I’ve Moved!

Again! And hopefully this time will be the last time!

http://rinoamarsden.com/

Here we go? One more time!

Okay, I think I’m back.

No, no, I’m pretty sure I’m back. All right, you got me. I am back, for a while now. At least, until July or around there.

January has been a crazy, crazy month, but February looks like it might be a little less hectic. Note keyword: looks like. To be honest, I won’t know how busy I’ll be this month until next week or so. But by then, the month will be almost half gone, so why worry about it, right?

I’ve joined back up with my old crit group, and I’ve got a bunch of crits to catch up on. I’m spending some time with my historical erotica ‘My Obsession’, although some of the terminology gets me all the time. Anyone up for some nether regions? HAH. I also want to get some more work on one of my urban fantasies, Dark Hunter, which got stunted at around 35k. I’ve noticed about six of my manuscripts that have stalled at around there, too. Yes, I have problems in the middle, have problems keeping the story off its belly.

Well, this is it for me today. I’ve got work in about two hours. Still got to take a shower, and write maybe a page or two before heading for the bus.

Oh…and hi, Joey!

The 5 Places I’d Go Before I Died

The Top Five Places I Want To Go Before I Die:

Just a little something I was thinking of blogging about when I was stuck in a car for over four hours to go visit distant relatives, who turned out to be, very, very distant.

1. New Orleans – Definitely number one on my list. It’s probably funny considering that I had lots of opportunities to see this great place before I left the States, but I hadn’t, and now that I’m in Korea, boy, am I hitting myself over the head now or what? Great food, great spooky locations, great music…definitely a place I’d love to see first.

2. Constantinople, Turkey – Because having a name like that warrants a visit. And I’d love to try the food.

3. Scotland – I wonder if it’s true what they say about the men never wearing anything under their kilts. In any case, I’d love to test out my theory of…NO.

4. The Andes Mountains – I’ve always liked llamas. I’ve always liked men in ponchos although you’ll never hear me admit it. You get the two of them together plus a killer mountain with killer sights, and I am so there. In about twenty years, that is. When I can afford such a trip.

5. Switzerland – Chocolate. Skiiers. Saint Bernards. Snow. Need I say more?

What about you folks? Where’s the top five places you’d want to go before you died?

Lunar snow?

Listening to: Vertical Horizon
Reading: Luke’s Stolen Bride
Watching: Emma

Today’s the first holiday of the Lunar New Year. And I have to admit, it’s starting off pretty well. Lots of snow on the ground, and a lot coming down now. Well, not a lot, but still enough. And that’s good enough for me.

The holiday is from today to Tuesday, and since I don’t have work or any other pressing matters, I’m kind of hoping I might be able to do some writing. Not like I have anything else to do. Seems like all my other friends are in China and Taiwan, celebrating their holidays. Must be nice to have enough money to travel. Forgive me if I sound bitter.

Wow. It’s really coming down now. I pity the fools who are missing this.

Still got lots of work on my plate. Edits for Walking in Shadows, the sixth Blood Martyr, Snow Prince…ack. Would that they’d sit patiently for the next 6 days.

Pretty please with sugar on top?

Let it snow! …and be -13 outside.

Listening to: Lisa Loeb
Reading: Heaven, Texas
Watching: Kung Fu Panda

Went out yesterday with a student of mine to see the new Adam Sandler’s movie, “Bedtime Stories”, and came back home, wondering if it’d been better if I just waited until it was out in DVD or something. It was mildly enjoyable, and I especially enjoyed Bugsy’s, um, bug eyes and have to ask if guinea pigs really get that big, but I don’t think it was worth the 16 bucks I paid for two tickets.

On other news, I’ve given up on writing for this month. I just tried to squeeze in time, but it just never happened. What’s more, to be honest, I don’t even want to write very much. Maybe I’ll take a break until next month, which admittedly, is only 6 more days, but that one week of doing nothing but relaxing and reading some good books could be the thing I need. Maybe, just maybe. Still, there’s nothing that says I can’t try, right?

So now it’s just me. Books. Warm electric mattress. Snow outside.

It’s heaven. And quite frankly, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.

Happy Lunar New Year, and congrats for those born in the year of the Ox.

A New Beginning, and how I fell off the horse, only to fall on the cowboy

Listening to: Bonnie Pink
Reading: Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Watching: Big Daddy

—-

Feels like half an eternity since I’ve blogged. Part of that statement is true, while the “half the eternity” isn’t…since I don’t think anyone can rationally tell me what the hell “half an eternity” is. But a lot of things happened, hell of a lot, so…allow me to make a quick runthrough of what those things are.

Firstly, and the most important, I broke up with my fiance. It was a long way coming and doubts have surfaced as early as October. They say once you start seeing only the bad things of someone, it’s time to end it. And so, I have. It still hurts, but do I miss him? If I said, no, would you think any worse of me? Because I don’t. It hurts because I think we could’ve stayed friends but me + exes do not equal fun. I’ve tried and it was painful as hell and we hated each other more than if we’d just ended it amiably and never saw/talked to each other again. Anyways, that’s that. I’m not going to rehash our problems here, but there were a lot and one so unforgiveable that I had to call it quits.

Enough about that.

It might be too early to say anything too in depth, but I’ve met someone who makes me feel good. I know. Too soon? Nah, not in Korea, where people go dating as soon as they break up to forget their previous partner. Some may view it as callous, but come on, I don’t want to mope and cry. It’s sentimental and I don’t have time for that crap.

