Anticipation and a Half

If all goes well, I'll be hitting the 50% marker on my Nano draft this afternoon when I get off of work. I thought about forcing myself to write the 4,000 necessary words all in one go last night, but then my Amazon package arrived, including two books that I've been dying to get my hands on for the past month. The timing was perfect, since I finished my last read before I left work yesterday (and no, the third book in the Virals series did not disappoint. It's left me clamoring for another book, but it looks like I'll be waiting at least a year for it. In the mean time, I'll be downloading the companion short story once I get my next paycheck).

House of Hades has been all over Tumblr since it's release last month, and I've been actively trying to avoid spoilers, with little success. But now my copy is here. I might not come up for air until it's done!

Another thing that arrived yesterday that I've been looking forward to is my Netflix of the Great Gatsby--the new one. I'll be watching that on our big screen, rather than on the laptop like I usually do. Even if the story sucks as much as I remember, it should be stunning to watch. I can always put it on mute, right?

Book Review: Virals

A ridiculously long time ago, I went to a Kathy Reichs booksigning. She was in Beaver Creek promoting her young adult series, Virals. At the time, I’d read three or four of her Bones books. They’re good. I enjoy them, but at times they can be a little dry. Still, I was excited to meet such a talented author/scientist.

I bought the first two Virals books at the signing. I just read the first one last week.

I can’t believe that it took me so long to sit down and read it, and even more I can’t believe that these books got so little attention when they came out! Tory Brennan is smart, sassy, and fierce. She’s a leader, self-confidant without being arrogant. She’s interested in boys and clothes, but her life doesn’t revolve around them. She’s an athletic science geek, an adventurous spirit and an animal lover.  

She’s everything that I wish I could have been when I was 14.

Though thrown together by circumstance, Tory forms close bonds with three neighbor boys, the other Virals. These strong, completely platonic relationships give the four of them solid footing when adults prove untrustworthy and they find themselves surrounded by murder, conspiracy, and mysterious burgeoning powers brought on by a science experiment gone awry. Even better, since the books are written by a scientist, they push the bounds of reality just so, making the reader believe that the wild circumstances the Virals find themselves in are possible, even if not probable. 

I’m about 1/3 of the way through the second book right now, and so far there are hints of what might be romance, and the possibility of actual werewolves showing up—science based werewolves, no magic necessary. How often do you see that? Add in some missing pirate treasure, and you’ve got the makings of a sequel that will not disappoint. 

While technically classified as YA, these books will appeal to anyone who loves a good adventure. I’m not generally a fan of sci-fi myself, but these books don’t read as sci-fi and all of the science is broken down into easy to understand bites so that even an art nerd like me with only a limited science background can follow along. 

These are quick, exciting reads that never have a dull moment. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one.

Book 3: Code

Book 4: Exposure

Litterary Takeaway

I came across this article recently and had to share: A Brief History of Book Vending Machines.

Sidenote: I want to visit Japan for many reasons, but a huge part of that is the vending machines. The Japanese put crazy stuff in their vending machines. (And those aren't even some of the weirder ones I've heard of, which include steak, porn, and used panties. Yes, you read that right. I have no idea if it's true or just a gross rumor.)

Random Three

I keep missing my blogging deadlines.

Nothing wrong, this time around. I'm just behind on almost everything (still. Always).

Mostly, I'm just glad that last week is over. I'm just trying to make up for all of the stuff I missed because of all of the crap that was happening.

so in the mean time, you get a list of three random things, since that is all I can manage right now.

1. I've been using the Sterling to draft an outline for....version eight? of I novel I'm working on. So far it's up to eight pages and is looking more and more like a novel in and of itself.

2. Tomorrow I'm planning on finally sitting down with my steampunk typewriter. It arrived just before the convention back in April (as in, the night before we left), but with everything that's been going on I completely forgot about it until in the madness of cleaning I found it in the living room. How pathetic that I can't even remember the make and model at this point? Anyway, tomorrow it goes in for surgery and hopefully I'll be able to repair the damage to the carriage that it endured during shipping.

3. Sketches, swatches, and yarn lists are in to my editor, so the real work on the book should begin shortly. Just waiting to hear her thoughts on what I sent her.

be back on Wednesday. Let me know if you find my brain laying around between now and then....

Don't Mind the Ice

Ignore that frost over there in the corner. It's just hell freezing over. Do you know why?

I've got a finished object.

With pictures.

How often does that happen?

I started this super-basic shrug about 2-3 weeks ago at the Ravelry/Pride meetup, and finished it up this afternoon. It was such a lovely, sunny day that I took my mannequin outside for the photoshoot.

