I don't know where to start...

Ack! It's been a crazy week. Well, ok, I say that a lot, and I mean it a lot. You guys can judge for yourself if it was actually crazy or not.

So, last week (not the one that today is still technically a part of, but the one before that) I got a plea for help from my old job. Due to one of the faculty being injured, they needed me to help lead one of their trips in November (if you've been reading this blog consistently you've probably noticed my tendency to disappear for most of November and then come back and post amazing pictures of the Grand Canyon). So yeah, I'm doing that again, only this year I won't be leading students in the Grand Canyon, I'll be taking kids climbing in southern Arizona. Awesome. However, it is also unfortunate.

First and foremost it's unfortunate because one of my good friends is injured and unable to go on his trip and that's why I'm going down to help out. That is seriously sucky, and everyone should send him healing thoughts. Second of all, it's unfortunate because I am in the middle of trying to get a book ready for publication by mid-December and disappearing from work for two weeks isn't exactly conducive to that. Third of all, it's unfortunate because it means I'm adding two and a half weeks to the amount of time I don't get to see my husband (I was originally headed south to see family and friends for the run from Thanksgiving to solstice/Christmas, but I was going to be leaving much later).

All of those unfortunate things aside though, I am very excited to be headed to Arizona again, and I am excited to be leading a climbing trip and getting to enjoy the southwest for a while. So that's all to the good.

I just have to figure out how to manage this whole book thing.

Oh, and then there's NaNoWriMo.

And now you're saying, "Surely, Virginia, you're not doing NaNoWriMo this year... That would just be silly."

To which I reply, "When has being silly stopped me from doing ANYTHING?"

Ha! Stumped you there, didn't I?

Yeah. I'm doing NaNoWriMo, though getting Blade's Edge published takes top priority, but technically, that's mostly managing/coordinating a bunch of other people's work rather than doing a ton of it myself. So, I am hopeful... We shall see. Right now I should be typing away on my NaNo project for this year. I will get to that shortly, but I have been neglectful of the blog this week. So I thought I'd give you guys an update. I had hoped to post a video, but I haven't managed to record one yet this week. Ah well...

I'm going to get back to that whole finish creating front matter/back matter, getting promotional materials together, washing all my climbing clothes, going to the climbing gym 'cause I'm out of shape, writing a new novel for NaNoWriMo, freaking out because none of my beta readers have gotten me feedback yet, and I still need to walk the dog- thing. Heh. Here's a picture of the Grand Canyon from previous adventures there to help calm everyone (me) down. Everything will be fine.

Taken with my phone the day before we entered the canyon last year. Smokey because of a controlled burn taking place on the rim.

And this is a reminder of all the awesomeness I'm going back to visit. Artemis is excited to return to the desert too!