So, he’s a middle school teacher and he’s great. Great sense of humor, doesn’t sing just to annoy me, doesn’t act like a child. He’s a breath of fresh air and I aim to enjoy it as much as I can. Now, I don’t even care about the future and wondering what’ll happen if he leaves. Who cares? Let’s have fun!

We went snowboarding on Friday, the few pics of which you can see here. Notice the lack of faces…it was really, really cold. We’re going to go again at the end of this month, this time with some other friends, and it’s going to be a blast. Okay, okay, I’m going to quit talking about him.

Writing-wise, I’ve been taking a break, and it’s great. I don’t have to pressure myself to get a couple of thousand words a day, because hey, I’m not going to write! Although, now I do have to face reality and tell myself that it’s been a great three weeks, but I really must write. Which is something I’ll be doing once I finish with this blog entry.

So…with no further ado…

Tally ho!

Find Heaven. Check.

Listening to: Perfect Sky (Philharmonic Flava) by Bonnie Pink
Reading: Enchantment by Christina Skye
Watching: Kitchen Confidential

*** *** ***

Oh god. I found it. I found it.

The perfect writer’s getaway.

Tiamo’s Cafe near Anyang 1st Street next to the Duncan Donuts. I can’t believe I’ve been passing by every single goddamned time on my way to the subway station! From the store front, the place looked utterly tiny, but I was intrigued by their $2 white cocoa and when I walked in…wow. It’s awesome. Awesome.

Big back space, soft lightening, plenty of places to plug my laptop, a clean bathroom.

You have NO idea how important the last thing is.

Seriously. When you’ve been consuming three expressos, suddenly a clean, sparkling white toilet starts to look reeeal attractive. Really!

Oh. Did I mention their WIFI is kickass? Full bars! Woo!

So, I’m going to write. Today’s the first time this month I am fully able to immerse myself in writing.

Here goes nothing!

On the bus…ack!

Listening to: Movin
Reading: Midnight Promise
Watching: Reaper

*** *** ***

So…I find time to actually write on a bus. Oh yay. To be honest, I’m surprised there’s even enough room for me to write. It’s currently half past eight in the morning, and it’s pretty obvious that it’s sort of like the morning rush for people to get to work, go to school, health club, whatever it is that people get up in the mornings to get on buses to do.

Yesterday, I started and finished Jodi Thomas’s “The Texan’s Wager”, which was a totally awesome book. Well…right up until the last hundred pages when I closed the book for a second and went, “Oh my god, the heroine is a pussy.” And no, I didn’t mean it in the complimentary way. Really.

But up until then, it was a great book. It was refreshing to read about a guy who wasn’t like a friggin God. He was actually the best part of the book. But the heroine, Bailee, tsk tsk tsk.

Man.

Anyways, got home last work from working from 11 to 9 and I was totally bushwhacked. I can seriously see that I’m not going to be able to write anything this month. Crud. Well, no, that’s not entirely true. Lunar New Year is from the 25 to the 27, and I’m going to take a vacation from the 24 to the 27th. Hopefully, during that time I’ll actually be able to write something worth sending somewhere.

Hey, one can always hope, can’t they?

Hm…now where have I said that before?

2009! Here We Go!

Listening to: Your Voice
Reading: Carpe Jugulum
Watching: Kitchen Confidential

*** *** ***

MY GOALS FOR 2009

All I gotta say is this: 2009 better be a better year than 2008. I laugh at you, year 2008!

1. Write no less than 10k a week, excepting major holidays and excepting the majority of January. Hey, this month is my busiest month and I’m usually working at least 9 to 12 hours a day.

2. Read at least 5 books a month. I know, I know, if I’ve got time to read, then I’ve obviously got time to write, right? Not so. I’ll be spending a lot of time on subways and buses and while I can’t write on a train or bus, I can certainly read. Plus, I’ve got a HUGE stack of books in my to-be-read list. I mean, huge.

3. Finish at least three wips that have gone past 50k and then pettered out, for some reason or another. Find out what those reasons are and work past them!

4. Sub something, anything to Samhain, Liquid Silver, or Loose ID.

5. Bring an end to the Blood Martyr series. Seriously. It’s been running since October 2007. Time to end it.

6. Go to America. In the Summer. I don’t care how.

7. Splurge on a mini notebook, so I won’t have to lug around a heavy notebook anymore. Get a mini notebook. Now.

The Cards told me so…

Listening to: Someday
Reading: Gerald and Jacques
Watching: Kitchen Confidential

*** *** ***

For the past few weeks, I’ve been trying to do some Tarot readings for myself (I rarely do them for other people) mostly because I’ve been needing some guidance on my relationship, and the cards have been very, very uncomplimentary. Now, I know that I’m quite naturally very biased before I even do a spread, but I’ve been seeing a whole lot of Hermits, Judgement, and Deaths. I’ve been doing a lot of spreads, trying to see something that will help, but I think I’m going to stop for a bit. I don’t need cards telling me that I got to trash my fiance. Can’t do that.

“Oh, why’d you end your relationship with him?”

“…because the Cards told me to.”

Yeahhh….I don’t think so.

I really want this year to be a productive year. Year 2007 was awesome. I was writing a chapter almost every day. Hey, they might’ve been shitty, but at least I was still writing. Year 2008, a complete 180. I can’t remember the last time I felt so unmotivated. Granted, I haven’t lived very long, but I hope I never get another year like 2008 again. Could be a castle in the sky, but I’m really going to work on.

Well…that’s enough yammering from me.

It’s off to MS Word I go. Tally ho!