B. Miller Fiction

Thanks.

2011-05-01T05:02:00.000-04:00

Here it is, Sunday, and I don't have to post, but I'm still posting.

I've been back to blogging for 2 months now, and it feels good again. I like the shorter format. When I go back and look at old entries, it feels like I was trying too hard. Attempting to impress the potential publishers. Well, fuck that. I want to be short and sweet. Give my readers something to remember in a fistful of paragraphs...

Yesterday, April 30th, was the 1-year anniversary of my friend Scott's death... So much has changed in a year. I've been through huge changes, lost friends, gained friends... over the last twelve months, I've been tempered by fire. Every time I think about where I am, I'm grimly proud. I wish Scott were here today to see how things have changed. I wonder, if he was still here... would things be entirely different?

Here it is, the first of May, the beginning of summer in the South, the tail-end of the cap of wind closing out the storm that uprooted my life... starting six months ago. I'm still here, damaged but whole, bruised but intact. Thriving, in fact. I'm reporting to you from the front lines of pain central, and I'm here to tell you, things are finally starting to look brighter again.

I love you, Scott... and you're missed. To the rest of you... I know you think this is a generic message, but it's not... I love YOU, too... and THANK YOU for the positive energy you bring into my life.

Happy Summer, y'all.

Zen.

2011-04-30T03:23:00.000-04:00

We've come to the end of this year's A to Z blog challenge.

I've gone back over and read my entries, and I'm proud of what I've done. No cheats, no repeats, and every entry was straight from the heart. Whether I was sharing a song, offering encouragement, or just spewing out what was on my mind, my voice rings clear in every post.

It's something I've grown used to... the sound of my own blogging voice. Next month will be its own challenge, because it's easy to keep up with something that already has structure. But I'll be here. I hope you will too.

This project has helped me towards balance in my creative life. While storms have raged around me this month - literal and figurative - I've continually updated, and hit every letter. When I blog, I'm in my own little warm center of the universe. It's nice here, and I'm glad you decided to stop by. The visitors to my blog, even those who don't comment, are more than welcome.

Come back anytime you want.

You Are In Control.

2011-04-29T03:50:00.002-04:00

I've been giving out pep talks left and right in the last couple of weeks. Gonna have to remember to go back and read these in the months to come, when I really need some words of encouragement. Today the thing I want to tell my future self (and everyone else reading this entry) is the lesson posted above.

You are in control.

When circumstance throws a wrench into the gears of your life-engine, it's easy to panic and react without thinking. Anger, frustration, negativity are quick to invade. Blame and Fault are the first things we want to look for, am I right? And before we know it, we're stuck with a mess even bigger than the original wrench in the engine. We get bogged down. Our work suffers. Our life suffers.

But we have the ability to choose our attitude. There are some things beyond our control, yes. But we still have the ability to choose how we react to negativity. We don't have to be negative. Let the anger and frustration pass through you. Process it.

Then let it go.

Shit happens, yo. But each of us is in control... and it's remembering this lesson that will keep me going, the next time a crisis occurs.

I hope it helps you too.

X Marks the Spot

2011-04-28T03:30:00.001-04:00

You've been traveling for a while.

That dog-eared map is the last thing you have still telling you you're alive and not buried in some fever-dream out on the rim of the jungle. Squinting at the squiggles of rivers, faded to transparency in the creases and folds of the map's corners, you wipe your forehead for the millionth time. Insects buzz around your face; you wave them away absently. You stare up the peak ahead of you, daring to hope you've finally found the path. Beyond, you know, is the greatest treasure you've searched for.

The story.

This is writing at its finest... a tattered map to guide you, cutting your own way through barely charted territory. Hell, if you want, you can throw your map away and leave all convention at the foot of this jungle path. Give in to the savagery of your passion and search for a perfect treasure hidden away in your imagination.

And don't listen to Indiana Jones. X does mark the spot, sometimes... even for him.

Whatever Works.

2011-04-27T01:58:00.000-04:00

Hey, I wanna talk to you. About your writing... I want to remind you of something.

There's nobody standing over your shoulder, critiquing your grammar. No one is going to point out your misspellings. You're the creative boss here. There's no schedule. No set of rules brought down from on high by anyone. The voice is inside you, and the only thing you have to do is let it out.

So write. Write when you can. It doesn't matter what it is. There's no Writing Police. Writing for fifteen minutes every day before dinner? Fine. Four hours every second Tuesday? Great. By the light of the full moon, on a cross-town bus, in the window of an ice cream shop, as the last thing you do before you turn off the light on the bedside table and turn over to slip into the blissful solace of sleep...

It doesn't matter. Don't second-guess yourself. Anything goes here. Whatever works.

Voice, Validated

2011-04-26T03:22:00.000-04:00

It's difficult at times to block out everything but that little voice in our minds that wants to tell a story.

"I've got bills to pay," your brain grumbles, "the kitchen to clean, laundry to do, kids to run around after... my God, is it already that time?! I have to call the repair shop before five!"

Life gets in the way. Okay. That happens with everybody. But for just a few minutes today, stop and listen to that voice in your head.

You know the one I mean. That voice, the one that makes you look at cloud-shapes in the morning sky on the commute into work and think of what they could be. The voice that makes you wonder - when you see an airplane painting a long white stripe across the sky - who those people are up there, and where they're going, and what they're thinking. The voice that makes you stop and stare for a second when a particular shade of deep purple jumps out of a nearby sign. The voice that makes you look around at the stoplight, thinking about the people around you in their vehicles, living their lives in their sterile little car-aquariums.

That voice. You know which one I mean. It talks a lot, if you listen to it. And the more you listen, the more it talks.

Now here's a revelation:

It's YOUR voice. And it's a valid one.

Give it an ear.

Under Pressure

2011-04-25T04:31:00.000-04:00

This song has been a friend to me in troubled times over the course of my life. Maybe you need to hear it just as much as I have... when things get rough. It helps me remember who I am, and that even though things are hard, I *will* keep going.

Can't we give ourselves one more chance?
Why can't we give love that one more chance?
Why can't we give love?
'Cause love's such an old-fashioned word,
And love dares you to care for the people on the edge of the night,
And love dares you to change the way of caring about ourselves.
This is our last dance, this is our last dance
Under pressure.

I'll take that dare.

Ten Reasons You Should Start Your Novel (Or short story, or screenplay, or other artistic endeavor)

2011-04-24T04:06:00.000-04:00

1. You're not getting any younger.

2. It's high time you proved the naysayers (especially the ones in your head) wrong.

3. You're obligated as a creative person to listen to what the Universe has to say, and to report back on what you've heard.

4. Only you can tell us your particular piece of the vision.

5. You might write the Next Big Thing and become rich and famous and be able to give me a grant because you read this list and it inspired you to write and you want to express your gratitude.

6. You get to answer the question "What do you do?" with "I'm a novelist." When the questioner looks impressed (and if they don't you should just walk away), follow it up with a nice, satisfying, "Yeeaaaahh, I'm working on a new novel right now."

7. Chicks think being articulate is sexy. Seriously, I'm not kidding. Well... okay, the chicks you should be interested in think being articulate is sexy.

8. Writing is an introspective, self-involved trade, and it will teach you a lot about yourself... which will eventually lead to better emotional and mental health.

9. Finishing a novel is one of the most amazing rushes you'll ever experience. But before you finish one you have to start one.

10. You really do have time to do this. You're just making excuses because you're scared of failing. Well, cut it out. You're amazing. Seriously. Stop being so hard on yourself, stop doubting that creative whisper in your heart and give in.

You'll be glad you did.

Stephen King's new short story

2011-04-23T17:35:00.000-04:00

Entitled "Herman Wouk Is Still Alive", this story was published in the Atlantic Monthly just a few days ago. They put the story up online, and I'd love for you to read it. Here's the link:

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/05/herman-wouk-is-still-alive/8451/

I love this guy.

Revolutionary

2011-04-21T03:53:00.000-04:00

South Carolina is known as the "Palmetto State" because we made the forts in Charleston during the Revolutionary War out of palmetto tree trunks. The tree's wood is so fibrous and soft, the British cannon fire was absorbed by the thick walls and did no damage to the Southern soldiers.

A lot of people think of Southerners, especially those of us from South Carolina, as dumb hicks. It just isn't so. Did you know Charles Townes, quantum physicist, Nobel prize winner and one of the developers of the first laser, is from my town? That's right, Greenville, SC.

I feel a revolution coming on. I want to rearrange how the rest of the country thinks about the South. I want to show people that we're not dumb, or backwards - at least not any more so than any other place in the country. To add my small part of effort to this huge goal, I will continue to write to the best of my ability and live my life as honestly and positively as I can.

What do you want to change? And how will you start making that change, today?

Queries aren't Scary.

2011-04-20T04:01:00.000-04:00

We just make them very hairy.

Seriously, guys. I think we build up the agent/publisher/editor in our mind so much, we forget that they're people just like us. People with schedules and workloads and thoughts and ideas. Experience and advice. They demand respect, yes. But there's no need to fear them.

Remember, what's the worst that an agent or a publisher or an editor could do? The absolute worst?

They can reject your work.

THAT'S IT.

And guess what... you don't need everyone's approval. In fact, you only need the approval of one person: yourself. As long as you continue to be your own best advocate, the success will fall into line.

I'm typing this as a reminder not just to you but to me as well. The agent has had my novel for a while; I've been putting off contacting him. I don't want to be rejected - come on, does anyone? But it's time I moved forward and made my own query. Which isn't scary. Or made of berries. It's just hairy. Very hairy.

So glad the agent's name isn't Larry.

I'm here all week, folks. Try the veal.

Patience.

2011-04-19T04:39:00.000-04:00

Stop.

Stop berating. Stop second-guessing. Stop criticizing.

Did you know you're your own worst enemy? Nobody's worse on ourselves than... yeah, you guessed it. Ourselves.

Give in to the good, screw the bad... and just keep going forward, one step at a time, one breath in, one breath out...

You deserve as much patience as you give anyone else.

I believe in you... and so should you.

Keep writing.

Keep dreaming,

Keep living.

Oxford Comma

2011-04-18T04:16:00.001-04:00

From the Wikipedia entry:

The serial comma (also known as the Oxford comma or Harvard comma, and sometimes referred to as the series comma) is the comma used immediately before a coordinating conjunction (usually and or or, sometimes nor) preceding the final item in a list of three or more items. For example, a list of three countries can be punctuated as either "Portugal, Spain, and France" (with the serial comma) or as "Portugal, Spain and France" (without the serial comma).

Check it, hipster grammar geek scribes. It's a real thing and it's an awesome song from Vampire Weekend.

I hope you like this song half as much as I do.

By the way... I hope you read my "N" entry yesterday. If you haven't, it's something I need you to check out, please, whenever you get the time. I wrote it with you in mind.

Nothing lasts forever.

2011-04-17T03:30:00.000-04:00

It's a law of the universe.

Your job.
Your home.
Your friends.
Your words.
Your dreams.
Your love.
Your life.

Everything.

Everything ends one day.

So today, rejoice in the fulfilling.

Write. Sing. Dance. Laugh. Love.

Find your joy, and revel in it.

Breathe it in. You're only here one time. It's a miracle you're reading this right now. Do you realize all the circumstances that had to come together for you to be reading these words? That you - yes, you - could be that one in a million person who reads this, and is suddenly reminded of the thing they love the most... and in their joy, they contribute to the perfection of the universe?

It's kind of overwhelming when you think about it that way, isn't it?

Nothing lasts forever, man. Love while you can.

Forget everything else.

Message to my Muse

2011-04-16T03:33:00.003-04:00

I missed you, darlin.

We talked all day yesterday, didn't we? From the time the roommate went to work until well after midnight. We sat in bed and laughed and dreamed and every so often you'd whisper in my ear.

And now I have a 6,100+ word short story that's nearly ready to send out for review by a market.

God, it was so good to see you again. To hear your voice. Feel your kiss.

I love you, honey.

Come back soon, won't you? And stay a little longer, this time.

Las Vegas or Bust

2011-04-15T03:56:00.000-04:00

The 2001 World Horror Convention is in a couple of weeks, and sadly, I'm not going to be able to make it. I'm a little disappointed because I'll be missing one of my favorite horror writers, Joe Hill, and I'll also miss the company of the writers I met last year when I went to KillerCon in Las Vegas.

I've been offered an opportunity to go back to KillerCon as a volunteer, and my registration fees will be waived. I think I've got a couple of friends that might let me crash on their couch for a night or two, and that means I only have to worry about the expenses for a couple of nights in the hotel, plus airfare.

I really want to go back to Vegas this year. The convention is over the weekend of my birthday, so it'll be a nice little present to myself. I still need to have some new material to take, though. The going on that's pretty damn slow. But I'm still working on it.

Thinking positively is the key here so... I will get back to Vegas this year, I will have new material to shop around, and I will have another short story published before then. Guess it's high time I started sending work out again, huh?

What's your goal? What do you want to have accomplished by the end of September? Want to meet up with me at KillerCon? Or something else? Share it... maybe we can help each other on our way to the end results.

Knights in Shining Armor don't exist.

2011-04-14T07:09:00.000-04:00

Seriously, I'm not kidding, folks.

Remember: YOU are your own advocate. YOU are your biggest fan. YOU are your own cheerleader. I can join in, but you gotta set the rhythm before I can really be part of the song.

It doesn't matter what you've gotten yourself into. You don't need a rescue. You don't need someone to come along and tell you it's OK. You're perfectly capable of handling your own life and art and vision and... guess what...

YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT.

Just wanted to remind you... in case you'd forgotten.

That is all.

Just a little farther...

2011-04-13T03:10:00.000-04:00

.We're nearly halfway through the A to Z blog challenge, and so far it's going famously. Have you been going around the blogosphere to check out the amazing variety of blogs?

It hasn't been easy to keep up the every day status (I'm used to blogging maybe two or three times a week), but I've enjoyed the challenge. It's been fun to test my brain and see what I can come up with. Sometimes it's a random thought, sometimes a song, sometimes a pep talk. Hopefully all useful, in one way or another.

Spring is finally in full force here in the South, and tonight I had the first fire in my fire pit for a long time. I stood there for a few hours, poking sticks and leaves and random paper products into the flames, watching the trees dance above me in a wind I couldn't feel. I wish I could've had each one of you there, hearing and seeing and smelling what I experienced.

Ah well. I'll just have to put it in the novel, and you'll read about it then.

Imagine.

2011-04-12T03:45:00.000-04:00

Click play.

You may say I'm a dreamer... but I'm not the only one. You are too, aren't you? If we try really hard... what can we imagine?

I can't wait to find out.

Home Again

2011-04-11T02:30:00.000-04:00

The trip to Raleigh was wonderful. I had a fantastic time talking to my old friend. We met when we were very young; she was a visual artist when we became friends. She's now getting her degree in culinary arts, and it's so interesting to see how those two mediums happily dovetail in her life.

It's good to be home again, though. Back to my house and my cats and my own bed. Back to my computer, my balky novel, my A to Z blog challenge. Gotta make up my missed day sometime this week if I can.

All that driving gave me a lot of time to think about where I am and what I'm doing to get where I want to go in my life. I've still got a lot of work to do, but I'm happy to be aware of my surroundings and progress towards my ultimate goal.

Hope y'all had a great weekend.

Going out of town...

2011-04-08T01:30:00.000-04:00

...so there may not be a post tomorrow.

I caught up with an old friend a few weeks ago and learned she lives in Raleigh, NC now. We met almost twenty years ago, haven't talked in over a decade... it was so cool to find her again, and I'm excited about our visit this weekend.

We met when we were teenagers in Governor's School... she was an artist, I was a writer... and we clicked immediately. I know you know what I'm talking about. Everybody has at least one friend who's just fallen into their lap.

If you've got somebody like that... especially if it's an old friend you haven't talked to a while... why not get in touch with them today?

Fun, Fee-less Fiction Contest

2011-04-07T03:50:00.000-04:00

This is short notice, but did you know the Bulwer-Lytton fiction contest deadline is this month? This short fiction contest requires all entries to start with the ~~cliche~~ classic line, "It was a dark and stormy night..."

The catch: entries should only be one sentence long. Start it off with the old, then give it a new twist by the end of the sentence. That should be easy, right? Only a sentence long!

The prize? Per the website, it's merely "a pittance"... but winning a contest is winning a contest, and besides, this is a great exercise for all of us!

Check out the link above to learn more about this contest, and enter if you like. Good luck!

Every artist should know this song.

2011-04-06T02:26:00.000-04:00

Got to sink, got to sink, got to sink to swim
Impersonate greater persons
Because we all know art is hard
When we don't know who we are...

Don't write to get published.

2011-04-05T02:07:00.001-04:00

Yeah, you heard me.

In my new writers' group (remember me telling you I was gonna keep you updated on that endeavor?), we had a discussion last week about getting published and making money from selling your work. One of our members is really frustrated because she wants to write the perfect niche book, the one that's the next big thing and will make her a ton of cash. She doesn't want to invest her time and effort in a project that may not pay off financially.

After letting her vent, I reminded her that our jobs were not to get published, go on a book tour, sell a billion copies of our novels, have thousands of fans, or create the Next Big Thing, whatever that may be.

Our job is to write.

It doesn't matter what you think is going to sell. In fact, I believe that if you go into writing thinking about whether or not you're going to be able to sell what you're producing, it gums up the whole works. When you tell your muse you're not interested in what she has to say unless there's a profit in it for you, it can really piss her off.

It's our job to listen to the muse and interpret what she's saying for the rest of the world to hear. That's what we were put here for, and the Universe doesn't give a shit whether or not you get paid. I believe that if you write what you love, what you think is fun, and you write it well, then eventually you'll find a place for your work.

But even if you never make a penny on it, IT DOESN'T MATTER. Remember, this is more important than money. This is creativity, this is artistic energy, this is shared vision.

And those things last forever.

Cerebral Community

2011-04-04T04:19:00.000-04:00

Take a second.

Seriously, take a moment. Breathe. Blink. Stretch.

There are over 1,000 blogs signed up for the A to Z Blog Challenge. My particular humble collection of mental meanderings is probably not the only one of those you're visiting today.

THANK YOU for checking out other blogs. For taking the time to read and comment.

1,000+ blogs... think about how many people are focused on this goal. We're all part of that creative community. Now - if you can - try to send them each a little bit of your good thoughts, your creative energy. If you can, try to focus on making this Monday pleasant and productive. If you can, do it not just for yourself, but for the people around you - on the internet, and in the real world as well.

If you can. Heh... I know you too well, whether you like it or not, my friend.

Of course you can.

Better Be Sure.

2011-04-02T04:31:00.000-04:00

If you're going to spend your life carving out stories, hewing words into images - like searching for the perfect shape within a chunk of obstinate wood...

...you better be damn sure it's what you really want.

