Last day of the year. The sun is throwing a brave light on my snow-shrouded yard. I’m relieved to put 2006 behind me and begin afresh. Logically, Monday can’t be any different in nature from Sunday, but psychologically, of course it will be. Here, at random and in no particular order, are ten things that happened to me (or us all) in 2006:
1. The official solar system lost Pluto. I resent that. What a great name squandered!!
2. My cat Sumo put on poundage that he probably didn’t need to. There was something about the approaching winter that said, Add Heft. I hope it wasn’t a kind of weird prophecy, although we did get more snow than I’ve seen in five years.
3. I sold “Bright of the Sky” to Pyr and one of the hottest editors in the speculative fiction industry, Lou Anders. This book will be my first hard cover, and it’s gorgeous, thanks to Stephan Martiniere’s amazing artwork. Watch for it in April.
4. My plan to go to Tuscany in March had to be cancelled when life intervened. SF writer and pal Louise Marley and our husbands still plan an Italy trip. Hope it’s soon.
5. I roasted Mike Resnick in Columbus at ConText, along with Maureen McHugh and Tobias Buckell. Fun!
6. For the first time I sold a short story to a podcaster: Escape Pod. More on that in future.
7. I was invited into two anthologies: “Space Cadets” – featuring memories of the golden age of science fiction, and “This Is My Funniest,” both edited by Mike Resnick. So I guess he wasn’t Too Mad about the roast.
8. I lost my five iron on the *&%$ golf course, and if you “retrieved it,” would you please go through your golf bag and identify which one doesn’t “fit,” and turn it in to the clubhouse? Of course, the question could be asked, how the hell do you lose a five iron? To this, I will respond by repeating my favorite George R.R. Martin quote: “I use the part of my brain that most people use for everyday life on writing fiction.”
9. Write on the River, a writers’ conference for Eastern Washington State, debuted in May to the general glee and relief of all involved, including myself, its president. Timothy Egan was our keynote speaker ( I just I knew he was going to win the National Book Award.)
10. I’ve said final goodbyes to family members this year. I can’t blog on this, but my list must quietly acknowledge them.
May the new year bring peace, justice, and a little mercy. And, would it be so much skin off New Year’s nose to deliver a modicum of better golf?
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