Mark Twain’s Daughter Done

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mark Twain’s Daughter has been sent off to the Interfictions 2 anthology. Good luck little hallucinogenic story! Find your way into an arty anthology! I’ve also sent it off to interested readers.

And now…for something completely different. I’m going to take a break from fiction for a couple of weeks. I owe AniCoz a couple of article on wig construction, so I will write up the interviews I did with Elizabeth Sloane last March at Anime Detour and take care of that. We’ll also be finishing up the fall semester and packing up our office for a big move at work to our new building, so that will be plenty until I go on break in the middle of December.

Up and coming? I’m a little over half way done reading Little Dorrit. As soon as I’m finished there, I’ll converse about that. I plan to sew Granny Weatherwax from the Wyrd Sisters cartoon over break. I’ll talk at length about the Iowa Faerie Project, and focus specifically on Gossamer and Veridian: The Solitary King, which will be the next novel I get around for agent fest.

I hope you guys didn’t eat too much.

Catherine

Mark Twain’s Daughter

More of this, then.

Zokutou word meterZokutou word meter
3,775 / 4,000
(94.4%)

Tonight, the internet took me into the exciting world of meningitis. Grim.

I cut all the notes away from the bottom of the story and whacked one scene, which cut my word count substantially. However, I fleshed out two scenes, which expanded the story well. It looks like I have three more scenes, all of which will require substantial revision. I hope to get around 4500-5000 out of the story.

Currently, I project having the second draft done by Thursday, a proof reading on Friday (careful by my standards!) and then I’ll send it out to some readers: Lindsay, C, Kizmet, and Erika. I will probably send it out before I get feedback, but I want the feedback, because I imagine the story will get submitted several times before it finds a home. Reading for enjoyment is also allowed.

At any rate, i think I will make for the anthology.

Blah, blah, blah.

Catherine

Submission and Mark Twain’s Daughter

The worst that can happen is rejection. E.C. Myers mentioned that Sybil’s Garage was taking submissions until November 30th. Honestly, the Susy Twain story I’m working on now is probably more Sybil’s usual cup of tea. That said, all I have laying around right now is Two Vampires and a Panel Discussion, which is a humorous urban fantasy.

I took you seriously, Sybil, when you said don’t assume what we do or don’t want, but honestly, I really do think it’s a long shot, and I will take what I am pretty sure will be a rejection with good grace. Know, however, that I was interested enough to send you something!

***

Meanwhile, here’s where we are tonight with Mark Twain’s Daughter.

Zokutou word meterZokutou word meter
3,762 / 4,000
(94.0%)

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Continue reading “Submission and Mark Twain’s Daughter”

Catalytic Converter

Not the day I had planned, I returned from my Russian lesson to Cedar Rapids, and as I reached the edge of town, my check engine light came on. If the check engine light graces the Hyundai dash, it’s a real problem.

I drove across town to our beloved mechanic Firestone, where Dan told me eventually that it was the Catalytic Converter. Around $1000 and five hours later, the old Hyundai lives again!

I had my computer with me, and I spent those five hours integrating two sets of reading notes together with Hulk Hercules (thanks, Mark and Kizmet!). I’m about a chapter and a half from done, and as soon as I’ve caught up with youse guys, I will ship it off to Sonya. There will most likely be a goodbye note to it by the end of the night.

The only other writing news is Two Vampires and a Panel Discussion came back from Abyss and Apex. They thought it was great fun, but it’s not what they do. There really is no market for funny stuff of the short variety these days, is there? You always take a gamble when you send it out.

***

Right. Back to editing something funny, then. 🙂

Catherine

Hulk Hercules Reading Notes

Mark just sent his reading notes, and I’ll most likely spend tonight comparing copies with his before moving back into Mark Twain’s Daughter.

BTW, GMail has awesome new theme tags, which might make all the difference in whether you want gmail or not. I have ninjas, and they are cute.

Right now, I have an itch to write syllabi for next semester. Is that so wrong?

Catherine

ETA: Also have Kizmet’s notes. Oh boy! Lots o’ editing!

Mark Twain’s Daughter

I managed to get some words down, and I have the first draft of Mark Twain’s Daughter.

Yes, it’s stinky. My first drafts are always chaotic and stinky. It’s that massive mess that you make when you first redecorate the room, and there’s no real shape but a box. The plaster is in everything, and you wondered why you went into the room to rip it up in the first place.

Zokutou word meterZokutou word meter
2,464 / 4,000
(61.6%)

I *can* go up to 10K in word count. What I want to do now, is to pump up the levels of description and capture Susy’s character more. Susy is visited by notable fictional characters: Edward, whom she portrayed in a home production of her father’s novel The Prince and the Pauper, and Huck Finn, who turns out to be her opposite.

Lots of folks are referenced in the novel: her father, mother, sister Clara, long term companion Katy, and the man she thought herself in love with in Italy, the Count de Carly.

I NEED a lot more description. Dialogue. Slower pace. Characterization.

Why can’t the words just come out golden? How unfair!!!

Meh. I’m going to start some laundry, dust, and take care of cats. Not sure what I’ll do this evening, as I’m sure tv continues to be a waste land.

Catherine

Wrestler Integration

And that’s the wrestling integrated into Hulk Hercules. That’s all I can do. I await feedback from my readers, and I will send it off no later than the 28th.

Yeah! Sonya, I’ve sent you an email to this effect, so it’s coming soon.

Now, to hammer out a rough draft of a different sort after lunch. As usual, once I get some words, it will be better, but this is the intimidating part.

Rotten news: a chance, Cassie writes me, to get together with other writers thwarted by a pre-scheduled trip to Des Moines. Poop! I’ll have a good time in Des Moines, but poop!

Catherine

ETA: Procrastinating starting this story like mad, but cleared off lots of tiny tasks, so no excuse now!