juldec03

12/25/03

Merry Christmas! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. For me, this Christmas was a stressful blur. Lots of work stress, attending training courses this week with so much to do, etc.. I'm thankful I'm employed, but why does the job have to be so difficult all the time. I did manage to get the partial of my revised novel chapters out. I have probably three or four more chapters I want to smooth out on this book, but that will have to wait because I need to get moving on my next project. Unfortunately, I still haven't finished the short story I'm working on. The submission deadline is fast approaching, so I don't know that I'll finish it in time. Oh, well, just more time to work on novels, I suppose.

Another year is grinding to a close and I find myself feeling a little lost. Like my compass can't find north. It's all going by so fast, just a blur much of the time. Rushing around to stay ahead of the laundry, the bills, the endless trouble tickets at work as I focus on the weekend. Most of it seems so unimportant, yet it consumes so much of my time. I think my brain is just tired. At work, I've been doing two people's jobs for six months with little support/understanding from my co-workers. I usually love the ambience of this season: the candles, the decorations, the smells of cloves and cinnamon, the carols, giving gifts, but all of it has just left me cold this year. I am looking ahead to 2004 and hoping to make some changes, hoping to look beyond the everyday "just-getting-by" viewpoint. Something beyond that. Have a good evening.

Now playing: sweet silence
Now reading: between books

12/16/03

Boy, have things been totally crazy here! Trying to get ready for Christmas, but there's just so much going on, especially since I lost the month of November to get ready. I don't regret it though. I needed that sense of accomplishment. I haven't gotten much writing done over the last week or so. Working on a new short story and revising the novel manuscript. I finally got my Christmas cards out the door, too and managed to finish my shopping. Next week, I'll be attending two days of training, so that week is pretty much shot. And I can't find time to see The Return of the King this week. :( :( Next Friday, I hope. Anyway, I'm sketching out ideas for the next novel manuscript I want to write. I signed up for a novel writing workshop in March, so I'll need a manuscript for that. I've got a couple of months before I need to turn anything in though, so I should be able to turn out something by then.

Back to the novel revisions....have a good evening!

Now playing: Victorialand by The Cocteau Twins
Now reading: between books

12/05/03

Back from my novel dare. Total words written were 83,515 words. It's a very sorry rough draft, but hey, it's something to work with. More than I had before. I've spent the past few days making all kinds of notes about what needs to be fixed. I'm rethinking some of the story aspects, too, trying to tie things together better. It'll take me a month to clean everything up. And the title has to go. It really doesn't fit the story anymore. The title I'm currently considering is Lessons in Leaving. We'll see what happens with it. All in all, I'm quite pleased with this dare. I thought I'd lost my "sticktoitness," but no matter how dreadful the draft became, I kept writing. Instead of chucking the manuscript, I just wrote faster to shut up my internal critic. A first for me. It needs a ton of work, but I think I can save it. The book turned oddly in the last half and looking back, I don't think it should have gone down that path. I need to mull it over some more and figure out where I want to take the story. So, it needs to set for a while and get cold.

Now, I find myself debating on what my next project should be. I have a novel manuscript that I got stuck in (at about 20K), so I'm thinking about doing that manuscript next (because I have lots of new ideas for it). However, I think I'm going to clean up one of my existing manuscripts (that will never get a response from the publisher) and resubmit it elsewhere. I've wasted so much time and energy waiting for promised responses that never came. Most likely, it will take me about a week or so to clean it up and reprint it. Then out it goes again. Since that will be the fastest completion, I'll probably do that first. Then concentrate on the 20K novel. I've also neglected my short stories a bit, so I intend to get some of those back out again. And I'd like to write some new ones. So much to write and so little time. I've only written 5 short stories, 1 novelette, and two novels this year; not quite the productivity I was hoping for. I'm pleased with the two novels and the 1 novelette, but I should have at least wrote 1 a month this year. Something to shoot for next year, I guess.

