So Sk8Monkey reached a much-anticipated milestone today--he got his (provisional) driver's license. I don't know how other states do this, but in NC teens get a tiered license, only receiving the full thing at 21. He did really well on the driving test, in fact the examiner complimented me on how I had worked with Sk8Monkey on his driving skills.
The bad part of the day was adding not only the boy, but another vehicle to my insurance policy. It's going to be how much? *aack*cough*gurgle* Wow. Okay.
But I am sad that this is the last time I will send off a new driver into the big bad world of traffic. At the rate my boys are going, I won't be around to snicker about the grandkids' rite of passages.
I think I'm all excited-out for this week. On the other hand, I have some more short stories to finish up, and a couple of prospects for submitting them, so who knows what great adventures lie ahead?
Until next time, Gentle Readers.
It has been an amazing day.
I was going to post today about a couple of short stories I submitted this week. It was going to be about how I wrote the stories and got my nerve up to actually send them in. Actually, I'll do a post about that stuff later anyway.
I stopped and checked my email first, and--Holy writer's fantasy, Batman!--I had a story accepted for an anthology being put out by a new publishing house. Splatter: An Anthology of Horror, will be out in mid-May, and available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other retailers.
You can check out their site here (submissions are closed, according to their email, however):
Sourlane Press
I was totally shocked to be accepted. I mean, I thought the story was good, but I guess I had that fear of rejection, you know, that somebody would say 'oh, crap, why are you sending us this utter pile of garbage', and not just fall immediately in love with my precious labor of love.
Plus there's the other story I sent, to a contest that PARSEC-Pittsburgh's Premier Science Fiction Organization is sponsoring; the results won't be announced until June 15. I'm trying to keep busy and take my mind off it, since it's so long before I'd know anything.
The website for that, in case anyone is interested, is:
PARSEC
I'm still working on my novel, and the non-fiction doll repair/pattern book that needs more pictures--and the patterns drafted--and about ten other ideas that keep popping into my head. Lately the signals I get when I hold my mouth just right, aligning the mercury fillings, have got me hopping.
I'll leave you with these parting words, Dear Readers: follow your dream.
I stopped and checked my email first, and--Holy writer's fantasy, Batman!--I had a story accepted for an anthology being put out by a new publishing house. Splatter: An Anthology of Horror, will be out in mid-May, and available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other retailers.
You can check out their site here (submissions are closed, according to their email, however):
Sourlane Press
I was totally shocked to be accepted. I mean, I thought the story was good, but I guess I had that fear of rejection, you know, that somebody would say 'oh, crap, why are you sending us this utter pile of garbage', and not just fall immediately in love with my precious labor of love.
Plus there's the other story I sent, to a contest that PARSEC-Pittsburgh's Premier Science Fiction Organization is sponsoring; the results won't be announced until June 15. I'm trying to keep busy and take my mind off it, since it's so long before I'd know anything.
The website for that, in case anyone is interested, is:
PARSEC
I'm still working on my novel, and the non-fiction doll repair/pattern book that needs more pictures--and the patterns drafted--and about ten other ideas that keep popping into my head. Lately the signals I get when I hold my mouth just right, aligning the mercury fillings, have got me hopping.
I'll leave you with these parting words, Dear Readers: follow your dream.
what's black and white and read all over...
Why, my blog, of course!
I felt like my little blog-verse needed a change. I'm funny that way, always moving stuff around. It used to drive my kids crazy to come home from school and find I'd rearranged the house.
So, in regards to my writing, I wrote a short story the other day. What prompted me was a post on the Absolute Write boards about a science fiction story contest at:
PARSEC: Pittsburgh's Premiere Science Fiction Organization
I read the entry rules, and the theme, and went to watch some TV before I fixed dinner. I mulled over some ideas relating to the theme for a bit, then I got an image of a young man, raggedly dressed, crouching behind a tree watching a group of other people. He had a dog with him, too.
I got the impression that this was a post-apocalyptic scenario, and since that fit with the theme, I thought, Great! I'll think on this some, maybe I can come up with a story.
But the thing is, this young man wouldn't let me rest--or pay attention to the TV--so I finally got up and went to write something down, just enough to get this guy out of my head.
Five hours and 3200 words later, I had the story. I'm letting it rest for a couple of days before I read over it to see what needs to be done with it. But I feel like the story is right as written, maybe a few minor changes. It feels good to me.
So, there is the much-talked-about character that tells his own story thing you may have heard about. This has only happened to me once before this strongly, for a writing assignment in high school. I was watching TV (hey, what is it about the boob tube?), enjoying the well-muscled Ron Ely's protrayal of Tarzan, when I got the entire play "Tarzoom!" in one sitting.
I was thinking about that play, and realized I got my first reviews, written by the members of my group who performed the play for our class assignment. And I have my yearbook to prove it! Sadly, I gave my copy of the play to the student teacher for her portfolio--or whatever it was--otherwise I'd probably post it up here for your enjoyment!
