i'm out here without a shield

Today was a v. long, v. romancey day. The monthly romance meeting was this morning, and since I was responsible for retrieving the speaker from her hotel and taking her to the meeting, I had to get up at 7:15. Bleh. But I was actually on time, which is always a mild shock for me (even though I'm usually not more than five minutes late). The meeting was fun, as usual, and Sherry's program was v. excellent. After, I had lunch with her, my friend Grace, and several other writers, which was utterly delightful (and informative, as always, since this business is both slow as molasses and moving at lightning speed).

After the meeting/lunch, I had intended to come home and write, but instead I succumbed to the temptation of a beautiful day and the desire to hang out with fun writers. So I went with Sherry and two other multi-pubbed historical writers to have v. decadent hot chocolate at a chocolaterie in Berkeley. We sat in the sun for a couple of hours and talked shop, which is quite exciting and invigorating to me, particularly when the shop-talkers are well informed and successful in a variety of different ways -- so if it's the blind leading the blind, as this whole industry is right now, perhaps they're only legally blind rather than totally blind and dumb/deaf to boot. When I finally got home, it was six p.m., so I hung out with Terry and watched some YouTube videos, then ordered a pizza, then read an entire book. Yay for sloth.

But now I must go to bed, since I have to get up at 7:45 if I'm going to retrieve Sherry in time to take her to the airport. Two notes, though: I did do a bit of thinking about my book, and I've figured out how I will inevitably scrap everything I have and rewrite it, which is almost a relief since I was waiting for that dawning horror and it dawned slightly less horribly since I was expecting it with the amused pleasure of an old friend rather than the dread of the apocalypse. And two: I will share the good news I alluded to most cruelly early this week when I get permission to share it. Don't get too excited, even though I am still v. pleased with myself. Goodnight!