Now playing: Victorialand by The Cocteau Twins
Now reading: between books

11/22/03

I'm getting close to 60K on my novel dare. Hopefully, I'll be there tonight. Got a 50-day rejection from SciFi.com today. Big surprise. Brings my rejection total up to 39 for the year.

Now playing:

11/16/03

Feeling like a total failure tonight. After waiting thirteen months for a reply, I got bounced from the next S&S anthology. That was a total sucker punch and I'm feeling really, really low. Still trying to figure out what the hell happened to my writing. Everything I touch turns to dirt these days. Why can't I ever get this stuff right? Sigh.

Now playing: Afterglow by Sarah McLachlan

11/3/03

I got a rejection from Harlequin today. About six months on a partial. Yeah, I was a little bummed. No time for that though. I couldn't possibly fit that into my schedule until Sunday afternoon. ;) But maybe they'll like this new book that I'm working on.

Have a good evening!

Now playing: Weathered by Creed
Now reading: between books
Just finished:

10/30/03

I received the contract and galleys for my short story Whispers. It will appear in the anthology Hauntings which comes out in March 2004.

Welllll....tomorrow night at midnight I start my dare. I hope to put in a couple thousand words and really put a solid dent in the story over the weekend. Not sure how my weeknights will go (at work, we start a big project on Monday.) Tomorrow is Halloween! Yay!! I love Halloween and this year, we're having a little thang at work, so I'm going to wear a costume. I'm dressing up as a software pirate. :) I'm sure my boss will love seeing his workstation admin dressed this way. :P

Have a good evening!

Now playing: Weathered by Creed
Now reading: between books
Just finished:

10/28/03

Okay, I've been a total slug about updating my journal. Work has been really difficult these past few weeks and I've been working a lot of overtime. Bleh. But the good news is that I've decided to take on a new novel dare! The work stress has virtually eliminated my writing, so I've decided to fight back with a novel dare. Today, a friend turned me onto a site called NaNoWriMo.org. Every year these folks do a novel dare in November (National Novel Writing Month). So, what the hell -- this will be my sixth novel dare. I officially signed up, so I can't back out. I'm shooting for an 85K manuscript, so that's less than 3K a day. I'm writing a romance. There won't be much updating here next month (so, what's new, eh?), but if you want to see my novel progress, I'll be posting it on my Novel Dares page. Wish me luck! I really need a kickstart.

Have a good evening!

Now playing: My Private Nation by Train
Now reading: Timeline by Michael Crichton
Just finished: The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney

10/19/03

The manuscript's been mailed out (finally!) I got it to the Post Office just before Saturday closing. Keeping my fingers crossed. For now, I'm just putting it out of my mind. Now, I'm struggling to find the right place to start the new novel. I put down a couple of pages, but already, I feel that I started in the wrong place. So....I'll probably chuck those pages and start again. The pacing has to be fast-paced and I don't think I accomplished that either. I'll take another look at it tomorrow night.

I picked over ten pounds of Concord grapes yesterday. Today, I spent most of the day discarding stems, crushing them, and turning them into juice. Only then could I turn them into jelly. I enjoyed making the jelly though. And my niece and nephew really like it, so that made it fun, too. :)

I hope I can turn out some decent pages tomorrow. It'll feel much better when I've got my brain more firmly wrapped around the idea and the characters. And to further annoy me, a new angle on a manuscript I put on the back burner popped up this weekend. So, of course, I want to mess with that a bit, too. Not enough time to do both, so I'm going to concentrate on this new novel. I need to get my act together and start producing more new stuff.

Have a good evening!

Now playing: Things We Do for Love by 10CC
Now reading: Timeline by Michael Crichton
Just finished: The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney

10/14/03

Holeee cow! Wow, has it been over two weeks since I've updated my journal? Amazingly, I've been completely immersed in the manuscript revisions. And loving every minute of it. :) But I *just* finished editing the last chapter. Now, I just need to run the final spell check, get a word count, print this puppy out, and mail it. God, I'm so proud of this book. Hope the editor loves it. By the weekend, I should be able to start the new novel. Yay!

