Category Archives: LJ

*gurgle*

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Katrina. Oh. My. God. My good friend Patrick lives in New Orleans. I hope he’s gotten out of dodge by now. Sent him an email and tried to call him to check on him, but his phone lines are down, clogged, or otherwise out of service, and I haven’t received a reply to my email. He’s supposed to come up for Dragon*Con later this week; he’s on fosteronfilm‘s staff. I asked him to come up a few days earlier so he could avoid getting in the way of Katrina’s rage, but it’s probably too late for him to evacuate now if he hasn’t already. God, I hope he’s out of harm’s way. I’m so worried about him.

In an effort to put such fretting from my mind, I’ve been working on laying out Thursday’s Daily Dragon hardcopy, also because the schedule changes are already rolling in. Already. I’ve filled up over half a page on the hardcopy, and it’s only Monday.

So yeah, the Magic 8-Ball sez it’s going to be a chock-full o’schedule updates year.

   


Writing Stuff

I did indeed cancel out of the “Writing for Online Markets” panel on Saturday. I just couldn’t see how I could manage to do that one without risking a major ball dropping on my other obligations. Fooie.

Dude_the safe and sound in Atlanta

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dude_the is here. Hurray! His plane actually made it into the Atlanta airport a half hour early–good jet stream or something. fosteronfilm has immediately set him to work doing graphic art stuff for the DCI Film Festival.

   


Writing Stuff

I looked me up in the D*C Pocket Program, and I’ve been added to another panel: “Writing for Online Markets.” Except, err, I don’t. I mean, I’ve sold stories to online publications, but for the most part, my preference for print publication over e-publication means that the majority of my sales have been to hardcopy venues. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the online kind; I’d spork strange men in the kneecap to sell a story to SCI FICTION, but I don’t think I’m a particularly good authority on Online Markets. It’s also at a really terrible time for me–5:30PM on Saturday. I need to oversee and be available for a big Daily Dragon project at that time, and I wasn’t counting on having to do a panel then. Grr. Argh. I may need to contact the Writing Track director and bow out. But it still leaves me scratching my head as to how I got put on it in the first place. I could understand being put on the “Short Stuff: Writing short stories for fun and profit” panel, but I wasn’t. Err, then again, I’m already doing a panel for the YA LIT track then, so maybe I was and got bounced because the Powers That Be know I can’t be in two places at the same time. Wise PTB.

Purpose of the small press and Photoshopped beauty

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The Aussies are being introspective about the current state of their SF writing scene, and as an offshoot from that discussion, benpeek posed a very interesting question on his LJ: What unique thing does the small press offer readers that they cannot get from mainstream publishers?

I answered the first thing that came to mind, which was editorial vision different from what the big publishers have, but Ben also pointed out that the “Best of” collections that editors like GVG and Ellen Datlow produce include material they select from the small presses, which seems to indicate that those stories also correspond to their vision. An excellent point, sez I. I’m still thinking the small/indie press offers readers stories that are too edgy or different in some way from what the mainstream ‘zines publish, but I’m wondering if there’s also an overflow happening, that the small press picks up the stories that the pros just can’t fit into their budget. I dunno. What do y’all think?

And, for something completely different, I found this site absolutely fascinating. It’s the before and after shots of photo touch-ups. I was somewhat disturbed by how artificial and realistically unobtainable our society’s ideals of beauty are. But on a less socially relevant note, I also had fun sliding my mouse over the images and comparing and contrasting–“He made her butt bigger there!” It’s more than a bit boggling what can be done with photo manipulation.

   


Writing Stuff

Received the check for “The Wizard of Eternal Watch and the Keeper of Forever” for the Sages & Swords anthology from Pitch-black Books. Sweet. And the editor included a pair of shiny bookmarks. I likie. I’m very much looking forward to this anthology coming out.

Also queried the DNA Publications folks. I never did get a rejection for the second story I sent to Absolute Magnitude. But I think it best that I confirm they haven’t lost the damn manuscript before I get my hopes up, as they’ve lost stories of mine before. I also queried about my Dreams of Decadence story. I’ve been pushing it way back into the “don’t think about it” part of my brain because I know they haven’t had a new issue out in ages, and that the editor had a baby that’s taking up all her time, etc. etc. But I subbed it to her in January of 2002. After several queries over two years, I finally learned she wanted to buy it. Since I got that news (in January of 2004) I have yet to receive a contract or any other correspondence. It’s somewhat worrisome-making it is, and since I was querying them anyway, I figure I may as well ask about that too. I hate the idea of pulling a story from a market that wants to buy it, but geez, it’s been over three and a half years.

Georgia Big Picture, swag, and dude_the

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Ooo! The Big Picture Film and Video Foundation has approved fosteronfilm as a guest speaker for their Georgia Big Picture Conference. As part of the deal, we get both of our admissions waived, and they’re feeding us both lunch and dinner, gratis. Sweet! Hobkin will probably be quite miffed at being left alone for so long for two days, but I think it’ll be grand fun. And fosteronfilm will get to indulge his public speaking bug again. There’s more than a little irony in the fact that he loves talking to an audience of strangers, and I have nightmares about it. I take solace in knowing that I can wrangle up a press release and resume better than he can . . .