Being a writer ain't easy, folks. It's demanding. We're in touch with a deeper part of the universe than most people around us. We live hard, love passionately, and above all, cherish that perfect moment when the words meet in a design which seems nearly divine - the elemental second where we lose ourselves in the river of creative energy we've tapped into and become more than what we are for a blissful, stunning instant.

That's power. It comes with a responsibility... and consequences, if you don't pass muster when the day is done. You better think about that. Think about what it means.

If you don't, you're as clueless as a monkey trying to piece together Shakespeare.

After all that brevity last month, it's good to have as long of a post title as I want.

2011-04-01T17:46:00.000-04:00

...Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh...

That feels better.

Participating in the A to Z challenge this year? I am. Check it out.

Prosit.

2011-03-29T01:54:00.000-04:00

To your very good health, my friend.

Welcome to the two new followers I've received in the past week, and welcome back to everyone as well. Thanks for sticking with me and reading.

I've decided to take on another quest along with the A to Z Blogging challenge in April - I'm going to give up smoking. I quit for a long time (over three years), but started back towards the end of 2010. I'll keep you updated on the progress.

I realized, thanks to an email from a good friend, that I need to be kinder to myself, my body, and my mind. I know it'll be hard to give up smoking (AGAIN), but it'll be worth it. It's time to be good to myself again.

And it's time for you to be good to yourself too. Treat yourself to something special today, or just do something to make yourself feel good. We all deserve to celebrate ourselves every once in a while... just look at all the shit you've been through. It's amazing you're still here, still trying. You are a champion. You deserve a toast.

Prosit.

Optimism.

2011-03-28T03:29:00.000-04:00

I think I'm finally starting to find mine again.

This has been a good month. Blogging over the last few weeks has been rewarding. I'm looking forward to Arlee Bird's A to Z Blog Challenge, which starts next Friday. Are you going to be participating?

I've focused on brevity in the last month, keeping my entries short. It's been a fun exercise, and I'm happy you've come along with me.

I feel like this was a good first month back. But there's lots of room for improvement. And the improvements are just beginning... with the blog, the book the life. I'll keep updating if you keep reading.

And of course, as always, THANKS for reading.

Natural.

2011-03-24T01:56:00.000-04:00

Sometimes when I go back over my prose it seems clunky when I read it again. I'm working on it being more natural, but it's difficult to get outside my own brain and read it from the viewpoint of someone else. I don't know if it's really clunky, or if I'm being hyper-critical.

I wish I knew how to effortlessly immerse you in my character's world and viewpoint using a healthy mix of conversation, description and exposition, but it sometimes seems like they all just get in the way of each other. I want to give my reader insight on what kind of person the character is, but somewhere in there I get bogged down. I wish I had a word tool like a leaf blower... write down everything I think of, fire that sucker up, and blow away every last nonessential thing. You know?

In the meantime, I'm continuing to struggle with strengthening my prose, and in turn making it seem more natural. I guess practice is just about the only thing that's going to make it better.

Multiplicity.

2011-03-22T04:21:00.001-04:00

Now that I've started writing regularly again, I've had four or five writing ideas in the last week. It seems to be feast or famine for me when it comes to good ideas for stories. I'm trying to write at least some notes for each of them, but I'm so bad at note-taking.

Each of the ideas is so different, there's no way I could make them part of the same project. So far I have the novel I've begun (which is two separate stories entwined), a series of short stories based on an album, a scary short story about a crazy mortician, and enthusiastic rewrites for the two stories I wrote towards the end of last year (I really want to get back to submitting to short markets, ASAP).

I've also started working on a new business venture along with my current contracting job and I'm meeting with the art collective every week, so overnight I've become a very busy girl. I want to push forward on the novel, but I want to work on all these other things too. It's a little overwhelming, but I'm up for it.

I think.

Limitless.

2011-03-18T02:00:00.000-04:00

The winter was long. And long.

But now the sun's coming out again. The trees are blooming. Spring has returned.

And there's a part of me that's waking up too. Slowly. But it's there.

I have to be patient. And strong.

Everything's still there, just waiting to be used again.

The possibilities are....

Knots.

2011-03-17T03:33:00.000-04:00

The New Writers' Meeting was tonight.

I wrote the last novel with the highly useful feedback and encouragement from a weekly writers' group. We met almost every week for the better part of three years, and helped each other work hard to get published. I miss it so much. We stopped meeting several months ago, and now the people who were involved either aren't available or aren't interested any longer.

But I can't allow that to keep me from trying to find new minds I can connect with, new writers who can give me feedback and offer work for me to critique as well. So I've gotten together with a friend and someone she knows who's into writing, and we're seeing if we can make this work.

I know I should put a lot about the Old Writers' Meetings out of my mind - new set of participants, new set of rules, right? But I still have much trepidation about getting into this. I don't know/trust these writers like I did my old partners, and I just don't know if we'll mesh well yet. I guess all there is to do is find out.

But in the meantime, I'm tied up in knots about it. I miss my old group, and I'm trying not to boss the new peeps around with my ideas about how things should be done. I don't want to step on toes, but I also don't want to waste my time (or theirs).

I'll keep you updated on this developing situation. Back to you, Burt.

Justification.

2011-03-16T03:22:00.000-04:00

I spoke with Sarah, the cellist for Murder By Death, last night. She really enjoyed my story based on "Brother". She pointed out a couple of metaphors from my prose that she liked, and then told me that she thought the whole story was very clever, because I'd taken all the scenes from the song and incorporated it into the story so smoothly. All in all, it was a rather glowing review, and we talked about my work and writing in general for a little while.

I mentioned possibly doing a collaborative project with the band, and she wants to talk more about it. I'm so excited and pleased. I've been thinking about writing a series of stories inspired by the songs on their album Who Will Survive, and What Will Be Left of Them? and I've already begun the first piece. If nothing else, this is a great writing fantasy to have.

Putting that magazine in her hand and getting positive feedback on my work is one of the most significant moments I've had in my writing career so far. A lot of hard work was justified.

On another note - and I know I've been keeping these entries short so I won't go on forever - First New Writers' meeting is tomorrow. I submitted the first twelve pages of the novel for review. Wonder what the new group will have to say?

Inspiration.

2011-03-14T04:15:00.000-04:00

Found in the words of one of the best, and I wanted to share them with you.

O Me! O Life!

O ME! O life!... of the questions of these recurring;
Of the endless trains of the faithless—of cities fill’d with the foolish;
Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)
Of eyes that vainly crave the light—of the objects mean—of the struggle ever renew’d;
Of the poor results of all—of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me;
Of the empty and useless years of the rest—with the rest me intertwined;
The question, O me! so sad, recurring—What good amid these, O me, O life?

Answer. That you are here—that life exists, and identity;
That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse. --Walt Whitman

Indeed.

Hiatus.

2011-03-11T02:41:00.000-05:00

No post yesterday, as I was out of town. Went to Atlanta to see a Murder By Death show.

Remember my story "Out of the Blue"? It was inspired by their song "Brother". I went last spring to see them at the Masquerade (also in Atlanta), and I told the band about my story and that it had been picked up for publication by moonShine Review. They gave me their enthusiastic blessing and permission to use their song lyrics to introduce my story in the magazine.

Putting the published story in their hands was one of the most satisfying moments I've had as a writer. I signed the issue for them, as they've signed so many things for me. They were thrilled. So thrilled, in fact, that they put me on the guest list for the show in Asheville on Monday.

I'm so excited about this. If nothing else I'm taking away the immense satisfaction of putting a finished product in the hands of the people who inspired the story into being. But if they like my style, who knows? I'd love to do a collaborative project with them.

*happy dance*

Goals.

2011-03-09T03:40:00.000-05:00

In the last few months I've been doing damage control and I've lost sight of where I want to go and why. I've been focusing on keeping my head down and truckin' as long as I can, hoping I can outlast the shitstorm.

Now that it's finally passing and the sun's coming back out, it's time to re-evaluate.

I want to write. I know being published isn't all that writing is, but I really want to have a novel published with my name on the cover. A REAL BOOK - flourish of trumpets, please and thank you. Being paid would be nice. Actually, being paid would be more than nice. It would be fantastic.

So write, you say. Okay, got that down. Working on the new book. Got the characters; got the setting(s). Got a fun little gimmick that I'm gonna try to run (two timeline narratives carrying on at the same time, for starters). Gotta keep going. As for being published, it's time to get in touch with that agent about my last book and see what he really thinks. If he wants it, awesome. If not, maybe he can offer me some tips on getting it cleaned up.

Keep on blogging, self. Keep writing, and keep up your communique with the contacts you've made in the writing world. Start using Facebook again. But take it easy to an extent, don't get overwhelmed, okay?

Time to set my eyes back on that final goal and start moving towards it again. Who's with me?

Familiar.

2011-03-08T00:54:00.000-05:00

I've been here before.

The shiny newness of the project hasn't worn off yet, and I'm still excited about being inside my characters' world. The words are halting at first (priming the pump has never been so taxing), but they do kick in eventually. I'd forgotten the simple pleasure of composing just for the hell of it. I'm reading over the pages I have, and every time that nagging little voice whispers in the back of my mind...

will this be good enough?

should I put it that way?

can I get this published?

what would an agent think?

would people buy this?

...I just reply with a big old "SHADDUP."

I'm trying to create just for the sake of creating. It's been a while since I took that ride; I want to see if it's as nice as I remember.

Of course, I haven't invested months in it yet, haven't agonized over plot points, haven't really gotten picky about word count yet. That comes later. After the shiny's worn off.

Yeah. This feels familiar.

Extra.

2011-03-07T02:17:00.000-05:00

Just a little more. Just a little more.

Don't look up at the slope. Look down at your feet. If you stare at your feet long enough as you walk, at the space in the path between your feet, you can almost convince your brain you're traveling horizontally. The only thing to betray the illusion is the mounting fire in your muscles and joints, the jagged spurs of pain along your spine.

Just a little farther. Breathe. Swing your arms. Look around; the sun's coming up. Pink bars of sunlight paint the dew-washed hillside. Don't look up; remember, we're almost there. Just keep going.

All this - bill-paying-car-fixing-job-working-house-cleaning-life-living - is the norm. It's every day. It's pumping your legs, listening to your knees creak (more with your other joints than with your ears), breathing in and out, working upwards, fighting against gravity with every step.

That moment you have when you see outside yourself and your personal path, into another world which you create and govern, a universe limited only by your imagination? That's extra.

I'm thankful for extra.

Defiance.

2011-03-04T01:58:00.001-05:00

I did it.

I started the new book.

7 pages, 1,900 words. And I like it already.

I guess what it comes down to is that I don't care what's gone down, who's walked out, what's been lost, or where the time's gone. Sooner or later when the past becomes a jumbled mess the best thing to do is toss a match on the fucker and watch the whole thing burn. Then you can stand back and observe what's birthed from the still-glowing embers, what stirs through smoking ashes to rise again.

By the way, the name of the novel?

Appalachian Phoenix.

Have a nice weekend.

Challenge.

2011-03-03T02:12:00.000-05:00

Since I've only written one novel, I still feel like I'm making this process up as I go along. I'm quite the pantser when it comes to composing. I've had this character in my head for a few months, and she's been growing and changing... but it's only been recently that I've put a few things together and figured out the story she's going to feature in. Today I finally hit on what the story's first scene should be, and that naturally led my imagination into some delightful places I'm excited to visit in the weeks to come.

Tomorrow. Starting the new book tomorrow. Tomorrow tomorrow tomorrow.

And of course, just like you, I have so many things on my plate to contend with. The new Clark Kent job, school, family, friends. The last book... it still needs a lot of work. It's under review with an agent, but we're fast approaching the query limit time. I'm blogging again, and fitting in an afternoon walk when I can. You know. Life.

It's ok though. Challenge makes us stronger. Right?

Back.

2011-03-02T00:59:00.000-05:00

It's been a while, friends, but I'm happy to see the keyboard still works in just the same way and the blog-o-sphere continues to turn happily on its axis just as it was when I last left it.

My apologies for the prolonged silence. I had to take some time away from everything online to deal with personal issues. It was a hard road, but I'm over the worst and on to the next series of challenges life has to throw at me. I've learned a lot over the last four months, about myself and life in general, and I'm sure that'll shine through in the entries to come.

I want to get back into blogging and the wonderful sense of community I experienced last year. I'm ready to focus on my writing platform again. But most of all I'm ready to share my goals and progress with the thousands of other crazy people out there who are doing the same thing I am.

So, first things first: I want to write the new novel between now and August. (Typing that makes me feel simultaneously excited and ill.) Nevertheless, I think that's doable, don't you?

Appropriate.

2011-03-01T01:58:00.001-05:00

Howdy, y'all. Hope the last four months did you well.

When the Going Gets Weird, the Weird Turn Pro

2010-11-01T03:37:00.000-04:00

So I took a break from the blog. 'Bout a month or so.

I stepped back from posting when I realized just how much I dreaded updating my journal. I'd open the dashboard, pull up a new post and sit there, chewing my lip, my guts twisting. What the hell am I going to post about today? I'd think. The whole motivation behind this blog got mixed up with a business-minded attitude about myself and my writing. Instead of journaling about my life as a writer, I was building my "platform" in the most efficient way I could think of.

Which was what undid me, I think. Efficiency sucks. Ha, no... don't look at me like that. It sucks the creativity out of my brain. It turns music into numbers and poetry into words on a page. This stopped being my journal and started being an ongoing resume... every time I posted, I'd wonder what a potential agent or editor's opinion would be of the entry. If I was putting the right words out there. The right thoughts. The right face - that is, the face of the next published horror writer! Cue the trumpets.

Well... sorry, screw that, guys. The nature of art has nothing to do with business. I could go at this concept all soapbox-style, but you I'm sure you know what I mean.

I want to record my journey as a writer, from the small place I'm in now to the vast undiscovered country of the future. How my process works. Current projects. Learning about myself and my craft. This life experience from my little corner of the writers' universe. I took the last month to figure out why I never wanted to post anymore, and I've realized I can't turn this into a business in my brain. I have to just live my life and tell my stories. Everything else will follow along.

Hopefully you will, too. Come back soon.

P.S. I was Raoul Duke (Hunter Thompson) from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas for Halloween. Picture above. I rocked it. That is all.

Celebration: The Release of CassaStar!

2010-10-19T02:18:00.000-04:00

I'm coming out of my brief blogging hiatus to let you guys know what a special day it is today - Tuesday, October 19th is the release date for Alex J. Cavanaugh's novel, CassaStar!

I've been eagerly awaiting this novel for months. Check out this awesome book trailer:

Congratulations on the book release, Alex, and I wish you the best! May your sales be plentiful - I know I'll be buying my copy very soon!

Music Monday: Lizzy Ross

2010-09-27T03:25:00.000-04:00

This weekend I had the distinctive pleasure of a quick road trip to Durham, NC to see Lizzy Ross perform. Lizzy just released a new album, Traces, in June. Her sound is technically alternative rock... but it's hard to categorize what I heard on Friday night. Her music is a delicious hybrid of folk, jazz, rock, and blues, with clever lyrics and riffs impossible to resist dancing to.

The venue was a private little gathering spot out in the country, and as the sun went down, tiki torches blazed and strings of tiny Christmas lights twinkled under the stage rafters. As the evening deepened, the music became more and more intoxicating, with the band effortlessly spinning out tracks from the new album like "Wedding Cake" (a fast-paced song with a playful sound but a serious subject) and "Cross the Cuyahoga" (an ambitious track that alternates between a driving beat and a lyrical chill-out chorus). More and more people got up to dance as the show went on, and it was remarkable how easy it was to get lost in the music with complete strangers - the sound just took us all over, and we gave in happily.

I was reminded a bit of KT Tunstall with some of her songs, and Norah Jones on others, but it was about the time Lizzy busted out a cover of Chocolate Jesus by Tom Waits that I knew she had her own style and sound. It's obvious she's worked hard to become as good as she is, and even though the show was a small one, she and her band played their hearts out. They finished up with a great couple of songs - the bluesy, dance-hall crowd pleaser "Bones" got the audience up on its feet and out on the dance floor, and Lizzy treated us to a solo version of the title track from her new album, a bittersweet, poignant song about remembering love and having the hope to try and claim it one more time.

I really enjoyed the show and would definitely go see Lizzy again. I bought a copy of her new album, Traces, and I've already been listening to it this weekend. I'd highly recommend if you're in the Durham, NC area sometime in the next couple of months trying to make it to one of her shows. You'll have a great time. Here's a video of her performing her song "Bones" at the Festival for the Eno in July.

Bones from Lizzy Ross on Vimeo.

Happy Monday! Hope the new music makes it a little easier today.

Your Short Fiction: Keep Your Chin Up!

2010-09-24T05:29:00.000-04:00

We've had a productive week, haven't we?

You polished up your short fiction, found a market to fit the piece, sent it off with an awesome query letter and have logged all the info in your submissions tracking database. Now there's just one thing left to do...

Wait.

Yeah, it's one of the hardest parts of the job. Your creations have flown the coop and are being reviewed by editors... so now you have to be patient and wait to hear back from the markets you've contacted. Usually it's a matter of weeks... but it can be months before you hear back. And I'll be honest... often, you don't hear back with good news.

But if you keep trying, if you believe in yourself and your talent, if you refuse to give up... you'll get there, eventually.

Remind yourself, when you receive a rejection, that this is a huge numbers game. The more rejections you get, the closer you are to getting published. After all, they can't all say no. Take the criticisms and suggestions offered and review them carefully. Remember, if they took the time to give you the pointers, that means your story impressed them in some way. Don't give up, try again.

And then one day, you'll open that email that says "we really liked this story, and we want to publish it in our upcoming issue". What a party there will be! I better be invited!

In the meantime... You can do this. I believe in you!

If you'd like to discuss more about getting short fiction published, feel free to comment. Have a fantastic weekend, my friend!

Your Short Fiction: Queries and Organization

2010-09-23T04:44:00.000-04:00

You've polished your short story, searched through likely markets and found the one you think would work best for this particular piece. Now you're wondering how best to ask someone to read what you have to send.

Short and sweet is always best, in my opinion. Remember, editors get hundreds - if not thousands - of submissions a month. They don't need to know about your whole history. And you don't really have to tell them what the story's about, because they're going to find out anyway when they read it. Mention places you've been published, but stop when you get to five or six. Make sure to mention an award if you've been given one. Tell them a little about your current projects if you like. But seriously, keep the letter as short and to the point as possible. Here's a submission letter I sent to Apex magazine, so you can get the idea:

Good evening,

After reading through a few issues of Apex, I believe I've crafted a story that would fit well within your market. I'm excited for my work to run the Apex editors' gauntlet, and hope my work will be well received. Please see attached for my short horror piece, "Knights of the Road".

