Hey Folks, Well, the novel feels like it’s stalled. It might or might not be — I’ve been through this before — but that’s how it feels. I’m not worried. I’ll write at least one novel this month, whether it’s The Storm or something else. And this is an adjustment month or transition month as I move my writing up to the house, refurnish my office, etc. Fortunately, today I have some family stuff to do. … Read more
Hey Folks, This just in, and I’m putting it right up front: For anyone out there who is still looking for an agent or who HAS an agent for that matter, please do yourself a favor and read Kris Rusch’s Business Musings post “Writers, Scam Artiss, Agents and More” at http://kriswrites.com/2017/04/26/business-musings-writers-scam-artists-agents-and-more-sigh/. Well, yesterday, even with my brain pretty much toast at around 2 p.m., I created a cover for “Suction Cups,” then a promo doc. Then … Read more
Hey Folks, Today is a nonwriting day for fiction. It’s currently only around 1:30, and I’m making the call. I’m in the Hovel, where I’m going to enjoy a good cigar in solitude and do something completely useless, like play solitaire or something. Then I’m going to finish a few chores at the house and call it a day. I spent much of the morning doing things around the house, including putting a new screen on … Read more
Hey Folks, Some folks’ need for boundaries is amazing to me. To see what I mean, read the comment by “Patrick R” on Dean’s http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/story-twenty-one/ and then Dean’s response. With appropriate respect to Patrick R, I found the exchange hilarious. *** I did a spell check of The Platinum Blond Perturbance yesterday after I finished it. Ugh. Even writing the promo doc for this one was like pulling teeth. And there are people who spend months … Read more
Hey Folks, A few days ago I mentioned here that all the coyotes and other predators seem to have left the area. A day after I wrote that, the owls were back and I had a scare. This morning, the coyotes are back. Well now, isn’t that the way it always works? (grin) From around 4 a.m. I was serenaded for almost an hour straight by song dogs. No owls as yet, but I’m sure they’re … Read more
Hey Folks, Well, it’s Saturday. A short post today. As it stands, I’ve watered the yard, and I’m planning to take a drive and a hike to see some petroglyphs with my wife and Bryan. In the afternoon, I’ll either return to one of my WIPs or read. No pressure, no worries. I’m not stuck on either story. Just relaxing my way through the past couple of days, making other things and people priorities. Kind of … Read more
Hey Folks, Wow. Almost half the month gone already. Amazing what even one missed day of writing does to the productivity. And I might have another nonwriting day today. Bryan and I are headed for Sierra Vista this morning. Mostly to pick up a few essentials for him for his trek into a new life at Job Corps. That could happen as early as a couple of weeks from now. And plus, I just want to … Read more
Hey Folks, Well, I had a pretty good scare this morning. I let the little girl out with dim, pre-dawn light in the sky. She skittered off around the corner of the house to her favorite place to look through the fence. About the time I got settled at my outside table, a hoot owl started hooting. It was on a telephone pole some forty yards from the house. But immediately after that, as I was … Read more
Hey Folks, I’m posting this edition of the Journal very early and strictly as a placeholder. I have to be in Tucson at 8 and I have not the foggiest idea what will happen or how long it will take. Or what will happen otherwise, for that matter. If I get back in time to post a more thorough entry, I’ll do so and trash this one. If not, well, the streak continues. Other than the … Read more
Hey Folks, I’ve learned a great deal about writing over the past three years. It’s also been a long time since I last taught a seminar. That was in September, 2014. A month after that, I taught an actual writing workshop based on Writing Into the Dark. But then, other than bits and blurbs in emails or the occasional edit or brief presentation, I stopped teaching. I devoted myself to my own writing. Now, nearing 30 … Read more