Donna Maree Hanson, Author and PhD Candidate

It’s July already and I wonder where half the year has gone. I get to this point and look back over the year and think what have I done, usually in the sense of what have I written. Now that Conflux 9 is done and almost dusted (I’m doing the accounts for Conflux Inc), I’ve been free to write.

I drafted a category length paranormal romance late last year and have revised it a number of times, particularly after Conflux 9, where my wits were standing all on end and I really didn’t have the brain space to polish and you can’t get away from the having to polish. I haven’t had it acquired yet, but here’s hoping. A bit of finger tapping going on.

Over the June long weekend, I started writing the sequel to Rayessa and the Space Pirates. I finished the draft over the weekend and it’s now with Nicole, my faithful beta reader  and good friend. She sometimes wears leather when she critques, which is good. So I’m drumming my fingers on the desk about that too.

My first royalty statement is due, but has been delayed. More fingers are tapping.

Late last year, I also finished a longer paranormal/urban fantasy novel. That’s what I’m meant to be working on this month. At work though I’ve been drafting the early stages of a report, which means a lot of time in front of the computer. I have the excuse that I don’t want to do it and I’m a bit brain dead to be thinking about sex scenes and make them zing. (thanks Nicole!) So I have that to do. Not tonight though, even though I think I’m bored out of my wits. A bit of head banging on desk over this. I have the guilt warring with good sense.

I enrolled in uni so I’m set to complete the Masters in Creative Writing this year. We don’t start till August so I have a little bit of time to play with my paranormal fantasy before I get back onto my young adult, steampunk, romantic fantasy that I’m working on. I nod my head. I think a break is a good thing sometimes.

I spoke to my boss about leave for RWA in Freemantle in August. He was happy about that until I pointed out that the deadline to get the issues papers out coincided. I need to check the date, maybe it’s the week before. Still that means some hard work between now and then and a bit of angsting about leave. I’m currently working full time so I should be able to get through everything to meet my deadline. The operative word is should.

The biggest news of the week is that I bought our tickets to go to the World Fantasy Convention in Brighton UK. Finally, we made the commitment. So now we just have to plan who we will visit when we are there and maybe fit in a trip to Ireland. We’ll be gone for a month. Some of the travel overlaps the uni work, so it looks like I’ll have to have assignments done before time, again. Oh well. I’ll see what I can negotiate.

At this point in time I don’t know if I can negotiate, but it’s an option.

Somewhere in there I sighed up to be an Aurealis judge in the graphic novel category. Nothing to read just as yet, but I am looking forward to the  awards ceremony being in Canberra.

That’s all my little news.