Yvonne Navarro's Blog

Fun Stuff on Amazon -- My Recs

2009-06-30T19:15:00.001-06:00

BLAZE OF GLORY!

2009-06-21T11:08:00.001-06:00

The Husband's new novel, Blaze of Glory, went up for pre-order this morning. It has a fantastic vintage-type cover, and it's going fast. It's called BLAZE OF GLORY.

A Few Words for My Fav Guy!

2009-06-20T12:13:00.002-06:00

Today is The Husband's (westonochse) Birthday. I love him lots and here's a few words Of The Day to roll around in his head, courtesy of Neil Himself:

May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness.
I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who
thinks you're wonderful, and don't to forget make some art --
write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can.
And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.
-Neil Gaiman, 2001

I've Been Quoted!

2009-05-23T18:58:00.001-06:00

And right smackity at the beginning, too!

http://bit.ly/oW8c4

Question: Anyone reading this? There've been zip for comments, and frankly, I'm considering letting this blog go dead. If no one's reading it anyway, why waste time that I could spend writing?

2009-05-06T20:44:00.001-06:00

Okay, for those folks who couldn't get over to see the paper (and those I sent the pdf to but it was wonky or something), here it is... ta da!

My birthday yesterday was pretty good, except at the end, when The Husband's () PT Cruiser, which he was driving on the way home, shredded its timing belt, which then destroyed the engine. I'm not kidding. I'm not exaggerating. But we had it towed and then went to dinner anyway, and left the stressing out about this particular Very Dead Car for today. (And boy, are we good at that stressing out part.)

Goblin's on the Front Page of the Sunday Paper!

2009-05-03T10:43:00.001-06:00

Yes, it's true. Our Goblin became famous in the Army-sponsored Mutt March yesterday morning:

The Sierra Vista Herald - Sunday May 3, 2009

(He is not scared. No, he's not. He's a big, tough, 140-pound Great Dane and he is NOT scared of that lamb. Really.)

I'm posting the pdf because the paper image will change with the next issue, and they didn't put the same stuff n the website. The website url is www.svherald.com.

Later yesterday, The Evil Husband () and a bunch of friends from work COMPLETELY fooled me into thinking I was going to a small party for some folks up from Tucson at friend Scott's house. When we walked in, The Husband suddenly shoves me in front of him and pushes me forward (picture him hiding from a sniper and using me as a shield). I stumble into the kitchen and everyone yells "SURPRISE!!!" at the top of their lungs.

Early birthday party. I cannot believe I completely, utterly, without-any-reservations fell for the story they fed me all week long. Sheesh.

Cake. Presents. Friends. Family. White Zin. Three Jello shots (yes, 3). Watermelon shot (just one -- wowza.). Some kind of store-bought spinach dip that was incredibly yummy for some reason. Crunchy potatoes, burgers, sausages, chips, dips, veggies.

Gosh. The Evil Husband and those guys are just great, aren't they? :)

Remembering Lily - January 14, 2003 - May 1, 2006

2009-05-01T10:02:00.000-06:00

"The Fifth Season"

Walk with me a little while.

We will walk together in Spring, with new life bursting around us.

Summertime, side by side we will lie in the sun together, our hearts warm with the good company of best friends.

We will traverse fields in Autumn, with golden leaves soft under our feet, brisk wind at our backs.

Winter brings us to the cozy hearth, dozing by the fire, flickers of embers reflected in our eyes.

There is a fifth season, unnamed, unfathomable, when the leash must be hung on the wall, no longer making the visible connection we have to one another.

Yet the invisible one remains.

Always I will be a part of you as you are of me.

My friend, my heart, my Great Dane.

(March 23, 2004) --Lyn Hamer Cook

The Meter of Progress Moves Slowly...

2009-04-26T08:08:00.001-06:00

Last look at the meter was 11/19, when it was 66666 words. Really.

