Cheeky Sassenach

The Year in Review - Books

2008-12-19T14:00:00.003-05:00

With few days remaining in 2008, here is my list of reads for 2008. I attempted an 888 challenge, but didn't quite finish it. May try a 999 one this year. (The comments are from my postings over at librarything as I kept track of them during the year.)

1. The Sword of Shannara by Terry Brooks

As of this morning, I am at about the halfway point. There is definitely a Tolkien feel to this book, but still a good read so far.

2. "J" is for Judgment by Sue Grafton. My lunchtime reading because paperback easier to carry to work. Grafton's writing has definitely improved since "A". This series isn't what I would consider classic material, but still an enjoyable easy read.

3. Foundation by Isaac Asimov

This is the first Asimov book that I've read, but I can say that I'm hooked. I can see why he's one of the masters of science fiction.

4. Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov - not quite as good as the first book, but still an interesting read.

5. K is for Killer by Sue Grafton - finished this one on January 22nd. I'm a bit disappointed. I thought this one fell flat at the end. It seemed that Grafton couldn't decide who the killer should be, so she just picked someone without tying together the loose pieces at the end. Hopefully the next one will be better.

6. Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass - finished Jan. 27th. Not a bad read, but no earthshattering revelations. A good analysis of the elements in any "breakout" novel.

7. Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov - finished 2/3/08 - Not bad, but not my favorite of the trilogy.

8. Wicked by Gregory Maguire - This gets good reviews elsewhere, but for me it was just painful.

9. Maiden, Mother and Crone by D.J. Conway

10. The Once and Future King by T.H. White

11. L is for Lawless by Sue Grafton - I was rather disappointed by this one. It seemed like it was written in a hurry.

12. M is for Malice by Sue Grafton

13. N is for Noose by Sue Grafton

14. The Complete Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - I've been working on this one for a while.

15. Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin

16. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. A great classic. Haven't read it since high schol.

17. Tombs of Atuan by Ursula Le Guin

18. The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson - a quick weekend read. Quite an interesting story.

19. O is for Outlaw by Sue Grafton

20. The Farthest Shore by Ursula K. Le Guin (Book 3 in the Earthsea Series)

21. P is for Peril by Sue Grafton

22. Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clarke

23. The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje - not sure I like his writing style, but I'll give it a chance

24. Taliesin by Stephen R. Lawhead

25. Atonement by Ian McEwan - I struggled through the first part of this book, but I'm glad I kept reading. It's a fine story about how one innocent action can affect so many other people.

26. Angels Fall by Nora Roberts - not on my 888 list and not something I would normally choose, but all of my books were packed as we were moving and a friend gave it to me. This was a surprisingly good book. An easy read, but sometimes I just need to unwind and relax and not tax my brain.

27. To Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip Jose Farmer

28. The Fabulous Riverboat by Philip Jose Farmer

29. The Dark Design by Philip Jose Farmer. I've gotten caught up in this series. Need to get back to my 888 list. :)

30. Q is for Quarry by Sue Grafton

31. The Magic Labyrinth by Philip Jose Farmer - The first book in this series is still my favorite. There are many questions that I hope are answered in this book!

32. Merlin - Book 2 of the Pendragon Cycle by Stephen R. Lawhead

33. The Island of Dr. Moreau by H.G. Wells

34. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain

35. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells

36. Ghosts of Cape May: Book 1 by Craig McManus

37. R is for Ricochet by Sue Grafton. I have now matched last year's number of books read. Only 13 to go to hit 50. . .could be tough, but I'm up for the challenge. ;)

38. Understanding Exposure (revised ed.) by Bryan Peterson

39. Landford's Starting Photography by Michael Langford and Philip Andrews

40. Thicker Than Water by Maggie Shayne

41. Keeping Faith by Jodi Picoult

42. Arthur - Book 3 of the Pendragon by Stephen R. Lawhead

43. Freud: darkness in the midst of vision by Louis Breger

44. I Am Legend by Richard Matheson

45. Tales from the Vulgar Unicorn by Robert Asprin

it's all in the genes

2008-04-01T17:04:00.002-05:00

Lately, my writing has taken a back seat to another of my favorite hobbies - genealogy. I have worked on my family tree off and on for the last twenty years. When I bought my first computer and wandered around the internet I was thrilled to find a wealth of genealogical resources right at my fingertips! Until then, my search had consisted of writing letters and waiting, and waiting, and waiting. With both of my parents moving north, having been born and raised in Tennessee, I couldn't just go to my local library or historical society to search for information.

Over the last ten years, the number of historical resources on the web has grown exponentially. One of my favorite hangouts is ancestry.com, for the access to census records, if nothing else.

I have posted my family tree there, so that I can easily refer back to it while searching for something. One interesting "tool" within the family tree is the ability to search for "famous relatives". I stumbled across this one evening while playing around with the tree. You choose an individual and then hit the aforementioned "find famous relatives" link. Ancestry.com then searches through its OneWorldTree which compiles information from other trees submitted by other Ancestry members and provides suggested resources and other, similar trees.

My to my amusement, I found at least a dozen famous authors hiding in my family tree. On my father's side we have: John Milton (1st cousin, 10 times removed), Nathaniel Hawthorne (7th cousin, 2 times removed), James Matthew Barrie (3rd cousin, 10 times removed), Jack London (9th cousin), Jane Austen (7th cousin, 4 times removed) and Elizabeth Browning (11th cousin, 3 times removed). On my mother's side: Henry David Thoreau (5th/5x), Emily Dickenson (6th/4x), Mark Twain (6th/4x), D.H. Lawrence (7th/4x), John Steinbeck (8th/3x), Helen Keller (7th/5x) and George Orwell (11th/3x).

As a serious researcher, I don't take the above seriously - at least not until I can verify the information. I will boast to having a verified connection to Daniel Boone, but that's another story.

I hope that at least a couple of the cousins are looking over me. Perhaps giving some guidance to my muse. I would be forever grateful. It's a shame we can't have one big family reunion - just once.

where in the world, my dear Watson!

2008-03-13T17:22:00.004-05:00

I am currently engrossed in The Complete Sherlock Holmes - the collective works of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Last night I read The Red-Headed League in which a red-headed gentleman comes to Sherlock and co. for help. Mr. Wilson has been admitted to the Red-Headed League, and spends each morning copying the encyclopedia by hand (supplying his own pen, ink and paper, of course). He arrives one morning to find an empty office and a note which says that the league has been dissolved. Disturbed by the sudden loss of a steady income (he received four pounds a week for his efforts) he seeks out Mr. Holmes for assistance. Obviously, something nefarious is underway.

The "oh-my-gosh" moment came when reading the "advertisement" which brought Mr. Wilson to the Red-Headed League. It reads, in part: "On account of the bequest of the late Ezekiah Hopkins, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U.S.A. . ."

I know what you're thinking - where in the world is Lebanon, Pennsylvania. It's here:

View Larger Map

on the upper center of the map. Cheeky and family live south of Lancaster (the green arrow). Lancaster city has a population of approximately 55,000. The entire county population is right around 500,000. Lebanon, on the other hand, has 24,000 in the city and roughly 120,000 in the entire county. In 1880, 38,476 for the entire county. Yes, I had to look it up.

How in the world did Sir Arthur, sitting in the comfort of his writing parlor in the 1890's (the story was published in August 1891) discover Lebanon? Like Lancaster, the residents were predominantly German. It has no claim to faim that I'm aware of. (Ha, unlike Lancaster, which was capital of the colonies for one day - September 27, 1777 - but I digress. . .) It's barely a blip on the map compared to Lancaster. Perhaps friend or family of Doyle immigrated from Scotland. Perhaps there's an unknown manuscript buried somewhere in the old lebanon balogna factory. . .

