As you have probably realized, these past few weeks my website has been flooded with (very kind) people who were willing to write guest posts or guest reviews for me. The reason is because I’ve been recovering from my surgery. I don’t go back to work until November 4, and the doctor won’t see me until October 30, at which point I’m sincerely hoping he’ll let me use my right arm again.

The surgery itself went pretty well. They took out my tendons in my shoulder and replaced them with cadaver tendons. I spent a night in the hospital and then came home and threw up for a few days. I lost about twelve pounds in two weeks because that’s just how surgery rolls with me. I hate it, but after eleven of them, I know the drill. My cadaver tendons look to be holding up well, but there is some question as to whether fixing the front of my shoulder screwed up the back of it, so I’m on even more limited restrictions (my doctor wouldn’t even let me go back to work early with accommodation and I can’t move my right arm at all, and I have to sleep in weird positions with rolled towels in uncomfortable places to keep things stable and blah blah blah blah blah). My right arm movement is even more restricted than normal in hopes that really stiffening up my shoulder will fix whatever is causing the bones in the back of my joint to grind.

It’s lovely. Really. (/sarcasm font)

My website has only been functioning due to the grace and kindness of people who have been writing guest posts and reviews for me. I have to keep my right arm in this horrible sling that fastens around my waist and across my torso and neck with this pillow thing that props my right arm about six inches away from my waist and even more immobile. I literally cannot move it at all. It is incredibly uncomfortable and makes typing with that hand absolutely impossible. Writing a review takes an entire day, and then even longer to fix all the typos that hunt-and-pecking with my left arm creates. These guest posters have been a lifesaver, and have made my recovery time much more relaxing and stress free than I ever expected it to be. These people who have offered their valuable time to me have helped in so many ways. I can’t thank any of them enough.

Of course when you have one arm that functions and you’re on pain medication there isn’t much you can do.

I’ve been reading a lot (a ton). I’ve been plowing through about a book a day. I’m almost at my 150 book reading goal for this year. I also decided to help out Ragnarok Publications with some slush reading (because really, what else am I doing right now?). I learned that I LOVE slush reading. It’s really interesting to see how books start, and where they end up when they’re published. It’s a process and I like being part of it. I’ve also been doing a lot of slush reading for the Blackguards open call submissions. That’s also been quite an experience, and I think that just by slush reading I’ve learned quite a bit about writing short stories. I’ve really had a lot of fun with it. I’ve also done some beta reading for authors, which I’m also really enjoying. Not only is it flattering to think that authors care about my opinion, but again, it’s quite interesting to see how books progress and how the creative process evolves.

Of course with all of these books I’ve been reading and unable to review I have a huge backlog of reviews to write, so that should be quite fun.

The other day I randomly decided to read the entire DIscworld series. I am following this chart.

I breezed through The Color of Magic in a day, and now I’m about 20% into The Light Fantastic. I have heard several times that these first books are the weakest in the whole series, and I went into them expecting that. However, I’m surprised by how much I’m enjoying them. I thought I’d kind of tolerate them, but they are turning out to be a lot more enjoyable than I expected.

My three-year-old has entered this stage of bedtime where she turns into Captain Hook and we have to chase her around the house until we can (gently) subdue her as one would subdue the scariest pirate in Neverland, and put her in bed. It’s fun for her, and not so fun for her father or me. The other day I got her in bed and started reading The Color of Magic to her, a section about the World Turtle and the elephants on its back and all that. Fiona thought that it was the coolest thing ever. Last night there was no chasing around Captain Hook. She got right in bed and asked me to read more about the turtle. The kid is loving these books as much as I am, and it’s making bedtime so much easier!!

And that’s been about all I have to say for myself. These past few weeks have been a haze. Recovery has been a lot longer, and a lot more frustrating than I expected. I’m glad it’s almost over. I’m getting excited to go back to work again because I’m getting rather bored at home. I’m also excited to start really reviewing a lot of the books I’ve read. I’ve read some fantastic stuff, and I can’t wait to finally be able to talk about them all on a regular basis. I’m getting there. Life will be back to normal before I know it.

In the meantime, I’ll just sit here and read, review when I can, and enjoy the downtime as much as I can. Thanks again for all your help and patience during my recovery. Being able to not think about my website, as its been in great hands, has done more for my mental state during recovery than I could ever really put into words.

You guys are amazing.