Watching a writer at work can be like watching the paint dry

[pbray]

Borrowing the meme that's been going around, thought it time to ask folks what they expected from my LJ. I'm happy to have readers, and silent lurking is just fine, but if you'd like to chime in and let me know why you're reading my LJ, and what interests you, I'd like to hear from you.

Comments

[quietselkie.livejournal.com]

Greetings! I came to visit when you and jenniferdunne were posting your back-and-forth e-classes on writing how-to's, and I just stayed, kind of like the in-laws when you'd really rather they go home.

Write what you like here, it's your LJ. :-)

[quietselkie.livejournal.com]

D'oh! jennifer_dunne.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[bananagirl19.livejournal.com]

I read your LJ regularly. I would love to see you write more about your process, what's going on in your writing world, and of course, just regular life stories. :)

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Hi! Expect more process and writing related posts soon-- I've been on a breather for a few weeks, but am about to dive head first into "must write book now" mode.

Did I mention that THE SEA CHANGE is due this spring?

P.S. Did I mention that I'm going to be crazed?

[hundakleptisis.livejournal.com]

Hi, *waves*.

Followed you here from someones link (can't remember who alas.)

As a wannabe/almost writer I'm avidly devouring anything I can from people who do write or work in the publishing business. Picking up interesting ideas, seeing fascinating folks at work, ultimately slumming away on lj when I could, of course, be hashing out another ten thousand words on my own epic (But where's the fun in that, honestly :) ).

And generally getting the hang of hanging around.

As such, post wise, I love anything you do writerly wise -- but then maybe I'm just picky. :)

S.J.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

I like picky people :-)

[fancythat2.livejournal.com]

I started reading your lj because I liked what what you've written and published.

I stayed and branched out because I enjoy reading about the process and business side of being an author. I like the slice o' life bits and to have a laugh. Also, I appreciate that you have taken the time to answer my newbie questions. Thanks.

*ooh coffee's up...*

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Cool. And coffee good. Chocolate better. Mmmmm.

[fancythat2.livejournal.com]

Why is it that most writers seem to be such big chocolate fans? I like chocolate but I can leave it alone.

I like my coffee better. It gets in my mouth like chocolate but it doesn't stay for long, unlike chocolate. You only rent your coffee. :-)

[pbray.livejournal.com]

I like chocolate. Not as much as my friend jpsorrow who I discovered is a chocoholic, but I like chocolate in small doses. A couple of cookies a day, or the rare chocolate bar when I've been extra good.

Coffee is a necessity. Though as an old programmer, I'm not a coffee snob. I'll drink vending machine crap if I have to, or instant coffee.

[fancythat2.livejournal.com]

Eeeeew! I'm more of a coffee snob. I live in Western Washington, we can get good coffee everywhere. I've had to drink swill coffee (metal canister coffee is the worst with fast food joint coffee a close second).
Eew, I think I'll go lick an envelope now.

[random-echoes.livejournal.com]

I started reading your lj because of the writing do's and don'ts you were posting. Like everyone else has already said, I'm interested in the writing and publishing process and I enjoy reading about your experiences. Generally I find your lj funny and interesting so I keep reading. (Every now and then I think about commenting but I'm usually too shy.)

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Glad to have you hear and feel free to comment whenever something strikes your fancy. I don't bite... well at least not until we've been properly introduced :-)

[patchwork-prose.livejournal.com]

I just found your LJ. I am a reader of Regency romances and very much enjoy your books in that genre.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Nice to see a Regency fan. What's your opinion of the new Pride & Prejudice adaptation? Have you seen it, or are you going to? I've heard quite a few different opinions on it, and am trying to decide if I should see this in the theater or wait till it's out on DVD.

For me, the 1980 BBC adaptation with David Rintoul will always be the gold standard. After watching it on PBS, I devoured Jane Austen's novels (which, oddly, had not been required reading in school) and then went on to Georgette Heyer, then found the Regency section of the bookstore. So really I suppose I have PBS to thank for the fact that I got my career started by writing Regencies.

[fancythat2.livejournal.com]

I love Pride and Prejudice (the book) and the A&E miniseries with Jennifer Ehle was the Gold for me. I don't think anything else will ever be able to follow after it successfully.

I am also a Georgette Heyer fan. My Grandma turned me on to Georgette Heyer when I was about fourteen. Then, I found the Regency section too.

