How I really get things done:

with a little help from a furry friend. Thanks, Cordy.

I highly suggest cats as assistants. I'm sure the gas bill will even be less, as she serves as an excellent ambulatory space heater. Also, as you can see, six hands (er, paws?) are better than two. Now, if I can only get her to get my coffee order right. Keeps bringing me a decaf chai tea. What's up with that?

a moment of silence

RIP, CBGB

Lend me your ear and I'll sing you a song

So, maybe I can string a couple of words together, after all, at least when it comes to writing a novel. I spent some time with my friend Sam , reading some stuff out loud, which, I found, helps a lot with making sure dialogue is realistic. I think my biggest pet peeve in writing is bad dialogue, so I definitely want to make sure I don't get accused of it. It also really helped my ego about the project to find that she could identify with the characters and form a clear picture in her mind of what was going on in the story.
Official typed count is 23 pages and close to 7,000 words. I've given up trying to keep track of the handwritten stuff, especially now that the typing is basically starting at the beginning and including the longhand work.
I'm still taking the notebook and a box of ink with me on vacation this week, but I have a sneaking suspicion the laptop will get more exercise than the pen will. We'll see. Since the only means of easily contacting us in case of an emergency will be by e-mail, I'll be checking in once or twice during the week. I'm sure I'll have something to post about getting to spend some time writing on the beach in October, but I'll save that for when it happens.

Gray Sky Morning

What a perfect day to be in need of creative inspiration. It's very Octoberish, with breezes that blow the dead leaves around the yard, a Sun that doesn't do much in the way of providing warmth, and, the smell... mmm. There's some kind of fruit tree in the back yard that always smells like Peaches & Cream oatmeal this time of year. That, mixed with the just-rained smell and the crushed pine needles, is just about heavenly.
It's such a crime that I have to spend the afternoon indoors at the paying job, but I think I'll take a notebook with me and try to steal some time between now and then.

Before I go, forthcoming additions to the playlist include Imogen Heap and tracks from Beck's new album.

Also, while you're procrastinating from whatever it is you're supposed to be doing right now, head over to this site and read something worthwhile. Note to James Effing Patterson: see, this is how you write a female character.