Well, jaylake and scalzifeed are doing it, and since I actually have something out there this year...

...Incident on a Small Colony was officially published in December '06 (Baen's Universe). It's classified as a novella, falling into the 20K-40K word category--my MacWord count came in at about 28K. If you liked it and think it merits an award nom, many thanks. I have no idea who are the other contenders and there's likely enough firepower out there to blow Incident out of the water, but I'll throw it out there anyway.

UPDATE: You need a subscription to read the story. I don't know if that changes once the story is no longer current.

We now return you to your regularly scheduled blog.

Wrote this morning. This afternoon, facial and hot stone massage. My skin looks great, and I am a happy puddle.

I am going to set up a regular shoulder/upper back massage because that's a tight spot. I should probably look into a new chair, too--maybe when I get the D&A for Endgame.

Anyone have recs for office chairs? I've heard all about Aerons, but I've also heard that there are less expensive alternatives that work just as well.

"I just sit at the typewriter and curse a bit."

(PG Wodehouse in Collier's 31 August 1956, on his writing technique.

...about Britney Spears. Passed out at a nightclub. Snatch shots. D-I-V-O-R-C-E. Fed-Ex. With Paris. Without Paris. I have heard all these terms--well, except 'snatch shot,' which is undeniably crude**, but shorter and more to the point than the twee "photographed without her panties"--from adults who should be ashamed of themselves for reporting this tripe. I change the station, and There She Is Again.

Showing a story about her, followed by a Cialis commercial, takes real timing.

Keith Olbermann--I know it's a story your producers force you to cover. You could at least wear a fake nose during that part of the newscast in order to hide your identity.

They say "The Public Wants To Know." Who is this Public of which they speak? No one I know *cares*. And they're smart, well-informed folk. With televisions.

For the record, I also don't care about Paris, Lindsay, Brangelina, who Jennifer is kissing now, or American Idol in any way, shape, or form. One of my 2007 resolutions is to continue this trend.

**I have moments of undeniable crudity. I used to shock my dad, the Marine. I hide it until I can't stand it anymore. I have been called "tasteless" in the past. I will likely, at some point, be called "tasteless" in the future.