I slept through most of yesterday. Apparently the weekend tuckered me out; I just don’t have any stamina anymore. Even the tiniest bit of activity exhausts me.
Stupid human suit.
In less aggravating news, the feel of Autumn is on the breeze. The trees are turning themselves gold and brown, the ground crackles with dried leaves when I walk over it, and the air is crisp with an undercurrent of impending cold. I love the seasons here in Georgia. It’s already dropping to the 40s at night in the Midwest where I used to live, but here it’s lingering between the 60s and the low 80s. Perfect. Time to fill up the hot tub. Ooo, and time to put up the Halloween decorations!
Writing Stuff
I’ve noticed that now that I’ve gotten Tangent back on a regular publication schedule, editors, readers, and writers are much more anxious about getting their ‘zines reviewed yesterday. Raised expectations due to experience and all that, which is fine; I want people to expect timely reviews from Tangent because I want to be providing them. But the query emails and posts are beginning to come with greatly frequency–despite our publication schedule staying pretty much steadily the same as its been since I took over–and are something of an added stressor on both me and the reviewers. I’ve got nearly thirty reviewers, and I think I need to take on more. Plus I’m worried about burning out the ones I put the heaviest loads on because of their quick turnarounds. Gleep.
Opening Lines Meme:
Post the first line of each of your works-in-progress:
“The Better To . . .” (re-telling of Little Red Riding Hood)
In the murky, false twilight, the alleys were shadow-filled and unfamiliar. A gutted car sat on stone blocks like a half-butchered carcass.
“Shim Chung the Lotus Queen” (A re-telling of the “Blind Man’s Daughter,” a traditional Korean folktale–also it’ll be up for critique on Critters this week)
In ancient times in Korea, the land where the morning is born, there lived a maiden named Shim Chung.
A Harmony of Foxes (YA novel)
It was a cloudless night in the Middle Kingdom, lit by glittering stars. The bashful moon–a slender maiden attended by her court–saw my sister and me into the world.
“The Moon on the Water” (another short story re-telling of a traditional Korean folktale. But this one turned darker than I intended and I put it aside to think about)
They say my husband, Joo-Chan, spared the life of a deer, and that is how he knew to find me and my sisters.
“Talking Things” (short story that is currently backburnered)
When the condiments started talking to her, Sarah knew it was time to do something about the voices.
Oh, Eugie, *all* those first lines are wonderful!! I want to read them all!
Thanks, Maggie! I dunno about you, but I always find it so much easier to start a project. I get bogged down in the middle and then it’s torture to finish. Once I make about three-quarters, it gets easy again ’cause I’m so close to the end, but the middle chunk tends to be where my muse abandons me for greener pastures.
Yeah, middles are always tough. Comes with the territory, I guess. 🙂
I’m so glad you participated in the first lines meme. You have such beautiful work; your stories are always a joy to read. And, it’s just as much of a joy to read your openings. They’are all stupendous.
I think my favorites are The Better To…, A Harmony of Foxes, and Talking Things, though, quite honestly, I’d love to read all of these.
I’m going to watch for the piece you said you’d have up at Critters.
*slinks away to review something*
So it dropped there in GA 40 degrees already? YIKES!!!! We’re still on the 80’s but sometimes we’re on the 70’s during the day but at night, it’s getting nippy!!!!
No, no. It’s down to the 40s in the Midwest. Where I used to live. It’s in the 60s-80s in GA.
Temperature
Um… it was 70 here last night and the high today was 92.
PJI
Re: Temperature
*shrug* My folks said it got down to the 40s in Champaign last Friday.
I wish I could help with Tangent, but with work and school, reviewing poetry is all I can handle.
I especially like the last one, cuz talking condiments are cool. Quirky is good.
Pat Kirby
:laughs: Yeah, the talking condiments one was the best first line, I think. It made me laugh out loud (to the consternation of my family, especially my mom, who thought I was paying attention to what she was saying…oops. :embarrassed grin:)
What does reviewing for Tangent involve? I’d love to help out, if I can. (Heeeyyy…then I could say that once upon a time, I worked for the Great Eugie Foster!)
The Great Eugie Foster?
Oh, stop that!
Keesa, I’m sending you an email to your yahoo account with reviewing details. I must say I’m delighted that you’re interested in reviewing for Tangent!
:grins: Well, you are! You wrote Storyteller’s Wife and Souls of Living Wood; ergo, you are great.
Ooooh, I get to review for Tangent!! :does a happy crazy dance::bounces happily just for good measure:
Err, did you receive/have you responded to my email? I’m hoping to make a mail run tomorrow, and I’d like to get the review material I mentioned to you sent in that batch. Assuming, of course, that you’re game to review it!
Yes! Yes, yes, yes…I got up extra early this morning so I could finish replying to it. (Mamma sent me to bed on time last night on account of this cold…how annoying.)
I’m game to get it! 🙂
:grins: Sent. You should get it when you check your email this morning.
Will I need to send this back when I’m done with it?
I got it! And no, you don’t need to return it. One of the perks of being a reviewer is you get to keep any and all review material. Free reading material. Pretty cool, huh?
Cooool! Me likey!
Eep. Didn’t mean to pester you when you’re sick! Hope you’re feeling better!
:grins: No problem! Reviewing for Tangent makes me feel much, much better. 😉