Taking a break from writing. I just took a 49,000 word draft and expanded it to 61,000 words, and it's still not done. This rework of the story formerly known as "One Could Do Better" will be

Also, I'm going back to the title "Wild Fox Koan." As Kishniev pointed out, it's catchy and it does have some relevance to the story (since my encounters with urban foxes in London were a major part of my experience there).

I'll probably rotate back to "The Linen Butterfly" next but I need a couple of days to regroup. I spent several days writing rather intensively and I need a break.

Also, I've been thinking lately about what kind of impact "The Vimana Incident" is going to have. The initial reception from those who have reviewed it has been positive, and it seems to have sold well initially (I won't know how well it's done to date for another few weeks pending my next royalty payment but I anticipate it will sell well at AC this year).

But sales aren't everything. Will it be remembered? Will it be able to hold its own with so many other great authors emerging in the fandom? And will anyone outside the fandom ever find it relevant? Or will this be the sort of book that you find now and then at yard sales with a 50 cent price tag made of masking tape as long-time furries clear out their garages? I want this book to be remembered more than I want commercial success. I want people I've never met to read this and compliment my work. I want it to inspire things like fan art and concept albums. I want it to fire imaginations and inspire others to write.

But maybe this is reaching too far too soon. I'm still just starting as an author, only five years after the launch of my first published novel and only ten years after "Volle" showed that furry novels can generate buzz. I'm a new face in a new field and I can't expect to move mountains right away.

Still, I'm proud of this book and I hope it gets the chance it deserves.