-- and --

I did this Personality Report awhile ago and meant to post it. It's way past time, or I'll forget forever.
It's fun and very visual, with pictures of all the things in the world I find yummy and must-have. When
it first came out, it had the code to embed so you could see the images on LJ. Now, alas, you must
follow the link. That's what I get for procrastinating!

Gawd. Pteradactyls flying around outside. They're common on Sunday mornings, you know.
(Note to Self: Remember umbrella if going outside.)

Double Stuff

2009-04-20T20:43:00.002-06:00

First, a posting for The Husband, who did a (slightly risque) interview with Metal Crypt on April 20th. You can listen to it for free right here, but you might want to watch your tender ears. His Famousness is Global-Galavanting in Romania right now, but still checking his email and whatnot. I'm sure he'd love to see some comments.

From Me: Once again I am going to walk in the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. This takes place on May 8th, and of course, our Relay is in our little part of the Arizona world, in Veterans' Memorial Park in Sierra Vista. I'm dedicating this year's efforts to our LJ friend Richard, who died from a brain tumor in the wee hours of the morning on March 7, 2007. Richard was younger than I am, and while I never knew him personally, I also haven't forgotten him. Please support me if you can spare a little. Everything helps, even just a dollar. the "just a dollar"s all add up to Effort with a capital "E." My page (where you can see a neato picture of me with a ginormous snake wrapped around me -- I'm not kidding) is right HERE.

Thanks for reading this!

//von//

Hey, Say, 18 Today

2009-04-04T15:35:00.002-07:00

Okay, not precisely today, but on Thursday, which was when my pretty little stepdaughter, Alex, turned 18. The Husband posted a picture on his LJ of her on her way to her Senior Prom last Saturday. This is when life shifts into second gear and the time really starts flying fast. I think the saying "It's all downhill from here" has more to do with the speed at which time passes rather than what happens being good or bad.

Let's see. Life goes on, work goes on, HIGHBORN is still not finished. The Husband has been traveling a lot, but there's been a lot of prep work happening for the prom and the Turning Of Age 18 rather than writing. In fact, we currently have a dozen or more giggling teenagers downstairs having the actual party celebration thereof. The Husband and I are confined to the upstairs, with the dogs. Such is what our life has come to... Gone to the Dawgs. ::grin::

The Tucson Festival of Books was lots of fun, notwithstanding the utterly useless campus map on the U of A website. I ask you: What possible good is a pdf map that is 60 INCHES WIDE? It's not like you can print it out and take it with you to find your way around the place. Sheesh.

Thumb Surgery Today

2009-02-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

We said our final goodbyes to Nick yesterday at a Military Honors funeral at the Old Post Cemetery on Fort Huachuca. It was a little windy but the sun was out, low 60s, and a beautiful day as a result. Full six-gun salute, folding and presenting of the flag. Lots of people turned out, and if there's a place to be buried in the desert, this was it. Higher up in the Huachucas, the Old Post Cemetery has lots of trees, animals (including bears and mountain lions), and beautiful, restful views all around. And sadly, lots of company.

I have thumb surgery at 10:45 today, where for some reason, they've decided to go with a general anesthetic. No one likes general anesthesia-- there's too much unpredictability about it. Remember Oliva Goldsmith, best-selling author of the First Wives' Club, in the prime of her life and career? She had a minor plastic surgery procedure... and died on the table. I also remember my friend Dorothy Harrington, who in the mid-90s, went under for a biopsy on a tumor in her brain and never woke up. Yes, I'm having morbid thoughts, which aren't helped by all the morbid dreams I had last night. So.

And of course, since I can't have any, I want a big glass of ice water!

Farewell to Nick...

