Blowin' in the Wind

[dancinghorse]

Pooka is out of jail.  The arena is dry enough for him to be turned out in, so yesterday I let him have it all day.  He was In A Mood.  There were horses in his paddock!!!!  Twerp.  Finally he settled down when I grabbed him and saddled him up.  I suspect that horse logic decided that new feet + jail = never being ridden again (horse logic operates like this), so he was much reassured to get his saddle and a ring ride.  Riding is a very big Good Thing in Life, he says.

Today they all went on their normal routine: alternating between the stalls and the arena.  Pook didn't mind going back in the paddock (since the stalls and corrals are still muddy), since he knew he was back on his Routine.  And he had had a Ride.

This morning I heard from one of the romance authors that Mountain's Call has been nominated for a Romantic Times award for Best Fantasy of 2004.  That's sort of like a Hugo for romance.  I am chuffed.  In sf, I might as well write in invisible ink (as Tom Doherty once noted) for all the attention I get, but the romance genre seems to like what I do. 

My dad and I went to get a Christmas tree this morning, as well.  We went allllll the way over to the Tucson Mall to get a tree from the Tucson Boys' Chorus--good cause, lovely trees--and came home with a very pretty Grand Fir.  It's in the shed now, making it smell heavenly, until I can get it put up.  Then this afternoon I did cards.  And rode keed.  And longed Capria.  I feel Virtuous.  Also, rather Leisurely.  Still a bit of cleaning to do, and some baking, and next week is Party Time, but I can take the evening to just relax.  Amazing concept, that.

We've had a windstorm predicted for a while.  This evening it's here.  As I was feeding horses, I could see a wall of cloud and dust slowly eating away the mountains until they were gone.  The wind is strong and blustery, but I don't think there's any rain or snow in it.  Just dust.  Horses are tucked up in their pens--I'll blanket them if it gets much colder (it's too warm right now for the yaks--keed has two-inch plush fur, just for example, and looks like a giant, animated stuffed toy--though Pook and Ephiny are happy to have their blankies.

Comments

[haikujaguar.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! Congratulations on the nomination! That is awesome!

I wish I knew why people didn't pay attention to you in SF/F. The first book I read by you (A Wind in Cairo) was a truly splendid combination of fantasy and historical fiction. *shaking head* People don't know what they're missing.

[windrose.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the nomination! You deserve it. :-D

[smoemeth.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the nomination!! And well deserved too, I must say.

Glad you achieved Tree today. Looking forward to helping put it up. :) I am now officially in Christmas Mode ... took frickin' long enough!

[lynnesite.livejournal.com]

Who'd've thunk romance types would be more discerning than SF/Fantasy folk? Conga-rats!

[klwilliams.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on the nomination.

Pooka sounds like quite a character.

[maryosmanski.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on the nomination!

[woodrunner.livejournal.com]

To echo everyone else, congratulations on the nominations. SF doesn't know what it's doing not to at least throw a nod your way.

[larryhammer]

Conga rats come dancing in.

---L.

[planetalyx.livejournal.com]

Big congrats--that is terrific!

Glad Pooka's out of jail and settled down, too.

[dancinghorse.livejournal.com]

Thenkyew kindly.

I've given up trying to figure it out--or feeling terribly upset that authors doing a lot less work at a lot lower level are getting major attention, sales, and awards. The market is a mystery.

So, I sidestepped it. And lo and behold.

Maybe people just don't like my given name. Makes as much sense as anything else.

I do have to say that those who do acknowledge my existence are devoted fans--and they're very high-quality fans: educated, erudite, and usually some form of pro in the genre. I'm a "writer's writer," I guess. Which would be fine with me if I could live on it. But keeping the horses fed means I need a broader appeal.

So here we are. I am very happy with the gamble we took in writing this book, selling it under a different name, and selling it to a completely new and untried line.

[dancinghorse.livejournal.com]

Thenkyew. :)

[dancinghorse.livejournal.com]

I'm still not really in Christmas mode. I just keep plugging because there's this big deadline and I have to have it all done by then. Sound familiar?

[dancinghorse.livejournal.com]

Thenkyewall. I am a happy camper.

[buymeaclue.livejournal.com]

Congrats!