My parents took me to see Yo-Yo Ma for my birthday!!! Here’s a photo of the orchestra warming up.

And here’s a tiny photo of Yo-Yo Ma.

The program was:

• Sound the Bells! by John Williams
• Appalachian Spring, Ballet for Orchestra by Copland
• Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104 by Dvorak

Yo-Yo Ma’s playing was wonderful, of course. And he seemed so happy! At the end of the show he even hugged some of the other performers.

Other than that fun interlude, things have been extra busy, both at my day job and writing-wise. Fortunately Rosie and Jasper take me hiking a few days a week, or I’d never get any exercise. 🙂

I’m putting the final touches on Midwinter Fae, the second volume in the anthology series A Procession of Faeries. I submitted my short story “Gilroy and the Kitten” to a friend for a bundle about cat heroes. I’m working on a fairy tale anthology that will come out in a few months, and was just invited to participate in another fairy tale anthology, so I’m working on coming up with an idea that fits that theme. And then there’s the monster series, which is waiting for me to do one thing…

I keep telling myself I just have to get to the 21st, when Midwinter Fae will have launched and I’ll be able to relax…

Here’s a snippet from “Gilroy and the Kitten.” Gilroy is a witch’s familiar; Delaney is the witch’s 8-year-old grandniece who snuck into the house when her aunt wasn’t home.

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Delaney sat cross-legged on the wooden floor, a small, silver-inlaid jewelry box held in one hand while she fumbled with the latch that held the box closed. Gilroy let out a yowl and charged toward her.

He was five feet away when Delaney pushed open the lid.

A flash filled the air, so bright Gilroy had to close his eyes. He skidded to a stop and blinked as his eyes adjusted.

The silver box lay on its side on the floor.

Next to it stood a brown-and-black-striped kitten.

Delaney the kitten looked at Gilroy and let out a tiny, high-pitched meow.

Gilroy walked over to the box and sniffed it. It was open and empty and devoid of magic. It was now nothing more than a small jewelry box, one of several Breda had acquired at another witch’s estate sale recently.

A sharp lanced through his tail. He whipped around to see Delaney standing next to him, her green eyes fixed on his tail. A piece of his fur stuck out of the corner of her mouth.

He hadn’t wanted to spend time with the girl when she was in human form, and he certainly didn’t want to have to deal with her as a kitten, either.

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