July 11, 2014 Published Again!

 

Hurrah!  Tales from the Perseus Arm Volume 2 is out, and it contains my story 'Travelers'.  Oh, I did so much enjoy writing that one, and it will be interesting to reread it in print.  Somehow a story seems to me to read just a little differently when it is all shiny new on white paper, and surrounded by the strong supporting shoulders of other established writers.  I can't quite help the nagging suspicion that I wasn't as tough on myself writing (and rewriting) this second story as I should have been.  Hmmm.  Dear Readers, please tell me what you think.  Criticism is so very welcome.  Visit my contact page and send me a line.  Or a complaint.  Fifty virtual hugs to the first reader who spots the significance of the number of attendees to the premier showing of ... well, you'll just have to read it.

 

May 2014 Rejected...

 

Well, there's no getting around it.  REAL authors have stories rejected.  And so it was with me.  My 'Mr. Suit' submittal was not quite suitable for the publisher I sent it to.  Now if only I knew why?  Hoping to get a little feedback at some point so that I can perhaps change future submissions to that publisher to better fit their preferences.  Oh well, to be perfectly honest I was worrying quite a bit about how editing 65,000 words would go!  Now I can at least relax from that swinging sword and turn my attention to something else.

 

4/1/14 Just stuff...

 

My 'Mr. Suit' submittal was acknowledged very professionally and kindly by the publisher with the information that it would be about eight weeks before a review was completed and I would hear back.  This was not really a surprise, so why am I already at the seat-bouncing stage with five weeks yet to go?  Groan.  

 

At the moment I'm feeling a definite lack of feedback from stories.  Just bereft of those nice little strokes you get when someone is reading your stuff.  Perhaps it's time I took a fanfiction break to write something silly?  So I can get a glimmer of response through read counts increasing?  I know that's pathetic but... 

 

Hey, Sylvester!  How does fanfic strike you? 

What do you mean you want us to finish the Regency romance fic?  I hate men's fashion!  

I don't care if you like looking at that stuff.  I think it's boring.  

Look, if we have to write the Regency romance, can we at least just cut to the sex already?

 

Sorry everyone (thunderous silence), but Sylvester and I are going to go indulge ourselves in a little naughtiness.  Maybe that will help me hold my brain within my skull until somebody reads and comments on something!

 

3/8/14 Novel Submitted!  And other updates...

 

Today I submitted 'Mr. Suit' to a publisher for consideration.  It is a little more than 65,000 words and I'm very happy with my characters, their distinct personalities and conflicts.  They sure were fun to write about.  I just wish that the 'novel' I started during Nanowrimo was going as well.  Time to beat the muse, I guess.  Did you hear that Sylvester?  

 

A few weeks ago I also completed a rewrite of the story 'Passing' to resubmit to SGA for consideration in one of the later volumes of 'Tales from the Perseus Arm'.  The initial draft I submitted struck some readers as a 'how I met God' story (not my intention!).  I hope that now that I've added some contrasting points of view, I've shown the main character's experiences the way I wanted it to be perceived.

 

2/12/14 Stories submitted update

 

In addition to 'Travelers', I've now also submitted short stories 'Upheaval', 'A Dog and Her Boy' and the poem 'Influence' to SGA Publishing for consideration in future volumes of "Tales of the Perseus Arm."  'A Dog and Her Boy' is the story that was mentioned way back in December.  SGA Publishing has had such a great volume of stories submitted for its second volume, that the publishing house intends to split them into multiple volumes.  

 

Also, I have now submitted two stories to the erotica anthology that is due for release sometime in 2014 by Amok Publications.  I am pretty happy with both of them from a plot point of view.  Plot?  In an erotica story?  Well - why not?  On the other hand, i struggled to keep a consistent tone in the draft of the second story, and am looking forward to the editing process with the hope that I will find a way to even it out.

