Farewell, February
February is almost over.
I’m going to say that again to see if I can make myself believe it.
February. Is. Almost. Over.
Weren’t we just stowing our holiday decorations and ringing in the new year?
Anyway. No matter how much I try to deny it, it’s almost March, and for reasons I haven’t entirely figured out, I have about 1.4 gazillion major work deadlines in the first 20 days of next month. So expect shorter blog posts for the next few weeks, because it’s going to be hard to fit them in around work and losing my mind.
Now, where were we? Oh, yeah–February. This post is part of the Weekend Coffee Share, hosted by Natalie the Explorer, and a new monthly link-up I’m joining, What’s Been on Your Calendar, hosted by Sue, Donna, Jo and Deb.
Writing
The Revision from Hell
I was making lots of progress on The Revision from Hell by gathering reams of notes (this is not an exaggeration) and linking them to the appropriate scenes in preparation for The Big Rewrite. All progress on this front has been halted in favor of…
The Index from Hell
In my work life (and under my real name), I’m co-editing an academic book about leadership in libraries. I got the galleys a week ago, at which time I also learned that a) academic authors are expected to index their own books, and b) we get 2 whole weeks to do it.
Have I ever created a back-of-the-book index? No. No, I have not. But I was a cataloger early in my library career, so indexing has proven to be weirdly fun and satisfying
No, I am not normal.
It has also taken over my life, because indexing is hard, especially when you’ve never done it before. I have 3 chapters to go, and it’s due a week from today. Guess what I’m doing this weekend? If you said, “Indexing,” you win.
What do you win? Fame and glory. As my old library school professor used to say, “That and $3 will get you on the bus.”
Writing Groups
- I’m still hosting weekly write-ins on Saturday mornings. Wanna join us? Details here.
- Arizona Mystery Writers – we heard from local author Mike Alvarez on creating setting, dialogue, and characters.
- Sisters in Crime, Tucson Chapter – I gave a presentation with one of my library colleagues entitled, The Game’s Afoot! Finding Clues in Archives and Libraries.
Preparing for Upcoming Appearances
For the first time in my writing life, I have upcoming appearances! Damn, that sounds pretentious. I think I’ll say it again:
Upcoming. Appearances.
One more time, with feeling:
UPCOMING APPEARANCES!
That’s appearances, plural.
- On March 5, I’ll be interviewing author David Quammen at the Tucson Festival of Books. This is a work-related thing. I’m a health sciences librarian, and he just published a book about COVID-19 called Breathless: The Scientific Race to Defeat a Deadly Virus. It was short-listed for a National Book Award. I’m spending a lot of time preparing so I can avoid making an idiot of myself in front of a bigtime author and a live audience.
- On March 19, I’ll be part of a panel at Left Coast Crime called Packing it All in a Short Story. I’ll be appearing with three other short story authors, all of whom appear to have more experience than I do. This will be my first time being part of a panel at a writing conference. Hell, it’ll be my first time attending a writing conference. Fake it till you make it, baby.
On March 20, I plan to have a nervous breakdown. Send chocolate.
Travel
I’m thrilled to report that in February I made repeated visits to the kitchen and my office. Behold the breathtaking scenery:
All that’s missing is the stressed-out librarian/author with unkempt hair and a crazed look in her eyes. Imagine Bill the Cat sitting in that chair and you won’t be too far off, except I’m not orange.
That’s pretty much it for February. I’m surviving on my usual combination of caffeine and sheer stubbornness. Hopefully that’ll see me through the next few weeks.
The Memery
This week’s meme collection will be a little skimpy, because I need to get back to the Index from Hell. Here we go:
All right, which asshole put spy cameras in my house?
Yeah, dude, it wasn’t, because thanks to you this happens:
Also getting in and out of the shower without fracturing my skull.
I was indexing.
Yeah, “sometimes.” The rest of the time, I’m asleep.
Bonus: you’ll get an opportunity to practice your MMA skills.
And finally:
Now you too can have that song stuck in your head all day.
