Shrinking Violets Promotion posed the question today for introverts: what would you do if you were an extrovert for a day? I said I'd want to be at a convention so I could network with other people. I also posed the question (with no response so far): would an extrovert want to be an introvert for a day? Extroverts by definition are not as interested in their interior mental life as introverts are, so perhaps the question would never occur to them. Also, introversion isn't considered as desirable as extroversion, at least in our culture. This makes sense to some extent, as humans are social animals, so someone who didn't find social interaction especially rewarding would be at a disadvantage. However, introverts are less impulsive, and introversion is associated with intelligence. I'd like to keep those qualities, so I'll stick to being me. ;)
Switching places with someone of a different social class (or pretending to be someone of a different social class) is a common motif in fiction. From fairy tales to Shakespeare, characters have pretended to be different genders or of a higher rank than they really are. Sometimes this change is permanent, such as when Cinderella marries the prince and becomes royalty. More often, though, the person returns to her normal situation at the end of the story, hopefully having learned something from her experience.
So, let me pose this question to my readers: if you could become someone else for a day, who would you like to be? Would you want to experience being the opposite sex, someone stronger or more beautiful, or someone else altogether? Leave a comment and let me know!
Monday, March 30, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Alex Meets the Easter Bunny
Despite the nasty weather last night, we felt like going out for a bit. We'd heard about a play area in a nearby mall, so we took Alex there. It was a big area, with little slides and bridges and other structures (Looney Tunes characters) for kids to climb on. Unfortunately, it was also very crowded with lots of bigger, older kids who weren't paying attention to what other kids were doing. (It didn't help that their parents weren't paying attention.) Alex enjoyed going down the slide and exploring oversized marbles, but after he got knocked over a couple of times, we decided it was time to leave.
We went around the mall a bit and came across the Easter Bunny. We hadn't taken Alex to see Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny yet, since we weren't sure how he'd react. We decided to give it a try. It helped that we didn't have to wait very long. I thought about changing his shirt but was afraid he wouldn't cooperate. Alex didn't put up a fuss at being given to the Easter Bunny; he just kept on munching some Cheerios. He didn't cry either, but he didn't really smile. The best we got out of him was a slight smirk. We ordered a few pictures anyway. I don't think we have any digital versions of the picture; otherwise, I'd post it.
We went around the mall a bit and came across the Easter Bunny. We hadn't taken Alex to see Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny yet, since we weren't sure how he'd react. We decided to give it a try. It helped that we didn't have to wait very long. I thought about changing his shirt but was afraid he wouldn't cooperate. Alex didn't put up a fuss at being given to the Easter Bunny; he just kept on munching some Cheerios. He didn't cry either, but he didn't really smile. The best we got out of him was a slight smirk. We ordered a few pictures anyway. I don't think we have any digital versions of the picture; otherwise, I'd post it.
Friday, March 27, 2009
For Want of a Ring...
Whoever is writing my life these days sure knows how to put obstacles in my path.
I have a big project at work for a customer; I'm supposed to analyze their samples for a couple of common chemicals. (I can say no more.) This process involves purifying each sample so I can analyze it via HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography). I have over twenty samples, with duplicates of each, and I'm analyzing each sample, including the duplicate, twice. The purification procedure involves a step where I can only centrifuge four tubes at a time, so it took me two days to finish all of the samples. But Tuesday night, as I loaded the HPLC, I anticipated having all of my data by Wednesday morning.
That was my first mistake.
I came in Wednesday and reviewed my data. Most of my samples had usable data, but some of the runs didn't work. I set up the HPLC to run them again overnight. Again, some of the runs worked, but many didn't.
As I was setting up the HPLC to run the samples a third time, I noticed a problem. I asked a co-worker who has more experience with this machine to help me figure out what was wrong. We found that a white O-ring in the pump was out of round, causing the pump to leak. We didn't have a replacement on hand, so I looked in the manual, found the part, called the company, and faxed in an order to have more O-rings shipped here overnight.
A couple of hours later, I realized I never got a confirmation that the fax went through, so I sent it again. I left without getting an order confirmation from the company, so I wondered if I would get the ring today.
As it turned out, I did get the order. But when I opened the package, the rings I had ordered were much too small to be the right part.
I called the company again, and they put me in touch with a local serviceperson. I had to talk to him twice. The first time, he gave me the part number I'd already ordered. We discussed sending him a picture of the part, but I managed to lose it before we could take the picture. (Has nobody looked in the wash basin?) I had my co-worker describe to the serviceperson exactly where the part was located. We wound up getting a new part number, and the serviceperson said he would e-mail me a picture of it to confirm we have the right part. I'm still waiting for the e-mail. I'd like to order the part ASAP so we have it by Monday, but there's no point in getting another wrong part again.
Anyway, I managed to sneak two movie references (they're from the same movie) into my tale of woe. Kudos to the first person who can identify the movie. If you know my favorite music group, you have a leg up on the competition.
I have a big project at work for a customer; I'm supposed to analyze their samples for a couple of common chemicals. (I can say no more.) This process involves purifying each sample so I can analyze it via HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography). I have over twenty samples, with duplicates of each, and I'm analyzing each sample, including the duplicate, twice. The purification procedure involves a step where I can only centrifuge four tubes at a time, so it took me two days to finish all of the samples. But Tuesday night, as I loaded the HPLC, I anticipated having all of my data by Wednesday morning.
That was my first mistake.
I came in Wednesday and reviewed my data. Most of my samples had usable data, but some of the runs didn't work. I set up the HPLC to run them again overnight. Again, some of the runs worked, but many didn't.
As I was setting up the HPLC to run the samples a third time, I noticed a problem. I asked a co-worker who has more experience with this machine to help me figure out what was wrong. We found that a white O-ring in the pump was out of round, causing the pump to leak. We didn't have a replacement on hand, so I looked in the manual, found the part, called the company, and faxed in an order to have more O-rings shipped here overnight.
A couple of hours later, I realized I never got a confirmation that the fax went through, so I sent it again. I left without getting an order confirmation from the company, so I wondered if I would get the ring today.
As it turned out, I did get the order. But when I opened the package, the rings I had ordered were much too small to be the right part.
I called the company again, and they put me in touch with a local serviceperson. I had to talk to him twice. The first time, he gave me the part number I'd already ordered. We discussed sending him a picture of the part, but I managed to lose it before we could take the picture. (Has nobody looked in the wash basin?) I had my co-worker describe to the serviceperson exactly where the part was located. We wound up getting a new part number, and the serviceperson said he would e-mail me a picture of it to confirm we have the right part. I'm still waiting for the e-mail. I'd like to order the part ASAP so we have it by Monday, but there's no point in getting another wrong part again.
