Epiphany 2.0

I feel like I’m channeling the Horta today. For reasons I’ve never quite understood, I’ve begun developing these absolutely awful headaches in the last couple of years. They seem to come at random, though dry weather, too much sugar/alcohol, red wine, and some hormonal shifts sometimes contribute. And they’re grinding, twisting, chewing things, like there’s some critter inside my skull steadily boring its way out through one spot (just above my right eye). Sometimes there are weird afterimagey things too, like when you look at a bright light, except I haven’t, and sometimes I get queasy. Friends who know tell me these are all the signs of the dreaded M-word: migraine. But I’m 36, for pity’s sake; why would my body wait ’til now to hit me with this? ::grumblemutter:: Well, I guess denial ain’t just a river in Egypt; I’ll have to go talk to a doctor.

But the only reason I’m online right now and not draped across my couch groaning and contemplating trepanning, is because I got an email from L, my intrepid agent, who let me know that a German publisher has made an offer for The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms and its sequels. Farfegnugen! (Translation: I know absolutely no German, but I’m thrilled.)

Today, Germany. Tomorrow, some other parts of Europe and maybe Russia!

I have to admit, the past year has been a good one. I’m loving NYC, I’ve got great friends and my family’s well, the book deal was a lifelong dream come true, and now here I am living another dream: I’m a full-time writer! There are, of course, the usual snafus that come with these kinds of major lifestyle changes. Had one yesterday that I’m too embarassed to relate in public, but I’m past the freakout stage now. It helps to remember that these things are minor in the grand scheme of life.

There are a few more things I want for myself in the future, and I’m going to work hard to try and get them. But for the most part, I hope year 36 turns out as good as year 35 did.

Anyway, back to srs bzns. I’m not doing anything exciting or partyesque for my birthday tonight because tomorrow morning at 5 a.m., my writing group Altered Fluid will be on WBAI’s Hour of the Wolf. Being on the air at 5 a.m. means getting there at 4 a.m., which means leaving the house at 3 a.m., which means going to bed early tonight. (In fact, I think I’ll take a nap this afternoon, too.) We’re critiquing fellow group member Alaya Dawn Johnson’s short story, so if you’d like to hear how a kickass SF writing group functions, tune in! (Or if you don’t want to get up that early, download it later.) Better yet, if you like the show, call in; WBAI is a public radio station, and it’s pledge season. The host, Jim Freund, has hosted us before, and we’d love to repay the favor by earning his show some money.

And in 100K news, I’m working on a couple of possible appendices for the end of the book, since that may be the best way to clarify some of the worldbuilding. Thus far I’ve finished a kind of profile of the four most magical characters and their abilities/limitations; am thinking about adding an “historical” account of a pivotal event in the world’s history, and a glossary. Actually, I’m definitely going to add the glossary; it’ll be helpful for starting a wiki later, which I think I might need in order to keep track of all the historical tidbits, language oddities, events, etc., that will exist through the three books.

Just call me N. K. (K.?) Tolkien. Kidding!! (Seriously, though, no song lyrics. I draw the line at those.)