Cover me

The adorable cover for Best Lesbian Romance 2009, which contains a reprint of my story "In Flight," a sweet and sexy romance about learning to trust again, with bonus! birds of prey.

Available for pre-order now!

How did this happen?!

I’ve never hidden the fact that cooking isn’t something I enjoy. It’s just not my thing. I suspect it has something to do with the transient nature of the product; as an artist, I like to create things that last. Which doesn’t explain my love of music, but I suppose you can record it and re-listen to it—plus I get a stronger visceral experience from listening to music than I do from eating. I’m definitely not a food connoisseur; I like fairly simple, basic dishes. Ken’s the same way on pretty much all accounts (although I don’t know if the transience is a factor).

Anyway. We cook because it’s better for us than eating processed food all the time. I gather and try new recipes to avoid getting bored (“Not this again!”) and to find easier things to make (“Ooh, I can throw all these ingredients in the crock pot in the morning and then not have to think about dinner for the rest of the day!”)

So how did I end up having to cook for other people four nights in a row this week?!

Last night we had some friends over to do some Black Oak Lodge plotting and planning. Ken actually did most of the work on the honey-mustard chicken and black bean burritos, bless him, although I wielded the food processor and chopped three onions (because two would be needed for future recipes), and made salad, and set the table, yadda yadda.

Tonight’s progressive dinner through the Historic District somehow mutated into a potluck, so I’m making a white trash version of scalloped potatoes (frozen hash browns, butter, cream of chicken soup, and Velveeta. And since the scary blocks of Velveeta come twice as big as I needed, I’m making this on Xmas Day, too. Deal with it.) because they’re easy and frighteningly tasty. Although I will probably avoid them because I’m trying to lose weight.

Tomorrow night is our Shire Yule party, and we’re making a beef stew in the crockpot. Rah.

Sunday we’re hosting a Men’s Italian Costuming Overview class because Ken’s teaching it, so we’re making sloppy joe’s in the crockpot. Of course, I’ll have to prep this before I leave for the LARA meeting in the morning.

And then, by the gods, I’m going to find somebody else to cook for a while. (Do you know you can order Pizza Hut online?!)

Ah, life

Story is in the mail, as are the four contracts. On the downside, my massage therapist cancelled on me last night, leaving me with a stiff neck and the remains of a migraine to deal with on my own. I was so looking forward to my chiropractic appointment this morning!

So now I’m home, and I’ve mostly cleaned off my desk (sorted mail, paid bills), put away all my laundry, and unpacked everything else. The cleaning lady is here, thank goodness. I went to the grocery store after my chiro appt so we have food again. Now I’m going to see how much e-mail I can churn through in the next hour or so, which also includes checking edits on a story and responding with any changes… Ah, the mundane home life returns with a vengeance!

Did you miss me?

Home, and officially swamped, with a short story due now and four contracts to review, print, sign, and mail.

The mail also brought comp copies of

• Bedding Down, containing the Sophie Mouette wintery novella “Hidden Treasure."
  
• Never Have the Same Sex Twice, a combo fiction and how-to book edited by Alison Tyler, which contains an excerpt of my story “Breakfast in Bed” as well as something I posted in a comment on Lust Bites about music. (Amazingly enough, I didn’t even mention Styx!)
  

Mmm, comp copy goodness!

More soon, as I pull my life back together!

How have you all been?