Doll Houses & Writing

Over the weekend our local museum sponsored the annual Miniature show. I spent most of Saturday touring the booths and discovering new little treasures I had to have to complete various in process projects. I also encountered one of the sellers who wanted a copy of my book, which of course, I pretty much promptly ran home and got for him. He was very grateful, and I think a bit surprised, that I had done that.

Granted I lived close to the hotel and it really wasn't that much trouble. Besides, I had lunch at home and then returned for a few more hours of shopping and talking to vendors I have gotten to know over the years. Not to mention looking at the various exhibits, local clubs and individuals love to show off their tiny scenes and doll houses, which are all a part of the fun. There is such creativity here.

Creativity I also use not just to build and decorate doll houses myself, but also use them in stories and upcoming planned books. Yep, you guessed it, all my houses have stories and eventually I'm hoping to turn them into a series of novels.

Returning to work

In a few days I go back to work full-time. Truthfully, I have mixed feelings about it because I like having free time to write, keep up my house, run errands, or watch movies in the afternoon. It is a blessing because the unemployment extensions run out at the end of year and who knows if they'll be continued given the current chaos in the gov and the upcoming elections.

I have enjoyed my on and off again time of being unemployed. The extra time has allowed me to launch my writing career and given me much needed rest time. I'm not saying there hasn't been a down side. Finances have been tight and I haven't been able to travel very much, the latter of which I enjoy doing .

There are still looming deadlines which I have to make and learning to better manage my time will be a challenge in order to meet them. I know of many writers who both work and write. Today's economic climate demands they do so because writing is considered a 'hobby' and not a real profession. Besides, I don't know of many writers who would thrive living on the streets or in their cars.

So as I toddle off to rejoin the rat race I keep in mind that the money generated will be keep a roof over my head and food on my table. What I will be doing isn't my 'real' career. It never will be. It's what I call the 'money job' since all I ever think about is writing.

I am a writer. Plain and simple.

Kick Off

Kick offs. They have them in football and my writing group had theirs Tuesday evening at a local bookstore. It was great fun with door prizes given out and the winners for the summer writing contest announced. (I didn't enter by the way.)

More important it gave us a chance to catch up on each others lives and reconnect not just as writers but also as people, each of us unique and none of us trying to be like someone else. We weren't envious of each others success or lack thereof,  because we celebrate equally both our failures/rejections and our victories/publication.

Each of us are on our own path to publication. That is as it should be since we are each different from one another and have our own goals and where we want to be either today, tomorrow or five years from now.

Such support is more than worth its weight in either gold or silver. I am fortunate indeed.

Anthology invites

On my agenda since I have two invites for anthologies are:

A Western ghost story for which I have several ideas but haven't settled on which one yet.

An adventure of space colonization that I'm really excited about and already have the opening scene in mind.

Signings - not what most think they are

Saturday I had a signing at the Denver County Fair along with fellow authors David Boop, Julie Campbell and David Riley. We didn't sell many books but we did network, visit with friends who dropped by to support us and talked with potential new readers. 

Afterward, I wandered the fair with my spouse, bought some new clothes then drove home in the rain.

Monday, I went to another signing, mostly to support my fellow writers, at Fireside Books and Coffee in Englewood. I had a great time networking, meeting folks I only know on my Facebook, actually bought a book, and sought submissions for 'Different Dragons', my next anthology project.

My next project - write a ghost story for an anthology that David Riley is editing.

Fanfiction Story

Only project that got done this week was a fanfiction story that was requested by a fanzine editor.
Title: 'Happened Before and Again'.
Opening line : My directive stood. I was to protect Atlantis at all costs. 
Zine : 'Diamonds and Dynamite'.
Editor : Mysti Frank.
Fandoms : Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG1, Falling Skies, Battlestar Galactica both the 2003 & 1978 versions, and Caprica. (Crossover.)
Available : http://www.agentwithstyle.com/
Not sure how to search for it so you might have to contact Mysti and ask.

Time Traveling Coffers Update

'Time Traveling Coffers' is finally done and sent to the publisher.  Theme: An object must directly or indirectly be the cause of a time traveling adventure.  The twelve accepted tales from both published and new comers tackled the question in some very interesting ways. Targeted release date: October 2012 in time for MileHiCon.

Final story order:

Time Con  - Alan Lickiss                                                               

The Locket – Nikalas Nowell                                                              

Island Out of Time – Dave Withe                              

Eternal Escapes – Carol Hightshoe                                     

One Large Universe – Peter Wacks                               

The Worm – Matt Chatelain  

Question Unresolved – Malcolm Cowen                      

                                         

Johnny Cache Steps Out – Sheryl Normandeau               

Seven Secret Minutes – Kessie Carroll                                   

The Story Within – Kaitlyn Wooley                                

Sins of the Father – Rebecca McFarland-Kyle

Danger said the Dragon  – Dana Bell   

Congratulations to all the writers and readers - come enjoy the fun!