My short fiction has been published in Fissure magazine, Sinister Tales, A Cappella Zoo, Morpheus Tales, and moonShine Review. I've also finished the first draft of a horror novel, Blood in the Orchard, and am currently up to my elbows in the thorny process of editing that work. I'll be attending KillerCon in Las Vegas, NV this year and hope to find an agent for my book.

Thank you so much for your time, and especially for your consideration of my dark fiction.

Best Regards,

B. Miller
http://bmillerfiction.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/bmillerfiction
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Greenville-SC/B-Miller/125194602349

Remember, editors are just people. Treat them with respect, like they're another person on the other end of the connection instead of a faceless email, and don't be afraid of them.

Keep track of where you send each and every story. If you're using the submissions tracker on Duotrope's Digest, this is a no-brainer. It keeps all the information you need on hand. If you're not, that's okay, too. Make yourself a spreadsheet that includes AT LEAST these criteria:

Market name
Date sent
Story name
Market web address
Notes section

You can add any kind of criteria you like, of course, from word count to story genre to email address of the editor you sent it to. You can also make your spreadsheet as detailed or as simple as you like. The thing to remember, though, is that you MUST check this sheet regularly, just to keep an eye on things. Don't be afraid to query on a story that's been out there for a long time. Duotrope normally lists the average response rating for a market, but even if you don't know that information, I would query after six months. Your query letter should be as short and sweet as your first one, if not more so. Here was mine to Dark Discoveries when they held on to my story, "Watched", for over seven months:

Good morning,

Just wanted to touch base with you on the status of my story, "Watched". I sent it out for your review on January 7th. I know things must be hectic for you, and I hope I'm not being a bother. Would you please let me know at your convenience where the story stands? Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

Cheers,
B. Miller

Be confident. You're a professional, remember? Not only do you have talent, but you have dedication and determination. You have every right to be corresponding with these editors and asking them to take a look at your work. You've been working hard, and you've got something to show for it.

All right, that's enough for the day. Get your letter together, make sure your ducks are in a row, and then do what you've been putting off for... how long now?

Hit send, my friend.

Your Short Fiction: Finding a Market

2010-09-22T04:25:00.000-04:00

So now you have an edited, polished story you're ready to send out into the world.

Don't be freaked out. Remember, this is what you signed on for. You're a writer, remember? The hard part's over - the story's already written. Now you just need to find someone as enthusiastic about your fiction as you are.

One of the most user-friendly and useful tools I've found on the internet for finding fiction markets is Duotrope's Digest. Duotrope is free, and it offers an online organization tool for tracking your submissions. All you need to do is plug in what you want in their nifty search form, and you have literally dozens, if not hundreds, of markets to choose from for your short fiction.

So here's the question: how do you choose?

Take a look at the acceptance ratings, first. This can be found on the market's listing page on Duotrope. The lower the acceptance rating, the less likely your piece is to get placed. If you've never published anything before, try something with a high approval rating. Big markets like Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction or Weird Tales probably aren't going to publish a first-time writer. Be realistic in your goals; remember you have to get your chops before you can move up the ladder.

Narrow it down to a few markets. Now, visit their websites. Take a look at whether or not they accept simultaneous submissions - that's the practice of submitting your story to more than one market at a time. Many markets are okay with simsubs, but some aren't. Make sure your formatting matches what they require in their submissions guidelines. Also keep in mind how the market accepts submissions - not everyone accepts emailed stories. If you're not willing to shell out the postage, toner and paper, make sure to only research markets who accept electronic submissions.

Most importantly, take the time to get familiar with the type of material offered by the market you're researching. If they have PDF issues or excerpts available on their website, read them. Look on the shelves of your local bookstore for those small markets, if you can find them. Try to gauge if your work will be a good fit for the market, and if your fiction fits with the kind of publications this market is known for. Before you know it, you'll find a market to fit your work.

Now that you've selected a market to submit to, you're almost ready to send it out! Tomorrow we'll cover the short fiction query letter, plus keeping up with your submissions in the field. If you've got any questions or comments about finding a market for your work, feel free to comment!

Your Short Fiction: Polishing

2010-09-21T01:07:00.000-04:00

The first step to getting your short stories published is to make sure they're a marketable product. Thousands of stories are submitted to markets on a monthly basis, so it's incredibly important that your work shine when it gets in the hands of a potential market editor.

First, check the spelling and grammar of your piece. Do NOT rely on your word processor's spelling/grammar checker to do this for you! If you type "Jenny was Eric's best fried in high school", the spell checker won't catch the misspell in the word "friend". But you can bet the market editor will catch it, and they WON'T be impressed. If you've looked the story over a hundred times or you're not comfortable with your level of skill in grammar, ask a friend or a writing partner to look over the story for you. A fresh pair of eyes will see mistakes you've overlooked.

Now that you're relatively sure everything's spelled and said correctly, go over your prose and look for passive words and phrases. "Ellen was singing" can easily become "Ellen sang". Also look for words like "that" and "had". Cut as many of these as you can. The same goes for words ending in -ly. KILL YOUR ADVERBS!! This will make your prose cleaner and tighter, and read faster. The vast majority of editors out there are looking for a quick read.

Now take a look at the story as a whole. Is there a beginning, middle, and end? Can you summarize what happens in a few succinct sentences? Are your characters believable?

Once you've completed these steps, it's time to format your piece. Most markets call for "standard formatting", which (loosely) consists of these rules:

Double-spaced text
12 pt. Courier or Times New Roman (stick with the TNR; courier is usually accepted more in overseas markets)
The title, centered and bolded, just before the story begins
Numbered pages on the bottom right-hand corner of every page except page 1
A small header at the right hand top of each page except page 1 that says your last name and the name of the story
Indented continual paragraphs
Your name and contact info (mailing address, email address, phone # if you want to include it) at the top left corner of page 1
Word count at the top right corner of page

I usually compose in standard formatting to save time later. Remember, not every market uses these rules, so make sure you check the submission guidelines for the market before you send it off. We'll go over more on that tomorrow.

Once you've completed these steps, print your story out and read it one last time. Give yourself a fresh "lens" to read through - try to imagine your ideal reader for this piece as you read. Pick a friend, a colleague, or someone else you'd like to share your genius with. Try to read it from their perspective. What do you think they would think of your words?

Okay. That's enough for today. Polish, polish, polish... now take a deep breath and a few steps back. We'll find a home for that perfect short piece tomorrow. If you've got any other polishing tips you'd like to share, please feel free! We learn new things every day.

Your Short Fiction!

2010-09-20T01:59:00.000-04:00

Let's talk about those unpublished short stories you have.

You know, the ones in that file. The ones you haven't sent out? Yeah, THOSE stories. I have a question for you. Why haven't you sent them out?

Don't look at me like that. I mean.it. Seriously! Some of those are really good. You know they are. And if you send them out, circulate them around, you never know, someone might pick one up and publish it.

What's that? So what? So what?! Here's what: the more short stories you have published, the more credits you have. The more credits you have, the more likely an agent, editor or publisher is to give you the time of day. Plus, some markets submit really good stories for awards... and if you've won a short fiction award, you're all the more attractive to a potential connection that's a few rungs higher up the industry ladder... know what I mean?

I understand you're nervous about it. But don't be! Remember, the only thing they can say is "no". And you have to start getting rejected if you're ever going to get accepted, remember? So let me go over some things with you this week to help you along the way of getting some of your short fiction published. We'll talk about polishing and formatting, finding markets to publish your work, cover letters, keeping yourself organized and dealing with rejection. Any other aspects of short fiction publishing you'd like to discuss? Just let me know in the comments today.

I've missed you guys and am so happy to be back at the helm of my blog. Full speed ahead, the week's laid about before us in a sparkling swath of possibility!

Three... Two... One... Novel Away!

2010-09-08T02:18:00.000-04:00

I sent the files for Blood in the Orchard to the agent on Friday of last week.

Whooo! I'm happy it's out, and it's in good hands. Of course, I'm nervous, but I've developed a knack for forgetting about work that's out in circulation. I don't think I'll be obsessing about the fate of my MS for the whole 2-3 months the agent will take to get back to me.

He asked for the first four chapters, an excerpt starring the monster/creature of the book, and a full synopsis. I'd never done a synopsis for a novel before and had no idea how difficult it could be! I finally just went through the book, chapter by chapter, and hit all the high points in the synopsis (following the agent's advice from the panel I posted about last week).

The synopsis is definitely a tool I'll use directly after finishing the first draft of the next novel. Right away I could see huge pieces of the story I could carve out and still leave most everything relatively intact. One of the only sticking points the agent had about my book is how long it was. The finished first draft was 124k, and in editing I'd dropped it down to 119k... but he said that as a first time novelist I really need to be shooting for 100k or less. The reason, he said, is strictly economic... once the book surpasses 100k words, the printing prices jump. Which makes for a more expensive book at the end of the whole process... and in the end, a less attractive book for your potential reader. If no one knows your name, they're much less likely to spend $25-$29 for your 115k-word novel than they would $17-$21 for your 90k-word novel. So I need to find some fat to trim... and once I really buckled down on the synopsis, I found a few places I could cut. Mainly, any time I had a hard time figuring out how to explain a particular scene, I asked myself how important it was to the story, or if it was just writing for the sake of expressing my voice. Often it was the latter of the two.

So now I'm in the final edits of the MS, changing up a few things so I can have a polished copy if the agent wants to read the rest of it. And my baby is in someone else's hands... all I can do is send it out there with the best of my heart, and hope it won't come back too banged up.

Queries and Book Proposals

2010-09-02T03:16:00.000-04:00

Last week at KillerCon I attended a great panel called "Writing Queries and Book Proposals that Sell!". It was an hour-long, interactive talk from an established horror agent, and it was by far one of the most informative panels I sat in on. I knew this was something YOU'D be interested in, dear reader, so I took good notes for you and am here to report back on the info I collected.

The agent stressed that one of the most important things a writer can do is RESEARCH the person they're querying. Agents are listed out there on websites all over the place (two that immediately spring to mind are agentquery.com and writers.net), and they're not shy about what they want and don't want. Most of them list on their profile what they're looking for, how they accept submissions, and basic guidelines for submitting. A writer who sends out blindly is going to do nothing but irritate the agents they send to and eventually give themselves a bad name. Customize your query to each individual agent before sending it out. DO NOT, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES imaginable, send out one query to a crapload of agents at one time. They WILL notice the mass email and delete it immediately without even opening it (yes, the agent running the panel said this himself).

I think the thing to remember here is that agents are people just like us. They're not machines, they're not some data monster that eats pages and spits out rejections. Treat them with respect and professionalism, and you'll get the same in return. I found this out on a first-hand basis when I had my pitch on Friday. After we sat down and got into our conversation, I forgot I was talking to an agent (well... mostly). We just talked like regular people discussing a book. Which is what, if I'd given myself some perspective, all I could've expected in the first place. Pitches are not some test you have to pass! They're a professional conversation with a person who may or may not be interested in what you have to say.

When you create your pitch, try to remember that terminology such as "this book is Harry Potter meets Twilight!" doesn't really impress anyone in the publishing industry, and is really used more in film terminology and movie pitching. Give the agent 3-4 short, well-written sentences about your book. This is NOT a synopsis - we'll get to that later. This is just enough to get someone interested in hearing more about the concept.

Before I started all this research on the pitch, I didn't know what the difference between a pitch, a query, and a proposal was. What I've learned is this: a pitch is a face-to-face meeting with an agent or publisher where you immediately have an in to try to sell your book. A query is a one-page letter (or email) sent to an agent or publisher in attempt to interest them in a book proposal. And a proposal is a lot of things rolled up into one:

A short blurb about the book's overall story. Don't go over five sentences. Make it tight and short, with little sentences like punchy jabs. Don't get into huge detail here; you're only trying to get them to read on and see what the actual story is like.
About the author. Include works you've had published that fit within your genre from major markets. Let the agent know what you've been working on, but don't inundate them with dozens of names of minor markets. They need to know if you've gotten an award for your fiction, not that your cousin Danny has published four of your stories on the printing press in your garage. Tell just a little about the publication credits you've received, but don't go overboard.
Synopsis. This is, plain and simple, an outline of your story set into paragraph form. Give the high points of the story, remembering the Red Queen's advice to Alice the entire time: "Start at the beginning, and when you get to the end, STOP." The synopsis must have a clear, recognizable arc, and make sense from start to finish. This is like a map you draw after you finish the book, including all the turning points in the story. DO NOT leave out the end. The agent will want to know you're capable of wrapping up a story with a satisfying ending. Leaving them with a cliffhanger will do nothing but turn them off.
Partial. This is the first fifty pages, first four chapters, or first 10,000 words of your novel. DO NOT send more than this. An agent can tell immediately if what you've sent is too long. If you're right in the middle of a scene, take it to a logical stopping point and cut it off. The important thing to remember about those first fifty pages is that you MUST have introduced your main characters by the time your reader/agent gets to the end of them. If you haven't, you're probably not going to have a very successful novel on your hands. Be extra-careful of typos and grammar snafus in these pages. Make sure it's as polished as it can possibly be.
Marketing info. This is potentially dangerous territory, so tread softly where you go. Don't make a lot of outrageous claims about how many copies your book is going to sell. That's for the bean counters in the publishing agencies to tally up. Do, however, include a list of other books similar to yours in the same market segment; books which have done reasonably well in the marketplace, or books the agent or his firm have published.

Networking is essential. You have to have a good rapport with agents and publishers to get ANYWHERE nowadays. Remember, there are over 300,000 books published a year in America alone. You stand a much better chance of getting yours published if you have some contacts in the business. How can you network? You can go to a convention like I did... or if there's not one in your area or it's out of your price range, try finding agents on social networks like LinkedIn or Facebook, or checking out some of the message boards on the publishing websites you're interested in. Listen to conversations, and insert yourself into threads as you see fit. Before you know it, people will know who you are.

One more tip from our panel agent: if you're at a loss on finding agents or editors, check the acknowledgement sections of the books you're emulating. Most authors will list their agents and editors in the acknowledgement page, and this is a great jumping off point for you to do more research on a person that may be able to help you on your way to getting published!

KillerCon!

2010-08-31T02:58:00.001-04:00

KillerCon was a great first-time conference experience. Absolute aces. I made amazing new friends, networked, got my name out there. I passed out business cards. I befriended the editors of at least three horror markets. I met so many writers... artists who inspire and astound me, new names on the playing field, experienced authors who had plenty of advice to offer - it was just a matter of asking.

KillerCon had a lot to offer, and here's a little bit about the different aspects of the conference:

Panels - Nine panels were offered at this year's KillerCon. There was a great variety of topics, from women in publishing to shapeshifters in horror fiction. Informative and interesting, and they offered the chance to ask questions and add to the conversation on most panels, as long as there was time. I took some great notes on the query letters and screenwriting panels, and I will post those here later in the week, if you're inclined to know my thoughts.

Prose - Between panels, writers read from their works. I listened to amazing prose from Brian Lumley, Adam Pepper, Michael Louis Calvillo, John Skipp, Cody Goodfellow, and Tananarive Due. It was a thrill to listen to these authors and have the opportunity to ask them questions about their work and their careers. There wasn't a single boring or bad reader and I wish I'd had the opportunity to sit in on every single reading there was.

Pitch - My pitch session was with an established horror agent, and it went really well. He seemed impressed with my concept, and asked for the first few chapters of my novel, plus a synopsis. He also asked for an excerpt featuring the monster of the novel, once he found out what the monster was. Hell of a nice guy; he set me at ease immediately and we had a real conversation that lasted much longer than the initial pitch session was supposed to - we talked for half an hour or so instead of the customary ten minutes.

Parties - After ten and eleven hour days of working, it was time to party. I had a great time mingling with everyone and talking about a little bit of everything, from writing to books, music, movies, and moonshine. Anything under the sun (and some things that aren't) came up over the two nights we had together. Saturday evening never ended for me, because a group of us stayed up forever - no kidding, three of us never went to bed. It was fulfilling to spend time with other writers - people who understand who I am and where I am in this process of crafting my career. And it was effortless. I clicked immediately with several people, and I'm looking forward to discovering and developing those friendships.

Particulars - The staff was dedicated to making sure everyone had something to take away from the experience. They had a snafu with the original conference hotel on the first day, but they worked hard to overcome the difficulty and make sure everyone was accommodated. The Stratosphere was a stellar hotel for a convention. The KillerCon attendees were welcoming and happy to talk with me, and I made a lot of new friends this weekend. I'm looking forward to seeing most of them again at KillerCon 3, if not at World Horror Con in 2011.

Them's the basics. Now - I know you've got questions, kids. Lay 'em on me. I'll be posting more this week on the panels I attended, and I had some really great ideas for an upcoming contest and a blog hop, too. I missed y'all and am glad to be back; now it's time to get to work!

Back in the Land of Sweet Tea and Free Internet

2010-08-30T03:14:00.001-04:00

Howdy, y'all!

I'm back on the east coast after my trip to Vegas for KillerCon! I had a fantastic time, made lots of new friends, and had a wonderful pitch session on Friday. I'm in Atlanta at the moment, staying with a friend. Tomorrow I head back to Greenville and I'm so ready to get back. I've got a lot to work on and it's exciting!

Thanks so much to everyone who sent good vibes and encouragement my way! It really paid off. Expect a full report tomorrow on the convention!

See you back here tomorrow! I can't wait to fill you in on what all happened at the convention, but I gotta crash for now. I can't keep my eyes open. I'm wiped out!

Have a fantastic Monday!

Ready... Steady... Go!

2010-08-23T03:07:00.000-04:00

KillerCon is this week! Whoooo!

I've been working on getting the novel edited, and putting a pitch session together. After a heated debate with my writing partner, I've decided to put the cut first section back into the novel. It's not my job to hack and slash at the prose; hopefully I'll have an editor interested in doing that. At this point, I feel the need to just back away before I do serious damage to the novel.

The pitch session has been worrying me, but I've finally wrapped my brain around it and done my best to stop being so damn stressed about it. I'm determined to enjoy the conference and relish it for exactly what it is: a chance to network and make new friends in the horror writing community, as well as get some pointers and suggestions for how best to query agents and editors about my manuscripts. Anything else is just gravy, at this point. It would be awesome if my book is a hit with an agent or an editor at the conference, but it's not something I'm going to obsess about. Especially if that would keep me from having a good time at the con.

So now I'm counting the hours, minutes, moments until it's time to go. I keep going over checklists in my mind, making sure I haven't forgotten anything. I finally finished the one-sheet for the pitch and it looks good, as far as I can tell. I feel like I'm stumbling around in the dark making this stuff up as I go along, but I'm sure everybody feels that way the first time.

I'll give you guys a full report when I get back... in fact, if I'm able to blog from the hotel I'll probably post something at the end of the week about how everything is going.

What are you looking forward to this week?

The Proverb of the Month is...

2010-08-18T02:28:00.002-04:00

"If you can do something about a situation, don't worry about it. And if you cannot do something about a situation, don't worry about it."