Anyway, I managed to sneak two movie references (they're from the same movie) into my tale of woe. Kudos to the first person who can identify the movie. If you know my favorite music group, you have a leg up on the competition.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Work In Progress Wednesday
I missed last week's Work in Progress Wednesday since I posted about Flogging the Quill. The last couple of weeks have been slow anyway. I know where I need to go with Across Two Universes, but the logistics of getting there are a bit difficult to figure out. I'm tossing out a lot of previously written material to improve the pacing and tension. Here are my current stats:
Currently On: Chapter Six, Page 55 (out of 295)
Word Count: 96,000
At this rate, this will be the shortest novel I've ever written. (grin)
On a positive note, our current blog chain writing challenge inspired me to work on a short story. It's a prequel to the Cupid/Psyche myth. So far it's only about 280 words, but I'd like to keep this one short, perhaps even flash fiction. Of course, first I have to finish the thing. Hopefully I haven't jinxed myself by discussing this project.
Currently On: Chapter Six, Page 55 (out of 295)
Word Count: 96,000
At this rate, this will be the shortest novel I've ever written. (grin)
On a positive note, our current blog chain writing challenge inspired me to work on a short story. It's a prequel to the Cupid/Psyche myth. So far it's only about 280 words, but I'd like to keep this one short, perhaps even flash fiction. Of course, first I have to finish the thing. Hopefully I haven't jinxed myself by discussing this project.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Back on the Blog Chain: Writing Challenge
Since Michelle has already posted her contribution to our latest blog chain, I'll post mine, even though it's a few days early. For this round, Jessica has issued us a writing challenge:
WRITE! I want a short story. (Mine is 250 words. Feel free to write one hundred, three hundred, five hundred...whatever! words) Yesterday's poem was a hint because it had a heart involved and that's the only stipulation I have. Somehow, someway, heart(s) must be involved.
So far, all of the stories have been incredibly polished, as if everyone spent a month on them instead of a couple of days. We've also had some bitter/sad stories about immortal hearts, bitter hearts, and broken hearts. And now for something completely different. That's right; my story is inspired by Monty Python and The Holy Grail/Spamalot. (Eugene and I saw Spamalot in Chicago the night we got engaged.)
Two Knights, One Heart
Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad pulled up in front of the evil sorcerer Knogudnis’s castle. The moat was so fetid their horses were able to walk across, despite their heavy armor. After dispatching the zombies spilling out of the portcullis, the knights entered. Inside, a mat of cobwebs draped the hall from the doorway to the staircase at the other end.
“Who dares trespass here?” a booming voice called from above.
Lancelot started to charge the stairs, but Galahad held him back and replied in a falsetto, “Avon calling!”
“I’m not buying!” A door slammed.
“That wasn’t very knightly.” Lancelot stared at his companion in disbelief.
“We need to learn Knogudis’s weakness before we can engage him in combat.” Galahad pulled a parchment titled The Compleat Idiot’s Guide to Slaying Villains from a slot in his armor. He unrolled about a third of the scroll. “Here we are. In order to kill an evil sorcerer, we have to destroy his heart.”
“No problem.” Lancelot unsheathed his sword. “One stab to his chest should take care of that.”
“It’s not that easy, Lance. Sorcerers often magically remove their hearts and hide them in some strange place, such as in a white hare hidden in a black swan hidden in a red doe...”
“Is that like turducken?” Lance smacked his lips. “That’s good eating!”
“What sort of creature is that?”
“You weren’t at the Christmas feast last year, were you, Gal?”
“Don’t call me that.” Galahad smoothed his blond curls back under his helmet and made a mental note that it was time to brave a visit to the barber. “Anyway, we need to search for the hiding place of Knogudnis’s heart.”
Since no maids, buxom or otherwise, were available, the knights were forced to clean the hall by themselves. The cobwebs were so tough they dulled the swords. Eventually, however, the knights discovered furniture, a fireplace, and tapestries on the walls.
“Hey, Gal – I mean Galahad, look at this.” Lance pointed to one of the tapestries. “That’s writing, isn’t it?”
Galahad squinted. “This looks like a reminder list. ‘Notes to Self: The zombies only eat brains, check if you left your wand in your robe before doing the laundry, and your heart is behind the third brick from the left, fifth row of the fireplace.’” He shook his head. “It can’t be that simple. It can’t be...”
A door creaked open. “Are you still there? Begone before I turn you into toads!”
Lancelot approached the fireplace and began counting, referring frequently to his fingers. “Hey, Gala, which way is left?”
Galahad sighed. “It’s this brick.” He tapped one with his sword.
Lancelot unstrapped a battle-axe from his back and swung mightily at the brick. It crumbled into powder on impact. Something dark and shriveled rolled out from a cavity in the fireplace. Galahad skewered the heart with his sword.
A high-pitched wail assaulted their ears, and an emaciated body with white wild hair and gaudy robes tumbled down the stairs to land at their feet.
Galahad prodded the body with a toe, then rolled up his parchment. “Well, no one ever said Knogudnis was a smart evil sorcerer.”
I hope that was good for a chuckle or two. Head on over to Kat's blog to read her story!
WRITE! I want a short story. (Mine is 250 words. Feel free to write one hundred, three hundred, five hundred...whatever! words) Yesterday's poem was a hint because it had a heart involved and that's the only stipulation I have. Somehow, someway, heart(s) must be involved.
So far, all of the stories have been incredibly polished, as if everyone spent a month on them instead of a couple of days. We've also had some bitter/sad stories about immortal hearts, bitter hearts, and broken hearts. And now for something completely different. That's right; my story is inspired by Monty Python and The Holy Grail/Spamalot. (Eugene and I saw Spamalot in Chicago the night we got engaged.)
Two Knights, One Heart
Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad pulled up in front of the evil sorcerer Knogudnis’s castle. The moat was so fetid their horses were able to walk across, despite their heavy armor. After dispatching the zombies spilling out of the portcullis, the knights entered. Inside, a mat of cobwebs draped the hall from the doorway to the staircase at the other end.
“Who dares trespass here?” a booming voice called from above.
Lancelot started to charge the stairs, but Galahad held him back and replied in a falsetto, “Avon calling!”
“I’m not buying!” A door slammed.
“That wasn’t very knightly.” Lancelot stared at his companion in disbelief.
“We need to learn Knogudis’s weakness before we can engage him in combat.” Galahad pulled a parchment titled The Compleat Idiot’s Guide to Slaying Villains from a slot in his armor. He unrolled about a third of the scroll. “Here we are. In order to kill an evil sorcerer, we have to destroy his heart.”
“No problem.” Lancelot unsheathed his sword. “One stab to his chest should take care of that.”
“It’s not that easy, Lance. Sorcerers often magically remove their hearts and hide them in some strange place, such as in a white hare hidden in a black swan hidden in a red doe...”
“Is that like turducken?” Lance smacked his lips. “That’s good eating!”
“What sort of creature is that?”
