Happy Halloween!
Monday, October 31, 2011
SNM Horror Mag's November Nosferatu issue!
My little vampire tale, "Biter Boy," is now live on SNM Horror Magazine's website for their November issue: Vampires! Link is posted on the sidebar with the other past issues. They had some problems the last couple of weeks with censorship, so this issue was a bit on the rushed side. But it's good to see them back up and running! I hope you enjoy my story, and the other horrific tales as well.
Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween!
Sunday, October 30, 2011
First snow of 2011!
Wasn't expecting snow this morning when I woke up. The last weather report I saw said it was going to be mostly clear and cold this week. I should stop looking at Alaska weather reports. Alaska is too big for them to be right.
It wasn't very much, just a dusting. Enough to cover the ground and the cars with the grass still peeking through. I'm going to have to learn to drive the Jeep in the snow. I hope it won't be a harsh lesson.
I've stacked all the movies I consider to be my Halloween favorites on the table. Today I'm watching "Bram Stoker's Dracula." I remember how this movie was the epitome of cool and pushing the envelope, but now it seems so simple. And much as I love Keanu Reeves, his acting in this movie was absolutely wretched. Like a block of wood. But I adore the costumes and the old school effects.
To add to my Halloween happiness, my little vampire tale has been accepted by SNM Horror Mag for their November issue. This brings my total of acceptances this year to twelve. My writing has slowed down considerably these last two months. I've mostly been doing the Light Ray version, one story and one submission a month, but I continue to march onward. I've decided to write a novel for Nanowrimo (a horror novel, surprise, surprise), which means I might not get any short stories written for the next month. Ah, well. As long as writing continues, the rest will happen as it may.
I've been extremely tired of late, probably due to the extra classes I've been teaching, and all the practices of new routines. I need to do a video of my kickboxing class soon, which is slightly freaky, though I've done these video things three times before. The numbers in that class stayed above fifteen until this week, when they suddenly dropped to around five or six. I heard it was parent-teacher conference week, so that may have something to do with it.
Today seems like a good day to curl up by the heater and watch movies. I better get to it. :)
It wasn't very much, just a dusting. Enough to cover the ground and the cars with the grass still peeking through. I'm going to have to learn to drive the Jeep in the snow. I hope it won't be a harsh lesson.
I've stacked all the movies I consider to be my Halloween favorites on the table. Today I'm watching "Bram Stoker's Dracula." I remember how this movie was the epitome of cool and pushing the envelope, but now it seems so simple. And much as I love Keanu Reeves, his acting in this movie was absolutely wretched. Like a block of wood. But I adore the costumes and the old school effects.
To add to my Halloween happiness, my little vampire tale has been accepted by SNM Horror Mag for their November issue. This brings my total of acceptances this year to twelve. My writing has slowed down considerably these last two months. I've mostly been doing the Light Ray version, one story and one submission a month, but I continue to march onward. I've decided to write a novel for Nanowrimo (a horror novel, surprise, surprise), which means I might not get any short stories written for the next month. Ah, well. As long as writing continues, the rest will happen as it may.
I've been extremely tired of late, probably due to the extra classes I've been teaching, and all the practices of new routines. I need to do a video of my kickboxing class soon, which is slightly freaky, though I've done these video things three times before. The numbers in that class stayed above fifteen until this week, when they suddenly dropped to around five or six. I heard it was parent-teacher conference week, so that may have something to do with it.
Today seems like a good day to curl up by the heater and watch movies. I better get to it. :)
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
"America the Horrific" available now!
My story "Iliamna" has been published in Bards and Sages' "America the Horrific" anthology. The story is set in Alaska, and is based on a legend of the Iliamna Lake Monster. I have posted the links to Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and the Bards and Sages website in the sidebar.
These are horror tales based on legends all over the United States. I am so pleased to be a part of this collection. I hope you enjoy it!
These are horror tales based on legends all over the United States. I am so pleased to be a part of this collection. I hope you enjoy it!
Romance Writing and Light Ray
As you may already know, Breathless Press published my short story, "Bordello Secrets" a few months ago, and I have been posting the links to various reviews of it. Just added another one from "I <3 Bookie Nookie" on Goodreads. (The same review has appeared on a couple of other romance review websites as well.) I am very grateful to the reviewer for the posting.
One common theme I've seen when it comes to opinions of this story is that it readers would have liked to read more of it. This delights me because it makes me feel like I might actually be doing something good and worthwhile here. It's so easy to forget that when you're sitting at your writing desk and tearing your hair out because you think you've just written great amounts of slop.