 

Other work:  I took a step back from the novel I started in November, and in January took a look at it and decided about 1/3 of what was written was distracting from the main story.  So I stripped a large portion out and am enjoying its new shape as I continue to develop the main character.  Also in January I started a story with the working title "Mr. Suit" that has just taken on a life of its own and is now over 47,000 words.  I feel the story is largely complete, and only needs some tidying and fleshing out of a few details before it will be time to see if I can find it a home.  I'm eyeing a publisher from the corner of my eye... while poking my muse with a stick to make sure he's still alive.

 

12/1/13 'Travelers'  and a second story draft submitted; Nanowrimo going plural

 

I'm pleased to say that I've submitted the short story 'Travelers' for editing, along with another story I won't name until it is accepted and I may yet revise it.  If all goes according to plan, I'll make final changes to Travelers by the end of December.

 

Nanowrimo went great up until the middle of the month, and then a variety of conflicts (and a constipated muse) resulted in darn little more being completed.  So - for this writer National Novel Writing Month has become National Novel Writing MONTHS.  I'll keep working on this project because I am finally convinced I have a heroine I do indeed want to work with, who is intent on living quite a few different interesting lives.

 

I also completed one draft story for the erotica anthology, continue to work on the first draft of 'Upheaval' to be submitted for Volume 3 of Tales, and keep trying to think of a second erotica story since there's still plenty of time to write it.  Hmmm.  Where are you muse?

 

11/9/13 Nanowrimo and other project updates

 

Going on 19,000 words for Nanowrimo, so that goal is working out so far.  It has been interesting to find that as I write that 'novel', it inspires me to go back and change or add to the draft stories I intend for the 2014 releases of Tales of the Perseus Arm Volumes 2 and 3.

 

It is also amazing to me how helpful just a bit of a critique and a short period of 'absence' from a draft story can be.  I refamiliarized myself with my draft of 'Travelers' today, and found many ways to improve some dialogue, make the plot more apparent earlier, etc.  Of course, it also increased the word count by about 1,000 (smacks head).

 

 

11/2/13 Two updates: Nanowrimo and 'erotica'

 

​I am pleased with my start on Nanowrimo - I have about 8,000 words now, and a portion of that is actually not bad.  I also finished a story for the still-to-be named erotica anthology. That story developed a plot and I am really pleased with it. On the other hand, I planned to offer two stories for that anthology but so far - nada.  I guess there is still the rest of November for inspiration to strike...

 

10/4/13 Coming in November: a writer's goal

 

​I have decided to participate in the 2013 National Novel Writing Month.  This project (called NaNoWriMo for short) challenges participants to write 50,000 words of a new novel between November 1 and 30.  I've never done this before, so quite honestly, I will be satisfied if I just manage to type up 50,000 words worth of 'ideas'!  However, I actually do have a heroine and a plot in mind, so who knows - perhaps I will have a full-length novel drafted by the end of the year.  Oh - if you think this event sounds like something you'd like to try - just search the web for nanowrimo.

 

10/1/13 New project; different genre

 

​I've been invited to contribute to another anthology, but this one may be best described as erotica.  In 2014 I expect to have a story or two published in an anthology which may include science fiction, fantasy and romance with an erotic context.  Depending on how embarrassed I am by the explicitness of my contribution, I may use a pseudonym .  If you're interested in reading something from that genre, use my contact form to let me know, and I'll hint you toward the anthology title when it is published.  I might even tell you which story is mine (grin).

 

9/28/13 Eartholder Companion Pieces

Volumes 2 and 3 of Tales from the Perseus Arm are already underway.  So too are my drafts for two companion stories to Eartholder.  Each story will take place within the same imagined future universe.  Volume 2 is set to release sometime in the Summer of 2014 and will contain the story Travelers (which takes place after Eartholder).  Volume 3 is proposed to release in Winter 2014, possibly with the story Upheaval (taking place after Travelers). Readers of all three stories will likely find some overlap, but each story will stand on its own and can be read independently of the others.