Parents, Contracts and Booze

Hi guys

Sooo, it's been a while since I've been on, still got the Academy update scheduled for tomorrow but how about a quick rundown of things here? As you know, my folks are visiting from Germany. Been here for a few days now. Things are...

Well, actually really good. They're obviously trying very hard to not take over absolutely everything, and our fridge is so stuffed with food that it's bulging at the seams. I'm cooking with my mother, which is an education. When I was younger she didn't let us into the kitchen while she was making dinner other than to make the salad, because she always knew exactly what she wanted, where it was and how much she needed, and we slowed the process down. Now that we're adults and only semi-competent cooks, she's changed her tune and insists that we all act as her sous-chefs when she's preparing something. We've made Moroccan-style lamb with fresh hummus, roasted red pepper dip, crab cakes with mango aioli, cauliflower au gratin, flourless chocolate cake, lemon ricotta souffle--and that's just in two evenings. My dad, bless his heart, does all the dishes. I'm just...stuffed. And impressed.

The other side effect of my parents being home is that my alcohol consumption has gone up by about 1000%, and not because I'm drinking to forget. No, my folks like wine and beer with dinner--every night. I drink maybe once a week on my own, at most. Now we've got French wine in the fridge, German beer in the cooler, and caramel vodka from Portugal in the freezer. So basically, things are merry as hell. I'll need to detox for a month after they're gone.

Last thing: contracts! This is the best thing, omigosh, and I can finally talk about it because it's official: I signed a contract with Riptide Books for a short story due out in February. The short story itself is m/m, slightly BDSM-y and also contemporary, which--not my usual cup of tea, but it was a call for submission that I had to answer. The best part? Now I can submit other stuff to them without waiting for an open call, which is excellent because I've wanted to be published with them for years. My fantasy epic that I'm editing now? I wrote that for them, tried to get it done by their last open call and failed utterly. Now I can sub it without time pressure. So, yay! New doors are opening. They're a seriously professional company, and I'm very glad to be working with them.

Okay, Academy tomorrow, we're getting really close, then prepping for Soothsayer, then...stuff. Happy Monday!