Which puts me in the frame of mind to attempt a historical romance for Nanowrimo this year.
As usual, my trouble is coming up with a story idea that I'm excited to write about.
I'm struggling to keep up with Write 1 Sub 1. I've noticed since August that I've mostly been doing the Light Ray version, one story and submission per month, though sometimes more if I can manage. I'm not entirely sure what's gone wrong with me lately, except that I am physically exhausted, and my time keeps getting sucked away somehow. I need to pinpoint exactly where the time is going so I can turn the vacuum off. (I have the feeling Diner Dash will be the first to go ... )
I know Nanowrimo is going to be a tough go this year. I will really only be writing two weeks out of the four. But for me, this year is mostly going to be about hanging with my writerly friends as the snow flies outside, drinking hot chocolate and battling each other in word wars. And I hope I will have something decent to work with after the month is over.
While falling behind on the weekly Write 1 Sub 1 is a tad disappointing, the process has shown me many things about myself and my abilities. So even if I must admit to changing to Light Ray version these last few months (having not admitted it to myself previously), every moment of the year participating in the program has been priceless. It was the exact kick I needed to start the process from "wannabe" to "real" writer.
Time to search for a Nanowrimo idea. :)
One common theme I've seen when it comes to opinions of this story is that it readers would have liked to read more of it. This delights me because it makes me feel like I might actually be doing something good and worthwhile here. It's so easy to forget that when you're sitting at your writing desk and tearing your hair out because you think you've just written great amounts of slop.
Which puts me in the frame of mind to attempt a historical romance for Nanowrimo this year.
As usual, my trouble is coming up with a story idea that I'm excited to write about.
I'm struggling to keep up with Write 1 Sub 1. I've noticed since August that I've mostly been doing the Light Ray version, one story and submission per month, though sometimes more if I can manage. I'm not entirely sure what's gone wrong with me lately, except that I am physically exhausted, and my time keeps getting sucked away somehow. I need to pinpoint exactly where the time is going so I can turn the vacuum off. (I have the feeling Diner Dash will be the first to go ... )
I know Nanowrimo is going to be a tough go this year. I will really only be writing two weeks out of the four. But for me, this year is mostly going to be about hanging with my writerly friends as the snow flies outside, drinking hot chocolate and battling each other in word wars. And I hope I will have something decent to work with after the month is over.
While falling behind on the weekly Write 1 Sub 1 is a tad disappointing, the process has shown me many things about myself and my abilities. So even if I must admit to changing to Light Ray version these last few months (having not admitted it to myself previously), every moment of the year participating in the program has been priceless. It was the exact kick I needed to start the process from "wannabe" to "real" writer.
Time to search for a Nanowrimo idea. :)
Sunday, October 2, 2011
More Reviews and a Very Windy Day
Two more links to reviews of my erotic romance tale, "Bordello Secrets," are now posted in the link list to the right. I would like to thank Heather's Musings and TwoLips Reviews for taking the time to read and review my story. I greatly appreciate it.
In other news, the great winds of the Mat-Su Valley are back. I kept waking up during the night when major gusts made the house creak and groan. At least the dogs are getting used to the sound and didn't bark. But the wind blew one of the dog kennels off the porch and halfway across the front lawn. This is the kind of wind that sucks your breath away and suffocates you on occasion. Looking on the bright side, at least it isn't icy cold.
Yet.
The snow is creeping down the mountains, getting a little closer to us every day. The temps get no higher than the forties at my house, and dips to the mid-thirties at night. Not quite cold enough to snow, but getting there.
I'm sitting here at my computer trying to get back into the rhythm of writing. I'm wondering how I'm going to get through Nanowrimo this year when I can't seem to keep a consistent schedule. I have two new classes added to my list (that's seven hours, plus a karate class, in one week.) And I'm practicing new routines for this month as well. Group Power's new release is this Saturday, and even though I don't teach a class regularly, I'm subbing for someone that day. So I'm frantically making sure I learn these routines before I embarrass myself in public.
In other words, I'm physically drained most of the time. Makes it hard to concentrate for long.
I'm attempting to formulate a story with a vampire theme. The problem I'm having is that it seems a very tired, overdone genre. My research keeps turning up the same old information, not lending itself to any new ideas. Everything I come up with has already been played out. The good side of this is that I'm clearly not the only one running into this issue. Hollywood seems obsessed with remaking 80s movies. The most original movie we've watched and actually enjoyed this year is "The Warrior's Way." I cringe when I think about "Footloose." I just hope they didn't ruin it.