“You weren’t at the Christmas feast last year, were you, Gal?”
“Don’t call me that.” Galahad smoothed his blond curls back under his helmet and made a mental note that it was time to brave a visit to the barber. “Anyway, we need to search for the hiding place of Knogudnis’s heart.”
Since no maids, buxom or otherwise, were available, the knights were forced to clean the hall by themselves. The cobwebs were so tough they dulled the swords. Eventually, however, the knights discovered furniture, a fireplace, and tapestries on the walls.
“Hey, Gal – I mean Galahad, look at this.” Lance pointed to one of the tapestries. “That’s writing, isn’t it?”
Galahad squinted. “This looks like a reminder list. ‘Notes to Self: The zombies only eat brains, check if you left your wand in your robe before doing the laundry, and your heart is behind the third brick from the left, fifth row of the fireplace.’” He shook his head. “It can’t be that simple. It can’t be...”
A door creaked open. “Are you still there? Begone before I turn you into toads!”
Lancelot approached the fireplace and began counting, referring frequently to his fingers. “Hey, Gala, which way is left?”
Galahad sighed. “It’s this brick.” He tapped one with his sword.
Lancelot unstrapped a battle-axe from his back and swung mightily at the brick. It crumbled into powder on impact. Something dark and shriveled rolled out from a cavity in the fireplace. Galahad skewered the heart with his sword.
A high-pitched wail assaulted their ears, and an emaciated body with white wild hair and gaudy robes tumbled down the stairs to land at their feet.
Galahad prodded the body with a toe, then rolled up his parchment. “Well, no one ever said Knogudnis was a smart evil sorcerer.”
I hope that was good for a chuckle or two. Head on over to Kat's blog to read her story!
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Publically Flogged!
We interrupt this busy work day for an important announcement: a critique of my novel opening is up at Flogging the Quill. For those of you who aren't familar with that blog, the author who runs it looks at the first sixteen lines of your novel (essentially the first page) and offers his opinion as to whether it has enough tension to make him turn the page.
So, did he?
He did.
He said it was close, though. He wasn't fazed by my mention of two universes in the second line, but he did suggest I could cut some lines of dialogue and get straight to the problem (Paul's mom being sick). I think that's a good suggestion and will use it in the rewrite.
Feel free to look at his critique and add your own comments. I'll post my "Work in Progess Wednesday" entry tonight. Now, I have to get back to my experiments.
So, did he?
He did.
He said it was close, though. He wasn't fazed by my mention of two universes in the second line, but he did suggest I could cut some lines of dialogue and get straight to the problem (Paul's mom being sick). I think that's a good suggestion and will use it in the rewrite.
Feel free to look at his critique and add your own comments. I'll post my "Work in Progess Wednesday" entry tonight. Now, I have to get back to my experiments.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Alex at the Childrens' Museum
It's been hard finding time to blog lately. Perhaps that's due to a lack of energy, which is due to more sleeping problems with Alex. When he wakes up in the middle of the night, no one gets any rest. But when he's interested in something, he keeps going even without a nap. Take this last Sunday, when we went to a first birthday party for the daughter of one of Eugene's family friends. They held the party at the Kohl Childrens' Museum. Unfortunately, the time slot they had was from noon to 1:45, right during Alex's normal nap (and I think also for the birthday girl). The party included general admission for all of the guests, so after lunch and cake, we were able to take Alex around the museum. Even though he's not yet two, there were a lot of things he was able to do. Here are some of the pictures:
We didn't notice he had his hand tucked into his overalls until I uploaded the picture to my computer.
Alex loves yellow. Between the yellow interior and yellow balls, we thought we'd never get him out of there!
Looking at the outside.
Steering a boat.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Work In Progress Wednesday
Better brief than nothing....
Currently On: Across Two Universes, Chapter Five, Page 51 (16.8%)
Total Pages: 304
Total Words: About 100,000
I have the Incredible Shrinking Novel on my hands. I feel like the middle needs more tension and increased stakes, so previously written scenes are disappearing. I have some ideas for replacements, but they still have to be refined and organized.
Currently On: Across Two Universes, Chapter Five, Page 51 (16.8%)
Total Pages: 304
Total Words: About 100,000
I have the Incredible Shrinking Novel on my hands. I feel like the middle needs more tension and increased stakes, so previously written scenes are disappearing. I have some ideas for replacements, but they still have to be refined and organized.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Back on the Blog Chain: Marketing Your Novel
It's time for another Blog Chain Post. This round, Heather chose the topic:
What plans do YOU have to market your novel? How will you make sure the public finds your work?
Michelle posted right before me, so be sure to check out her thoughts on this topic.
I think the principle of marketing is pretty simple: you need to identify your target audience and let them know in an enticing way that your product exists. The problem is figuring out the best way of doing that.
I have some experience with marketing my work, since I had a short story published in an anthology last year. Among other things, I announced the anthology on my blog and my website, read from my story at WisCon, and gave author interviews for a blog tour. I would definitely do these same things again to publicize a novel. I'd probably attend more conventions after the book comes out; I'd bring bookmarks to leave on the freebie tables and sign dealers' stock (that way, they can't return the books to the publisher.) I'd send sample copies to reviewers. For other ideas, I'd check out Maria Zannini's blog series about Killer Campaigns. She not only lists ideas for publicizing one's work but also analyzes how effective they are.
Probably the most effective resource a writer has for publicizing herself is the Internet. It's accessible to anyone anywhere at any time. It's also a great way to make connections. Several of the previous posters in this Blog Chain mentioned that as introverts, they're worried about having to appear in public. I'm an introvert too, which is why I find belonging to writer's groups such as BroadUniverse and The Online Writing Workshop useful. They not only help writers meet other writers but also publicize their success stories. In particular, BroadUniverse is dedicated to promoting women writers of science fiction, fantasy, and horror; the group puts out an annual list of works by its members. With two e-mails to the mailing lists for BroadUniverse and OWW, I can reach over 2000 people. I also plan to use Facebook; I belong to other writer and reader groups there, so I can post information about my novel to those groups too. Since most writers tend to be readers as well, hopefully some of them will be interested in buying the work of a writer they know or have heard of.
(As a side note, I recommend being active in writer groups as much as possible. It not only increases your reputation or "whuffie," but it's good karma. I've donated time and money to BroadUniverse; I'm also the admin for BroadUniverse's group on Facebook. Although I haven't been able to crit much on the OWW recently, I do buy members' books to support them.)
Writers aren't the only readers I plan to target. My book features a fictional version of John Lennon, so I also plan to let Beatles fans know about my book. I'm involved with a Beatles forum, so I could post about my book there. I'm not sure if I could promote my book at The Fest for Beatles Fans; it depends on who I talk to, I suppose. I could also invite people to enter a trivia quiz about the Beatles for a chance to win an autographed book.
