Yes, I am multi-tasking this month. More so than usual. Also, it never fails that when I have the greatest number of projects to work on, that is when I will have technical troubles. For starters this blog has no pictures. I took pictures and prepared them for publication. However, I have a new phone and cannot send pictures from my new phone to my old computer. I know what needs to be done, but I have not managed to do it yet. Last week it was my zoom connectivity that was acting up. My trusty friend and computer consultant was able to help out with that chore. I hope he doesn’t mind coming back over to my place to fix this picture situation. Until then, please use your imagination!
When I decided to become a full-time writer, I envisioned myself sitting alone by myself day after day cranking out fantastical fiction, essays, or memoir. Now, I know that writing is a team sport. Oh, there’s plenty of chances for procrastination, dawdling and falderal. Can you tell one of my favorite time wasters is finding interesting and exciting words to use in my blogs?
Okay, back to being a full-time writer. As I type this missive, I am involved in serving as a beta reader for one of Fern’s novellas. It is a really good story and am enjoying spending lots of time reading and reviewing it. Also, I am reviewing fiction pieces for the upcoming publication of the Journey Into Time Anthology so that I can assist with the process of developing the cover art. The launch for this annual collection of brilliance is scheduled for October 3rd at the Brazos Bookstore. More details on that to come later.
I also am printing out more than a decade’s worth of short stories that I have written. Are there enough for a publishable collection? I have a plethora of stories about ghosts, skeletons, grim reapers, etc. Some are geared around different holidays and others are just fun stories. Like my other reading, these stories are fun to revisit and review, so it is taking me a while to collect these.
Next, I have the yet to be published great American novel. More ghosts and skeletons, but with a much longer plot. I still haven’t decided if the villain is going to live or die. Everyone else including the paranormal characters continue to live. Or maybe I should say they will continue to exist. Anyway, they will go back into my creative imagination to await my second great American novel.
I have three dates coming up for public readings. I am preparing short works to share. I have a short story coming up in the WiVLA (Women in the Visual and Literary Arts) collaboration. I paired up with a visual artist and developed the piece of fiction. All visual and literary art will be published in a program catalog. Yes, this is another event that I will tell you more about between now and October.
In November, I am writing an essay on the topic of Pearl. WiVLA is celebrating its 30th anniversary. During the member meeting in November many of the writers and poets of this organization will share their reflections on Pearl. I will contribute to that evening; however, I haven’t started my essay or short story yet.
Finally, I finish up my literary year in November when WiVLA and the Houston Writers Guild team up for a night of Haunted Holidays. That involves spending the evening at Brazos Bookstore listening to writers and poets share scary and spooky stories. The Holidays involved in these pieces include anything from Halloween through New Year. Several of the stories that I have written for this annual event will end up in the collection of short stories I am compiling.
That’s enough for now. Writing is not lonely. It is collaborative, it is a sharing of creative talents with other creatives. Oh, and I forgot to mention the concept of getting together in small writing groups, but I have written enough for now. Must save something for the next blog.
Until next time.…..