Have you ever read Patrica Veryan? I like her adventures.
Carla Kelly? I like how her characters interact, the couples are actually warm, not angry.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Yes, Patricia Veryan wrote wonderful books, as did Carla Kelly. I was also a huge fan of Mary Balogh, Jo Beverley's early novels and Loretta Chase, to name a couple off the top of my head.

I haven't read any new Regencies in several years because I was burned out on the genre. Though there is oddly enough a genre of SF known as space Regencies, that I still enjoy. Here I'm thinking of Sharon Lee and Steve Miller's Liaden novels, and Lois McMaster Bujold's "A Civil Campaign". Plus "Sorcery and Cecelia" by Patricia Wrede, Caroline Stevermer which is how the Regency might have been in there was magic.

[fancythat2.livejournal.com]

I think I read every Zebra and Signet Regency I could get my hands on in my local library before I had my first root canal. Very frivolous and nicely distracting. Do I remember much about them? No. Except that when I hit burn out I noticed the cookie cutter effect. And that the heroes were ALWAYS dark. Bleh, I like fair men.

I read a few by Loretta Chase (it was in the pre root canal blur and I don't remember them). I haven't read Mary Balogh or Jo Beverly yet.

I'll have to look into Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (...:-) I used to listen to the Steve Miller Band). I've read Lois Mc Master Bujold's Curse of Challion and I now have the sequel (unread, savor savor).

I borrowed Sorcery and Cecelia from the library because it was such a neat concept. I had to bring it back unread (I can't remember why I couldn't get to it in time) and then forgot about it. It has a sequel too, "The Grand Tour : Being a Revelation of Matters of High Confidentiality and Greatest Importance, Including Extracts from the Intimate Diary of a Noblewoman and the Sworn Testimony of a Lady of Quality" (whew).

[patchwork-prose.livejournal.com]

I hate to confess it, but I was without a television for 20 or so years and never really got back into the habit. Probably wait for the DVD rather than go to the theatre. I missed the 1980 adaptation totally. I did read Heyer's books as they came out in paperback and very much enjoyed them. It was quite a sad day when I learned she had died and there would be nothing more after her husband published...My Lord John, was it? Another favorite Regency author was April Kihlstrom.

I wandered into Regencies quite by accident, having grown up on historical novels by various writers--the Brontes, Alcott, Stevenson, Mann, Defoe, Slaughter, Austin, Scott. My dad liked historical novels, and so I got his when he was done reading them, before they had to go back to the library. That way, I got the stuff from the adult section, too, which was much more interesting!

I can imagine watching Pride and Prejudice would capture a person's imagination. :-)

[eeknight.livejournal.com]

what they expected from my LJ

Stuff to steal and put into my LJ, of course!

[pbray.livejournal.com]

But of course!

[mariannelee.livejournal.com]

I came because of the stuff you had on writing (what they said above). I enjoy that kind of information, and have a couple of writers on my flist for just that reason. But I also like hearing about your writing process, and your progress from day to day, or week to week if that's what you can manage. Writers tend to be interesting people, I've found, and of course they tell their own stories so well. (Duh) So I'd probably enjoy your grocery list. What do you want to write about?
ML

[mariannelee.livejournal.com]

Oh! I also forgot to mention the most important thing!!!! You inspire wannabes like me!

[pbray.livejournal.com]

My grocery list is probably the closest I'll ever come to a short story :-)

Typical list: 1/2 gallon milk, H20, Pepperidge Farm Double Chocolate Milano cookies, microwave dinners.

The reason why there weren't any lizards hidden inside my fridge is that there was nothing in there for them to hide behind....

But as I posted up above, you'll see more posts on the writing process coming up soon.

[fancythat2.livejournal.com]

The milk is for dunking said chocolate cookies??

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Milk for cookies. Or wine. I'm not picky :-)

[fancythat2.livejournal.com]

*cracking up over here* :-)
Red or white?

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio both go well with chocolate.

Depending on mood, merlot or a cabernet also work, but it's got to be dark chocolate.

[fancythat2.livejournal.com]

I used to drink Swill wine (I'm not a wine snob) like wine coolers and Boones Farm (Field?) strawberry wine. My only requirement was that it had to be sweet. I bet you're shuddering violently aren't you?

[janlewis.livejournal.com]

I've been lurking for a while now. Can't remember how I found you actually. :P
Like most of the others, I am interested in writing stuff.
Oh, and speaking of wine, I recommend Blue Nun to anyone who hasn't tried it. Yuuuuuurrrrmmmm. It's the best wine ever and like $8 a bottle at the liquor store.

[pbray.livejournal.com]

Hi, and thanks for the wine recommendation.