I Is Writer

At least, I'm pretty sure that I'm a writer. I mean, I'm doing all the things associated with being a writer. Let me double-check my check list.

1} Submissions: Well, to be honest with everyone, after my experiences with the defunct vanity project Magic Cat Press that was created by the supremely vain British writer/playwright Natasha Scrivener, I've been extremely gun shy about submitting my short stories. Not that being rejected doesn't bother me, since I've reached my personal quota for the year, but it's more to finding the time to properly research the market for my work so that I don't come across this particular problem again.

2} Current novel: Not much action on that front, beyond getting the cover completed. I'm still in the queue to be assigned an editor, and as most you probably know, certain industries want to make sure that they put out the best product possible, which means taking their time to do it right, which means finding other ways to keep busy while waiting for my turn. Like...

3} Networking: Since I'm waiting for my turn at bat, I've deiced to concentrate some of that free time on networking within the publisher's community and beyond. If you click through, you'll see that I tweaked the front page. I condensed a few links and gadgets to free up additional space, I added the Solstice banner to my blog, and most importantly, added a Picasa slideshow that showcases new releases from various Solstice authors. At the moment, the slideshow is small (less than one dozen) but as more people know about it, the more pics I can get.

I've also joined another writer's forum, this time the one sponsored by former agent Nathan Bransford. I was in the one sponsored by Query Tracker, but because that one is more skewered towards all things YA, I felt really out of place and uncomfortable there. I'm hoping that this one has a better balance between those who write YA and those who write adult fiction.

4} Current projects: One actually. Once I had finished "Blackness In The White Sand" this past May, I immediately jumped into rewriting an old story called "A Troubled Conscience". I really like the premise of this story (the blackmail victim turning the table on the blackmailer), but the flow was incredibly chunky. I renamed it "A Shadow Warrior's Redemption" and got right to work on it. At the moment, I'm two-thirds of the way through the first draft and I should be done by the end of the month. Why so long? Well, it has to do with point #5.

5} Contractual obligations: Out of the many contractual obligations that I have to fulfill, the easiest one that I can partake in is the one that requires me to review at least one book a quarter. I say easy, because hey, how hard can it be to read a book and write a review? With the only requirement being that you have to choose from your fellow Solstice authors, it's the simplest way for me to expand my horizons.

However, being that it's a heck of lot cheaper to buy/swap e-books that it is to buy paperbacks, I have come to the decision, albeit reluctantly, to buy a Nook. This will serve a dual purpose: 1) I'll be able to read/review books w/o denting my wallet, and 2) I'll be able to get those free books that a few of my fellow writers were gracious enough to give to me off my computer.

6} Book reviews: Speaking of book reviews, I did a couple of reviews for the following books (which are available for your Nook or Kindle), which I hope that you'll find the time to check out.

Ten-A-Week Steale by Stephen Jared, a noir/pulp style crime story. See review here.

Upon A Crazy Horse by Frank Rogers, a modern western. See review here.

And that my friends, is all the writing news that is fit to be printed and shared with all of you. 'Cause without you, I probably wouldn't be where I am today and thus, when the time comes, an acknowledgement stating that very fact will make its way into my debut novel.