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How frustrating is it that while you must be working on Neville Longbottom and the Heroic Journey, you have several hot ideas for new projects that hold themselves up as shiny and beautiful.

Hulk Hercules, far from drudge work, is also usurped by these gems from your subconscious, at least for now.

You know, as a writer who wants to work that you must write the things you are obligated to write first, and so you shall. But you’ve all talked about it before. The thing you think you want to write lures you away from the thing you thought you wanted to write some months ago.

I know this happens to you. What do you do about it?

Catherine

ps I want no less than two new YA series and a whole bunch of short stories. I want!

Reminding self of the following places to send short stories to. Coincidentally, also educating the readers…

Drollerie (which has one now…)
Polyphony 8 (Wheatland Press) (logically, the next after 7)
Interfictions 2: that ambiguous selkie piece
Lone Star Stories
Strange Horizons
Abyss and Apex
Podcastle

Where else? And what about a magazine for YA markets?

Catherine

Started reading Hines’ Goblin Quest on the exercise bike today. I’m totally in. I care about Jig, I love the humor, and there’s character driven conflict. PLUS there’s the added bonus of years and years of cliche gamer D&D rattling around in my brain, just waiting to be twisted. I’ll be recommending this one to Bryon. The great news is that our book group will be discussing it in December. Almost all of them were or are gamers. They will have such a rollicking time with it.

Good work Jim! I’m sure it just gets better after page 30.

***

Worked hard last night after getting the last of the queries for Substance out, organizing the Neville paper excerpts. I’m almost through Rowling’s Order of the Phoenix. I hope, along with some packing odds and ends tonight, that I will finish, and I can write this paper on the trip.

Indeed, it does appear we will be writing this vacation as well as reading. There’s the Neville paper, the (barely started) ELA Director manual, and lots of curricular revision to be had. Of course, always, Hulk Hercules

***

My plan for Hulk is fairly easy: I crank out 1000 words a day from August 1st until September 30th. That will give me 61K, probably more than I need for the book. October and November will be revision, if I need that long. I can do that, especially with my release time. I’m looking forward to doing that.

I would love to be done with Hulk early, so I can get rolling on the curricular guide and an entry for the Interfictions 2 anthology. I have this ambiguous story about selkies that I want to work out. But I plan on things taking until December 1.

***

This fall, I will begin anthologizing a novel I wrote back in the early 90s that doesn’t suck–Blood is Thicker Than Water on a group writing site Las Habladoras, my writing group is cranking up. I could probably send the novel around, but I don’t want my first book to be humorous fantastic Victorian adventure. That was then, and I’m not sure I could write 5 or so of those books now. However, you might enjoy it. I’m also going to use it as an opportunity to learn about podcasting. So, it’ll take the place of my queries–so many pages a week, and then a podcast of a certain length a week.

Yup. Publicity stunt all the way. Absolutely. 😉

Off to mail said queries, throw a surprise party, and visit a flooding town for traveller’s checks.

Catherine

And then, there was a big happy dance!

I’ve sent out the LAST of the queries for Substance of Shadows. I have done all that a writer tamago can do in regard to that particular book for the next two months. That’s the amount of time we give ourselves to hear from the agents I sent to today. If we have to after that time frame has elapsed, well, we learn about slush.

Here are the final contestants.

Eddie Schneider of JABberwocky
Jill Grinberg of Jill Grinberg
Jodi Reamer of Writer’s House
George Nicholson of Sterling Lord Literistic
Taryn Fagerness of Sandra Dijkstra

So, starting with Nephele Tempest back in September, we’ve spent a mere nine months canvassing likely and less likely agents. We still have a partial and a full unaccounted for, as well as 21 left for feedback.

***

So, here at the Tamago, we plan to finish our Neville Longbottom paper, get a costume presentation ready, and maybe sew a costume. All other activity ceases on August 1st, as we begin writing Hulk Hercules. Later, I will share my canny writing plan. Yes, it does sound more mysterious than it is.

***

Woohoos are in order. I did it. You can too. Never say die. Finish your book, and get it out there!

I’ve learned something from the last three books I’ve read. The people who know me are going to all laugh at me, but it’s a new revelation for me, so lay off, okay?

I’ve discovered that what I like to write are books about relationships. I like to study two people or more revolving around each other like planets. Books can be about world building and unique environments. Books can be about action and plot. My books also have these things. But mostly, my books have a relational heart.

