Wrapping up Inbox

Though much-delayed, "Inbox" will be completed in the next week or so, just in time for the July 10 release of Poison Tree.  Stay tuned!

Still around somewhere

So, I've barely had a chance to sit at the computer for the past week. Today will be no exception, but I wanted to take a couple minutes to at least check in. I hope everyone had a lovely Easter, Passover, or any other holiday or non-holiday you've celebrated lately.

As for myself, this morning's big goal is to make sure everything is washed and dried so we can pack away all the kitchen supplies that only come out once a year. Then, I'm going to try to find a reasonable place to put all those buckets of kitchen supplies that doesn't involve the basement - we're having the basement finished in the near future, so there's no point in storing anything down there right before we will need to pull it all out.

You should see me around more this week. My goal for April break is to finish Inbox. This may be somewhat optimistic, and depends on how long the story I'm working on turns out to be, but at the least I would like to get an update done today or tomorrow, and another around the end of the week.

I'm also going to NYC on Tuesday to meet with my publisher and editor, which I am looking forward to. At least hours in the airport will give me an opportunity to get some editing and writing done.

And that's the update for the day.

Inbox is up!

The site is still a bit glitchy, but I was able to update Inbox this morning- two pages, so make sure you read both!

Inbox and the Servers (again)

So, here's the skinny about Inbox and updates (cross-posted from subscriber emails):

The January/February hiatus was on me, completely, because I needed to get a book in. The continued delay is, once again, on my server. As you know, I've had problems with them for the last several months. I am seriously considering changing servers, but the thought grips me with terror because I remember what a nightmare that was last time.

In short: Changing over the site itself is irritating and time-consuming, but trying to move the message board database is a lot like trying to move a live grenade. If we change servers, the board will not move with us. We will start fresh. Some people think this is a good thing, but it makes me scared to think about it.

I know it's starting to sound like an excuse - "oh, yeah, the servers are screwed up again" - and I should have moved a long time ago if I'm having this many problems, but I cannot do so until I have a substantial amount of time to rip down the site, rebuild it, figure out how to transfer a domain name, and assess what to do with the message board. That means summer vacation: early summer, if I'm not behind on the book due in August, or late summer if I am.

So, there's what's going on in the world of Atwater-Rhodes. Thank you everyone for your patience.

It's the end of the world as we know it...

Welcome to 2012!

Some people reported getting strange "you have been unsubscribed" emails around the time that the site was having issues, so if you haven't received any Inbox emails since then, please re-subscribe! Remember, you can subscribe by sending a blank email to:

single-earth-subscribe@nyeusigrube.com

Because of the way the system, you probably will not receive a confirmation email (I can't seem to get them to work), but you should get an email announcement the next time Inbox is updated.

If you're not already a subscriber, please consider becoming one now! It's free, I don't spam, and subscribers get access to bonus content.

In other news, I'm doing a local "how to edit a novel" event at 7pm on the 17th, so if you're likely to be in the area (Boxborough, Massachusetts) and want to come... I'll try to get more details promptly so I can figure out whether reservations are required.

Coming Up Soon:

I have some offline things I need to get done first, but here's what's coming up:

I'm on Random Buzzers this week! I'll be answering as many questions as I can, including FAQs that I often don't get to on the message board, so feel free to check it out! If you want to register, you can add your own questions to the list, as well.

At the TGIO party on December 1, someone asked me, "Why do you do NaNo? You're already a successful writer, aren't you?" It's an interesting question that I want to devote some time to answering, so sometime in the next couple days, I'll be updating this blog with a "Why do I NaNo?" post. Leonora, that should also answer your questions about NaNo.

Now that November is over, Inbox of Diana Smoke is coming back! I'm hoping to post an update by mid-week or so. I had an animated conversation with my wife last night about the events that led to the bonus story, and I'm looking forward to getting back into that, as well.

Happy December, everyone!

Attempt 2

... I just lost my whole post. I hate it when that happens. Why does Firefox prompt me (are you sure you want to close all these tabs?) every time I intentionally close the program, but when I occasionally hit the button accidentally, it closes immediately?

Well, this version won't be quite as eloquent, funny or world-changing as the last (trust me, it was). Bare-bones version!

It is mid-October. You may have noticed. I just did. This means two things:

1. Work (my other work, as a teacher) is busier this year than last. This has made scheduling things like Inbox difficult. My goal for Inbox is to update twice more before November, including subscriber bonus content. I will then take a hiatus for November (to be elaborated upon in point 2), before returning in December with a goal of Inbox updates every other week. If I have less-busy days, I may occasionally add an extra update, but I am hoping the every-other-week goal will give me enough time to complete updates without feeling guilty that they are late and thus causing me to try to avoid the matter entirely.


• Don't worry about Inbox! Originally, Inbox was scheduled to conclude in December, because Poison Tree was scheduled to be released in January. Poison Tree is now scheduled for Summer of 2012, so we have plenty of time. My inability to update regularly is not losing you anything in terms of content-- in fact, since I have more time to contemplate between updates and play with ideas (even if I don't have time to write and code, I still daydream and make notes), it is getting you more content than you might have had.

*Save Post*


2. Mid-October means it is almost November, which my absolute favorite month of the season for two reasons: Thanksgiving, and NaNoWriMo! If you are unfamiliar with NaNo, it is a crazy, month-long, world-wide event I and (as of last year) 200,000 other writers participate in every November. I am not officially affiliated with NaNoWriMo or the Office of Letters and Light (they ask us to include that disclaimer), but Nyeusigrube does celebrate NaNo in a few ways.


• Every day in November, this Blog will feature a post including a writing-related quote, tip, and prompt of the day. I have been told in the past that these posts are enjoyable even to people who do not participate in NaNo (your mileage may vary).


• Also every day in November, the Writing Forum will have a new "rant" post. Writers participating and non-participants wishing to show support are all welcome to jump into the thread and share your NaNo angst, your current wordcount, your woe as a NaNo Widow or Widower, suggestions, etc.
• 
  
3. *save post again* *realize there is no point three*

That's it, the entire gist of what I had to say. Aren't you glad you read the short version?

Happy October!