End of the Month Report: May

Submissions: 8 (SF:4/ Fantasy: 3/ Horror: 1)
Rejections: 6

Acceptances: 0

Published: 1 (A Sweet Story)

Stories presently out: 12

Mood: Wondering how I feel about so many stories being held for final consideration but ...

Here we go again

The first MS for the next YOSF&F session has arrived. I've put it aside for now.

This week is a designated non-critiquing, it's-all-about-my-writing week. To that end, I'm pottering on an almost finished, big SF story that I've been gently prodding into shape on and off for the past eighteen months. I'd like to submit it to the Anywhere but Earth anthology.

Remembering Douglas

I hope you all had a Happy Towel Day.

"If you want to survive out here, you've got to know where your towel is."
— Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Sludge stirring

The results of Saturday’s YOSF&F workshop are starting to sink in. At least 4 good points were made, and one particularly interesting remark which will definitely effect the structure of the book. Strangely enough, the particularly interesting remark was something that someone read into the text that I hadn’t intended, but now that I’ve thought about it, well, it solves a lot of problems.
That’s what workshops are all about – stirring the sludge and bringing something new to the surface.

And remember: tomorrow is Towel Day.

I think it needs...

So I critiqued, I was critiqued, and I will critique and be critiqued again in 2 months. For the moment, I’m all critiqued out. I just want to get back to my keyboard and work on my own stuff for a few days, preferably teeny, compact short stories.

Half way through the session, we had a guest speaker – Michael Pryor (Laws of Magic series) – which gave us all a nice break from scrutinizing each other’s texts.

Now my head needs a rest. Comfy pyjamas and not-too-complicated DVD watching, here I come.

Heigh-ho...

... heigh-ho, it's off to YOSF&F workshopping we go, heigh-ho, heigh-ho, heigh-ho, heigh-ho, heigh-ho etc. Well, once I've had a sleep, that is.

It's almost Saturday

Critiquing, critiquing, critiquing, thinking about a few stories that have been out for a looooong time and wondering whether I should send off queries about them, critiquing, critiquing, critiquing.

Sort of cheating

It occurred to me today that I already have a suitable story for an upcoming anthology that I'd like to submit something to. The story in question has been doing the rounds for the last 2 years, has garnered words of praise along the way, and even made it to the final round of another themed anthology. I’d like it to find a home soon, and it’s in much much better shape than the one I’m working on at the moment, having been honed by many post-rejection edits.

So, all I need to do is tweak a few lines and the terrible tale of RoboHussy can go out instead of the Egyptian Tart story. Deadline accomplished.

Now to complete the MS critiquing for the YOSF&F workshop.

Life's a beach

My sister and I went down to Anglesea yesterday, as we do a few times a year, and went horse riding first through the gorgeous bushland, then headed down to the Great Ocean Road beach (it's all about tide times). By the time we got to the coast, it was late afternoon, and apart from a few surfers, we had the sand and the sky and the crashing waves to ourselves. The horses, however, were quite tired, so we didn’t get any of the glorious gallops that we usually enjoy there, but even a bit of a canter and splashing about in the water is something special when the scenery is so stunning.

Today was a very slow and easy-as-she-goes, catch up day. I wrote a little, submitted a piece to one of the BIG publications, read the loveliest rejection (another near-miss, alas, like the ‘was held for the final cut but…’ that I received last week), sauntered down to the library for audio books (for lunchtime listening at the Arvo Job - it's amazing how many books my iPod and I get through that way, plus it's also a lovely little mental oasis that gives my eyes a rest), downloaded Carpentaria by Alexis Wright, The Fated Sky by Henrietta Branford and The Pelagius Book by Paul Morgan, baked bread, patted cats, did the ironing, and worked on a few of the Year of SF and Fantasy MSs. The next workshop session is on Saturday, so it’s been 2 whole months since the last one. Unbelievable. Time just isn't as stretchy and bendy as it used to be.

