Prepping for the fun

October already. The season of The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! Except I think I shan’t be decortating for Hallowe’en this year, because I’ll be gone for most of the month. It’s going to be a fun and busy 31 days!

Here’s what I’ve got on the schedule:

Great Western War, October 8–10. I’m only going for the three days, because Ken’s out of town. Luckily we have a cat sitter! Also, I’ll be carpooling/sharing a hotel room with a friend who’s never been to War before, and she’s thrilled about that arrangement. Makes me feel good I can help her out!

New Technology Workshop & Two Book Signings, October 14–17. I’m sooo excited about this Oregon Writers Network workshop: all about how publishing is changing at a mind-bogglingly fast rate, and how to jump on that speeding bullet train of publishing via Kindle, Smashwords, CreateSpace, and more. I’ll also be doing book signings in Lincoln City and Portland with Shanna Germain and Kristina Wright, promoting Fairy Tale Lust and Alison’s Wonderland. Join us if you can! At the Portland signing/reading, there will be a contest for best fairy outfit!

Styx shows in Florida, October 20–25. I barely get home from the Oregon trip before I turn around and fly out to Florida for not one, not two, but three Styx shows! They’re doing a series of special concerts, the entire albums of The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight back-to-back, and I for one cannot wait to experience such a smorgasbord of incredible classic rock! Plus I get to hang out with the most fabulous Helen, and hopefully get the chance to see Zan, Rik, Rowdy, Dean, and even a friend from high school!

Rick Springfield book signing, October 29. He’s written an autobiography, and is doing a talk/signing in LA. This is why I love love love living in southern California!

Dr. Horrible’s Singalong Blog charity event, October 30. Another reason why I love living here! Dr. Horrible on the big screen, to raise money for Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, which “keeps music alive in our schools and communities by donating musical instruments to under-funded music programs, giving youngsters the many benefits of music education.” Even if I didn’t care about the event (which I do, I do!), I’d want to support a fantastic charity like this.

Hallowe’en (you know the date). Oddly, I have no specific plans for the evening. Morgana and Brian will be out of town… What I want to do is borrow a child or two and go trick-or-treating slightly south of here because I’ve heard a certain celebrity dresses up to hand out candy near where a friend of mine lives, but…I’m so not a stalker. Really. Honest.  ;-)

So, yeah, October’s kinda packed. November is looking pretty mild by comparison; the only hard-scheduled things of note are Coronation/Queen’s Champion and Thanksgiving, the latter which we shall be hosting for my sister, brother-in-law, two kids plus one friend-of-kid, and possibly Ken’s mom. I’m pondering NaNoWriMo, but if I do it, it will be unofficially, because I’ve already written the first 2.5 chapters of the novel I’d like to do.

What are your plans as the days turn colder (well, everywhere except southern California, where we’ve been having record-breaking temperatures, and the southern hemisphere, that is)?