escape yourself and gravity

I'm the only one in the office at my second job today. Not super exciting, for sure, especially since I have literally nothing to do except check our Facebook page a few times. Not a thrilling way to spend 7 hours. Only... *checks watch* 2.5 hours to go.

Normally on days like this, I can ask my boss for something to work on, but she's not here. The other three people who work in the office get paid holidays, so obviously they're not here on a city holiday. The front desk person is here, but he's across the building. And the cleaning person is here, but she's all over. Aside from that, it's me and my Nox Arcana Christmas albums and my boredom.

I've seen The Force Awakens twice now. The first time at an almost-midnight showing a week ago, the second as my Christmas present to my folks on Saturday. I loved it. Mom and Dad not so much. I wonder if it's a generational thing. Star Wars was my childhood, but they were already adults when they fell in love with it.

We survived the strong storms that came through Indiana yesterday. Everyone was bitching about how it shouldn't be 65 in December, but I was loving it. I'm ready for a few sunny days, though. I love storms, but what we got yesterday was the barest hint of bad weather, along with horrific wind and annoying rain. I want the thunder and lightning and no tornadoes, please. But oh well. At least it's not snow. :D

I'm not much in the Christmas spirit this year. It's hard to feel Christmassy when you can't afford to give much in the way of presents. And I know I just commented to someone that my favorite childhood Christmas was the year my dad's company closed and he scrounged Christmas out of the Dumpster as they were cleaning out the office building and warehouse, but still. It's hard to shake that feeling of inadequacy.

Then again, I'm giving my dad a copy of one of my novels this year. That's a good feeling on so many levels.

So how's everyone here at LJ?

Writing projects update:
I published a holiday-themed fantasy romance on the 21st. The world my fantasy novels take place in doesn't have Christmas, of course, but it celebrates Longnight, which is the Winter Solstice, so I decided to get all seasonally appropriate with winter and solstice fiction.

The Midwinter Royal: A Romance of Tamnen - Amazon | nook | Smashwords

Izbel Cantara of the Fifth Family needs a husband if she wants to keep her family's estate. She travels to the king's midwinter celebrations, the traditional time for the nobility to arrange marriage contracts, in hopes of finding an alternate to marrying her conniving cousin Willat. She knows she needs to negotiate a marriage.

She doesn't expect to fall in love.

Against a backdrop of court intrigue and international alliances, Izbel is forced to make a decision between fulfilling her duty to her family or pursuing her own happiness.



Other things I'm working on include planning my writing projects for 2016 and plotting out The Weather War, which is the next in my fantasy series. I'm hoping next year to begin publishing my Regent's series of urban fantasy, but that'll be contingent in finding the funds for cover art.

Kitty Updates

The kitties aren't sure about Christmas.

( Click for kitty pics )

Meowy Christmas!