La la la. Got a little money a couple of days ago for a story that's being translated into Japanese (and thanks to my agent for handling the weird paperwork for me). It's grocery money. Hurray! Also got a sorta kinda ETA on when the big money from Bantam will come (subject to the vagaries of accounting depts., etc.), which is good, because it helps me plan financial things and even potentially lifestyle things (I'm looking at going to four days a week at the day job, which I should be able to afford once I get paid for Blood Engines, though details aren't worked out).

Heather and I have figured out our next vacation. We're going to beautiful Indiana (her hometown) for the last week of October / first week of November. A week in a place with an actual autumn! Should be fun, though I don't expect it to compare to the vacation we took last year at the same time, to Hawai'i... This means we won't be going to World Fantasy, which is kind of a bummer, but so it goes. Maybe next year. I hope to visit New York next year, too. I've never been to the city, and it would be good to visit my agent and editor (and other people at Bantam!) in their own stomping grounds. I'd also love to go back to Boone, North Carolina, to see people and see how the town has changed... sigh. There aren't enough vacation days in the year.

This weekend should be fabulous. Scott and Lynne are visiting from Santa Cruz. We'll go out to dinner tonight. Tomorrow we'll go to the Farmer's market and get some good food, and, weather permitting, grill it up in the back yard! Also: there will be beer. And wine. And good cheer. And so forth. Should be a blast. That money from the Japanese sale will buy a lot of steak and whiskey sausage...

At some point this weekend, I'll (most likely) lose the Mythopoeic Award for The Strange Adventures of Rangergirl, but like the saying goes, it really is an honor just to be nominated.

Hope you're all having a fine Friday.