2009-02-11T20:29:00.001-07:00

Another friend went to eternity very early yesterday morning. Nicholas Paraskevas was a coworker, and one of the nicest people with whom I've ever had the honor of working. He was easy-going, pleasant, unfailingly honest, and spoke with a heavy Mexican accent... but would insist it was you who had the accent, not him. I worked with him for the last six years, and The Husband (

westonochse

) knew him for over twenty, having first encountered him in one of the military courses on Fort Huachuca, where Nick was the instructor and The Husband was the brand new student. The students where we currently work always remembered him and were impressed by how much they learned from him. If you asked him (in English or in Spanish) how he was, he would always answer (in English or Spanish), "I don't know." But occasionally, you could catch him off guard and he'd say "Good!" He always had a smile, and he was always friendly. His leaving took everyone by surprise, and he was only 6 years older than me. This is not the best photo of him, but it's the only one I have on the computer at home. It's cropped from a larger one taken in December 2006.

Sleep well, Nick. We really, really miss you.

Dinner Time at the Mansion (or How to Sing for Your Supper)

2009-02-07T20:33:00.000-07:00

Who needs words when you can have music?

Judged and Found Wanting...

2009-01-25T11:04:00.002-07:00

Well, we're back from Naples (yes, Italy) and the household has returned to normal (as normal as it gets around here, anyway) in less than two days. The trip to Italy was iffy right up until 2 or 3 days beforehand, so I never posted about it; then, when the threat of cancellation finally went away, it was coming up too fast for me to do anything but scramble to pack, get mondo important stuff done at work, finish some deadlined writing, take care of dogs, birds, teenager issues, on and on and on.

The Italy Trip - 5 Days in January 2009
A Retrospect from Von's POV

Naples was interesting as far as culture and people, but redundant after Day 2. We got to go to the Naples underground, which was originally tunnels and cisterns built thousands of years ago by the Greeks. Eventually drained because of cholera contamination then filled with debris, the debris was compressed and the tunnels used as hiding places during WWII. The National Museum is filled with ancient wonders, statues carved by masters in times BC that a person can walk right up to and touch. We saw Castle Nuovo and lots of medieval churches. The architecture is just jaw-dropping. I loved the old buildings, but in my opinion the Italians don't appreciate what's right under their noses. They've let the city get overrun with graffiti and people drop trash right on the sidewalks. All their storefronts (the stores are in every building, no matter how old) start with pull down metal doors; the result is a city that looks like its first level is nothing but garages (and again, most are covered with graffiti). The graffiti is literally EVERYwhere, even on churches. It's a shame. They should live in a town with developer housing and that celebrated it's 50th anniversary a couple of years ago. Then perhaps they would look at their stunning, ancient buildings with a new perspective. When I was a teenager in Chicago, a local ordinance was enacted and suddenly you had to be 18 to buy a can of spraypaint, and yes, IDs were checked even by the hardware stores. Something like this would do wonders over there. The food was good but not varied, but the people are pretty danged healthy-- they consume very little fried food or red meat. There's a lesson to be learned in that while in this million-plus person city, we saw only two or three people who could be considered even "chunky." One thing to note: while in Italy, do NOT try Chinese food, even if it is the only place open late on a weeknight, your spouse is ill, it's raining, and you're desperate. I swear to you: it's better to just go hungry.

Back Here on Arizona Soil

It's warming up a bit, no longer in the freezing zone at night. On the good front, before leaving for Italy I was invited to submit to an anthology if I could do it quickly. The Husband ( ) helped me to come up with a fast idea and then I ran with it. The story was done, submitted, and accepted in three weeks. On the many airplane rides I finished the first draft of another story I've been plucking at for quite some time. Once that's edited (which won't take long -- I'm much faster at that) I can turn my attention fully to HIGHBORN. And I'd better, because my agent emailed and says he's going to start submitting it next week. Chop chop to My Ownself now!

And Finally...

On a less happier front, earlier in the month we applied to adopt another special needs Great Dane, a sweet-faced female named Annie. After much emailing back and forth and references and answering questions, I was told it came down to between us and one other family (in Florida). I felt we were the better choice and could give her the extra attention and training she would need, because the other applicant had 8 dogs and 3 kids already. In the end, however, I discovered via Petfinder that Annie has been adopted, and since the rescue organization's last email to me was on January 14th (and I checked in regularly since then), I have to assume Annie went to the other family. Logic tells me this choice was based on distance-- Florida is much closer to the organization than is Arizona, and one of the major dog-related references I gave said he was never contacted. I know that people often shy away from giving bad news, but without an email from the rescue organization, my heart wonders if for some reason we were judged as potential parents and somehow found wanting. :(

Lily...

