Okay.

I have destroyed the Earth. (It blocked my view of Venus.)

And now I need to figure out what I'm writing next. "Funny" would be a bonus, because that was some heavy shit, man, and I want something light after sending a character on a guilt trip so vast that they'll probably take away her shoelaces before they put her in a cell.

Hubby thinks I should do another one with the intrepid crew of the Inquisitive Tamandua, perhaps one where the computer malfunctions and hijinks ensue. Of course, "the computer malfunctions and hijinks ensue" stories are a dime a dozen and may even be on the list of stories that Strange Horizons doesn't want to see EVER EVER EVER, so I'd have to really make it stand out in a good way.

Nothing in the Bunny Hutch is really jumping out at me. "Monster on Vacation" could be good ("Don't make me turn this thing around!" where they're riding on a dragon or something), but the one I have in mind has basically the same punchline as the Xander-meets-a-dinosaur-in-Africa story.

I'd love to do a "modern-day small-town fantasy" (as opposed to urban fantasy), if only because I'm tired of stories that take place in Chicago or San Francisco or Boulder. Hm. Something might have just clicked for me there...

I'd also love to do that CatsCurious faery tale thing, but I'm still fairly creeped out and I'm not sure I could get over 5000 words out of it. Deadline's sneaking up for that one fast...as is the deadline for Writers of the Future. Gah.

Okay.

I have destroyed the Earth. (It blocked my view of Venus.)

And now I need to figure out what I'm writing next. "Funny" would be a bonus, because that was some heavy shit, man, and I want something light after sending a character on a guilt trip so vast that they'll probably take away her shoelaces before they put her in a cell.

Hubby thinks I should do another one with the intrepid crew of the Inquisitive Tamandua, perhaps one where the computer malfunctions and hijinks ensue. Of course, "the computer malfunctions and hijinks ensue" stories are a dime a dozen and may even be on the list of stories that Strange Horizons doesn't want to see EVER EVER EVER, so I'd have to really make it stand out in a good way.

Nothing in the Bunny Hutch is really jumping out at me. "Monster on Vacation" could be good ("Don't make me turn this thing around!" where they're riding on a dragon or something), but the one I have in mind has basically the same punchline as the Xander-meets-a-dinosaur-in-Africa story.

I'd love to do a "modern-day small-town fantasy" (as opposed to urban fantasy), if only because I'm tired of stories that take place in Chicago or San Francisco or Boulder. Hm. Something might have just clicked for me there...

I'd also love to do that CatsCurious faery tale thing, but I'm still fairly creeped out and I'm not sure I could get over 5000 words out of it. Deadline's sneaking up for that one fast...as is the deadline for Writers of the Future. Gah.

*reminder to self*

SHOW, DON'T TELL.

This is why I have the Hubby run through my stuff. He always gives me good advice, and he's given me fodder for the termite scene.

The termite scene, for those of you keeping score at home, has the same problem as the opening scene used to. In my (former) opening scene, she comes home to find her dog eaten by a praying mantis, but that's pretty much it. There was no emotion there, no gut-punch. Obviously, I've edited that scene now, and you (should) feel her grief right along with her.

And now I need to do the same thing with the termite scene. Instead of a bare-bones telling of her waking up to find her house being eaten by what are essentially big white cockroaches (dude, the Wikipedia termite article is so cool! Seriously, I had no idea), and the half-humorous anger at her insurance agent, I'm going to show what it feels like to wake up with mushy floorboards and sagging walls. *evil laughter* I've also added a line about how she and her husband helped build the house together, piling more angst onto her. Because that's how I roll.

*reminder to self*

SHOW, DON'T TELL.

This is why I have the Hubby run through my stuff. He always gives me good advice, and he's given me fodder for the termite scene.

The termite scene, for those of you keeping score at home, has the same problem as the opening scene used to. In my (former) opening scene, she comes home to find her dog eaten by a praying mantis, but that's pretty much it. There was no emotion there, no gut-punch. Obviously, I've edited that scene now, and you (should) feel her grief right along with her.

And now I need to do the same thing with the termite scene. Instead of a bare-bones telling of her waking up to find her house being eaten by what are essentially big white cockroaches (dude, the Wikipedia termite article is so cool! Seriously, I had no idea), and the half-humorous anger at her insurance agent, I'm going to show what it feels like to wake up with mushy floorboards and sagging walls. *evil laughter* I've also added a line about how she and her husband helped build the house together, piling more angst onto her. Because that's how I roll.