The yarn I used is a mystery yarn that I picked up in Italy a few years ago. The ball band is long gone, but I remember that it was 100% linen. To date, this is still the only linen yarn I've ever worked with, but I love it. I bought two or three balls of it (I think it was something like 2-3 euro each; a steal) and used the first one to make a Turkish rib scarf for my mom while I was away. Somehow, it never got entered into Ravelry. :/ I feel like this is a gaping hole, somehow.

At any rate, I do know that it was purchased here, and if I remember correctly, it was the house brand. If you happen to be in Firenze, though, don't go expecting to find this exact yarn--it was on clearance and I grabbed the last two balls, so it's probably discontinued. Do check out some of their other yarns, though. This one was great to work with and I swear each ball has about a billion yards in it. The scarf I made for my mom was rather massive, and a single ball made this shrug--with some leftover.

Oh, did I mention? That yarn shop will also let you buy bulk yarns by weight. I did not take advantage of that when I was there (that would be a dangerous rabbit hole for me) but if I ever go back to Florence, I will.

The shrug itself is extremely easy: yok2tog all the way around the first round, then knit the second round. Repeat those two rows for about an inch, then split and work flat (substituting a purl row for the knit round) and work for 18". Rejoin in the round, and continue for another inch before binding off. For a finishing touch, I picked up stitches to add the ribbing. If I'd had a little more yarn left over, I would have added ribbing around the shoulder/neck/hem area, but I was about two rounds short of what I needed. Missed it by that much.

The conclusion of this project means that I'll be buckling down in earnest to make samples for the book soon--as soon as I nail down the final yarns and relay them to my publisher. At the moment I'm using some of my samples to swatch a couple of patterns that may or may not make their way into CENSORED. Right now the big challenge is that all of my yarn support yarns are much thinner than all of the yarns I worked with originally--by about half, if not more. Writing the patterns with the yarn held double would, I think, make most projects prohibitively expensive for the average knitter (at $32 a pop, who wants to buy eight skeins for a scarf? I feel bad enough asking for four...). At minimum, this means going back and reworking all of my charts and the thus-far-completed patterns...for a third time.

But, considering that last night the cat and I were fighting over who got to use the sample skeins as a teddy bear...I don't mind too much. Hey, when it's THAT soft, who can complain?

Quick Review: Nefertiti

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

I have discovered something: Archaeologists make really excellent novelists.

Michelle Moran worked in Egypt for several years, inspiring her to write a total of three books about Queen Nefertiti and her family. This book, a stand-alone novel, is told from the perspective of Nefertiti's younger sister, Mutnodjmet, or Mutny, as her family calls her. It begins when Mutny is barely a teenager, and her sister is only fourteen. Their aunt, Queen Tiye, chooses Nefertiti to be the Chief Wife of her son, Amunhotep IV, after his older brother dies (under mysterious circumstances). The hope is that Nefertiti's strong personality will reign in the impulsive young heir, and prevent him from doing harm to the Egyptian empire once he becomes Pharaoh. By placing the ambitious Nefertiti on the throne, she sets into motion the destiny of a family that will forever mark Egyptian history.

This book starts off really slow. I won't tell you how long it took me to read the first portion of the book. Covering a total of about twenty years, the girls early days in the palace are entertaining, but not gripping. Gossip and petty backstabbing get covered up as political intrigue and jealous grabs for power as Nefertiti fights for her place as Amunhotep's favorite against his first wife, Kiya. As Amunhotep takes power, however, and begins to acheive his own goal--first by renaming himself Akhenaten, after the sun disk, Aten, and destroying all of the old temples of Egypt, taxing them into ruin to build a new city in the middle of the desert, Amarna, Mutny and Nefertiti and those around them must walk on egg shells to avoid angering him, meanwhile making secretive moves in the shadows in an attempt to keep enemy nations from invading, to placate angry coutiers and civilians who do not like the sweeping changes being made.

The final third of the book, however, tumbles out in excitement: Mutny's lover, General Nakhtmin, is sent to the Hittite front, a sure death sentence. Suspecting treachery on her sister's part, Mutny leaves the palace, swearing never to return. Unrest grows throughout Egypt and her territories, and it all comes to a tipping point when Akhenaten, believing in a treaty with the Hittite king, invites their nobility right into the heart of Amarna. As the death toll rises, Nefertiti and Mutny must make difficult decisions in the hope of not only saving their own lives, but those of their families and their people.

