Plus Ça Change – November 4, 2026 There’s plotting, and there’s pantsing. I plotted and wrote a chapter involving Marie’s purchase of Juliette, a slave. And that led to a completely unplotted chapter. I love it when that happens, the characters are talking to me, making it abundantly clear that… Continue reading
Plus Ça Change – October 23, 2026 I do like the strange places historical research takes me. At issue: I want Marie to simply walk away, because the person trying to get under her skin is not worth it. He is beneath contempt. So, says I, in 1847, what is… Continue reading
The Legend of Marie Laveaux These are the research articles and musings on my discoveries writing Laveaux: Mother. The oppression of slaves and free people of color in antebellum New Orleans has certain parallels in these days of modern times. The Making of Laveaux: Mother
Elizabeth wasn’t able to make it, so I soloed (nervously) in an interview about Horngard and its place in the Paksworld universe. It was fairly wide-ranging. Elizabeth was interviewed by Baen a week ago (see it here). I can’t wait to see how the book does–and whether there’ll be a… Continue reading
Plus Ça Change – October 10, 2026 Can I get inside the head of a 9-year-old boy and tell part of the story from his point of view? Jude Paris is complete fiction, but he’s central to the rest of the narrative, and at this point he’s nine. In my… Continue reading
Plus Ça Change – September 30, 2026 OR: Characters aren’t always who you want them to be. The first Thanksgiving in New Orleans was January 15, 1846, a Thursday. This turned out to be a lot more informative than I expected. Nothing like reality to make a hash out of… Continue reading
Plus Ça Change – September 24, 2026 Plus Ça Change – Less Is Better Sep 24, 2026 I meet weekly with a wonderful group of writers and we critique each other’s work. I was preparing a chapter for review, and noticed myself doing something that (I hope) turns my writing… Continue reading
Just had my second lens replacement. Quicker than a tooth cleaning (but with good drugs). Can’t work today on text, but I’m excited for tomorow. Already seeing better with my right eye than since…dunno. Maybe never, ghods bless astigmatism.
Plus Ça Change – September 21, 2026 FACT Marie Laveaux was illiterate. There is no doubt, from historical records, that she believed in education. She paid for the education of an orphan boy named François. That won’t enter the narrative, but it is the historical fact behind much of the… Continue reading
Wow. The QSQ Collective made a group 🙂 appearance at the Austin convention — at one panel, there were nine members on the reading panel. (Please don’t ask how many were in the audience; it’ll be better next year!) Folks spoke on panels, and Elizabeth Moon had shirts for her… Continue reading