It may forever remain a mystery, but it's still very cool to find a connection to dear Sherlock Holmes.

literary, classic, or just a darn good book?

2008-03-09T13:52:00.004-05:00

I regularly visit a couple of writing forums. On both sites, there have been discussions about "classic" literature and "literary" novels. What has come out of these discussions is that there really is not a universal definition of either.

When I think of classics, I think of writers such as Fitzgerald, the Bronte sisters, Hemingway, Steinbeck, Dickens and Orwell. Trying to define the term, however, is a bit more challenging. I did a bit of research, which left me even more perplexed. Not being able to find a definition, I looked for lists (which is how I stumbled upon some of the lists I've mentioned in earlier posts). Lists vary just as much as the definition. There's the academic version and the commercial/publisher's version.

Cheeky's somewhat simplistic definition - classic literature is that which reflects the social, political, economic, philosophical and/or religious atmosphere, and may including a view of the change in said atmosphere, of the period during which is was written, generally pre-1900.

Literary fiction is a whole different ballgame. Literary refers to a genre, such as mystery, historical, fantasy, science fiction, but is a bit difficult to explain. In my opinion, literary fiction is more character driven and utlizes more literary devices than normal fiction. With the use of metaphors and similes, irony, symbolic epiphany, and even an abundance of sensory details, the story can be read and interpreted on multiple levels - the story as presented and the meaning of the story based on the meaning of the elements of the story.

Some people don't "get" literary fiction. It takes a lot to read and digest the full meaning of the story. It's not meant to be simple storytelling. I used to love analyzing fiction. I could spend hours peeling away the layers, looking for hidden meanings and wondering if that was what the writer really meant to convey. I don't have the time to do that these days, but I can still appreciate a good literary story.

Which brings me to the whole purpose of this post. What is good writing for me, may not be the same as another reader's definition. There's nothing wrong with having different opinions. The arts do not have objective meaning. . .it's all open for some degree of interpretation. The best we can do is offer opinions. Sometime we agree with the majority and sometimes we don't. In one of these online discussions, a reader stated that book X, generally accepted as a classic, was pure rubbish and shouldn't be considered a classic. I disagreed.

I am currently struggling through The Once and Future King by T.H. White. I really just want to toss the book in the trash. Robin Hood and King Arthur are not from the same time period and Merlin is depicted as being somewhat of a flake. But, my preference for Arthurian literature is more along the lines of Mary Stewart and Marion Zimmer Bradley. Most of the reviews I've read on various sites would have this be a classic. I don't see it yet, but I'll keep reading. Even if I don't agree with the classification, that's OK.

if only I had a thumb. . .

2008-03-03T20:48:00.002-05:00

Meet Maddie. . .apparently she's taking over editing duties.

google me, sassenach

2008-02-15T19:49:00.003-05:00

Google Analytics, to which I subscribe, tracks visitors to your website. I check it upon occasion to see if anyone actually visits here or if I'm just talking to myself. The latter would be fine - I've been known to have fabulous conversations with myself. But, it appears that I actually DO have visitors. Analytics also shows how visitors arrived at your website. Direct Traffic, Referring Sites and Search Engines.

The interesting information can be found in the Search Engines report. People have actually googled my name, which is freakishly interesting. But, they've also arrived here from other searches. The popular search recently has been "sassenach", which I previously defined here. I wish visitors would leave comments. I'd really like to know why they're searching one of my favorite words.

In writing news, I've discovered the forums on Absolute Write. Members range from novice writers to seasoned vets and the discussions can get quite lively. There's a wealth of information shared among members, for which I give it two thumbs up. Of course, the site can also suck up a lot of time if you're not careful.

I've added an entire chapter to the WIP - somewhere around 1600 words. When I started working on it again, I decided the story needed to start at an earlier point in time. I should have two, maybe three, chapters added to the beginning before I continue on where I left off.

smallpox, trews and arisaidh

2008-02-01T20:16:00.000-05:00

One of the best parts of writing a historical novel is the research. I've done a good bit of research for this novel - everything from Scottish dialect to pagan rituals to the best ways to torture a witch so that she'll confess to whatever she's been accused of doing (think European witch hunts in the 17th and 18th centuries).

I'm glad that I'm back into writing this story. Over the last week or so I've written a brief synopsis, become reacquainted with my characters and sketch out a brief outline. In doing all of this I realized that I needed to start the story a bit earlier. I also realized that I needed to know the gory details of smallpox.

Did you know that smallpox has an incubation period of about 12 days? That the major symptoms are fever, muscular pain and the pus-filled lesions? These pustuals cause the upper layer of skin to separate from the underlying layers, causing severe pain. Smallpox has been virtually eliminated thanks to aggressive immunization. In 1796, Edward Jenner, an English doctor, realized that the cowmaids who had been mildly infected by the cowpox virus (similar to smallpox, but less intense) did not become ill when exposed to the smallpox virus. And so was born the modern vaccination.

As for the other two - trews are similar to a footed hose and were worn by wealthy Scottish men. The arisaidh is the woman's plaid, or cloak. Not to be confused with tartan, which is the correct term for the clan or district pattern of the cloth.

Fascinating stuff, eh?

Yep, welcome to my world.

a-ha moment #1

2008-01-27T13:01:00.000-05:00

I just finished reading Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maass.

I am generally not a big fan of writing books. The "how-to" books are fine for a novice writer. There's nothing wrong with reminding the new writer of the "rules" like: show, don't tell; be careful of the adverbs and other suggestions. Genre specific books can be fine as well - How To Write a Mystery, Thriller, Fantasy and/or Science Fiction. Although, if you've read enough of the genre in question, you shouldn't need someone to tell you how to write it. The third type of writing book is what I call the "idea generating book". These books are full of exercises such as - look around the room you are sitting and write 500 words describing said room. Ummm. . .no novel I plan to write will take place in a cluttered, suburbia living room. Besides, a writer is a storyteller. She writes because she has a story to tell. Realy, if a writer needs that much help in generating a story, she should find another hobby.

Writing the Breakout Novel is none of the above. Maass, a literary agent, takes a look at the "breakout novel" and shows us what made those books so popular. He touches on current (as of 2000-2001) trends, but also uses examples going back to the 1970's (if not earlier). When I first opened the book, I expected him to divulge some uber secret formula for writing a novel. Do this, this and this and there you have it.

Actually, there's really no big surprises in his book, but about halfway through I thought about my own novel-in-progress and went "a-ha. . .that's what I'm forgetting."

I think I can sum up his advice like this: think about what's happening in your novel (or short story, even) and make it BIGGER!

I'm thinking outside the box now and I can feel the story growing!

Happy Birthday, Edgar!

2008-01-19T16:12:00.000-05:00

While doing some post-holiday bargain shopping, I came across the Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe at Border's. I read a great many of Poe's stories and poems during the "classic literature period" of my awkward teen years. I now find myself wanting to go back and read some of my favorites from that time period.

Today marks the 198th birthday of Edgar Allan Poe. According to these two articles, a "mysterious visitor" again visited Poe's grave in Baltimore, Maryland, last night, leaving three red roses and "a half-filled bottle of cognac." It is presumed that the three roses are for Poe, his young bride, Virginia, and his mother-in-law, Maria Clemm. (Visit the Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore for more biographical information.) The Poe Toaster, as he is referred to, has allegedly been visiting since 1949.

In this article, a man who became historian of Westminster Presbyterian Church in the 1960's claims to have started the hoax as a means of drawing attention to the church and its most famous resident. However, Jeff Jerome, curator of the Poe House in Baltimore, reportedly discovered 1950 newspaper article from The Baltimore Evening Sun that mentions "an anonymous citizen who creeps in annually to place an empty bottle (of excellent label)" against the gravestone.

