Finish It All
Well, I am probably never going to finish it all. Not when I’m in the middle of several projects, and I get an idea for yet another story. But, I am getting close to finishing a couple different projects, one that it seems like I’ve been working on *forever*.
Writing
I did finished the second draft of Fixing the Books, the third book in my Jax of All Trade mystery series. I wrote the first draft for NaNoWriMo 2021, and it ended up being just short of 40,000 words. After getting feedback on book 2 and needing to make several changes to that, I realized it was going to change some of the events in this one as well, and I thought of a better way to handle some things. I was still able to keep a good bit of what I’d originally written, and I added almost 20,000 words of new material. I definitely think the story is much stronger now. I just need to do another read through and round of edits, then we’ll see if readers feel the same.
And since I finished that, I moved on to trying to finish One Touch, the f/f Snow White retelling I feel like I’ve been working on forever. While “forever” might be a stretch, I did write the original version back in 2015/2016. It started as a short story idea, that I then fleshed out into a novella. And then, with some feedback, decided to expand to a novel. And that I’ve been working on since probably 2018 or so. So, it just feels like forever. I finally finished the first draft, on the last day of the month at that.
Reading
I’ve read a few books this month, that I really enjoyed. My rating system tends to break down into a few categories: Loved, enjoyed(can fall anywhere between really, really enjoyed and just enjoyed), and merely okay. Obviously most books fall into the middle category. I don’t really have a ‘hated’ category or anything similar, because often if I’m not enjoying a book at all, I simply set it aside. I won’t be talking about those books. Instead I’ll only be talking about the ones in the first category(and maybe the highest levels of the second)
And today’s book is… The Wicked Bargain by Gabe Cole Novoa.
I do not even know where to start with this one. I had been looking forward to it ever since I saw the first announcement on Twitter. I pre-ordered it when I got gift cards for Christmas. But, of course, when it came in, I’d just had three holds come in from the library, so I really wanted to get through those first, even as I kept glancing toward that beautiful hardcover. Waiting was not easy(haha, as if it ever is).
But, so, so worth it.
I didn’t exactly devour it, but that was more because I was trying to be disciplined about getting my own writing done. I kept reaching for it even when I shouldn’t have.
And I seriously loved everything about this book. I‘m not even sure what else to say except I loved the whole thing. I mean, really: a nonbinary pirate just simply being able to live their life, even while there are other issues going on. What is not to love about that? I did have to look some phrases up when my high school/college Spanish that I actually remember wasn’t quite enough. But, you know what? I like looking stuff up, so even that didn’t detract from it.
I’d have to say my only complaint was the fact that it ended. I would love the continuing adventures of Mar, Bas, and Dami.
Crafting
I’ve been doing more cross-stitch lately, but I decided to attempt another crochet project. I had found an app with amigurumi patterns. Of course when I looked at the ones I wanted to try, there was only one that I actually had the yarn for. So, that’s why I decided to work up this crochet bat in the middle of March, instead of closer to Halloween.
I had some trouble at first. I did have to look up how to start with the magic ring, because it’s been so long since I’ve done that technique. And since it’s done in a continuous round, I had to make sure I kept track of how many stitches I’d done for each round(or I could have actually used a stitch marker so I knew when I got to the end of a round, but I’d have to dig those out). The head and body were pretty easy to construct after that, though. Eye placement is a little sketchy, though, and I didn’t have any eyes, so I used a couple of dark buttons.
And then came the ears. These weren’t too difficult, although I did have a little trouble with the instructions for crocheting the two parts together.
Now, the wings I had a bit more trouble with. I had to rip out the first couple rounds several times before I finally got it figured out. The second wing was easier to do after all that, though.
And then came having to actually assemble it. I do not like sewing. So, I should probably remember to not pick projects where I have to do exactly that to put all the pieces together. But, I did get it all together in the end.
