If You're Shopping for Gifts that Don't Need Shipping for a Writer

1) My hard drive failed and so did the drive I’d been backing it up to, so the last three weeks I’ve been working on assorted laptops, an ipad, and actual, retro PEN AND PAPER. Which I actually use a lot, so that wasn’t too bad. But thanks entirely to Wayne, I’m back up on the main machine and now backing up to three locations, including off-site. Whee. Yet again I learn a life lesson in my forties that I should have absorbed two decades or more earlier.
2) Clarion West. I’ve been helping out in the classroom and coordinating some of the volunteers, which has occupied a chunk of time. A number of old friends have swung through town, including the ever wonderful Blounts and a rare Rachel Swirsky manifestation, which is always welcome. It’s also six weeks with two events each week, the reading and the subsequent party. Not that I’m complaining – last night’s was swell, and it was great to see so many people, including the passle of students, still valiantly producing stories and critting each other’s work. Next week Kelly Link and Gavin Grant will be reading, which should be FABULOUS, so I hope to see a lot of you locals there.

I am plugging away at the Clarion West Write-a-thon and got at least 2k per day done this week, which feels great! I have been very bad about mailing my sponsors so I am going to send two stories to everyone who donates in my name before the write-a-thon ends. There’s still time, and a sum as small as a dollar will net you close to 10,000 words of new Rambo wordage. 😉 Stretch goal, a la Kickstarter: If I get 20 sponsors, I will make that 15k.

Plus! ArmadilloCon at the end of this month. Yahoo!

I did a number of interviews on my YouTube channel to promote a Kickstarter I’m part of, a trio of theme anthologies from Zombies Need Brains. Here they are, collected.

Cat interviews Andrija Popovic about his contribution to upcoming book, Noir, edited by David B. Coe and John Zakour, produced by Zombies Need Brains.

Cat interviews Juliet Kemp about their contribution to upcoming science fiction theme anthology, Brave New Worlds, edited by S.C. Butler and Joshua Palmatier and produced by Zombies Need Brains.

Cat interviews David B. Coe about his upcoming anthology, NOIR, co-edited with John Zakour, produced by Zombies Need Brains.

Cat interviews writer Jacey Bedford about her contribution to upcoming science fiction theme anthology, Brave New Worlds, edited by S.C. Butler and Joshua Palmatier and produced by Zombies Need Brains.

Cat interviews writer José Pablo Iriarte about their contribution to upcoming science fiction theme anthology, Shattering the Glass Slipper, edited by Crystal Sarakas and Rhondi Salsitz, and produced by Zombies Need Brains.