rthstewart: (Default)
rthstewart ([personal profile] rthstewart) wrote2011-10-26 01:54 pm

I am in progress

Hello out there! A few things! First, sign ups for the Narnia Big Bang are underway! Only 10,000 words! or 20,000 words! And Artists! yes, please the Big Bang needs those who are good with art in whatever format -- fanmix, icons, drawing, digital, etc. etc. So, go! Sign up! Narnia Big Bang.

On the subject of writing, I am, having peppered [livejournal.com profile] l_a_r_m regarding what Richard Russell looks like post hospital stay. (Really, I have no idea).  Clio has been helping with Jill.  I am, oddly, writing the events immediately post-Silver Chair for the third time -- once in a draft that didn't survive the decision to abandon the initial outline and write TQSiT, a second time for Under Cover, and now this time.  I'm over 10,000 words in and it's going pretty well. My latest issue has been what I could lop off and do for the Narnia Big Bang -- which I really want to do. It's all overwhelming and daunting, and I'm feeling the failure acutely. I also recently saw a tattoo on a woman that said, "You're doing it wrong" and have considered that very appropriate given some of the latest.  Why do people always add the "but"?

In really, really exciting news, that I just saw via Twitter, the Royal Society has just made all its articles available online for free that are over 70 years old, going back to 1665, including Benjamin Franklin's kite experiment, Isaac Newton's first paper and Thomas Huxley's paper Remarks upon Archaopteryx lithographica which I cited in TSG.

“So you think this is it?” Eustace asked, squeezing out between ballroom wall and plaster block. 
 
“I do,” Mary said smugly.  “Ganesha be praised and thank you for climbing back there to read off the label.”
 
Eustace shoved plaster-coated hair back from his forehead.  “What are you looking for?”
 
“A particular set of fossils from one of the Gobi expeditions,” Mary replied, running her hands lovingly over the plaster block.  “I wasn’t sure if we even had it, and if we did, I was worried it would be in the cellar, the carriage house or the barn and we’d have to drag tonnes of rock, bone, and plaster across the grounds and floors and into the house.”
 
Eustace grimaced.  “Hard work, that.”
 
“Which you have now saved me, Mr. Patel, and a score of Oxfordshire natives from undertaking.”  Mary brushed dust from Eustace’s sleeve.  It felt strangely motherly and looked like it startled him as much as her.  Won’t do that again.  “Now that you have found it for me, I’ll saw off the plaster and burlap that are covering the fossils that were dug up and preserved in the block.”
 
“And after that?”
 
“I’ll just remove the rock that’s around the fossilized bone.  Granted, saying ‘I’ll just remove the rock from around the fossilized bone’ is like saying ‘I’ll just build the Pyramid of Giza with a teaspoon.’  Especially with everything else, it will take a long time.”

[identity profile] min023.livejournal.com 2011-10-26 07:54 pm (UTC)(link)
Oooh. Eustace, Mary and dinosaurs. This is very cool, and there is no but (unless it's the but that says "but, I want more!").

I am so very, very behind on my reviews - everything was supposed to be quieter after I ran my conference. Ha! Anyway, they're coming soon - promise : )
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[identity profile] rthstewart.livejournal.com 2011-10-27 12:31 pm (UTC)(link)
I would be happier with progress if I had not to 1) carve a pumpkin for the office building contest; 2) handhold child through Adventures of Tom Sawyer essay; 3) lose 3 hours worth of edits/writing. Sigh.

[identity profile] amine-eyes.livejournal.com 2011-10-26 09:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Eustace + Mary + dinosaurs = AWESOME :D

And OMG the Royal Scoiety making articles live! *flails a little* *bookmarks very quickly* *spreads the word to history friends*

And I agree with [livejournal.com profile] min023 - the only but is "But I want more!" :D Glad the writing is going well :DDD
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[identity profile] rthstewart.livejournal.com 2011-10-27 12:33 pm (UTC)(link)
The Royal Society stuff is just so very, very cool. I'm surprised at how technical the papers were even very early on. The writing would be going better if I hadn't lost all of yesterday's edits in a computer save upgrade. RAWRRR

[identity profile] amine-eyes.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 10:10 am (UTC)(link)
Agh!!! God bad computer! Hope you manage to sort it (without destroying your sanity or the computer) :)
cofax7: climbing on an abbey wall  (Default)

[personal profile] cofax7 2011-10-26 09:34 pm (UTC)(link)
There are no "but"s and there is no "wrong". There is how you do it, which is not necessarily the way other people do it.