This is a lesson I'm still striving to learn, but it's sinking in. Slowly.

I've been absent for a few days; my apologies, y'all. I'm just trying to get my head on straight before the conference next week. I've never been to a writing conference and of course I've never had a pitch before, so I'm understandably anxious. I took a break for a bit so I could collect my thoughts and breathe.

Now I'm a week away from the con, for better or for worse. In one week, I'll be heading to Atlanta to make my flight. A week from tomorrow, I'll be in Vegas, checking in to the hotel. A week from Friday... pitch time. But it's all right. After some time away and a long talk with an old friend (who's also an artist), I feel better. Stronger. And ready. As much as I can be, anyway.

I sound grim, don't I? Heh heh heh... Well, I am a horror writer. But don't worry; the excitement will be back. I'm just glad to be past the worst part of these pre-con jitters - what I believe to be the worst part, anyway. I missed you guys while I was away. Hope the world's been good to you while I was gone.

I'll be around more in the next few days, and I'm sure the exuberance will return. For now, I'm just basking in the relief of letting go all of that worry I've been trying to process. Tomorrow, we get back to the warm-wet-puppy excitement of it all.

Until then...

Like a Freight Train

2010-08-11T02:04:00.000-04:00

Here it comes.

In two weeks my bags will be packed and I'll be on the road to KillerCon. I start the journey with a road trip to Atlanta, 'cause it was a LOT cheaper to fly out of ATL instead of Greenville. I'm crashing with a friend overnight, and then heading on to Vegas.

I've been working hard on my manuscript, but I don't know if it's gonna be done. I'm really concerned that it's not going to be in a shape that I'm comfortable with showing, and that kinda freaks me out. Especially since I have a pitch session FOR the novel coming up. I mean, I'm sure everyone attending KillerCon - especially the agents and editors manning the pitch sessions - are professionals, but I'm sure you know how hard it is to shake that Oh-my-God-I'm-in-front-of-the-class-and-where-are-my-PANTS feeling.

The last few days I've been in a standstill, like the doe who's found herself unlucky enough to be caught on the train tracks as her death approaches in a rushing growl of thunder and steam. I open the manuscript and look at it. I know the beginning HAS to be rewritten, but...

Sigh. I HATE buts.

I'm grateful to have found KillerCon, but I wish it was in October like my original timeline called for. Then I would have a finished, polished product to take with me to Vegas. Something I would know is the best work I could possibly give to a prospective agent.

Oh well, wish in one hand, spit in the other, see which one fills up first.

Fellow writers, when you go back through your edits, is it hard to read your own prose? Do you sometimes question whether or not you should subject another human being to experiencing said prose? I know I sure am this week... as I hear the train whistle in the distance, I know there's not much time left to get my shit together.

Send me some good productivity vibes huh? Thanks guys.

Perseid Meteor Shower

2010-08-10T02:07:00.000-04:00

I wish I could somehow orchestrate a huge blog meetup this Thursday. Tap into the science fiction of Star Trek to transport whoever wanted to come see the Perseid meteor shower with me that evening.

The Perseids are a meteor show that comes about because of Earth's orbital progress through a comet's debris field (in this case, it's comet Swift-Tuttle). They're called the Perseids because they seem to emanate from the constellation Perseus, which is also known as the Seven Sisters... and some of you may be amused to note that the name of this constellation in Japanese is Subaru... which is why the Subaru logo has seven stars in its design.

I LOVE meteor showers. I'm a big old geek. Astronomy fascinates me... I'm far too mathematically challenged to deal with the physics of the science, but I love thinking about the stars and planets, and our place in space (hey, that rhymed!). I'm one of those weirdos that VOLUNTARILY goes to an educational planetarium show, just because I love looking at the night sky so much.

And then add in the excitement of a meteor shower... which is, basically, a whole night of guaranteed shooting stars... and I'm in heaven (no pun intended). Every shooting star is a wish granted, a little magic sprinkled into the world, and man do I ever need some magic this month.

I know a great place to watch it, too. There's a little turnoff on highway 276 just before you get to Caesar's Head state park. It's a really fun twisty-turny-windy road that goes up and up and up through the mountains... although I do prefer driving during the day because the scenery is incredible. At night, though, there's no lights or any cars on the road, and once you get to Bald Rock, you can see for miles in three directions.

Here's a picture of the view from Bald Rock:

It's the perfect place for stargazing... I went there last December when the Leonids came to town. It was amazing, I saw a fireball in the sky. I also made a hyoooooge thermos of hot chocolate (like, a damn half gallon of hot chocolate - I swear!) and when we got too cold we made a fire on the mountain and ate s'mores and drank hot chocolate and my God, weren't we the kings of creation on that particular evening...

Ah, pardon me, I'm rambling... I'll get back to writing about writing tomorrow, I promise.

Surfin' Saturday

2010-08-07T13:20:00.009-04:00

Howdy, all!

On a whim I've decided to share with y'all some funny and/or interesting stuff I found around the internet this week. A lot of people really liked the turtle I posted yesterday so I thought I'd share some other stuff too!

I think I may have mentioned once or twice how much I love Star Wars, so it was a given for me to share Señor Vader!

Do you know about the LHC project? LHC stands for the Large Hadron Collider, and it's one of the most interesting projects out there! The scientists working on the LHC are trying to isolate the particles that are responsible for starting our universe! What's even cooler is that they've found a way to turn the sounds of decaying particles into music! Check it out here.

This is kind of a long entry, so I'll put the rest behind a jump. Click "read more" to see the rest of this week's findings!

Here's a cool optical illusion... I bet you'll watch this a few times:

Here's a hilarious spoof on those Old Spice commercials... starring Morgan Freeman and GOD!!

This one speaks for itself.

And Allie from Hyperbole and a Half posted a new blog entry today! (If you don't know her blog, you should really check it out. It's awesome!)

And one more thing... Don't forget about the Perseid Meteor Shower this week! It's an annual event that usually happens around August 13th. Check out this link to get the most out of your meteor show!

Hope this entry made you smile! :D

Disclaimer:Y'all know how rare it is for me to post on a Saturday... I may try to make this into a regular thing if I can, but don't be upset if it's not there every weekend.

Century Post!

2010-08-06T00:54:00.003-04:00

So this is my 100th post to this journal! Whooo!

I'm pretty proud of what I've accomplished with this blog in the last eight months. I've posted consistently, documented my journey as a first-time novelist, and made some great friends along the way. And some of you must like what I have to say, because I now have 144 followers! I can't believe it!

Thanks to every single one of you for your kindness, support, and positive energy you've sent my way. I never expected anything like this when I started this blog. I'm overwhelmed at the amount of amazing writers and bloggers I've met since I started this journey.

And the journey is just starting to ramp up... with KillerCon on the way (don't worry, I'll be giving you a full report *salutes*), other conventions to plan for, editing on the novel close to being finished, a new novel to research and start a timeline for, short stories to polish and/or compose, a website to launch (later this month!), and a whole lot more... I hope you'll stick around for what's coming up next.

And as for other things coming up next, remember that Pay it Forward contest I had a couple of months ago? The winner was Karen G from Coming Down the Mountain. I bought a copy of her book (as per the contest prize rules) and expect to finish it this weekend! So keep an eye out for my review next week, and I'll also be posting an interview with Karen!

There's a lot of stuff to work on this weekend... finalizing business cards for KillerCon, working on the edits for the novel, practicing for the contest at the convention, finishing up Karen's book and writing a review, getting short story submissions ready for upcoming deadlines. I'm so looking forward to the days when I can do this full-time and not cram it into weekends. But until then, I'll just keep on going for as long as I can and try not to get in this guy's predicament:

Sometimes I feel like this when I am editing... Almost there, almost there, almost... wait a sec... WHAT needs to be revised again?! Where am I in this book, anyway?!

I'm sure y'all can identify. ;)

Have a FANTASTIC weekend, friends!

Stoker Weekend

2010-08-05T04:01:00.005-04:00

I found another horror writing conference - Stoker Weekend next June. It's about the same price as the other conferences I've found, and the guest of honor is OH MY GOD Peter Straub!

Yeah... Peter Straub! The dude who wrote Floating Dragon? And Ghost Story? And In the Night Room? Okay, okay... and YES, yes yes yes, The Talisman and Black House with... ah... my writing hero, Stephen King?!

Oh yeah that guy. ;)

Guess how I found out about this one? I became friends with KillerCon on Facebook. Through that friendship I became friends with Cutting Block Press. On one of their posts earlier today, someone commented that horror writing conferences were really starting to pick up, now with KillerCon and the WHC and Stoker Weekend.

Stoker Weekend? I said to myself.

Roughly fifteen seconds later I was having a joygasm as I looked delightedly at the home page of another horror writers' convention I want to attend. There's a ridiculous amount of cool stuff happening at this conference - yes, OH MY GOD Peter Straub is gonna be there, but there are also workshops, meet and greets, readings, a "pitch-a-thon"... man it sounds like a blast!

Now I needs to get to penny pinchin'...

Everything seems to be slowly falling into place, it took signing up for KillerCon for this to open up the way it has. Y'all wish me luck... I feel like I might be going down a rabbit hole soon.

The gent frowning at you at the top of this entry is none other than Bram Stoker himself, BTW. ;)

Pitch vs. Synopsis

2010-08-03T00:15:00.003-04:00

I took a screenwriting class a couple of summers ago, and on the first day the teacher explained the concept of an "elevator pitch" - that is, if you were a screenwriter suddenly stuck in an elevator with a movie executive, would you be able to summarize your idea in the length of time it takes to go ten floors?

I was enchanted with the concept - what a great idea! I thought, never realizing how frickin hard it could be to condense a complicated story into less than three minutes of conversation. I'm hoping my trouble with summming the story up in just a few words is because my head is inside the novel and I'm unable to hold it far enough away from my perception to really give it a concise definition.

Does that even make sense?

I'm worried the reason I'm having trouble is because the novel's too complicated - and then I wonder, is it possible for a novel to be too complicated, if it's written well?

In any regard, I've made headway on the synopsis, at least. It's what I first thought of as "the pitch" for the book, but it's really too long for that. I sent it to my writers' group and they are going to help me make it really tight. Gail has already said it needs some scrubbing, so I'm hesitant to post it here... Oh, don't look at me like that.

Okay, okay, how about we compromise with the first paragraph of what I've come up with? I'm pretty happy with that, at least.

Blood in the Orchard is a horror novel set in the fictional Southern town of Brookston, South Carolina. It is the story of a family torn apart by the death of the talented artist Kate Spivey, a beloved daughter, sister, and wife – and how the two men who loved her most struggle with the grim supernatural consequences of her passing.

What do y'all think?

The Perfect Pitch

2010-08-02T01:33:00.004-04:00

The schedule of events for KillerCon has been updated, and man am I excited!

There are a lot of different things that tickle my fancy on that list, but what I'd like to talk about today are the pitch sessions being offered by the con. The sessions are free; I just need to send the info about my book to the committee so they can pair me up with an appropriate editor/agent.

So now I'm finally struggling with what I knew was going to be a real sticking point for me: the pitch for my novel.

I did some research and found a couple of great articles here and here, but I feel like I've just scratched the tip of the iceberg here. Do you guys have any advice for a good pitch, or any links you'd like to direct me to? I will be happy to list them in a future post for everyone to see. One of the things I'm really proud of with this blog is the fact I've been documenting as much as I can about the process of the first novel - from conception to execution, planning, promoting, and (hopefully, in the future) publishing. I want to share as much information as I can with fledgling writers like me, so hopefully it'll be just a little easier for the next person in line.

I've been tinkering with the pitch. I wrote a few paragraphs, but what I've been finding as I read more about this process is that the pitch itself needs to be no more than four or five sentences long. Anything longer than that and it's considered a synopsis, I think. Anybody have experience with this?

I'm going to write more about this in the days and weeks to come. Any and all advice/help/suggestions you may have are more than welcome. Tomorrow I'll post what I have so far on my pitch, and I hope you'll tell me what you think and offer some constructive criticism.

Have a fantastic Monday, my friends!

Alex J. Cavanaugh - Giveaway SPECTACULAR!

2010-07-29T02:25:00.003-04:00

My cool friend Alex J. Cavanaugh is having a contest on his blog for the next two weeks! He just announced it yesterday. The prize is a copy of his upcoming science fiction novel, CassaStar, and, as Alex puts it, "a big feature here for the winner."

You should get right on over there and check it out! Click here to check out Alex's blog entry for the contest, complete with all the details!

And in case you're wondering about CassaStar, here's the book trailer! Take a look at this!

I can't WAIT for this book to come out!

Congrats on the 200 followers, and the upcoming release of your novel, Alex!

Contest Practice, topic: Murder in the Igloo

2010-07-28T00:53:00.004-04:00

I was able to get a little farther tonight, at least it felt that way. I was also able to get all the words in this time, and even before the halfway point, I think. I also increased my word count by almost 100 words, which is absolutely true even though it sounds like CRAZY TALK. Wonder if that'll be a continuing trend or if it was just a fluke.

Ending is rushed, but... serviceable, I guess. I liked the way this one turned. Today's prompt was given to me by Jemi Fraser, via a comment on Monday's entry. Thanks for helping me practice for the contest, Jemi! I really appreciate it. Her prompts were:

Topic: Murder in the Igloo
Words: snow, blubber, knife, bear, sun
Leadoff sentence: see below (first sentence)

Did you know polar bears are all left handed?

The Inuit trader's words echoed in Reese's head as he worked his way across the snow from the sled to the igloo's nearly-buried entrance.

I found that out the hard way, the man had said, back in the last town before the ice cap took over what little lush tundra was left in this late month of November.

Reese had stopped to stock up on supplies, buying a new range knife and half a pound of blubber to feed to his dogs. While he was there, the one-eyed fur trader had decided to get friendly and strike up a conversation about bear hunting.

But Reese wasn't interested in hunting bears. He was a hunter of men.

He'd followed the blazing trail laid down by the sun across the icepack for the last sixteen hours. Disorienting, how it just hovered on the lip of the horizon like a rolling, bloody eyeball.

What was it the trader had told him? "I took the bear's right paw, that was the custom," the man had said in his strange accent. "He was a man-eater. But it angers the spirits to kill such a great animal. Better to take its paw so it may have the chance to live, and have learned to stay away from men."

Bullshit is what it sounded like to Tom Reese, but the farther he got out here the more he thought about the bear in the trader's story and how it reminded him of Garrity, the man he'd come all the way out here to kill.

He'd lost his arm in the firefight, but that wasn't enough for Montano. The old man had sent Reese to the end of the world to finish the job of silencing the traitor forever.

Reese pulled himself back to the present, crunching across the pink-tinted snow. Garrity wasn't here, he was sure, but there would be something here that led him to Garrity. He was very close now.

Which was all the more reason to be careful.

The bear took my eye, the trader whispered in Reese's memory as he began to methodically clear the igloo's entrance. He could have taken my life. I was lucky.

Lucky, Reese thought, and that was exactly the moment when the yellow, furred paw burst out of the snow beyond the opening and clawed across the back of his arm.

Reese jerked backward in surprise, barely feeling the ragged gouges in his flesh. Blood poured over the nylon of his blue parka, but he was oblivious.

All thought was lost to him when he saw the creature pulling itself out of the snow, widening the hole he'd made.

Garrity must have left it for me, he thought, horrified. Days ago.

And God, it must be hungry.

I wrote the last three paragraphs of that in a literal frenzy. This is bare, unedited stuff, let me tell ya. I could barely read my chicken-scratch. And my hand was KILLIN ME, friends. Still, it felt good to get it done. I want to keep doing this as much as I can, because it's REALLY good practice. I want to have this process down pat before I go to Vegas.

Gonna have to take the timer out of the equation because I keep staring at it, and I want to start getting a feel for how long fifteen minutes is without constantly looking at the timer to see how much time's left. Wonder if they'll let us keep a watch?

If you'd like to leave me a challenge, please feel free. What did you think of this one?

Contest Practice, topic: The Living Dead

2010-07-27T00:17:00.005-04:00

Howdy. Thanks to those who submitted a few prompts for contest practice for me yesterday! I have the first attempt ready. I definitely need to practice more at this. I managed to get about two paragraphs from the end. Right now, I'm just going to post what I was able to write. I may try to finish it later.

I chose Cruella Collett's prompt first, mainly because it was the first one to hit my inbox. Her prompts were:

Topic: The living dead
Words: shortcut, bushel, fist, tureen, mangrove
Leadoff sentence: see below (first sentence)

"Don't look back!" Gerda Aldrin said, as the last conscious look in her eyes faded into a blank stare of nothingness.

Christopher choked back a sob and transferred his baby sister to his other arm. They'd been running for nearly thirty-six hours now, and Elsa was heavy for a two-year-old. Christopher was exhausted.

And he was only eleven.

"Come on," he said to his sister. She blinked at him with sleepy eyes.

"Ma?" she asked.

"No, mom has to stay here," he said, and the black reality of that truth rolled over him like a boulder made of fear. He switched her to the other arm again - it wasn't much of a help - and pushed past the mangrove trees, on into the deeper swamp as quickly as he could.

Before their mother had a chance to open her eyes again and reach out for her children, dead fingers clutching, teeth clicking together like the ball bearings in Christopher's broken skateboard.

An hour later, Christopher gently lay his baby sister down on a dry hummock of swamp grass and looked around. He'd been sure this was some kind of shortcut, but now in the darkness - and through the shifting gray scrim of exhaustion threatening to bludgeon him into unconsciousness - everything looked the same. He sat down beside Elsa and punched at the ground, not realizing how mucky it was.

A hand closed over his fist.

Christopher jerked backward, eyes popping, mouth drawn down into a silent scream. He kicked at the mound rising out of the squelchy black mud. Eyes opened in the dirt, one bleary with mud, the other a clear and questioning blue. The bump of its rising head looked like an upside-down soup tureen, handles for ears, smooth dome of brow curving back for what seemed like forever.

Christopher grabbed his sister, shaking her out of her thin sleep. She began to wail immediately. Chris clamed down on her arm as hard as he could and her little mouth turned into a perfect "o" of pain.

"Else!" he screamed, crying out again as the creature in the muck - once human just like them - pulled him closer.

"RUN!" he cried.

OK, so that's what I came up with for the first attempt. I left out one of the words (bushel; it was coming in those last two paragraphs), and I wasn't able to get to the ending. Close, but no cigar. My hand was singing frickin Ave Maria by the time I was done, too... I think I need to do this more than once a night... but I gotta work up to it. I had a lot of fun with this, though. It was weird - no planning, no thought, just launch into a story while the clock is ticking... but it was fun. More will follow in future entries, I'm sure.

What do y'all think? I know what I think: MORE PRACTICE!!

If any of you would like to leave me a challenge, please feel free. I only need a horror-related topic, five random words, and a leadoff sentence to start. I'll take care of the rest. Thanks to Cruella for this great beginning to a new path!