Regardless of whether the tradition is a "hoax" or a heart-felt showing of admiration, the Poe Toaster still visits each year. What I find quite interesting is that even though Poe admirers gather in the twilight hours on the eve of his birth, and watch the visitor makes his (her?) annual offering, no one has dared to confront the visitor. It could be that it's just all a great marketing campaign. OR, it could be that Poe's admirers realize that the mystery surrounding P.T.'s identity is somewhat romantic and Poe-esque.

Certainly the father of modern detective fiction would approve. I know I do.

I cannot tell a lie. . .but I can tell a pretty good fib!

2008-01-13T13:35:00.000-05:00

After a slight delay, the new edition of the Fib Review is now online containing the fibs of your truly. What a wonderful way to start the new year! As my regular readers (both of them) may recall, I discussed fibs and pietry in an earlier post.

The Fib Review will now publish just an annual edition, but I'm glad that R.G. Rader will continue to provide an outlet for this interesting, if not geeky, form of poetry.

what's on your reading list?

2008-01-06T08:10:00.000-05:00

What better way to study the craft of writing than to read. . .I have always been a voracious reader, but in the last year I've become more conscious of what I'm reading. I will read most any fiction, although lately my preference is running more toward fantasy and science fiction. In trying to find good F&SF books to read, I came across The Most Significant SF & Fantasy Books of the Last 50 Years, 1953-2002 as compiled by the Science Fiction Book Club. I've posted the list elsewhere in this blog and have been keeping track of the books I've read from the list.

Do I read just the books on the list? Of course not! My DH is a fantasy and sci fi fan as well and will give me suggestions upon occasion. Sometimes I'll pick up something in the bookstore that looks interesting or will find reading recommendations elsewhere.

Some other book lists I've come across include:

* Penguin Classic's "100 Classic Books You Must Read Before You Die". This list is obviously biased toward the books published by Penguin, but it is certainly a good resource for finding classic literature. This list also contains categories such as "Best Romance", "Best Villians" and "Best Science Fiction" (2o categories with 5 books in each) which is an interesting approach.

* Time Magazine's All-Time 100 Novels chosen by the editors.

* Several lists over at Modern Library, including 100 Best Non-Fiction. There are actually two sets of lists - the reader's list (taken from a reader's poll) and the board's list. No surprise - the lists are hardly identical.

* The most interesting book list I've come across so far is actually in book form - 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die, edited by Peter Boxall. I've read a mixed bag of reviews regarding the quality of the list. I haven't looked at the book, but the list appears on several websites. One plus is that it contains books from pre-1700 until current day. Personally, I see the inclusion of many or all books by one author, but others that haven't made the list at all. If you seriously consider taking on the challenge, one very industrious person created a spreadsheet which lists the 1001 books and calculates how many you have read, the percentage of the list you have read and how many books per year you need to read in order to complete the list before you die. On a quick run-through I'm at 4%.

I could get into the argument about why each list is deficient or which list is best. I'd rather point out that any discussion of "the best" books is entirely based on opinion. I have a wide range of tastes. Others like just mystery or just science fiction or just non-fiction. There's no right or wrong answer. What these lists do provide is a resource for finding books to read.

Look to the right and you can see what I'm reading now. We'll talk more later about keeping track of books you've read, but for now, what's on your reading list?

ice, lists and herbal tea

2007-12-13T14:41:00.000-05:00

This is the view from my deck this afternoon. Winter is here, she says with a heavy sigh. My boss was kind enough to send us home this morning before the roads became a skating rink. So, I 've spent my day logged into my computer at work - and getting a good bit done, I might add - as well as finishing off one of the items on my writing to-do list.

In revamping the vamp story, I trimmed of a good bit of fat and added a chunk of meat. After one more read-through I'll send it off. Hopefully before the weekend is over. It was challenging to find a market for this one. Most horror markets don't want vampire fiction. This one isn't in-your-face vampire, in fact I don't even use the word vampire, but no sense giving someone what they don't want.

From a writing perspective, I hate this time of year. Shopping, decorating, parties - all those things that us hermit types don't enjoy - are sucking up my energy and my time. My goal at this point is to refine and submit story #3 by the end of the year. More would be better, but I'll take what I can get.

For the rest of this dreary afternoon, I think I'll have a cup of herbal tea (tropical fruit), check the office and ponder my goals for next year.

meatier

2007-12-02T19:40:00.000-05:00

Number 3 on the list is almost complete. I trimmed a good bit of fat from the story and added a big chunk of meat. . .900 words worth. I have a few publications in mind. Choosing one and sending it out is on the menu for this week.

One of the best pieces of advice I can offer is to let something sit for a few days, or even longer. I often find big gaping holes and chunks of missing logic when I go back over a piece. With this particular story, when I read it earlier last week (after it sat for a few months) my first thought was where's the beef? I was so focused on trying to convey a sense of desperation that I had more mood than I did structure.

One more story to work on. One more exercise before diving into the main course.

back in the saddle

2007-11-14T20:38:00.001-05:00

OK, so it's more like back in the writing chair, butt down in front of the computer, fingers pounding away on the keys. It feels good. It's been too long. Special thanks to Onipar for the swift cyber-kick in the cyber-tushie.

The to-do list is short, but meaningful:

1. Revise Tethys and submit. done
2. Revise Shelter and submit.
3. Look at Lilith and find a loving home.
4. Add to the word count on the novel. Sigh. It's been too long. I could have given birth to two babies during the time I've been working on this baby. It's time to give her some TLC.

I've vowed not to work on any more short stories. I will keep revising what I've already completed just because I think they deserve a good home. I came across this article through a writing forum I visit. Pretty much sums it up. It's sad, because I do enjoy reading a good short story. Finding them, however, can be a challenge - at least in a format that will fit in my bag and accompany me to lunch.

this one time at band camp. . .

2007-10-29T18:56:00.000-05:00

My daughter is a freshman in high school and is participating in marching band. I'm very proud of her, and the band is doing quite well in competitions. But, not only does it take up most of her free time - practice twice a week from 6:30 to 9 p.m., Friday night football games (and wouldn't ya know, the team is going to district playoffs), and Saturday competitions (where her day starts around noon and ends about midnight) - it's taking a big chunk of mine as well.

(note the clarinet standing on the nearest flame)

We're coming to the close of band season and hopefully I'll find the motivation to return to writing. In my minimal free time lately I've been working on other hobbies, but the itch to write has returned.

I'm thinking about a short story based on band camp, clarinets and trumpets, playing fire-themed music for hours on end. . .it'll be a real horror story. ;)

It's Football Season

2007-09-16T13:42:00.000-05:00

MySpace Image Comments

rejections make me laugh

2007-09-14T17:31:00.000-05:00

I received yet another rejection the other day. . .in the stamped, addressed envelope that I provided them. It's a cute little slip of blue paper - pre-printed except for my name and date hand written at the top. My story was rejected because: (A) the story just didn't fit their magazine; (B) the story and/or writing just really sucked; or (C) there's really nothing wrong, they just didn't want it.

Wow. That really covers all bases. They could have at least circled which category I fell into.

So, my short term writing goals are to:

1. Keep revising and submitting this story. I like it for some reason and I'd like to find it a home.

2. Get serious about the novel-in-progress.

3. Write. Just write. I've been lacking any desire or enthusiasm about writing. Time, or lack thereof, doesn't help either.

Somebody give my a cyber-shove, eh?

