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It’s been a very trying race for Crown of Renewal‘s jockey, as we were blocked, forced back, had mud kicked onto us, tried to find holes…had those holes abruptly filled by another horse’s big broad butt, were bumped hard, found other holes, some of which led nowhere at all except to more bumping and fending off other jockeys’ whips. In fact, all the other horses in the race were trouble: Fickle Fate, Interruption, New Assignment, HellVirus, Bad Timing, Pain in the Neck, Complication, Accident, Family Crisis. All ridden by jockeys with the intent of ruining Crown‘s race.
Finally, toward the end of the backstretch, the jockey found running room and was able to steady Crown into a good stride, but like any horse after such a messy first 3/4 of a mile, Crown wasn’t entirely sure he wanted to bother. Maybe just settle down here and run with the pack, huh?
But jockeys are supposed to keep the horse on the bit and ready to give that final burst. Crown was shown the whip, and even given a smart smack once when he came off the bit and said (in horse language, with a slight hump of the back) “Make me!” Being the solidly bred distance runner he is, Crown then stretched out and made for the lead. Crown‘s jockey had finagled him into a position in which, if the horse would only dig for the last bit of speed all the way to the finish, victory was possible. Once Crown could see daylight ahead, he lengthened stride and overtook one horse after another. Accident and Family Crisis tried a last desperate maneuver, but Crown slipped between them a moment before they collided, and now…if he can keep his feet and that pace…it looks like he’ll be first over the finish line.
Excuse me while I keep him going and also a wary eye out for Fickle Fate, who’s been known to leave the track, run across the infield, and leap the fence to knock a leader flat.
Comment by Gareth — May 19, 2013 @ 3:05 pm
Lovely analogy.
Comment by Jenn — May 19, 2013 @ 4:47 pm
Good Luck in Belmont 🙂
Comment by Linda — May 19, 2013 @ 5:37 pm
It’s just dawning on me that you haven’t known all along what’s going to happen to everyone in your books. Your recent posts leave me respecting your skills more than ever.
Sustaining the effort over all the years you have put into it … phew!
Here’s hoping the horse behaves itself until safely across the finish line.
Comment by elizabeth — May 19, 2013 @ 6:11 pm
The horse is still running, but the jockey’s arthritis (hand joints) is acting up something fierce tonight. I’m taking stuff for it, but very aware that the same med is what led to my husband’s very serious bleed year before last. (Are my fingernails still pink…yup…OK, then.) When the most reactive joint is red, swollen, and burning…time to stop for an hour, put ice on it, and take the medicine.
I watched the PBS program on Walker Percy and ate popcorn. Will see if the hand holds up for another 2-3000 words tonight. Mozart’s Mass in C-minor is on the CD player. Horses are fed, cat’s fed, trash is out for pick up in the morning. (Oh, wait…forgot to lay out the halters, fly spray & stuff for the farrier coming at 8:20 in the morning….)
Running off for one more chore before settling back down in the writing chair.
Comment by Richard — May 19, 2013 @ 11:29 pm
Is (was, since you’d be past the last jump) it a steeplechase?
(Like many in the UK, I pay attention to just one horse race each year, the Grand National. Two circuits of the course making 30 fences and well over 4 miles. A large field – number of horses racing – from which it is an achievement for a horse and jockey to finish, let alone win.)
Comment by GinnyW — May 20, 2013 @ 10:01 am
Accident and Family Crisis sound like an ominous pair to have running at your back.
My mother-in-law preferred heat for arthritis. Does ice work better for you?
Leaving the track to cut the leader off is the sort of thing that the track officials are supposed to prevent, the jockey just has to keep the horse running its best race. Hope you cross the finish line without mishap!
Comment by Jenn — May 20, 2013 @ 11:16 am
It sounds strange but try dipping your hand in a bowl of warm oatmeal.
Comment by patrick — May 20, 2013 @ 12:27 pm
Should your finger problems worsen, another option is “speech-to-text” technology. Probably not needed so long as you can type thousands of words/day, but something to keep in the back of your mind in case things get worse. It does take some practice to become proficient with it.
Comment by Wickersham's Conscience — May 20, 2013 @ 2:41 pm
That’s quite a field you’ve got in that race. A little rough along, the rail, I suspect. I’m betting on It’s Done in the next few weeks.