The swag is continuing to pour in, including posters, dammit! We told them to send the posters to the D*C office. They’re heavy and take up a lot of space! Pfft. But we also got some sweet swag–t-shirts and mouse pads and flashlights (oh, my!). And our dining room looks like a warehouse. Hobkin is displeased.

dude_the is due here tomorrow and the library/spare bedroom is wading room-only. Gleep. There will be much tidying today.

   


Writing Stuff

Received the contract from Dark Cloud Press for “The Wiggly People.” It was a pretty writer-friendly contract. These folks are comporting themselves in a very professional manner. Very nice. Contract signed and stuck in the mail.

Swag and skunk tail

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Hah. As soon as I start complaining about a lack of swag, the boxes start rolling in. Six boxes on our doorstep, some of which contain nifty freebies like t-shirts and movie tickets, and some which contain *ahem* not-so-nifty freebies. And the dining room has once again acquired a cluttered appearance. Trade-offs.

I don’t think the FedEx guy likes us. He doesn’t even ring the doorbell to announce his deliveries anymore. He just plops them on our doorstep and runs off.

In other news, I’m debating whether we need to give Hobkin a bath. What’s triggering this conundrum is that I, err, dropped a dollop of whipped cream on him. I cleaned off most of it, but there’s a patch of fur on his tail which is sticking up funny now.

   


Writing Stuff

Been working on my talk for Ann Crispin. Thanks to everyone who made suggestions. I have, ye verily, incorporated them into my lecture. I also ran through it several times last night (poor fosteronfilm had to listen to me), and after just a few trial runs, my throat went dry and my voice started going. Sheesh. Apparently it’s a good thing I’m starting to practice early. I need to limber up my underused vocal chords. Also updated my handout of useful URLs. Most depressing, several of the pro markets that were on my list last year have either folded or gone on indefinite hiatus. Just doing a quick glance over the market listing I keep handy, a ridiculously large number of my favored markets are closed–both pro and semi-pro. The current state of viable short fiction venues is not good, although there are new ones sprouting–like Son & Foe, Farthing, and Aeon. Still, sigh.

Writing Stuff

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Ann Crispin called last night asking me to reprise my “The Secret to Having your Short Fiction Published” guest lecture for her Beginner Writers workshop at Dragon*Con. So now my tentative D*C guest schedule looks like this:

  • Thursday noon – Ann Crispin’s Beginner Writers workshop, "The Secret to Having your Short Fiction Published."
  • Friday 9/2, 8:30PM – "Censorship: Who should decide what’s appropriate for kids or teens to read?"  With Kathleen David, Jo Sherman, and Todd McCaffrey.
  • Saturday 9/3, 1:00PM – "So, You Want to Write a Kid's Book."  With Kathleen David, Jo Sherman, Donita K. Paul, and Paul Alan Gratz.
  • Saturday 9/3, 8:30PM – "Fairy Tales: Not Made for Children."  With Dennis Keppel, Heidi Heiner, and Jo Sherman.
  • Sunday 9/4, 10:00AM – "Urban Fantasy and Faeries. " With Phil Brucato, Scott Haven, and Jo Sherman

Oof. Busy schedule. I may need to beg out of one of these so I can attend my DC2K writers group annual reunion dinner. ‘Cept I don’t know what day that’s been scheduled for yet.

I was looking over my notes from the talk I did last year for Ann, and I’d like to update the content, but I’m not sure what I should add. So here’s a shiny poll for all you writers out there:

Trying to hold off the obligatory panic attack at the notion of speaking in public, but I feel the sharp anxiety claws beginning to dig in. Gleep.

In other, non-panic-attack-inciting news, I had a very good sales day yesterday.
56-day SALE to the Thou Shalt Not anthology–my second to this project. Very pleased ’bout this as I wrote both flash stories expressly for it.
63-day SALE to the premiere issue of Fantasy Magazine, slated to debut at the World Fantasy Convention in November. It promises to be a beautiful production. Here’s a mock-up of the cover:

Weekend update and hubby birthday

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Whew, what a weekend! Dragon*Con director’s meeting on Saturday was good. Did a lot of pow-wowing and gabbing. And Joe, the Con Suite director, plied me with many yummy chocolates. Joe gives me candy and caffeine. I love Joe. But I can’t believe how soon the convention is. Prep has ramped into “frantic” mode.

A bit surprised at the lack of swag (sorry, arkhamrefugee, it’s looking to be a thin year). The posters have been going straight to the D*C office, but so far the movie companies haven’t come through with the t-shirts, baseball caps, and CDs like they did last year. Humph. Glad to have my dining room free, but I liked some of the booty.