2009-01-14T19:34:00.002-07:00

... would have been six years old today. :(

There is an Indian legend which says when a human dies there is a bridge they must cross to enter into heaven. At the head of that bridge waits every animal that human encountered during their lifetime. The animals, based upon what they know of this person, decide which humans may cross the bridge.... and which are turned away..." Unknown

He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -- unknown --

Women Get Another Chance for Equal Pay... Be Heard by January 8th!

2009-01-06T21:13:00.001-07:00

Okay, Ladies and Gentlemen, listen up:

If you are a woman, open your mouth via your keyboard and be heard on the issue of being equally paid for equal work. Do NOT wait. The new session of Congress is ready to listen NOW -- this chance will disappear all too quickly, literally in a matter of a couple of days. If you care about a woman-- a friend, a lover, a wife, a sister, a mother, a daughter, use the link below to SPEAK UP on her behalf. This is a land founded on justice and equality. Let's show our government that we mean to have them enforce those principals.

Go to http://act.credoaction.com/campaign/support_ledbetter/?r=2556&id=2087-1843603-xkWKcfx&amp=&amp= (the CREDO Action site) and put your name on this petition. It takes literally about 30 seconds. Spread the word. We are intelligent people. We know what is right. We know what is fair. Let's stop putting it off and making excuses and DO SOMETHING TO MAKE EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK A REALITY in this great country.

All the wonderful women in the world and in your life, who work so hard each and every day by your side and out of sight, will thank you.

The First of 2009

2009-01-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

Yes, the holiday season, work and family matters got me good at the end of 2008. I had a huge party to arrange at work, so that added a bunch to the shopping, wrapping, travel, family stuff, etc. The good news was that the party was a big success, and Christmas around here was also a big success. Some great gifts, including an Alphasmart NEO, which is going to be my way of getting back to undistracted basics in writing when I travel and sometimes when I'm not. I did not finish the novel as planned, so I have lots to do-- 2 stories plus the novel. There was an extension on one story, but the other is due mid-January, and of course, I had promised my agent I'd have HIGHBORN finished by the end of the year. Now, unfortunately, all the great time I had off from work is just about gone. All in all, a good holiday season, although it was capped by sadness at the end.

Nora Peterson
1/31/1917 - 12/30/2008
Rest In Peace

Nora, with Von
Christmas Day, 2008

My cousin (my grandmother's sister's daughter), Nora, passed away peacefully in her sleep sometime during the early morning hours of December 30th. I had hoped she would make it into 2009 and see her 92nd birthday on the 31st, but Fate apparently decreed otherwise. She was a feisty little lady who was victimized terribly by Alzheimer's at the end of her life. It's difficult because there just aren't that many people left in my family, especially on my mother's side. My mother should have lived as long as Nora and the other women in my family, but heavy smoking changed that. Anyway, I'll miss her.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T20:45:00.002-07:00

"It's 8:35 pm on Xmas Eve and our cards are still unopened on the counter. Oops. So please visit www.westonochse.com/Xmas2008.html for an interim virtual one.

Have a merry, happy, healthy and safe holiday!

Schtuff

2008-12-05T21:03:00.000-07:00

Not much going on... yet. Holiday Chaos looms just around the corner, I'm sure. For now, The Husband () and I are trying to remain calm. One fun thing we're doing is participating in a Sierra Vista Chili Cook-Off tomorrow, as judges. Hey, they tell us to show up, we don't have to bring or sell any books, we don't have to dress up, and they feed us samples of about twenty different homemade chili? For free? Sounds like a plan to me! If you're local, this fab event takes place in the K-Mart parking lot at 3:00 p.m. (Yes, I know how small-town that sounds. It's cool.) After the cook-off comes the Holiday Parade, which starts at 5:30. That may be when the Chaos actually starts. I'm not sure.