This book gives a great insight into the customs and lives of people 3500 years ago. It has an engaging story, and once the ball starts rolling it doesn't stop.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 skeins

Typecast #10

Have I really only done ten of these? It's been way too long!

Click to make them bigger.

And as an added bonus, a photo of Hermes and his "guilty" face for unplugging my monitor.

You can see he feels about as much guilt as any cat ever does. Which is to say, none.

Last but not least, the winners of the Birthday Contest! Random.org drew numbers 20 and 4, which means that AuroraSelene will be getting the yarn and pattern, and Asteride will be getting the pattern! (you should be getting a Ravelry PM from me within the next day or so to get your details and to get the code for the download).Congratulations!

A Proposal and a Rejection

(No, not that kind of proposal. Sorry, Mom.)

Well, it finally happened. I sent it out.

Over the weekend, I bit the bullet and sent the book proposal for CENSORED to two different publishers. In about 24 hours, I had a response from the larger of the two. It was a very polite and encouraging “no.” Still, I am grateful for the suggestions that the editor made, and I’m not at all surprised at the response. A book with that much profanity in it is hard to market to a general audience, and while I would rather work with a traditional publisher to produce a print book that can reach a wider audience, I know that my concept will not appeal to everyone and that they have to consider all of their clients and readers, and their future relationship with them.

I’m still waiting to hear back from the second publisher. I’m a little more hopeful about that one, since it’s a small press, but I also strongly suspect that they will have a similar response.  If I’m right, then it’s not the end of the world. I’ll simply begin the process of self-publishing the patterns, and eventually combining them  into an e-book. It will take longer, but it will give me more control and I’ll be able to work at my own pace—if I feel like taking a break in the middle and working on a pair of socks, or designing something that doesn’t include illusion, then I’ll have the luxury to do so.

But of course, that is all contingent on publisher #2 and how they feel about the book.

----

Thank you to everyone for your kind thoughts about my uncle. I was able to talk to him on the phone the other day, and he seems to be doing okay. Not taking care of himself, but he's recovering and as much as I would like to I can't beat him over the head until he stops smoking or changes his diet or just rests long enough to have time to heal. Still, I appreciate the well wishes and I know that he does to. Thanks.

So Many Books!

It feels good to bring books and reading back into this blog. Last year, I was so stressed that reading was difficult. I had trouble finding the head space to sit down; I'd get bored, or distracted, or anxious, feeling like I was wasting my time by not working on something productive. I might read a chapter, but when I closed the book I couldn't have told you what happened in it. I tried audio books, but I'm not an aural learner by nature and found those even harder to concentrate on.

So I did a lot of knitting and watched a lot of movies, and tried to write when I could.

I still haven't done a lot of reading this year; not even a quarter of what I would like. but it's coming back. I'm hoping that once I get Censored off of my desk, I'll be ready to start working on fiction full time again, since I have way too many of those projects waiting to be completed.

One step at a time.
-----
It's started to warm up a little around here. We've opened the windows once or twice to let things air out. I've even seen the sun a few times, which lends a sense of optimism to any situation. It feels like things are finally starting to look up. I don't know how far up they're going to go, but right now I'll settle for baby steps.

Just a little at a time.

When Being Wrong is a Turn Off

So I might have mentioned that I got a huge stack of library books. I've been working my way through them, returning some and checking out some others. Yesterday I started a new book at work. It's from a series that I was really looking forward to when it came out. I read the first book last year, and I remembered that I had trouble getting into it, but I couldn't remember why. Either way, I picked up the second book and have started it.

Suddenly, I remember the problem.

I am not an authority on history. I know a lot about history, but even of the eras that I might be considered something of an expert on, the Victorian period is not on that list.

So when I find glaring historical inaccuracies in the first five chapters, it is a huge turn off. Things like someone tipping a bell boy what he probably would have made in two days. I remember a similar inaccuracy in the previous book. Gail Carriger explains it far better than I could.

The story is an alternative history; there are some changes that have been made to settings, technology, and the like for the sake of the story. That's fine. But there are a few things that are just. Plain. Wrong.

Just to be sure, I looked up a few things. The story was set in 1897. The average yearly pay in 1900 was $436. Since this is a really fancy hotel in New York we're talking about, I'll give them a benefit of a doubt and even though this is a kid between the ages of 12 and 15 that we're talking about, I'll assume that he's getting the average national pay, even though that average is based on adult, American men, who made the most at that time, and not a kid, likely an immigrant or the child of immigrants.

