Kristine Kathryn Rusch

The Journal, Tuesday, October 16

Hey Folks, Raining here today. Drizzling, really, as the dregs of one hurricane or another move northeast from Baja. And I do mean drizzling. In the past four days, we’ve received an accumulation (in the rain gauge) of only 1.5″ of rain. Oh well. Here in the desert southwest, we really need the moisture. And the cooler temps are nice, to be sure. It just makes my commute (about 200 feet to and from the Adobe Hovel) a bit tricky. And of course, the constant overcast and the requisite cuddly sweat jacket would make it very easy to snuggle with … Read more

The Journal, Thursday, October 11

Hey Folks, Wow. I rolled out (actually, I “sat up” as I’ve been sleeping in a recliner) really late this morning to the sounds of my wife releasing the hound and the cat from their kennel-beds at 5 a.m. I’ve usually been up an hour or two before then. And Wow #2, I’m pretty obviously not ready to return to my usual schedule yet. I planned to alter my routine a bit this morning. I was going to move my writing ‘puter to the outside desk instead of all the way out to the Hovel. Moving it out there yesterday … Read more

The Journal, Tuesday, October 9

Hey Folks, Well, again today we’re off to see the wizard (cardio-electrician). That will happen early this afternoon. Then on November 1, I’ll have a followup with the cardio-plumber who implanted a stent. After that, I suspect I’ll be allowed to relax back into the semi-annual checkup routine. As far as I know, today the tech will check the implanted device. Then someone will check the stitches on the incision and tell me what I can and can’t do for the next few weeks and on into the future. I’m actually looking forward to that part of the conversation. I … Read more

The Journal, Saturday, October 6

Hey Folks, A lot of items in “Of Interest” today, some older just in case you missed them. I have a new favorite quote, culled from Joe Hartlaub’s post at the Kill Zone blog: “Grandparents and grandchildren have a special relationship, given that they have a common enemy.” (grin) Isn’t that wonderful? The operation went well (Thursday), with a couple of post-op glitches, natch. But long story short, I’m on the mend. A few days of extreme caution so I don’t pull any wires loose and then a few weeks of sort-of caution as my body gets over the physical … Read more

The Journal, Wednesday, October 3

Hey Folks, Some pretty good stuff in “Of Interest” today. There won’t be a Journal tomorrow or probably the next day, so I wanted to get this one out. In my absence, you might check on the websites from which I regularly post “Of Interest” topics: I typically visit Dean’s site every morning at https://deanwesleysmith.com. I often scroll down also to read the comments. I usually visit the Kill Zone blog at https://killzoneblog.com as well. Even some of their First Page Critiques are worth reading, but keep your salt shaker handy. (Tequila is optional.) I also recommend stopping by Kris … Read more

The Journal, Monday, October 1

Hey Folks, Wow. For me, September both flew by and slowly slipped through my fingers. I allowed my WIP, the third novel in my Nick Spalding series, to languish on the back burner while I recuperated and worked on a copyedit for a gentleman. But as October dawns, everything’s wrapping up nicely. The symptoms of my cold are mostly gone and I’ve recovered fully from the initial medical stuff. Just in time for Part 2, really, but it shouldn’t be nearly as big a deal. For one thing, this time it’s an outpatient procedure in a surgery center (not a … Read more

The Journal, Thursday, September 27

Hey Folks, Well, mostly editing today. In fact, all editing other than the brief time I spent online for items “Of Interest.” Some good ones today. I’ve also decided to re-enter the workforce by way of expanding my services to other writers. To that end, soon I’ll offer the following: ▪ First Chapter or Short Story Critique (fiction, up to 3000 words) — This consists of personalized instruction and recommendations on your specific scene and chapter openings, how to pull the reader into the story and keep him there, use of character names, and a great deal more. The cost … Read more

The Journal, Monday, September 24

Hey Folks, A LOT in “Of Interest” today. I even added a couple of them to my website Writer Resources page. Absolutely nothing to report from yesterday. But this morning, after spending a couple of days getting over this cold or whatever it is, I feel better enough that I can at least think. I mentioned a few days ago that I received a copyedit. It’s a re-edit, so it shouldn’t be all that difficult. Since it’s also prepaid, I’m going to set everything else aside and work on that until it’s finished. Some reshuffled priorities, in light of my … Read more

The Journal, Thursday, September 20

Hey Folks, A great “Of Interest” section today (playing catch up), but first some personal stuff, though it is related to writing, or in this case, not writing. So sorry about missing yesterday. I missed writing not only this Journal but fiction for a day too. My “streak” ended at 4 days. Today it’s back to 1. (grin) Here’s the rundown on the past couple of days: As you know, we went to Tucson on Tuesday for what we believed was an out-patient procedure. We expected to depart Tucson around 5 p.m. Then the following morning, I would resume my … Read more

The Journal, Tuesday, September 18

Hey Folks, Welcome to new subscriber Dianne. Glad you’re aboard. I hope you get something of value out of the journal. The Journal apparently is a well-kept secret. That makes the subscribers a kind of elite group. Each of you is one of only 56 folks who currently enjoy these private glimpses and “Of Interest” tidbits. (grin) I’m very glad you’re out there. And it isn’t all one-sided. Thanks to subscriber Céline who this very morning gave me some invaluable advice re naming conventions in France, where my WIP is set. *** I received an email from another friend noting … Read more