This happens after every workshop I take on the Oregon
Coast, especially the writing-intensive ones. I emerge, blinking as if coming
out of the dark into sunlight, dazed. At first, I have trouble talking to
people who aren’t writers – what do non-writers talk about? (Although writers
tend to be the type of people who can talk about anything, which I love.) How
do non-writers get through the day without the voices in their heads, the
characters clamoring for attention, the plot ideas that twist and turn like
shiny colored ribbons.
Also, what’s happening in the world, with my friends and
family? When I’m heads-down writing, I
lose touch with everything outside of the WMG clubhouse, the Historic Anchor
Inn, and a few restaurants in Lincoln City. And the ocean, which fills my
senses and refills the creative well I’ve depleted.
I was able to pop on FB a few times, but not for long, so
anything that didn’t show up on three or four screens is gone forever. Ditto
blogs, although I can get to them (where they patiently wait via GoogleReader).
So my point is, if I owe you an email or a call, I’ll get to
it. Soon. Perhaps not today, but soon. If you have exciting news that I may
have missed, let me know (and I’ll get back to you…soon).
If you need to get hold of me, email is best. FB messaging
worst by a long way. If you’ve pinged me that way recently, it’s probably lost
in the crush (and I don’t have reliable Internet access right now, so my FB
time will be limited ‘til I get home next week).
With that out of the way…the workshops. I’ve already talked
about The Craft and Business of Short Fiction. My story for the Fiction River anthology Unnatural Worlds was bounced when an
invited author got their overdue story in, but
Kris and Dean think it will work for a 2014 issue (with a fantasy detectives
theme) if I don’t sell it before then. So that’s the first announcement of
spiffiness.
The second workshop was the annual Anthology Workshop. If
you’ve read my SFF short-story collection Written
on the Coast, you’ve seen the product of the first six Anthology Workshops.
The basic setup is that we write a story ahead of time (this year, for possible
inclusion in Unnatural Worlds, edited
by John Helfers) and then write a story at the workshop (this year, for
possible inclusion in Hex in the City,
edited by Kerrie Hughes). We also read everyone else’s, not for a critique
(we’re all pro writers), but as if we were editing the anthologies ourselves.
Then, Kris, Dean, John, and Kerrie all give their opinion, with the actual
editor letting us know if s/he will buy the story or not.
I’m chuffed to say that my story for Unnatural Worlds made the first cut, and my story for Hex in the City will appear in that
anthology! *\o/*
Plus I got to read so many amazing, creative, fantastic
stories by some brilliant writers I’m fortunate to call my friends and peers.
And there walks on the beach, in the rain and in the
sunshine….
Our original plan was to head home after the final workshop,
but Ken has more work to do in Portland on his motorcycle (his friend has a
shop), so now we’re looking at leaving Thursday evening. I caught a ride here
last night, so I’ve got a few days to get some work done before we go. I’ve got
stories to write, business correspondence to catch up on, anthology themes to
pitch, a novel to edit, a novella to finish….
The only downside is that I have two commissioned design
jobs I need to get done before the California
Dreamin’ RWA conference March 15–17, and I’m going to have only a week to
do them. Eep! It’s doable, but I’ll be putting in some overtime. :-)
Speaking of work, I'm off to do it now! But let me know how
ya’ll have been doing!
