Valeria sitting on my husband.  As you see her training as a writer's cat continues. :)  Advanced shoulder sitting while writer reads, in this case.

Her name is Valeria Victrix -- Val, for short, and also Brownie :) -- after the little girl character in Operation Chaos.  this is from Yesterday and our friend Charles, who would like to keep her, is holding her.  We'll see if he DESERVES her.

Our vet said about three weeks.  Not eating yet, nursing well but the night feedings are killing me.  Her right eye is almost okay today.  I'll take picture later.  She climbs all over me and caught on to "writer surpervisor is my job" by sitting on the keyboard shelf and watching my fingers.

Orphan kitten.  girl.  Very young  Sleeping in my bra.
Send good thoughts.  She's very young.

In the nineteen eighties when Solidarity looked like they had a chance against the government of Poland, the first significant crack behind the iron curtain since the Prague spring, a whisper went around "Light a candle."

I lived in Portugal then and our media assured us it was all very complicated and we just couldn't know what to do.  We knew exactly what to do.  We lit candles.  Real ones, on my parents' cement and stone balcony, electrical ones in the windows of those houses that didn't have a balcony.

Did it help?  I don't know.  The media didn't make much of it -- if they mentioned it at all -- but these things have a way of being known and when entire villages in Europe glowed at night with candles in the windows and on balconies... well... I figure if word got back to Poland, the bad buys knew we were watching.  And we weren't amused.

Governments need to take in account all sorts of things.  Like, will they have to negotiate with the bastards if something happens requiring such?  Also, one of the rules I learned early in writing was never criticize an editor to another editor -- no matter how much they hate each other, they still project.  They'll think "if she says that about so and so, what will she say about me?"  Even if it's a joke about how badly your book was copyedited.  In the same way governments tend to support others that have the power right now, or at least not attack them, unless provoked beyond endurance, because, well  "It could be me next."

We the people have no such restrictions and SHOULD have no moral confusion.  What's going on in Iran is evil.  Is the guy the opposition could install only marginally less evil?  Perhaps.  But even if movement toward freedom is incremental, it should be encouraged.

Light a candle.  Light one today.

As for me, a candle will burn on my balcony from today until the people of Iran are free from the tyranny that has stomped them since 79.  If for a week or the rest of my life, I don't know.  And I don't care.  I'll stand with those willing to fight and die on the streets for their freedom.

Solidarity is more than a union in Poland.

*Considering how most of my days are still being devoted to sleeping -- I think this grief thing is more difficult than I thought! -- I don't know how coherent it is, but...*

http://madgeniusclub.blogspot.com/

*This is the novel I'm trying to finish, slightly hampered by fact I'm NOT in a funny mood just now.  Ah well, maybe tomorrow.*

A French Polished Murder

By Elise Hyatt

The Fast And the Electrically Furious

We were thirty years old – and, in his case, a couple of months -- when I came to the sad conclusion that I would have to murder my friend Benedict Colm.

This was as sad as it was necessary, but there was no getting from the fact as my son, Enoch – whom I called E in an attempt to save him therapy bills as he got older – came speeding into the living room, atop Ben’s Christmas gift to him.

The gift was an electric toy motorcycle with a top speed of ten miles per hour, an acceleration that might seem impossible for a small boy to achieve in a home that was less than seventy feet in either direction, but which E managed, quite often.

I heard the horn blare a moment before E came riding in and, with the practice born of two weeks of terror, dove behind the sofa, while Ben, who stood square in the middle of the living room, his arms crossed on his chest, became an impromptu traffic circle.

E sped around him once, twice, then headed the other way, at an increased velocity.

( Read more... )

Dejah Thoris Burroughs Carter Hoyt, June 12 1989 - June 8 2009

She was the cutest ball of fur you ever saw.  For reasons that would take too long to explain, Dan and I broke into the sun room where she was locked -- away from her mom.  I think she was maybe four weeks old, all fluff and meows.