You'd think I'd have all these great updates and cool stuff that happened, but it's same ol' same ol' around here. My cat Tokina turned 19 today. I shelled out $450 to get my brakes fixed (grumble, grumble). Bought a bowling ball (I play on a work league) and still can't bowl. ;) I'm up to 33 rejections and 1 sale this year. And I really need to get cracking on the novels.

Have a good evening!

Now playing: Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette
Now reading: Timeline by Michael Crichton
Just finished: The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney

9/27/03

It's been a week and I'm only 2/3rds of the way through my revisions. I didn't expect them to take this long. Even after I get through all the chapters, I want to take one last look at the book's big picture and make sure I've accomplished what I set out to corrrect. Sure hope so. I really, deeply care about this book and I don't want to blow this chance.

So...this means I haven't written a single word yet on my new novel. :( Soon, I keep telling myself. Somewhere in here, I have a funky idea for a short story that I want to pursue. Then there's this story I want to rewrite . . . it never ends (thank God). :)

Have a good evening!

Now playing: Chrysalis by 2002
Now reading: Timeline by Michael Crichton
Just finished: The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney

9/20/03

Ahoy, Mateys! Yep, still working on the pirate novel. ;) But I've got a bit of a rewrite to do on a manuscript to get it out the door. It's not a small rewrite though and it may take me several days to complete. Once that's done, I'll be free to go back to the pirate novel. This week, I got a 65-day rejection from Realms of Fantasy and a positive response to a query. Feeling a bit like a slacker. That was only my 34th rejection for the year. Gotta get those submission numbers up and find my way to the next level. I've made a few baby steps of progress, but that long road keeps winding.

I saw a great quote today: "Life isn't about finding yourself. It's about creating yourself." Those words really resonated with me. For 30-mumble-mumble years, I've kind of had the whole thing backwards. I thought it was a process of discovery, that it was all out there; I just had to find the courage to go out and look. To find myself. Those journeys are important, but sometimes that act of finding/searching has been more excuse than a process of discovery. Looking too far down the path to see what's right under my feet. The difference between proactive and reactive. Seeing my life as my own creation puts the power in my hands rather than leaving it in the hands of chance and serendipity. And that's totally cool. :)

Have a good evening!

Now playing: My Private Nation by Train
Now reading: Timeline by Michael Crichton
Just finished: The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney

9/15/03

Well...it's been a little while since I've posted. Had some icky work stuff come to boiling point last week, so no writing done then. This week finds me working through some ideas and synopsis writing for yet another project. :) Working title is Caribbean Moonlighting and I think it's a novel. I've been working through character profiles/plot twists. I'm almost ready to start writing the first chapter. I can already see the first three chapters in my head, so that's really good for me. But...(I hate that word) I need one more important piece of the puzzle before I'll feel confident enough to start writing. I'm really looking forward to telling this story though. Oh, and I think it'll be a romance. And it's about pirates. :)

Have a good evening!

Now playing: Dream Spiral by Hilary Stagg
Now reading: Timeline by Michael Crichton
Just finished: The Introvert Advantage by Marti Olsen Laney

9/3/03

Wow, didn't realize so much time had passed. Last week, I left town to attend my Aunt's funeral. Got back on Thursday and found out my good friend, Patricia Duffy Novak's father passed away. My deepest sympathies, Patricia. Over Labor Day weekend, I did a bunch of cleaning/throwing out stuff/painting. I did buy a new dresser and armoire for my room. My current furniture is falling apart, so it was a good time to replace it. I won't get the furniture until next month though (they were out of stock).

I've been bouncing around some fiction ideas, but I haven't written for a week or so. I hope to start working on stuff again tomorrow. I've got a short story idea or two rattling around in my brain that needs to get out and yet another angle on a short story redraft I haven't managed to pull off yet. Still searching for those ideas that I feel passionate about . . .

