Heya!

12 Sunday Apr 2026

Posted by Melanie Fletcher in A Most Malicious Murder, Arts and Crafts

Yes, yes, I know–I suck. Take that as read and move on.

The last year has been … busy. Let’s just call it that. But things are getting less busy and that means I now have the bandwidth to post here more often. So, first off, I’ve decided to go back to my original cover for A Most Malicious Murder, with a few tweaks to the title lettering and a new tagline. There may also be more blood splattered on Eddy’s picture, but that’s kind of apropos, all things considered.

On the writing side I’m still noodling around with some SF short stories. I really like one of them, but there’s something lacking in the story and I need to figure out what that is before I can submit it anywhere. And I probably should get started on the sequel to AMMM.

I’ve also seriously gotten into 3D printing, and I currently have a BJD on my desk waiting for a faceup and stringing. After that, I’m going to do a paint job on my printed version of Rocky from Project Hail Mary and make him screen accurate. Because that’s just how I roll.

So, yeah, still alive, still writing and crafting, and I’ll be posting more from now on.

Enjoying the Brief Respite in the Heat

16 Sunday Jul 2023

Posted by Melanie Fletcher in Arts and Crafts, Cats, Quilting

≈ 1 Comment

Of course, it goes back up to triple digits tomorrow and will continue that way until Friday, but today it’s been in the eighties here, cool enough where I can crack a couple of windows open and let some fresh air in, much to the J Crew’s delight.

And mine as well, I must admit. I’m currently ironing t-shirt pieces to precision-cut fusible interfacing so that I can sew everything together without the jersey stretching. While doing so I’m standing next to one of the just barely opened windows and enjoying the slight breeze and the outside air.

Don’t get me wrong—I’m still sweating because I am a large broad and I’m hovering over a hot iron. But fresh air feels good.

And for some reason Jeremy has decided that today is the day he needs to follow me everywhere and meow loudly at me. He’s has food, clean water, treats, the litter boxes are acceptable, and I’ve played with him and brushed him. He still wants more attention. I don’t know if he’s trying to capitalize on the fact that I’m not in my office (it’s easier to do the ironing/trimming in the dining room) or what, but my beloved Orange Boy is starting to get ever so slightly on Momma’s nerves, yeah.

Never mind—I know I’ll miss him when he’s gone so I’ll put up with the, “Meow? Meow? Meow” right now.

I Am Very Proud Of Myself

15 Saturday Jul 2023

Posted by Melanie Fletcher in Arts and Crafts

≈ Leave a comment

Why am I proud of myself, you ask? Because despite seeing them so, so, so many times on TikTok and FB stories, I have not yet tried making:

Elaborate canes in polymer clay for jewelry
Multi-layer greeting acrds
Stained glass
Leather goods
Pottery
Lampwork beads
Beaded jewelry
Hand-bound books
Needle-felted items
Resin anything

And that’s probably for the best because I have more than enough hobbies as it is and I’m trying to make space in this joint, not take up more.

It’s the Stark Maker gene at work, unfortunately. I see something cool and think, “Ooh, I’d like to try making that.” What I don’t think of is how much all the tools and raw materials are going to cost, where I’m going to store them, and what I’m going to do with them when I’m done. I don’t need more tchotchkes in the house, and selling a wide range of stuff seems to confuse buyers. Best if I narrow my focus on what I do really, really well.

Although I do have a lot of polymer clay and sculpting tools in my office closet. All I’d really need are shape cutters—no, no, not going there. Stick with all the stuff that you do have, Melanie. You can become a potter or a stained glass maker in another life.

And It’s the Weekend

14 Friday Jul 2023

Posted by Melanie Fletcher in Arts and Crafts

≈ Leave a comment

Which is good for me because I need to get back to work on a t-shirt quilting project for a friend. I was asked if I could do a sort of stained glass effect where the different panels are fitted together and separated with a thin border. I found a nifty way of doing this and I’m really hoping the recipient will love the result.

So far I’ve got everything cut out and I’ve started sewing it together, but I don’t always have the spoons after a full day of work to turn around after making dinner and get back to work on the sewing machine. The good thing about keeping my weekends writing-free is that I can tackle craft projects, clean this place, and take breaks as necessary. I’m just too damn old to be working 60-80 hour weeks anymore. I need some down time if I don’t want to run amok with a seam ripper.

Speaking of breaks, I’ve been watching Extraordinary Attorney Woo on Netflix and really enjoying it. And surprise surprise, the American version of The Good Doctor (the original version was Korean) will be spinning off a show called The Good Lawyer about a lawyer with OCD. As long as the subject is approached with care and authenticity I’m all for more TV shows where the main character is some flavor of neurospicy.

Great. More Heat

11 Tuesday Jul 2023

Posted by Melanie Fletcher in Arts and Crafts, Personal

≈ Leave a comment

Apparently a high pressure dome from New Mexico is spreading into Texas this week, which means Anita Gigawatt will be strained once again and my head will feel like it’s been filled with concrete. This growing old shit is not for the weak, I can tell you that much.

On the plus side if we close all the blinds the house stays relatively cool, and we won’t run any large appliances until later in the night. But I keep thinking back to living in Chicago and how, yeah, we had the occasional power outage after a storm but we could keep the house temperate with a couple of window AC units and I never, ever worried about the grid failing. I honestly don’t understand how our governor won re-election after Winter Storm Uri, I really don’t.

In other news I’m working on a stained glass quilt for a friend, and once the garage cools down to livable temperatures I have some pieces that I need to finish. In the meantime, however, I’m focusing on wire wrapped pieces that I can do in the A/C.

