If anyone out there invents a tool or plug-in that can can change the voice of a story from 1st person to 3rd person (and vice versa), I'd gladly pay for it.

I've been slogging away through the chapters of my Sixteen Miles novel, changing all of the chapters for one of my character from "I did this" to "He did this." I am ready to claw my eyes out.

Okay, it's not that bad -- just time-consuming. You can't even do a global find-and-replace for words like "I" or "my" or "us" because it's all about the context, baby. You have to read and review each sentence... So if anyone has that tool, let me know.

Actually, don't let me know, since I'm almost done now. ;)

I'm gradually getting more and more in synch with the writerly ways -- getting up early, working on revising, even tweaked and submitted a story yesterday! I was hoping to be done with revising my novel by the end of August, but nobody told me August only had like five days in it. At least, that's how it feels.

I also decided to give up reading Widdershins and just read the last chapter so I can see what happens with Jilly and Geordie. Movin' on. I'm going to try to read as much Tim Powers, one of my favorite novelists, in the coming months. I'm starting with his first books from the '70s and working my way through his dozen or so novels up to his most recent one, Three Past Midnight, which came out last year. He's a writer who always makes me want to write more, and to write better. I'll start reading An Epitaph in Rust tonight -- I only need to pick up 3 more of his books and I'll have 'em all.

And finally -- there's a brand-new journal out there you can check out! My niece started school at the University of Northern Iowa last week, and I set up a journal for her, titled (logically enough) Beth at UNI. Go read her latest entries and wish her the best with those rocky first few weeks of school. She's embarking on a huge adventure, and I admit I'm a little jealous. Later!