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

2007-08-14T15:05:00.002-05:00

Reading List

2007-05-04T05:00:00.000-05:00

The Science Fiction Book Club posted a list of the fifty most significant SF/Fantsasy books from 1953-2002. The ones in bold I have read and the ones with an asterisk we have in our personal library. I like lists. . .

My goal is to read all 50. How many have you read?

The Most Significant SF & Fantasy Books of the Last 50 Years, 1953-2002

(** = I have read)

**The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R. Tolkien
The Foundation Trilogy, Isaac Asimov
Dune, Frank Herbert
Stranger in a Strange Land, Robert A. Heinlein
A Wizard of Earthsea, Ursula K. Le Guin
**Neuromancer, William Gibson
Childhood's End, Arthur C. Clarke
Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Philip K. Dick
**The Mists of Avalon, Marion Zimmer Bradley
**Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury
The Book of the New Sun, Gene Wolfe
**A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr.
The Caves of Steel, Isaac Asimov
Children of the Atom, Wilmar Shiras
Cities in Flight, James Blish
The Colour of Magic, Terry Pratchett
Dangerous Visions, edited by Harlan Ellison
Deathbird Stories, Harlan Ellison
The Demolished Man, Alfred Bester
Dhalgren, Samuel R. Delany
Dragonflight, Anne McCaffrey
**Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card
The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever, Stephen R. Donaldson
The Forever War, Joe Haldeman
Gateway, Frederik Pohl
**Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, J.K. Rowling
**The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
I Am Legend, Richard Matheson
**Interview with the Vampire, Anne Rice
The Left Hand of Darkness, Ursula K. Le Guin
Little, Big, John Crowley
Lord of Light, Roger Zelazny
**The Man in the High Castle, Philip K. Dick
Mission of Gravity, Hal Clement
More Than Human, Theodore Sturgeon
The Rediscovery of Man, Cordwainer Smith
On the Beach, Nevil Shute
Rendezvous with Rama, Arthur C. Clarke
Ringworld, Larry Niven
Rogue Moon, Algis Budrys
The Silmarillion, J.R.R. Tolkien
**Slaughterhouse-5, Kurt Vonnegut
Snow Crash, Neal Stephenson
Stand on Zanzibar, John Brunner
The Stars My Destination, Alfred Bester
Starship Troopers, Robert A. Heinlein
Stormbringer, Michael Moorcock
The Sword of Shannara, Terry Brooks (CURRENTLY READING)
Timescape, Gregory Benford
To Your Scattered Bodies Go, Philip Jose Farmer

short on patience

2007-04-24T04:31:00.000-05:00

My writing time is so very limited. "Writing time" includes, well, writing and research, as well as the business side - submission letters, formatting submissions, tracking submissions and finding markets to submit to.

My track record of late has been pretty bad. One short was published online. I was supposed to get paid. I didn't. It wasn't much and it's not worth pursuing, but it is annoying. They are no longer publishing as of this writing. I submitted another story months and months and months ago to a print magazine. Nothing. Yet another one said they would publish sometime in March or April. April is almost over. Nothing.

It's frustrating. Thousands of markets and I pick the ones that cause the most grief. I think it's a sign that I should work more seriously on the novel.

Seriously.

National Poetry Month

2007-04-02T18:11:00.000-05:00

A few months ago I discovered a renewed interest in poetry. Poetic devices, conciseness of words, imagery and pacing - all can be useful when writing prose as well. I recently learned that April is National Poetry Month. The first NPM was held in 1996, thanks to the efforts of the Academy of American Poets. While I applaud any effort to promote good writing, it seems that there are those who are against National Poetry Month. I suppose nothing is safe from

opposition.

In recognition of poetry, I give you my own observations on spring.

Children of Spring

Wisps of green

spring forth

from the nurturing womb

of Mother Earth.

The fragile blooms

dance merrily

in the gentle wind -

like children frolicking

in a field of hay -

mindless of time

until Mother calls them home

again.

Happy Pi Day

2007-03-14T18:32:00.000-05:00

Happy Pi

Day

From Cheeky Geek!

Commercial Break

2007-03-14T18:12:00.000-05:00

While I'm still recovering from the winter bug attack, take a moment to check out some of the published works of my writing buddies. Feel free to drop a comment or a "hi, how are ya" - Cheeky loves getting mail.

Check out Kim Smith's The Faeries at Static Movement (we ain't talkin' Tinker Bell) and Death By Needlepoint at MicroHorror (groovy twist at the end).

"Sheldon's" awesome short, MacCool 's Crusaders can be found at Dragons, Knights and Angels Magazine.

Blah

2007-02-23T13:05:00.000-05:00

Sick.

It's either this or this.

I've been fighting it all week. I finally lost.

Send the chicken soup and tissues, please.

writing software

2007-02-20T19:38:00.000-05:00

I visit one or two writers forums where the subject of writing software comes up every few months. I've downloaded several trial versions of different programs and even purchased one a few years ago. My favorite? Good old WordPerfect. . .followed closely by Microsoft Word. There are dozens of fancified word processing programs on the market. Sure, they're nice, but all the bells and whistles are just too distracting. A "good" writing program isn't going to write the story for you, or even help your writing improve. At best, the program will provide some organizational tools for those of us who are organizationally challenged.

I recently came across a few tools which are useful and not nearly as distracting. Roger J. Carlson generously provides several macros for Microsoft Word on his website. The one that caught my eye is called Passive Word Highlighter - and it does just that. Once the macro is activated, it searches through the designated document and highlights the passive-voice words as well as over-used words and misused words. I used the Highlighter on a story I just finished - one that I thought was fairly good and was amazed at the number of passive voice words that popped out. The tools are downloaded as zip files and he provides clear, easy-to-follow instructions.

Other macros include the Adverb Highlighter, Preposition Highlighter, Adverb Eliminator and Word Frequency Counter. I've downloaded them, but have yet to try them. I'm still busy playing with PWH.

My thanks to Mr. Carlson. Two cheeky thumbs up!

thanks, but no thanks

2007-02-17T08:00:00.000-05:00

Three and a half months after submitting, I received a short, but sweet, rejection for one of my newest short stories. I thought this one had a good chance with this particular magazine so the disappointment level is a little higher than usual.

The editor made one comment which I found particularly interesting, if not a bit cryptic: The evaluation of any artistic endeavor is extremely subjective and we wish you the best of luck in placing your work elsewhere.

What does this mean? I came up with a few interpretations:

1. Every editor has their own preferences, likes and opinions. While Editor A may think a story is a piece of trash, Editor B may love it and want to give it top billing in the next issue. Regardless of the meaning of the above statement, this is true. A story is only as good as the opinion of the person reading it. That's why I try not to get overly frustrated by rejections, at least in the early stages of submitting.

2. Your story sucks, everyone in the office laughed at it, but I don't really want to hurt your feelings. Could be true, but I hope not.

3. Not necessarily applicable to the magazine in question, but I really dislike those literary publications that are trying so hard to convey a "literary attitude" that they miss the forest for the trees. I'm all for literary devices, subtle themes and vague interpretations but I don't want to get so caught up in interpreting the story that I missing the actual story that's right in front of me. There needs to be balance.

Anyway. Haven't quite decided what the next step is for this story. I do know that I'm a bit frustrated by the whole business of short story writing and publishing. Perhaps it's time to focus more on the novel. . .and actually finish it.

Sassenach!

2007-02-16T20:08:00.000-05:00

Kudos to Shaula from the Netherlands for being the first one to catch the connection between "sassenach" and Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. I first read Outlander (the first book) about four years ago. I quickly purchased the next three volumes in the series. An excellent read. . .I highly recommend them all. I will admit, though, that the first two are my favorite. Set in 18th century Scotland, for the most part, Jamie, the Scottish romantic lead/Highland rebel, frequently calls Claire, the English time traveler, sassenach - the Gaelic word for Englishman.

