Monday Maunderings

I'm really tired this morning. Predictably (for me) I was sick over the weekend, including what I think was a migraine on top of a cold, yesterday. I was largely incoherent for most of the day yesterday, in too much pain to sleep, so I read. I can't always read when I'm sick, and it take a darn good book to allow me to open that door to another world, and then shut it behind me on the pain. I dipped into my own book, that wasn't happening (I want to edit, but couldn't focus), then into a pair of David Burkhead stories, a new-to-me author's science fiction and fantasy fusion novel, bounced out of Brian McClellan's Promise of Blood (just wasn't clicking with sick brain, although it has promise) and a book I forget why I picked up called the Last Swordmage. So, really, looking at that list, I did spend more time not able to read than I realized.

The Burkhead stories are excellent. Highly recommended, Live to Tell is mil SF and very well done. EMT I had to read, as the daughter of a life-long medic, and it was beautifully hard-SF with the promise of more to come. The fusion novel, by TK Anthony, was very interesting, sucked me in and kept me immersed the in world created. The blurb on Amazon does not to Forge justice, ignore it, and go to 'look inside' for a far better feeling of solid writing. Great characters, fantasy world building in a far-future setting for a change, although there are still moments with horses. Don't all fantasy books have to have horses? And although the title itself proclaims Forge to be a romance, it isn't. Yes, there is a strong romantic (sappily so, at points) sub-plot, it's not a Romance with capital R. And the only sex occurs off stage, for the squeamish in the audience. Anyway, I recommend it. Just ignore the blurb! Click on the cover icon below to see more. Oh, and it's only a dollar. Not much risk there.

I did manage to finish the homework that is due this morning, although it was funny, by evening when I was feeling better I was looking at work on the whiteboard I don't remember doing. In my handwriting, so I must have. All in all, if I had to be sick, better over the one day I had off this week than risk disrupting classes or work. I was worrying about not being able to write while the semester is in full swing, but I'm trying to lose that guilt and just focus on homework. School is the highest priority right now.

So I have three classes today, and a cough, and I'm tutoring this afternoon…

Eeek.

Oh… side note, before I forget. I took Dean Wesley Smith's Covers Workshop over the last 6 weeks, and it was excellent. Now, I need to go back and re-do all my covers… but I am also considering beginning to offer my service professionally. Design is something I can do while school is in, and I'm going to try and take a design class this summer, on top of the workshop. I find it fun, and look forward to creating more with my own art, as well. I think I'm going to tackle the Twisted Breath of God cover, first, which means a spaceship. Whee!

But not today.

If you're looking for more to read, go check out Dave Freer's explanation of logic and culling, for the glitterati. Or Kate Paulk, our Warrior Wench Writer, guesting at According to Hoyt.