I finished the revisions on The Firma Sisters and the Stake-a-tine of Death last night. Now it's being proofread by someone other than myself, thank Zeus, and read by three juveniles as well as others. I may need to make further revisions due to the feedback I receive. Hopefully, there won't be a lot of revisions. I plan to start reading the book again in a couple of days to look for errors.
 
 
Well, the goddess Denise was wrong. The appendix wasn't infected after all, but the adhesions made up for it. Now they're all gone. Yeah!

Writing and writing and writing. And then some more. Plus I need to write the description of my character in the book (adult mystery) my writers group and I are writing together. And soon I've got to start writing the 2010 Chez Timpko News. 

As Isis Firma says, by Zeus almighty, the pressure is mounting.
 
Writing Again 08/10/2010
 
Stupid illnesses have plagued me off and on (mostly on) since April. Antibiotics are me. When illness is as painful as this last one was, I get very irked.

Illness and very serious illness has struck family and several people I know. I am upset, stunned, and sad.

A very close friend, who I rarely get a chance to see in person due to my driving limitations, is getting married in October. I am more than quite pleased.

My third greatniece Allison just turned 3 months. I am very happy.

I bought the Mousefertiti sculpture from Alan F. Beck (www.alanfbeck.com). I am excited and amused.

Emotions fuel writing, and I'm writing. Changes to The Firma Sisters and the Stake-a-tine of Death go well.
   
 
 
The stake-a-tine originated when I was 12 years old. Its design amusingly predicted my ultimate career as a technical writer (note that I'm not describing the first stake-a-tine here). The current design of the stake-a-tine, however, surpasses that initial design, which was totally impractical. The intriguing features of the new stake-a-tine just gave me a very cool idea for the last scene in The Firma Twins and the Flute of Enchantment. 

I began chapter 7 last night.
 
 
I admire people who have abundant energy and can hold a day job, write a novel, do housework, take care of other duties, and write a blog every day. Because, unfortunately, I can't do all that, and I'm envious of those who can.
 
That being said, I'm feeling somewhat proud that, despite being sick 3 out of the last 5 weeks, writing only at night and during the weekends, and taking a weekend off for research, Chapter 5 of the Flute of Enchantment is nearly done. As of April 17, 2010, only the first page of the novel was complete, and I hadn't finished the detailed plotting. So I am making headway, and I've written 35 pages of quality material. At least, I think it's pretty good, except for the typos.  
 
 
This past weekend I spent doing research for the Flute of Enchantment. Although the book is plotted, I wanted some inspiration for the chapters I'm beginning to write. So my husband and I attended Balticon, the science fiction convention where we first met 29 years ago. On the way home yesterday, we visited friends who we don't see often enough and had dinner with other friends who we likewise don't see as often as we would like. It was a wonderful weekend. 

At the con, my husband bought a book I began reading: Your Hate Mail Will Be Graded by John Scalzi. It is a wonderfully funny, astute, and well-written book. I haven't finished reading it yet, but I'm looking forward to the next time I pick it up.

Oh, yes, I should mention that, when (I'm adopting the positive attitude here and not saying if) my books are published, I know the author doesn't have the last word on the title of the books or the artwork on their covers. In my dream fantasy, I would call them The Firma Twins and the Stake-a-tine of Death and The Firma Twins and the Flute of Enchantment by D. Harlow Timpko. The artist would be one of my favorite artists. Of course, one must have dreams.  
 
 
At long last, I finished the fourth chapter. The end of that chapter needed to introduce a particularly important character. It took me a while to think of how exactly to do so, and I'm very happy with it.

I think I should change the titles of the books to The Firma Twins and the Stake-a-tine of Death and The Firma Twins and the Flute of Enchantment to attract the boy audience as well as the girl audience. Since my first reader (and my first fan, a very cool thing) is a boy, once boys read the books, I have no doubt the books will speak for themselves. The origin of the stake-a-tine, although it's changed considerably in description and somewhat in use in the books, was in the stories I told my younger cousins, most of whom are male, when I was a kid. They still talk about those stories.  

I should also publish the books under "D. Harlow Timpko," not my full name for the same reason as the title change.