What can I say. . .it's an appropriate word. . .My own "Jamie" is the Scotsman and I am his cheeky sassenach (with some Scots in the family tree going back many, many generations).

This is the lovely postcard I received from Shaula. Fantastic!

Snow Day!

2007-02-14T15:47:00.000-05:00

It's been a hectic few weeks. Getting some writing done, but not as much as I'd like. Snow day today - actually more sleet/ice than snow, but a good day to stay home and stay indoors.

Finished some edits on the last short and hope to get it in the mail to a possible magazine this week.

Wrote a few postcards too. Hey. . .it counts as writing. Right?

I've been around the world

2007-02-01T18:34:00.000-05:00

This is the first "official" postcard I received through postcrossing, from Finland.

I joined a little over a month ago and in that time the cards I've sent have traveled 112,997 kms (or, 70,213 miles). And that's just the official cards. There is also a forum on the website in which people participate in other card trades. I've done a few of those as well.

Surprisingly, Finland is the top country for postcrossing. The U.S. is second. Yes, I've received more than a couple cards from Finland (all have been very cool cards and I love, love, love their handwriting!). I've also received cards from Portugal, Italy and New Zealand.

I have found that some people are very particular about the kind of cards that they want - landscapes, touristy cards, animals, etc. I, on the other hand, am more fascinated by what they write and how they write it. I like to get a glimpse of the person's life or a few details about where they live. And European handwriting is fantastic. Very artsy and legible. Unlike some of the chicken scratch we call writing over here.

satisfaction!

2007-01-28T21:22:00.000-05:00

I just finished the WIP. . .it came in at around 4400 words, not that word count really means anything.

I've never had such a feeling of satisfaction upon completing a story. I'm not quite sure why. I like the way it worked out. Sections came to me in weird places - while tossing and turning in bed, while driving to and from work. I think a lot. I also wrote a lot in the last few weeks.

To add to my list of research topics, for this story I've also read about tsunamis, the Japanese mafia, torpedos, boats/ships, and took a view of the Australian coastline. Not all of the accumulated research was of any use, but it did make for an interesting read.

I will soon be worthy of a good Trivial Pursuit game.

found

2007-01-26T05:45:00.000-05:00

The muse has been very kind to me since the almost catastrophe mentioned in the previous post. The short story WIP should be wrapped up this weekend, if the time bandits are kind as well. It should wind up at around 5,000 words.

Not much new to report. It's a winter wonderland here. I think that means I supposed to hibernate. No, not really. . .but I wish I could!

lost!

2007-01-15T20:18:00.000-05:00

It was a productive writing weekend. . .the current WIP took twists and turns I didn't expect and the writing came pretty easily. We have two computers in the house - a laptop and a desktop. I used to email the current project to myself if I moved from one computer to another. That became confusing, so I bought a portable "thumb drive" some time back. I keep the current projects on the drive so that I have the most current version - anytime, anywhere. I do copy the contents of the drive onto my desktop computer from time to time. Ususally weekly. Never daily.

See where this is going?

I came home from work this evening and turned on the laptop, intending to work on the story for a bit. Imagine my utter horror when I discovered not only the current WIP missing, but the entire "writing" folder, GONE! Nowhere to be found. Very odd and wickedly frustrating since everything else on the thumb drive remained intact.

Panic set in. Actually, it was more like sheer terror. The only hard copy I had was from Saturday afternoon and I haven't backed up the thumb drive since the holidays.

I shed a few tears. Pull out several tufts of hair. Then googled. I found PC Inspector File Recovery. It's a sweet little program which searches the selected drive to find those "lost" files. The program requires very little geeky know-how and is very user friendly. And it's freeware. Very cool. I highly recommend downloading the program - just in case.

Not only did I find the missing WIP - in its entirety- but all of the content of the "writing" folder. The thumb drive has been thrown in the trash and the files copied to several sources.

The moral of this story? Don't forget to back up - back up - back up. Daily. Hourly, if you're really prolific.

I love happy endings.

geography, dolphins and Xerxes I of Persia

2007-01-13T13:17:00.000-05:00

An idea for a story has been rattling around in my brain for a month or so. The nagging little thoughts wouldn't go away, so I've been working on it for the last few days. I did some basic research on a few points and then started writing. As usual, the story made some turns that I didn't predict, so I've been writing and doing more research this morning.

So far, I've read about dolphins, Xerxes I of Persia (nothing in depth, just a bit of light history ready regarding the period of 500 to 451 B.C.), Plato, Japanese cities, and the Asgard. . .oh, not Norse mythology Asgard. . .the Stargate Asgard. Cute, aren't they?

I also played around with Google's interactive map. My geography skills are less than stellar.

Once again, I learned a little bit about a lot. I do this all the time and I've found that a little knowledge can sometimes be useless, but at least I can hold my own playing Trivial Pursuit.

So, have your figured out what the new story is about? Yeah, me neither. I thought I knew, but Thor and Loki had better ideas.

Got milk (bottles)?

2007-01-07T17:14:00.000-05:00

As a writer, I have a fair number of research links bookmarked. Some are just general writing resources. In browsing one such site, Webgrammar, I stumbled across a link to the National Association of Milk Bottles. Huh? I'm not sure which is more perplexing. That it's listed on a grammar reference website, or that such an organization actually exists. Not that I'm knocking milk bottles. Hey, I even remember them. Sort of. I just didn't realize there was a national interest. Take note that their annual convention is in Hershey, PA ~ not far from the Cheeky residence.

Sadly, I can't say that I really collect anything. . .I used to do the stamp and coin thing when I was a kid. I do have a fine collection of writing instruments. Wonder if that counts. . .I use them, though. Probably lowers the value.

Fact or Fiction?

2007-01-06T18:01:00.000-05:00

I don't often pay much attention to those read-this-and-pass-it-on type of emails. If they're truly funny or thought provoking I will forward them, and then promptly delete it from my inbox. The other day I received one such email which was attributed to Andy Rooney. I read it, but didn't take the time to forward it on. I went back later in the day and read it again. It was part humor, part thought-provoking and some parts that I just didn't really agree with. But, it's tone was reminiscent of Mr. Rooney. I decided to do some research and found out that the email was, in fact, not written by Rooney. Allegedly, this mail has been circulating since 2003, much to the dismay of the man it is attributed to.

So, my thoughts on this little tidbits are:

1. If I'm going to write something which will be circulated for years, I want my own name on it. It would probably help the sales should the novel-in-progress ever be published.

2. I wonder if I could write an email which would be circulated in cyberspace for so long.

New Year, Old Traditions

2007-01-01T16:19:00.000-05:00

A relatively quiet New Year's Eve (Hogmanay in Scotland) and Day spent here in the cheeky household. On the eve, we continued a holiday tradition of playing Twister with the dear daughter. I think she was impressed with how limber the older generation can be. At midnight we watched the ball drop in Time Square with Dick Clark. A long standing American tradition which I believe is seeing its final years. It hurt to watch the once exuberant Clark still showing the effects from his stroke some years back.

Today I made the traditional meal of pork and sauerkraut. Yes, we are deep in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch/German country.

Other holiday traditions can be found here.

Did you know that the song of midnight, Auld Lang Syne is a Robert Burns poem? If I didn't already know it, I stumbled on that little factoid this afternoon. Very cool.