The Hooded One

Paying too much attention to critics is a surefire way to miss out on a lot of fun movies. Today’s movie is a case in point. From the way some people in the media have been bagging Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood, I was worried it was going to be a load of mediaeval cobblers. However, the prospect of warhorses thundering across the screen, sword-wielding noblemen got up in armour, precision shooting, yeoman archers, and impressive shots of landing craft discharging cavalry was all too tempting to resist. So, giving Ridley and Russ the benefit of the doubt, we took ourselves off to the cinema.

Within 2 minutes of ye olde manuscripts setting the historical stage, I was thoroughly enjoying myself and my head was firmly in rousing matinee mode. It all ended with the promise of more to come, which I, as an unrepentant sucker for epics, hope Ridley and Russ deliver. I was particularly pleased that they gave an eminently pragmatic Eleanor of Aquitaine, one of my favourite historical figures, a goodly part in the proceedings.

Whoosh!

Another anthology deadline will zip past me tomorrow - the third one I've missed lately because of recalcitrant stories, which is a bit disappointing. The story I've been slaving over for the past two weeks simply isn't good enough, so I'm putting it away for now in the vault of shame. Hopefully it'll sort itself out in a year or two.

"I love deadlines. I like the whooshing sound they make as they fly by. " - Douglas Adams.

There, and back again in 2D

Those who have followed my series of exciting getting-to-the-Arvo-Job pictures will be thrilled to know that today I begin the journey home.

Apart from that, the must share news is about a local brochure full of ever so handy products - things to organize other things, things shaped like animals or with animal pictures on them, things to clean and comfort and charm you, as well as glow in the dark pebbles to make your garden look radioactive . It included the most amazing, must-have product of all.

And what was this product? A unique mould made from silicone that “lets you bake a giant 3D cupcake.”

I’m getting one, because 2D cupcakes are so last year.

Trippy

Apart from Moonlight Tuber # 1 (plug, plug), my train reading this week is surrealism to the nth degree - The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov (yep, that's me in the first carriage snorting at the literary goings-on).

This is how it is aptly described on the back cover:

The devil comes to Moscow wearing a fancy suit. With his disorderly band of accomplices – including a demonic, gun-toting tomcat – he immediately begins to create havoc. Disappearances, destruction and death spread through the city like wildfire and Margarita discovers that her lover has vanished in the chaos. Making a bargain with the devil, she decides to try a little black magic of her own to save the man she loves.

I bought this book while on holiday last year after bumping into so many glowing recommendations for it. Let me pass on my own hearty endorsement.

Get your copy!

After a long arvo of Arvo Jobbing, I wasn't going to blog tonight, but I came home to an email from Ben Payne announcing that the first issue of Moonlight Tuber is now up at the site, which means A Sweet Story by yours truly has hit the stands.

So, I bid you, go instantly at once with all possible haste to http://moonlighttuber.wordpress.com/2010/05/03/moonlight-tuber-1/ and download a FREE copy.

The ToC for Moonlight Tuber #1:

The Briefcase… Ethan Canter
A Sweet Story… Gitte Christensen
The Peanut Guy… Peter M. Ball
He and She… Sheri Radford
M.S. Found in a Gutter… Adam Browne
A Little Off the Top… Heidi Wessman Kneale
Head 2… Matthew Chrulew

That's some mighty fine company I'm keeping there.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the show.

Whip it, whip it good.

A morning of domestic stuff, then Iron Man 2, which began well with Robert Downey Jr in full Robert Downey Jr mode and Mickey Rourke in brainy bad guy mode, and ended well with the expected spectacular battle, but sagged and dragged in the middle. It was worth the price of a ticket, but was not, alas (for my hopes were high), as good as Iron Man.

After that, it was off to Clunes, which every year for the first weekend in May becomes a Booktown. I hadn’t realized it’s a mere half hour drive from where I live now.

Ah, what can I say? I mean, it was a whole town full of beautiful, heritage buildings, most of which were stuffed with books, the weather was beautiful, the atmosphere convivial, and the streets were bustling with happy people carrying boxes full of literary booty. Unfortunately, as this was a somewhat spontaneous trip, I hadn’t budgeted for a spending spree, but next year, I swear, I too will be carrying a big cardboard box…