it's amazing

[lydy]

how the loss of the use of one hand makes me feel so much stupider. i am hopeful that someone with more fingers than i will explain this to y'all in comments.

Comments

[soon_lee]

Not stupid, but seems that way because everything takes longer & requires more effort. It is especially jarring with activities you used to take for granted.  That time I damaged one hand really brought home that things like opening a jar of jam (that I never thought about) requires two hands.

[fgherman.livejournal.com]

Everything you did that you took for granted becomes challenging. Wait until you have to shampoo your hair.

An explanation.

[guppiecat]

Once upon a time, there was a goat. It was fairly ordinary so far as goats go...except that it had once swallowed a piece of the sun (long story). Because of this, the goat was quite popular in the Winter when people needed a bit more light and warmth. Thus began the tradition of The Travelling Star-Goat.

During the holiday season, the Star-Goat moves from party to party, providing comfort to those who live in the Northern climes. His arrival is always welcomed, but there is a price. Every season, one person must sacrifice to the Star-Goat in order to guarantee the return of Spring (again, long story). This year, I am sad to report, lydy was called upon to give up her hand and have it eaten by the Star-Goat.

Let us all remember this come April when the snow finally melts away.

[lydy.livejournal.com]

i do wonder that you don't write children's books. you have a lovely voice for it, and a fine sense of the mythic. not, as i understand it, that there's much money in it... anyway, thank you for my charming fable.

[guppiecat]

It's partly the money thing, but mostly the illustration thing and the language restrictions. <-- This sentence took me 5 seconds to write.

I would not make much money writing books for kids. But it is more tricky to get the pictures just right and choose words that match the words kids use. <-- This sentence took me three minutes to write.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Many/most picture book publishers do not want you to come in with the illos already done unless you are AMAZING at illos yourself. They would rather match illustrator to author in-house. Also, you'd be amazed at which words you can get away with putting into a picture book.

[guppiecat]

Very true, and what I said should be read as more reflective of my own control tendencies and not as a comment on the publishing industry in general.

I've thought seriously about writing childrens books from time to time, and these days, I would be far more likely to write text and pictures for a childrens ipad app. So many of the kids I know have ipads and while they seem to like books, it's the ipads that go everywhere with them.

[lydy.livejournal.com]

lol. best explanation ever!

[dreamshark.livejournal.com]

Um.. what happened to your hand? I thought that you still had two of them at the New Years party.

[pameladean]

The Star Goat sacrifice took the form of Lydy's falling and severely dislocating a finger. She's wrapped up in bandages to the elbow. And since one tends to try to catch oneself with the dominant hand, that's the one it is. Dean and Laura were the only ones left at the party other than David and his passengers and the hosts, when the Star Goat chose his victim.

P.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I hope it heals quickly.

[apostle-of-eris.livejournal.com]

Ya know how a purchase of twice the quality is a lot more than twice as expensive? This is a little like that. One hand instead of two is way more than twice the hassle.