It’s been a hectic week or so, between trying to finish the novel before the semester starts, getting ready for classes, and participating in two conventions this weekend. I haven’t had much time to think generally, since it’s been so task-focused (much braining), so it’s good to take a little time to review where I am right now, heading into fall semester.
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At various points this weekend, I really did feel like I was almost out of executive functioning points entirely — WHERE am I supposed to be right now? WHICH time zone? WHEN does this panel end? WHAT is the zoom link? Etc. and so on. Somehow, we got through, thanks in part to Kevin ordering Thai food and me not trying to do anything beyond what I absolutely had to.
Things should ease off now, though. I had a little time this morning to make masks again — Star Trek and Star Wars, two great tastes that go great together. 
Hoping to get through a few more orders today and tomorrow; I’m a little behind schedule. (And new fabrics have arrived — I need to wash those and post photos!)
I just went out to the garage to check on the free pantry, which has become something of a morning routine. Peanut butter, strawberry jam, juice boxes, and cans of tuna have been going quite fast. Everything else is mostly sitting so far. We’re trying to keep loose track so we can restock with what people actually want to eat. Other neighbors do keep dropping off food in there too, which is nice. It makes my heart ache a little, every time I see that food has been picked up. We are failing as a country, that this is necessary.
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In writing news, I’m about to head to the shed to implement a final set of edits from Dan on my novel (or at least look at his suggestions and think about them) — the plan is to send it off to my agent today.
Today! Eep. That’s a little terrifying. Tomorrow, I should figure out what I want to write next and dive right in, mostly so I don’t just obsess while waiting for Russ to read it and get back to me.
Six possibilities:
1) work on domestic resistance memoir (somehow this is not appealing right now, so probably not)
2) finish off a few short stories (probably next, because it will be a quick hit of satisfaction)
3) finish off at least one food essay (ditto)
4) start drafting book two of the series (Liminal Space ends in a fine place if a publisher just wants to buy one book, but I’d ideally like to do this as a 3-5 book series), picking up with the same main character
5) go back to the other novel I have half-drafted, try to finish a full draft (same universe, set a few hundred years earlier)
6) start sketching out the details for poly doctors in space novel and/or screenplay (I’m now thinking of it as The Expanse meets Grey’s Anatomy…)
Feel free to weigh in if you have OPINIONS.
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I also have some half-finished things I’d like to wrap up this week:
– listen to the second half of the first podcast I did with Ben, taking annotation notes so Darius can finish editing it, and we can set up the Kickstarter for “Mohanraj and Rosenbaum are Humans”
– go back to the Bacigalupi video for the Portolan Project and finish annotating it, generate some study guide materials to turn it into a real module
Might get to those today, might not. The main priority for the afternoon is to finalize my syllabi and e-mail them out + upload them to Blackboard. (I’m a boots & suspenders kind of gal these days.) Also think about what other supplemental resources I want to provide to students, like guide to Zoom calls, etc. I sent them the info on asynchronous learning yesterday, so hopefully they actually read it! They are also supposed to be filling out a Doodle poll; those responses have started coming in.
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This fall, projects to launch:
– Vegan Serendib revised ebook + print book (Stephanie Bailey has been designing that, and I think it won’t take too much more work)
– Gluten-Free Serendib (ebook and print)
– Marshmallows of Serendib print book? (might be cute for holiday gifting)
And for the SLF:
– MRAH podcast
– Portolan Project
– virtual writing workshops?
– continue developing local chapters
– small convention? possibly with a component aimed at developing non-profit administrators in the genre?
Ideation / brainstorming stage this fall:
– Serendib podcast & magazine
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It’s going to be stupid hot the next three days, so I’m also hoping to log some serious pool time. Possibly with a mango habañero cocktail later today, to mark the last day of summer vacation. I was pretty tense trying to track all the scheduling stuff the last few days, and I could use some deliberate relaxation.
Onwards…