Category: Weekly Writing Check In

Weekly writing check-in: the one with Gretel and Hansel

Well, that story I was working on last week led me down a rabbit hole. I’m 7,500 words in and–dare I say it–I think I might have another series on my hands. We shall see. I plan to complete the draft of this story and, with a little luck, finish off Story a Day in May with another shorter story or two.

In other news, I sold Gretel and Hansel!

I’ll talk more about that later, when I know what issue the story will be in, but I’m very excited about the market (pro-paying) and pleased about this sale. And if you scroll through my weekly entries, you’ll see that I’ve been sending this one out, consistently, for a while.

And the biggest news this week is that the Simply the Best boxed set went on sale. And if you’ve been reading along or follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you already know all about that.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ 7,500 words
  • Craft work (reading, video lectures, etc.)
  • Photoshop tutorials
  • Promo for Simply the Best

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • Auld Lang Syne

Acceptances:

  • Gretel and Hansel

Publications:

Simply the best front coverSimply the Best is in the wild! You can read more about the boxed set here and here.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the cover reveal

So while I’m not quite doing A Story a Day in May, I am writing and finishing stories (more or less). This week, I ended up with three short stories, each a bit longer than typical flash fiction. I also have one in progress, which will go into this coming week’s total.

But I’m pleased with the challenge so far. I love reading and writing short stories and this has been a great way to experiment and try new things.

Also? I’m just a little bit distracted by the upcoming release of Simply the Best. Short stories make it far easier to get my regular writing in.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ 5,200 words in three short stories
  • Craft work (reading, video lectures, etc.)
  • Promo for Simply the Best

Submissions:

  • Gretel and Hansel
  • The Bargain
  • The Life Expectancy of Fireflies

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

Simply the best front coverNo publications, but one coming very soon!

Keep your eyes open this week for Simply the Best! You can read more about the boxed set here and here.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the animals

Tortoise

For the second weekend in a row, we’ve done something fun with my daughter’s Girl Scout troop. This time, instead of volunteering at a walk, we raised money and completed the walk. Her troop raised ~1,500 dollars for the Animal Humane Society and we had a blast at the walk.

We also met this gal. She’s a youngster, only twenty years old.

The only thing left to do is bridge the girls to senior scouts (!) and eat some cake. Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s going to involve cake.

In the writing world this week, I’m doing something to shake things up a bit. I’m following along with A Story a Day in May. This week, I ended up with six short stories. I took one day off to work on edits for a story that’s in a forthcoming anthology, but otherwise, I got it done.

Now, granted, one story was a drabble (exactly 100 words), but those can take more time than you might imagine. I ended up with two stories that involve dragons, one that features a succubus, a vignette, one told entirely in text messages, and one that can only be described as crazy.

It was a good week.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ 5,000 words in six short stories
  • Craft work (reading, video lectures, etc.)

Submissions:

  • Like Bread Loves Salt

Rejections:

  • Like Bread Loves Salt

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the falls

falls

I’m blogging a bit late today. I spent the morning here (see picture to the left). That’s Minnehaha Falls, and my daughter’s Girl Scout Troop volunteered this morning to help out with registration for the local MS Walk.

My job was to stand in the shelter doorway and direct people. Never has one person uttered the phrase, “Did you register online?” more than I have. My throat hurts, and I nearly lost my voice. Plus, since I’m an introvert, I’ve used my allotment of words for the month. Yes, I realized that it’s the first. Simply put, I won’t be speaking again until June.

In writing news, I not only wrote 6,400 words this week, but the first episode of season three is done! Plus, I sent out two stories as well.

And now I’m going to go take a nap.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ 6,400 words, Coffee & Ghosts, Season Three, episode one. Done, at 31,00 words!

Submissions:

  • Like Bread Loves Salt
  • Knight in the Royal Arms

Rejections:

  • Like Bread Loves Salt

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with chicken fat and whipped cream

So last week I did a topic chat at Writers Village University about how to go about submitting short work to markets. And then I followed that up by not submitting anything at all this week. Well played, right?

But! I have a publication this week. Chicken Fat and Whipped Cream is up at Easy Street.

Other than those two rejections, I had a good week with +6,000 words in season three of Coffee & Ghosts. I’m closing in on the end of the first episode (at least, I think I am), although it still doesn’t have a ghostly title.

