Fun Stuff For 2005

After selling my former residence, I managed to keep out enough money (after paying tons of old bills) to do some traveling. My son and I are heading off to Florida in a couple of weeks to visit my parents, then in April I'll be experiencing the RT conference for the first time. So many vampires, so little time. I'm assuming they don't usually have a vampire theme, so I think it's great that I can go this year. Then in June, I'm attending Writers Weekend. Not only do the workshops and presentations sound yummy, but Jim Butcher will be there. I really enjoy his books and look forward to meeting him. The main appeal of Writers Weekend is the small enrollment and opportunities for networking and connection. Then at the end of September/beginning of October I'll be taking a baby step toward a long-term dream: visiting England. I've signed up for a short (7 day) tour of London. I'll go a day before to wander around by myself, then will stay a couple of days afterwards so I can take a train to Bath and to Glastonbury. I'm sure the appeal for me is because of my British ancestry, but I've always wanted to go, and now I'm going! I'd better get my lard butt in better shape before that, though, because the tour involves lots of walking (which is why I chose it). Castles, King Arthur, Stonehenge and men with British accents. Yum. And even though it doesn't involve any travel because the site of Graystone Castle is only about 20 minutes away from me, my local romance writers chapter, Colorado Romance Writers, is holding our conference in May and that should be loads of fun. So, all in all, this year seems to be shaping up nicely. I briefly considered going to RWA national in July, but there doesn't seem to be much on the agenda for paranormal, much less paranormal chick lit! And besides, I can buy the CDs after the conference!

Good News From The Agent

I got some great news yesterday. Seems the agent I sent 3 chapters to via attachment back in September never got them. I know this because I sent an email and asked about the status of my original submission, and immediately got a request for a re-submit. Yay! So, after I resent the 3 chaps, I got an another immediate email asking for the whole enchilada. I'd say that counts as excellent news. They said I have an intriguing premise and a wonderful voice. That beats the tumbleweeds scratching against my door any day.

I also found out that the paranormal short story anthology pushed back its deadline yet again, and won't make a decision on stories to include until April. In the meantime, I emailed with a couple of other short-story options and there is interest in seeing my story. So, who knows?

No Excuses

OK. I can blame my writing lull on the changes of the past couple of months. I sold my former residence, found a place to rent for a while, packed, cleaned, moved, etc. I've been officially in my new quarters for 18 days and still have a large room full of boxes and bins to unpack, but I can't use the moving excuse any longer. I'm committed to writing a first draft of a vampire romance for an anthology, and I've been stalled on chapter 18 of my major story for weeks. I have to admit that I really hate being in the "I don't know" phase. The twilight zone of nothingness that happens after sending out queries, chapters, proposals, etc. with no response. I have to admit to being so NAIVE that I thought I'd hear from someone by now. I sent 3 chaps/synops to both an agent and a publisher with only tumbleweeds rolling up against my door to show for it. I recently sent a query to another agent, and I guess I can't start whining yet, since it's only been a week or so. But I think the biggest disappointment is not being enthusiastically accepted into the anthology I'd written a vampire chick lit/vampire humor short story for. They were supposed to choose the participants by the end of Jan. and I can only assume that if they were interested in mine, I'da heard something by now. OK. I know. Rejection is a normal part of being a writer. Yada, yada. I know everyone likes their stories and thinks their stories are the best, whatever. But I do think my vampire short story is interesting and amusing. One writer friend I had read it said it was even hot. And, quite frankly, I'm tired of slogging through the muck in one part of my business or another. It's my turn, dammit.