June ’20 State of the Author

Packing for FoolzCon.

Also working on edits and revisions to the next Familiars novel. J-Familiar is well in progress, and I’ve got the stories for Familiar Vows sketched out, as well as two of them started. I’ll probably put those on hold for the moment since I’ve got to get some other things done before Day Job work resumes in mid-July.

The gardens are starting to settle into the summer doldrums. May was the driest May since records have been kept (1890 or so), which does not bode well for the rest of the summer. May is supposed to be our wettest month. We need moisture to get moisture, but instead we’re officially in moderate drought. With a lot of dry grass and fuels from the moist autumn and winter. This tends to lead to moments of flaming interest.

I’m reading some interesting history books, including one about the steps leading to the American Revolution by T. H. Breen that opens some new historical ground. It’s not as fast of a read as some of his earlier work, but intellectual history (history of ideas) tends to be slower going than some other sub-disciplines. The history of civilization as told by walls is also good. I do wish that one had footnotes, because he makes some extraordinary claims that I’d like to check the evidence on. The history of German nationalism and identity is, well, it’s a tome but a good tome, and the author’s arguments are intriguing. Again, I’m not sure I agree with some of them, but it’s nice to see a history of Germany that doesn’t take a Berlin-centric view [Holy Roman Empire bad, unified Germany good.]