Science Fiction Heist 4+/5

Thief-extraordinaire Emily, hunted down by an organized crime lord for her past transgressions, gathers a motley crew of misfits to solve a lucrative puzzle. Fun, fun, fun! This fast-paced heist piles twist after twist on an ever-escalating series of dangers for the band of thieves. The charming rascals are driven by their own agendas, which adds to the chaos—and surprise rescues! Laugh aloud, but you’ll be turning pages as fast as you can, on the edge of your seat. The only downside? I like a book that ends, rather than leading to a Book 2. But if you don’t mind that, check out Corona Burning, the conclusion to the tale.

World Fantasy was a fun getaway and opportunity to reconnect with colleagues. I sat on one panel on disability in fiction, which was excellent, and attended a number of panels where I learned a lot. Did a bit of business, as well. A fun weekend!

Got away for a 5-day writers’ retreat in Whitefish, Montana. A friend has a house there which is mostly rented out, but this window wasn’t booked; several of us have gone there a couple of times per year for a few years, so it’s a familiar environment while still being away from the daily grind. You always wonder how much stress will affect your creativity, and so I was easing back into writing after not getting much done during my daughter’s illness and passing. I managed to review all 3 of the first books in my series and take notes on threads I want to be sure are developed in the rest of the series, and was inspired by some things I can do to shape the next books. I also did some research. So, a good 5 days. Tomorrow I head out to Niagara Falls for the World Fantasy Convention.

Science Fiction 4+/5

Kangaroo, a spy with a unique access to a parallel universe for storing anything, finds his vacation turned into a deadly race to prevent another Earth-Mars war. I loved the humor in this book. The whole thing was an enjoyable read from first to last page, with the stakes and pacing ramping up to the breaking point!

Attended a one-day writers’ retreat and began to organize my thoughts about book 4 of my series, so that was good. I’m leaving Wednesday on a 6-day retreat, so hopefully I’ll get some substantial work done on the book.