A Call to Writers

2010-07-26T02:18:00.004-04:00

Exactly one month from now I'll be getting on the plane to go to Las Vegas for KillerCon. WHOO!!

If there's anyone out there reading this who'd like to attend the con and meet up there, please let me know in comments or by shooting me an email (or Tweet, or whatever social media poison you prefer). I'm traveling by myself and I would love to hang out with some blogiverse friends... Regardless, I hope I can make some new friends at the con. I don't want to spend the whole weekend by myself.

I'm also wondering if you guys can help me with something. KillerCon is having an on-site writing contest. The convention committee gives the assembled contestants five words, a horror-related topic, a leadoff sentence, and fifteen minutes. The contestants have a sheet of paper and a pen. After the fifteen minutes is up, they compare entries and choose a winner.

I want to enter this contest, but I'm a little nervous about writing it longhand for a couple of reasons. First is the physical side - because of a car accident two years ago, it's very difficult for me to hold a pen for any length of time. Five minutes is hard. Fifteen minutes is torture. But the more I practice longhand, the easier it gets to do.

The other side is how much slower my hand is at writing my thoughts as opposed to typing my thoughts. My typing speed is on average around 90 wpm, so it's a LOT faster to type than it is write longhand. Which means I don't write as well longhand, because it feels clunky and it's difficult to get up to the speed I want to write at.

So here's where YOU come in. I need to practice this longhand coming-up-with-stories-on-the-spot thing. If you will, leave five words, a topic, and a leadoff sentence in the comments of this entry. I'll time myself and try to do one each evening. Since it'll be hard to get more than a page or two out over fifteen minutes' time, I can post the best pieces on my blog. It won't be entirely spontaneous like the contest will be, but at least I'll be getting some practice at quick invention, along with strengthening the muscles in my hand for quick writing.

What do y'all think? Can you help a fellow writer out?

I hope each and every one of you has a fantastic last week of July. :D

Working and Working and...

2010-07-23T00:15:00.001-04:00

Thanks to everybody who commented on Tuesday's Summer in the South entry. I posted one of those last month as well, and I hope I'm not being tiresome, but I'm working on a little project... at least one entry a month detailing whatever season it is, and how it relates to the South. June, July and August are my summer entries. September, October, November are autumn... December, January, February winter... March, April, May spring. Then next year I want to read them all in succession, maybe make a little story out of them. What do y'all think?

I've been working on editing again after being away for over a week. I was my sister's "hospital buddy" as she had surgery last week, and I wasn't able to do anything with the book while taking care of her... then when I finally got some time for myself again, a strange apathy had stolen into my muscles and bones, and all I wanted to do was read Stephen King stories and avoid my needing-to-be-pruned novel. I was able to get back into it last night, though, and I got another twenty pages or so carved out. Hopefully this is a sign that the struggle is lessening.

And my treacherous muse continues to taunt me with good ideas for short stories, ideas I would MUCH rather be working on instead of editing the novel. Currently I'm working on a steampunk short, for the upcoming steampunk deadline at Fissure magazine. I've already been published in Fissure, but I've never written a steampunk story, and I thought it would be fun to try my hand at it... and of course, it's yet another way to avoid the work that needs to be done on the novel. Gah!

Then there's the "death and shoes" short that still needs to be edited, and a host of other short pieces I could be working on to send out... but the novel just hangs over my head like a little raincloud made of pages. I want it to be DONE. Especially before I head to Vegas next month for KillerCon. I want to get the edited copy out to my first readers so I can have a clean copy to push to agents ASAP. Of course, I'd also like a mansion built out of ice cream sandwiches, and my very own pony. We'll see how it goes.

How are y'all doin? Anything exciting going on in your neck of the woods? Got any advice for me, to help me stay on task with the editing? How 'bout plans for the weekend?

Hope y'all have a fantastic Saturday and Sunday.

Summer in the South, II

2010-07-20T00:07:00.007-04:00

July.

The pomp and circumstance of the Glorious Fourth has receded like outgoing tide and all that's left is the flat dull surface of superheated asphalt. June's hopeful beginnings lie deep in the past, dreaming in shady pools of memory. Now it's July, down-to-business summertime. Every day is the same: A stretched-out cavalcade of heat and humidity, punctuated by the occasional evening thunderstorm.

Tempers are short. Businesses crank up the A/C, even at 2 AM. Store windows are filmy with condensation, transforming everyday clear-cut interiors to surreal fogscapes. Old men sit on intersection corners beneath unraveling beach umbrellas, selling sugar-baby watermelons and boiled peanuts off their pickup trucks' rusting tailgates. Fans turn lazily on front porches; an ice-choked glass of sweet tea with lemon is the only thing that satisfies.

Children easily found just two weeks before, lustily parading in freedom from organized education, are nowhere to be seen. They hide in the air-conditioned shadows of their houses, their friends' houses; when their mothers shoo them outside to play they cluster in any air-conditioned spot they can find: shopping malls, grocery stores, bowling alleys, swimming pools, libraries. Even though they won't admit it to each other, part of them aches for the long, climate-controlled hours of school.

It's not just the kids. Everyone is off the streets, out of the sun, in the A/C; at 3 in the afternoon everything is bright and hot and still. There's not a car on the street, not a moving shadow to be seen. Outside the bees and butterflies have become true monarchs and the people have given quarter to the elements, for now. The only sad souls out in this oven of an afternoon are those who have to be, and when they make eye contact with each other, a silent plea seems to pass between them - is it five yet?

Mimosa trees are wilting, losing their color and scent; the few blackberries left on bushes are picked over by birds and baked in the heat, nothing but rounded clumps of coal clustered on the briars. In contrast, crepe myrtles bloom in florid hues of red and pink and purple. Trees - only a month ago vibrant and green with new summer gloss - are a tired and uniform shade, blending into each other like one huge organism.

The day drags on and heads into evening; all the while, sunlight hours grow imperceptibly shorter with each passing day. Softball games are won and lost. The tantalizing smell of grilling meat floats in the air of every subdivision. Sprinklers run endlessly - hish-hish-hish-hish-hissssssshhhh... A yellow rind of moon rises in the darkening sky. The evening star hangs on the lip of the horizon like a wet beauty mark. Everything is sleepy, soporific. Everything is slow.

Everything is summertime.

Soundtrack of your Life Blogfest

2010-07-19T03:54:00.005-04:00

I'm participating in Arlee Bird's Soundtrack of your Life blogfest today. If you get a chance, swing on over to his blog and check out the cool list of people who are taking part in this one.

So I've been thinking about this a lot over the last few nights. Wendy commented that her soundtrack would be super long - multiple CD's, hundreds of songs - and I most sincerely concur. Over the years I've had many "Quintessential B" playlists, and if I put them all together for this blogfest, you'd be reading a LONG time. So, I decided to narrow it down to the top ten songs which I hold nearest and dearest to my heart - at this particular moment in time. I hold no illusions that this list will never change.

Hell, it might change in the next fifteen minutes.

Narrowing it down to ten was hard, but fun. I listened to a lot of music and rejected so many songs... this was a great project, especially since it falls on a Music Monday! I've posted a few lyrics and an explanation for each song, and I hope you guys enjoy reading about it as much as I enjoyed making the list. Thanks, Lee, for hosting this cool blogfest.

Without further ado, and in no particular order...

The Quintessential B List

The Pixies - Where is my Mind?

"With your feet on the air and your head on the ground..."

Some songs stay with you through your whole life, and I guess if I had to name any one song that was my "theme song", this would be it. I've loved the Pixies since I heard them in high school, way back in 1991... Yep, I'm old. "Where is my Mind?" became a generational anthem when Fight Club used it for its ending credits, but it was one of my anthems long before the movie ever came out.

Night Moves - Bob Seger

"Ain't it funny how the night moves... when you just don't seem to have as much to lose... strange how the night moves... with autumn closin' in..."

My sister once referred to Bob Seger in general and this song in particular as "mother's milk", and I agree. I grew up with Bob Seger and every time I hear this song it comforts me, while reminding me how lonely it is out there for everyone, at one time or another.

Pearl Jam - Oceans

"Hold on to the thread; the currents will shift. Guide me towards you - know something's left, and we're all allowed to dream of the next time we touch..."

I have loved this song from the moment I heard it in 1992, and it is one of the most romantic songs I've ever heard. Helps me remember that love comes from everywhere, and never to give up hope on the people who love you - and the people you love.

Arcade Fire - Wake Up

"And children, don't grow up... our bodies get bigger, but our hearts get torn up. We're just a million little gods causin' rainstorms, turnin' every good thing to rust. I guess we'll just have to adjust..."

Sometimes you need an epic song to help you remember why your life is epic. Try it. Cue up this song. Close your eyes. Listen to the music. Think about your life. You'll see what I mean.

Kings of Leon - Arizona

"And I go... stand up to a giant, say that I'm a fighter... too drunk to remember. Too drunk to..."

The lyrics combined with the soulful Southern rock sound of this song make it one of my new favorite entries in my "quintessential B" list. Every artist needs a song or two they can get inebriated to, right? This is one of mine.

Cursive - From the Hips

"We're from our best when it's from our hips. It's from our hips, we don't give a shit... it just feels good, and that's no sin. It's the only way to feel alive, the closest thing to being born again..."

I love the philosophical thoughts behind the lyrics of this song, and what it says about relationships. When we start talking and thinking, we start screwing things up. Go with what you feel. Your heart knows best, friends.

Gossip - Lesson Learned

"I guess I'm lucky 'cause I learned a long time ago, I used to try to be somebody else but now I know. People like you make me know that I don't wanna be stuck in a scene that only puts me down and judges me."

INDIVIDUALITY IS CLUTCH, people. I am awesome. You are awesome. WE ARE AWESOME. Please don't buy into someone else's definition of who you should be. Ever.

Murder By Death - As Long As There Is Whiskey In The World

"I have loved, and I've lost all that they gave me. They all try to save me, but I'm seein' this thing through..."

Yes, my drink of choice is whiskey. And as long as there is whiskey in the world, things aren't quite as bad as they seem.

The Murmurs - Genius

"She's got something to say to the world. She wants to know if she could tie it up... She's kinda freaky. She's kinda weird. She's kinda freaky... but I dunno..."

Someone very special to me once told me this song made her think of me, and I was touched. Now whenever I hear it I think of that time, and it feels kind of like a theme song for me. I'm eternally grateful to that girl for introducing me to this tune.

Fleet Foxes - Blue Ridge Mountains

"My brother, where do you intend to go tonight? I heard that you missed your connecting flight - to the Blue Ridge Mountains, over near Tennessee."

I grew up going to the Blue Ridge Mountains - both of my grandmothers, aunt, uncle and cousins all lived in Waynesville, NC - and I have a strong connection with the Blue Ridge Mountains. This song helps me remember their beauty, mystery, and serenity.

I hope y'all enjoyed my list, and I can't wait to take a look at yours! Have a great week, friends!

The Soundtrack of Your Life

2010-07-16T00:03:00.000-04:00

On Monday, Arlee Bird is hosting a blogfest called The Soundtrack of Your Life. Here's what he says about it:

This coming Monday June 19th you will have the opportunity to join us in sharing the songs that have special meaning in your life. Tell us the songs that describe what you were going through at different stages of your life. Tell us about the music that tells something about you. Create your own soundtrack and post it on your site on Monday. If you like, tell us why you chose those songs.

I'll be participating in this blogfest, and I'm looking forward to sharing my songs with you. I've actually had many of these "soundtracks to my life" playlists over the years, and I want to go through the ones I have saved and pick out my favorites.

What about you? Will you be participating in this cool blogfest? I'd love to read about the songs you pick to describe yourself.

Have a great weekend, friends!

Left Turn at Albuquerque

2010-07-15T01:23:00.000-04:00

I've switched tactics and decided to focus solely on Jack as the main protagonist of the novel. It's what I should've done in the first place, but I got so caught up in creating Dan's backstory that I thought he was supposed to be the main character.

Blood in the Orchard (working title) began as a short story that I just couldn't get right. I loved the monstrous creature in the short, but had no idea how it came about. I realized finally, after about two months of tinkering with it, that the reason I could never get it right was because my readers had no reason to care about the characters in the terrible situation I'd put them in.

That's problematic, because for me, the real root of good horror is identifying with the character in some way and caring about what the heck happens to them in the story. I started thinking about where that monster came from, and why. What it represented. How it was conjured into being. And suddenly I realized the damn thing was just too fricking long to be a short piece.

So I put it aside for about six months and didn't think about it at all. But then in August... it came swimming out of my imagination again, and I took the plunge. And now here I am, almost a year later. The first draft is finished and my first readers' polished copy's birth is in sight.

Anyway, back to Jack. I realized the story really is about him and how he changes through the book. When we first meet him, he's closed-off and somewhat reserved, especially with his emotions. He feels guilty a lot, about things he can't control. He's only got one close friend and he keeps himself from getting romantically involved with anyone.

Over the course of the story, Jack changes into someone who has to let himself feel, because he just doesn't have a choice. He's fallen in love with his dead sister's best friend, and his brother-in-law has gone insane, and a whole bunch of crazy shit goes down, but at the end he realizes he has to embrace and acknowledge not only his own special abilities but also the great amount of love in his heart for his family, his friends, and his town.

That's the story I want to tell you. Dan is important, yeah. But he's not the main character. At this point, he's not much more than glorified window-dressing, something I can use to make the readers feel sad or scared. I'm grateful for the character - for all my characters - and I like him, but I'm starting to recognize his value as a creative tool.

So, this is where my focus is going... for now. Ever watch those old Bugs Bunny cartoons where he ends up somewhere he shouldn't because he didn't take that fabled left turn? Well, hopefully that's Albuquerque up ahead... because I'm definitely turning left, kids.

Along for the Ride

2010-07-14T01:06:00.008-04:00

Travel plans are falling into place, and I'm starting to get really excited about KillerCon at the end of August. You know you're still not a grown-up when the question "aisle or window seat?" gets you all giddy.

Window seat, please... :D

I am so excited about the prospect of meeting other horror writers and participating in workshops for the craft. There are going to be authors there to offer lots of helpful insight, and a dealer's room with all kinds of goodies for sale. Two contests, mixers and meet-and-greets, and three nights in Las Vegas! I mean... if that's not daydream fodder for the next few weeks, I don't know what is.

In other news, I'm about 20% of the way through the editing of the MS. I added a handy-dandy progress tracker to my sidebar, if any of y'all are interested.

I'm really hoping I can get this done in my original timeframe, but I just have no idea how long it's gonna take. I keep finding things that need to be rewritten, or added on to flesh out a concept. As I've said many times before, I'm just making this up as I go along, and it's kinda hard to gauge how fast this will go since I've never really done it before.

The work has, however, progressed famously since I realized I needed to scrap almost the entire first section of the novel (about 30 pages or so). I don't lament this at all; I look at the removed section as backstory that I will probably dip into later to beef up other parts of the book. It's good that it's written because it gives me a clear sense of exactly what happened, and that allows me to use foreshadowing and drop little hints here and there as to what's going on.

This is a fun process, but an exhausting one. So far, I definitely prefer composing to editing. But it's a necessary part of the writing process and I am throwing myself into it full-on like I have everything else.

I'm just happy I have you guys along for the ride. :)

Another Stop on the Rejection Train

2010-07-13T00:19:00.005-04:00

I finally got word back from Weird Tales about my short piece, "Knights of the Road". Another rejection for the proverbial pile. The rejection letter was nice, though. Encouraging. And coming from a market like Weird Tales, that's saying something.

I opened it up and slashed the shit out of it. Took out even more extraneous words - hey, at least editing the novel is teaching me something - and now I have a product which is what I originally intended in the first place. I just needed several months' distance and a few kind words from a market editor. I like the story; it's solid, short, and frickin' scary. It's about a man who's been picked up by a creepy truck driver after his car has broken down. Here's a little excerpt:

“My wife would’ve given me hell if I hadn’t stopped,” the trucker said.

“Does she ride with you?”

“Oh, yeah,” the driver said. “Rides everywhere I haul, sittin’ up pretty as paint in that seat you’re in. She loves a crossword while I’m drivin’. Makes me crazy, askin’ me all the time if I know the words in ‘em.”

Owen shifted in his seat. The cab was becoming hot and stagnant with cigarette smoke. “She’s not with you on this trip?” He looked over his shoulder at the pink curtain.

“She got sick,” the trucker said. He shook his head, his lower lip jutting out like a shelf. “Real sick.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Oh, she still rides with me,” the trucker said, tapping his chest just above the bulge of his cigarette pack. He rubbed his fingers in a circle, right over his heart. The rasp of the man’s fingertips on the rough weave of his shirt made the skin between Owen’s shoulder blades shiver. “She watches out for me, keeps me company.”

She still rides with him? Owen wondered. He imagined a woman, tentacled with IV lines and trapped in the cage of a hospital bed, sandwiched into the back of the cab.

Owen searched for words to break the silence, trying to shove the image away. His treacherous mind replaced the trucker’s sick wife with the trucker’s dead wife, a see-through woman outlined in misty gray hues like a cheap television ghost, sitting right where he was, overlaying his skin and wet clothes with her presence.

Holding a transparent crossword puzzle book in one spectral hand.

“What… what’s her name?” Owen asked. He wanted to turn around for another look at that curtain again, but held himself in check. Was that a tiny tickle of motion back there in the blocked-off sleeper section of the truck?

Of course not, he thought. Just stop it.

What do y'all think?

It was nice to get away from being mired in the briar patch of editing my novel. Honestly, this is one of the most frustrating things I've ever done, writing-wise. Editing is TEN TIMES HARDER than writing. Whew. Trying hard not to get discouraged over here.

I sent the revised copy of "Knights of the Road" out to Apex Magazine. One of the biggies. But hey... shoot for the moon, right? Even if you don't make it, you fall among the stars. Wish me luck, fellow astronauts.

Edits and Future Plans

2010-07-07T00:01:00.004-04:00

Day two of editing... twenty pages into the original manuscript. This is a painful process. Anybody got an aspirin?

Since I have the liberty of making this up as I go along, I'm thinking time limit instead of page goal for editing. Such as, spending a solid two hours on pages, then taking a break. I'm overwhelmed... there's a lot, I mean a LOT of extra words on these pages. My original first twenty pages has been cut down to twelve. Whoo! On the plus side, I want my manuscript to be smaller, so this is a good thing!

It's pretty exciting to go back over the edited copy. It reads MUCH faster and the clunks are really starting to smooth out. I'm learning so much in this process and it's JUST THE SECOND DAY. How lucky are we to be writers, huh? This is the coolest feeling ever.