Previous posters in this chain have discussed some really creative ideas, such as making a book trailer or creating a piece of jewelry to give away. I haven't made a book trailer yet, though I may have that done once I sell Across Two Universes. Copyright might be an issue there, especially since it would be tempting to use photos of John Lennon. A gold necklace with a cross plays an important role in my story; I could also hold a contest to give one away. Of course, then I'd have to publicize the contest itself. ;)
One final piece of advice I have for other writers is this: if you want to use your name as an address for your website, secure it as quickly as you can. My late writing teacher, Kathleen Massie-Ferch, was unable to use her name because someone else squatted on the domain name and wanted a high price for it. That's why I set up my site years ago, before I had any sales to promote.
That's all I have for now. Head on over to Kat Harris's blog for her marketing ideas.
What plans do YOU have to market your novel? How will you make sure the public finds your work?
Michelle posted right before me, so be sure to check out her thoughts on this topic.
I think the principle of marketing is pretty simple: you need to identify your target audience and let them know in an enticing way that your product exists. The problem is figuring out the best way of doing that.
I have some experience with marketing my work, since I had a short story published in an anthology last year. Among other things, I announced the anthology on my blog and my website, read from my story at WisCon, and gave author interviews for a blog tour. I would definitely do these same things again to publicize a novel. I'd probably attend more conventions after the book comes out; I'd bring bookmarks to leave on the freebie tables and sign dealers' stock (that way, they can't return the books to the publisher.) I'd send sample copies to reviewers. For other ideas, I'd check out Maria Zannini's blog series about Killer Campaigns. She not only lists ideas for publicizing one's work but also analyzes how effective they are.
Probably the most effective resource a writer has for publicizing herself is the Internet. It's accessible to anyone anywhere at any time. It's also a great way to make connections. Several of the previous posters in this Blog Chain mentioned that as introverts, they're worried about having to appear in public. I'm an introvert too, which is why I find belonging to writer's groups such as BroadUniverse and The Online Writing Workshop useful. They not only help writers meet other writers but also publicize their success stories. In particular, BroadUniverse is dedicated to promoting women writers of science fiction, fantasy, and horror; the group puts out an annual list of works by its members. With two e-mails to the mailing lists for BroadUniverse and OWW, I can reach over 2000 people. I also plan to use Facebook; I belong to other writer and reader groups there, so I can post information about my novel to those groups too. Since most writers tend to be readers as well, hopefully some of them will be interested in buying the work of a writer they know or have heard of.
(As a side note, I recommend being active in writer groups as much as possible. It not only increases your reputation or "whuffie," but it's good karma. I've donated time and money to BroadUniverse; I'm also the admin for BroadUniverse's group on Facebook. Although I haven't been able to crit much on the OWW recently, I do buy members' books to support them.)
Writers aren't the only readers I plan to target. My book features a fictional version of John Lennon, so I also plan to let Beatles fans know about my book. I'm involved with a Beatles forum, so I could post about my book there. I'm not sure if I could promote my book at The Fest for Beatles Fans; it depends on who I talk to, I suppose. I could also invite people to enter a trivia quiz about the Beatles for a chance to win an autographed book.
Previous posters in this chain have discussed some really creative ideas, such as making a book trailer or creating a piece of jewelry to give away. I haven't made a book trailer yet, though I may have that done once I sell Across Two Universes. Copyright might be an issue there, especially since it would be tempting to use photos of John Lennon. A gold necklace with a cross plays an important role in my story; I could also hold a contest to give one away. Of course, then I'd have to publicize the contest itself. ;)
One final piece of advice I have for other writers is this: if you want to use your name as an address for your website, secure it as quickly as you can. My late writing teacher, Kathleen Massie-Ferch, was unable to use her name because someone else squatted on the domain name and wanted a high price for it. That's why I set up my site years ago, before I had any sales to promote.
That's all I have for now. Head on over to Kat Harris's blog for her marketing ideas.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Work In Progress Wednesday
Hard to believe it's been a week since my last blog entry. Alex hasn't been sleeping well, so I haven't been sleeping well. Heck, I don't sleep well even when he does. I've either busy or too tired to blog, but updating my status doesn't take too long.
After reading the post on the QueryTracker blog about manuscript formatting, I decided to switch from Courier to Times New Roman for my font. Consequently, the total number of pages in my manuscript shrank dramatically since last week:
Currently On: Chapter Five, page 45
Total Pages: 309
Total Words: About 101,000
(As you can see, I pulled out some text as well, though I put it in a separate file in case I decide to use it after all.)
For comparison, last week I was about 12.7% through the manuscript; now, I'm at 14.6%. Not too bad, given I didn't get much done over the weekend.
My chapter ending did well during Authoress's Drop the Needle crit-fest last week. Most of the suggestions were nits, pointing out some repetition and sentences that could be tightened. Otherwise, almost everyone wanted to read further. I'm pretty pleased, especially since that scene is new.
Time to get back to work; I left Paul after he revealed his secret to his friends. They're reacting differently to different parts of it, so there's lots of potential here for conflict. My latest Blog Chain post will appear by Friday or Saturday, so come back soon!
After reading the post on the QueryTracker blog about manuscript formatting, I decided to switch from Courier to Times New Roman for my font. Consequently, the total number of pages in my manuscript shrank dramatically since last week:
Currently On: Chapter Five, page 45
Total Pages: 309
Total Words: About 101,000
(As you can see, I pulled out some text as well, though I put it in a separate file in case I decide to use it after all.)
For comparison, last week I was about 12.7% through the manuscript; now, I'm at 14.6%. Not too bad, given I didn't get much done over the weekend.
My chapter ending did well during Authoress's Drop the Needle crit-fest last week. Most of the suggestions were nits, pointing out some repetition and sentences that could be tightened. Otherwise, almost everyone wanted to read further. I'm pretty pleased, especially since that scene is new.
Time to get back to work; I left Paul after he revealed his secret to his friends. They're reacting differently to different parts of it, so there's lots of potential here for conflict. My latest Blog Chain post will appear by Friday or Saturday, so come back soon!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Work In Progress Wednesday
Kate's idea of doing a weekly progress report has caught on with other Blog Chain members. Here's a quick summary of where I'm at with Across Two Universes:
Currently on: Chapter Four, page 55-56 (at the end of page 55)
Total pages: 434
Total words: Approximately 104,000
I think I'll finish Chapter Four before the end of the month.
I've sent the first two chapters to two readers for feedback.
I've entered the Drop the Needle critfest on Miss Snark's First Victim. My chapter ending (from Chapter Two) will post tomorrow. It'll be #50 if you want to check it out.
Time to get back to work; I have more chapter endings to crit.
Currently on: Chapter Four, page 55-56 (at the end of page 55)
Total pages: 434
Total words: Approximately 104,000
I think I'll finish Chapter Four before the end of the month.
I've sent the first two chapters to two readers for feedback.
