Onward...into virgin territory

     Yesterday I finally polished/rewrote/finished the 2010 NaNoWriMo chapter where Our Heroes finally make it to Candelei after many adventures. (I do first drafts during NaNoWriMo.) It ends on a nail-biter. Their host informs them that the guest of honor at the banquet where Loriano has been hired to perform--and he really needs the gig--is The Villain!  And Tora faints.

       To Be Continued...

Review of This Time (Richard III in the 21st-century) by Joan Szechtman

This week I reviewed This Time on both Amazon.com and Goodreads. I gave it 2 stars out of 5

     The book was clearly written before Richard III's DNA-certified body (with mild scoliosis) was found under the parking lot in Leicester.
     The author wrote one of my favorite fantasies--a historic figure coming into our time so we can talk with him or her. The first part of the book (retrieving his body) held my interest better than the second (him trying to bring back his son and the romance with his rescuer).
     Although the author described Richard's missing his family quite well, he adjusted to life in the 21st century too easily. He'd have wanted to attend daily Mass. And being alone so much he'd feel vulnerable and exposed. He'd miss constantly being surrounded by attendants, squires, friends, family, etc. The author also had him learn computer search skills, when his real strength was people skills. Why not have him supervise assistants to do the actual searches? Also, if she wants him to feel comfortable, take him horseback riding. He'd ridden horses all his life. But instead she teachs him to drive. Further, Richard might be a nice guy, but he was a nobleman, and he'd have shown an unconscious (or conscious) arrogance to untitled people. Wouldn't he be curious about the current ruler of England? Watch Queen Elizabeth II on TV, read stories about her? Maybe ask to call her up and chat on the phone?
     But I'm rewriting someone else's book, and that is definitely a No-no.

Waylaid by Pandora

    Last week I planned to get lots of writing done--like on to the next section of the WIP. Normally I write to Early Music (pre-1500s), instrumental or a language I don't understand.

   Then I found Pandora links to 60s songs in my in-box. I succumbed and clicked on Pandora's box.
   And no writing. For a whole day I am back in L.A., smelling the smog, dancing around my living room to the Beatles (thank God I'm alive at a time when I can hear them!)-- at an Alumni Club dance to Creedence in a big Downtown hotel-- August '63 driving through the dawn with 4 strangers, NY to Washington for the March to "Blowing in the Wind" and "If I had a Hammer"-- The Mamas & Papas singing outside the UCLA Student Union-- Dylan "The Times They Are a-Changing" -- a whiff of pot on a summer afternoon ...
   I just now opened Pandora's box again and was lost in the 60s for another hour.

Troubadours in Life and Literature: My First Guest Blog Post

Today my very first guest blog went live on Anne E. Johnson’s blog -

 http://anneejohnson.blogspot.com/2014/06/historical-fiction-from-christie-maurer.html  

     Anne is a historical and science fiction writer who majored in Medieval Music and was attracted to my announcement of “The Whitewood Kitarra” on Broad Universe. 

It was fun putting together this post on how troubadour songs inspired my writing. 

     Do stop by if you get a chance, and I hope you enjoy it. 

Of Mice and Mice

My new, latest bells and whistles, computer came with a wireless mouse. Thinking I really should get into the 21st Century, I sent off my precious wired mouse with the old computer.

     $%^#! wireless drives me nuts! I go to highlight-cut-paste and the page jiggles and slithers from under the cursor. I try to read on-line articles, and it zips up and down opening pages. I click on a date in Calendar—and set the appointment in the next month.

     Called AppleCare (bless ‘em!). When the tech's eye is on the screen, the mouse behaves, (of course). When he looks away, pages start slithering. My wireless mouse has a bunch of “features” I don't want checked in Systems Preferences. I uncheck them and set the mouse to S-L-O-W. 

     Problems persist.

     AppleCare again. Turns out you can't turn the Scroll “feature” off in the wireless mouse. Since I want to use it like a wired mouse, I should get a wired mouse.

“You still have wired mice?” I squeaked.
   "Yes, you can swap yours for one at an Apple store."
    "Thank God." I almost wept. 

   Next morning a friend picked up the wireless mouse to exchange.
   When I went into my bathroom, the drain stank of a dead mouse. Seemed symbolic somehow.

Bookshop Santa Cruz Newsletter

The Dark Lady's Stone is in the latest on-line newsletter from Bookshop Santa Cruz and it is also featured on their website http://www.bookshopsantacruz.com/book/9781491200995 This wonderful independent bookstore is a great place to hang out and browse. Every time I go through the doors I end up spending more than I ought. They are supportive of local authors, and their regular events often include some big-name writers.

My New Novella is Out

Last week I published my novella The Whitewood Kitarra on Amazon.com through Create Space. Sheri McGathy again designed a gorgeous cover. It will soon be available through Smashwords and Kindle as well.

In The Whitewood Kitarra, a young singer-poet, Sir Loriano of Vayne comes to the Karaskan court for Summerfest to find a new patron at Countess Elisse's prestigious tournament of verse. He must confront his past disgrace and learn to use his unique gifts in order to compete. We meet his master, Anton of Pareskon, and several troubadours and singers.

In the year since this story first appeared in Sword & Saga Press--thank you, Hunter Ligoure, for ongoing support--further research into 12th Century musical performance indicated minor changes in a couple of scenes. And I've also added a historical note.