Do you guys work on writing new stuff while you're editing your manuscript? It's two very different parts of my brain and right now the idea seems laughable to me. Maybe it'll get easier the deeper I get into the book. I want to at least keep working on short stories to beef up my portfolio. The latest is almost ready to go out into circulation. I've got another two ideas I can work on, and then there's other shorts I've got half-finished that I can polish up. Problem is, after three or four hours of editing I'm zonked. That plus the Clark Kent job is all I can handle at the moment.

But I do want to continue moving forward so even if I can't produce new words I am researching for the next project, little by little. The short stories are fun distractions, but I'm ready to tackle another novel. I don't want to start it until this one has gone through its first big edit, though. I have an inkling of an idea for a book, and it's pretty interesting. I've been researching things like Paradise Lost, the War Between the States, the King James Bible, 18th century writers, Voltaire, British cemeteries, and pirates.

Yes, pirates! Pirate ghosts! They might make an appearance in my next book... we'll just have to see, won't we? ;)

All right... Somebody hand me a machete, I'm going back in...

Back from the Depths of June

2010-07-06T00:19:00.004-04:00

Hello, internet and blogfriends! I've returned from the dark, hot recesses of June. It's July and summer's into her stretch, but we've had a blessed respite from the usual hellish temperatures here in Greenville. The 4th was sunny and mid-80's... perfection. I enjoyed the last week of my vacation. Except for the fact that my computer got a virus... not sure if it's fixed, I'll need to reload it soon. Sigh.

But I'm not letting that keep me from plunging back into work this month! I printed out the first twenty pages of my novel today to start editing. It's a lot harder than I thought it would be. I'm second-guessing how I laid things out in the first run through. I think it's ok, but I wonder if it would be punchier if I did something differently with the material I have... like putting chapters in different orders, and so on.

I'm also striking a LOT of extraneous prose. I don't know if I just need to talk a lot in the beginning to get into the stride of the story, but my lord, this first chapter is super wordy. Some of it's good stuff, but it's pretty description just for the sake of pretty description. So I'm hacking it up and distributing the parts I really like into the surrounding paragraphs. Make sense? Hope so. I'm sorta like Indiana Jones... just making this up as I go along, heh.

I expect y'all will be seeing more of me this month than last month. I'm looking forward to talking about the editing process with you as well as hearing how your projects are coming along. What's up in your corner of blogland? Any advice for my fledgling editing processes?

Ze Clock, She is Ticking!

2010-06-28T00:50:00.004-04:00

The end of the month is rapidly approaching, and my mini-vacation is coming to an end. I'm looking forward to it... this has been a great month to do whatever I want, but it's gonna be really great to get back into the universe I created and start moving stuff around. I feel like revision is shaping the raw material I've created. Yes, a good deal of it is pretty clean. But I can make it better... sharper. I want it to sing.

Almost finished with my erotic horror flash. Next I'm going to polish up a short I started a couple of years ago but never finished. I figure it's about five pages from the end. If I can get it down right, I'll have another piece to add to my portfolio. It's pretty exciting to see that expanding, because it means I can group them together into an anthology before too much longer. This isn't unheard of in the horror genre; Joe Hill published an anthology of his short fiction before he published his first novel, and it did so well, he got a contract with Harper-Collins.

I've sent out queries to Weird Tales and Dark Discoveries about the pieces they still have (Weird Tales has had "Knights of the Road" for a little over three months; Dark Discoveries has had "Watched" since January), and I'm hoping to hear back soon on them. In the meantime, I'll have new stuff to send out in the next couple of weeks, and that makes me happy.

Another exciting thing: my website will be up and running soon. I want to get it rolling before I head to KillerCon in August. There probably won't be a whole lot at first, but I can't wait to share it with y'all. I'm taking business cards to the convention with me and I want to have the website ready for who might be visiting...

...but before all that kicks into high gear, I'm enjoying the last week of June. Next Sunday there'll be fireworks; until then, I'm chillin out. So - you didn't think I'd forgotten about Music Monday, did you? Here's one of my favorite "chill" songs for you to enjoy... hope it brings a little calm blue ocean into your Monday.

What's going on in your life? Anything you're particularly excited about? Need to kick back and relax for a couple of days? You're not stressing in the summer heat, are ya? Remember, friends... the comment section is always open.

Have a great Monday!

Progress

2010-06-25T01:18:00.004-04:00

A most happy Friday to you, my friend!

I'm nearing the end of my self-enforced hiatus from the book, and I'm looking forward to jumping back in. I'm picking it up on Monday, July 5th after giving myself a complete month off from the project. At first I thought a month wouldn't be enough - hahaha, I was SICK of it after I finished - but now I'm really looking forward to diving back in to the manuscript.

This'll be my first revision of my first manuscript, so it's all new to me. Another adventure, another step in the process to getting published. I'm still writing in the time off, although I'm not pressuring myself to produce very much. I've finished the short story I was working on, and have started a new piece. This one is a flash fiction for the convention in August.

Yep, there's a horror erotica flash fiction contest at KillerCon this year and I've already started working on my piece. You have to read your piece aloud in three minutes or less, so I want to get some practice in before I head out that way. It's a fun little challenge... erotic gore... but I'm definitely up to the task.

The short story came out well, I'm letting it sit for a few days (and taking it to my writing partner) before I come back to it. Now I want to finish this flash and move on to polishing some older stuff I have. It's time to start submitting short pieces again. I still have two out in circulation but they've been out there forever. It's time to beef up my portfolio and send out some more pages.

Hope you all have amazing, if not productive, weekends.

Changing Plans

2010-06-23T01:53:00.002-04:00

So, I've been thinking.

Remember in February when I went to the South Carolina Book Festival? The SCWW is a big part of that crowd. The more I've been figuring up prices for the convention, and figuring out what choices would be best for me, the more I've been wondering if that convention is really where I ought to be going.

I want a convention or conference that's going to help me get my con-bearings before I go to Austin next April for the World Horror Con. The only thing close to this I've been to is Dragon Con - and this is a whole different world.

So, I put out some feelers on Twitter, and one of the horror writers I messaged responded. I asked what a good convention for horror writers would be, and she suggested KillerCon. After looking it up, I realized it sounded perfect - a horror and thriller writers' convention, with agents from the industry in attendance and two on-site writing contests... Whoooo!

So, I think I'm changing my plans. I want to connect with other writers from South Carolina, but I think I need to do that after I've found an agent or publisher which will be a good fit for my work.

What do y'all think? Stick with the home territory or go for the genre?

The Movie Dirty Dozen!

2010-06-21T01:20:00.005-04:00

I'm participating in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Movie Dirty Dozen Blogfest today! Alex asks, "What movies have changed your life? What movies have changed you as a person? What movies are your ultimate enjoyment from start to finish? If you could only round up twelve, what movies would be your Dirty Dozen?" Here are mine, in no particular order:

Star Wars, Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Now here we go, right out of the gate, with one of the best movies in my list. Did you know I was a Star Wars nut? Oh yeah. I literally quote Han Solo's lines in my sleep (or so I've been told). This is my favorite of all the Star Wars movies. It's so important to the rest of the story - this is where Han and Leia fall in love, this is where Luke learns the real importance of the Force and how to manipulate it, this is where we meet Yoda, this is where we learn Ben can contact Luke from beyond the grave, this is where we find out so much backstory... and, of course, this is where Luke gets the end-all-be-all ultimate who's-yo-daddy mind f*ck. Amazing.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
This is an epic climax to one of the best movie trilogies ever made. It's my favorite of the three and it doesn't disappoint. There's more than one breathtaking battle between the forces of good and evil, and the results are always satisfying. My favorite character of the LotR trilogy, Samwise, has some of the best lines in this movie - although I do love his monologue at the end of The Two Towers on perseverance and faith. This film completely immerses you in the fantastic universe of Tolkien's imagination.

Little Miss Sunshine
This is one of the best road trip movies ever made. A completely dysfunctional family comes together to take the youngest member (Olive) cross-country to California so she can participate in the Little Miss Sunshine beauty contest. In the course of their journey, they experience death, defeat, disappointment, self-doubt, anger, shame, betrayal... but at the end they realize that their love for each other is what keeps their family strong. Touching, funny, sad, and beautiful. It's a wonderful film with a great ending that will leave you smiling. If you haven't seen it yet, you should really check it out.

Where the Wild Things Are
A lot, I mean A LOT of people didn't like this movie, but I loved it. I enjoyed Spike Jonze's take on the classic tale, and I am a Wild Thing purist. (I mean, seriously. Max is probably the only thing I would ever tattoo on myself. I AM the King of the Wild Things, baby! LET THE WILD RUMPUS START!!) Yes, there are parts that are sad and scary and confusing... but isn't that what childhood is? When I went to see the movie in the theater, it changed my perception of the outside world. Walking back out into the fall sunshine, everything looked wondrous and crazy and awe-inspiring... just like I was a kid again. Now that's a good movie.

The Princess Bride
This movie, along with greats like The Goonies, TRON, and Explorers! shaped my childhood. I can still quote most of the lines of this movie (but probably not in my sleep, ha!). As Grandpa says, "...it has everything: Fencing, fighting, torture, revenge, giants, monsters, chases, escapes, true love, miracles..." Westley and his beautiful Buttercup love each other more than anyone in the history of the world, and their love is put to the test time and again throughout this tale. This is a story of true love and how it never dies. Pirates, swashbucklers, beautiful girls and torturous fiends are all part of this high fantasy masterpiece.

Young Frankenstein
I'm a huge fan of Mel Brooks, and this is my favorite of all his movies. It stars Gene Wilder, Teri Garr, Peter Boyle, Marty Feldman, and the amazing Cloris Leachman. There's also a cameo from Gene Hackman! The movie is filmed in black and white in a spoofy nod to all the classic black and white horror movies out there. In this movie, young Frederick Frankenstein learns he's been willed all the properties and research of his grandfather, Baron Von Frankenstein. He gets more than he bargained for when he moves to the castle in Transylvania and picks up the loose ends of his grandfather's work. This movie is a fantastic comedy!

The Breakfast Club
A brain. An athlete. A princess. A basket case. A criminal. Grouped together one cold Saturday morning at Shermer High School in Shermer, Illinois, on March 24, 1984. By the end of the day, they find out that they are each in their own way a brain, an athlete, a princess, a basket case, and a criminal. And they like it that way. I was a little young for this to have shaped my high school experience (it was released a full ten years before I graduated), but it's a movie anyone can identify with - who doesn't know what it's like to be alienated? It's a great thing when people can put their differences aside, even for a day, and recognize that we're all human.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Much like the Star Wars movies, the Indiana Jones trilogy was a huge part of my childhood. Last Crusade is my favorite of the original trilogy (let's not mention the recent fourth movie, shall we?) and the presence of Sean Connery as Henry Jones - Indy's father - is inspired. There's so much chemistry and dynamic action onscreen during this movie, it's impossible to be bored by it, even if you've watched it a dozen times. The ending is satisfying, and we learn a lot about Indiana Jones as a character in this movie - where he comes from and what really motivates him as an archaeologist, and more importantly as a person.

American Beauty
"It's a great thing when you realize you still have the ability to surprise yourself. Makes you wonder what else you can do that you've forgotten about." So says Lester Burnham, played by Kevin Spacey, in this beautiful tale of the last months of a man's life. Lester realizes - not a moment too late - that he's been sleeping through his life for the last two decades, and he decides to change things up so he can figure out who he is again. By the end of the movie, he's found himself... but the rest of his family is having problems dealing with who he's found. This movie won a crapload of Oscars for a reason; if you haven't seen it, please do yourself a favor and give it a try.

Donnie Darko
I am a huge fan of movies that make you go "WHAAAAAAATTT?!?!?!" and this one is perhaps the king of those films. Donnie is a troubled teen who is in counseling for his "problems" - mainly, the onset of schizophrenia. He begins having visions of someone in a strangely deformed rabbit suit - visions that tell him the world will end in less than a month. As the month progresses Donnie learns about time travel and how it can be achieved on Earth. The two concepts collide with so much force at the end of the movie, you may need an aspirin before it's all over with. Regardless, it's beautifully shot and will really make you feel something at the end. What, I can't say. I just know that it's something.

Fight Club
Mischief. Mayhem. Soap.
This movie, based on Chuck Palahniuk's book of the same title, is violent, gritty, thought-provoking, and has another one of those "WHAAAAATT?!?!" moments at the end. There's an undeniable theme of empowerment here, and it's impossible to ignore. By the end of this movie, you're asking yourself why YOU know what the hell a duvet cover is. Edward Norton and Brad Pitt star with Helena Bonham-Carter in one of the most influential movies of my generation. I really love this one.

Big Fish
This is a movie about a storyteller and the incredible life he's lived. We learn about him through his stories - all of which in one way or another are tall tales - but through everything we are able to see the good heart of the man in the center of all this amazing fantasy. It's also a story about fathers and sons, and trying to reconcile the hurts of the past and make them into something which strengthens us before time runs out. Funny and heartbreaking, magical and dreamlike, I promise this movie won't disappoint - especially to all you writers out there.

Well, there you go, guys. Hope you liked the list... if you'd like to know more about any of those movies, click on the links provided and you'll go right to their entries on the Internet Movie Database. Thanks so much to Alex for hosting this blogfest! This was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to reading everyone's take on the challenge!

Summer in the South

2010-06-18T00:55:00.005-04:00

June.

Farmer's markets sprout on every corner. In their depths lie bushels of red tomatoes, juicy and ready for slicing. The bristly tips of corn peek out of a huge basket near the cash register. A pyramid of cucumbers is built next to the overflowing bins of squash. Fruit is heaped in wicker baskets everywhere - peaches, plums, blackberries, fragrant in the dim humidity.

Children are everywhere - on skateboards, on bikes, on rollerblades, on bare brown feet toughened by hot asphalt and dead scratchy crabgrass. They squint against the sun's constant glare, playing games of make-believe, pretending sticks are swords and trees are forts. They cluster in pockets of shade, trading stories, making plans. The ice cream truck circles endlessly, its tinkling melody maddening in the heat.

That heat is merciless and demanding, leaching every ounce of energy from your flesh as you work your way through the morning and into the afternoon. Air-conditioning is a given in any business; the silky rush of climate control on your skin as you step from the sweltering parking lot to the cool interior of a bank (or grocery store or restaurant) is shocking and sweet. The heat pushes its hands into your face and runs its fingers over your scalp, prickling and uncomfortable. It rides on your shoulders and settles in the fork of your crotch. It kisses your face with wet smacks and makes you wish for the deepest recesses of winter - although such tremendous heat makes you question if the season ever existed at all.

Every afternoon a thunderstorm rolls in, hiding the horizon's blue mountains with a scrim of gunmetal gray. Clouds tower in the southeast, rolling over and over like strange dough worked by huge invisible hands. Trees whip back and forth, whispering together in an uneasy chorus. The skies open and rain cascades in sheets so thick you can see it on the road, moving like a curtain of water. Thunder roars overhead; lightning spikes the horizon with a crooked finger. Fifteen minutes later the sky is blue-over-pink and cloudy tendrils of steam hang over the blacktop like restless ghosts. In the distance, a brilliant rainbow marks the passing storm's edge.

As the sun sinks below the horizon the fireflies appear one by one, stuttering coded messages to each other from across the yard. The twitter of birds is replaced by the constant reeeeee of crickets and cicadas, a chorus which stretches into the wee hours of the morning. The humidity presses sweaty hands on your skin.

A glass of sweet tea, the rind of a lemon dancing in the liquid as you drink. Ice cubes chatter against the glass; the condensation makes it slippery. The bed calls you, promising you can wake up early to do the things you had planned for the evening. You slip between cool sheets and let your exhaustion melt into the mattress, knowing you'll probably be unable to get up early but too tired to care. The day plays through your mind as you drift off, the humming circle of fan blades above lulling you into sleep.

And then up in the morning to do it all over again.

Conventions vs. Conferences

2010-06-15T01:26:00.004-04:00

Things are heating up at the Clark Kent job, so you haven't seen much of me lately. The summer is when I'm busiest, 'cause that's when we're slow. It's my job to get people in the door. So, I'm working ALL THE TIME. Which doesn't leave much time for anything else except sleeping in the coldest place I can find (and fit in to; it's no good to fall asleep with your head in the freezer 'cause you just end up on the kitchen floor). South Carolina is HOT this week, friends and neighbors. And it ain't gettin any better any time soon.

It's probably all for the best as I'm taking a little break creatively to let my brain rest after finishing the novel. I've been tinkering with the short story I was talking about last week and have no doubt I'll finish it in the next few days, but it's nice not to feel pushed... especially when "real life" is so insistent upon intruding.

Right now I'm working on figuring out the South Carolina Writers' Workshop Conference. I hadn't given much thought to the conference before this - I'll go and meet people and shake hands and buy a few books and listen to some panels was pretty much my plan - but now that I've started reading in-depth about what's being offered, I'm more excited than I was before... there's a lot of classes being offered, and a chance to talk with faculty about your novel, and query assessments... all kinds of stuff. You can come a day early and participate in intensive classes that are, like, four frickin' hours long. Which I really wanna do.

But, of course, it all costs money... and I'm trying to figure out the things that are worth the money and the things which aren't (should I care about a formal dinner with all the faculty of the SC Writers' Workshop including a keynote speech and awards banquet for the members of the SCWW, which I'm not a member of?). If I had lots of expendable income, I'd sign up for everything, but that's about $600 worth of stuff plus the hotel room plus the gas money to get down there... so close to $1000? There's no frickin way.

Any suggestions about what I should include or leave out? The schedule of events is here, and the prices are here. There's also add-ons like pitch sessions ($10, definitely worth the extra cash) and real-time query assistance ($25, probably worth the extra cash), but there's also prose critiques ($50-$100, is it really worth it?). I'm terrible at this. I've never done it before. Any and all advice is much appreciated.

Going through all this information has made me even more excited about the World Horror Convention next year... and it's really teaching me the difference between conventions and conferences. Conferences have classes and mixers. Conventions have booths and panels. Uh... right?

"Out of the Blue" Now in Print!

2010-06-10T02:06:00.004-04:00

Guess what! My short story "Out of the Blue" is now available in volume 6, issue 1 of moonShine Review!

The story is inspired by the song "Brother" by Murder By Death. I got permission from the band to quote the song in the publication too! How cool is that?

Here's the first couple paragraphs of the story:

The nurse was finishing the scheduled 3:00 p.m. change of my father’s saline drip when I looked up and saw Jack standing silently in the doorway, his eyes locked on the wasted body in the bed. I saw a tiny flutter in Jack’s jaw and knew he was grinding his teeth. It was an old trick we learned as kids – to grind our jaws so hard we wouldn’t cry. The only problem is, it’s hell on the teeth: I’ve got a mouthful of metal, have since I was seventeen, when three of my molars crumbled within two months of each other. High school killed my damn teeth. I was perversely glad to see Jack remembered the trick; I’d been using it a lot lately myself.