I like to read and write about how people bounce around in each other’s orbits, how the tugs and pulls of one affect the actions of another. I want everything in my stories to revolve around the relationship. From there I’ll bring in what it takes to make that relationship work.

I want to spend my literary career writing about Frodo and Sam. About Schmendrick and the Unicorn. About Kavalier and Clay. About Kate and Cecy. About the Count of Monte Cristo, Mercedes, and the 3 guys who set them up. And everything else sort of falls out from around the heart.

I notice that this is not what all books are about. I’ve read some very successful books that weren’t recently, and I just couldn’t do them. As a reader, a book without a relational heart turns me into ADD lass. I can only do plot and worlds and even pretty writing so long without a heart, regardless of genre. That’s probably my new question to ask before I pick up a book to read. What kinds of relationships does this book have that will keep me interested?

The next set of questions I have inevitably lead me to what does this mean for me as a writer? Lots of different kinds of books sell. Where does a relationship writer go? Especially one who isn’t naturally inclined toward romance.

Two questions then, for all of you:

First, what characterizes your writing, do you think?
Secondly, what are your favorite books, or who are your favorite writers who focus on relationships?

Catherine

Tonight: The Dead Zone

Cast: Michele, Michelle, Tracy, Mark, and Cath

Some thoughts:

When you read it now, it doesn’t feel dated. It felt pertinent. The book feels real, especially politically. The themes can be transferred to any time.

King seems to really focus on character and relationship in this book. King is also an author who focuses on a great many different genres.

King does human nature best. His best work focuses on people. Those books don’t require too far a stretch beyond the reality of what already is, which might be horrifying. Small steps eventually take the reader out there, and then you’re out there.

Continue reading “Reading Group Discusses Dead Zone”

If any of you would like a copy of Yellow Cat and the Man, please let me know and I will order you a copy of Friends of the Animal Center Foundation chapbook. I know this post will apply more to locals, to closer friends, and to those who personally remember Toby, but if you are an animal lover, and you’re reading this post in Botswana, I’d be happy to get a copy to you as well.

How much will these chapbooks cost? That depends on how many I order. Michael of FACF gives me the following scale:

1-2 copies are $7 each
3-5 copies are $6 each
6+ copies are $5.50 each

The more of you who order, the better deal we all get. Well, except me. But the rest of you, you’re all in this together!

If you’re ordering from far away, I might ask you to cover postage as well.

At any rate, let me know, and when I get back from some mysterious island in the Pacific, I’ll start collecting monies and addresses, and taking action. I can actually say it’s for a good cause.

Tomorrow night–the LAST of the Substance agent queries! I should probably throw a party. Wait…it’s my birthday too. What a coincidence! See you later tonight for book group.

Catherine

Driving back in bad weather on somewhat flooded country roads reminds me of 1993. Here’s hoping the Coralville Marriot doesn’t flood out!

Heard back from Abyss and Apex about The Initiation Rites and Incantations of the Junior Vampire Auxiliary. This made it to second round, but then got cut. Number two again. 😉

Recently, however, I’ve been thinking about changing Abby and Vince’s adventures into their own book series. Sort of decided that someone needs to take care of all those vamire prom dates, which just isn’t safe. It’ll be after Hulk Hercules.

Meanwhile, back to Neville ville. Thanks to Yvonne, notes through book 5 need to be acknowledged and cited. This, THIS must be what it’s like to have an assistant. It’s kind of groovy.

Catherine

I’ve signed up at the the Verla Kay message boards for children’s writers and illustrators. It’s part of my ongoing efforts to learn about the industry, and to stay on track for the big Hulk Hercules writing smack down of the fall.

If you’re there, say hi. If you’re an emerging YA or children’s writer or illustrator, it looks like a friendly community.

Catherine

All the Campbell information is now in the Longbottom paper. Yay! This weekend I’m off to Minneapolis, so I’m not sure how much I’ll get done while I’m up there. I’m game to work on paper a bit, but if not, it’ll wait.

***

Book group the second is this coming Monday, June 9th. I’d like to say that I’d be live blogging with Stephen King on hand, but I didn’t get around to asking him if he was up for it. 🙂 However, as usual, before I get the group’s opinions posted, I’m going to mention a few things about The Dead Zone.

I’ve read two of King’s other books: The Stand, which sort of stalled at the ending for me, and It which I really dug until we hit the gratuitous kid sex that really came from no where. I am pleased to report that The Dead Zone delivers what the other two books didn’t.

Continue reading “Dead Zone”