When I was going through a really rough time in college, complete with the world's worst boyfriend, my mother confided in a friend that she wished she could just take away all my pain. The friend said something like, "Don't do that. You wouldn't steal her joy."

The friend said something like, "Don't do that. You wouldn't steal her joy."

That's it precisely.

high-fives self

pours prosecco, adds white peach pulp, stirs

I finished While My Guitar Gently Weeps!

Huzzah!!!

Woohoo, Deb!

ION, a statement just went out from what AFAICT is the entire RWA board except its current president apologizing and deploring what happened with the awards ceremony. Incidentally, the president also appointed herself the board liaison to the awards ceremony committee--and repeatedly assured the board that everything was going according to plan in accordance with the innocuous theme they'd been given.

(The president issued a statement, too, of the "mistakes were made" variety.)

Heh. Susan, I heard about the Statement By The President Whose Brain Apparently Jingles When She Walks elsewhere.

What a ninnyhammer.

Nic is reading the epilogue for WMGGW even as we speak, and then I'm sending it. Dayum.

Then a day to breathe. Then I need to do a bit of research - not too much, most of it's done - and hopefully I can grind my way through "Cruel Sister" and give Penny and Ringan a superb send-off.

When everyone but the president signs a statement, that's essentially a board mutiny, I'd say.

A question re: copyright.

A few years back, I did a series for my company newsletter that was a Sam Spade type spoof featuring a librarian. I found it recently, and it doesn't suck. The company newsletter was put together by one of the supervisors, then Xeroxed off and handed around. I have no idea if it ever left the building. Question: Does that count as first publication? I'm thinking it might be fun to try and get the thing printed in one of the library journals.

Secondly: The hero's name is the same as a previous incarnation of the company (Marc Link, Marc from MARC Formatting rules for libraries). It's a great Sam Spadeish name, and I'd check with the boss to see if he minded seeing an old company name appearing in a story in a national magazine. Does it seem like a bad idea to keep that name or should I find something else? Marc Twain is too obvious.

Connie, copyright law as I remember it is pretty muddy, but if the boss is still around to be checked with, you can solve any potential problems before they ever show up, by writing up a release and getting him to sign it.

Hey, Susan--your characters spammed me! Actual subject line: Lucy and Anna crave to meet you reckon

I laughed, and felt the need to share.