He was too thin, and his clothes hung on his body in odd ways, but otherwise he looked exactly as he had six years ago at the Greyhound station – on the day he’d been paroled. That rainy February afternoon was the last time I’d seen him. A lifetime had passed between now and then, and it stretched out in the sterile silence of my father’s hospital room like a highway filled with strange and undiscovered scenery.

The story's about an uneasy reconciliation between the two brothers, and it's probably the most "literary" piece I've ever written. No horror in this one at all - which is NOT par for the course for me. Still, it's a nice little piece and I'm proud of it, and I'm so glad it got picked up by such a fantastic market.

If you'd like to purchase your own copy of moonShine Review, click here or check out the sidebar... I added it to the list of links.

And for those of you who made guesses as to what was truth and what was fiction yesterday... those of you who guessed Gaga were correct! While I did set up the party for Nickleback in April (thanks for noting my tell, Lee, LOL), I haven't had a famous person come bowl at my center since. I loved reading each of your guesses. Thank you so much for reading and commenting!

Now I'm nominating seven creative liar- ahem, writers to continue the blog award! I pass this award on to:

Wendy Ramer
Janet Johnson
Maurice Mitchell
Alex Fleetwood at Hampshire Flyer
Arlee Bird at Tossing It Out
Alex J. Cavanaugh
Ellie at Ella's Edge

I'm excited to hear your truths... and lies!

Better Late than Never... And an Award!

2010-06-09T13:01:00.004-04:00

I'm late posting today! I've been trying to post entries before I go to bed (but after midnight) so the post is ready when YOU, dear readers, wake up in the morning... but last night I was just too tired. I had a meeting with my writing partner last night and we talked about the end of my book. Some serious revisions are going to have to be done, and it was a mentally exhausting conversation... just the thought of diving back in to that manuscript to re-tackle the end makes me want to crawl under my covers and sleep for two weeks. I came home and tried to work it but my brain just didn't want to, so I changed tactics and started working on the short story I mentioned on Monday. 1,700 words effortlessly poured out onto the keyboard and I was zonked. I'm excited about what I have so far, though - it's dark but whimsical, and I'm having fun being ANYWHERE besides the universe of my novel. That makes me feel kind of guilty to say, but I think it's understandable.

I would like to say that I'm eternally grateful to my writing partner for her patience and honesty and dedication... without her, I wouldn't HAVE a novel. So thanks, Gail Gray, for all your hard work in helping me birth this particular baby. Your opinions and advice are beyond measure. Thank you so much.

I've been given an award!

JL Stratton at True Life and Fiction gave me this award. Thanks so much, JL!! You guys should check out JL's blog - it's a great read!

For this award, I am asked to write seven stories. I've chosen to write six true stories and one lie. Can you pick out which one is the lie?

1. I went to a special arts program when I was in high school, and I was in a class taught by Maya Angelou.

2. My roommates sometimes call me "Pan" and the last time I went to the beach, I woke up people in hotels four blocks away by crowing at the ocean.

3. I love Star Wars so much, I quote Han Solo's lines in my sleep.

4. I have a list of things I feel need to be accomplished before the Zombie Apocalypse happens, i.e. learning to ride a motorcycle, shoot a gun, kill a person with a spork, etc.

5. After setting up a bowling party for Nickleback in April, I got to work with the local radio station to set up a bowling event for Lady Gaga in July. She's going to bowl in one of her crazy costumes for charity.

6. Last Halloween I dressed up as Max from Where the Wild Things are, complete with crown, scepter, and wolf costume. I was the King of the Wild Things on Halloween, and what a responsibility to mayhem that was...

7. I wrote my entire 124,000 word novel on my laptop while sitting in bed.

The lies and truth will be separated tomorrow... but until then, you got a guess?

Have a great HUMP DAY, all! :D

Still Shiny

2010-06-07T03:23:00.005-04:00

Not yet... no, the shiny hasn't worn off yet. I'm still getting used to this feeling. I've been pushing myself for the last ten months, and now suddenly all that pressure is gone. It's such a crazy sensation - part accomplishment, part happiness, part awe, part excitement... liberation... and everywhere I look are new projects, new stories. Every idea I come across excites me. I've been hyper-focused on one thing for so long, I feel like a person who's been denied everything but grilled cheese sandwiches for a year and is now standing at the doors of a super buffet. I want to try everything!

Friday night I was drifting off to sleep and my mind automatically turned to the book. For the better part of a year, every night as I fall asleep I think about the novel and where it's going, what the next scene is, characters, etc. On Friday night I suddenly realized I had nothing to think about, because the project was done! I changed tactics and started thinking about a little concept I'd stumbled across a couple of weeks ago, and suddenly a short story fell into my head. Whole, Complete. I'm going to write it this week. How cool is that?!

Hmmmm? What's it about? Oh! You know those shoes you see on the road sometimes? Just one random shoe, out in the middle of the highway? Yeah... it's about where those come from. Ha, weird, I know. But I think it'll be a fun little story to write.

Oh, and the South Carolina Writers' Conference opened their registration this weekend. Who's got two thumbs and is going to that conference in October?

No, not Captain Kirk... but that was a good guess, considering the misleading picture above. Although that WOULD be incredibly awesome... But anyway, the answer is ME! I'm going! Wahoo!

For Music Monday, I'd like to share the song "Can You Feel It?" by the Jackson 5... because that's how I'm rolling today. Give it a chance, it's a fantastic song, and it's pretty much how I feel right now...

Indescribable happiness here today. How about you?

It Is Finished.

2010-06-04T04:22:00.003-04:00

On a humid summer evening in August of last year, I sat down and wrote the prologue of my novel. I didn't know it was the prologue until I'd finished it, because I hadn't considered writing a book until only a few weeks before this particular evening. I put a song on repeat and wrote until the images in my head were perfectly recorded, then sat back and read those nine pages over and over.

I can do this, I thought. I can write a book. I know it.

Now, ten months to the day, 428 pages, and 124,000 words later, my first novel is complete.

It's the best thing I've ever written in my life. Even if it never sells, I'll still love it forever and be so proud of my work. I've learned so much with this experience, and I just can't wait to keep on going down the path of my career as a writer. This has been the most exhilarating work I've ever done.

I'm so filled with gratitude that it's leaking out of my eyes a little. I just can't help it.

Thanks, Universe.

And now... I think it's party time, friends. Care to join me?

Last Mile

2010-06-02T03:29:00.005-04:00

You know that feeling you get when you've been in the car for hours and hours, and you're about half an hour from your destination?

When you've studied your brains out, and you wake up with butterflies on exam day?

Painted a whole bedroom and have come down to just the trim?

Climbed the sand dune between you and the ocean, ignoring your protesting muscles and joints, and have nearly reached the summit - so close you can taste salt on your lips and the sound of the surf is thundering in your ears?

Dirt (the WIP) has reached its 395th page, and nearly 115,000 words...

...the monster has been revealed, evil momentarily has the upper hand, murder's been committed, kisses have been stolen, the storm has come and gone and left a wet, ominous silence punctuated only by the occasional rumble of distant thunder out past the horizon...

...the hero has gone off to slay the proverbial dragon, and we don't know yet whether he'll live or die...

...we're nearly there now, kids. Hang on now; this last part might get bumpy.

Pay it Forward Giveaway Winner!

2010-06-01T02:02:00.004-04:00

IT IS FINISHED.

This statement applies to many things in my life right now.

Sadly, one of them is not the WIP. However, I'm really proud of the progress I made in the month of May. I've reached 391 pages and 113,000 words, which is farther than I ever expected to go with this scary little story. Since I worked Freedom Weekend Aloft this weekend, I get a couple days off this week (today and tomorrow) and I truly hope to be able to finish it then.

Other things which ARE finished are:

- The month of May
- Spring in the South (Helloooooo, Summer!)
- Freedom Weekend Aloft (thank God!)

Hmmm... what else is finished... OH YEAH!! The Pay it Forward Giveaway! I'm announcing the winner today! In fact... I'm announcing the winner right now!

Before I tell you who won (yeah, making ya wait... I know you hate me), I'd really like to say THANK YOU to everyone who responded to this contest. When all the entries were tallied up, I had over 400 entries from bloggers who tweeted, facebooked, blogged, and used various other means to spread the word about paying it forward. Some bloggers even went on to start their own contests on their own blogs, either using my format or making up one of their own entirely from scratch.

I'm overwhelmed by the response. And so excited to share this wonderful idea with you guys. The blogging community has really buoyed my spirits over the last month. I know I haven't posted every day, but I have been reading and commenting as much as I can, and listening to everything you guys have to say. Thank you so much.

And now... without further ado (there has been far too much ado already, thanks)... the winner of the Pay it Forward Giveaway is...

Karen G of Coming Down the Mountain!

Congratulations, Karen!! Let me know if you prefer me to purchase one of your books (I see that you have two for sale on your website) or if you'd prefer the gift card. Also, be sure to let Curt and Shane from Mooks in the Movies know how you'd like your name to be used in their next script!

Also, I surpassed 125 followers, so I added a MYSTERY PRIZE to the pot! The winner of the mystery prize is...

Hart Johnson, the Watery Tart!

Congrats, Hart! The mystery prize is...

Your very own copy of Issue #3 of Fissure Magazine - the literary magazine that published my short story "Avenue of Dust" - autographed from yours truly to you, personally. AND a mix CD, of my own devious devices. Email me your mailing address and I'll get them out to you! Surprised? I hope so! :D

I hope you guys had as much fun with the Pay it Forward Giveaway as I did. I plan on doing another contest in the next few months, and as soon as I have the details figured out, I'll let you know. In the meantime, please don't stop doing little kindnesses for your fellow humans, just because the giveaway is over (for now). Each of us can make the world a little better for someone else. One of these days, the avalanche is gonna kick in.

Have a fantastic Tuesday and let's do everything we can with June! Who's with me?!

Hello, Random Friday

2010-05-28T01:54:00.005-04:00

Happy Friday, friends!

Welcome to all my new followers! I'm overwhelmed at the response I've gotten to the Pay it Forward Giveaway. Not only have I received 31 new followers, but so many people have been spreading the word via their blogs, facebook pages, and twitter. I'm amazed!

I said I was going to point you in the direction of a few of my favorite entries... In February, I talked about sleepwriting and introduced my phrase, "the Clark Kent job" (which, if you stick around, you'll probably hear me say every now and again). In March we discussed pacing yourself in big projects and never giving up regardless of how many rejections I get. And last month, during Arlee Bird's A to Z blog challenge, I shared what I thought about the concept of found stories and how I use auditory detail in my fiction. There are some fun places to start in there; I hope you enjoy them.

I had the honor of reading over the first draft of the screenplay for Plateye with Curtis and Shane from Mooks in the Movies, and I had a lot of fun. Has anybody else out there thought about writing a screenplay? I do love fiction, but reading a script has put me in the mood to try something new...

I'll be working at the Clark Kent job all weekend, at a fun little event here in Upstate SC called Freedom Weekend Aloft. It should be fun, but I will be in charge of our booth for all shifts on all days, which means I'll be working 50+ hours over the weekend. This comes at a CRAPTASTIC time for me, as you know, because I'm desperately trying to finish my WIP novel. I know it won't be the end of the world if I finish in June, but I'm so close, and I really want to hit that goal of being finished in May if I can. Also, I've reached the point where the story is fairly flying along, but I just don't have the time I need to devote to hours of getting it out. I'm serious. I'll be writing and writing and writing, and when I look up at the clock, four hours have passed. Sleep... what is that, again?

I'm wearing my grandfather's dog tags today. They're helping me remember a few things: patience, courage, determination. In everything I do - working, writing, living, I want to try to keep those ideals in mind. It's also fitting that I'm wearing them this close to Memorial Day - they help me remember the sacrifices he, and every American soldier, have made in order to ensure our continued liberty.

I hope y'all have a great weekend. I'll be back Monday (if I live through Freedom Weekend) with a full report on how things are going. Until then, friends.

Quick Questions, For the Masses

2010-05-26T01:18:00.006-04:00

Howdy, friends! Thanks to everybody who welcomed me back yesterday. I'm still riding the happy from my weekend, and all your kind comments and shared thoughts really added to my buzz. I can't stop smiling! You guys are awesome. It means a lot when you take the time to comment on my entries, so thanks very much.

I have a question. Do y'all comment on your visitors' comments, or do you leave it alone? Cruising the blog-o-sphere, I notice a healthy amount of both. What's your preference? Normally I don't comment on my own blog. I do, however, read every single comment made and if someone asks me a direct question I try to answer it, either in the comments or in a future blog entry.

And I have another question... But first, do the happy dance with me, BECAUSE I PASSED 125 followers yesterday! Welcome, everyone! Thanks for stopping by and reading my blog! I hope you find some good reads here (I'll direct you to some of my favorite posts on Friday). Since I passed the 125 mark, I'm adding the MYSTERY PRIZE to the giveaway booty list! (Booty list... heh.) So, the question is... would you like to know what the mystery prize is on Friday when I give you a Pay it Forward update, or wait until the contest is over to find out?

Many thanks for your thoughts, friends.

Have a fantastic Hump Day!

Reset Button

2010-05-25T01:30:00.000-04:00

Hello, friends!

I've been absent from the internet for the past few days because I've been out of town. I went to the coast to celebrate a friend's upcoming marriage and we had a fantastic time. It was something I didn't know how much I needed until I was back home and thinking about how much better I felt after unplugging from everything for four days.

I've been living in my own little thundercloud for the past six weeks or so, and I didn't even realize how much the storm had consumed me until I was suddenly away from it with no way to get to a phone or the internet. Instead of the panic I was expecting, all I felt was a blessed form of relief. On the way home (a four hour drive by myself), I did a lot of thinking about my current situation - with the book, the Clark Kent job, everything. Being away from the whole scene helped me see how much I've been stressing out about everything, from word count to work duties, and how much of a toll it's taken on me. At least half of stress is perception based - you may not be able to change your stressors, but you can choose how you react to them - and I'm so grateful that I was given a chance to see that I need to change my perceptions about my daily life.

Instead of beating myself over the head with the goal of finishing the book by the end of May, I'm being a lot more kind to myself and rejoicing in how much work's been done. I know I'll finish, and probably within the time frame I've given myself - but I no longer feel as if I've failed or am in danger of failing an important task I've given to myself. The Clark Kent job does not feel like a prison sentence; it seems like a gift again. I'm refreshed and ready to finish this novel and get on to the next step in my life.

And when I got home, I saw so many lovely people have passed on my Pay it Forward giveaway on their blogs, twitter and Facebook! How incredible! You guys are an inspiration! It was amazing to see how things had progressed in the four days I was gone. Not only did more than ten people blog about the giveaway, but I also now have 121 followers! Only four more 'til the MYSTERY PRIZE is included in the booty list! (Booty list... now that was just fun to type, heh).

Are you stressing about something right now? Is it weighing down on you, or racing through your mind, keeping you from being calm? I know you might not be able to physically get away like I did this weekend, but try to mentally take a step back from that stress and see if you can take a different approach to the problem. Breathe - in through the nose for a four-count, hold it for a seven-count, let it out slowly through your mouth for an eight-count. Feel better? Need to vent? The comments section is always open.

Breathing Room

2010-05-19T04:24:00.005-04:00

I'm nearing completion of the WIP MS, and as I do, I find myself longing for some breathing room. I feel like I've been holed up in my room forever, turning down social engagements and trying to crank out pages. My head is so filled with this book, it's all I can do to write a damn grocery list, let alone even consider any other project. All I can see is this story and the characters in it, what they're doing to each other and what the heck is gonna happen when everything collides together at the end.

Part of my timeline for getting this novel produced is letting the manuscript rest for a few weeks between completion of the first draft and the first editing run-through. I plan to use those weeks to work on some short stories, sort of as a mental palate-cleanser. I've been in my fictional town of Bulton for nine months now, almost ten, and it's time to see new things and new places in my mind's eye.

Getting the first draft of this huge project off my desk is going to be a relief, and I don't want to start something that long again for at least a few months. I know, too, that I'm only nearing the end of the first step; there's going to be a thorough revision process, and I need to get my head wrapped around that concept before I start another lengthy piece of work, and figure out how everthing fits into a new timeline.

Now that I've worked writing into my everyday(ish) schedule, I don't want to stop. I used to take long breaks between spells of writing - sometimes months would pass before I would pick up something and tinker with it - but I can't even begin to imagine living that way now. I'm delighted at the idea of using the time my MS needs to take a few shorts for a spin. Imagine, a tiny little piece of writing, with hardly any commitment at all! A perfect study of the abbreviated scene, the focus on action, the striking images needed to ensnare a reader in 6,000 words. And something I can add to my portfolio to boot! Man, that sounds like fun!

When you finish a long project, what do you do to give yourself some breathing room? Do you jump right into the next long project, or switch it up a little for variety?

Pay it Forward Update

2010-05-18T01:33:00.004-04:00

Hello all! I announced my very first blog contest, the Pay it Forward Giveaway, on Friday of last week, and I have a couple of updates about it for you!

First, THANKS for all the wonderful comments, reposting, and goodwill-spreading! I've gotten a great response for this so far! I can only hope the two weeks will continue to be as amazing as the first few days of the contest were. In just three days, I received over 200 entries from interested bloggers! WOW!

I also gained 11 followers already - YEAH!! Welcome, new folks! Take a look around! Here are a few entries for you to peruse while you're here. They're some of my most popular posts, and you can learn a bit about me and my blog if you decide to take a gander:

Lycanthropy Awareness (from Arlee Bird's A to Z blog challenge)
A Fine Romance, With No Pages
Clark Kent vs. Superman

11 new people! That means we only have 14 more to go before a MYSTERY PRIZE gets added to the contest! Whoooo!! I think I'm as excited about that mystery prize as I am about the contest itself!

Also, Curt and Shane from Mooks in the Movies have thrown something out there to be added to the Pay it Forward Giveaway grand prize! As you know, the winner gets to choose EITHER a $25 gift card to the bookseller of their choice OR what I like to call an "Author Sponsorship Package" which includes me purchasing your published work (up to a $25 value), reviewing it on the blog and your bookselling website of choice, giving you and your work plugs on my Twitter and Facebook and hosting an author spotlight on my blog for you. Well, Curt and Shane are adding this little gem to that package:

To sweeten the pot, I am offering this. In addition to the sweetness of her prizes, we Mooks will name a character in one of our screenplays after the winner! You heard it right folks! Now, with respect to people's privacy, we will handle that this way:

We can name the character using your first name, screen name, or just a name you really like. We will also post a link to the winner's preferred media here on our blog as well. So, if you are the winner, you get your name used in one of our screenplays, and we will announce you as the winner, with a link to your blog, website, whatever!

How cool is THAT?? Awesome, huh? If you haven't had a chance yet, get on over there and follow their blog! You'll get +7 entries in the contest for it!

