Monthly Archives: March 2017

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the binge-watching cure

We had lots of fun at last week’s author visit with Liza Wiemer. If you ever need a speaker for school/group of teens (especially those who like to write), I highly recommend Liza. Also, check out her wonderful debut YA novel Hello?

I also finished writing An Army of Toads this week. It came in at ~9,000 words, which is an awkward length for a short story. (Technically, it’s a novelette, which is a cute name but a hard sell.)

My big news this week is, of course, the acceptance of The Saint of Bright Red Things to The Binge-Watching Cure:

The Binge-Watching Cure will be an anthology of short stories of increasing size. The first story will be 100 words—anyone can read that. The next, 200 words. Then 500, then longer, all the way to novella length.

Sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it? My story was selected for the 4,000-word slot, and I’m very excited about that. This is a story set in France during World War Two. Here’s a quick summary:

In Nazi-occupied France, Marigold Jenkins, the daughter of ex-patriot Americans, must keep her identities—all three of them—a secret. She navigates the streets of Paris armed with a bright red handbag, scarlet lipstick, and a compact tailor-made for her role as a courier in the resistance.

But when a train accident leaves her concussed and stranded in a provincial hospital, Mari must navigate a new reality, one that leaves her at the mercy of a German officer. She must decide whether she can trust this man—and what she must sacrifice in order to do so.

For writers, they’re currently taking submissions for a horror anthology.

And last, but not least, Coffee and Ghosts 3: The Complete Third Season is finally in print format.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Outlining/Draft writing ~ 4,000 words, An Army of Toads = done!

Submissions:

  • Fire and Ivy

Rejections:

  • Fire and Ivy

Acceptances:

  • The Saint of Bright Red Things

Publications:

The print version of Coffee and Ghosts 3: The Complete Third Season is now available!

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Weekly writing check-in: the one with the short list

I didn’t quite finish up An Army of Toads this week. I’m close, but as I mentioned last week, a new character in the form of a Bandit King strolled into the story and complicated things.

One rejection this week (which, you’ll note, I sent right back out). But I am pleased that the story made the short list in Pulp Literature’s Bumble Bee Flash Fiction contest. So, there’s that.

Today, my daughter’s Girl Scout Troop is having an author visit and workshop with Liza Wiemer, and we couldn’t be more excited.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Outlining/Draft writing ~ 4,500 words

Submissions:

  • Lucky

Rejections:

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

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Weekly writing check-in: the one with another early morning

Or maybe it just feels like early morning, thanks to DST. I love having extra light in the evenings, but I could do without the actual time change.

I got some writing in this week on a new story, along with some outlining. I wasn’t so much stuck as I was in pondering mode, possibly because a minor character wanted to take on a much larger role than I had envisioned. So now I need to consider what it is the Bandit King wants. (And certainly he wants something because that’s how bandit kings are.)

That’s about it.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Outlining/Draft writing ~ 1,500 words

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

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Weekly writing check-in: the one with the early morning dance competition

Dance competition time! For my daughter, not me. But we were up early and at the event before we’d normally be at school/work.  I’m tired. We’re all tired here. So a short check in this week. I finished How Goldie Lost Her Locks, which came in at ~14,000 words. I also finished up the layout for Coffee & Ghosts 3 and have ordered a print proof.

I think this come week will be a short story week, and I hope to both write one and revise one. We’ll see.

Writing Work:

  • Planning/researching new series
  • Draft writing ~ 3,700
  • Print layout, Coffee & Ghosts

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

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Filed under Coffee & Ghosts, Weekly Writing Check In, Writing