time to think

Nothing like running a chainsaw for an afternoon to give you time to think. I thought of new plot twists and turns in my current WIP and in some older stories that I still like, but haven't found a home. Still, I managed to get no new writing in and while I got a little reading in, it wasn't near as much as I wanted to get done.

Still, I managed to get rid of about six ton of old trees, junk lumber and old railroad ties. Now my wrist is killing me; the largest log weighed about 400 pounds if you go by the standard for a cubic foot of douglas fir of 40 pounds and it was ten feet long (at least it wasn't oak which is 54 pounds/cubic foot). I couldn't cut it because I didn't want to risk hitting some hidden iron and ruining a good chain saw blade. Still, it was a good job done and one less thing to do this fall.

Now, today I want to go over a manuscript that was rejected this weekend (I was told I just missed the antho. Damn!) and see if I can salvage it for a different market. Something is telling me no, but the theme is used in a lot of different antho's so I may just let it sit and wait. Something will come up.

So, what did you do this weekend?

In my grubby hands

I got an oversized envelope in the post yesterday that contained my contributor copy of Sand, Issue #5 with my story Play Date in it. I am the last story in the last regular issue of Sand (as they go to a yearly anthology series after this). Better get your order in as it will be a collectible in years to follow (and not for my story, but for the fantastic mark they are going to leave on the dark fantasy and horror world).

Now I get to sit back, do a little reading this morning until my old school (Iowa State University) goes up against their instate rival (the University of Iowa) and I am hoping I have it on my satellite TV package so I can watch it, otherwise I am going to be glued to my radio for about 3.5 hours today. Speaking of Football (sorry, American football for those of you outside of the states) Our local high school team clobbered their opponent last night 78-8 which means in the three games they have played they have managed to outscore their opponents 207-14. We are kicking some serious butt this year. Either that or the other guys really stink. Way to Go CRB (Coon Rapids-Bayard)!

maybe next week

This week has had limited success. I have written very few new words (probably less than 1K). Although I have made a lot of notes in my MG book, no words have been changed on my computer yet. I have done a little reading but nothing to brag about and when I get a free minute this afternoon (if my 2 yr old goes down for a nap) it will be spent mowing the yard. I am hoping to get more work done in between potty training the little guy (having no success at this point, but we will work through it and triumph!) I have faith in the knowledge that he will not go to kindergarten in diapers (I think).

So, like K.C. I need to reorganize my bookshelves, and not because I moved or anything but because I am a certifiable bibliophile. Currently they are organized in the following catagories: history, woodworking, YA, poetry, picture books, series books, Stephen King, hardcover horror, literary, autographed, friends books, reference, magazines, and paperback. I also have an antique section and a big little book section (you may remember them from the 30's. many of them if you flipped the pages they showed a cartoon) I need a better way to organize them as many of them spill over into multiple categories. any suggestions? Just to show you what I am up against here are a few of my bookcases.
The first one shows history, big-litle books, and a few paperbacks. It has actually become a catch-all for anything I can't put somewhere else. This has become my problem area. (note the double shelving of the paperbacks.)


this second one contains all of my autographed, friend, and antique books (and a few reference books) It was built by my dad as a graduation gift and has some stunning glass doors (unfortunately they reflected the flash to badly to show them)

progress

I have to say I am making progress. It is slow but there. I am going through suggestions and ideas from one of my beta readers (I can't believe I made that many mistakes after going through it so many times) and as you will see below, I have a pond growing in my backyard. Okay, so it isn't in my backyard, literally, but you can get there from here.


And that picture is taken from the deck on my house just to let you know how close things are. You couldn't see it until this afternoon, when they took out all the trees that ran parallel to our fence.

Not Monday, Tuesday

I have to keep telling myself that it is indeed Tuesday, and not Monday as my mind would have me believe. Federal holidays tend to do that to me.