Re: arthritis – Terry Pratchett has written his last five books or so using dictation technology. Might be worth a Google.
Comment by elizabeth — May 20, 2013 @ 2:57 pm
I’m aware of speech-to-text software, but have not had time to try it yet–have talked to some people who have.
The deadline now is days, not weeks, away. Hence the push.
Comment by Tuppenny — May 20, 2013 @ 5:30 pm
Just been rereading the first three books in prep for the new one. Oh Arvid poooooooooooooor Arvid (snork). That grange is never going to be the same. I can see Girdish blue with multiple pockets.
Comment by David R Campbell — May 20, 2013 @ 5:54 pm
More like Fickle Fate has camped out with some sandbags on the roof of the stable barn, 8x scope on the Barrett, noting wind direction and strength from the flags, surveying the field.
Comment by Karen — May 21, 2013 @ 2:35 am
I hope Arvid’s Eye will keep a lookout for Fickle Fate to try to cheat, just as it did for Paks when she faced Liart’s Priests in that room where Simyits had earlier been an object of worship.
Sometimes other horses are working against your mount, but you never know what can happen when you and other jockeys have a combined enemy….
Meanwhile, I’m screaming from the stands, urging you and Crown of Renewal on, while silently praying that you’ll cross the finish line without injury to yourself or your trusty steed!
Comment by Moira — May 21, 2013 @ 5:15 am
Getting excited for the (next) big day – only a few weeks now. Having just re-read the Serrano series, this post sounds like it was inspired by Lady Cecelia!
Yes, I know I got sidetracked with the wrong series of books… but you get sucked in, you know how it goes. So now it’s time to switch back to Paksworld and re-read some more… sleep is optional, right?
At least my copy is ordered and I can happily daydream of the UPS / FedEx / USPS folks, champing on the bit and (puns intended – groan) jockeying for position, getting ready for the delivery sweepstakes on Launch Day. And yes, there’s a rowdy crowd getting ready to yell and cheer them on, too (we have some practice at that sort of thing around here, hmmm?)
Thank you, Elizabeth, for your labor of love. Please, take good care of yourself.
Comment by Adam Baker — May 21, 2013 @ 6:18 am
Congrats on the push!!
Ms. Moon, I was going to email you a question a few days ago, but in my last email backup, I’ve lost the emails I’ve sent you in the past so I dont have your email address anymore. I looked on your site but cant find the email I thought I had, listed on your site, I thought it was an sff.net email but I cant find it. The only one I found was the info@ email. Is it possible to get it or could you direct me to where I could find it?
Comment by elizabeth — May 21, 2013 @ 9:35 am
Use the info@ one. Also, this is not a good time for me to answer questions–the end of book crunch, plus the food poisoning that showed up last night.
Comment by elizabeth — May 21, 2013 @ 9:36 am
David, I really wish you hadn’t written that. Not too long after reading it, I was hit by food poisoning and am still sick–chills, fever, all the associated symptoms. I know it’s not your fault, but the timing was so close…
Comment by Karen — May 21, 2013 @ 1:23 pm
As a lady jockey in a profession that is traditionally skewed towards men, I am deeply hoping and praying that you will Take Care of Yourself (even if that means you have to stick to a variant of the BRAT diet — bananas, rice, applesauce, and tapioca — with a bit of chocolate thrown in for energy) until you cross the finish line!
Comment by Kevin Marsh — May 21, 2013 @ 3:44 pm
Go, Elizabeth! You can do it! I hope a few words of encouragement from an old sparring partner will help.
My new job as director of the Copperas Cove Public Library brings me back and forth through your neck of the woods regularly so I’ve been thinking of you often. It has also given me the opportunity to buy another set of the series in preparation for the finale.
I can hardly wait!
Comment by Sharidann — May 22, 2013 @ 8:01 am
You are almost at the finishing line…. and one year wait in store for us!
Firs things first, take your time to get healthy. 🙂
Finished my reread of Oath of Fealty, going for Kings now, quite sure I shall be ready for Limits in time…
Bouncing with impatience!
Comment by GinnyW — May 22, 2013 @ 8:39 am
Elizabeth #17, perhaps it wasn’t Dave’s comment and Hell Virus was laying back in the pack waiting to make a burst for the finish line.