I've entered the Drop the Needle critfest on Miss Snark's First Victim. My chapter ending (from Chapter Two) will post tomorrow. It'll be #50 if you want to check it out.
Time to get back to work; I have more chapter endings to crit.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Back on the Blog Chain: Torture or Tough Love?
Time again for another Blog Chain Post. Leah picked the topic this time, and she's hoping to make us stretch ourselves. Here's her question (or series of questions):
So Blogchain, (and others) show me your dark side...What do you do to amp up the conflict? What pins do you stick in the little voodoo dolls? How do you torture your characters???
(As always, you can go back to Leah's post to follow this chain from the beginning, or you can go back to Michelle's post immediately before mine and follow the chain backwards.)
Leah thinks this topic will make some Blog Chain members squirm since (and I quote), "These girls are nice...sweet...moms and teachers and doctors!" Leah, I assume you're not a parent yet; forgive me if that's wrong. But moms know sometimes you have to let the baby cry himself to sleep, no matter how long it takes, so he learns to fall asleep on his own and sleep through the night; sometimes you have to take your child to the doctor for shots and give them nasty-tasting medicine; and sometimes you have to take away something dangerous or discipline them when they do something wrong.
In short, sometimes you need to practice tough love, even if your kids think it's torture.
When it comes to writing characters, I treat them like children (no wonder they sound younger than they are!) and practice tough love with them. I like my protagonists; I don't want to subject them to waterboarding. My antagonists deserve that. But my protags wouldn't enjoy their Happy Ever After endings so much if they didn't pass through some tough times first. And to be honest, I want to see my characters grow over the course of a novel, but they won't overcome their faults until they make mistakes and learn from them. The wounds that I give them will remake them.
Let me give some examples from my WIP, Across Two Universes. At the beginning of the novel, my hero, Paul Harrison, is a seventeen-year-old actor. He is also literally the product of two universes and has a unique talent because of that. However, he doesn't understand his gift, so when his mother is poisoned, he doesn't understand the warning in time to save her. This guilt will drive some of his most desperate acts later in the story. But I don't stop there. Paul was cloned from a famous musician who lost his mother at seventeen. Paul suspects his mother was killed to make his life similar to the man he was cloned from. The death doesn't unlock his musical talent (he doesn't have any), but it gives him more guilt he has to live with, and the only way he can deal with it is to bring the murderer to justice. Add to that the fact that Paul refused to give his mother a final hug (It was in public; he didn't want to look like a mama's boy. The refusal probably saved his own life, but at the cost of more guilt.), and I have another factor that will affect how Paul treats others in the future.
Internal pressures are good, but to keep a reader hooked, it's better to have different types of conflict in a story. As Paul tries to solve his mother's murder and prevent another, he finds other people opposing him, from time travelers, who are trying to protect history, to his friends, who are trying to protect him from himself. Every time he makes progress towards his goals, he complicates the situation further. But these struggles are necessary for him to mature into adulthood and develop his quantum gift. "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required." (KJV, Luke 12:48) I have grand plans for Paul extending beyond this novel; if anything, his suffering will increase in the sequel. I empathize too much with him to call it torture; I've wept over what happens to him. But the story has to go that way for him to achieve what he must, with humanity's survival at stake.
Anyway, that's more than enough for one post. Leah, I hope I've answered your question. Head on over to Kat's blog for her take on this question!
So Blogchain, (and others) show me your dark side...What do you do to amp up the conflict? What pins do you stick in the little voodoo dolls? How do you torture your characters???
(As always, you can go back to Leah's post to follow this chain from the beginning, or you can go back to Michelle's post immediately before mine and follow the chain backwards.)
Leah thinks this topic will make some Blog Chain members squirm since (and I quote), "These girls are nice...sweet...moms and teachers and doctors!" Leah, I assume you're not a parent yet; forgive me if that's wrong. But moms know sometimes you have to let the baby cry himself to sleep, no matter how long it takes, so he learns to fall asleep on his own and sleep through the night; sometimes you have to take your child to the doctor for shots and give them nasty-tasting medicine; and sometimes you have to take away something dangerous or discipline them when they do something wrong.
In short, sometimes you need to practice tough love, even if your kids think it's torture.
When it comes to writing characters, I treat them like children (no wonder they sound younger than they are!) and practice tough love with them. I like my protagonists; I don't want to subject them to waterboarding. My antagonists deserve that. But my protags wouldn't enjoy their Happy Ever After endings so much if they didn't pass through some tough times first. And to be honest, I want to see my characters grow over the course of a novel, but they won't overcome their faults until they make mistakes and learn from them. The wounds that I give them will remake them.
Let me give some examples from my WIP, Across Two Universes. At the beginning of the novel, my hero, Paul Harrison, is a seventeen-year-old actor. He is also literally the product of two universes and has a unique talent because of that. However, he doesn't understand his gift, so when his mother is poisoned, he doesn't understand the warning in time to save her. This guilt will drive some of his most desperate acts later in the story. But I don't stop there. Paul was cloned from a famous musician who lost his mother at seventeen. Paul suspects his mother was killed to make his life similar to the man he was cloned from. The death doesn't unlock his musical talent (he doesn't have any), but it gives him more guilt he has to live with, and the only way he can deal with it is to bring the murderer to justice. Add to that the fact that Paul refused to give his mother a final hug (It was in public; he didn't want to look like a mama's boy. The refusal probably saved his own life, but at the cost of more guilt.), and I have another factor that will affect how Paul treats others in the future.
Internal pressures are good, but to keep a reader hooked, it's better to have different types of conflict in a story. As Paul tries to solve his mother's murder and prevent another, he finds other people opposing him, from time travelers, who are trying to protect history, to his friends, who are trying to protect him from himself. Every time he makes progress towards his goals, he complicates the situation further. But these struggles are necessary for him to mature into adulthood and develop his quantum gift. "For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required." (KJV, Luke 12:48) I have grand plans for Paul extending beyond this novel; if anything, his suffering will increase in the sequel. I empathize too much with him to call it torture; I've wept over what happens to him. But the story has to go that way for him to achieve what he must, with humanity's survival at stake.
Anyway, that's more than enough for one post. Leah, I hope I've answered your question. Head on over to Kat's blog for her take on this question!
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Work In Progress Wednesday
I got the idea for this post from Kate. She plans to report her progress on, well, her work-in-progress, every week. As I've said before, I'm currently revising Across Two Universes. I'm trying to revise/rewrite two chapters each month, working mostly on my lunch hour. I'm rewriting a lot more than I expected--or perhaps I should have expected it, seeing as that's my usual method of revising. I'm currently on the first scene of Chapter Four, which I'm changing. There will be at least one more new scene in this chapter, which may lead to changing another scene and dropping another--I'm not sure yet. I'm not counting words because I'm more interested in chapters at this point. I should search for a chapter count meter, if that exists.