Also, Kierah Jane Reilly did her own spin on the Pay it Forward contest here. She started a really neat trend on her blog that's spread out to at least four other blogs so far... can't wait to see how far it goes! And I love your choices for the "In real life hangout", Keirah!

One more thing... the Pay it Forward Giveaway is inspiring another group of writers to compose some Pay it Forward drabbles! If you don't know what drabbles are: they're pieces of flash fiction, written in exactly 100 words. No more, no less. I can't wait to see more about this and share it with you as it develops!

Thank you so much to everybody who's gotten involved with this! I love this community!

The Pay it Forward Giveaway ends at midnight on Monday, May 31st! If you'd like to know more, visit this link for details!

Fifteen Fantasy Island Favorites

2010-05-17T02:04:00.001-04:00

When Arlee Bird asked me to participate in the Fifteen Fantasy Island Favorite blogfest, I agreed immediately, mostly because of how much fun the A to Z blog challenge was. (It didn't hurt that this is a wonderful Music Monday topic, as well.) I had no idea how hard making these decisions would be! I kind of agonized over these entries... I didn't know how much music I had that I was unwilling to part with! I was strict on myself and insisted that I only pick one album per artist, and I didn't pick any compilation or greatest hits albums...ok, maybe I'm a little OCD. I hope you guys enjoy my list. Please pardon my formatting... I'm really bad at this whole html editing thing, and I hope the album artwork comes across all right without giving you a massive headache. I linked to at least one of my favorite tracks on each album, so give some of these a listen if you get a chance!

Oh yeah, don't forget to check out the Pay it Forward Giveaway while you're here! There's a link in the sidebar as well. My first ever blog contest is going great so far! I can't wait to see what you guys come up with to spread the goodwill around.

All right, without further ado, here are my Fifteen Fantasy Island Favorites, in no particular order!

Funeral by the Arcade Fire
I mentioned the song "Wake Up" in an entry a couple of weeks ago. That song is on this album, along with Neighborhood #3 (Power Out), and Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels). It's a musical masterpiece with moving, epic tracks I would want to be able to listen to no matter where I was.

Who Will Survive, and What Will Be Left of Them? by Murder by Death
This concept album tells the story of the Devil coming to a small town in New Mexico. One of MBD's most famous tracks, "Until Morale Improves, the Beatings Will Continue" is on this album. It's classic Murder By Death all the way, and if I have to pick just one of their albums to take with me, this is it.

Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
This is a fun, summer-type album. With great tracks like "A-Punk", I would party on the beach of my desert island 'til the sun came up.

Surfer Rosa by the Pixies
This is my favorite Pixies album, with the cool "Gigantic", crazy-genius "Vamos", and generational anthem "Where is my Mind?" (By the way, I loved that song BEFORE Fight Club. Sigh.)

Feel Good Ghosts (Tea-Partying Through Tornadoes) by Cloud Cult
The song "Journey of the Featherless" is one of my favorite tracks on this album; it sums up the optimism and love of the whole track listing. You should really give it a listen. If you get a chance, "No One Said it Would Be Easy" is amazing, too...

Give Up by the Postal Service
I became a Postal Service fan after hearing the song "The District Sleeps Alone Tonight" off this album. The band is sort of emo-punk-techno... hard to explain, but I love it.

The Long Run by the Eagles
A huge influence on my current WIP MS, I can't leave this album out. It has some really great classic Eagles songs, like "Heartache Tonight", "Those Shoes" and "In The City". This was a really hard choice because I love the Southern Rock style of the Eagles so much (even though they're from California, ha!), but I had to go with this album out of all the rest, if for no other reason than "Heartache Tonight"... it's practically the theme song for my novel.

Born in the U.S.A. by Bruce Springsteen
Remember 1984? Members Only jackets? Parachute pants? Slap bracelets? Bruce Springsteen singing about being Born in the U.S.A.? About Dancing in the Dark? Remember Ronald Reagan trying to make this the theme song for his campaign? Yeah, I was only nine, but even *I* remember him getting shut down by The Boss.

Seven and the Ragged Tiger by Duran Duran
Again, I had to go with a childhood favorite. My dad was Bruce Springsteen, but my mom was Duran Duran. She was in love with Simon LeBon, the lead singer. She and my sister followed them around the Southeast one summer! This album always makes me think of being a kid... so it makes me smile. My favorites on this one are "New Moon on Monday" and "Union of the Snake".

Ten by Pearl Jam
...but I had to grow up sometime. This album was my constant companion in my junior year of high school. GRUNGE ROCK HO!! Songs like "Jeremy", "Evenflow", and "Alive" made this album one of the most popular records of the 90's, but my favorite track off this album was "Oceans".

The Downward Spiral by Nine Inch Nails
The song "Closer" is what made this industrial rock album a legend, but there are a lot of other amazing tracks like "March of the Pigs", "Eraser" and "Hurt". I've seen Nine Inch Nails five times in concert, and the tracks from this album are always the ones that satisfy the most.

Violent Femmes by the Violent Femmes
An indie rock classic, with songs like "Blister in the Sun", "Gone Daddy Gone", and "Add it Up". Grab your skateboard and your angsty attitude... we've made a half-pipe out of pineapple trees.

Swamp Ophelia by the Indigo Girls
There are a lot of Indigo Girls albums out there, but I think this one is one of their most well-rounded works. This is a folk-country triumph, with songs like "Least Complicated" and "Fugitive" setting the tone for the rest of the album - a unique flavor of bittersweet triumph.

Elephant by the White Stripes
Jack White... how many ways can you rock us? How many, huh? This album has such great songs on it, like "The Hardest Button to Button" and "Seven Nation Army". I think it's one of their strongest pieces of work.

Synchronicity by the Police
Another remainder from my childhood. I love the Police - their strange mixture of musical movements has enchanted me for three decades. My favorite tracks off this one are "King of Pain" and "Synchronicity II".

Now it's time to scratch some records! We're having a coconut party by the fire tonight... wanna join?

Pay it Forward Giveaway

2010-05-14T03:36:00.000-04:00

Hello, friends!!

First, THANKS for all the kind comments on the entry regarding color in prose yesterday! I'm excited so many people liked the idea. And YES, I hit 100 followers! *internet high fives all around* Thank you, everybody!

Second, a story -

I pulled the cash out of the bank envelope. A hundred dollars cash back, just like I'd...

Wait a sec.

Four twenties and a hundred? I checked my deposit receipt and blinked in surprise. It showed the amount I'd asked to be deposited.

Eighty extra dollars...

I've told you a little about my life, enough for you to know I'm pretty damn poor, right? Eighty dollars. SO much money. And in cash... untraceable, I said to myself. I kept seeing the little yellow Community Chest card from Monopoly.

I drove around the block. Take it back or keep it? My brain was yelling for that cash. But my gut and my heart were reminding me of KARMA... and I just couldn't in good conscience keep the extra money. It wasn't mine to keep! Before I could talk myself out of it, I went back to the bank and went in.

When the teller counted her drawer and realized I wasn't joking about an extra eighty dollars in my envelope, she looked at me, pale in the overhead fluorescents. Her eyes were wide. "Thank you," she said in a trembling voice. "You literally just saved my job." She went on to explain that anything more than a $50 discrepancy in a drawer was grounds for instant termination.

She also told me that she had never experienced a customer coming back in to give back money after a mistake had been made. She looked at me as if I'd grown an extra head. Grateful, but wary.

She thanked me again, and I told her if she really wanted to thank me, she should just pass the good deed along. She gave me a little smile and nodded. Who knows? It just might work.

End of the story. Well, that particular chapter, anyway. Or, perhaps it was a prologue? Because I'd like to announce my first-ever blog contest! Flourish of trumpets, please!

The B. Miller Fiction
Pay It Forward Giveaway
So... seems as if doing the right thing has gone outta style. I'd like to try to change that. And I'd like you to help me. First, let me tell you what the prize is ('cause I hate waiting, and I know you do too).

The grand prize for this giveaway is the winner's choice. EITHER a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble (or Borders, Amazon, etc - whichever you prefer) sent directly to your preferred mail receptacle, OR...

If you are a writer with published work available for purchase, I will buy your novel/story collection/chapbook, etc., up to a value of $25. I will also read your work and give a review on your chosen website, as well as a review and a plug on my blog, Twitter, and Facebook fan page. I will go to my local library and booksellers and ask that your work be stocked on my local shelves in Greenville, South Carolina. And, if you're willing, I will do a guest feature on my blog for you, complete with interview and links to your media.

Yes! You're smiling! I can tell! Awesome!

OK, ready to hear the rules?

This will be, like many contests out there in blogland, a multiple-entry contest. Here are the basic ways to get entries:

Comment on this post: +1
New follower: +1
Old follower: +2
Tweet or post on Facebook about this contest: +2
Follow me on Twitter (@bmillerfiction): +2
Become my fan on Facebook (see sidebar): +2
Blog about this contest: +3
Include this post in your sidebar: +3

This contest is called "Pay it Forward" for a reason. I want to support my writing community however I can, which is why my grand prize is one of your books. I'd also like to help some fellow bloggers expand their audience. So, if you go follow any of these blogs, you'll get +7 entries in the contest.

Kierah Jane Reilly
Curtis and Shane at Mooks in the Movies
Dawn at Through the Looking Glass

Write a story or a poem about paying it forward. Post it on your blog, with a link back to this entry. You'll get +10 entries.

Still with me? OK, last thing... do something selfless. Doesn't matter what it is, as long as it's something outside of your usual routine. Something you have to go out of your way to do. If the recipient of your good deed asks you how they can repay you, tell them to pass the goodwill along to someone else. Post about this encounter in your blog. Link back to this post. Make sure to let me know with a comment (or send me an email at millerb75 at gmail dot com). For this, you will get an additional +25 entries.

This contest will run until the end of the month. I will be announcing the winner on Tuesday, June 1st. I'm also working to get the WIP MS done by the end of the month so we will have cause for a double celebration! YEAH!

I will also be giving away a MYSTERY PRIZE for each additional 25 followers on my blog. Oooooo... You can't resist a mystery, can you?! :D

Don't forget to let me know what you've done to up your contest entries. Post them on this entry or email them to me at millerb75 at gmail dot com. Remember, if you don't let me know what you've done, you won't get the extra entries. If you have questions, comments, etc, feel free to drop me an email.

Good luck, friends! Oh... and have a fantastic weekend!

Color Your Prose

2010-05-13T10:56:00.003-04:00

Ever think about how color can affect the theme and mood of your story?

The movie Schindler's List, directed by Steven Spielberg, was almost completely shot in black and white... except for the little girl in the red coat. We see her through Schindler's eyes, standing out in the crowd of Jews waiting to be processed... then later, heaped onto a wagon of corpses, still wearing her little red coat. A lot of people have speculated about what the color red means - perhaps the red symbolizes a lost innocence, or the blood of the Jewish people spilled by the Nazis. But Spielberg himself had this to say:

"America and Russia and England all knew about the Holocaust when it was happening, and yet we did nothing about it. We didn’t assign any of our forces to stopping the march toward death, the inexorable march toward death. It was a large bloodstain, primary red color on everyone’s radar, but no one did anything about it. And that’s why I wanted to bring the color red in."

Or take into account the movie The Sixth Sense, directed by M. Night Shyamalan. He also used the color red repeatedly throughout his film, to symbolize when the spirit world and the real world were brushing up against each other. When Cole sees the ghost in his room, he's hiding in a red tent. At the boy's birthday party where the bullies lock Cole in the attic, he's following a red birthday balloon to the top of the stairs, and he's wearing a red sweater. There are many other examples of this symbolism used throughout the movie.

Is this something we can incorporate into our prose? The repetitive use of color is a subtle trick we can use to help set the theme and mood of our writing. Perhaps a character who's in an abusive relationship always has an example of the color purple around them, to symbolize the color of bruises. Or a theme you're touching on - poverty in Middle America, maybe - can be used to highlight people and places who are affected by this theme. Like, everyone who's using government benefits wears or carries something yellow. Or the government offices could be in a yellow building.

I think this is something that could be applied as you craft your WIP or added in as you make the second pass through your manuscript for editing. After all, theme is something we don't necessarily incorporate into every line of prose as we compose our MS, but we can go back after it's complete and inject a little here and there to really beef up the story.

What do you think? Would you consider using color to enhance the theme and mood of your prose? Have you used tricks like this in the past, or have other ways of expressing symbolism you're particularly fond of?

Tags, an Award, and my THANKS

2010-05-12T01:09:00.001-04:00

I'd like to say THANKS to each and every one of you that left a comment on my blog entry about agents yesterday. The general consensus seems to be working with an agent is definitely preferable to working alone. I got some really insightful viewpoints from a lot of authors and I really, really appreciate all the feedback you guys left. As much as I love Stephen King, I think I'm going to go against his advice here. I feel that I need an agent to help me go to bat with the big guys. But I do appreciate his concern and will do my best to keep my eyes open for potential rip-off artists.

Last week my friend the Watery Tart tagged me in a little questionnaire and I wanted to go ahead and get the answers out there. Sorry for the delay, Hart!!

Question 1 - Where were you five years ago?
1) Living and working in Indianapolis, IN
2) Writing a few short stories here and there
3) Learning the importance of family
4) Missing my home in South Carolina
5) Finding out everything there is to know about commercial lighting

Question 2 - Where would you like to be five years from now?
1) On a book tour!
2) Not working the Clark Kent job any longer
3) Writing my third (or fourth) novel
4) Living in the South
5) Preparing for my 40th birthday party (it'll take months to plan, ha!)

Question 3 - What is (was) on your to do list today?
1) Working at the Clark Kent job
2) Writing a blog entry
3) Soldiering on towards the end of the WIP MS
4) Laundry... so much laundry!
5) Bowling with a couple of friends this evening

Question 4 - What 5 snacks do you enjoy?
1) Does delicious beer count??
2) Devil's food cookies
3) Mint Oreo fudge cremes... these are ridiculously good
4) Pistachios
5) Sopressata salami and fresh mozzerella

Question 5 - What would you do if you were a billionaire?
1) Pay off my family's houses, cars, and any other debt
2) Start a grant program for Southern writers
3) Create a new publishing house that's open to all genres
4) Buy a movie studio and make my own films
5) Travel all over the world

The other half of this little game is tagging five people to keep the questions going! Here are my tagged blogfriends:

Mel Chelsea of Caledonia Lass
Curtis and Shane of Mooks in the Movies
Lola Sharp of Sharp Pen/Dull Sword
Falen of Falen Formulates Fiction
Theresa Milstein of Substitute Teacher's Saga

Also, I was given a blog award last week by Laura Marcella of Wavy Lines!

Thanks for the Superior Scribbler award, Laura!! I'm passing this on to the following blogs:

Alex J. Cavanaugh
Simon C. Larter
Beth Revis

These guys are awesome and if you don't know 'em yet, try to take a minute today to check 'em out!

One more thing... 99 followers!! As soon as I hit that hundred mark I'm announcing a blog contest! YEAH!! Check back soon for more details!

Agent or No?

2010-05-11T01:40:00.005-04:00

I read this excellent article the other day on Great Writing. It's called "Everything You Need to Know About Writing Successfully: in Ten Minutes" and it was written by Stephen King.

There are some really wonderful tips in here, many of which are featured in the book On Writing. If you get a chance today, you should bounce over there and take a look at the list. It's a great read.

The point which I've been thinking about a lot over the past few days is #11: An agent? Forget it. For now. King has this to say about agents:

Agents get 10% of monies earned by their clients. 10% of nothing is nothing. Agents also have to pay the rent. Beginning writers do not contribute to that or any other necessity of life. Flog your stories around yourself. If you've done a novel, send around query letters to publishers, one by one, and follow up with sample chapters and/or the manuscript complete. And remember Stephen King's First Rule of Writers and Agents, learned by bitter personal experience: You don't need one until you're making enough for someone to steal ... and if you're making that much, you'll be able to take your pick of good agents.

I'm very close to finishing the first draft of my WIP novel, and while I haven't started shopping for an agent yet, I've been kicking the idea around in the back of my mind for a couple of months. After all, part of my timeline is going to the South Carolina Writers' Workshop to meet an agent, or possibly a host of them. I guess I thought of agents as advisers who go to bat for writers with publishing companies. But now that I've read this, I see his point. No agent is going to represent someone they can't make money off of.

So how do I handle the next phase of the MS without an agent? Do I shop my book to big publishers and just hope for the best? At this point, I still want to go to the conference and talk to some agents. I know Stephen King had a bad experience with an agent and this happens to a lot of people, but at the same time I am very intimidated by the idea of soliciting my manuscript without representation.

Writers, I need your input here. Do you work with an agent or are you flying solo? Which do you prefer? Which makes more sense? And how did you meet your agent (if you have one)? If you sent an unsolicited MS... did you send it to someone you know, or just send it out blindly?

Any and all comments are appreciated!

PRESSURE... and Gratitude!

2010-05-10T10:01:00.008-04:00

Happy Monday, everybody!

Oh, I hear you... Ugghhh... What's so happy about Monday, B.??? Believe me, I'm having a hard time convincing myself there's occasion to be enthusiastic. But there is. First off, it's Yvonne's and Ellie's birthdays today, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ladies! Head over there and wish them a happy birthday today if you can.

Secondly, I will be announcing my FIRST EVER blog contest very soon! I am very close to hitting 100 followers and I want to do something to celebrate. (I'm also within rock-throwing distance of finishing the first draft of my WIP novel, so that'll be part of the party too!) Make sure to check back here this week for an important contest announcement. I'm very pleased about my idea for a prize and I think y'all will be too.

Also, I don't know about your neck of the woods, but South Carolina is having one of its gorgeous pre-summer weeks... perfect temperature, bright blue skies, green everywhere, a soothing breeze... you can't ask for much better weather than this. It'll be hotter than the law should allow in a few weeks, so I'm doing my best to appreciate what I have right now.

I guess that's my motto at the moment... appreciate what I have now, because you don't know how long it will last. I took a couple of days off from blogging last week to get my head straight after losing a close friend, and after spending some time doing a lot of serious thinking, what I keep coming back to is a feeling of gratitude. Gratitude for the people I know, the friends I have, my ability to lose myself in my writing. Yesterday, Mother's Day, was an exercise in gratitude for my family. There are so many things to be grateful for and I am trying to recognize each of these things and rejoice in them. One of those things is YOU, my friend. I love my blogging community and am so glad I'm a part of it. You guys keep me going! Thanks for all that you do.

My music-related feature for Music Monday this week is this video from Billy Joel. It's an old song but a great one. (I can't believe this song is almost thirty years old!) I was thinking about it last night because of all the ridiculous CRAP I gotta get done this week. "Real-life" stuff at the Clark Kent job, mostly, but there are other things that have to get done too. But I'm refusing to buckle under the PRESSURE... I'm trying to use it to my advantage.

Enjoy.

That's it for Monday. Hope you have a fantastic week, friend!