We bottle raised her and her two brothers -- not easy since I had a full time job as a translator at the time.  I always thought it was because of that that she was a little shy.  Not socialized enough.  Didn't like being held.  However when Dan lay down on the floor to read, she would climb between his shoulder blades and fall asleep.

When we put wood down in the hallway of the house in Charlotte, she escaped from where we had her locked up and hid under the neighbor's porch for two days, refusing to come out.  Dan had to go under there to get her.  The fit was so tight, he had to strip to his underwear to get her.  

As she became tamer with time, Dan was her special person.  She used to sit on the bed, on my side, and give me dirty looks when I came to bed, because I was clearly a third wheel.

When we moved from Charlotte, for various reasons, (mostly renting) the cats ended up outdoors.  DT took up hunting.  She could bring down anything, from rabbits to birds.  In Columbia, SC she got me involved with raptor rescue by bringing down a hawk (I think) that we then nursed to health.  This while she had a bell on.

When we lived in Manitou Springs and traveled a lot, we boarded the cats while we were gone.  If DT got wind she was going to be boarded, she'd run all over the neighborhood to avoid us.  More than once we left on vacation and left instructions with our friend Charles to the tune of "When she comes to eat, grab her and take her to the vet for boarding."   By this time, we'd have had them indoors only, but her friends, Pete and Randy liked being outdoors and so she did too.  If we tried to bring her in she'd cry her heart out to join them.

She was the youngest of the first batch of our cats and answered to 'baby girl" as readilly as to "DT".  She always answerd to Dan, no matter what he called her, though. 

When first Randy then Pete died, we brought DT and Pixie inside.  She was Pixie's best friend, comforter and nurse as he declined and died, four years ago.  I don't care what animal experts say, she missed him till today.

If she loved you, she groomed you -- usually wildly.  We called it "hair by DT" when she licked your hair so it was all at odd angles.  If you weren't feeling well, she crawled in bed with you and did this.  Lately she was afraid one of us would think she didn't love us.  She'd walk between us, licking one and then the next.

She's had diabetes for six months, and we've been giving her insulin morning and night.  When she seized twice last week while I was away, we thought it was the diabetes.  But when I came home on Friday she couldn't close her mouth and had bloody drool.  I thought "tooth.  It has to be tooth."  But we took her in today, and it turned out she had cancer of the jaw which mestatized all over her lungs and spine.  She was in pain and she was only going to get worse.  This cancer was very aggressive.  It couldn't have been there more than two weeks.

We did what we had to do.

At times like this, I wish I had more faith in a life after this.  I believe there is a G-d, but that doesn't necessarily imply a belief in the after life. 

Heinlein said it's entirely possible normal people die and disappear forever, but not "saints".  Well, I don't know about saints.  And I know every theology is fuzzy on the afterlife of cats.

But tonight I want to believe there is a rainbow bridge and that she's there, with Pete and Pixel, all of them young and hale again, waiting for us.  Until we meet again.

Now you can too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lj-x9ygQEGA

You know you've lived with a book for too long when the only "last line" that feels right is "And she was done."  Messages from Fred, anybody?

(Though the line stands.  It works for the book.)

Has it been a week?  I promise I'll blog more regularly once books are turned in. :)

Meawhile, I'm giving away a nifty darkship thieves tshirt at MGC, so hye thee there!

http://madgeniusclub.blogspot.com/

http://madgeniusclub.blogspot.com/

Other than that, deep in Kay-Ho.  Yes, I know how bad that sounds, but I finally figured out how to fix the bits that are sticking out to make her less of the "helpless victim."

I'm still NOT able to let her run off to Ireland to be a pirate, but it will do.  History will NOT be flaunted -- and all that.


Sarah

I've been sick. I'm late on books. I haven't been able to play in my own diner in days. So I find myself in the store, talking back at the music in the ceiling. There was Five For Fighting's Superman playing and I yelled back "Oh, yeah, try not being faster than a speeding bullet." I know I play with the theme of "superpowers have a price" in the Shifter series, but honest to BOG, at least becoming an animal has a larger downside than being bullet proof.