Not to make light of the very real misery involved.
In horse racing, and other things, the best outcome is to cross the finish line as soon as possible without causing the horse to go lame. We will look forward to Crown when it comes out, but we will have months of fun with Limits in the soon to arrive interval.
Comment by elizabeth — May 22, 2013 @ 9:35 am
According to the after-event diagnosis, it was the ghost-rider/horse combo in the pack, Toxicity, that knocked me sideways. (Short, violent illness that leaves as quickly as it comes, 24 hours later…most likely toxicity from staph contamination by food handler, says doc.) Nasty bite, that horse has. _Crown_ charges on; jockey managed not to fall off. Just barely.
Comment by Karen — May 22, 2013 @ 11:22 am
Neither horses nor riders must be lost in this race (says a spectator who has watched and waited for the results of every horse you’ve ridden).
Feel better!
Comment by Adam Baker — May 22, 2013 @ 2:31 pm
Eww!! Sorry to hear about the food poisoning. Thankfully its been a long time since I’ve had to deal w/ that.
I used the info@ email, and sent you a short question yesterday.
Comment by Richard — May 23, 2013 @ 1:46 am
Sharidann,
Impatient? Have a bit of Patience from me. (I’ve had it in store since April.)
To scan it, give Kie`ri and Dar`yan only two syllables each (take Daryan’s “y” as consonant), Aa`re two and Ku`ak`gan three. These are from Elizabeth’s draft pronunciation list. (Don’t ask when that may be coming out – she is busy now, and in three weeks the working group will be the ones who are busy.) Oh, and W.S. Gilbert takes full credit for “receipt” scanning better than “recipe”.
If you want a receipt for a fantasy character,
Strong in the books that are written by Moon,
(CHORUS: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!)
From Paksworld take every remarkable character,
Rattle them off to a popular tune!
(CHORUS: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!)
The friendship of Paks who exhibits as paladin
Fairness of Gird and steadfastness of Falk,
Modesty of Arcolin as long-service captain,
Pride of Arvid (he’s a fine one to talk!)
Resolve of Duke Dorrin denouncing the Verrakai,
Patience of Oakhallow growing a tree,
The brashness of Aris and Gwennothlin Marrakai,
Wisdom of Dragon as old as the sea,
Kieri King of Lyonya the former Duke Phelan,
Mikeli and Camwyn the princes Mahieran,
Aliam Halveric, King’s Squire Arian,
Flessinathlin the Lady, green thumb of Daryan,
Canna, Saben, ghost of Tammarion,
Pargun’s king and Sofi Ganarrion!
(CHORUS: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!)
Oh –
Take of these elements all that is fusible,
Melt ’em all down in a pipkin or crucible,
Set ’em to simmer and take off the scum,
And Sergeant Stammel is the residuum!
If –
you want a receipt for this soldierlike paragon,
Get at the wealth of Aare (if you can),
Knowledge of the past of the elf who’s called Haleron,
Sense of the now of any Kuakgan,
Devotion to ruling of Gird’s Marshal-General,
Kinship-loyalty of any dwarf clan,
Princesses who overcome boundaries filial
(Elis of Pargun, Ganlin Kostandan),
Fuss-potness of physician, lawfulness of a gnome,
Resilience of Beclan cast out of his home,
Count Andressat, Burek and Aesil M’dierra,
Selfer and Garris and Kolya Ministiera,
Armsmaster Siger, Dattur who’s no crook,
Fly Mal Argonist and Farintod Cook!
(CHORUS: Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!)
Oh –
Take of these elements all that is fusible,
Melt ’em all down in a pipkin or crucible,
Set ’em to simmer and take off the scum,
And Sergeant Stammel is the residuum!
Comment by Sharidann — May 23, 2013 @ 2:26 am
Richard,
you left me speechless!
Thanks for sharing!
Comment by Jenn — May 23, 2013 @ 5:44 am
Richard,
Bravos and cheers from the breakroom!!!!!
Comment by Richard — May 23, 2013 @ 11:14 am
P.S. take Ly`on`ya’s second “y” as consonant (if anyone was in any doubt).
Comment by chris hero — May 23, 2013 @ 12:23 pm
So,
Is there something else on the back burner?
Is Paksworld done with you?
I hate the thought that I might not have more of your Paks thoughts to look forward to.