Next year has to be better than this one. It just… has to be.
I hate winter for multiple reasons. Cold, allergies, the holidays, and a lack of sunlight are the big ones.
(Cold for multiple reasons. FYI, while no one is allergic to the methane of natural gas, the methyl mercaptan they add so you can smell leaks? Burned, that can indeed be an inhaled allergen. Yaaaaay.)
If I could, I’d pull the covers over my head at the start of December and not come out ’til, oh, February. When the light’s come back a little and I feel less like a shambling pile of gray in the shape of a human. Alas, we are not yet capable of month-plus hibernation. Darn.
I’m still working on Midnight, and hope to finish the rough by the end of December, or at least the end of January. Normally I’d be a lot farther along but the year has been difficult, to say the least. Meaning full immersion into characters and worlds I’m writing has only come in fits and starts. Yes, this has slowed down fanfic too; probably more, because origfic drafts at least mean potential income later. Yes, this is very frustrating. But as someone eloquently put it over on Mad Genius Club, sometimes you simply cannot juggle one more flaming chainsaw.
Still, as time and house-cleaning permits I will finish the Midnight rough, then let that sit and stew while I try to hack the Leatherbound rough draft into something more closely approximating a coherent storyline. That one in part is going to be tricky because it started out inspired by wacky shonen antics, then the story itself got more realistic and serious. Meaning some character actions and portrayals have to be adjusted accordingly. Argh.
(Not to mention a few action scenes are still only in outline form. Sigh.)
I have hopes to do a lot more than that, but… work on two books is probably enough to wave under the universe’s nose as a Plan. Who knows how things would crash down if I tried to get any more detailed.
P.S., Murphy-
My life is not a shonen manga. Or a seinen one. You can quit with the shonen protagonist levels of trauma any time now.
Seriously. Enough already.
If this keeps up I’d better by-goodness get an isekai vacation out of the whole mess, or the entire universe is completely unfair.
Crossover Queen's Creative Chaos 
Well, the problem with that is… Murphy loves the show too much to toss in a hiatus. Plus, knows where we sleep, work, try to relax…
Yeah, Murphy’s a jerk like that. Sitting back with whatever the snack of choice is while we all muddle through whatever gets hauled in our way.
On the upside… presents?
LikeLiked by 4 people
If you DO get your isekai vacation, please save some for the rest of us. Or at least take copious notes.
LikeLiked by 5 people
Lots of notes! All the notes! And let’s swarm the new world with geeks!
…They might prefer the demon lord. 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
I need to catch up on my sleep, and stress less over politics.
I can’t help but hear something say “hold my beer”.
LikeLiked by 3 people
You too, huh?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Knowing Murphy, getting chosen to be an isekai protagonist would mean having to save said other world . . . which on the one hand, saving the world is NOT a vacation . . . but on the other hand, in a lot of those isekai worlds the problems are probably the killable kind (slaying evil monsters are SO much simpler to dealing with paperwork and politics and drama). . . plus you would probably get some True Companions out of it . . .
LikeLiked by 3 people
At least in an isekai the world tends to stay saved. Not so much here on Earth.
LikeLiked by 2 people
*sympathy* ’16 was one of those years for me.
It got better.
….Neither El Paso nor Iowa is much of an isekai, though. Even if I do swear that Iowa must have one of the highest per-capita Unashamed Passing Geek rates on earth. (says the gal in a Kakashi shirt)
LikeLiked by 4 people
Kakashi! Almost as cute as Sephiroth
LikeLiked by 2 people
Always felt the winter is overrated… Cold and dark is good description. Gods, I can’t wait for spring to arrive…
But as was said before, there is upside = Presents. If you overlook Christmas craziness.
Never count on Murphy. He loves doing oposite of what you want. Or need…
LikeLiked by 3 people
Have you tried one of those therapy lights? i didn’t think I needed one, but family convinced me to try and it made a huge difference to the winters.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Unfortunately… sensitive to various artificial lights, too. *Rueful* Best I can do is try to get out for a walk every morning.
LikeLike
like my kid who has developed photosensititivity? Flourescents are really bad, also light through wnidows… Don’t talk about car trips…… The doctors say the good news is it’s not AFATCT symptomatic of any of the really horrible things it could mean. The bad news.. not much to do to help, especially since the FDA hasn’t approved some of the stuff that helps in suscreen. The kid’s gotten some relief from polypodium supplements, and a spanish sunscreen (bought through amazon.uk) with something from the same plant as an ingredient. – Heliocare advanced gel spf 50
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fortunately not to that extent, but… sigh. I get oily fish and as much sun as I can!
LikeLike
I feel you on the “wanting to hibernate through winter” sentiment. On top of all the normal (and not so normal) stress of life, there’s the stress of never being warm enough!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Amen! Brrr.
LikeLike
If you get isekai’d to somewhere that doesn’t have Westphalian sovereignty, and thus bad guys can’t hide behind the law (at least without becoming the law), keep the portal open for us, alright? You aren’t the only one who could use the stress relief of straightforward baddie-slaying, especially if it comes with convenient level-up mechanics.
-Albert
LikeLiked by 2 people
I hope next year is better for you! And two new books in the middle of this is amazing. I’m already looking forward to them (though I don’t know what Leatherbound is, I’m sure I’ll love it)! Plus, I’ve got four of your books on my Christmas wishlist and I should get at least two of them (I left *hints* to my family). I’m not sure how helpful that is but… money? Money is always good.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I went and searched for Leatherbound, and now that I have an idea of what it is, I’m just more excited! Good luck! *sends lots of hugs*
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m hoping if I can get one done, it’ll make a series. Bunnies already have a title – “Lost in the Stacks”.
LikeLike
Money definitely helps! Roof over head, groceries – all of that makes the rest of the problems easier to handle. Good luck on your wishlist. 😉
LikeLike
Sorry to hear your year hasn’t been good. I hope 2020 sees some positive change for you. Sending you best wishes.
LikeLiked by 1 person
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope you have a good next year. This year is ending sadly for me. Wish Gram could have held out untill Thanksgiving, but…Gets worse, we have been staying with her due to a combination of a Murphy Chosen chewtoy situation that depleted our finances and the S##ttiest con-artist in MD.
She was the type to count pennies on a grocery bill. Suprise at the bank, and we have to move b4 year’s end. Joy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s rough, and I hope you land on your feet financially. For the rest, only time helps.
LikeLike
Only good news is that Gram had a heck of a nest egg. Too bad she chose (Name spoilered)tucky, as things have depreciated in value rather than increased if she had chosen the other prospect.
LikeLiked by 1 person