“I do not want to work today,”

…said little Peggy Ann McKay. I have 200 pages to go on this manuscript. I’m about 7 pages from the most aughful moment in it, a scene which I quite love. Once I’m done, I can go forth into what is looking like it’ll turn out to be a beautiful day, and spend the afternoon listening to trad, bluegrass and banjo music, because there’s a festival here this weekend. I’m going to take my camera. I haven’t done any photography in ages, and it sounds great. All I have to…

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why, yes, I am procrastinating

A question from /comments which allows me to spend a little more time not working on the manuscript right now (I’ve done 100 pages so far today. I have to do at least 50 more. Another 100 would be good, because it would leave me with a bearable amount to do tomorrow, but either way I’ll finish the first revision pass tomorrow): Though, now I’m curious — is there an average number of times that a manuscript will pass between your agent, editor and self? I never really thought about…

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The man who saved the world

On September 26, 1983, Stanislav Petrov, a Soviet lieutenant colonel, correctly interpreted a satellite early warning system’s notification that the United States had launched a nuclear attack on the USSR as a false alarm, and chose not to pursue the line of doctrine that would have assured mutual destruction. Petrov doesn’t consider himself a hero. I sure as hell do.

Gawd.

God, but THE PRETENDER’S CROWN is a big book. I’ve gone through over 300 pages now (and cut 15 or 20. I’m hoping to discover, when I read my editor’s suggestions on things to cut, that she’s got *different* places to cut from. I don’t know that I can manage to strike the 100 pages that /Jenn thinks would be ideal, but if I could get up to 50 or even *pipe dreams* 70, that would be fantastic), and I’ve just reached the enormously climactic scene that sets everything up…

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A good day. O.O

Okay. So there’s the Chance announcement. Then there’s news from my editor at Del Rey: THE QUEEN’S BASTARD has gone back to press for a fourth printing. And then to ice the cake, it is my utter delight to announce that Del Rey has bought two more books from me: TRUTHSEEKER, a paranormal romance, and an untitled sequel, for mass market paperback release (probably) in 2010. I believe this might just be a banner day.