It’s one of those days that I love going out so that I can experience the feeling of warm bliss when I come home again. I strolled the farmers’ market this morning and walked by the Christmas tree vendors just to sniff the pine needles. I’m thinking of foraying out again for dinner. The weather reports say we might get snow and I want to be out there for the first flake. Yeah, I know, it must be a Canadian thing.

In other news I bought a new laptop. It’s a Toshiba Satellite with a candy apple metallic red shell and it purrs like a kitten with a V8 engine under the hood. It comes pre-loaded with Windows 7 and so far it’s been a breeze to use. I doubt it will help me write any faster, but I figure I’ll look at least 20% cooler as I do.

Park Avenue at night (yeah, I’m a caption god)

Getting ready to book, the fuzz is on to me!

Getting all artsy, a bridge abutment in Central Park

Now back to writing.

I took my brother out last night to see New York after dark (technically, it was during dark – after dark would be light, wouldn’t it?) Anyway, we toured and had a great time.

Brothers in Arms

I call this one Blur 27

Times Square

More Times Square (it used to be called Longacre Square)

Audio
A few readers (I suppose listeners would be the more appropriate moniker) have been asking me about the release date of The Light Of Burning Shadows on audio, and after much sleuthing I’ve found out it will be shipping December 21st.

SFWA
The Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America held their annual holiday party last night in a little mom and pop place called Planet Hollywood on Times Square. It was a great night to catch up with friends in publishing and make a few new ones. The room was filled with agents, authors, editors, and many “others”, making for a diverse and interesting crowd. I managed not spill my drink on the following folks – Gardiner Dozois, former editor of Asimov’s Science Fiction; Russ Galen, agent for the likes of Diana Gabaldon, Harry Turtledove, and the estate of Phillip K. Dick; Don Maass, agent to such illustrious writers like, um, me; Random House editor Chris Schluep; Del Rey editor-at-larger and Star Wars maven, Shelly Shapiro; former Playboy fiction editor Alice Turner; director of cool stuff including game development at Del Rey, Keith Clayton; former senior editor at Del Rey and current free lance tycoon Steve Saffel; Joshua Bilmes, agent for Charlene Harris (I think she writes about vampires); Del Rey assistant editor and newly acquiring (for all you aspiring authors out there) Mike Braff; and many more that at the moment have fled my brain. Oh, and there was an open bar, at least I hope it was because I don’t recall paying for my drinks!

Bazaar
A very good friend of mine, Deb Christerson, creates nature and fantasy inspired jewelry when she’s not working on her novel and will be at the 1st annual Christmas Towne Bazaar, November 27 and 28, 10am to 4pm, at the Christian Life Center located at 1780 SE Lincoln, Port Orchard, WA Call 360-876-5595 for more information

You can check out some of her pieces in advance on her website http://www.etsy.com/shop/gryphonstreasure

You know how something happens and you realize the past is past and the future stretches out before you? I’m definitely having one of those mornings. So how to deal with it…well, I’m going to the Gracie Mews for breakfast, then get to work, and then meet up with friends for dinner. Oh, speaking of, I had dinner with an old friend (er, old in the sense of we’ve known each other for years) last night. Karen Traviss is over here for a few days on business which gave us a chance to catch up. I’ve probably mentioned this before, but Karen and I attended Clarion East together in the summer of 2000. Karen, in case you don’t know her, wrote the six book Wess’Har series for EOS, a ton of Star Wars novels for Del Rey, and is currently writing all the Gears of War novels, too. She has a thing for lads in armor…with lasers…and chainsaws.