Getting Back Into the Swing

I signed up for an all day class this Saturday, so I'm looking forward to that. Two lecturers are folks and writing friends I've mentioned before: Dr. Bryce Anderson and Cyn Mobley. I love to listen to Bryce talk about bullets and ballistics, all that stuff that comes in handy in some of my stories. Cyn is always inspiring and with her no-nonsense style of doing things, a good kick in the pants, so we don't get carried away in a lofty writer kingdom that doesn't exist.
There's also an internet expert guy coming, a radio DJ and book club enthusiast to teach us about speaking on the radio, a person to speak on branding, and another on proposals and key word searching.

It will be a lot of fun and a nice break from my usual work.

I have been writing, but mostly little scenes that aren't going to make it to any bigger story, though with some adaptation, they could. I do not want to get stale on the writing skills I have learned so far and the writing keeps me in the imaginative mindset needed to write fiction. I am getting the itch to start working hard again, which takes a lot of brain energy to work out the details, especially in a fiction fantasy/other world type story. That's where my interest lies at the moment.

Hopefully I can get to all these things sooner rather than later.

Cotton Eyes

I get this text message today from my daughter on her first day back to school: "They put cotton balls in the place of eyes before the funeral."

Huh?

Then I remember. She's reading Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach. It's the book with the picture of feet bearing a toe tag on the cover. You might recognize that if you've been in a bookstore lately. She picked it up recently and has been sharing little tidbits from it the last couple of days. Fascinating stuff to be sure, however morbid.

Wouldn't it be nice to be the author of a book that someone finds so interesting they send you a text message between classes? Hopefully, it was between classes. ^_^

Withdrawn

I think over a year's time is long enough for a submission to be handled and responded to, so I finally sent a withdrawal letter to the editor, much to my disappointment. I had already sent a follow-up letter three months ago, and received no response from that. I don't like to leave matters hanging for my own peace of mind. I can only fulfill my side of the deal and I did that. No hard feelings. Hopefully I'll have other opportunities with that house in the future.

I do have another agent requested submission hanging in the wind for months now, but I did not send a follow-up to her and I will not withdraw that one. No hard feelings there either, though I won't make any more attempts. The business relationship with an agent really has to click to work to the best advantage for both parties and I don't think we would have that. I've heard mostly good things, but my own impression gave me pause. I'm content to let this one go.

I'm still waiting within the normal expected time span on a response from an agent I sent material to in October following given guidelines. It wouldn't surprise me to have that one go past year end since the holiday season has arrived. Then again, I may receive a great response or a rejection at any moment. Nothing like a little suspense.

In the meantime, I'll keep at it.

Prince - the Artist

I read an article about Prince, the singer/songwriter/artist, so many things. It's an interview with a lot of fluff around it written by Claire Hoffman after a visit to his home. Here's the link for as long as it's out there:
http://www.newyorker.com/talk/2008/11/24/081124ta_talk_hoffman

He's one of the truly gifted people in the world. I find him very insightful, thoughtful in a way that most people aren't. Not thoughtful as in getting great gifts for his friends type thoughtful, though he may very well do that, but more thought filled. I don't think a lot gets by him. His thoughts on politics and all the junk that goes with it are true to form for him. I didn't find them so surprising. He doesn't feel any pressure to say something he doesn't adhere to. His mind goes down avenues as far as possible. I like that. His music reflects this in the raw, but compelling way that is his trademark.

The behind-the-scenes comments are interesting as well. Read here:
http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/goingson/2008/11/behind-the-scen.html

Prince has taken parts of his soul and turned it out so that we all get pulled in. This is a lesson for all us writers, though so few of us have the guts to share so deeply.