life after inkspot

Thanks for the support and kind words about the end of Inkspot, everyone; they're much appreciated. I've also been getting a ton of e-mails from Inkspot users; I've posted some of them online. The outpouring of support from the online writing community has been overwhelming (in a good way :)).

It will take me a while to tie up loose ends, sort paperwork and finances, purging and reorganizing my home office so I can finally finish unpacking. Jeff has been extraordinarily patient with the pile of boxes in our living room.

Then I'm taking a long sabbatical. :-) I've promised myself to take a holiday for a while. The stress and overwork has had a toll on my health and my marriage, both of which need attention.

It's going to be tough; I'm too much of a workaholic. Jeff says he anticipates at least one argument between us, when I start wanting to start work projects again and he has to remind me of my promise. He might even write up a "contract" for me to sign! I laughed at him, of course, and told him he didn't have to worry, but part of me knows that he has a valid point.

Mainly because I can't wait to throw myself fulltime into my writing. It's like an itch, deep down, that I've been waiting to scratch for way too long. Writing these Blatherings have helped, but I want to get back to my fiction writing as well as continuing to do some nonfiction. Speaking of my nonfiction...Last night, Jeff and I went out for dinner and a movie. Very relaxing evening, and we didn't talk about work! (well, not much :)) Dinner at a Thai restaurant, then we went to see "Thirteen Days". I was disappointed to find that they are no longer running the Lord of the Rings trailer. :( Afterward, we book-browsed at Indigo.

And guess what? I found my book on the shelves! It was the first time I had actively looked for it in a bookstore. I confess I just stood there for several minutes staring at my book, a silly grin plastered across my face. I felt like turning around yelling to everyone in the store, "Look! That's MY book!" Instead, I looked for Jeff and dragged him over to see. :)

Anyway, the next two weeks are going to still be hectic, but in a different way. Urban Tapestry has some musical commitments coming up very soon. We're Filk Guests of Honour at Ad Astra next weekend (we have a concert, a variety show, two workshops), and the following weekend is Consonance in California, where we're the Guests of Honour.

We had two practices this past week, and are practising again today at Allison's place. We called Paul and Beckett during our last practice; Beckett was still recovering in the hospital. Both sounded tired but Very Happy! The twins are doing wonderfully; we're going to be seeing them when we go out to California in a couple of weeks. Anyway, Allison, Jodi and I are going to see "Chocolat" after dinner tonight. I've been dying to see this movie, for obvious reasons. :-)

Jodi's site was picked as Cool Site of the Day yesterday!