10 23 10 WRITING

I can't believe it's already Saturday! I had to miss two days of  writing - Wednesday and Thursday - because I had a stack of reading to do. Four pieces (one sixty-one pages) the rest in the 17-25 page range for a Fiction Workshop class. I had to finish the last 63 pages of a middle school book, Kidnapped in Key West, and write a review of it for the same class. Hopefully the review will appear online somewhere.

I also had four or five pieces from two workshops I'm in - a novel writing workshop and The  Friday Night Writers.

I had to review a script I'm working on with my friend, Aralis.

Last night I went to my novel workshop. Nothing but great things happen there.

That leads me to my number one tip for anyone who writes. Find a workshop, go, listen to what they say about your work no matter how much it hurts or you disagree. Not that you have to agree - but just listen to what they say.

Sometime fairly soon (hopefully) I'm going to blog about workshops: etiquette, how to evaluate critiques, how to give - and take - criticism......but not today. It's the weekend!

10 13 10 WRITING

Wrote two hours today - still working on beginning of third novel - a thriller.

Lots of workshop reading today.

Got word my oldest friend was in hospice, only a matter of time. He fell into a liquor bottle long ago and never found his way out.

Some days are not as nice as others...

10 06 10 WRITING

Read my short story, "The One Cupper" last night at the iconic Luna Star Cafe in North Miami, FL. Received a really gratifying response. Hung out a bit - had a great time. I'm going to post a picture soon somewhere - either here, or my website, or on facebook.

I can't believe how fortunate I've been the last couple of months, writing wise. I've had three short stories accepted for print publication and a fourth accepted for both print and audio publication. My sci-fi novel is scheduled for release in March of next year.

The dates, publications,and stories are:
Oct. 30, 2010 Ethereal Tales Magazine "Of Toil and Trouble"
Jan. 2011 Bete Noire Magazine "Morrison's Last Autograph"
Feb. 15, 2011 The Toucan Magazine "Fight the Future or Why My Wife Left Me"
Nov-Dec, 2010 Shiplits.com "The One Cupper" audio version.
Spring 2011 The MacGuffin Literary Journal "The One Cupper" print version.
Mar-April 2011 IFWG Publishing releases my sci-fi novel Die Laughing

Today I wrote two hours revising the first fifteen pages of a new novel (my third - though I haven't wrapped up the second yet). It was grueling. I was tired - and still hyped up - from last night's reading. I didn't think I would make it but going into the second hour I picked up a second wind. Afterwards my good friend and script writing partner Aralis Bloise came by and we worked two hours on a rewrite of a horror/comedy TV series (hormedy?)

Sometimes I feel burnt out, other times I feel like a rocket busting out of the launching pad.

10 01 10 Writing

Did my two hours of slogging through the beginning stages of a new novel. Actually, it went pretty good today. I had a scene all set up so it was just ferreting out my character's trying to get what they wanted.

Had some really nice news yesterday. My short story "The One Cupper" is going to appear in both audio and print. I'm also going to do a reading of it on Oct. 5 at the classic North Miami bar/lounge/hangout The Luna Star Cafe. This is the second time I'm reading there. The first time I was nervous as hell. I feel more confident, and hopefully this time my hands won't shake as I'm holding my paper.

I took the plunge a few days ago, broke down and started a Facebook page. So far, it hasn't killed me.

Finally - ended the evening watching my brother - who's a high school offensive line football coach - and his team whip the pants off of their opponent. I like hanging out with him: I get in free, get to hang on the sidelines, and he lets me know in advance the play they're going to run.

One more day of writing before I get my Sunday break...