So this has actually been a productive weekend. Not writing wise, but otherwise. My spare guest room is now officially done, so if any of my blog-roll people are ever in the area, and you need a place to crash, let me know. I will see what I can do for you. (BT, I am now ready for your world tour.) I am now ready to start on the last unfinished space in the house and move my pool table in there. I don't think it will take long to put that together; just a couple of walls, some drywall, paint and trim and blammo- instant room.

The pond activity beside my house is still going strong. I am unsure how big this is going to be, I hope it will allow for some good fishing in a couple of years.

At least I know my inbox works. I received a rejection from a pro market. It was expected. I got no writing done this weekend. I did manage to start reading on K.C.'s book and I have to say I am really enjoying it. I think I may forgo the writing again today to continue on Jack's adventure.

Hope everyone had a good weekend. Talk at you later.

Friday at last

It has been an interesting week. Really. Sometime soon I expect to have a pond by my house. The neighbor had the slew in between our houses surveyed about three years ago and this week I saw the heavy equipment to move some dirt around. Now I am hearing the distinct rumble of a diesel engine and the back-up signal from big trucks just outside of my house. I believe if they are moving dirt I will be getting the boy and some lawnchairs out and go watch when it gets a little warmer,and the boy wakes up. In a couple of years I expect to be able to walk 50 yards and go fishing. I knew we bought this house for a reason.

I have just finished Tom Piccirilli's book The Coldest Mile last night. This is a continuation of Edgar nominated book The Cold Spot, and it was every bit as good, although I was a bit miffed at the cliffhanger ending. Guess I will have to buy another book from him when it comes out.

Today I am going to start on K.C.'s book Jack of All Trades (for which I received a very cool bookmark and stickers for yesterday). I have heard good things about it so far and I can't wait to get to it.

Also in the post yesterday I received my contributer copy of Night to Dawn with my story Coffin Nails in it. It is actually a very good layout and the artwork was very nice and nasty. I am considering getting a subscription for the next year to read Natalie and B.T.'s stories which come out in it next year, spring and fall respectively. You can look it up on lulu as well. It is issue #16. (they have electronic issues for sale as well.)

enough pimping, time to get back to work, my current WIP is standing at 7K since last week and I think I can add another 1K to it today. I am going more for time involved in the project and so far I have managed to put about 45 minutes every time I sit down to it. I haven't worked on it every day and I know I won't get anything done on it this weekend.

Have a good weekend, it is a long one here in the states and I have nothing pressing going on with the house for once. ah- relaxation.

August is come and gone, already. It seems like summer was just starting last week and now it is already within sight of over. Damn. I must have wasted my time because it doesn't feel like I got anything done. Let us review what did get done.

For the month of August I had one acceptance to Feathertale magazine for a short story, My Birthday Present.

I had two rejections. One from Shimmer and another from The First Line (which I shared with you). It was an encouraging rejection from Shimmer so I reworked a little bit of it and sent it back out to the Mo-Con Antho. Maurice has had it for 29 days now. We will see how that turns out.

Other than that, I finished my edits on Big Chief's Gold (mg book) and sent it off to my beta readers (thanks guys). I am currently working on the query letter for it. It is one of the most difficult things I have ever written. This may call for the Query Ninja.

I have also started a new book last week. It is a thriller, with a little science-fiction thrown in for good measure. I am 30 pages into it and enjoying it so far. We will see how long that lasts.

I read 3 books this month and Cate's Chapbook (does that make 4?) I can't remember what one of them was. I think I am getting old.

I am currently down to 10 submissions that are out. I queried 3 of them last week and heard back from 2 of them. One was the acceptance mentioned earlier, and the other said I had a very good chance of making it in. He was making final decisions and would let me know this week. I don't think I am ever going to hear back from the other editor.

Just too let every one know how slow my inbox has been lately I counted up the rejections V Acceptances I have had since May 1 and it breaks down like this (these are actual numbers, don't attempt to adjust your monitor, your results may vary) Acceptances: 5 Rejections: 7. That is a lot of downtime in the ol' inbox.

Here is hoping September is productive.