$436--that's a little over $8 a week (working 40-60 hours; adults worked 60 hour weeks, I'm not sure about kids and teens. Like I said, I'm no expert, I'm just running off of a quick google search and some prior knowledge), or about $1.20 a day.

Now, even if our character only tipped a dollar, that's still most of what he made in a day, and likely a lot more, considering all of the allowances I just made. This character hands out the cash without a second thought. Even if you took it as an act of generosity, it's still extremely unlikely.

Add to the fact that this character is British, and it becomes even more unlikely that he would be handing out paper money to faceless help. The book doesn't indicate that he has been outside of Britain before; the British used primarily coins until the 1920s. A penny would have been considered a good tip, on either side of the pond.

And that was just the first error I found.
 
I haven't decided yet if I'm going to finish this book. Right now I'm giving it three strikes. One more blatant mistake, and back to the library it goes.

If someone knows more about 1897 New York and would like to correct me, feel free to do so. I'd like to give the author the benefit of a doubt, but this is just driving me up a wall.

Feast or Famine

One of the reasons I decided to take a break from creative writing is because it wasn't where my headspace was. Not only do I have things to accomplish on my self-imposed deadline, but right now knitting and designing is where my brain is at. When you're thinking in terms of K2TOG v. SSK, sometimes it's hard to transition into eloquent descriptions and engaging dialogue. Seriously, try it. Write a technical page using every possible abbreviation, making it as concise as possible with as few words, then write another page of flowery description. I bet you that either one is better than the other, or neither comes out because you're trying too hard to shift gears. I know that for me, at least, the neurological version of a transmission doesn't like it. Since those are expensive to replace, I'll stick with knitting for a while.

Which is great, since I've got an awesome book I'm writing. I've also got two more waiting in the wings.

And then this morning, I thought up a fourth.

Sometimes, it's great to have all of this creativity coming at you. Other times, it's frustrating, since we've already established that I can't Do All The Things!! much as I would like to. For starters, I only have one set of hands, and until medicine or evolution gives me at least three more, and the brain power to use them, there's no way I can work on all of these projects at once.

But, it's good to have options. See, each of these books has a different feel or theme to them. Censored is a little vulgar, but funny. It's also sarcastic. The patterns are mostly beginner level.

Knitting on the Road, which is on deck, contains slightly more complicated patterns. It's wistful, and fun, but lacks actual humor. It's more creative, I think, in terms of construction techniques and the combination of knitting and crochet.

The Yarnpocolypse, returns to witty, sarcastic humor, and combines knitting, crochet, and sewing with short stories and comics. Unlike Censored, though, it's got a PG rating.

This new book is untitled (hey, I just woke up!) and it's a departure from all three. It would be classic, "traditional" patterns--cardigans, socks, etc--that would have a broader appeal than any of the other books. There might be lace in it, if I could ever figure out how to do it. The idea is that there be a pattern named after and inspired by each of the women in my family. I've got designs running around in my head that need to be put on paper.

In addition, I'm collecting designs for a geek-themed collection, steampunk, and litterary inspired patterns.

I think I'm going to be knitting for a long while, yet.

Quick Reviews

Intertwined: The Art of handspun yarn, Modern Patterns, and Creative Spinning by Lexi Boeger

Honestly, I don't know what made me pick this book up. I knew from the cover that it was going to be about art yarn (that would be "non-traditional" yarns made from things like plastic bags, cassette tapes, and with stuff like ribbon, beads, gears silk flowers, and scrap fabric thrown in for embellishments), and I neither enjoy looking at art yarns nor using them. But, I haven't read much about spinning beyond a couple of beginners books I grabbed when I was first starting, and thought it might have some interesting techniques.

"Interesting" is maybe not the right word. It isn't so much a book of technique as it is of theory. Art theory, to be precise.

Art theory and the people who spout it are the main reason I don't work in art despite my degree. I forced myself to skim the first fifty or so pages of this 300 page volume before I just started flipping because I just couldn't take it any more.

The yarns she gives instructions for in this book are neither pleasing to the eye (at least not mine), nor are they practical, and the patterns which make up the second half of the book are more of the same: ill fitting caps made of slubby yarn, scarves that are essentially a dozen strands of "art" yarn tied together into a giant tassel, and felted shoelaces that I suspect would snap the first time you tied them snugly or would go from knotted to felted in the rain.

Needless to say, I'm not fan, but your millage may vary. If nothing else, it's good for a laugh.

KnotMagick Rating: one out of five skeins.

Vogue Knitting: Spring/Summer 2013

 My first thought about this issue is that the color scheme is fantastic, but I might be biased, since that turquoise blue/green color on the cover? It's my favorite. That's the same color as my bedroom.