If you're looking for an affordable copy of AfterAge, the paperback version is on eBay here: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=400007513844. For the very reasonable total of $4.99 you get my firstborn vampire novel. Price includes shipping, by the way. I don't know the seller but that sounds like a deal to me. It's nearing the end of its auction time (I kept meaning to get it up here, but y'all know how that goes.)

Awhile back I did an interview via email with a guy named Nicolas Fleurier from a French magazine called Neverland - Revue sur les produits derives et la culture populaire. Even I can figure out what that says. We talked at length about Species and Species II, and I even got my color picture in there. Pretty fun.

We took the dogs to the Mall on Pet Night and got their picture taken with Santa. Goblin sat on the chair next to him, while Ghost settled at his feet. Alas, Santa looks pretty darned terrified in the photograph. "Sure, boss. I can do pet night. How bad can it be?"

And for the first time in years, I have a new cell phone. It's pink. Very girly.

TGIF!

Post Turkey and General Ketchup... er, Catch-Up

2008-11-29T15:20:00.001-07:00

The cooking/cleaning/scramble is finished. What we had:

Turkey (we found a fabulous recipe several years ago that allows us to cook a 19 pound turkey in 3 hours (yes, 3) and come out just fab)
Ham topped with Cherries (by the MIL, who does it most excellently)
Artichoke & Parmesan dressing
Pumpernickel & turnip dressing
Gluten-free dressing for Alex
Cherry Tomato-Lemon salad
Mashed 'taters made with buttermilk
Brussel sprouts w/toasted pecans
Cranberry celebration (fancy cranberry sauce a la Fry's Food Store, only thing store-bought)
Deviled Eggs (my famous recipe)
Celery stuffed with Pimento Cheese
Sliced French Bread (whoops -- that was another store-bought [bakery] item)
Gluten-free pumpkin pie for Alex
Pumpkin Ginger Cheesecake Pie (came out better than I expected)
Cranberry Walnut Cake

We were, and are, very grateful for the lives we lead and the good company of family and friends. In addition to all that goodness, we stuck a single candle in the cake and sang Happy (79th) Birthday to my Dad.

I have, for the most part, caught up on the huge backload of work dumped on me last June at the office. Hopefully things go back into the realm of I-can-breathe again, and I'll have time to, say, work out once in awhile (thereby feeling better physically), use other lunchtimes to work on personal writing, etc. projects, and come home on time for a change. Coming home on time will mean I will ultimately be able to keep caught up here and get back on track with HIGHBORN, which has progressed a bit but not at the pace I want it to. I would like to have the first draft of it finished by the end of the year. That's my Big Goal.

Disabled Fan Selling Buffy Collector's Items

2008-11-15T21:17:00.000-07:00

Hi folks. These are not my items and I do not know the person involved, but this situation was passed along to me by major Buffy fan Tim Cox, who runs a number of Buffy-related sites. I'm late in posting this, so most of the auctions end tomorrow. If you think there's something in which you might be interested, I strongly suggest you take a look right away. If you have fans in your life, there are some potentially great holiday gifts here. If you have people in your life who might buy you holiday gifts... there are some potentially great holiday gifts here! ::grin::

The auctions are on eBay at http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZbethodegar.

Disabled Whedon Fan forced to put her "Life" on Ebay. Some very rare items, including a Swiss Army Watch that Joss gave to BtVS crew at the Wrap Party and a number of signed items!

Ebay links are in the article link. The items are linked in the following order:

BtVS Swiss Army Wrap Party Crew Watch

BtVS Slideshow Limited Edition 12-inch The Master

Angel Time & Space Exclusive House Always Wins Lorne

(not Whedon) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (rare cover I think)

Angel Smile Time Prop Replica Vampire Puppet

Essence of Spike Statue, Limited Edition!!!

BtVS Gem of Amara Ring

Time & Space Toys Angel issue 3 Signed Exclusive Cover! Signed by Artists Franco Urro and Stephen Mooney!