No resolutions made here. Don't make what you can't keep. Setting goals is a good thing. Self improvement is something everyone should strive for. I don't see the sense in committing to make a laundry list of changes coming right off the most stressful holiday season of the year. I'll unwind for a week or so and then dive in to the to-do list, the stack of books I've been meaning to read, and the list of possible stories to write. Somewhere under all that stuff there's even a treadmill I've been meaning to use. Maybe tomorrow. ;)

Catching up

2006-12-27T10:34:00.000-05:00

While waiting for the darling daughter to wake up (which she finally did around 10 a.m.), I managed to catch up on my postcrossing obsession. . .err, hobby, post a picture to my deviantART page (link is over ---> there if you want to check it out), critted a story at the Pen (writer's group) and re-submitted a short story for the fifth time - this time to a brand new magazine. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but not holding my breath.

This is my other writing buddy. . .she helps keep the desk clean. By knocking everything to the floor.

She's quite the cheeky feline.

Inspiration

2006-12-22T15:01:00.000-05:00

As I mentioned in one of my first posts, a newspaper article led to a story idea which led to the beginnings of a novel. I stumbled across this article online, which is the most comprehensive article I've read to date and lists all 81 people who were pardoned. It caught my eye because (1) it's Scottish news and (2) I've always been fascinated by witches (think Salem, not Sabrina). I had the good fortune to visit Prestonpans not long after starting the novel and was shocked to discover that no one knew what I was talking about. Apparently the ceremony wasn't widely publicized until after the fact.

Take note of this part of the pardon: "It will be noted that Baron Prestoungrange magnanimously pardoned the cats burned alive with their human companion." Some days I think our family feline retained some of the magical mischeviousness.

2006-12-21T17:26:00.000-05:00

Good ol' Saint Nick should sent you over to another site where you can track his flight on Christmas Eve. There's also a bit of history and other fun stuff. I'm thinking that next year he, or Mrs. C., should journal his holiday experiences. Tell us about the elves, what really happened during the reindeer games and whether his good and bad list is computerized these days or if he is still writing it longhand. Might make for an interesting read. ;)

Personally, the Cheeky One doesn't like the growing commericalism of the holiday season. We spend a ridiculous amount of time shopping and spending way too much money when the time would be better spent with family and friends. (Or writing. . .) This is Cheeky's holiday hero:

The Art of Writing

2006-12-16T12:14:00.000-05:00

Before I developed my extreme interest in computers, writing was done ~ egads ~ with the use of paper and the current writing instrument of choice. Journals, stories, grocery lists written in notebooks, lovely bound, blank books, or on scraps of paper. As a child, I had several pen pals. One such relationship lasted well into adulthood. Lately I've realized that I miss that physical process of writing. It's relaxing, it's theraputic and it's even fun.

To fill this missing void, I've joined The Postcard Crossing Project as well as 1001journals. My first postcards are to be sent to Finland and Croatia. I've registered to participate in a journal which will travel from Illinois to London to Poland to Canada to Italy with a visit to me somewhere in the mix. Very cool. I'll keep y'all posted on the progress.

Write on ~ even if it's only to send the cheeky one a wee postcard.

Got books?

2006-12-12T18:00:00.000-05:00

You'll see two new buttons over there to the right. One links to BookCrossing - where a reader can track where a book has been. The book is assigned a unique number and a label is placed inside the front cover. When you finish reading the book, you log onto the website and post to the book's journal. Leave the book in a public place for the next reader to find. It's like geocaching, but with books. Unfortunately, in my neck of the woods there's only been one drop recently. So, I'll have to see if I can start a trend. The first time I came across something like this was in Scotland, although I don't think the books I found were tracked.

The second one goes to PaperBackSwap. Just like the name says - you register and then post the books that you own and are willing to send to other readers. You can also request that others send books to you. It works on a credit system and you must start with nine books in your willing-to-send list.

As a reader, I'm thrilled by both of these sites. I'm already trying to decide what books I want to trade on PBS and which books will start the Crossing trend.

When I think about the money I've spent on books over the years. . .well, I'd be close to having that 'Vette by now. I have to borrow books (either from friends or the library) or I'd go broke.

As a writer, I have mixed thoughts. From a purely artistic perspective, I think the exposure is fantastic. I know that not everyone cringes at the thought of parting with a book the way I do, and I'd rather see a book go to someone who will read it instead of ending up in the trash.

From a writer's business perspective, I can see the lost profits. But, I can see the benefits of the exposure. Say I have two or three books on the market and someone reads the first one. They like it so much that they buy all three to add to their permanent library. That's my dream, anyway.

Literature meets Technology

2006-12-08T05:46:00.000-05:00

Sony has recently released its Portable Reader System. This portable devise is about as big as a paperback book and as thin as a notebook. The internal memory holds approximately 80 books and will read a variety of formats (Word docs, PDFs, TXT, RTF and BBeB Book format). This cheeky litte gadget is also an MP3 player and image viewer. With a memory card the possibilities are limitless. Like any new electronic, it isn't cheap. At $350.00, I won't be rushing out to purchase one just yet, but I'm hoping that the PRS will boost the epublishing industry. I'm hoping that books and writers will become as popular as the movies and actors they inspire.

Fibs and Pies - Poetry for Geeks

2006-12-03T14:50:00.000-05:00

I've been dabbling in poetry lately. One, it's a great exercise for descriptive language and concise sentences when writing prose. Two, it's easier to work on a short poem in those three minutes of free time than to work on a short story or novel chapter.

In April of this year, Gregory K. blogged about his Fib. A fib is a six line poem based on the Fibonacci sequence (1/1/2/3/5/8/etc.). Each line has as many syllables as the corresponding number in the sequence so that the six lines look like this:

one
word
leads to
one plus one
plus the one before
until you reach the number eight

OK, not the best, but you get the idea. As I recall, Gregory K. landed a book deal for his fibs and there is now an online market as well - The Fib Review.

Since I like all things geeky, I started thinking about other math related poetry, which led me to Pi. Also known as π. Also known as 3.14159. I googled Pi and discovered that I'm not the first to put the two together. See the wikipedia article. Most piems, as they are called, focus on the syllbles, but not necessarily the form. I'd like to see a new variety of piems that follow the fib form: 3/1/4/1/5/9. For all practical purposes fibs are limited to the six lines, but with piems, there are infinite possibilities.

now I see
the
connection to
math ~
a geek writer's dream
to pair together uncommon forms

You get the idea.

So what do we call this? "Mathemoetry?" "Po-e-metics?" I like both. . .my anam cara came up with them.

Tools of the Trade

2006-11-09T15:21:00.000-05:00

Some women love to shop for clothes. Others for shoes. Me, I love office supples. Pens, paper, notebooks, clips, markers, and other assorted writing tools.

Did I mention pens? If I ever get the six figure advance, I'm buying something like this. Montblanc is like the Tiffany's of writing instruments. Of course, I would use it and thereby lessen the resale value. Heh. Like I'd ever sell it. ;)

Ridiculous Rejection

2006-10-31T19:50:00.000-05:00

From the third rejection of the vampy short story: "I'm afraid the use of first person didn't work for me."

I guess they would have passed on Moby Dick as well.

So. . .I wiped the tear from my end and found another, hopefully more friendly, zine.

Also subbed another short - this more of the mainstream variety.

Also added a few words to the novel WIP. I love being productive. :)

Dusting Off the Cobwebs

2006-10-17T14:46:00.000-05:00

I've been oh-so negligent once again, but I'm back. New and improved. New title and cleaned out the superfluous posts.

Writing updates: The second vampire story is complete and looking for a home. While I may write more horror, I think I'm done with vampires. They're such a pain in the neck. *groan*

A mainstream type short is in final edits. Have a few publications in mind. We'll see what happens.