I love most of the patterns in this issue, especially the cover collection, "Sheer Magic" which focuses on lace. I'm not a lace knitter. I've always wanted to learn, but it's not something that has ever clicked in my head. Still, I might give it another go for some of these sweaters.

I was somewhat neutral on the black and white themed "Optical Illusions" collection, but I've never been a fan of the mod, 70s graphics these recall or of color blocking, even when it's only black and white.

"Parlor Pastels" also features a lot of lace, with a more feminine, almost old fashioned feel. With the exception of a few wayward bobbles, I love most of the patterns in this collection.

As far as the articles are concerned, the highlights for me where an interview with fiber artist Adrienne Sloane. Her work brings to mind the types of things I was doing for my senior thesis show in college, only a little less...craft? And much more fine art. If I'd done my show in her style, my professors would have lapped it up.

The other bit I really liked was a short article on "The Evolution of Invisible or Tubular Cast On and Cast Off," which is another of those techniques that I've been wanting to learn but never actually looked up. The article is clear and concise, just the way I like it, and now I'm trying to find an excuse to use this technique.

Downsides to this issue--I felt that most of the departments were rather bland, like I'd seen them before, so the first twenty or so pages weren't all that interesting. Things didn't kick up until I hit the articles and then the patterns. 

KnotMagick Rating: Three and a half skeins.


AlterNation: Transform. Embellish. Customize. by Shannon Okey and Alexandra Underhill

By now everyone probably knows that I'm flat broke, so any time I can recycle old clothes, it's a good thing--you might remember the courderoy skirt?

I got this book mostly for inspiration, and inspiration it provided. I don't think I'd make any of the projects exactly as they appear in the book. For starters, many of them (such as the cover skirt, which I adore) would look downright indecent on me (or anyone, really), so I'd be adding linings or just a little more judicious with the use of corset lacing.

Most of the projects I liked in this book were skirts; I like making skirts, though I don't often get to wear them.

Downsides: Some of these projects just made me go "WTF?", like the ruffled collar made of ties. Seriously, who would wear that?

Like I said, some of the projects need a little, um, censoring. Because while I might swear up a storm, I am not the kind of girl who goes around flashing her undergarments, or skipping them altogether to make a skirt or dress look better.

Well, we all have to draw the line somewhere.

Also, there were one or two project where you never saw a photo of the entire item. There were lots of close ups, sure, or shots from one side, but not the other.

At any rate, each project's materials could easily be sourced from one's own closet or the local thrift store. The instructions are clear, short, and to the point, and I don't think any project takes more than 3 pages. It's definitely something that I'd like to have around to flip through when I'm feeling blocked.

KnotMagick Rating: four out of five Skeins

 Designer Bead Embroidery: 150 Patterns and Complete Techniques by Kenneth D. King

The thing that struck me first about this book is how neat and well organized it is. It makes the scientist side of by brain giddy.

I skipped ahead and flipped through the patterns, first. Every single one of them has a great, close up photo, a pattern diagram, macro shots of the beads used as well as a code that corresponds with the index in the back, telling you specifically what bead was used. There's also a note on what percentage each pattern should be enlarged by in order to match the photo, with completed dimensions, recommended applications, and a brief paragraph on technique.

The bulk of the book is taken up by these designs, and they range from more traditional looking patterns, to retro-inspired, to modern, graphic images.

The first section, though brief, is well illustrated with lots of photos showing tools and materials, and drawings to explain different techniques. The clarity of the instruction is unsurpassed, in my opinion; It's short and to the point, but also perfect, just like so many of the designs.

KnotMagick Rating: five out of five skeins (or beads?)

Buried in Books (and That's the Way I Like It)

I know I said I was scaling back on the writing, but clearly cutting out books is not my intention. This is my upcoming reading list. And that's not even including The Lord of the Rings that's currently sitting by my bed:

Clearly I have enough there to give you at least a book review a week for the next couple of months. Not all of them are books for review; Virals is a Kathy Reichs book that I bought when she was in Beavercreek last year for a signing, and never got around to reading. The books on the 1920s are research for novels that I most certainly am not writing at the moment (I never made any rules about outlining, did I? Or doing character studies, right?), and Pawn of Prophecy is the latest book that Missouri has foisted on me and insisted that I read.

Not shown--a book one of my cousins gave me last summer at our family reunion. I like what I've read by that author previously, but am having trouble getting into Laddie. It's on hold until I finish other things.

