Derry, Northern Ireland

Derry, Northern Ireland
A book I'm working on is set in this town.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Short weekend...

Sunday I'm off to New York on Amtrak. That'll give me eight hours to relax and have nothing else to do but work on OT. I like riding the train, especially down the Hudson. The seats are comfortable and well spaced. You've got power. The scenery's lovely. I'd do it all the time, if I could. But it does take the whole day. On the positive side, it's ⅓ the price of a plane ticket...and I can take any food I want, not to mention my knife and other tools without having to check a bag.

I used to like flying, but Southwest has changed their schedule to where it's practically useless and JetBlue now charges you for a checked bag...which I have to do because I carry a knife and blades with me to packing jobs. Every time I've flown United I've had a problem, American once ripped me off for $400, and Delta's just ditzy. I don't know what's going on with the airlines, but they seem intent on making you wish for high-speed train travel all across the country. I even prefer to drive to NYC, which takes about as long as the train but is more expensive.

I'll be doing that the following week -- driving to Washington DC then up to New Haven then home, and the week after that is Seattle and coming back to Boston so I can do a job in Portland, Maine. Then driving over to Boston and maybe up to Burlington, VT and home. Then Hong Kong for the book fair.

Yeah, no way can I do NaNoWriMo, this year. I'm nuts but that far gone...though I could use it to finish Underground Guy, maybe. It'd be fun to get two books out this year. So maybe I am that far gone.

I tried to find out what the cost would be to set up The Vanishing of Owen Taylor as a hardcover, but Lightning Spark is being obscure. I know that in order for me to make any money on each sale, it has to retail for $29.95, which is high. I have to really think about that.

Jesus, some guy's singing through his nose on KCRW and sounds so whiney I think I'll turn the damned thing off.

3 comments:

JR said...

Sounds like you keep a very busy schedule. :)

JamTheCat said...

Yeah...just not the kind of busy I'd like...but it's better than not being busy...

JR said...

I agree. some well deserved down time is not a bad thing either sometimes. ;)