Rosemary Kirstein

I thought it would be criminal to be in the midst of excellent restaurants for a week, and not partake. Plus: no internet at the place I’m staying — except for an intermittent signal from some distant neighbors who left their wifi open to all comers (thank you, kind local family). So I thought I’d look for a place for coffee and internet, and then some nice seafood.

The coffee with internet place was closed! At 5PM! Winter hours in a New England seaside tourist site.

But their free wifi was still up. Still, I couldn’t quite see sitting in my car on the main drag, posting on the web.

Okay, I wanted isolation — I got it!

I went to the Deli for coffee, no wifi. I wrote lots longhand, with my fountain pen, which was lovely.

Deli had a nice view

Then I shambled over to a nearby restaurant, hoping for great seafood.

Possibly their chef was on vacation. It being, you know, winter. No tourists. I won’t mention the name — I don’t want to put you off, they’re probably better in the summer.

Can't seem to get enough of that harbor view...

Downside of big dinners: sleepiness. I shall remember this the next time I don’t want to waste valuable thinking/writing/reading/research time on a nap.

Still, glad I got out of the house at least once!

I keep forgetting how much I love being by the ocean.

The stars at night are better than home (but would be better still if not for another neighbor with a GREAT BIG GLARING SECURITY LIGHT that he has, out of the kindness of his heart, decided to share with THE ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD all night long).

I keep looking out to sea….

But, what is this island? What's on it? Who goes there?

Normally primetime, but after a big seafood dinner, soo sleeepy....

Do NOT have to get up early to go to any DayJob tomorrow.

Trying very hard not to think about anything connected with the DayJob.

Alas.

I’ve been having some trouble with my feet (plantar fasciitis), and seeing a doctor and physical therapist and all.

I thought I’d be improved by Boskone weekend, but it seems not to be the case. In fact, kinda worse.

So, I have to cancel out. Conventions involve a lot of walking around from one end of the hotel to the other, up stairs and down when the elevators are full, and standing around enjoying the art show and dealers’ room. I’m afraid a just can’t handle that.

Rats.

On the upside: I have all next week off! I might go somewhere (if I’m improved, or if it’s a place I can just drive to, and not have to haul through miles of airport concourses). Impromptu writer’s retreat!

If you’re going to Boskone, say Hi to everyone for me.

I’ve been making hand-bound blank journals for years. Back when I was writing The Lost Steersman, I got the idea to take it a step further, and tried making my own paper for the journals.

I made the paper out of recycled materials, and at that point, a lot of what I was recycling were printouts of early drafts of the The Lost Steersman.

At some point it occurred to me: instead of completely pulping the paper I was using, what if I kept some bits of shredded draft un-pulped? And let random words show up in the newly-made paper? How cool would that be?

Pretty cool, as it turned out.

But in the end, making my own paper was too time-consuming, and after a while I set it aside, and never used the pages I made.

The other day, I found them again. I wanted to do something special to donate to the Con or Bust auction, so Aha! said I.

Here’s the result:

click to embiggen

Ribbon is real silk, just like they make in Alemeth!

I love the way this turned out.

The book is 4 1/2 inches wide by 6 inches tall.    The shredded bits toss up random words within the paper.

mysterious fragments of words

I love the paper – it’s interestingly rumpled.    It works pretty well (if bumpily) with a fountain pen, but not well with a felt-tip.   I think a dip pen would work.   Ballpoint is not good at all. But colored pencils are very good — the paper has some bite to it.  I have not tried watercolors, but the paper has been treated to be not overly-absorbent.

What would YOU put in it?

So, hey — this could be yours.   Head over to the Con or Bust auction site and bid!

Also:  I’m including two loose squares of the same paper, so that you could test your writing implement or artistic medium before committing to marking the actual book.

And:  Bonus copy of The Lost Steersman itself!

All this for — well, you decide.

You can’t buy it here, you have to go to the Con or Bust Auction.

gold-trimmed little snail embellishment

I haven’t been blogging lately due, alas, to the continuing and increasing unpleasantness in the DayJob.

The Wind Horse flags have helped keep my spirits up, and the images on my beloved Darlene scarves as well.

Also,this image from a reader in Scotland:

The gentleman commissioned this as a gift for his wife, who then came up with the engraving.

I can’t express how lovely I find this…

(I won’t mention the reader’s name — unless he chooses to identify himself in the comments!)

I also have a steerswoman’s ring, which I had commisssioned, ages ago:

I can’t recall who made this for me …  but the reader in Scotland did provide a link to his ringmaker, so you can see their work here.

Well.  Must go.   Making two pots of pea soup, and trying to squeeze in some actual writing before Monday….