I have an idea for a short story I'd like to enter in a contest next month, but I haven't had much time to work on it.
Anyway, back to writing....
I have an idea for a short story I'd like to enter in a contest next month, but I haven't had much time to work on it.
Anyway, back to writing....
Monday, February 16, 2009
Alex's Half Day
Sometimes three-day weekends are tougher than working.
Alex has been a bit off the last couple of days--not napping a full two hours, developing a fever on Saturday, not eating as much as he normally does, and being congested. Fevers are going around at the daycare center, but I think he's also teething. I hoped he would be better, since we had plans. Both of us were off, so I set up a play date in the morning, and my parents were coming for a visit in the afternoon.
Alex fell asleep briefly (after a cry of protest) on the way to the play date, but he woke up quickly when we arrived. I met three other moms at a local park district with an indoor play area and carousel. (We took Alex there last summer for a birthday party.) The last time we were there, Alex loved the carousel. This time he didn't want to sit on a horse, but he enjoying riding and staring at the lights as long as I held him. He stuck close to me most of the time in the other play area, but he did venture to play by himself a few times. Afterwards, we went to Panera for lunch. I was pleased to see Alex eat bread, chicken from my salad, apple chips, and yogurt. Then we headed home. My parents were already waiting for us. Alex, however, had fallen asleep. I brought him upstairs to his crib, and we waited for him to wake up. My dad planned to babysit Alex while my mom and I went shopping. Alex normally takes a two-hour nap; today, he slept for four. I think he really needed it, as he was less congested and was in a good mood when he woke up. Unfortunately, my parents didn't get to see him awake. Mom and I didn't get to go shopping either, since we didn't want Alex to wake up and be upset Mommy was missing. Ah well, maybe another day will be better. As for me, I'm looking forward to going back to work tomorrow--it's easier to write during lunch than it is at home!
Alex has been a bit off the last couple of days--not napping a full two hours, developing a fever on Saturday, not eating as much as he normally does, and being congested. Fevers are going around at the daycare center, but I think he's also teething. I hoped he would be better, since we had plans. Both of us were off, so I set up a play date in the morning, and my parents were coming for a visit in the afternoon.
Alex fell asleep briefly (after a cry of protest) on the way to the play date, but he woke up quickly when we arrived. I met three other moms at a local park district with an indoor play area and carousel. (We took Alex there last summer for a birthday party.) The last time we were there, Alex loved the carousel. This time he didn't want to sit on a horse, but he enjoying riding and staring at the lights as long as I held him. He stuck close to me most of the time in the other play area, but he did venture to play by himself a few times. Afterwards, we went to Panera for lunch. I was pleased to see Alex eat bread, chicken from my salad, apple chips, and yogurt. Then we headed home. My parents were already waiting for us. Alex, however, had fallen asleep. I brought him upstairs to his crib, and we waited for him to wake up. My dad planned to babysit Alex while my mom and I went shopping. Alex normally takes a two-hour nap; today, he slept for four. I think he really needed it, as he was less congested and was in a good mood when he woke up. Unfortunately, my parents didn't get to see him awake. Mom and I didn't get to go shopping either, since we didn't want Alex to wake up and be upset Mommy was missing. Ah well, maybe another day will be better. As for me, I'm looking forward to going back to work tomorrow--it's easier to write during lunch than it is at home!
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Dating Disasters
Happy Valentine's Day! Eugene and I celebrated last night since we were able to get babysitting for Alex at his daycare. We went out for dinner at a local Italian restaurant. We like the place a lot, but we haven't been there since before Alex was born.
While we were enjoying some couple time, we reminisced a bit about some of our dates. One of our most memorable dates was our first Sweetest Day together. We were juniors at UW-Madison, and we had dinner at the Ovens of Brittany (now defunct) on State Street. My housefellow was our waitress. She suggested we should go for a horse-drawn carriage ride, and we happened to see a carriage outside when we left. I can't remember the driver's name anymore, but I still remember the horse's name: Bartles. We enjoyed a nice ride through misty downtown Madison, but towards the end of the ride, we overheard some odd comments on the driver's walkie-talkie. It turned out that carriage rides had to be reserved, and we had actually usurped someone else's time. Luckily everyone was very understanding. Then we learned we had to pay in cash, and Eugene didn't have enough with him. He had to leave me as security while he visited the ATM.
We've had plenty of other misadventures since then (I tipped the canoe the first and last time we went canoeing), but that was our worst experience on a date. (Perhaps it doesn't qualify as a disaster, but I adore alliteration.) Does anyone else feel brave enough to share their dating disasters?
While we were enjoying some couple time, we reminisced a bit about some of our dates. One of our most memorable dates was our first Sweetest Day together. We were juniors at UW-Madison, and we had dinner at the Ovens of Brittany (now defunct) on State Street. My housefellow was our waitress. She suggested we should go for a horse-drawn carriage ride, and we happened to see a carriage outside when we left. I can't remember the driver's name anymore, but I still remember the horse's name: Bartles. We enjoyed a nice ride through misty downtown Madison, but towards the end of the ride, we overheard some odd comments on the driver's walkie-talkie. It turned out that carriage rides had to be reserved, and we had actually usurped someone else's time. Luckily everyone was very understanding. Then we learned we had to pay in cash, and Eugene didn't have enough with him. He had to leave me as security while he visited the ATM.
We've had plenty of other misadventures since then (I tipped the canoe the first and last time we went canoeing), but that was our worst experience on a date. (Perhaps it doesn't qualify as a disaster, but I adore alliteration.) Does anyone else feel brave enough to share their dating disasters?
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
How Not to Make a Good First Impression
One of the links in my sidebar is to a blog called Flogging the Quill. It's run by a writer/editor, and he critiques the openings (the first sixteen lines, or about what would fit on the first page of a properly formatted manuscript) of novels submitted by writers. I've been following him for a while, and I think he does a good job of pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of the submissions. I decided I would submit the first chapter of Across Two Universes once I was satisfied with it.
Before I share my work with others for review, I always make it as good as I can possibly make it on my own. Although I finished Chapter One last month, I held off submitting it to Flogging the Quill so I could tweak the opening. Today during my lunch hour, I decided it was time to send the chapter. I can't access the Internet from my personal laptop at work, so that meant uploading the file to a flash drive, copying text and pasting into a new file, tweaking text again and updating all the files on two different computers...you get the picture. Making this even more fun was having Word on my laptop fail in the middle of this and losing my work from yesterday. (I thought I saved it, honest!) But finally, at the end of my lunch hour, the chapter was ready. I wrote up a short but professional e-mail telling the writer how much I liked his blog, (making sure I addressed the writer by the right name) attached the file, and sent it.
A few minutes later, I realized I had misspelled the name of the website in the subject line.