At the time of this writing, Missouri is borrowing Mountain Echos by C.E. Murphy; it arrived this morning and since I hijacked her new Karen Chance novel when it arrived, it only seems fair that she get first crack at one of my new books (I can hardly be blamed, really. Fury's Kiss sat unattended in the living room for three whole days and she made no move to read it. A book that good shouldn't be left to gather dust, and once again, Karen Chance did not disappoint).

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some reading to do.

Shuffling

It occurred to me this week that it was a bit insane for me to finish three large knitting projects, write a knitting book, and write two novels and at least three short stories in the next twelve months while holding down a full time job. And also blogging and you know, having a life. It sounds dumb, but it really did take me taht long to realize that the reason nothing was getting done was because I was trying to Do All The Things...and doing them at the same time!

So, I've reshuffled a little bit. Since I have outlines for the novels, but am currently a bit bored with them (these being versions 2.0 and....6.0? respectively), I've decided to set them aside. The post club stories are complete, but will probably be revised at some point. I would like to do some more short stories this year, but they will likely not be for publication, rather for character development purposes on the novels. I guess they're more writing exercises than anything else.

I've jotted down notes and the beginnings of two or three potential novels since the beginning of the year, but I'm not sure they will go anywhere. For the moment, my creative writing is either parked or idling, inching forward when I need a break from knitting.

I'm focusing all of my efforts into "Censored." About 50% of the patterns are written at this point, and most of them have been test knit. I'm working on putting together a submission packet as we speak, and will probably send it out in June, goddess willing. There is a possibility that I'll have to hire someone to do some sample knitting, or perhaps find someone willing to loan me one of their test knits. I'm keeping Kickstarter in the back of my mind for this reason.

In the coming weeks you'll probably see a lot more knitting on this blog than previously--not just what I'm working on, but also inspiration shots. I'm open to answering questions or posting tutorials, as well, so if there's something you'd like to see, drop me a line. I've also got some book reviews lined up, as well as some posts related to textile history and conservation.

The writing and typewriters aren't going to go away, they're just going to be set aside, for a little while. They'll still pop up from time to time, but if I'm going to get anything done this year, I need to narrow my focus a bit before I go completely mental. Considering I'm already halfway there, I don't need any encouragement.

P.S. Speaking of test knits, there is currently one running on Ravelry for "Charlotte." If you're not on Rav and would still like to take part, please email me. 

Censored

I've been plugging away at the book. Initially I had wanted to have all of the patterns done before Christmas, but I realize that was somewhat overambitious. My new goal is for the end of April. So far all of the scarf patterns are done--a narrower version of the infamous "Fuck You" scarf, as well as one that reads "Adult Content", "Crime Scene Do Not Cross," and the title project, "Censored." Earlier this week I sent a shawl pattern off to a test knitter (if you are interested in taking part in the test knit please drop me a line.

I'm not quite ready to start sharing pictures. Maybe next month. I have, however, begun looking at publishers and am putting together a book proposal.

I know that this book will be hard to publish. For starters, most publishers don't like printing vulgar projects. Second, while I have a few publishing credits under my belt and the original scarf kind of went viral on Ravelry, I'm hardly the Yarn Harlot or Meg Swanson. I don't really have a following of any kind, and I haven't taught or made a real name for myself. In fact, as far as I can tell, my one and only print publishing credit thus far was canned and never even made it into the stores. It was supposed to go out in October, then got pushed back to December, and I haven't seen it at all or even received my author copy yet.

But that's a story for another day.

As I was saying, this book will likely be hard to publish. If that is the case, I might resort to Kickstarter. I'm just uncertain of how precisely to sell the books if I do, since I can hardly go door to door with them. Perhaps publishing through Amazon is a better route? I would prefer to have hard copies, but that might have to wait.

I talked a little about this dilemma last fall. Now that I'm getting a bit closer to completion, I'm looking at it in more detail. What kind of incentives could I offer for different levels of support? Is it even worth doing Kickstarter if I end up only being able to release a PDF version? How would that affect my end sale price? Would it? I might be able to use the money to hire a graphic designer, and a photographer,  both of which would be a vast improvement to me doing the work on my own. I would also probably be able to pay a tech editor and some sample knitters to speed up production. I don't know if I could do that going the traditional route, or if the publisher would pay for it.

I guess what I'm saying is that I'm still on the fence about a lot of things, but that Kickstarter is beginning to look like (maybe) a viable option. I still would like to try the traditional route first, but at least this way I've got choices.