On the novel front, I am gamely moving forward, making some progress, albeit slowly.
Until next time, Gentle Readers.
I felt like my little blog-verse needed a change. I'm funny that way, always moving stuff around. It used to drive my kids crazy to come home from school and find I'd rearranged the house.
So, in regards to my writing, I wrote a short story the other day. What prompted me was a post on the Absolute Write boards about a science fiction story contest at:
PARSEC: Pittsburgh's Premiere Science Fiction Organization
I read the entry rules, and the theme, and went to watch some TV before I fixed dinner. I mulled over some ideas relating to the theme for a bit, then I got an image of a young man, raggedly dressed, crouching behind a tree watching a group of other people. He had a dog with him, too.
I got the impression that this was a post-apocalyptic scenario, and since that fit with the theme, I thought, Great! I'll think on this some, maybe I can come up with a story.
But the thing is, this young man wouldn't let me rest--or pay attention to the TV--so I finally got up and went to write something down, just enough to get this guy out of my head.
Five hours and 3200 words later, I had the story. I'm letting it rest for a couple of days before I read over it to see what needs to be done with it. But I feel like the story is right as written, maybe a few minor changes. It feels good to me.
So, there is the much-talked-about character that tells his own story thing you may have heard about. This has only happened to me once before this strongly, for a writing assignment in high school. I was watching TV (hey, what is it about the boob tube?), enjoying the well-muscled Ron Ely's protrayal of Tarzan, when I got the entire play "Tarzoom!" in one sitting.
I was thinking about that play, and realized I got my first reviews, written by the members of my group who performed the play for our class assignment. And I have my yearbook to prove it! Sadly, I gave my copy of the play to the student teacher for her portfolio--or whatever it was--otherwise I'd probably post it up here for your enjoyment!
On the novel front, I am gamely moving forward, making some progress, albeit slowly.
Until next time, Gentle Readers.
I. Am. Going. Insane.
OK, let me clarify that.
I am going insane-er.
Previously I had noted that I was rewriting my novel, "Landfall", as I thought I had found the correct beginning. Well, after about 2,000 words total, I realized that I was working with the wrong main character. Oy!
So, I re-rewrote the entire thing from what should be the main character's point of view--another 800 words. Urgh. Still not right. I think I need to start further into the story, and work all these plot bits in later.
Back to the drawing board, as they say. I have been reading the Smashwords publishing guide, so I have Word set up properly, I hope, for the big day. I really want to get this novel up and running so I can work on the next thing. I am overflowing with ideas that are waiting anxiously to be written.
Until next time, Gentle Readers.
I am going insane-er.
Previously I had noted that I was rewriting my novel, "Landfall", as I thought I had found the correct beginning. Well, after about 2,000 words total, I realized that I was working with the wrong main character. Oy!
So, I re-rewrote the entire thing from what should be the main character's point of view--another 800 words. Urgh. Still not right. I think I need to start further into the story, and work all these plot bits in later.
Back to the drawing board, as they say. I have been reading the Smashwords publishing guide, so I have Word set up properly, I hope, for the big day. I really want to get this novel up and running so I can work on the next thing. I am overflowing with ideas that are waiting anxiously to be written.
Until next time, Gentle Readers.
I'm back in the saddle again...
Had to take a few days off and recuperate from a pretty bad burn on two fingers (forefinger and middle finger) on my left hand. I dropped hot glue on myself while finishing up my son's prom date's corsage. Cold water, followed by an ice pack, then liberal application of aloe ensued.
Yikes!
Okay, so I actually said something a little stronger, but, you get the drift.
Anyway, between blisters and a keyboard with a malfunctioning space bar, typing has been very difficult. I have managed to get my novel restarted at the right place (I think), so I'm on my way again. I have four scenes that seem to be working, with a total word count of just under 1700 words. I'm not worried right now about chapter breaks, I'm just trying to get a first draft down, but it looks like three scenes will be Chapter 1, and the other will start Chapter 2.
All I need now is a new keyboard. Someday I'll tell you how I messed up my good one, thus forcing me to use the "parts" keyboard Number 1 had hanging around. Or maybe not. I think I already come off as a goof as it is.
Yikes!
Okay, so I actually said something a little stronger, but, you get the drift.
Anyway, between blisters and a keyboard with a malfunctioning space bar, typing has been very difficult. I have managed to get my novel restarted at the right place (I think), so I'm on my way again. I have four scenes that seem to be working, with a total word count of just under 1700 words. I'm not worried right now about chapter breaks, I'm just trying to get a first draft down, but it looks like three scenes will be Chapter 1, and the other will start Chapter 2.
All I need now is a new keyboard. Someday I'll tell you how I messed up my good one, thus forcing me to use the "parts" keyboard Number 1 had hanging around. Or maybe not. I think I already come off as a goof as it is.
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