Serenity Issue #1 Signed by Nathan Fillion!!

(non-Whedon) Used Flute

Feigenbaum the Bunny Plush Prop Replica from Angel

(non-Whedon) Harry Potter 1-7 Boxed Set

(non-Whedon) 100th Anniversary Teddy Roosevelt Teddy Bear with Book

BtVS Summers' Family Album with all 3 figures!

Muhahahahahaha!!!

2008-11-11T16:11:00.001-07:00

And at page 296 of HIGHBORN, I present you with:

(Nope, I am not kidding.)

Thank You...

2008-11-11T09:50:00.001-07:00

...to all the men and women of this great country who have served in the armed forces. Thank you for laying your lives on the line for me, and for fighting for and keeping my freedom, and all the wonderful and precious things that go with it. Our country may not be perfect-- whose is?-- but it tries, and I believe that it's the best in the world. I am a woman and I have the right to walk down the street without fear. I have the right to vote. I have the right to publicly express my opinion, even if it differs from the people who actually run my country... and I can do so without getting arrested, tortured or shot. If I fall on hard times, my country's social services will at least try to take care of me. Those are just a fraction of the privileges and freedoms I have.

To all the brave soldiers, male and female, who have fought and been injured or fought and died on my behalf, to my relatives, to my friends, to my Dad, and to The Husband ()-- to all of you who have served in the military to keep me free, I love you and I appreciate you and I thank you with everything I have. This is your day to be appreciated, and you rock!

HAPPY
VETERANS' DAY!

TusCon Tomorrow!

2008-11-06T21:02:00.000-07:00

The Husband () and I are TusCon bound tomorrow, and as usual, I'm overrun with things to do and posting my schedule late late late. We'll have a Dusty Stacks table in the dealers' room, with the equivalent of a fire sale-- it's time to sell off as much of the books and figurines inventory as possible. I have too much going on ethics-wise to join the ranks of the Internet "booksellers" on eBay, Abebooks, and the like. You know the ones-- they aren't legit booksellers, but people who sell "guaranteed" books for one cent (yes, ONE CENT), or even a quarter, and then charge $6.95 or $8.95 for shipping and handling. If you don't like your book, which may very well arrive bent, moldy, ripped, waterstained or worse, they'll be happy to refund your quarter, but S&H charges aren't refundable. Anyway, I can't compete (and the darned postage is no longer affordable anyway) and what the heck-- we're moving toward downsizing anyway. So look for $1.00 hardbacks, $3.00 signed books, fifty cent paperbacks, $1.00 DVDs, $2.00 t-shirts, and cut-rate prices on the figurines. The holiday season is coming and there's some stuff here that would make great gifts.

My TusCon Schedule:

Friday

5:00 - What is urban fantasy today? Where did it start? How has
it evolved? Panel Participants: Pamela Lloyd, Jill Knowles, Yvonne Navarro, Lee Simner

7:00 - Meet the Guests

Saturday

8:00 - Blurring Genre lines - Is it mystery? Horror? Romance? Historical fiction? Suspense? What are readers (and editors) looking for in each? If you read it, where do you find it, and if you write it, how do you sell it? Panel Participants: Ed Bryant, Will Shetterly, Dennis
McKiernan, Yvonne Navarro

Sunday

12:00 - Story vs. Craft - what's most important? And what the hell is Voice? Panel Participants: Emma Bull, Dennis McKiernan, Yvonne Navarro, Lee Simner

I have to caveat that 5:00 Friday panel -- I'm not sure I'll make it. The teenager doesn't get out of school until 2:30, and we may not be able to leave the house TusCon-bound until 3:30 or 4:00. Alas it's 80 miles away, so only if we had wings. My fault -- I did not take into account a school day; at the time, we weren't sure she was coming along. Anyway, hope to see everyone there!

YAY FOR AMERICA!!!

2008-11-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

WELCOME TO THE WHITE HOUSE, SENATOR OBAMA... AND CONGRATULATIONS,
MR. PRESIDENT!