My Novel's Journey: Cart Before the Horse

I thought in May, when I took my six-week break for graduation and vacation, that I'd be reveling in normalcy by now, but "normal" (by which I mean a slower but still regular pace similar to what I'd enjoyed earlier this year) continues to elude me.

Case in point:  "Shambling in a Winter Wonderland."  You'd think this would be a simple matter of writing an episode a day, then editing, then putting together the website.  Somehow, though, things got mixed up.

First, I decided to play with Photoshop Elements to see if I want it for Christmas (or if I want the more expensive and powerful CS6.)  I'm not good at purposeless dorking around, so I made a cover for "Coyote Fires" which I am pretty pleased about.  Then a friend suggested this article about covers, so I tweaked it.

Thus emboldened, I decided to try my hand at a cover for "Shambling in a Winter Wonderland."  (Remember, I tend to get into obsessions, so writing has fallen aside while I play on Photoshop.)  I could not find any free photos of zombies, so I messed with silhouettes and tried to color them like skiers.  As you can see, the results were less than impressive, although I thought the font was fun.

Well, I posted it, and immediately, Frr Mallory said, "Yuck!" and offered to make me a cover for free.  Look how awesome--the difference between know-how and access to good graphics.

So all of this talk about the story has meant that I needed a website to refer folks to, even if it's just a stand-in until I post the first episode.  Rob and I came up with skizombies, which isn't the title but is catchier.  Today, I made the subdomain, http://skizombies.karinafabian.com, and designed the website, the home page of which is posted.

So, cover art, website, promotion...and no story?  Well, three episodes are written of an expected 19, and the others are planned out in very general terms.  What I need to do this week is apply BICHOK* and write them.

In other writing news, I finally found out that Discovery was rejected by Ignatius.  Somehow, the rejection letter had gotten lost in the mail.  The timing is good, though, since Harper Voyager is taking unagented submissions in October, so I'll start with them.  It's also with an agent, but I've not heard back from her yet, either.  I talked with the slush reader at BAEN about The Old Man and the Void, and it's made it to #2 in his to-read pile, which he says might not mean much as the publisher keeps handing him stuff to read first.  

So more waiting, but the best thing to do while waiting is write.

*BICHOK: Butt in Chair, Hands on Keyboard.

31 Days of Resolutions, Goals, and Organizing Posts

Each month, I try to make a post a day on Twitter about some interesting topic. I decided to then post them here for those who may have missed a day.

1. Did you make New Year’s Resolutions? Here’s mine: http://www.fabianspace.blogspot.com
2. 8 tips for making resolutions that stick: http://psychcentral.com/lib/2002/making-new-years-resolutions-that-last/
3. How to make resolutions that matter: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/79/mgoldsmith.html
4. Just to tie in with yesterday’s post on resolutions that matter… http://site.despair.com/images/dpage/priorities03.jpg
5. My own way to make goals: spend 15 min deciding my old year’s regrets, 15 on old year’s successes, and find goals to address them both.
6. Resolutions are not goals-Resolutions are general; goals specific. Learn more: http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/79/mgoldsmith.html
7. Here’s more on the SMART concept of goal-setting: http://www.goal-setting-guide.com/smart-goals.html
8. Still need help goal setting? Here’s a tutorial! http://www.about-goal-setting.com/
9. Here’s a whole website dedicated to goal-setting tips: http://www.success77.com/
10. For the graphics-minded, here’s a goal-setting chart. http://www.blog.iqmatrix.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/goal-setting-process.jpg (Scares me!)
11. Is one of your resolutions this year to keep a cleaner house? Cut clutter? FLY lady takes you baby step by baby step. I’m going to try her this year. http://flylady.com/
12. Authors: Is one of your goals to market your books better? 30-Minute Marketer is a weekly newsletter of marketing tasks (not just tips). I tell you what to do, how and when. http://www.karinafabian.com/index.php?name=Content&pid=24
13. Once you have big goals, break them into smaller goals: http://eliteteam300.com/?p=80
14. Step-by-step in the planning process: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/GREENHOUSE/nursery/guides/econ/chgoals.html
15. How to build a smarter to-do list: http://www.43folders.com/2005/09/12/building-a-smarter-to-do-list-part-i
16. Need your to-do lists online? Here’s an assessment of 25 services (including free ones) http://www.solutionwatch.com/450/25-to-do-lists-to-stay-productive/
17. Rob showed me iGoogle’s homepage maker. I love the aps--calendar, a to-do list, a sticky note, and gmail instead of news and force-fed entertainment. http://www.google.com/ig
18. Authors: Having trouble knowing what to do for marketing? 30-Minute Marketer schedules tasks for you. http://www.karinafabian.com/index.php?name=Content&pid=24
19. Is your goal to organize your home? Cut clutter first! Here’s FLY Lady’s advice: http://flylady.com/pages/FLYingLessons_Decluttertips.asp
20. Here’s a whole website for cutting clutter: http://organizedhome.com/articles/cut-clutter
21. My own cut-clutter ideas: Keep 4, toss 1. When we do it quarterly, esp. with the kids’ toys, it helps a lot!
22. Cool website for organizing in the workplace: http://managementhelp.org/orgnzing/orgnzing.htm
23. Cut the clutter in your writing: http://grammar.about.com/od/words/tp/clutter_tips.htm
24. Computer cluttered with programs and other junk? Get the decrapifier: http://www.pcdecrapifier.com/ (Rob uses it on any new computer we get)
25. On Facebook? Here are some ways to cut clutter and increase effectiveness: http://www.mba4success.com/pages/opinion/opinion_content.php?ID=1851&post_title=WCW/Management/Social-Networking/Special-Report:-Effective-Steps-To-Maximise-Facebook
26. Some good ideas for organizing yourself and your time. (Warning—site has a lot of ads) http://www.askmen.com/money/how_to/27_how_to.html
27. Good organizing tips: http://www.successfulacademic.com/success_tips/Manage_time_organize.htm (My fave: tackle worst first, tho I tackle most important first)
28. Writers: Here’s an article about managing your writing time. http://www.writing-world.com/life/organize.shtml
29. Writers: Here’s one on organizing your writing space: http://www.literary-liaisons.com/article048.html
30. Authors: Don’t have your marketing tasks organized? For $12/year, I do it for you: http://www.karinafabian.com/index.php?name=Content&pid=24

