March Meanderings

The snow is melting! Yayyyy! Yes, it's becoming mud, and there is still a ton of the white (ish) stuff out there, but it really is beginning to feel like spring might be trying to make an appearance. I am so very ready.
What am I doing about my writing, you ask? Actually, quite a bit! I just sent in a cb ms that's science oriented. That one is one that I've been working on for quite some time. I liked it and felt hopeful as I sent it off. Let's see, I have sent out six submissions to "regular" markets and have gotten two rejections. That leaves me a chance, still! I have also sent out seven packets to educational publishers and have gotten one rejection and one "your resume is on file" so that leaves me with with five hopefuls and one "maybe someday." So, I am not tearing my hair out in desperation and despair, but I am also realistic in terms of the market and the economy. In addtion to the above, I am ready to dust off my "Stephanie" science fiction, ya novel and breathe life back into it. I also had a dream recently that left me "knowing" that it was the basis for another ya ms. I am excited about writing, and even though I am "Miss Moneypenniless" (do you remember James Bond and Miss Moneypenny?) I feel blessed to have this time to follow not only this passion, but another, and that's my quest for being an instrument of healing that isn't under the auspices of mainstream western medicine. But that's another blog. Until next time...

October's End

I have to spend more time on this. It's essential that I stay in tune with my objectives for this site. It's about writing. It's about who I am as a writer. It's about who I am becoming. Each day brings with it more opportunities to deal with the craft, even if it's no more than a fleeting thought that I grab from the ethers to think about later for my use. It is an energy that surrounds me, runs through me, and tickles my imagination. I am trying so hard to direct that energy from there to my fingertips so that I can do what I so desperately want to do. Write. It requires a discipline that is akin to an athlete who is training for the Olympics. I had no idea it would be so difficult. My small world is full of distractions and being ADD (diagnosed and I believe it!) it takes all of my will to stay in one place long enough to get those words either on paper or in Word or Clarisworks, depending on which machine I am using at the time. I can do this. It niggles at the back of my brain during all of my waking hours. It even surfaces while I sleep, because I often recall dreams where I have been doing something that is writing related. I know that I am supposed to be doing this, because I am driven. As the saying goes, "it is written."
I will be finished with my online course with Laura Salas re: writing non-fiction for educational publishers in another couple of weeks. It has been intense, but she is good. I am learning so much. I feel good about it and it was no mistake that it happened to grab my attention. My first love is fiction, but this is very satisfying as well. I would love to create some works of truth that kids actually enjoy reading, whether it's for research or just pleasure.
I am currently working on an article to submit to the group for critiquing. It's about the box jelly that is found in Australia. Kids would love it because the critter's venom is strong enough to kill humans and rather quickly at that. The thing would give me nightmares if I lived there!
That's all for now. I am promising myself to be more faithful to this blog after I finish the course.
Over and out...