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Lots of familial exposition today!

Today’s trivia question: Who was Hercules named after and why?

Yesterday’s answer: Originally Hercules was slated to do 10 labors, but two didn’t count. The first was slaying the hydra, and it didn’t count because he had helped. The second one that didn’t count we’ll talk more about later, but the reason it didn’t count was because Hercules was paid for it.

And today’s Hercules words of wisdom from Nonna Sofia: The hero’s way wasn’t only the way of strength. It was the way of wits as well.

Tony takes his grandmother’s advice to heart:

“Later, Nonna,” said Tony. “Homework. If I study enough, someday I’ll figure out that I have to burn the hydra heads.”

3,919 / 75,000 (5.2%)

Already whacking parts of HH:PW. Last week we had a false start. This morning, in the car, we had a real start. Instead of working on the outline today, I wrote it down in an effort to capture the characterizations.

Several things about the characters life revealed them to me. I didn’t expect Tony and Bianca’s parents to be traveling academics–which explains why they’re staying with Nonna and Leo for this year, and gives them the opportunity to go further afield in the next book, if there is a next book.

At any rate, you should really be ready for this journal to get boring. All 3 of you who are reading. 🙂 Because ain’t nothing more exciting than watching a writer report their progress. Well, paint drying, you know. It’s exciting for the author, and I’m pretty sure it’s exciting for Sonya, yeah, but other than that, not so much.

No more exotic adventures in foreign countries for a while. Back in my real journal, I’m almost caught up to the current time in reporting my exploits. There will be more submitting…later.

***

I know you’re here for the Hercules. So, here’s the first of what I hope are many interesting Hercules trivia questions.

1. Why did Hercules have to perform 12 tasks instead of the 10 he was originally assigned?

And today’s Hercules words of wisdom: Iolaus bit back a scream that would have made him sound like a little girl. For Zeus’ sake! He was the nephew of Hercules!

(When you’re working with Hercules, you don’t want to scream like a little girl!)

Today’s Herc-o-meter!

2,480 / 75,000 (3.3%)

I’ve finished off chapter one of Blood is Thicker than Water at Las Habladoras. There’s also a beautiful new photo over there by Catrina Horsfield as well.

Gotta get down to some work, and then a Hercules break. See you this afternoon with the Herc-o-meter, and a trivia question.

Today’s progress was revisiting and typing in synopses of the 12 labors of Hercules.

2,114 / 75,000 (2.8%)

Man, Hercules sure did like to wrestle. It seems a natural, this book.

Okay, next week is a massive outline of the story. Where the labors go, when we introduce what kids, all sorts of stuff.

I have a lot to let stew over the weekend.

More on writing later today.

Just wanted to let you know that the last three Japan travelogues are finished.

Kyoto
Nara
Tokyo

We return to all writing, all the time.

Catherine

It doesn’t mean much to y’all, but I’ve finished the ELA coordinator manual. Now those 28 pages are in the hands of others, and I wait for suggestions for revision, not unlike publishing.

I *could* begin the next step at work, prep for fall semester. That looks like a schedule and syllabi for two Elements of Writing class. Easy peasy.

Gotta have that carrot, though. I’ll be happy to start that, but after I give myself a little reward for being so diligent. What, may you ask? Food? God forbid! After this summer’s travel, not the way to longterm health. Sleep? Even in academia, sleeping on the job gets you the big ole frownie face. Yeah, I know you saw your almost retired 5th grade teacher do it. I do, but trust me.

Sooooo…… one of my new favorite sites:

The Brookfield Zoo, where Uncle Leo works.
I also spent my small break boning up on Hercules 12 Labors.

And…wait for it!…..drumroll…..eight days early….

the Herc-o-meter!!!

382 / 75,000 (0.5%)

Yes, I’ve begun Hulk Hercules: Professional Wrestler for Cats Curious Press. It’ll be 1230 words a day to make my first draft count by October 1st, but if I can stack a little up in advance, I’s one smart cookie.

Hope you are all having great days!

Catherine

Rejection from Cameron McClure from Donald Maass

Julie Rose has a new podcast up for Paul Liadis.

What were Aric and Kim up to?, a Kyoto travelogue up in my other journal.

T minus 10 days to the Herc-o-meter!

Catherine

I *just* found out about this, so I thought I should mention it to you guys too, just in case you had any Midwestern corn punk stories laying around.

Iowa Flood Anthology Guidelines. Submissions close on the 23rd, and it’s not for cash, but it is to raise cash for people who need help in Iowa.

That said, I sent off two scenes from the Grant section of Gossamer and Viridian. They did say they wanted Iowa.

Catherine

It must be Monday. I went back to the gym, Happy Hour of the Damned in tow. The author, Mark Henry, remarked that people usually react strongly to the book. I am amused, much in the same way I was when I watched the American Werewolf films. Sure, the characters are shallow and undead, but it’s laugh out loud funny. You have to truly enjoy dark humor. Or be perverse. Or both. So yes, if that’s you, I’m recommending this one.

***

Some internet things (it’s all about me!)

Another dollop of Blood is Thicker than Water

A reflection on Takarazuka, the all woman Japanese theater troupe

***

Finally, another soapbox on why it’s useful to send out your novel even if you’re rejected: learning the players.

Many new writers feel that they want an agent. ANY agent. I begin to think of an agent as getting a job when you enter any field. At first, you want a job. Then you want a better job. You might even have a dream job in mind, and you decide to work toward it.

There are plenty of places to learn about disreputable agents, and that’s not what I’m talking about here. If you stick with Agent Query, Query Tracker, and various places that tout reputable agents, if you watch Preditors and Editors, you will probably find a legitimate agent. What I’m chatting about is a good match from that wide field of legitimate agents.

Personally, I’d like a great agent from word go. I’d like an agent that fits me like a glove, that I enjoyed, that matched me in pace and concern for my work. Since that didn’t happen with my first teaching job, I will be delighted and surprised if it happens with an agent.

Continue reading “Happy Monday!”

Maybe not so much. I’m sewing, and I have to tell even my writing peeps how much I’m looking forward to the last episodes of Avatar: The Airbender tonight. If you haven’t been watching Avatar, you owe it to yourself as a writer to do it! It may well be the best written show in years. Well, it and Battlestar Galactica. There isn’t an ounce of fat in the show, and no plot thread is ever dropped. If you want to learn to write YA with heart, romance, drama, AND you want to write YA where the adults aren’t superfluous bunglers who merely get out of the way because it’s YA and the kids have to do it, my God, you should be watching this show!

Enthuse much? Well, I’m saying that if I taught screen writing, I’d include the show as a great example of how to do it.

***

To keep you posted, Taryn Fagerness from Sandra Djikstra sent her rejection.

Next travelogue? The spectacular Toei Eiga Mura!

***

Had I not waxed quite so poetic on Avatar, I would made some observations about agents and their stables of writers. I want to continue newbies like myself to keep sending things out, because while you’re getting rejected, what you’re learning is that all agencies have different climates, and all agents have different opinions. You begin looking at where you might fit and where you might not fit.
But more on that to come. With no names and full of my biased opinions.

First, though, I must go to a meeting to plan a seminar on old anime, and then I must watch a little bald kid with a blue arrow on his head triumph mightily.

Catherine