Whoa

22 Thursday Jun 2023

Posted by Melanie Fletcher in Jewelry, Personal, Small Business

≈ Leave a comment

It is amazing, how much better you feel after a good night’s sleep. I actually want to work and don’t want the world to explode anymore.

Which is good because I have mondo work ahead of me today. I already finished formatting and uploading a Nicola novel and short story to the ‘Zon, Smashwords, and Google Play, and I need to start formatting another novel while working on a new Vella episode to upload tonight. In between all that I have to run to the store and get some stuff for dinner tonight, and I really need to sweep and vacuum the ground floor (since we’re not under an extreme heat warning I can use a large appliance during the day) and see about cleaning the downstairs bathroom. If I’m a very good girl and get all of my work done, I can play with a really cool wire wrapping pattern for a star pendant (or earrings, since these cabs are somewhat small).

And in future events news we have tickets to go see Suzy (née Eddie) Izzard in November! I am so happy!

Rabbit Rabb—Eh, You Know the Drill

01 Thursday Jun 2023

Posted by Melanie Fletcher in Jewelry, Personal, Small Business

≈ Leave a comment

June has started with me getting all of the personal and business finances organized and up to date, all bill paperwork and receipts filed, and I even have the projected taxes calculated and ready to go on 6/15/23 and a reminder set up in Outlook. Because I know, I know, that something will happen that will completely blow any thought of that straight out of my mind and I’ll be sitting here at 11:59 PM on the fifteenth thinking, “…wasn’t there something I was supposed to do today?”

Computerized reminders are a godsend, I swear.

In the meantime I’ve got a new custom pendant order on its way and I also got word that my next quilting project is in the mail. I’m doing a t-shirt quilt for a friend’s daughter and she wants a stained glass effect with different sized panels so I’m going to take a look at the shirts when they arrive and see how best I can fit them all together. This should be fun.

A Productive End to May

31 Wednesday May 2023

Posted by Melanie Fletcher in Jewelry, Personal, Writing

≈ Leave a comment

Seeing as I had a hell of a time getting to sleep last night I had a remarkably productive day (I did kinda think I was going to collapse into a coma around 5 but I powered through it). Got another Nicola book formatted and off to Smashwords and Google Play, worked on another episode for Kindle Vella, did my blog posts, updated the financial records for the month, got the bezel soldered for a pendant I’m making (I know I’m too tired to do any more work on it now—the setting will involve eensy pure silver balls and I need to be fully awake for that) and now I’m gonna go do my time on the treadmill, tra la!

I’m also looking forward to tomorrow because the On the Hook cod and chips truck will be in Plano and I can go pick up some excellent fish and chips for dinner. Hey, sometimes it’s the little things.

Back to Work

30 Tuesday May 2023

Posted by Melanie Fletcher in Cats, Jewelry, Personal

≈ Leave a comment

I’ll take Sunday off, I promise.

But I got a lot done today for Nicola, and then I went into the garage and finished a gorgeous little silver decoration from an antique shot plate. It looks like a little Victorian doodad and I’m going to use it with a Petoskey stone cabochon for a pendant. This is going to look glorious when it’s done, very stylish and elegant. Can’t wait to hammer out and finish some of the smaller decorations and start using them in my scrollwork earrings.

Speaking of which, I hit Daiso today for some kitchen things and picked up a little tray that will be perfect for holding my plasticine while I put together those finickity little earrings. I didn’t get started on the amber earrings yet and it’s a little late to do it now, but I’m going to solder together all the bezel cups I need for that tomorrow, then try out the plasticine/investment soldering method. Wish me luck.

Also, I have a large orange cat currently sprawled next to me who really, really wants a chunk from the pork chops that are cooking for dinner. I keep trying to explain to Jeremy that there’s no way he could take down a pig in the wild, but he doesn’t care—he loves him some pork. Weird cat.

So Did I Actually Relax Today?

29 Monday May 2023

Posted by Melanie Fletcher in Books, Jewelry, Personal

≈ Leave a comment

Hahahahahahahahahahaha. Have you met me?

I did wake up late because I felt like having a lie-in, but after breakfast I got my proof of Random Realities, decided it looked spectacular and went upstairs to put it with my other proof copies in my office, and thought, “Hmm. This room is really dusty. It wouldn’t hurt to give it a good cleaning and vacuum the carpet. Ooh, and I can reorganize the electronics rack at the same time and store all of my print books that I’ll be selling up here.”

So instead of relaxing, watching The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and generally recharging the way I wanted to, I was climbing on a freaking stepladder to dust and reposition pictures on my office wall and hanging the standing thread spool rack over my sewing machine. Because I am an idiot who does not know when to take a break.

Oh, but it gets even better. When I was putting stuff away in my closet I noticed the non-functional Brother label printer and decided to pull it apart and clean off the leaked battery acid that was fouling the battery terminals because, well, tomorrow I was going to start being a proper small business owner and being able to label my newer files in my filing cabinet would be a goodness (see: I am an idiot).

In the process I managed to detach the wire leading from the terminals to the guts of the machine, so I asked the Brit to solder it back on. He wound up having to replace the entire wire, but even with fresh batteries it wouldn’t turn back on (no big deal—it was a freebie that came with his Brother printer). I put it in the recycling pile and ordered a new one because I’m OCD and it’s a tax write-off since I’ll be using it in my office.

Then I sent off two invoices for custom projects, did laundry, vacuumed the downstairs, fed the cats, and made to-do lists for Belaurient Arts, Belaurient Press, and the pending business stuff in general. It’s 9:37 PM and I haven’t had dinner yet. I clearly need a minder.