Miscellaneous Updates

A round-up of miscellany for the interested (the rest of you will just have to suffer through):

Amazon.com has caved on the McMillan boycott, so my paperback edition of STEAL ACROSS THE SKY is once more available from Amazon. However, this is just one skirmish in the electronic-vs.-print wars that will be fought throughout the next decade. As Jonathan Sherwood has remarked, "it's the Wild West in publishing right now," and there will be more gun battles until law and order are established.

I have read Connie Willis's new novel BLACKOUT, which is the first half of a duology (the second volume, ALL CLEAR, debuts in the autumn). If you want to know what life was like during the London Blitz, here it is. You will feel yourself on actual London streets, experiencing actual attacks, and you will wonder how the Brits survived years of this while going about their daily business -- or attempting to, anyway.

David Hartwell has belatedly (his own term) made his selections for his BEST OF THE YEAR, and he has included my story "Exegesis." I am pleased, of course, but he passed up "Act One," which I preferred (and which Gardner Dozois took for his BOY). One never knows what editors will prefer. However, it looks as if "Act One" may -- MAY! -- qualify for the Nebula ballot. Keep your fingers crossed.

So far, no one in Rochester, NY wants to buy my house. However, Rochester is having a very cold winter -- the dog sitter reports that my dog won't even go out to take walks -- so maybe if the weather will improve, so will my house-selling chances. Keep your toes crossed for me.

After filing three different forms, I have finally got the Post Office to forward my mail properly. However, several bills have not shown up anywhere, which means probable late charges when (if) they do. I cannot recommend living on two coasts. Really. Not. Really.