At this point, all I could do was laugh at myself. I thought about sending a follow-up e-mail to apologize, but I decided that would not only call more attention to the typo but flood the writer's Inbox with unnecessary e-mail. At least he won't be critiquing my e-mail; he'll be reviewing my novel, and that's good. I'll consider it good until he posts it and I see all sorts of issues I should have fixed.
Ah, the thrill of a writer's life never ends, does it?
Before I share my work with others for review, I always make it as good as I can possibly make it on my own. Although I finished Chapter One last month, I held off submitting it to Flogging the Quill so I could tweak the opening. Today during my lunch hour, I decided it was time to send the chapter. I can't access the Internet from my personal laptop at work, so that meant uploading the file to a flash drive, copying text and pasting into a new file, tweaking text again and updating all the files on two different computers...you get the picture. Making this even more fun was having Word on my laptop fail in the middle of this and losing my work from yesterday. (I thought I saved it, honest!) But finally, at the end of my lunch hour, the chapter was ready. I wrote up a short but professional e-mail telling the writer how much I liked his blog, (making sure I addressed the writer by the right name) attached the file, and sent it.
A few minutes later, I realized I had misspelled the name of the website in the subject line.
At this point, all I could do was laugh at myself. I thought about sending a follow-up e-mail to apologize, but I decided that would not only call more attention to the typo but flood the writer's Inbox with unnecessary e-mail. At least he won't be critiquing my e-mail; he'll be reviewing my novel, and that's good. I'll consider it good until he posts it and I see all sorts of issues I should have fixed.
Ah, the thrill of a writer's life never ends, does it?
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Back on the Blog Chain: Terri's Two Questions
I'm back again on the Chain Gang. This round, we welcome two new members to our chain: Kat and Christina. Michelle posted before me, and Kat will be posting after me. Terri started the chain with one question, but since she thought it was too similar to our last topic, she added an alternate question. I'm going to go ahead and answer both, since I don't think I have much to say about the second question.
Question 1: Have you ever had anything cause you to step back from writing? If so, what was the cause and how long did it take you to get back into the swing of things? If not, do you have any advice for other writers about not letting life get in the way of writing?
My priorities have changed since becoming a wife and mother. When I was single, I could get on the computer as soon as I came home from work and be there until bedtime. I wasn't always productive, but I had time to goof off and still get things done. I can't do that anymore now that I have Alex. He's under two, and he still requires a lot of attention. He goes to bed late for a toddler, around 9:00. He mostly sleeps through the night, but he occasionally wakes up early. I've never been a great sleeper, but it's been worse since I became a mother; I think I subconsciously listen for Alex. While I wouldn't give him up for anything, all of these factors have reduced the time and energy I have for writing. I've also cut back on critiquing, reading, and attending conventions. Add to that the fact that I'm working full time and still have to cook and clean, and there's very little time left for writing--or much else.
One thing that helped me get back into writing is doing NaNoWriMo in 2007. If I was going to have any chance of completing it, I had to make writing a priority and find time for it. I started bringing my laptop to work so I can write on my lunch hour. It's still my most productive writing time. I also think it helps to have multiple projects going, so if you get stuck with one, you can switch to another. Finally, it helps to set goals for yourself. NaNoWriMo was a crazy goal for me; I generally can't manage 500 words a day, let alone 1660. I had to push myself and allow myself to write a real rough draft instead of obsessing over perfect sentences. It's not the best way for me to work, but it was useful for me to do, even if I didn't quite finish the novel. (I did somehow manage to get to 50,000 words, though.) As I've mentioned elsewhere, my current goal is to edit two chapters of Across Two Universes each month. So far I think I'm on target, and this version seems stronger to me. It does need some critting before it's ready to query, though. I have some side projects I also want to work on if time permits.
I do want to echo what others have said about living a full life so you have something to write about. Is it hard being a working and writing mother? Yes; that's a lot of hats to wear, and you can't wear them all at once. Things always have to be shifted around. Luckily I have a fantastic partner in Eugene. He understands that chores have to be done, and we work as a team. He has interests of his own that are also time-intensive, so I support him with them just as he supports me with my writing. Ultimately each different role brings something else into my life and makes me more of a well-rounded person. Except for sleeping and beauty primping, that is.
Question 2: Alternative question: Do you brainstorm with a friend when you are plotting, or do you prefer to be the only one who knows what your characters are going to do?
I work by myself. I mull my plots over in my head when I can, or sometimes the plotting comes as I'm writing. I don't chat online with my writing buddies on a daily basis anymore because I have to focus during my writing time now. It would be nice to brainstorm with someone else--maybe it would help me get the plot right on the first draft instead of tossing out a novel draft and starting over. But it doesn't matter so much how you arrive at a good final draft as long as you have a method that works for you.
That's all for now. Head on over to Kat's blog to see which question she'll answer and what her response will be!
Question 1: Have you ever had anything cause you to step back from writing? If so, what was the cause and how long did it take you to get back into the swing of things? If not, do you have any advice for other writers about not letting life get in the way of writing?
My priorities have changed since becoming a wife and mother. When I was single, I could get on the computer as soon as I came home from work and be there until bedtime. I wasn't always productive, but I had time to goof off and still get things done. I can't do that anymore now that I have Alex. He's under two, and he still requires a lot of attention. He goes to bed late for a toddler, around 9:00. He mostly sleeps through the night, but he occasionally wakes up early. I've never been a great sleeper, but it's been worse since I became a mother; I think I subconsciously listen for Alex. While I wouldn't give him up for anything, all of these factors have reduced the time and energy I have for writing. I've also cut back on critiquing, reading, and attending conventions. Add to that the fact that I'm working full time and still have to cook and clean, and there's very little time left for writing--or much else.
One thing that helped me get back into writing is doing NaNoWriMo in 2007. If I was going to have any chance of completing it, I had to make writing a priority and find time for it. I started bringing my laptop to work so I can write on my lunch hour. It's still my most productive writing time. I also think it helps to have multiple projects going, so if you get stuck with one, you can switch to another. Finally, it helps to set goals for yourself. NaNoWriMo was a crazy goal for me; I generally can't manage 500 words a day, let alone 1660. I had to push myself and allow myself to write a real rough draft instead of obsessing over perfect sentences. It's not the best way for me to work, but it was useful for me to do, even if I didn't quite finish the novel. (I did somehow manage to get to 50,000 words, though.) As I've mentioned elsewhere, my current goal is to edit two chapters of Across Two Universes each month. So far I think I'm on target, and this version seems stronger to me. It does need some critting before it's ready to query, though. I have some side projects I also want to work on if time permits.
I do want to echo what others have said about living a full life so you have something to write about. Is it hard being a working and writing mother? Yes; that's a lot of hats to wear, and you can't wear them all at once. Things always have to be shifted around. Luckily I have a fantastic partner in Eugene. He understands that chores have to be done, and we work as a team. He has interests of his own that are also time-intensive, so I support him with them just as he supports me with my writing. Ultimately each different role brings something else into my life and makes me more of a well-rounded person. Except for sleeping and beauty primping, that is.
