I just spent a nice few days in Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains with my family and inlaws (not as bad as it sounds).  I got no writing done.  I don’t think I got any ideas (though I got a great one off National Geographic before I left).  It wasa real vacation.

It was rough being away from the internet, only dropping by the chalet check-in office once for a fix.  I need to catch up this week.

I still haven’t heard from WotF, but my wife stopped the mail until tomorrow.  I am anticipating a rejection due to the late speculative element (page 4, not 1), but I refuse to abandon hope.

Speaking of abandoning hope, Clarion West begins on Sunday.  I gave up a long time ago on my attending, but the event’s arrival is a reminder that I’m missing out.  Humbug.  I left a nice “good luck” message on the old CW forum,though it seems largely inactive so it may go unread.  But I wish the best for Jordan, Rochita, Randy-the-Robot-Overlord, everyone else I met on the forum and everyone I did not.  I’ll be watching for CW diaries online, so don’t keep us in the dark (but don’t sacrifice your writing, either).

I still have eyes on next year.  Until then, back to the keyboard.

-Oso