This song definitely wins the winey-*ssed lyrics prize.

Here are a few more things I'd like to have said:

 

Five For Fighting - Superman (It's Not Easy)

 

I can’t stand to fly

Oh, yeah? Try it with security lines, buster.

I’m not that naive

WHAT does this have to do with no being able to fly?

I’m just out to find
The better part of me

Perhaps you should look behind the sofa cushions.  I find when people set out to find themselves, if they just do a really good spring cleaning, they usually get more out of it than by going on a spree.  Of course, clearly it's more fun going on a spree.

........

It’s not easy to be me
 

Where we find that Superman is REALLY twelve and hasn't yet discovered it's not easy being anyone.

Wish that I could cry


Onions are good for that.  Or did they perform a tearductomy.

Fall upon my knees

Oh, sweetie, I'm so not touching THAT with a ten foot pole.

Find a way to lie
About a home I’ll never see

No one wants to hear you lie whine  boliviate about the home you'll never see.  Trust me.  Geez, like the Roman imperial guard lamenting their lost Germanic homeland.  But none wanted to go back.

It may sound absurd

It DOES sound absurd.  Message from Fred, much?

But don’t be naive

Excuse me, have we been introduced?

Even heroes have the right to bleed

Now there's a right to fight for.  "We MUST fight for our right to bleed."  Uh uh.  Shakespeare said it better.  "If you cut us, do we not bleed?"  In fact I declare a moratorium on lyrics reprising Shakespeare.

I may be disturbed  whiney

Fixed it for you
 
But won’t you concede

Anything, if it will stop you playing the watering pot from public location speakers, thank you much.

Even heroes have the right to dream

Yes, but must they TALK in their sleep.

It’s not easy to be me

Oy, vey, it's not easy to LISTEN to you.

 

( Read more... )

If you happen to be in the area, please come say "hi!".

Sci-Fi/Fantasy - The Perception	Sarah Hoyt Daniel Hogan Jeff DeLuzio Sarah Monette	5/1/2009 18:00	0h50	Poolside 1
What is the general perception of genre writing? Pros and cons of genre writing vs. traditional fiction.

Opening Ceremonies	Rasmus Lerdorf Jon "maddog" Hall Jane McGonigal Wil Wheaton Windell Oskay Sarah Hoyt Matt Arnold	5/1/2009 20:00	0h50	Ballrooms 7/8
After the countdown ticks to zero, Tux will welcome you to the convention, and you will hear from our guests of honor!

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly	David Crampton Mary Robinette Kowal Sarah Hoyt Dan Hoyt Elizabeth Bear Cherie Priest Jeff DeLuzio Sarah Monette	5/2/2009 13:00	0h50	Poolside 1
Character Development. Bringing your imaginary friends to life. Discussion of what makes a character live on the page. Heroes, villains, supporters. Different methods and ways of making your characters real to your audience.

To See a Universe in a Grain of Sand	Sarah Hoyt Dan Hoyt Elizabeth Bear Daniel Hogan Sarah Monette Sarah Zettel	5/2/2009 15:00	0h50	Columbia
Worldbuilding. How to create your universe.

Lie to Me!	John Scalzi Mary Robinette Kowal Sarah Hoyt Elizabeth Bear	5/2/2009 19:00	0h50	Poolside 1
Authors telling lies....what will happen next?! (PS - the audience gets to lie too!)

Liar Liars!	Catherynne M. Valente Sarah Hoyt Brian Briggs Cherie Priest	5/2/2009 8:00	0h50	Poolside 1
Discussing lying in fiction, unreliable narrators, fake memoirs and histories, authority in prose. Books like The Things They Carried that play with the idea of the author as a liar to great effect.

