Myth, the Universe, and Everything

So many book birthdays today!

Welcome to the world, Thorn Queen by blue_succubus; The Eternal Kiss, featuring a short story by kazdreamer; My Soul to Take, rkvincent's first YA novel; Destined for an Early Grave, the fourth installment of frost_light's Night Huntress series; and Demon Inside by stacia_kane, who is a guest today over at Bitten by Books. Whew!

One of the cool things about book birthdays is that you notice which authors you're following are also following authors you're following. Meaning: ilona_andrews retweeted rkvincent's post about the releases from frost_light and Jenna Black (who I'm not yet following; I've got one of her books on my desk, borrowed from a friend, but haven't had a chance to read her yet). Chandra Rooney blogged about kazdreamer. blue_succubus is showing up all over the twitterverse today, in no small part through the retweets of Team Seattle. Watching this kind of connectivity in the writing community is fascinating, and it's one of the things I love about the way the Internet is changing the way writers interact -- with each other, and with their fans.

But what's even better than online interactions among writers is, to me, the classic -- the good ol' writing group. Substrate met this past Sunday: four writers in my living room, plus one significant other/first reader, plus one writer joining us via Skype from his summer location of California. We looked over three pieces, a short story, a full novel (the first we've had submitted to Substrate), and three new chapters of a novel we've been getting in pieces. I didn't have anything this go round -- I've been having enough trouble keeping up with my deadlines -- but reading and discussing other people's work makes my writerly brain function *better.*

I'm really looking forward to the day when I can celebrate some Substrate book birthdays.

We're a week into the New Year, and I haven't really put together a list of resolutions. I'm not sure that I will. I do have a goal of forming an actual spiritual practice (rather than a haphazard spiritual observance). The same is true of my writing. I think I lost track of my apprenticeship somewhere along the way and need to get back on the right path.

But 2009 is looking pretty exciting for a number of reasons. Here's some of what's coming up:

1) Substrate. This is my new, semi-local writing group! Since we're based out of New Haven, it's very local to me, but some of the writers will be coming from Boston and D.C., so it'll be a trek. Luckily, New Haven is an old stomping ground for everyone but me (as the person who has spent the least amount of time living here on Connecticut's shoreline, or so I believe), so the writing group meetings can be combined with other events as well. Like, say, D&D games.

2) Baeg Tobar. I've gotten involved with BT again, and am very excited to be working with Scott and Jeremy and Daniel and the BT crew. There are some amazing things in store for the site this year, including serial fiction, short stories, and a regularly updating web comic.

3) England. I've been invited to be the TA/driver/chaperon for the Simon's Rock England Trip in May of this year. The last time I was in England was 2003, when my sister and I went on our (now infamous, I'm sure) Isle of Man trip, where we were attacked by gulls and almost fell into the Chasms. (I exaggerate only slightly.) We'd begun the trip in England, and we stayed in Glastonbury for a good chunk of it. I am very excited to return, and hope to become reacquainted with Geoffrey and Pat Ashe. I've fallen out of touch with the Arthurian scholar and his wife in recent years, and am looking forward to seeing them again.

4) Getting past 1st level. My Mythic Greece players, with the exception of the one who is currently nannying in England (and so hasn't made the past few sessions) are all second level. Also, I got a GM medal at Worlds Apart for running sessions there. (They were shocked with how excited I was with a little virtual medal, but I am constantly in awe of how well we're treated there. They are good people, and if you're near Pioneer Valley and in need of a game store, they should be your go-to point.)

5) Since it's up on the site, I think it's fair to announce that my LFR module, "Head above Water," is premiering at DDXP this year. I won't be going to Fort Wayne to usher it into the world, but I'm really excited to have it given such an excellent spot to begin play!

6) Dogs in the Vineyard. The old Dogs game is coming to a close, and the new Dogs game is ramping up. There are fun times waiting to happen.

7) Another Shoreline summer. There will be sailing, there will be beach cook outs, there will probably be grill outs in our new back yard. (We moved in December.) I may be dreaming in advance about sunshine, but man am I looking forward to beach weather!

8) A million things to read. Moving made me consolidate my TBR pile--the ones I've actually *purchased* and not just added to the list in my head. I'd take a picture, but it's a bit embarrassing. Add to that the number of awesome authors with books coming out this year (or just released): frost_light, melissa_writing, ilona_andrews, sartorias, jimhines, Carrie Vaughn, rkvincent, blue_succubus, antonstrout, amanda_marrone, jenlyn_b, m_stiefvater, mdhenry, nalini_singh... all of them on my Must Be Read list. (And that's just with what I know from livejournals or can back up with Amazon research. Heck, that's mostly for the first six months of this year.)

So, yes, 2009 is looking up. I know, I'm probably one of the few people in the world who is sad to see 2008 go, but it was a good year for me, as far as my short stories getting published, and I'm pretty pleased with it on retrospect. But, as they say, onward and upward!