Story
This is the first story I wrote for my Castlemore Residences series, which will all center around the people living in this apartment building. Each will focus on the interaction of at least two of them. Stakes will likely be low, but I hope you’ll enjoy them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“You’re not my mom!”
Kathleen blinked at the small child in front of zir. “No,” zi said. “You’re right. I’m not, but Alan asked me to make sure you’re ready to go.”
“He’s my daddy. He’s not Alan. And I don’t want to get ready. I need to find my drone. It fell when you distracted me.”
Kathleen glanced at zir watch. Alan was on a consultation with a client, which was why he’d sent Kathleen down to get Colum. Zi hadn’t expected it to take long, but the boy could be stubborn, despite often being good-natured. Especially when Kathleen asked him to do something.
Alan was stressed out enough right now. Zi didn’t want to add to it by making them late. Or fighting with his son.
There definitely had to be an easier way to do this. “How about I help you look,” zi suggested. “With two of us, it will take less time, and you can be ready to go on time.”
“I don’t want to go,” Colum said, crossing his arms in front of him and sitting on the ground.
Kathleen was so not cut out for this. There was a reason Alan handled the parenting. Beside the fact Colum was Alan’s son, not Kathleen’s. Zi might drop him off or pick him up from school, but that was the extent of it. Kathleen was fine with that. Zi liked Colum. Most of the time. Despite being in a relationship with his father, zi had not signed up to be a parent.
That was way too far out of zir comfort zone.
Still, Kathleen settled down in the grass beside the boy. “So, what is this really about? I said I’d help find your drone. And you know A… your dad needs you to be ready to go.” Kathleen had heard all the arguments, and had been there for Alan to vent to afterward. Zi just wished zi could have done more to help as they finally came to a compromise.
“I don’t want to go. Tell him you couldn’t find me. That I… I ran away. Then he won’t have to make me go.”
“They are your grandparents, Colum. And if your father thought you’d run away, he’d be sad.” Kathleen was probably mis-stepping here, but zi wasn’t sure what to do.
“I don’t want him to be sad. He stopped being sad when you moved in. You made him stop being sad.”
Kathleen wasn’t sure how to explain the complexities of emotions, grief, and mental health to a five-year-old. “I didn’t,” Kathleen said. “No one ever stops being completely sad. Things happen that we have to deal with, and there’s nothing wrong with emotions that come from that.”
“Grandma said you don’t have any emotions. Dad should have found someone more like my Mom to help deal with me.”
That should not hurt. It’s not like Kathleen had never heard it before. “I have emotions,” zi said. “Everyone does. Not everyone expresses them in the same way, though. That is okay, too.”
“Grandpa does not even want me around. He hates my Daddy.”
“You’re his daughter’s son. Familial love generally has strong ties.”
“I heard him say it. He thinks it’s Daddy’s fault Mommy died. That he could have done more, and that I’m probably the reason she didn’t fight harder. Because I’m such a handful.”
Kathleen tended to be driven by logic more than emotion, but what zi was feeling right now was anything but logical. Zi certainly didn’t want this little boy to go off with such a hateful man, even if it was just one night instead of the weekend his grandparents had been pushing for. Zi didn’t have the authority to change that, though. Kathleen knew they’d only make more trouble for Alan that he really didn’t need. So, zi got to zir feet and held out a hand to Colum.
“Come on. We’ll go find your drone, and I’ll help you get ready. While I do, you can decide what special thing all three of us will do when you come back tomorrow.”
He looked up at zir. “Really? You want to spend more time with me?”
Kathleen had evidence for all those people who claimed zi had no heart. It wouldn’t be breaking now if that was the case. “Of course, I do. You’re a pretty cool kid, Colum.”
Zi looked up and saw Alan standing at the edge of the garden, fingers pressed to his lips, and Kathleen was pretty sure those were tears in his eyes. Kathleen smiled at him but led Colum to where zi had seen the drone drop. Zi could do this. For both of them.