Nano Progress

Such an uncreative title, I know. But most of my energy has been sucked into NaNoWriMo. The counts are in, and in the past two weeks I've cranked out just over 24,000 words. People, I never write this much consistently in one go. I might write 5k one day, then 3 the next, and then I might not write anything other than blog posts and journal entries for a month.

Obviously, I'm not 100% satisfied with all of the words I've written, but the point is, they are down on the page now, where they belong, instead of floating around in my head where it's so easy for them to get lost. I've written an average of 2k every day for the past two weeks, and have only taken one day off (NaNo thinks it was two, but it wasn't. I just forgot to update my word count until after midnight).

There are a couple of problems with this: 1) it's taking away time normally spent knitting and designing, which is delaying the next pattern release and my Giftmas knitting. For those who have anxiously been awaiting the next pattern/the book I promised, fear not, it is still in the works. Realistically, though, I knew it would be a major challenge to get it out before Christmas, and now I see that it's pretty much impossible. The [Censored] pattern book shall have to wait until after New Years (this probably would have been the case even without NaNo, but this is just making it clear that there is NO POSSIBLE WAY for me to write the book, transcribe the patterns, create the charts, and do all of the necessary formatting--which is extremely fiddly, by the way--for 8-12 patterns in six weeks. Not on my own, at least.)

2) I am just shy of 25k, which marks the halfway point in the 50k that is NaNo. The problem is that I am 2/3 of the way through the book. I sense some serious word padding in my future.

Much as I would love to do NaNo on a typewriter, it is not practical for me to do so this year. I did, however, manage to resurrect my very first laptop (the one I got ages ago when I started college). It's slower than mollassas, but it gets me on NaNo, Google, and all of those other writerly time-sinks, and is just barely within the requirements for Storyist, which is the software I downloaded to write on (more on that next week).

It feels good to be this productive. I've struggled in a few paces, but I've discovered that I work best right after I wake up and right before bed. I usually do about 900-1200 words either before work or as soon as I get home. Then I hit a wall, start pulling my hair out, and go play Threads of Mystery on Facebook for a while. Then I'll come back, and tell myself, "You're only 400 words away from your daily goal," or "Another hundred words, and you'll break 24k" or whatever the next benchmark is, and I'll force myself to hit that target, even if the words are crap. And then I usually keep going and wind up with something close to 2,000 or 2,500 words when all is said and done.

The rampaging Rhino might still decide to scrap everything I've written, or to run down a completely different path. Or he might abandon me completely (he seems to be spending an awful lot of time with Theanab from the Typewriter brigade thread). But in the mean time, I'm going to ride this wave while I've got it, however small it is.

Baby steps. It's all in the baby steps. 

You've Got Mail

About a month ago, I signed up for a swap on Ravelry. Not just any swap, but one through my True Blood group.

For those unfamiliar with the idea, a swap works like this: You put your name on a list, fill out a quick profile (favorite color, any allergies, etc), and the moderator pairs you up with a partner. Each swap has a different set of rules. For this one, we had to spend at least $25 on yarn, and the theme was True Blood. Other than that, the sky is the limit. Meanwhile, someone else will get your name, and put together a package for you.

My package arrive last night, and I was so excited that I completely forgot to take pictures of the packaging. That's a shame since my swap partner went way above and beyond.

Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Since this was a TV/book themed swap, some of the questions in the profile regarded favorite characters and such. My favorite character in TB is Sam, owner of Merlot's Bar and generally just the nicest, most loyal guy you ever wanted to meet (he's also a shapeshifter, but that's another story). My partner put together this cute letter from Sam, about how all the goodies came from various characters in the books:

As you might have gathered, there were smaller packages inside the box. Package #1 contained this:

An anatomical knitted heart, "staked" by a pair of KnitPicks circular needles.

Package number two contained this cute little travel knit kit:

In the first picture, you can see that the cover has a picture of Sam on it, while the back is the "Welcome to Bon Temps" sign.

Inside was a mini crochet hook for fixing mistakes, a stitch holder, a yarn needle, and a collection of stitch markers bearing the character's faces.

In the last mini-package was this, a "faery charm" to ward of vampires:

This is the box the necklace came in:

Of course, there was also yarn, and a few other goodies as well:

Lipstick and matching lip pencil, in a vampy red I haven't tried out yet.

...Not to mention a couple bags of my favorite candies: Reese's miniatures and Sour Patch.

I think I'm set for quite a while! The only problem? I only got yarn and tea for the person who got my package. :( I feel like a lame partner now (though she was very appreciative and seemed to really like what I sent her. Even if I had a "duh" moment and forgot to include a letter. Yes, the typewriter fan forgot to include a letter. The irony is not lost on me).