Code Filk II

Music I'm Listening To: "I Can't Get Code Satisfaction"
Mood: Despairing
Position: Fetal
This weekend, my ISIG website went the way of a confusing, twisted SF series. Yes: Lost. You can see it, but I can't access it--and it's all my fault!

Put on your old Rolling Stones and sing along as I tell my tale of woe.

I can't get code satisfaction
I can't get no website action

It all started when I decided to add a media room to my FabianSpace website. I bought a book on HTML and tried to create one using the site's template.

So I type and I try and I type and I try
I cant' get no!

After several frustrating attempts, I decided to scrap the whole endeavor and go with tripod. I'd already used it for my ISIG site. It was easy to set up, easy to update and the site looks terrific. Why bother with HTML when I could do it there?

When I'm typin' in website code
And I can't see which way to go
the program's saying No and No

I logged onto Tripod with my ISIG account and looked at the available space. Hmm... I really want to do a lot more with the ISIG site and a whole lot with Tripod.

No problem. I'll just create a new account.

I'd missed some vital information
that affects my website situation

At this point, those of you with experience on tripod and other sites should be crowding the monitor, shouting at me like we all did to those ditzy teens in the slasher movies:

"No! Don't do it!"

I opened the new account window...

"Stop! Go back! Close The Window!"

I put in my name and address.

"Different e-mail! At least use a different e-mail!"

I put in the same e-mail as the ISIG account.

"AAAARGH! I can't look!"

I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say

I can't get code satisfaction
I can't get no website action...

Actually, the website building went great. I found a template, modified it to resemble the FabisnSpace site--banner and all--and soon I was doing the website equivalent of getting lucky never knowing the doom that awaited.

(Rise in volume, please..)

'Cause I typed and I typed and I typed and I typed
I can't GET NO!!!!

(Volume down, now--you're scaring the neighbors)

When I'm doin' Tripod, see
And the site is looking so great
Something's much to easy....

Four hours or so late, I had a KICKIN' media room: photos, graphics, media releases, lots of useful information about me and my stuff...a CHAT ROOM! Yes, I, Karina Fabian, Queen of the Coding Chickens, figured out how to put a chat room on my site! SCORE!

All that was left was to get some information from my ISIG site and put in an announcement there.

But you can't get that site 'cause it ain't the same
As the one now in your name
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say

I can't get no satisfaction
I cant' get no ISIG action

I logged out, logged in as isigsf. Tripod says "Problem with member name of password." I try again. Same result. I ask for my password. It says I've given invalid info. I opened up the unhelpful help desk and started a ticket. I got back a reply saying someone changed my password. I tried the new password. It didn't work I opened another ticket...

And I typed and I tried and I typed and I cried
I can't get no!

So now I wait for the Tripod help desk to open, trying not to cry and hoping the 'Net police don't arrest me for web-building with out a clue.

I hope I can get access to the original ISIG website. If not, I guess I'll rebuild it. It's been an incredibly valuable resource.

But this time, I'll just put it in my karinafabian account.

Hey hey hey, that's what I say

WRITING: I Can't Get Code Satisfaction

I was up until 2 AM trying to fix fabianspace and start up a new website http://isigsf.tripod.com. (Go check it out. It's actually very nice now.)

This pretty much describes my day and night....
(To the Rolling Stone's "I Can't Get No Satisfaction.")

I can't get code satisfaction,
I can't get no website action.
'Cause I type and I try and I type and I try.
I can't get no, I can't get no.

When I'm sittin' at my desk
and that error comes up on my screen
and it's tellin' me "No, no, no!"
but it's just useless information
I've the wrong kind of imagination.
I can't get no, oh no code no.
Hey hey hey, that's what I say.

I can't get code satisfaction,
I can't get no website action.
'Cause I type and I try and I type and I try.
I can't get no, I can't get no.

When I'm watchin' on my screen
My colors are wrong, universe page gone and
Links and Books look the same.
Plus it can't be a blog 'cause it's showing code
in the spot where the blog should be.
I can't get no, oh no code no.
Hey hey hey, that's what I say.

I can't get code satisfaction,
I can't get no website action.
'Cause I type and I try and I type and I try..
I can't get no, I can't get no.

When I take webbuilding class
and I'm doin' this and I'm trying that
and I'm tryin' to make some site
that tells me baby better come back later next week
'cause I see you're on losing streak.
I can't get no, oh no code no.
Hey hey hey, that's what I say.

I can't get code satisfaction,
I can't get no website action.
'Cause I type and I try and I type and I try.

Virtual Book Tour

I'm at an on-line writing conference this week and Carolyn Howard-Johnson mentioned the concept of a virtual book tour, where you visit other folks' blogs and tell a little about your book.

I thought it'd be fun to host one. So, I've started a new blog: if you have a book you want to tell folks about, send me a 200-word summary at comment (at) fabianspace (dot) com. All I ask is that I'm invited to visit your blog in return.

I've got a conference and NaNoWriMo to keep me busy until November, so the site will have a December Grand Opening!