
round 1: k 1, m1, k 1, m1, knit rest of round plain
round 2 (and all even number rounds) knit plain
round 3: k1, m 1, k3, m1, knit rest of round plain
continue increasing in similar fashion until you have 11 stitches in the gusset.

For left glove–
round 1: knit all the way until the last two stitches left in the round. m1, k1, m1, k1
round 2 (and all even number rounds) knit plain
round 3: knit around to one stitch before last m1, m1, k3, m1, k1
continue increasing in same way you have eleven stitches in the gusset

When gusset is finished, knit the stitches onto a holder in the next round, then join the remaining stitches together in the round after that.

Knit another 4-8 rounds, depending on how long you want your glove.
K2 p2 for 8 rounds after that.
Cast Off.

Thumbs–Starting from join of the main glove, pick up three stitches on the side, knit the stitches off the holder, and pick up another three stitches from the side (for seventeen stitches–if you like a tighter thumb pick up fewer stitches.)

Join the round.

Knit three rounds.

Cast off

Weave in ends.

–And that’s it in knitting!

* Family

Besides driving me nuts (okay– that’s a combo of no writing time, no self time, pms and foot pain!) the following conversation happened that made me smile.

Squish: “Chicken, why are you up so early?”

Chicken (grumpy, frowzy, and barely awake): “Because some horrid little girl came into my room and shouted, ‘Chicken, we’re all awake in the living room, but you can sleep in!'”

Squish (puzzled): “But I said you can sleep in!”

And that, folks, is the morning report:-)