Have a good evening!

Now playing: Sweet Return by Hilary Stagg
Now reading: Listening to Whales by Alexandra Morton (nonfiction)
Just finished: Island of Dreams by Katherine Stone

8/22/03

I retitled The Kingmaker to The Needlewoman, did some story edits and got it out the door. Now, I'm playing with another novel idea (so what's new?). I just need to finish one. I'm just going to play a little and see what kind of trouble I can get into. Hopefully lots. ;) I just told myself the story in a letter. I'm gonna let it set for tonight and see how it looks tomorrow. Then I'll figure out where the story starts and have a go at it. I'm shooting for about 80K with the storyline I've put together.

Have a good evening!

Now playing : Less than Zero by Elton John
Now reading: Listening to Whales by Alexandra Morton (nonfiction)
Just finished: Island of Dreams by Katherine Stone

8/18/03

Just finished a new short story (the fantasy I've been working on). I'm going to stay with the title, The Kingmaker for now. At least until I do an edit on it. It came out to be 6600 words. I was a little surprised by the length. Have to give the story to my first reader to see what she thinks of the story. I need to let it sit for a day and take another look, make sure I'm happy with the ending.

Now playing : Land of Forever by 2002
Now reading: Listening to Whales by Alexandra Morton (nonfiction)
Just finished: Island of Dreams by Katherine Stone

8/14/03

It took me a few days to get the edits done on Isabel's Tears. I added a new chapter, fixed some other things that found while adding the chapter and ran final spell checks, etc.. It took me until 10:30 pm last night to get her ready to mail. But the manuscript is currently winging its way toward New York. Five novels out once again. I'm very glad I entered the Dorchester contest. It gave me some valuable feedback about the first three chapters. I made my best attempt at fixing the problems, so hopefully, the editors will read beyond chapter 3 now. We'll see.

I think I'll take a break tonight and return to the short story tomorrow. With all the worms and trojans running amuck, these past couple of work weeks has been tough.

Have a good evening!

Now playing : The Collection by Mary Black
Now reading: Listening to Whales by Alexandra Morton (nonfiction)
Just finished: Island of Dreams by Katherine Stone

8/8/03

Not quite the day I was hoping for. Got a 21-day rejection from Strange Horizons and a rejection from the Dorchester contest. So much for positive thinking. ;) Time to make a slight change to the manuscript (thanks to the helpful feedback) and get the book out again. I'm hoping to mail it out by Tuesday. On the plus side, my friend Patricia Duffy Novak is here visiting. I was glad she came in on Friday. Saved me from an evening of sulking. :)

Another short entry tonight. Ta-ta for now!

Have a good evening!

Now playing : nothing at the moment
Now reading: Island of Dreams by Katherine Stone
Just finished: Passage by Connie Willis

8/5/03

Got out of work on time tonight. I'm really looking forward to leaving work early on Friday, too. Wrote three pages tonight on the short story, but I'm fading fast. I'm struggling a bit with the story's middle. Sometimes this is a real trouble spot for me, but I'm slowly working my way through it.

Short entry tonight. Time to call it a day.

Have a good evening!

Now playing: Emer Kenny by Emer Kenny
Now reading: Island of Dreams by Katherine Stone
Just finished: Passage by Connie Willis

8/4/03

It was another long evening at work. Didn't get out until about 7:15 pm tonight. Managed a couple of pages of story though. At least I got my main character into the next act of the story. Still no word on my contest entry. :( Of course, now I'm worrying about whether they received my entry. Or if their response got lost in the mail. Typical writer paranoia. I hope they request the entire manuscript, but if they don't, I want to get the book mailed out again ASAP. And sometime this week (at my current snail's pace), I hope to finish this short story.