You’re welcome.
How was your February? Created any good indexes lately?
24 Comments
Barbara
I get the “index” from hell. I’ve started my revision from here. Have all my notes and changes but some how I can’t seem to remember what I need to do. I’ve had time to work on it though as I’ve been off work since Wed. due to I-40 being closed. Be glad you moved. Flag just got hit with another foot or so of snow. We even got almost a foot here last night.
Janet Alcorn
I’ve been seeing people’s snow pics. Yuck. Apparently Portland got pounded too. Glad I’m here!
Writing Sparkle
You and I were on the same travel trip in February, home office and kitchen. Haha. Thanks for the virtual coffee, Janet. Happy Friday.
Janet Alcorn
Bummer. I hope you get to add more exciting destinations in March!
Joanne
Thanks for getting that song stuck in my head! LOL. I was so excited when I realized we were coming to the end of February and knowing that March is the start of spring… then the freezing cold wind kicked up today and I remembered that March is usually just awful and we’ve easily gotten snow into April or even May before so I’m just gonna creep real quietly through this next month and hope the nice weather follows.
Janet Alcorn
Whenever I’ve lived in cold places, March was such a tease. We’d get a week of gorgeous weather, then Second Winter. Bleah.
Retirement Reflections
Hi, Janet – Thank you for linking up with us at WBOYC. Indexing does not sound fun at all. Wishing you the best of luck with all of your upcoming deadlines. We will totally understand if your posts are a bit shorter. Good luck!
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! One foot (or index term) in front of the other…
Sue from Women Living Well After 50
HI Janet, like you, my February flew and when I looked at March and all our commitments I wanted to put a sign on my door ‘Closed for the holidays!’. It all sounds exciting especially your upcoming appearances. Hope you can squeeze in some down time in March and I look forward to reading about your month at next month’s #WBOYC.
Janet Alcorn
“Closed for the holidays” has to a lovely ring to it 🙂 I’m definitely not taking on any commitments for April!
Miss Andi
Congrats (in plural) on the appearances! 🙂 That sounds super exciting! And thank you for those memes at the end of the post, the trail guide honestly made me chuckle.
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! I cracked up at the trail guide meme too.
Scribble and Scran
With you on the wow, it’s nearly March! Somehow all the things I promised way back in December are more than in sniffing distance. Laughed out loud on the nothing made for 2 days!
Janet Alcorn
Yeah, back in December I made way too many statements along the lines of, I’ll worry about that in the new year. Definitely paying for it now.
Natalie
Hi Janet, Thank you for your weekend coffee share. Congrats on the upcoming appearances! Indexing does not sound fun at all. Good luck with all your deadlines. I hope you get a break here and there in March.
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! Indexing is sort of fun, but so, so time consuming. I finished it over the weekend and submitted yesterday. Whew!
Elizabeth Seckman
I am a big user of indexes. I never fully appreciated what effort it took for them to exist. Thank you, madam indexer. You are the google search of the bound resource.
Janet Alcorn
Thanks! I’m a big user of indexes too. Now I know why there are so many terrible ones in academic books–because authors with no training in indexing have to create them in 2 weeks. Sigh.
Jo
I LOVED the heading Upcoming Appearances… and fist pump when I can get my leg through my undies without falling over.
Janet Alcorn
LOL! Wait till you see how I go on about my first-ever signing (coming up this weekend). I’ll be insufferable.
Suzanne@PictureRetirement
Janet, there is nothing like a little stress to make you rise to the occasion! Best of luck with it all.
Janet Alcorn
Unfortunately you’re right. I do some of my best–certainly my most voluminous–work when under time pressure. I wish I could work like that when there isn’t a deadline hanging over my head.
Debbie
Thanks for joining us for #WBOYC Janet, and managing to fit in all that travel during February – who knew the scenery was so good from the kitchen to the office?? Hope your other stuff gets done 🙂
Janet Alcorn
LOL. Yeah, I’m quite the globetrotter (house trotter?). March will definitely be more eventful.