Other than feeling sad about Prince–we’re all sad here in Minnesota–it was a pretty productive week.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ 6,600 words, Coffee & Ghosts, Season Three
  • Craft work
  • Topic chat

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • Gretel and Hansel
  • A Most Marvelous Pair of Boots

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

Chicken Fat and Whipped Cream over at Easy Street.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with spring (for real this time)

So, the weather did a complete turnaround from last week and we now have a pollen alert–which is obvious every time I step outside. We have leaves and blossoms and spring has pretty much sprung around here.

In other news, I wrote another 6,000 words this week. It’s a nice pace and I’m having fun with Season Three of Coffee & Ghosts. No submissions this week, but hey, I didn’t get any rejections either, so there’s that.

And, of course, the Season Two series bundle for Coffee & Ghosts is in the wild, in Kindle and print.

Not a bad way to start spring.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ 6,000 words, Coffee & Ghosts, Season Three
  • Craft work
  • Topic chat

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

Coffee and Ghosts 2 Ebook coverIn case you missed it yesterday, Season Two of Coffee & Ghosts is now available as a series bundle. Yes, that’s right. All your coffee and ghosts in one place.

Available in Kindle and print. Read more about it in my post from yesterday.

Weekly writing check-in: the one with April (snow) showers

aprilsnowSo, snow showers this week. They’re promising seventy degree weather here in a few days. I think we can all agree that April is drunk.

Two rejections this week that I haven’t turned around yet. I will, eventually.

I spent some time working on some promotional stuff for a thing, which is as precise as I can be about it right now. All will be revealed soon.

But! I also got +6,000 words in this week on Coffee & Ghosts, and that was fun.

Writing Work:

  • Writing: ~ 6,538 words, Coffee & Ghosts, Season Three
  • Promo stuff
  • Craft work

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • The Perfect Canvas
  • Knight in the Royal Arms

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the busy Sunday

Quick post this week. We’re starting the dance competition season. I have my phone glued to me in case they move up the call time.

I did some brainstorming and outlining work on Coffee & Ghosts, Season Three along with working out a possible standalone short story in the Coffee & Ghosts world.

Sent out three submissions and got three rejections, so it came out even this week (more or less).

And that’s all I got for this busy, busy morning.

Writing Work:

  • Coffee & Ghosts, Season Three: brainstorming an outlining
  • Coffee & Ghosts: standalone short story: brainstorming
  • Photoshop tutorials

Submissions:

  • The Perfect Canvas
  • Auld Lang Syne
  • The God of Bright Red Things

Rejections:

  • The Perfect Canvas
  • Straying from the Path
  • The God of Bright Red Things

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the new pup

Oscar4It was one of those weeks where I didn’t get a whole lot done. Between all-day training at work, Girl Scout cookie activities, and gearing up for dance competition season (for my daughter, not me), my regular routine was knocked off kilter a bit.

Add in a new dog? Well, we spent the week building up a new routine that includes our new family member.

Meet Oscar (there on the left, that’s Mattie in the background–note the matching bow ties).

He’s one of a thousand rescue Chihuahuas that have arrived in Minnesota from California. He’s actually a Chihuahua/terrier mix and is fitting in very well. He’s still a little skittish, but warming up and has the funniest, sweetest personality.

In actual writing work, I did make it all the way through the listening proof of The Wedding Ghost. So, there’s that.

Writing Work:

  • Coffee & Ghosts, Season Two: proofing The Wedding Ghost

Submissions:

  • None

Rejections:

  • None

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the cookie booth

 

coffeeheartIt’s Girl Scout cookie time! We went out last weekend and my daughter sold 60 boxes in the neighborhood. She’s selling like crazy at school, and later today we have a cookie booth as well. It’s pretty much all cookies, all the time around here.

Otherwise, proofing and revision work on Coffee & Ghosts, Season Two, some messing around in Photoshop. And that’s about it for my week.

Writing Work:

  • Coffee & Ghosts, Season Two: proofing and revision
  • Photoshop tutorials

Submissions:

  • With Hair of Teeth and Claw

Rejections:

  • The Perfect Canvas
  • Chicken Fat and Whipped Cream

Acceptances:

  • None

Publications:

  • None