It’s December again, approximately the two thousand thirteenth since someone started keeping track of these things. Maybe. I dunno. I’m not sure about the history of the calendar, actually. I did once read Daniel Boorstin’s The Discoverers which covered this topic, but that was so long ago I’ve completely forgotten it.

This entry is just full of miscellaneous things. So bear with me.

MISCELLANY NO. 1

Last month was National Novel Writing Month. I participated for the twelfth time, and for the twelfth time I won. This year, I even wrote “The End” in my novel, and added an epilogue. It’s so rare that I actually finish my novel that I was kind of shocked that I did this year.

Here are the novels I’ve written and the years I wrote them.

• 2001 – Unfallen
• 2003 – The Road to Gilead
• 2004 – The Outer Darkness
• 2005 – Fred, Again
• 2006 – The Return of Deacon Dread
• 2007 – The Lord of Nightmares
• 2008 – Iron Horse Apocalypse
• 2009 – Code Monkey!
• 2010 – Brought to Life
• 2011 – Toymaker, Part One
• 2012 – Toymaker, Part Two
• 2013 – Love in the Time of Cthulhu

Note that I skipped 2002. I was traveling for work at the time, and didn’t really have time to concentrate on a novel. Thank God that job’s over and done with.

The last one, Love in the Time of Cthulhu, is actually online at the moment, and you can read it here if you are so inclined. It will go away at the end of January, though. Maybe. Depends on whether I actually feel like revising this one.

MISCELLANY NO. 2

Last night was the first day of December, and also the first day of Advent, and also the first Sunday after Thanksgiving, which is when my family observes Thanksgiving. And even though Jennifer did not accompany me this year (she’s sick, poor thing), I had a blast visiting with my parents, my sisters, and various friends. After the meal, we decorated the Christmas tree, always a long process since my parents have accumulated quite a number of ornaments over the year.

On Thanksgiving Day itself, we had dinner with a friend, her parents, her husband, and another friend. That, too, was a blast, and I’m glad we did it.

MISCELLANY NO. 3

For awhile there, I was writing a short story every week and sending them out to people on a mailing list. Unfortunately, I sort of fell out of the habit in October, and didn’t get back into it in November like I was hoping to. So this month I’m restarting the project. The first story will go out on Monday, December 8. If you’re interested in reading these stories (bearing in mind that they’ll be rough drafts at best), you can sign up here. Unfortunately, you do need a Yahoo account to sign up.

MISCELLANY NO. 4

That’s it. There is no Miscellany No. 4. Three is all you get this time around.

‘Tis the season for Holidailies