Yesterday went to the Georgia Big Pictures “Navigating the Film Festival Circuit” seminar where fosteronfilm sounded off on what film festivals look for in submissions and pimped the DCI Film Fest. glenn5 came by, much to my delight, to partake of the seminarie fun. I need to get my hubby out more. He gets such a charge from speaking in public, and I’m a quiet type and don’t typically hold up my end of the conversation. If I did what he did, I’d be hoarse and twitching, a total basket case, but he loves it. He’s really a born teacher.

And today is my hubby’s birthday! Everyone wish fosteronfilm a Happy Birthday! I made a chocolate cream pie, his favorite. And this time when I take the candles out, I will make sure not to drop any on the floor for opportunistic skunks to snarf.

Such a sketchy entry for so much going on, but I don’t have time for more. Rush rush rush.

   


Writing Stuff

As if. I doubt I’ll have time for any writing until after the convention. I fell off the Club 100 For Writers bandwagon. Again. Grrr argh. And I’ve been too busy doing D*C stuff to even fret about it.

Kind Hearts, book vending machines, and car trouble, oh my!

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Had a lovely dinner with Glenn5 last night. Home baked veggie pot pie and beer bread, and a crisp white zinfandel (courtesy Glenn) to wash it down. And cupcakes a la Glenn for dessert. I was a bit perplexed at the beer bread. I had to leave it in the oven for an extra fifteen minutes and the middle was still a bit doughy. Weird. Perhaps I accidentally used too much beer? Or perhaps Killian’s Red is more temperamental than Guinness? Still yummy, though. Also watched Kind Hearts and Coronets, which Glenn hadn’t encountered before. We’re big fans of Sir Alec Guinness. There’s a certain sadness that he’s best known for his role in the Star Wars movies rather than the wealth of excellent work he did prior to them.

In amusing news of the world, Paris has started stocking vending machines for books so you can assuage your literary fix 24/7. If you have an emergency need to acquire Alice in Wonderland at 3AM in Paris, and all the bookstores are closed, you can pop out to a vending machine! And they were clever enough to make a gentle delivery method in lieu of the *plummet clunk* that candy bars receive. How cool is that?

In less amusing, non-news-of-the-world, the battery on our second car is kaput. We tried to jump it using our first car, but either the battery is really dead, or we’re incapable of using a set of jumper cables. Even though I’m not ruling out the latter, since I am the first to admit my ineptitude with anything involving vehicular innards, I’m betting on the former, since we could occasionally get enough of a charge for it to make a forlorn “rrr rrr” rather than the usual time-to-write-the-eulogy “click click click.” So it seems we need to replace the battery. fosteronfilm and I talked it over, and we decided it would make the most sense to simply drop the second car from our insurance and registration, at least until we have need of a second vehicle again, instead of shelling out the bucks to tow it to a shop and get it fixed. It’s quite sad. fosteronfilm is very fond of “his” car. It’s a pretty, white Honda Prelude from when they made them sporty and sleek. It’s also a little worrisome because if one of us gets into trouble while running errands, the other can’t come riding to the others’ aid. But I guess having an “emergency car” really wasn’t sensible, financially speaking.

Also finally got a call back from my doctor. We agreed to back off my increased Prozac dose. Thank goodness. The queasy headaches were getting old. So I’m back down to 40mg/day. And hey, according to a recent Psychology Today article, depression may be a font of creative inspiration. Or something . . .

Today’s the last 2005 Dragon*Con director’s meeting. I keep thinking there’s something I need to do or bring for it, but I can’t remember what.

   


Writing Stuff

Received:
8-day “While we found this story to be worthy of a second look, we ultimately decided it’s not quite what we’re looking for” from Lenox Avenue with a “we do hope you’ll try us again in the future” to soften the blow.
1-day “Although smooth and engaging” pass from ericmarin of Lone Star Stories with a “I welcome additional work from you” to let me know that although I was not a winner this time, I should try again.

Trivia

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Went out last night to play trivia with britzkrieg and rigel_kent. I’m not sure if britzkrieg will ever let us live down that we outvoted her on the “how many years must an animal not be sighted in order to be declared extinct?” question Of course, she was right. (The answer is “50.”) Yet, despite foolishly second-guessing her, our team, dubbed “Jerry’s Kids,” came in second. Much fun was had. Smoky fun (*cough*), but still fun. And I totally glomped on rigel_kent‘s bleu cheese potato chips.

This weekend is stacking up to be rather busy. Tonight, glenn5 is swinging by to hang and partake of food. Tomorrow is the last 2005 Dragon*Con director’s meeting. And Sunday, Matthew is going to be a speaker at the “Navigating the Film Festival Circuit” seminar run by the Georgia Big Picture Conference folks on Sunday.

And I’m still feeling rather blah. I’m thinking these are definitely side effects. If it was a flu, I’d have spiked a fever by now. So the nausea and tension headache should go away in a week or so. But that’s not terribly helpful for the right now.

   


Writing Stuff

Sold a Hungarian-language reprint of “All in My Mind” to Galaktika magazine. That brings my total of foreign languages I’ve been or will be translated into up to four: Greek, Polish, French, and now Hungarian. Coolness! Alas, Hungarian is another language not handled by Babelfish.