I haven't decided whether to sign up for NBB yet, because my writing-mojo appears to be on vacation in the tropics. And I'd rather not sign up, and maybe write something on my own in parallel, than sign up and then bail out because I can't do it for whatever reason.
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[identity profile] rthstewart.livejournal.com 2011-10-27 12:33 pm (UTC)(link)
I saw that Tweet of yours! An xover catch your interest??!!
cofax7: climbing on an abbey wall  (Default)

[personal profile] cofax7 2011-10-28 05:47 pm (UTC)(link)
Nah, that was a passing fancy. If I write anything for it, it'd probably be a sequel to the Aravis AU...

(Anonymous) 2011-10-26 09:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Oooooo! I am so very excited to read more! To be absolutely unoriginal, but very passionate in my cry: Eustace and Mary and Dinosaurs! YAY! Exactly the change I needed from the October purgatory that is college work, thank you for absolutely making my day!

~LotL
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[identity profile] rthstewart.livejournal.com 2011-10-27 12:34 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm getting there. I'd be better if I hadn't lost all of yesterday's efforts in a mistaken save attempt. Woops.

(Anonymous) 2011-10-28 08:39 pm (UTC)(link)
I know how you feel. I am queen of losing documents in computer errors (that time when my hard-drive connector-y bit decided that self-immolation was a good idea is particularly amusing). I hope you can get it back! And I hope your computer behaves from now on!
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[identity profile] katharhino.livejournal.com 2011-10-26 10:35 pm (UTC)(link)
The zoo calls Polly and Eustace is helping Mary with dinosaurs. YES PLZ.
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[identity profile] rthstewart.livejournal.com 2011-10-27 12:34 pm (UTC)(link)
I'd done a version of this for Under Cover and now something a little different. Sigh. I'm getting there.

[identity profile] sehre.livejournal.com 2011-10-27 12:29 am (UTC)(link)
Ridiculously excited for this! Well, basically anything you write in relation to Narnia.
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[identity profile] rthstewart.livejournal.com 2011-10-27 12:35 pm (UTC)(link)
Thanks! you recently added me to your F-list, right? Are you on ff.net too? Have you been lurking a while? Nice to meet you!

[identity profile] sehre.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 03:16 am (UTC)(link)
It's strange -- I could have sworn I added you a while back (we're mutual friends, it seems). Then, the other day, I randomly wondered why I hadn't seen anything of yours in a while, so I visited your journal and discovered that I...hadn't added you?

It's all very confusing.

I've been following your works ever since I had the pleasure of reading The Stone Gryphon and TSQIT. I completely adore the way you've handled Susan's story so far!
autumnia: Central Park (Default)

[personal profile] autumnia 2011-10-27 02:49 am (UTC)(link)
You're really spoiling us with all these lovely tidbits from Chapter 9. :-)
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[identity profile] rthstewart.livejournal.com 2011-10-27 02:57 am (UTC)(link)
Shhhh! you'll notice I didn't provide the others or link them!!!

[identity profile] l-a-r-m.livejournal.com 2011-10-27 03:55 pm (UTC)(link)
I love that you are writing again and I am so, so happy. I was a poking around a bit yesterday morning and I am SO excited. Can we just have Reg come back to grand old England? Also my love for Asim and Lucy has been renewed!! LOVE THEM.

What I wanted to say before is that Richard probably has no facial hair at all since hospitals are big on being clean and healthy or something, and since Richard couldn't hold a razor himself I enjoy imagining him yelling at a nurse attempting to do so. Perhaps Asim comes in and helps him out? I am full of love and lolz at the idea of Asim whipping out one of knives and sawing away at Richard's stubble.

[identity profile] snitchnipped.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 12:02 am (UTC)(link)
Would you be lopping off part of AW for the Big Bang or would it be under a different fic/title?

Also, hooray! Mary & Eustace! And is that a hint of him getting a bit flustered? Awww.... mentor crushes are cute!

[identity profile] metonomia.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 03:17 am (UTC)(link)
omg about the RS articles! my science/religion class this quarter is surprisingly disappointing, but it does make me want to read more of the original stuff from Darwin etc that we've been talking about.

also, yay writing! I'm really really excited for another post-SC bit from you.

[identity profile] linneasr.livejournal.com 2011-10-30 09:53 am (UTC)(link)
Ah! Thank you for the news about the Royal Society!
(I'm in England - why didn't someone here tell me about this??)

And, I will happily submerge myself in anything you write.
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[identity profile] harmony-lover.livejournal.com 2011-11-01 08:21 pm (UTC)(link)
Just saw your post for the NBB - it looks AMAZING. I am so excited. :) Only now, I really have to catch up on AW...