Dancing with Wolves - And Vamps!	Sarah Hoyt Dan Hoyt Elizabeth Bear	5/3/2009 10:00	0h50	Poolside 1
Fantasy allows for the ultimate "bad boy" romances. Your lover ripping your heart out can be literal if he's a vampire. Such stories can be fun, others horrifying. What makes a good love story, what's just plain disturbing and why?

Finding Your Voice	Mary Robinette Kowal Sarah Hoyt Dan Hoyt Elizabeth Bear Sarah Monette	5/3/2009 11:00	0h50	Poolside 1
1st Person vs 3rd Person writing. Discussion of pros and cons of different voices in writing. Benefits of the "God" point of view for an author and a reader. Benefits of the main character as narrator for the author and reader. Limitations of both.

Book Signing	Catherynne M. Valente John Scalzi Jim C. Hines Wil Wheaton Sarah Hoyt Dan Hoyt Elizabeth Bear Daniel Hogan Brian Briggs	5/3/2009 9:00	0h50	Ballrooms 7/8
Come meet some of our great authors and get your book signed. There may or may not even be readings done by some of them - how well can you beg?

Writer's Workshop Special	Sarah Hoyt	May 2, 2009 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm	2h	Boardroom
A special treat for participants. Ms. Hoyt will be doing some writing exercises and discussing the craft with you.

I didn't think my voice was yet QUITE up to a full short story, so this is me reading the beginning of Draw One In The Dark.  I'll do the opening of the other novels too, over the next few weeks, and eventually post it on my site.  For now, after much bugging of my friend Kate Paulk, (and Rob Hampson, and Francis Turner) it's hosted here:

http://www.sff.net/people/katepaulk/xtra/dw_a0045.mp3

So excited! promotional t-shirts for DST here. Attached picture modeled by younger boy who is wearing it back to school. One of them is being donated to the Penguin Con auction, others going to members of my writers' group -- you know who you are. About ten left. I MUST think of contests so you guys can win them. They look terrific! Superb art by Alan Pollack!

Writing madly on the final phase of an historical novel called "No Other Wish But His" -- a fictionalized version of the life of Katherine Howard which one of my writers' group members has nicknamed Kay Ho. (G)

A few updates:  As you can tell I have indeed survived Luna con.  For those who heard me there, my voice is now back -- which means podcast tomorrow.  (Yay, right?)

I'm now on face book under Sarah A. Hoyt.  I'm also twittering as sarahahoyt, if you feel a burning desire to know what I had for breakfast or -- more likley -- when the next book is coming out.

And speaking of next books, two quick updates and covers.

My book Dipped Stripped And Dead, under the pen name Elise Hyatt has a cover and a release date.  It's coming out in October 09 and this is the cover:  It's the fluffiest book I've ever written, bar none, but it was a lot of fun.  Samples aren't up, yet, but I'll try to get them up tonight and I'll let you know as soon as they go up.


Also, while at Luna con I found out I had a cover for my book Darkship Thieves, which is coming out January next year.  Is this a cool cover or what?

    Sample pages -- unedited and from a version back -- here:

http://darkship.sarahahoyt.com/

And now I shall return to my interrupted Kay Ho.... ;)

If anyone is attending Lunacon, or considering attending, and wants to stop by and say "HI", here's my schedule of panels.


http://www.lunacon.net/lists_programs_byparticipant.asp?p=1607

Programs scheduled as of 3/18/2009 6:41:31 PM EST::
     Friday Total Events This Day: 1
     Track Start Time End Time Room
     Reading & Signings 3/20/2009 7:30:00 PM - 8:00:00 PM Elija Budd
     Title:  Reading: Sarah Hoyt
     Description:
     Participants:  Sarah Hoyt,


     Saturday Total Events This Day: 3
     Track Start Time End Time Room
     After Dark 3/21/2009 11:00:00 PM - 12:00:00 AM Brundage A
     Title:  Yes, You CAN suck my blood, but you have to take me to dinner first
     Description:  The vampire as a romantic interest, ranging from the attraction of all things dark to vampires who are, in fact, nice guys who just happen to suck blood. (And what IS the point of the latter?)
     Participants:  Sarah Hoyt, Kathryn Richards, Darrell Schweitzer,