Chapter 4 of the novel-in-progress is almost finished. I should just concentrate on this project or I'll be retired before it's finished.

Joined Writers Village (see sidebar for link). A friendly group of people and some interesting classes. I'm taking on poetry now. Trying to conquer the fear. ;) Might even post some. Maybe.

I'll try to be better with posting. Even if it's just cheeky blabbering.

Learning Never Ends

2006-04-22T14:40:00.000-05:00

I'm always curious about things. I love focusing on one topic and learning all I can. Having said that, I get bored easily and end up moving on to something new. Ever hear: jack of all trades, master of none? That's me.

Currently, I've been looking at various writing courses. I've been leaning toward Writers Village University so if anyone out there knows anything good or bad, or has taken classes there, please give me a shout.

My current interest is leaning toward black holes and other Stephen Hawkings-type stuff. I once came up with a rather interesting serial novel project, but I have quite a bit to learn before that will ever get off the ground.

The latest short story is in its final phase. Not sure which direction I'm heading in. Probably back to the novel. I should, if it's ever going to get finished.

Dark Krypt

2006-03-15T12:11:00.000-05:00

My short story, "Recruited", is in the current edition of Dark Krypt e-zine. You can read it here.

My publicist ~ a.k.a. my husband ~ has been sending out emails to everyone we know, and possibly some we don't (*grin*). He is admittedly my biggest fan. I'm not so sure myself. . .time will tell.

In other less exciting news, a companion story to "Recruited" is currently being critiqued by my online writing group. I hope to start submitting it in the next few weeks.

Another short story - not horror-ish, but still leaning toward "dark" - has been gently rejected twice in its current state. I'll throw it out there one more time before editing it yet again.

One more short story I'd like to write and then it's back to the witches.

Yeah, I know. I've been told that my writing leans toward the dark side. Never know what the imagination will throw out.

OK, now go on over to the Krypt and check it out. My story notwithstanding, it's a pretty decent horror site.

A long overdue update

2006-01-31T19:24:00.000-05:00

I told the moderator of my online writing group that I'm the Queen of Procrastination. (*waves to the gang over at the Writer's Pen*) That is certainly a true statement given the length of time since my last entry. I didn't mean to wait so long. . .*sigh*

So, the good news - - my short story "Recruited" has been accepted for publication by The Dark Krypt, a horror ezine. http://darkkrypt.com/ It will be out in their Mar/April 2006 edition.

"Recruited" is a dark tale which was inspired by our stroll through the Glasgow Necropolis. I am now working on a story based on one of the other characters in the story, but I'm not entirely sure what direction it's taking. I do know that it's more focused on one aspect of "Recruited" that I didn't really stress in the first story. Intrigued? Good. Stay tuned. I'll let ya know when it's published.

Did I mention that it's a paying market. That was really just icing on the cake. The acceptance email is now proudly hanging on the bullentin board above my computer.

Not much new to report. Tonight I submitted another short story. One of the members of my writing group once said that my writing is "dark". This particular story doesn't break tradition.

Work continues oh-so-slowly on the novel. Probably has something to do with that procrastination thing. I should focus on it more, but these other ideas keep screaming to be released. Sometime's I'm good at multi-tasking, sometimes not.

Check out The Dark Krypt. If you like horror stories, that is. Especially check it out in March and let me know how you liked the story.

Cheerio, mates.

More Flash

2005-08-28T11:56:00.000-05:00

I re-entered the workforce a month or so ago. Mostly out of necessity. Writing time, of course, is now precious. I use my lunch hour to do crits for my writing group. If a thought hits me during the day, I jot some notes on scrap paper. I promised myself when I went back to work that I would forget those old excuses I used to use and would make a serious effort.

So, I've started working on chapter three. . .not too far into writing, but it is outlined.

I finished the vampire-themed story - tentatively titled "Recruited". It needs some polishing. I have a list of potential markets, just need to pick one.

I'm still playing with the flash fiction. Another piece was accepted by Flashshot. (I'm starting to wonder if they ever reject any!) It hasn't been scheduled yet, but the link here will go to their publication calendar.

I have two more assignments for the class I'm taking through Long Ridge Writers Group. That's high on my list to complete so that I can concentrate on the novel.

I know. . .a lot of random thoughts here, but I haven't posted for a while and decided it was time for an update.

Updates and such

2005-07-14T06:29:00.000-05:00

Chapter Two of the novel is finished. The first draft, anyway. I've discovered that trying to writing dialectal dialogue is very frustrating. Someone suggested that it's also difficult to read. I like including the local language, but I think I'll scale it down a bit. Other than that, the second chap seemed easier to write than the first. I think it reads better too. Major revisions so far on Chap One, but no one, other than my biased "editor," has read the latest version.

I also completed a short story in recent weeks - tentatively titled "Recruited". The idea came from our trip and our visit to Glasgow Necropolis (see photos below). I am now looking for possible markets. I've also had some other ideas - either to expand the story, or write a series of stories. I think perhaps the latter.

I've gone back to work full-time. Hopefully my writing won't suffer too much. Any words of encouragement (or scolding to quit procrastinating) would be most helpful.

2005-07-13T19:32:00.000-05:00

Glasgow Necropolis

2005-07-13T19:31:00.000-05:00

Glasgow Necropolis

Flash Fiction Update

2005-06-22T11:50:00.000-05:00

My flash fic will be published at Flashshots on September 11th. See below for details.

Novel Notes

2005-06-22T11:31:00.000-05:00

Egads! I can't believe it's been almost a month since our holiday. My bad. I've got to get back into a routine.

The pics below are of Prestonpans, Scotland ~ the setting of my novel-in-progress. Seeing the town was an awesome opportunity. I knew it was close to the coast, not actually on the coast! Need to make some big edits in Chapter 1.

When I first saw the tower, I thought it was a jail, or perhaps a watch tower. Research revealed that it was actually a residence. Built in the 15th century, it was home to the Hamilton family until a fire in 1663. It's such a unique structure that I must find a place for it in the novel!

The most fascinating part of my visit was that I could find NO ONE with any knowledge of the basic plot of my story (taken from a news article late last year). I read the article in a local newspaper and then researched more online. No one had heard of the event. Odd. Very odd. Apparently it drew more attention in the U.S. Go figure.

2005-06-07T12:15:00.000-05:00

Coastal View of Prestonpans

2005-06-07T12:14:00.000-05:00

Prestonpan Tower

Flash Fiction to be Published!

2005-05-26T07:49:00.000-05:00

Flashshot - a flash fic e-zine - has accepted my first submission to them for publication! *Doing the happy dance*! I'm quite thrilled to finally have some publication credits. :D

Flash fiction is short fiction, generally limited to under 1000 words. (NOTE: this is a general definition; guidelines vary by publication.) From a writer's perspective, not only is flash fic fun to write, but it's a great exercise in weeding out those unnecessary words that weigh down a story.

In other news, we're off to the airport later this afternoon. The notes and first chapters of the novel are in my carry on bag. Sometime in the next week I'll be able to visit the town that inspired the story. If I can figure out how to, I'll post a pic or two.

A Novel Idea - 3

2005-05-16T18:17:00.000-05:00

Oh, but I've been neglecting my poor blog. I've come to the conclusion the writing a novel is much easier than planning and coordinating a wedding. The week before was spent wrapping up those last minute details and the week after was spent recovering. Despite the rainy spring weather, it was a beautiful day and I am now happily married to my best friend.

On to the writing. . .

Chapter Two is about half completed. I've found that I get hung up on historical details and am trying to write around them. I think it makes more sense to get the story structured and then fill in the minutae later.

