Not going to bother with a honeydew update. It’s basically the same as before, except I’ve pecked out a little bit more on my steampunk story. I really want to at least get a submission for Wily Writers together, but my idea for that (even with brainstorming) seems much more tenuous as I poke at it more. I have vast, big concept. No actual plot.
But I do have some other thoughts regarding writing.
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First, some pimping!
This month, Wily Writers has been providing flash fiction weekly instead of short fiction every other week. The great thing about Wily Writers is that (a) it’s free and (b) they provide MP3 readings of all their stories. This week’s story is, “Grand-Monster” by Sasha Janel McBrayer.
(And, you know, I have a story there too if you want to look for that. *ahem*)
In other news, I spent Saturday night at a reading at Third Place Books for Apex Publishing’s Close Encounters of the Urban Kind. Jennifer Brozek, the editor of the anthology, coordinated the five authors that read and did signings. I meant to post information about the reading earlier, but have been too busy with deadlines to poke at this blog. Especially since most of my update is, “Still working on it.” And I also haven’t read the anthology.
BUT! That said, the readings I heard were marvelous. I felt definitely out of my league among some of these people, and I play D&D with a couple of them. Really top notch stuff. The authors present were:
(I feel I should add: Nate, Rosemary and Eric all had good readings as well. But I already knew they were going to be good. Alma Alexander and Shannon Page were unknown variables.)
Anyway, a quick update on the honeydew. New stuff is italicized, unless I screw up the HTML again.
Currently reading The Fall of Hyperion, the award-winning sequel to the award-winning Hyperion. I’ve come across at least a couple “As You Know Bob” moments in the text.
Continuing to chug away at deadlines. Got a couple items off my plate, so I’m feeling pretty good about that. This week will be mostly dedicated to clubbing my stuff before I send it to Mr. Gunn for the workshop.
Now, have some honeydew.
At the Wayward trying to write this morning, but having trouble focusing. Figure I’ll review my to-do list and see what needs my attention.
Part of what I’ve been doing is just hitting some low hanging fruit just to get things off my plate. So, taking stories that are damn near done and getting them done done.
I’ll italicize the items I’ve updated.
I’m waiting for the Malware scanner to finish on the girlfriend’s PC before I run off to work on my writing. So I have some random thoughts to offer, and a comment on writing progress.
I received word that my flash fiction piece for 10Flash has been accepted. I believe that will come out in October. I have come to no conclusions regarding my general feeling about flash fiction. I think if I try to write more flash, I will shoot for Every Day Fiction. (Unless, of course, I feel inspired by the next theme for 10Flash.)
Also, I finally finished the last steps in my Web site upgrade. You can see it here. I feel like I’ve entered the 21st century. Only took me a decade.
Other writing projects are inching along. I realized I was a month off on my submission for the Rock is Dead anthology. In a good way, even. It’s due in July and I thought it was June. I’ve shifted focus to my submission for Cobalt City Timeslip. It’s not my most pending deadline, but I don’t feel inspired regarding my other projects these days.
My friend, Nathan Crowder, recently received word that his story “Ink Calls to Ink” had been chosen for Night-Mantled: The Best of Wily Writers Year One. It also features such authors as Angel Leigh McCoy and Jennifer Brozek. A fine crowd to be mixing with.
I’ve been constantly impressed by all the accomplishments Nate’s had this year. Just prior to this he had a story appear in the anthology Close Encounters of the Urban Kind. And before that his magnificent piece “Deacon Carter’s Last Dime” not only appeared in Crossed Genres Year One, but was a finalist in the storySouth Million Writers Awards Notable Stories of 2009.
I’m really proud (and more than a little envious) of Nate’s success. He’s been an excellent friend, peer and mentor and I’m excited that he’s doing so well. Excelsior!
Innsmouth Free Press has put out a review today of the anthology I was in earlier this year. You can find said review here:
I’ll admit I’m a bad person who still hasn’t read most of the other stories in there, so I can’t say how accurate some of the commentary is. (My excuses? They are extensive.) The review is pretty mixed. I didn’t get any mention, good or bad, aside from a few words in the first paragraph. The romance without bodice ripping it mentions? That’s me. I was also surprised Nathan Crowder didn’t get a nod.
Still, it was good to see Jennifer Munro’s piece, “The Strangler Fig,” get good praise. She’s an awesome person and I’m proud to have met her through this.
Innsmouth Free Press is on my short list of places to submit. I can’t decide if the lack of mention of me should be encouraging or daunting. I guess it’s academic, since I don’t have a story I feel called to write for them yet. I want to avoid the usual tropes and cliches you get with people playing in Lovecraft’s sandbox, but that goal doesn’t leave me with any ideas for what to write.
I figured I’d take a break from just flat commentary about just how much writing I’ve accomplished (some, but not as much as I’d like), I’d mull around an idea and see if others had input about it. I have a bit of time while the girlfriend is running errands, so I figured I’d share.
Between my lingering cough and a monster headache that I can’t seem to shake, I’m not doing so hot tonight. I got a bit of writing done at lunch today, but I don’t think I’ll try for any tonight. But I wanted to get a few notes out before I stumble back to the bed and call it a night.
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