It's Aliiiiiiiiiiiive!

 

Yesterday the 'sample' copy of Stories from the Matrix arrived.  It looks better than I expected in some ways, and of course, me being me, it...isn't 'perfect'.

And I decided what the hell.  You gotta be warped to weave and all.  So what if we didn't get the 'accepted' format.  It's still a book.

My editor offered to re-tool the formatting but she has other high priority items on her desk at the minute and the books are already printed and will be arriving any day.  Who knows, I may get her to reformat next month when her schedule is less fraught and these early editions will become...collector items????

Anyway, it's the words that count, amirite?  

Last night we did an unboxing video (because it's what all the cool authors do!) and now I need to get the rest of the payments for the pre-pub orders so I can begin writing out the address labels, see if I have enough padded envelopes on hand or if I have to make a dash to Staples for another package.

Today we are under a thick smoke pall.  Still not the 'worst' we've experienced, like the day the air (not just the sky) was orange and it became night at 10 am again, but still, not pleasant.

I have to go out unless the physio cancels the appointment due to poor air quality.  I won't mind too much, frankly.  I'd rather not leave the house myself.

When the sky becomes filled with smoke like this, anxiety increases, generally, but people also begin to become sick from breathing in the smoke - sore throat, headaches, sinus issues.  I'm allergic to smoke (particulates in general) so I'm having the 'usual'.  If I do go out for my 11 am appointment I'll take a Benedryl to help reduce my symptoms.  And just be a bit more 'comfortable.  

But everyone is on edge.  We are ringed by wildfires and this smoke isn't going to go away any time soon.  What most people who haven't lived with this situation don't understand is the tier of wildfires - out of control, controlled, out.

'Out of control' generally means it is spreading, sometimes exponentially.  The forest animals are racing for their lives, people who may be in the way of the advancing flames need to get out.  Sometimes very quickly.  To say a fire is 'controlled' doesn't mean out.  It just means it isn't advancing any more.  Usually what it means is that it continues to burn up whatever fuel might be left, smoldering and sending out thick smoke, usually staying close to the ground.  'Out' sometimes doesn't happen until summer is over and the rain or snow arrives.

But we are currently in drought conditions for the northern half of the province (and parts of the southern) so any fire that starts from the strings of t-storms that have been rumbling through will catch quickly given the extremely dry forest floor.  If it gets big enough, a fire will generate it's own weather, up to and including...lightning.  If it 'crowns' it can move extremely quickly as the wind shoves it further and faster.  Sometimes a remote community only gets minutes to evacuate.

More and more people are beginning to understand that these are not 'once in a 1000 year' events, but our new 'normal' and keep a go-bag near the door.

It is long past time to deal with climate change.  

In the meantime, I continue to weave.  Why?  Partly because it brings me relief from current events, but also?  Weaving is a survival skill.  The more people who know how to do it, the better, imho.

The book is 'alive' on blurb.  I'll be mailing the pre-pub books as quickly as I can as soon as they arrive.