Carrie Harris, Query Ninja, has ninja'ed one of my queries. Now I have to rewrite it--but I know the direction to take it, so it won't be so bad. I hope.
We're a Nielsen Family this week, with official booklets for each TV and everything. It started yesterday. I'm frankly embarrassed to have to write down that I watched four of the five hours of VH1's One-Hit Wonders of the 80s show this afternoon, and that I'm watching one of those awful police car chase video shows right now. Not only that, but I feel oddly compelled to keep the TV on and watch it. There is a column for "TV on but no one watching/listening" but that feels like I'm not taking the Nielsen Family thing seriously.
Mom must be feeling the same way, because earlier when I went down to get some lemonade, she came out to ask me something, then said, "I have to get back--I said I'm watching this show about pyramids." I'll be glad when our Nielsen Family Week is over.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, July 16, 2009
And the week from hell hath ended with a whimper
I missed WIP Wednesday! And I actually have been working on a project, although not, alas, today. Today I didn't do jack except work work work workworkworkwork and I still didn't get everything done, including something rather important that is going to backfire on me and cause me (I can see this clearly) to be unable to take any time off in August.
On the other hand, I'm off work for the weekend, because the five hours I work on Saturday don't really count. And Mom picked up tickets to Harry Potter for tomorrow!
This weekend I want to edit "Standard-Bearer" and get it sent off, and I'd like to finish that story I was working on all week too. I'm about halfway through and can't tell if it's going to be any good. Since it's a short story, my guess is no, it will not be any good. But maybe it won't be all that bad.
On the other hand, I'm off work for the weekend, because the five hours I work on Saturday don't really count. And Mom picked up tickets to Harry Potter for tomorrow!
This weekend I want to edit "Standard-Bearer" and get it sent off, and I'd like to finish that story I was working on all week too. I'm about halfway through and can't tell if it's going to be any good. Since it's a short story, my guess is no, it will not be any good. But maybe it won't be all that bad.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Because my last post was a complaint
I thought I'd better post so people dropping by my blog for the first time won't know immediately that all I do is complain. Unfortunately, all I can think of to blog about is how someone stole my sandwich out of the fridge at work today and I ended up getting a burrito at (urp) Taco Bell instead, dammit.
Ah, yes, I know. I'll mention casually that despite my having worked 20+ hours in the last two days, I have somehow managed to write about 1,000 words of a new short story. I was going to write a tiny short little flash story, but I couldn't come up with a tiny short little idea. Unfortunately, as usual the short story idea I had is trying very hard to turn into a book idea. I am resisting this impulse.
Ah, yes, I know. I'll mention casually that despite my having worked 20+ hours in the last two days, I have somehow managed to write about 1,000 words of a new short story. I was going to write a tiny short little flash story, but I couldn't come up with a tiny short little idea. Unfortunately, as usual the short story idea I had is trying very hard to turn into a book idea. I am resisting this impulse.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Why this week will suck
Indulge me for a moment while I talk about work. I'm a proctor, which sounds vaguely dirty but basically just means I give college-level tests; I work at a state college. This is my schedule this week, which is unusually weird:
Monday: Due entirely to my inability to count (long story), I have to work a regular day or at least most of a regular day, then I drive out to one of the satellite campuses to help give a placement test. Start work 8am, leave work about 9pm.
Tuesday: Depending on who else is going to be available today, I may have to work a long day, or I may start late and work late. Start work either 8am or 10:30am, leave work 7pm.
Wednesday: This summer Wednesdays are my long day. Start work 8am, leave 7pm.
Thursday: This is a regular day for me--except that I may have to drive out to one of the satellite campuses this evening to give a placement test. I am going to fight hard to keep from having to do this, so I optimistically predict I will start work 8am, leave work 4:30 pm. Otherwise I'll start work 8am, leave work 9pm.
Friday: This summer I'm off on Fridays. I plan to spend the day sleeping and feeling resentful of my coworkers, even though none of this is really their fault. Well, some of it is.
Saturday: A regular Saturday, which means I have to work. Start work 8am, leave work 1pm.
Don't get me wrong, I do really like my job ordinarily. Just not this week. Oh, and keep in mind that I have a 45-minute commute, one-way.