My good friend, Patricia Duffy Novak is flying in for a short visit. It's been about two years since I've seen her face-to-face, so I'm really looking forward to seeing her. And she'll get to see just how huuuge Murphy has gotten. He's definitely a Big Guy. He's in the 16-18 lb (a guesstimate) range and when he stands up and stretches his paws, he can grab stuff off the kitchen counters. He's not fat though. Boy is he clumsy though. Still hasn't mastered that Maine Coon balance and poise yet. He's 1.5 years old, so I'll give him another year for that.

Have a good evening!

Now playing: Voice of the Celtic Heart by Kate Crossan
Now reading: Island of Dreams by Katherine Stone
Just finished: Passage by Connie Willis

8/2/03

It's been a hellatious two days at work. Worked late last night. Then got up early to go into work this morning. I think everything's straightened out now. *crossing fingers*

On the writing front, I only managed a couple of pages on the new story. I got a completely clear day tomorrow though, so I think I can wrap up a draft of this story (finally!) It's going to be long -- at least 6K, maybe longer. But I'm happy with it so far. And it's fun. :) One of the best things anyone has ever said to me about writing is a very simple phrase, "Go play." Until March, I'd forgotten that writing had once been fun. I'd been so busy trying to please everyone -- it was exhausting. So, I'm going to go play now. :)

Have a good evening!

Now playing : Dream Spiral by Hilary Stagg

7/31/03

The last two days have been really stressful at work. So many projects and deadlines, so much politicking -- turns my stomach. Bleh. Needless to say, my writing has suffered quite a bit this week. I managed a zero word count yesterday, but I wrote two pages tonight. So things are looking up this week. :) My brother and company will be in town tomorrow, but I've got a clear shot at some writing on Saturday and Sunday. THANK GOD tomorrow is Friday! Friday evening is always my favorite time of the week. And it's almost here! :)

Have a good evening!

Now playing : Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morissette

7/29/03

Today's mail brought an 8-day rejection from The Third Alternative. Things at work were a little less stressful today. At least it was a good hair day. ;) I managed a negative word count tonight, ripping out much of what I wrote yesterday. It just didn't fit the story and I want the story to be right. So I'll try for positive wordage tomorrow. I have a new (if somewhat hackneyed) title for the story. It's called The Kingmaker, a traditional fantasy. Oooh, shocking! Actually, I haven't written a traditional fantasy in well over a year, nearly two years. I felt a bit rusty at first, but with the scene in my head, the story just sort of burst forward. I was really pleased. I've been missing that part of the genre for a while, so it was nice to revisit it again.

I'm W-A-I-T-I-N-G for so many responses right now, responses I've waited a long time for and they should be coming any day now. I've just gotta be patient for another week or so...but...it's...killing me!!! :) I'm weak, I admit it. Regardless of the results of the contest or submissions, I'm extremely proud of the book I wrote. And I have this odd sense, that I will sell this book. I've never felt so certain about anything. I've never actually said that before and you know what? That felt good! (but I'm still waiting....ggggrrrr) Enough silliness...time to crash.

Have a good evening!

Now playing: Chrysalis by 2002

7/28/03

Tough day at work. Not physically, but for some reason I was extremely stressed when I left early for a chiropractic appointment. I always feel like my job is a constant center of change and today, I just found it frustrating. It's like constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop, only no one ever runs out of shoes. Anyway, I'm glad today is over.

Only managed about 1 page of new writing tonight. Just couldn't quite de-stress enough to concentrate. But I'm glad I managed some writing. Hopefully, I'll get more done tomorrow night.

Have a good evening!

Now playing : Dream Spiral by Hilary Stagg

7/25/03

I didn't do any writing tonight. Too many errands, not enough time, blah, blah -- you know the excuses. :) But....I'm thrilled to report that my 18 month non-sales drought has finally come to end! I've sold my short story Whispers to an anthology called Hauntings which should be appearing sometime in 2004!! Yessss! It's not a major sale or anything. It's a story I've believed in but hadn't been able to place with the right market, so I'm quite pleased that this story will finally see the light of day. And the editor is wonderfully nice, so I'm feeling good about my work. I'm almost to the 3K mark on the new short story, too. I should be able to finish it this weekend.

