Eating Time or the Case of the Absent Blogger

I just realized that is has been a HELL OF A LONG TIME since I have posted anything here, and I figured that I should remedy that as soon as was humanly possible. I would like to say that my absence has been due to the overwhelming amount of writing I have been doing, but that would be a sad, sad lie. The truth is that the Bristol Renaissance Faire has me pretty exhausted during the week so I don't get a whole lot done except for routine house cleaning, and hanging out with my little girls. I am not saying that I don't love every tiny minute of it, but I really have been too busy to do much with writing.

The only bonus to not writing is all the planning I have been doing in my head, and all that gets done that way. I have written the book in my head, I just need to proceed with getting it out of there in a way that makes me feel like I have accomplished something. Also, Cherry has taken a bit of a turn and I am thinking that I would really like to see it as a graphic novel either first or at some point in the future. I would love to release it as both, but I am not sure that I have the funding for that. I am planning to get a Kickstarter going sometime in the future to pay an artist to work with me on the graphic portion, or on plates contained within the novel itself.

On the topic of the Ren Faire, there are a few characters I was sad to find did not return this year, and yet SO MANY more that I am glad to meet for the first time. My own character has changed this year into someone who is like how Bea Pollen was but MORE. Her name is Etcetera (Etcetera Etcetera Etcetera) LeStrange and she is the chastity belt keyholder for the Bristol Buskin Frolic. She is engaged to the Master of Mayhem (William Dudley the Undecided) and due to frequent theft of the chastity belt keys is found chasing them around Bristol all day. Some of the wondrous characters who did not return, Autumn (the Fae), the Fire Fae, Lady Tso, a few of the Badde Guys, the magnificent Bob Brinkman and half of BBF as well as others. New characters and people that are worth meeting; The Spanish Ambassador (or the SpanAm as we call him), the Vicar, the new fairies about the shire, and Kristin Mansour (the new big boss).

Though it makes me sad that so many could not or did not return to faire this year, I have come to realize that that is what a ren faire is really about. People leaving not only frees up space for fresh and talented actors and actresses, but it allows for some of those absent and wonderful people to start new ventures of their own. Autumn (the Fae) has done wonderful and magnificent things with The Suitcase Shakespeare Co , Josh Ballard has joined as an apprentice with Dirk and Guido playing Slab VanderHuge, just to name a couple. People are blossoming everywhere, and though I know it can't be easy to leave the faire behind they will always have a family there rooting them on. I know I will be.

In other news, I cried on a roller coaster earlier this week, like a wimpy little girl. But at least I stopped crying at the beginning of the ride, threw my arms into the air, and faced my fear with my eyes squeezed shut. Maybe (if there is a) next time, I'll peek once or twice.

Funny little bit of random, this is what people have been using on Google to search my blog. One of these things is not like the others.... (Also, I have written about all but one of these... can you guess which one?)

• bristol renaissance faire 2011

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