Question 2: Alternative question: Do you brainstorm with a friend when you are plotting, or do you prefer to be the only one who knows what your characters are going to do?
I work by myself. I mull my plots over in my head when I can, or sometimes the plotting comes as I'm writing. I don't chat online with my writing buddies on a daily basis anymore because I have to focus during my writing time now. It would be nice to brainstorm with someone else--maybe it would help me get the plot right on the first draft instead of tossing out a novel draft and starting over. But it doesn't matter so much how you arrive at a good final draft as long as you have a method that works for you.
That's all for now. Head on over to Kat's blog to see which question she'll answer and what her response will be!
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Alex and the Cell Phone
After I returned to work from maternity leave, I started keeping my cell phone in my back pocket. Since I move around the lab a lot during a typical day, it made sense to keep my phone on my person instead of at my desk or even on the lab bench--I might forget where I'd put it. Well, it turned out not to be one of my most brilliant ideas. The screen on the front cracked, and my phone takes a long time to boot up. Eugene and I have discussed getting a new phone for me, but we're not at a good point in our contract to do so. (And of course we don't have phone insurance.) So we borrowed a very old phone for me to use as backup and talked about buying a temporary phone off of eBay.
Enter Alex. He loves electronics, especially phones. I swear he tried to say "cell phone" on Sunday. Figuring my phone was done for, I let him play with it this morning in the car. I took it away when we got to daycare, since he can't bring in objects like that. To my surprise, the display on the front was working. Not only that, the phone stayed on throughout the day; I was even able to make and receive calls on it. I'm not quite sure what he did; he may have pressed on the display, since the cracks seem less obvious now. (For all I know, he called India and got through to tech support.) If I'm lucky, I can make this phone last until October. It all depends on keeping the phone away from Alex so he can't undo whatever he did!
Enter Alex. He loves electronics, especially phones. I swear he tried to say "cell phone" on Sunday. Figuring my phone was done for, I let him play with it this morning in the car. I took it away when we got to daycare, since he can't bring in objects like that. To my surprise, the display on the front was working. Not only that, the phone stayed on throughout the day; I was even able to make and receive calls on it. I'm not quite sure what he did; he may have pressed on the display, since the cracks seem less obvious now. (For all I know, he called India and got through to tech support.) If I'm lucky, I can make this phone last until October. It all depends on keeping the phone away from Alex so he can't undo whatever he did!
Monday, February 02, 2009
Two and Two...
My goal this year is to edit two chapters of Across Two Universes each month. I'm a couple of days late, but I just finished Chapter Two. I've revised the first two chapters extensively, not only rewriting and writing new scenes but deleting big chunks. (I removed an entire chapter, actually.) Only eighteen more chapters to go! I hope they won't require so much revision, but I know myself too well.
Anyway, that's enough for one night. Off to a bath and bed.
Anyway, that's enough for one night. Off to a bath and bed.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Gone--But Not Forgotten--Realms
I just found out through one of my writing groups that Realms of Fantasy is closing down after April's issue. Here's the full story:
Realms of Fantasy closing
By Ian Randal Strock
January 27, 2009
Breaking news: Realms of Fantasy is closing down following publication of its April 2009 issue. Managing Editor Laura Cleveland told SFScope the news came very suddenly, indeed, even Editor Shawna McCarthy (currently on vacation in Italy) hadn't been informed yet. The only reason we got the story is that rumors broke through the blogosphere today.
Cleveland said the April issue is currently at the printer, and will be published. The reasons she was given for the closure were plummeting newsstand sales. "Subscriptions are good, and advertising, until very recently, was fine." She blamed the economic downturn and newsstand distribution for the closure.
Publisher Sovereign Media first got into sf magazine publishing with Science Fiction Age, which Scott Edelman edited through its eight-year life. SFAge was closed while still profitable to make room for an even more profitable wrestling magazine. Realms of Fantasy has been with us for fifteen years and "was coming up on its 100th issue," Cleveland said. "We were excited about the special Halloween issue we'd been planning, which would have been our first."
The staff is obviously harried by the news, and that it's become public so quickly. Cleveland had been hoping to tell the authors and artists the news before it broke publicly. The magazine wasn't carrying a large inventory, she said, although she did note that they'd recently purchased a number of stories which now won't be published.
More news as we learn it.
I'm saddened to hear this news. I'm a subscriber because I enjoy their stories, even though they can have sad endings sometimes. (A recent issue had one story about a woman who lost her son and husband and another story about a child stolen by a trickster; that's too much for a mother to take. "Sonnets Made of Wood," by Leah Bobet, one of my fellow OWWers, was also quite agonizing to read.) I submitted a couple of my short stories to them, but they were all rejected. What a shame to lose another professional market for genre short stories. I hope that after the economy recovers--we must keep faith the economy will improve--this magazine will be reborn. Or is that another fantasy?
Realms of Fantasy closing
By Ian Randal Strock
January 27, 2009
Breaking news: Realms of Fantasy is closing down following publication of its April 2009 issue. Managing Editor Laura Cleveland told SFScope the news came very suddenly, indeed, even Editor Shawna McCarthy (currently on vacation in Italy) hadn't been informed yet. The only reason we got the story is that rumors broke through the blogosphere today.
Cleveland said the April issue is currently at the printer, and will be published. The reasons she was given for the closure were plummeting newsstand sales. "Subscriptions are good, and advertising, until very recently, was fine." She blamed the economic downturn and newsstand distribution for the closure.
Publisher Sovereign Media first got into sf magazine publishing with Science Fiction Age, which Scott Edelman edited through its eight-year life. SFAge was closed while still profitable to make room for an even more profitable wrestling magazine. Realms of Fantasy has been with us for fifteen years and "was coming up on its 100th issue," Cleveland said. "We were excited about the special Halloween issue we'd been planning, which would have been our first."
The staff is obviously harried by the news, and that it's become public so quickly. Cleveland had been hoping to tell the authors and artists the news before it broke publicly. The magazine wasn't carrying a large inventory, she said, although she did note that they'd recently purchased a number of stories which now won't be published.
More news as we learn it.
I'm saddened to hear this news. I'm a subscriber because I enjoy their stories, even though they can have sad endings sometimes. (A recent issue had one story about a woman who lost her son and husband and another story about a child stolen by a trickster; that's too much for a mother to take. "Sonnets Made of Wood," by Leah Bobet, one of my fellow OWWers, was also quite agonizing to read.) I submitted a couple of my short stories to them, but they were all rejected. What a shame to lose another professional market for genre short stories. I hope that after the economy recovers--we must keep faith the economy will improve--this magazine will be reborn. Or is that another fantasy?
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