My writing goal this week: write the shortest flash story I can manage. If I have time, I'll write two!
Monday: Due entirely to my inability to count (long story), I have to work a regular day or at least most of a regular day, then I drive out to one of the satellite campuses to help give a placement test. Start work 8am, leave work about 9pm.
Tuesday: Depending on who else is going to be available today, I may have to work a long day, or I may start late and work late. Start work either 8am or 10:30am, leave work 7pm.
Wednesday: This summer Wednesdays are my long day. Start work 8am, leave 7pm.
Thursday: This is a regular day for me--except that I may have to drive out to one of the satellite campuses this evening to give a placement test. I am going to fight hard to keep from having to do this, so I optimistically predict I will start work 8am, leave work 4:30 pm. Otherwise I'll start work 8am, leave work 9pm.
Friday: This summer I'm off on Fridays. I plan to spend the day sleeping and feeling resentful of my coworkers, even though none of this is really their fault. Well, some of it is.
Saturday: A regular Saturday, which means I have to work. Start work 8am, leave work 1pm.
Don't get me wrong, I do really like my job ordinarily. Just not this week. Oh, and keep in mind that I have a 45-minute commute, one-way.
My writing goal this week: write the shortest flash story I can manage. If I have time, I'll write two!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Finish Friday: The Weredeer
Yes, okay, it's only just barely Friday still (11:59 pm as of right now), but I just finished my final editing pass on The Weredeer. It's good. I don't think I can improve it anymore right now. In other words, I've rewritten it to the limits of my current ability, which was my goal; I'm more proud of this book than I am of any other I've ever written. I think Little Sparrow is actually better written, but Little Sparrow isn't finished.
My next step is to finish polishing the query letter and then the synopsis. Then I'll try querying a few agents and see if I get any nibbles.
My next step is to finish polishing the query letter and then the synopsis. Then I'll try querying a few agents and see if I get any nibbles.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
WIP Wednesday: Standard-Bearer & Little Sparrow
I've almost finished "Standard-Bearer," which is flopping all over the place and way too long, but hey, it's almost done. I'm glad, because I'm tired of short fiction. Both Little Sparrow and the still-unnamed new project are pulling at me something fierce. I hope this means my subconscious has been working on both.
I have been thinking (consciously) about Little Sparrow on and off lately. Originally, Sparrow and Hildy were going to leave town after Sparrow witnesses a murder, but the second I got them out of town the plot just dropped dead. That's why I stopped working on it; obviously, I've got to figure out why my plot isn't plotting. Now I'm starting to wonder if they need to stay in town after all, at least long enough to get into worse trouble.
I have been thinking (consciously) about Little Sparrow on and off lately. Originally, Sparrow and Hildy were going to leave town after Sparrow witnesses a murder, but the second I got them out of town the plot just dropped dead. That's why I stopped working on it; obviously, I've got to figure out why my plot isn't plotting. Now I'm starting to wonder if they need to stay in town after all, at least long enough to get into worse trouble.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Tuesday morning goodness
I woke up to an acceptance from Emerald Tales this morning. Yes, "Cult of the Butterfly" will appear in the first issue! Not only that, but I'll share a TOC with Catherine J. Gardner, whose story "Empty Box Motel" was also accepted. I can't wait to read her story and see what weird flights of fancy she took the "follow the butterflies" issue theme on.
Anthology Builder is running a contest that looks interesting. You pick a cover from their database (and they have hundreds) and write a story about it. There's no entry fee and the winner gets $200 and publication on Anthology Builder. Finalists get a critique by founder Nancy Fulda and a $30 gift certificate to Anthology Builder (and I've put together an anthology there and have stories listed, so I think that's a great prize). I'm definitely going to be looking through their covers sometime this week.
Anthology Builder is running a contest that looks interesting. You pick a cover from their database (and they have hundreds) and write a story about it. There's no entry fee and the winner gets $200 and publication on Anthology Builder. Finalists get a critique by founder Nancy Fulda and a $30 gift certificate to Anthology Builder (and I've put together an anthology there and have stories listed, so I think that's a great prize). I'm definitely going to be looking through their covers sometime this week.
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