Shhh… don’t tell anyone right now, but I’m supposed to be writing. I was informed that updating the website doesn’t constitute writing. I call bunk.

The temperature’s been dropping here the last few days, with last night actually freezing (I know it was, because I had to walk Sophie in it while she did her business). The cats are loving it, because it means that their little internal furnaces are needed and I won’t kick them off the bed when I’m sleeping. I mean, my bedroom is the coldest room in the house, but that was nice… in the summer, when I had no AC, and slept with the windows open.

I need a fireplace. For some reason, this house doesn’t have one anymore. Judging by the roof, it used to have two. *grumble grumble*

I’ve been outlining a book with another author, one that’s doing the modern dystopia correctly. We both watch Revolution (I may have mentioned the show previously) and we both complain about how that show has jumped the shark. Instead of just couch-complaining, however, I’ve decided to be proactive. I’ve read so many dystopian fantasies/novels lately, and every single one of them have only a small handful of survivors (say, a few hundred) due to the breakdown of society. My collaborator and I both agree that something other than “the government is falling” needs to occur for there to be that few survivors. Even then, I did some math and, killing off 95% of America, there’s still 15 million people or so left.

So we’re breaking it down and we started wondering just how many little “nations” and such would pop up. I figured 19, because there are some isolated areas out west (hell, even my little nook in the mountains is fairly isolated, and I’m only 4.5 hours from DC) and there is bound to be at least a few “strongmen” who think that might makes right (and, honestly, it does… initially. Then everyone’s gunning for you, because you’ve given them a common enemy, and now you’re up a creek). So now I’m looking at getting a large map of the US with no state lines, only geographic markings, and drawing “territories”.

So we’re still outlining and drawing things up, but I can tell you right now that this series is going to be like nothing you’ve seen before. I’m hoping that the agent likes it.

Okay… I think they’re on to me. I need to get back to writing. Here’s a picture. I told you it was cold.

Cold for October. Brrr…