March 28, illustrated version

I recently updated my novels excerpts on my website, replaced the chapters I had there with the beginning chapters: the first two chapters of Fortune and the first chapter of The Queen of Paradise Valley.

It's taking me a very long time to complete the site. (Still working on links, and, of course, I have no news to post.) I tell myself I'm oh-so busy. I'll get around to it soon. Maybe I will, next week, or next month, or ...

Maybe I read too much!

Reading update:

1. The History of Art, page 223. I've reached The Middle Ages.

2. Heaven's Command, page 283. The year is 1864. Brittania rules much of the world.






3. The Autobiography of Henry VIII by Margaret George, page 155. Wonderful! I'm not reading this for reference, but just because it's in my library. I hear that Showtime has a 10 part miniseries on the lusty king, The Tudors, beginning April 3. I'd love to watch it, even more after reading this review, but alas, I can't commit myself to regularly watch lengthy miniseries. I'll wait, as I did for the series Rome, to come out on DVD. And, I want to finish the book first.






4. I also read The Venus Fix, a timely thriller by M J Rose. Fast-paced action, thoughtful insights on the human psyche.





5. And I look forward to reading Disturbing the Dead, an atmospheric mystery written by my friend Sandra Parshall, her second novel, just out.

So, do I read too much? I wish I had more time to read even more.

And I truly do some writing between all the reading. I'm working on scenes for both Fortune 2 and Fortune's Children.

Listening to Penelope's Song by Loreena McKennitt

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A Few Words

Not neglecting the blog...

I find my time limited lately, what with getting all the income tax paraphernalia together. I do the taxes for family members, file them online in an effortless manner. Once all the slips are together, that is. I look forward to the "press enter and they're off" part.

And I've been whittling my words, again. Can't seem to leave well-enough alone. I'm like that guy I once knew who couldn't pass a reflective surface without whipping out his comb and re-arranging his stylish waves.

I open the file and start combing through the words. Looking for nits, maybe?


Classical tonight --

Listening to Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata


And a quote:

Unprovided with original learning, unformed in the habits of thinking, unskilled in the arts of composition, I resolved to write a book.

--Edward Gibbon (1737 - 1794) British historian, author of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. At a million and a half words, Gibbon's masterpiece is not only one of the greatest works of history ever written, but one of the longest.

(Whew! Evenso, I'd love to read it. Maybe when I have a spare five years...)


Cat