Monday, August 31, 2009

Multitasking

I wrote another thousand words on the nonfiction, and did some more reorganization of the chapters and sections. Gradually, it's taking shape and becoming more recognizable as a book. It even makes sense. Cool.

The new short story got another couple hundred words before the last Moxie meeting, and should be complete before the next one. It's turning out great so far.

I started a novella-length paranormal romance project for an anthology with open submissions, and I have no idea whether I'll actually finish it or not. But I had an idea for it, so I thought I'd try it out, and with a limit of 30,000 words, it won't take an inordinate amount of time to write if I do decide to go for it.

The first novel of the special nine-book project is started, and the ancient Celtic research continues. Slow going, but I want to get the historic details as right as possible.

I love the Brenna book, and I will finish the second book; I'm just not rushing it. I admit I'm not in a hurry because I'm still waiting for the first one to find a publisher.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

1000 Words

That's how far I've gotten on the new short story. The rest will be done just in time for several online short story markets to reopen to submissions on Sept. 1. Not bad timing, that.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Book Giveaway on Patty's Forum

Okay, folks, for two more weeks there's a big book giveaway on Patricia Briggs' forum, sponsored by the moderators, of whom I am one. I'm donating a copy of Iron Kissed, but there are many other books offered as prizes as well. If you're a member of her forum or want to join, have at it! Please note: these books are coming directly from the individual moderators. They will NOT be signed by Patty or even seen or touched by her. Just sayin'....

There's a permanent link to her website on this blog. You can also find my agent article on her site under the "Books", then "Writing" tabs, as well as several articles written by her husband, Mike.

Now back to our regularly scheduled program. I submitted the short story to the next magazine today, followed all their instructions carefully, etc. They have a response status page. Yay! That's much better than waiting in limbo.

And yes, Val, I do have an idea for another short story. I've been thinking about it for a while now. I know, I know, butt in chair. See the post before last. If I actually wrote the new story and brought it to Moxie on Sunday, would you be shocked?

Friday, August 07, 2009

Nope, But Send Us More

I heard back yesterday--or was it the day before? Anyway, the verdict is that magazine number four doesn't want the short story, but they want me to send them more stuff in the future. They enjoyed reading my story, they said, but they can't use it right now. That's nice that they enjoyed it. But I do wish they'd enjoyed it enough to pay for the privilege of reading it. Oh, well. On to the next one, whichever that will be. I haven't quite run out of pro 'zines to try yet, but if I do, then I will go to the semi-pros next. Nobody gets this one for free until I'm absolutely desperate for the publishing credit--and maybe not even then.

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

Random Stuff

Our whole community has been on alert since July 24 because of a little boy who went missing in Boise. Thousands of people volunteered for the searches that went on, and it was all over the media. They finally found him floating in a canal, but the investigation into how he got there is ongoing. This sort of thing really hits home to a lot of parents and makes you want to go hug your babies, and then hug them all over again. That, and protect them from everyone and everything, even though ultimately, you can't. Someday they'll go out into the world entirely on their own and then there's really nothing more you can do but love them and trust them to keep themselves safe.

In the middle of all the chaos, life goes on. I've been in the community garden bean patch so often that my arms are extremely brown, especially for someone with Northern European skin tones. Even though the beans were at the tail end of production, we've still managed to glean enough that we've canned over thirty quarts--still not quite enough to get a family of four through the winter, although we're getting there. And I think they've decided to leave over-mature ones to dry in the field, so there may also be dried ones to get later.

On the 3rd, the Huz and I celebrated our 18th anniversary. I cannot figure out where the time went. Seems like it could not possibly be that long, but it is.

Writing-wise, I've been tweaking my 28,000 words on the spiritual nonfiction project and trying to get it organized into chapters and topics. I also started the first of the nine-novel series that relates somewhat to the spiritual nonfiction. I haven't done much on the urban fantasy lately, but there should be a new Brenna scene soon. And lastly, I still haven't heard back on the latest short story submission, but this coming Saturday marks the end of the reading period they asked for, so after that I guess I can query if necessary.

The main thing is figuring out how to schedule writing time in with all the basic survival things I've been having to do. I can think creatively while toiling in the bean patch in the hot sun, but the main thing I tend to think about is whether my water bottle is running low or whether the scorchy feeling on my arms means I'm getting a sunburn. Yet I'm not in the bean patch all day, so even though I'm on a mostly daytime schedule now, I should still be able to schedule a smidgen of regular writing time for the fiction projects. I was going on the principle that if I got a publishing contract, I'd restructure my life to fit the model of being a professional writer. But today I had the epiphany that I need to turn that around the other way. First, I'll restructure my schedule to allow time so that if I were to get a contract, I'd be easily able to accomodate the extra writing that would be necessary. Hopefully, if I make room in my life to be the professional writer, that's exactly what I'll become. We'll see what happens. If I build it, will they come?