Best Laid Plans...
Semper Gumbi!
May did not go as planned, nor did June. I had to cancel both my appearance at Beaver Con (and visiting my sister, Julia Huni) and seeing my brother in Las Vegas.
My mother-in-law has been in memory care for quite a while, and finally lost her battle. No doubt about it, she fought hard, but is at peace now. So the Amazing Sleeping Man has been in Florida for weeks, and will be there another for the funeral and final details.
I’m happy the ASM could be there for his family, but that left me as single dog parent, so traveling wasn’t possible. I’m sorry I missed Beaver Con—Julia tells me it was great—and I’ve rescheduled my brother’s visit to August. Las Vegas in August is brutal—it’s an exercise in finding the fastest way from air conditioned area to air conditioned area, through a mister, if possible. Because you have to walk a lot more than people expect there. I’ve learned how to deal with it over the last couple of years.
Fortunately, before the ASM left, we completed our Team Rubicon fire mitigation event for the veteran-only Billie Springer Memorial Community near Sula, Montana! There were only a few of us cutting, but community members worked alongside, picking up the slash and taking it away for shredding later. The Veterans Victory Alliance at Moon Eagle River Ranch hosted us with lovely facilities and awesome food. The dream team resulted in a big impact!
Working together, we cleared three fire lanes through the community, and started cleaning up one of the areas of concern. We also cleared some downed trees for Moon Eagle River Ranch, and helped them put new canvas on their teepee. That’s not something you do everyday, and it was a cool experience!
Do you remember the TV cartoon series The Jetsons? What I loved about that show was the flying car (still waiting!) and Rosie, the robot cleaner. Because I’ve hated cleaning for a very long time, and still do. But after my sister got robot cleaners, I had to join in! Meet Rosie, the WINBOT W3, and Triana, the DEEBOT T50 (vacuum.)
Neither are perfect, nor completely effortless, but they sure do make life easier and better. Rosie cleans my very dirty windows quite well. The downside is she can’t do anything but the glass, she’s not a set-and-forget remote, and my exterior windows require a lot of nudging, because they’re sealed. There’s nothing for the remote bumpers to bump into, so she can roll over the seals, lose suction, and fall. Ask me how I know. (No remotes were permanently harmed during this event.)
I haven’t attempted my big, high triangular windows yet, because that will involve getting the bot and the base up on a ladder, and using a pole to keep the remote on the window. I’m not doing that alone. But looking into my backyard out of clean windows is awesome!
Triana the vacu-remote works quite well all by herself. Her main roller gets clogged on dog fur quite a bit, but so do all regular vacuums, and it’s easy to clear. She got stuck under our king-size bed today, but I just sent her back to the station, cleared the clog, and started over. Because I have rough slate tile and rough quarter-sawn plank flooring, I have to use the strong suction, and it still doesn’t get everything. There’s also a mopping function—it works well on smooth surfaces, but can’t handle our tile. Triana doesn’t get every bit of Zoe sand and fur, but running her everyday while I write really helps!
Zoe pretty much ignores the bots. This morning, she laid there with a “I’m not moving, go around,” attitude. Triana did. Shepherd Book whines and noses it warily, but hasn’t attacked. I’ve had to remind him to “leave it” every day, but only once. Right now, he’s just watching it work, which is honestly surprising.
These are not cheap, and they’re not a substitute for a human deep clean, but if I can write and vacuum at the same time? Winning! If you’re interested, this is Julia’s referral link: https://www.ecovacs.com/us/g/referral-new/4ai3jkydqh
Speaking of writing, I’ve made great progress on Temporal Transits! I’m at 93,000 words, and nearing the end. There’s a big surprise twist that some of you will probably hate—sorry, not sorry!
Deranged Doctor Design is almost done with another awesome cover. Here’s a sneak peak of the title treatment:
I’ll reveal the whole thing in my next newsletter, barring space junk in my orbit.
I hope your June is wonderful and goes as planned! Stay safe out there.
Cheers, AM
Where you can find me this year:
MISCON 40, the Missoula SFF Convention, June 25-28, 2026, Missoula Fairgrounds, Missoula, MT. (They have an app!)
Bozeman Book Con, August 8th, 2026, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT. Romance book event, but I can bring SF, too. (Affiliate link, goes towards my author table fee.)
Reader Nation, Nov 14, 2026, Horseshoe Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV. Andy Weir is the special guest! The early bird VIP tickets are gone, but you can still get VIP tickets. (The link is an affiliate link for VIP tickets, and goes towards my author table fee.) Regular entry is free! I hope to be near Julia Huni again. Or Andy Weir…
My books are available in ebook and paperback at most major retailers, including Bookshop.
Start my classic-style space opera Folding Space Series with Lightwave: Clocker, Lightwave: Nexus Station (free) or the dark YA spin off, Quinn of Cygnus: Lift Off. Or check out my urban fantasy, Working Class Vegas Vamp!