Have also been busy trying to sell some non-fiction stuff. My latest project focuses on the covered bridges of Lancaster County - sort of a "while you're here anyway, you should take a look at these wonderful old structures" kind of article. Keep your fingers crossed.

We leave next Thursday for a family vacation to Scotland. I'm looking forward to doing some sightseeing and research related to my novel. Seeing the actual setting will be invaluable.

A Novel Idea - Act 2

2005-04-14T08:31:00.000-05:00

The first draft of chapter one is finished. Do the happy dance!

I'm rather pleased. It took less than a month, which isn't bad considering that I'm working on other projects, putting the finishing touches on our wedding (16 days and counting) and pondering a possible business venture.

I don't know how long chapter two will take. There's the wedding and then almost two weeks of travel in May. I won't take it on the honeymoon, but I'll take a bunch of sharp pencils for writing on the plane.

Fortunately, ironically, coincidentally ~ we are taking a family vacation to Scotland the end of May and I will be able to visit the area in which the novel is set. Better get an extra memory card for the digital camera.

Anway, I just posted the chapter for my online writing group to critique. I haven't been there long, but they seem to be a friendly, talented group of people. (Thank you for recommending them, Bob.) I'm sure I'll get much better advice from them than I received from my fiance. He said it looked good. What does he know? He's biased.

Flash Fiction

2005-04-04T10:48:00.000-05:00

In my email inbox this morning was a lovely little email stating that my entry in Flash Me Magazine's quarterly contest would be published. This, however, does not mean I've won the contest. Readers will then vote on the entries selected for publication. That I have been selected for publication is thrilling all on its own. The next edition of this online mag., which will contain the aforementioned contest entries, will be posted on April 30th.

Remember early on I mentioned baby steps? Well, this is one of them. I've submitted a few things and finally one has been grabbed. . .An exciting moment, folks.

One other note ~ in what is hopefully a good omen, April 30th is also the day on which I will marry my best friend, my supporter and my soulmate. :D

The word of the day - PUBLISHED

2005-04-04T10:43:00.000-05:00

publish(ed) - v.tr. - To prepare and issue (printed material) for public distribution or sale.
To bring to the public attention; announce. or v.intr. To issue a publication. To be the writer or author of published works or a work.

See next post for further explanation

Non-Fiction Writing

2005-04-02T14:49:00.000-05:00

I am currently enrolled in a writing course at Long Ridge Writers Group. Each student has the option of pursuing either fiction or non-fiction writing. I've done both during the course, but in the last segment, I'm focusing on non-fiction. My theory is that nonfiction will sell quicker than fiction ~ at least giving me a little money while writing the GAN (great american novel).

So, for my last assignment I wrote a little piece on playing poker in Atlantic City. My instructor, Tom Hyman, responded with these comments:

"This came out well. You give the reader a good feel for modern day Atlantic City. . ."
"The writing is smooth and professional throughout. I did very little editing."

Heh. . .I like that "professional" comment. . .I might just have to frame the letter. (Tacky, I know ~ I'll take it down after 6 or 7 months. . .)

I intend to submit a query to a local, regional magazine. One that will consider unpublished writers. Should I mention that I'm a professional, unpublished writer? :D

A Novel Idea - Act 1

2005-03-31T14:31:00.000-05:00

A few months ago, I read an article in the local newspaper. A piece pulled from the newswire and put on the back page. The story caught my attention and within a few minutes some ideas were circulating in that small piece of my brained designated as the creative center. I clipped the article and filed it away. Some days later, I started doing some research - background stuff. In the back of my mind this was a short story and I even found possible publications to submit it to.

A few weeks later, I started outlining. Not something I normally do for a short, but this was different. I'm incorporating historical data from a foreign country. I sketch out names and setting and basic plot.

Finally, time to start writing. At some point during those first three hundred words, a different idea pops into my head. A novel idea. Back to the outline. Do I have enough for multiple chapters? I decide I do.

OK, so I'm still on chapter one. It's scary, I tell ya. I now have tens of thousands of words in which to tell/show/intrigue/captivate. I'm used to two, maybe three, thousand words.

So, I start thinking. I now have to unlearn to some extent all that I've gone through in the past few years. I can through in a narrative paragraph here and there, when need be. I can give all that background information that ends up on the floor with a short.

Time to learn a new set of rules and dust off those books on writing books. ;)

Friday's Lament

2005-03-18T12:11:00.000-05:00

Another week almost done. I've not been overly productive when it comes to writing and for that I feel guilty. Will it push me to do better next week? Perhaps.

I have these random thoughts on writing. Like. . .would D.H. Lawrence, the Bronte sisters, J.R.R. Tolkien have an easy time getting published in 2005. I don't think so. Mainstream, best selling fiction is, in my opinion, very narrow. Predictable. Formulated. In the box, if you will. Getting published is a sporting event. [A big thank you to the love of my life for giving me that analogy!] A sporting event is one which is judged (as opposed to there being a definite winner based on the highest number of points scored by each team) - i.e., it's all subjective. Unlike decades before, we now have publishers and publishing companies coming and going, agents who may or may not be working for you, and the competition is tremendous. What Joe Publisher likes today, he may not like tomorrow. The obstacles are overwhelming.

I hate networking. I despise politics. Schmoozing for the sake of being read isn't high on my list either. I guess I'd better learn how to play the game if I want to be the next S.K. or A.R.

What? No Comments???

2005-02-25T15:17:00.000-05:00

I can tell by the counter at the bottom of the page that I'm being viewed. Comments would be greatly appreciated! This is a work in progress. Hopefully, I'll accumulate some writing tips, some thought-provoking words and an occasional piece of original writing. . .all in a friendly and entertaining environment.

Yes, the thought occurred to me that nothing here is worthy of commenting on. . .

Poetry

2005-02-22T11:55:00.000-05:00

I'm not a big fan of poetry. Not really sure why. . .maybe that awful high school English class where we analyzed poetry for almost an entire semester. I didn't want to have to dig for the hidden meanings, I just wanted to enjoy it. I analyzed the song "Stairway to Heaven". It was legendary. **insert laughing smiley face here**

So given that I'm not a big fan of poetry, I find it odd that I've gone through periods where that's all I wrote. Even into my adult life. I have written any in several years. Hopefully the curse has passed.

first baby steps into the writing world

2005-02-16T12:06:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I applied to an online writing group and today I was approved! Hooray for me! While certain individuals have great faith in my writing abilities, I am somewhat slower in jumping on the bandwagon. My last few attempts were OK. I've made a few submissions for publication and to contests.

Perhaps I'll post some of my early (and oh-so-not-worthy-of-publishing-anywhere-else) works here and we'll document my progress.

Baby steps. Hesitant and wobbly baby steps.

Writing Quote

2005-02-15T07:47:00.000-05:00

I have just read one of the best quotes ever about writing:

"The truth is that writing is a very complex undertaking, analogous to conducting a military campaign." ~ Jon Franklin in Writing for Story: Craft Secrets of Dramatic NonFiction

*****************************

I laughed when I read this because it is so very true. At least when it comes to nonfiction writing. I have been focusing on nonfiction as of late. My undefined plan is to write nonfiction for profit and fiction for pleasure. But, I hate writing nonfiction. It is about as comfortable as wearing a bra two sizes too small.

Word

2005-02-14T09:30:00.000-05:00

putti - n.pl. - cupids in sculpture and painting

In honor of Valentine's Day. . .a day which, in my humble opinion, has become just another commercialized venue for Hallmark and florists everywhere. Not that I hate the holiday - one of the best moments of my life happened on V-Day 2004.

First Post

2005-02-10T22:51:00.000-05:00

A first post is like a first kiss. . .intriguing, scary and best done quickly. Both get better with practice.