Finis

Mark it down in your little book. I'm officially done with my novel Kalynth Sun. Unless someone insists I change a little thing here or there, I am done. Good or bad, it's to bed. Looking back, I've enjoyed writing it but realize that writing a full novel is exhaustive. This is the first novel I've completed that doesn't lack any plot holes or serious structural problems. I am proud of it, but would have liked a different mood to have resulted from it. Something a little darker. I may darken it yet. I just need a few months vacation from it first before I even think about an edit.

SIGH.

Submission Pt. 2

Well, I submitted a sample of my erotic science fiction novel, Kalynth Sun, to Ellora's Cave for a writing contest. I had already sent it in mid-January and I was advised to re-send it so I did. They technically have 120 days to consider it before they have to reply. The 120th day is the eve of the contest deadline. So it works out I guess. I wish I had more to send in to better my chances. I feel pretty good about it. I just hope what I sent was indicative of a compelling story and the judges like my character. I guess we'll find out on when the first of three winners and a finalist is announced on May 22nd.

Wish me luck.

Sonofafloppybitch

This is the last time I use a floppy to store my data. I had an entire manuscript plotted out and four really kick-ass scenes written and tons of notes for all the others. All lost. I could just bite into the faulty little floppy encased in purple plastic and eat the broken pieces! Don't tempt me!
I bought a usb flash memory stick and hope like Hell this never happens again.

April's Fool

If anyone ever reads this blog they'll see that one blog equals one month. I had a serious drought of creativity there for a while. I started a blog and just let it sort of sit there and grow green stuff all over it. Heh. That's sort of funny considering the color scheme of my little blog was green for a while.

I've had a lot on my plate this month. I've battled depression, insomnia, weight problems, creativity droughts, family discord, you name it. At least I had some kick-ass chocolate to console me--courtesy of the large basket-toting rabbit of Easter. (AKA M-o-m.)

At the moment I'm rather peeved at myself for not having something to submit for a writing contest that would be a great opportunity to check my skills and development. I don't have 35K words just sitting in a drawer ready to go. If that were true, they'd already be submitted. All it's going to do is distract me from my work. I feel shitty as it is.

Gggggrrrrrrrr. Time to bite the ears off yet another chocolate bunny.

March of Spring

St. Patrick's day came and went. I didn't even wear green. My excuse--I'm Irish, why wear green? Isn't that overkill?

The wind is up and it's starting to feel great outside. I keep telling myself to enjoy it while I can, for the wonderful triple-digit Texas heat is on its way. Anybody got a pitchfork?

Half way done with Blade Dancer. While it is merely the first draft, I am still happy with my productivity level. I am writing and whether or not it sucks doesn't really worry me. I have a renewed confidence that I am writing good stuff and will eventually know the success of my labors.

I'm even drawing again. I was originally an artist. After sharing creative space with some really arrogant artists, I somehow segued into writing and the sketching fell by the wayside. Well, I purchased some drawing books (Christopher Hart's--he's really good) and pencils. I'm having a good time with it and it's a nice alternative to writing. Now if I could just manage to draw those pesky characters, that would be soooo cool. But I'm only at the cartoon level, no where near real people.

Even better, I have started or rather re-started an exercise regimen. I walk on the treadmill every other day. And walk around the neighborhood on those days in between. I wish I could get back into weights. And swimming. Oh well. Maybe when I'm rich...ha.

Next

I am thinking more and more about a web site and even made some preliminary notes for one. I feel kind of stupid though, not knowing if it would be simply one among a million personal pages that litter the world wide web or an actual author site. I know, vanity kills.

I am busy writing my next novel tenatively entitled Blade Dancer, a futuristic. Where this gust of momentum comes from I know not. I haven't been this motivated to write in--well...ever. I wanted to write, managed to write some but not like this, not with such drive and purpose and direction. I know my destination now. It's cool. The irony is that I laughingly said a few years ago that once my life gets complicated I would probably have too much will to write and suffer for not having enough time whereas before I had no complications and all the time I could ever want and hardly wrote a word. Well, it was prophecy. My life has never been so complicated and yet my creative mind wants to purge itself, birth ideas.

I worked up my schedule for my stories, one draft for every two months. So far, so good. I put all my other ideas away out of sight and kept out the first ten. The oldest five are getting my attention. This way they will be completed, submitted and I finally get closure. I can move on to newer ideas without guilt, without the feeling of leaving something behind.

We'll see if the idea works...

Submission Pt. 1

I finally did it.

Believe it or not, I completed my Sci-Fi erotica novel Kalynth Sun.

I failed in my attempt to complete my novel via NanoWriMo but the damned little group had a purpose--it jarred me into action. I started writing and organizing and planning and thinking. Amazing things happened. I wrote without worry. I laughed and liked a lot of it. Is this the flow? After a couple of weeks, I had a story with a heroine, a conflict, a hero and a villain. I submitted it today and felt total terror as I did so. I spent a few hours in a quasi-state of paralytic shock then snapped out of it and began writing something else. Moving on!

I realize only now that the word 'submission' is very appropriate. I submit to the Fates whether or not my story is to this e-publisher's liking. I have never been this close to my little chunk of The Dream before. Will it break off in my hand and crumble to dust and fall through my fingers in the wind? Will it hold and enable me to get another good grip and pull myself up even higher?

I guess all that remains to be seen. I'll know May 21st. That's 120 days. That little worm in my head named Curiosity has 120 days to wriggle it's way to the forefront of my brain.