     Literature 3/21/2009 12:00:00 PM - 1:00:00 PM Brundage A
     Title:  The Economics of Fantasy
     Description:  If they're so powerful, why aren't they rich? Does anyone else wonder about the poor apprentice, the neglected mage, the despised witch? Yes, yes, we know, when someone is too powerful, fear sets in against them. BUT fear only sets in if they're powerful in a material way. Don't give us "we wouldn't use our power for money." Humans do everything for money. So... how come the mages aren't also the noblemen?
     Participants:  Sam Butler, Louis Epstein, Sarah Hoyt[M], Peter Liverakos, Jeff Lyman,


     Reading & Signings 3/21/2009 7:00:00 PM - 8:00:00 PM Westchester Assembly
     Title:  Autographing: Sarah Hoyt, Daniel Hoyt, Robert Hoyt
     Description:
     Participants:  Sarah Hoyt, Daniel Hoyt, Robert Hoyt,


     Sunday Total Events This Day: 1
     Literature 3/22/2009 11:00:00 AM - 12:00:00 PM Birch
     Title:  The Baen Traveling Slide Show
     Description:  Highlighting some of the many Baen authors and artsts at Lunacon.
     Participants:  Eric Flint, Mike Flynn, Dave Freer, Sarah Hoyt, Jim Minz,

Last night, at about 2 am I found myself considering asking Dan to take me to emergency.  I couldn't breathe and I'm fairly sure your bronchi aren't something you should be able to listen to like a wind orchestra.  Every minute it seemed like my wind pipe was more constricted and I was choking to death.  And then I realized that I when we asked for the feather bedding to be removed from the room, they hadn't thought the coverlets on the bed needed to be removed.  Once they were removed, I was able to breathe almost instantly, and I'm feeling much better today than yesterday.  so those of you who saw me gasping and looking like I was dying yesterday -- it's not the black plague, it's my old friend an allergy to feathers.

This morning I have discovered that a writer is a perfect mechanism for the distilling of caffeine from coffee -- needing only frequent trips to the bathroom.

After staying up ridiculous late, hanging out with guests of honor Gordon and Ilona Andrews, coffee and coke are sort of the stuff of life.

After participating in a sedate panel on dragons, where I believe I encouraged the audience to throw fruit at us -- I was VERY sleepy  and my voice hasn't recovered from the horrible night -- I am now sitting at a panel with the guests of honor, my son Robert Hoyt and virtual guest Mike Stackpole, participating through second life, about urban fantasy.

A question was thrown to me and I believe I was thoroughly inane in my answer, as I was trying to figure out how much I could say before my voice died altogether.

More to come....

Here I am at lovely Opus Fest in Denver, CO. The weather is nice and the fans are nice and con organizers are possibly the nicest I've ever seen to fans.

It would be lots of fun if I weren't recovering from pneumonia.

So far I've been present at the opening ceremonies where the importance of showering was greatly emphasized (in a good way, truly. It was funny.)

Then there was the vampire panel, where I found out that notwithstanding OMike's being convinced that I have legions of gay vampires.

(Unless three is now a legion this is unlikely) I found that I’m not nearly fascinated enough by vampires to read everything ever read containing a vampire. However my copannelists were nice people and seemed to have a lot of fun. Then I had a reading where I avoided reading at all, instead talking meanderingly about my writing. And now I have a break till the dinner with writers at five pm. Tomorrow I have a more solid schedule, as per previous post. If you’re in Denver, come out and see me. Sarah PS - Pardon the weird font. Sometimes my eee does this. I need too figure out if there’s a patch.

Over at Lucienne Diver's (my wonderful agent) blog, I have a post up in her ongoing series "Gargoyles and Shifters and Demons, Oh My!

(http://varkat.livejournal.com/71498.html)