Getting Set Up

I got the initial opening of the new book done, and then I got page proofs for the new Fairy Tale book, so that's what I'll be doing today. I'm planning a Friday write-a-thon to really kick off the new book and try to get some momentum, after a morning trip to Ikea to get a new TV stand so I can set up my new bedroom entertainment system that I likely won't use often. But the TV is getting in my way sitting on the floor, and I want to get things in order.

I have to admit that I'm a little afraid of Ikea. It sounds like a place where I could easily get lost for hours. But in my research, it seems to be the only place where I can find just what I want at a minimal price (since I don't want to invest too much in configuring a house I'll likely be leaving within a year or so). I need a stand or table large enough to hold my TV on top, and with at least one shelf below to hold the cable box and DVD player, but without being too big. They have one with the right dimensions. But getting out of Ikea with just a TV stand may be the challenge. Actually, they also have a laptop stand that I've been eyeing. And some kitchen stuff I covet. I've read their catalog but have never been in one of their stores. Their furniture style isn't really to my taste (I'm more traditional/Victorian), but the organizational stuff calls out to my well-suppressed inner neat freak. It will be an adventure. Possibly one involving Swedish meatballs.

And then there will be writing, oh yes.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to brainstorm a title for the new story. I think I'm going to leave it as a short story, just the way it is, and I have a couple of primary markets picked out for submitting. Then I'll need to research secondary markets if it doesn't sell there and determine where the likely benefit cut-off ratio lies. I'm not so much worried about how much money it will make as I am about audience size, since I'm looking at this as advertisement. But when a market is at a point where I'm not sure of the audience size, then the benefits switch around to where maybe I could make more money and reach a bigger audience by selling it myself. But first, I do need a title.

I got a slow start this morning as I guess I needed to recover from last night. We had so much pushing and even biting with the preschoolers that we didn't get to play with the parachute, like I planned. And then I had to actually sing a solo in choir practice, in front of the choir. I hadn't practiced in a while because I was so busy last week, but I think I did okay for a first time in front of people.

Now, time to get my nitpicker on and look at page proofs.