Thanks, Phantasmagoria!

In The Bag

 

 

I thought that this week I might show you so me of the things in my knitting bag. Not projects, mind you, but some of the tools I carry around with me.

LJ Kaelms. I've been wanting to do a review of this bag since I got it, but it hasn't happened yet. Someday, though.

First, the bag.

This is a Jordana Paige LJ Kaelms. These normally sell for $89 USD, but I won this bag two years ago when it debuted through a drawing on Facebook. It isn't the JP bag I would pick for myself (that would be a Knitter's Satchel, if anyone is wondering) but when it comes to knitting and designing on the go, this is the best bag in my (modest) collection.

One nice thing about this bag is the divider. Purse stuff in the front (bottom of image) and knitting stuff in the back (top of image). Like the bag, most of the stuff I carry has to do double duty.

Obviously, every knitting bag contains knitting. Note that by happy coincidence, the yarn matches the bag. 

I always carry a notebook and pen. Though I've tried many styles and sizes, I have a preference for 5 subject college ruled spiral bound notebooks with perforated pages. This notebook has, at various points, contained notes and bits and pieces of six different stories, drafts and outlines for blog posts (including this one), to do lists, and preliminary charts and patterns. 

To make things easier to find, I draw little symbols in the upper corner of every page. This symbol means that this page is blog-related.

I'm not really a pen snob, but I have specific pens that I like. I order blue and green Pilot Rèxgrips by the box from Amazon (and Pentel Energels, but that's a different story). I'm usually not a fan of ballpoints, but these have a really smooth line, they're sturdy, and I've never hit a single air bubble or interruption in the ink flow. I started using a variation of these in Florence, and tracked them down as soon as I got back to the states. I use them for everything. 

Taking care of your hands is a huge part of knitting. Rough hands snag yarn and create drag that slows down knitting. Chipped nails leave snags and break. This manicure kit was $7, and I carry it everywhere. The cuticle scissors are perfect for cutting yarn. 

Burt's Bees Thoroughly Therapeutic is my new favorite hand lotion. It moisturizes better than anything I've ever tried, and the twist top means it doesn't leak in my purse the way the flip top and pop top styles most travel lotions have do. I expound at length about Burt's Bees and kit this came from here and here.

I found this kit at Michael's for $4 USD on clearance. Anyone else noticing a color theme? 

From the right: 

Crochet hooks--I don't usually carry these, but there was room in the kit, so I added them. 

DPNs--The reason I don't carry crochet hooks These are size US 7 (a good middle size). They're from a set of 4 that has one missing, and are great for picking up dropped stitches, or dropping down to fix mistakes.

Measuring tape--For obvious reasons. 

Nail clippers--would normally be in the manicure kit. The original set got dull, and my replacements aren't slender enough to fit in the case. But this is as good a place as any for them, since they can also be used to cut yarn (I wonder how that other set got so dull in the first place....)

Cable needle--For cabling, of course.

Idiot tags--also known as price tags. I got the idea from Maggie Righetti's Knitting in Plain English. Loop them through a stitch at the end of your row to keep track of your row number, or make notes about pattern details, alterations, the number of decreases....anything you might forget. Then just snip them out when you're done.

Substitute your iPhone, if you're lucky enough to have one. I am not, so I suffice with this.

 

Another items that is always in my bag is my iPod Touch. Aside from using Safari to access Ravelry and look up techniques, and Maps to find yarn stores I honestly  don't use it much for my knitting, but there are a few apps that I have--Knit Counter Lite, which is a free app that acts as a row counter and project notebook, allowing you to track rows and information like yarn brands and dyelots for multiple projects. There is a pay version, but I haven't seen it and I don't know what the advantages might be. Convertknit does what it says on the tin. Use either a handy chart or the built in calculator to convert needle sizes, yarn thicknesses, or weights and lengths to your system of choice. It includes American, European, Metric, English, Japanese, and Imperial options.  

For the fun side of things, I also have Knitting Mania, which is a free game in which you have to "knit" so many rows in a given time, and miTypewriter, which is not knitting related but just as fun. But that is also a review for another day. 

The project info for the London Calling Cabled Cardigan as seen in Knit Counter Lite, and the conversion calculator in ConvertKnit.

Lastly, my maneki-neko (Japanese lucky cat). These cute little guys are supposed to bring luck, especially in business. Since I want to make a living on my knitting, I figure my knitting bag is the best place for it. I'm superstitious like that.

What's in your bag?