I'm going to plot out another novel (I hope) this weekend. That way, I'll have multiple projects at work. Wishing there was more time to write, but as soon as I get through some hard times at work, I'll be able to devote my full attention to my writing again. Can't wait!

Here's something that hasn't happened to me in a long time. I'm reading two books at once. I should finish one of them tonight though, but for me, this is very unusual. Like I said, I just can't seem to get enough fiction these days.

And that book is calling...have a good evening!

Now playing : Hey Jealousy by The Gin Blossoms

7/23/03

Put down about 700 words on the new short story. Had a welcome interruption from an old friend that I hadn't spoken with for years. It was good to talk with him and it felt like no time had passed. A very nice surprise. :) The story has two POVs and I'm really enjoying the telling of this story. I feel like I've got a firm hold on this story and I look forward to the ending. Should be cool. :)

The nail-biting on the novel contest continues....argh! I've seen some rejections go out, but nothing here yet. I've got a good feeling about this one. Sure hope my gut is right. :)

Have a good evening!

Now playing: Chrysalis by 2002

7/22/03

Good night at the keyboard! Knocked out 1200 words in an hour. For some reason, I had a very tough time getting the story started, but what I've written so far feels really good. I was putting into practice what I'd learned over the weekend and it really helped. This story's going to be good. :) No better title yet, but this story is on its way. I felt a stronger sense of control this time out of the gate.

The mail was blessedly absent of rejections. Not so much because their rejections, but because then I take up too much time mailing them out again. ;) Gotta do that a little faster.

Started Nora Roberts' Face the Fire last night and it's really good so far. I've really been ravenously inhaling books these past couple of months. Just can't seem to get enough fiction lately. That's a good thing, too. I've got a couple more romances to read after the Nora Roberts book ( Contact by Susan Grant and The Circle of a Promise by Helen Roseburg) then I plan to read an older Crichton (Timeline), Passage by Connie Willis, another Dave Robicheaux and a few more Asimov's stories mixed between the novels (not necessarily in this order). So many books....so little time.

Have a good evening!

Now playing : Land of Forever by 2002

7/21/03

Man, what a *lousy* day at work! From hacked servers to screwed up vendor orders to lifting too many computer boxes to impromptu major projects dropped on my plate. I came home exhausted to bleh -- two rejections. Happy Monday. Glad that's over.

Hope springs eternal though....got the two stories back out the door and another story out to an anthology I thought it might fit. Writing? Hah! My brain was fried by 11:30 this morning. I'll try again tomorrow, but at least I got the stories out. Can't sell a story if it isn't in the mail, right? Off they go and off I go to bed. I've got about sixty pages left of Heaven and Earth by Nora Roberts. Then it's on to book three: Face the Fire.

Have a good evening!

Now playing : Victorialand by Cocteau Twins

7/20/03

For the past week or so, I've been feeling kinda stuck in the creativity department, causing my output to really crash. This weekend, I did some short story analysis in Asimov's, taking apart a story or two. I learned something about my own work in the process. I've been operating on some gut level myths (not sure I can articulate them clearly or accurately) that have been hindering my work. This may be "Well, der!" to most of you, but I've always worked on the assumption that everything I introduced in a story, I had to completely explain. But the characteristics I found in studying Asimov's was the opposite. Everything was grounded. It was all very fluid, too, carrying my curiosity without providing an explanation until it was necessary. It was very freeing to me to "get" that concept. For me, this has been stopping a lot of my progress. It felt exhausting to me that I felt I couldn't just "tell the story." No, I had to "As you know, Bill..." every concept, every character, etc.. Not that blatantly of course, but it was an obstacle that kicked me up a level to craft rather than keeping me down a level in story. When I'm at the craft level, my inner critic is in dementor mode, sucking the life and every happy moment out of every phrase, every word.

