I thought I would write a post to explain what has been taking up most of my time, lately. For about 2.5 months, I’ve been writing, editing, and coordinating the Apex blog. Beyond the general updates about the company (new books released, books/stories reviewed), I’ve had my fingers in most of the material on the blog since December. Here are links to the posts I’ve written (there are many others that I’ve edited), with topics: More »
Ever put off calling, writing, or e-mailing someone because you’re waiting for something exciting to happen to justify the conversation? I’m terrible about this, especially when I’ve told the person about the exciting thing that might happen and I haven’t gotten any kind of definite answer, or any reply or new information at all.
So that would be my major reason for not posting here, lately. (I don’t believe in excuses. I believe in reasons, to be judged as the listener/reader sees fit.) I’m waiting for some good news, or news in general, so I’ll have a topic to rhapsodize about. More »
A few years ago, Medtronic ran a campaign called I Will focusing on improving people’s all-round health. They gave out stickers reading “I will exercise regularly” or “I will eat healthy foods” or a number of other health pledges. The one that I received and plastered in my journal was “I will read more.” I had stopped making time to read, though I hadn’t stopped buying books, which meant I was falling further and further behind on my pile.
Then I discovered audio books, and I rediscovered books in general. And, for the past 3-4 years, I’ve been reading more than a book a week. Here’s my list for 2008. More »
Back in 1999, when I attended Clarion West, I changed my way of thinking about myself as a writer. I’d previously thought in novels–involved storylines, detailed worlds, casts of thousands–but I shifted my focus to short stories after those six weeks.
It fit my fickle nature: I could spend a day or a few days writing a draft rather than taking weeks or months or years to complete a novel. I could sample all sorts of ideas and see if any of them caught my fancy for something longer. After all, some of my favorite authors would write short stories in a particular world to test the waters and see if they wanted to spend more time there with a particular main character.
After attending Viable Paradise XII in September 2008, however, the pendulum is starting to swing the other way. After being told time and again that my style of writing fits longer works rather than short stories–the dreaded “this isn’t a short story, it’s the beginning of a novel!”–I’m starting to work on my first “real” novel.
I have completed three novels and started several others, including a few attempts to put the story I’ve been telling myself since childhood (the reallybiglongstory, or rbls) into coherent form. However, the finished novels were either written for fun or for NaNoWriMo and never intended to be seen by an audience. This, on the other hand, is the first one that I’m planning on sending out into the world.
The thought is terrifying. But I’m already on my way.
Current word count: 6,477 words (with notes on the first three scenes; this total may go down before increasing)
Next step: Revise the first three scenes and regroup. The path has become vague and disappeared completely. My main character has become vague and whiny and apt to share his deepest, darkest secrets at the least provocation. As this was not the original goal, it’s back to the drawing board.
Goal for the rest of the week: Revise the first three scenes and send them to writers group by 1/7.
As the snow falls like flour sifting down from the sky, my mind turns to cooking, which I’ve been doing an unusual amount of, this fall. (Yes, it’s still fall until tomorrow, despite the snow.)
I don’t cook all that often. In fact, I am often prevented from cooking by that guy I live with, because he tends to preemptively make dinner. (I generally don’t start cooking until I’m hungry, which means dinner is ready to eat around bed time.) That doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy cooking, especially if I have a recipe.
The secret is this: My mother refused to give me her caramel corn recipe (which was passed down from her mother and grandmother) until I got married. In order to save you from the same fate, I present the recipe here. Think of it as an early Christmas present. More »
Please excuse the mess. Numberless Dreams, my official Web site, is back in a new incarnation. Behind the scenes, there are still a few knobs to tweak, some switches to flip back and forth, and several tempting buttons to press. Out here in the open, the header bar will be rotating through my own photos once I get them edited. I will have additional pages and a host of new links. Today, I’m just testing out the toys to see if they’re all they’re advertised to be and hoping that they don’t contain any lead paint.
Plans for the future include:
Plenty to keep me busy. For those of you who don’t know me in real life, I am also a Submissions Editor and Copy Editor for Apex Publications. You’ll also see some of my handiwork there, although most if it is behind the scenes…for now…
