Since last I posted, I have visited London, had tea at Harrod’s, suspiciously alcoholic “eggnog” in Hyde Park, and cappucinos with Alexis Kennedy. Vlad and I spent four days exploring what I was surprised to discover is one of the world’s most walkable cities. I stared in awe at Foyle’s, the mammoth monument to all that is great in bookselling – a whole half-floor of philosophy texts! An entire first floor dedicated to fiction of all stripes and varietals! Also we saw Parliament. Parliament is wonderful, and weird. I may post more on this later. Suffice it to say that walking through English history makes Edmund Burke make a lot more sense.
In other news, though, I’ve finished Two Serpents Rise! By “Finished,” of course, I mean I’ve completed a first draft that clocks in at 155,000 words, about 55,000 words too long. I should be able to shave at least 30k off, which puts it at 120,000 or so, long but not impossible for a fantasy novel. For now, though, I’m letting it mellow, and dedicating some time to short story revisions. With luck, I’ll start 2SR revisions this Christmas.
The Work Waits, as Sweeney says.