Now, when I get to these roadblocks, instead of stopping, I'm just going to swerve around them and keep myself in the story. I'm so glad I was able to pin a name on this little annoying assumption. Now, I can throw it out of my office. :)

I also went looking for a little inspiration and found a print that really made me go "ooohhh!" Worked through a fairly massive story idea this afternoon because of it. It has the potential to become a novel, but I can tell a small part of the story in the form of a short story. This is good. :) Working (crappy) title is Destiny's Tapestry. I plan to start writing on it tomorrow.

Have a good evening!

Now playing : Land of Forever by 2002

7/14/03

Loooong day. Eight hours of training and breathing in yucky chemical fumes all day. Ick. I got home about 6pm tonight with quite the headache. Last night, I got a good chunk written on the novel. As luck would have it, there was a Border's RIGHT next to my hotel, so I carried my notebook over, ate in the cafe and wrote. They closed at 9 pm though, so I went back to my hotel room and wrote until about 10:30 pm.

Came home to a very nice, 25-day rejection from Argosy. I plan to try them again soon with another story.

Still have my headache, so I'm going to crash early tonight. Tomorrow is meetings and computer installations. Bleh. I totally need a vacation. I plan to take a day off in August, but that's about it.

Have a good evening!

Now playing: Chrysalis by 2002

7/12/03

Spent most of the day running errands and getting my dad's birthday present. I actually bought myself some new clothes (which I desperately needed). Tonight, I've been writing. I got another thousand words or so down on one of the novels. I need to get a couple of stories (recently returned) back out again, too, but I'll probably do that tomorrow. I'm leaving town tomorrow afternoon for a training session on Monday. It's just a one-day thing, but I decided to stay overnight Sunday because well, I'm not a morning person. I'll be back Monday evening. I'll be able to get a good bit of writing done tomorrow night. I want to work on a new short story and move my novel chapters along, too. And start reading another book. I've really been devouring books this year. Next up is Heaven and Earth by Nora Roberts.

No response from the novel contest yet. I was hoping they wouldn't torture us into August, but it's looking like that may be the case. Glad I'm working on other manuscripts. Otherwise this waiting thing would drive me crazy. (Short trip. I want to be a writer, so I'm already in the crazy category.)

Staying up past 5 am to finish Order of the Phoenix and getting up at 9:30 wasn't such a brilliant move today. It's long after midnight -- time to crash.

Have a good evening!

Now playing : Land of Forever by 2002

7/10/03

Holy crap!!! I received my first ever, personal rejection from Asimov's today(gasp!!!!) I know it's a rejection, but God, was I shocked when I saw the personal comments about my story. He called my story well-crafted and entertaining(!!) -- *my* story -- Can't tell you how much I needed that. This story was written right after my two-week workshop and I took a lot of risks in that story, too, knowing I probably have no chance of placing it. But to see the words well-crafted and entertaining...maybe I did learn something? I've gotta keep practicing though. See if I can do it better each time. When you've had a dry spell as long as mine, you appreciate anything good in those #10 envelopes, believe me. :) :)

Have a good evening!

Now playing: Chrysalis by 2002

7/8/03

Talk about a crazy, hectic July 4th weekend! We had company, which included three dogs. My cats survived the onslaught, however. Needless to say, no writing was done the entire weekend. Despite the hellatious storms we've had, I wrote 1000 words last night and a 1000 words tonight, so I'm trying to get back into the groove again. I'm also almost 300 pages into Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix. I really love the Harry Potter books. Wish I could write even a quarter as well as J. K. Rowling. :)

A 32-day rejection from Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine today. That's #23 for the year. That's more submissions than I had last year, so maybe something will eventually shake loose for me. Still trying to pull it all together. Haven't managed it yet, but maybe some day I will.

Have a good evening!

Now playing: The Celts by Enya