Anyway, I'm also debating on what to tackle for Nanowrimo. I have a couple of ideas. One is a brand new idea my husband gave me, but I'm not sure I want to tackle a new idea in full length novel form when I'm also still pounding along with Write 1 Sub 1. Another idea: Pick a theme and write a series of short stories for it (how the heck do I pick a theme?!)
Also, I'm considering rewriting the first novel I ever wrote, and the only one I've completed and revised: "Sparkless." Why? Because the story is ten years old, and because I'm interested to see how differently it would turn out written in first person as opposed to third person omniscient. A lot of people seem to have a problem with third person when it's omniscient, I've noticed. I'm not entirely sure why, but it seems to have something to do with shifting points of view. I've known many writers who pull this off without a problem, but perhaps it's just not working for this particular story.
I became aware of this during last year's Nanowrimo. I wrote "Zombies Don't Eat Blondes" in third person, and it clearly was not working. It screamed to be written in first person. (I'm considering rewriting this one for Nanowrimo as well.)
I know for sure I don't type fast enough, nor have enough time to spend trying to accomplish Nanowrimo and Write 1 Sub 1 separately, so I think the only way I'll be able to pull it off is the short story collection route. I've never attempted anything like that before. (Well, this is my first year writing short stories, so I guess that makes sense, eh?)
Ah, well. Enough debate for now. Back to my vampire story.
In other news, the great winds of the Mat-Su Valley are back. I kept waking up during the night when major gusts made the house creak and groan. At least the dogs are getting used to the sound and didn't bark. But the wind blew one of the dog kennels off the porch and halfway across the front lawn. This is the kind of wind that sucks your breath away and suffocates you on occasion. Looking on the bright side, at least it isn't icy cold.
Yet.
The snow is creeping down the mountains, getting a little closer to us every day. The temps get no higher than the forties at my house, and dips to the mid-thirties at night. Not quite cold enough to snow, but getting there.
I'm sitting here at my computer trying to get back into the rhythm of writing. I'm wondering how I'm going to get through Nanowrimo this year when I can't seem to keep a consistent schedule. I have two new classes added to my list (that's seven hours, plus a karate class, in one week.) And I'm practicing new routines for this month as well. Group Power's new release is this Saturday, and even though I don't teach a class regularly, I'm subbing for someone that day. So I'm frantically making sure I learn these routines before I embarrass myself in public.
In other words, I'm physically drained most of the time. Makes it hard to concentrate for long.
I'm attempting to formulate a story with a vampire theme. The problem I'm having is that it seems a very tired, overdone genre. My research keeps turning up the same old information, not lending itself to any new ideas. Everything I come up with has already been played out. The good side of this is that I'm clearly not the only one running into this issue. Hollywood seems obsessed with remaking 80s movies. The most original movie we've watched and actually enjoyed this year is "The Warrior's Way." I cringe when I think about "Footloose." I just hope they didn't ruin it.
Anyway, I'm also debating on what to tackle for Nanowrimo. I have a couple of ideas. One is a brand new idea my husband gave me, but I'm not sure I want to tackle a new idea in full length novel form when I'm also still pounding along with Write 1 Sub 1. Another idea: Pick a theme and write a series of short stories for it (how the heck do I pick a theme?!)
Also, I'm considering rewriting the first novel I ever wrote, and the only one I've completed and revised: "Sparkless." Why? Because the story is ten years old, and because I'm interested to see how differently it would turn out written in first person as opposed to third person omniscient. A lot of people seem to have a problem with third person when it's omniscient, I've noticed. I'm not entirely sure why, but it seems to have something to do with shifting points of view. I've known many writers who pull this off without a problem, but perhaps it's just not working for this particular story.
I became aware of this during last year's Nanowrimo. I wrote "Zombies Don't Eat Blondes" in third person, and it clearly was not working. It screamed to be written in first person. (I'm considering rewriting this one for Nanowrimo as well.)
I know for sure I don't type fast enough, nor have enough time to spend trying to accomplish Nanowrimo and Write 1 Sub 1 separately, so I think the only way I'll be able to pull it off is the short story collection route. I've never attempted anything like that before. (Well, this is my first year writing short stories, so I guess that makes sense, eh?)
Ah, well. Enough debate for now. Back to my vampire story.
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