Thorn's Blog
What Are You Working On?
22
Jun
Jun
We had a wonderful time at the reunion of writers at the Hacienda Villaseñor over the weekend. Every author in attendance brought three copies of their books to swap with other authors, and every author spoke briefly about their current work.
If you were in attendance, please take a moment to comment on the party and to tell us what you are working on. If you were not in attendance, take a moment to tell us what you are working on now just the same. We’ll get back to you in a few months to check up, and see how much closer you are to completing that draft.
So, what are you working on? Working Title? Genre? Fav character in the story?
Leave a link in the comments!
Sorry I missed the party. I missed my bus or it did not stop in West Virginia or the airport was shut down due to inclement sunshine.
Right now I am editing a short story called “A Tale of Three Pighs” which I hope ends up as an e-book short on Amazon.com. I am also writing a flash each day and an occasional poem for good measure. This Wednesday I will have cataract surgery on my other eye. Hopefully my lopsided vision will be corrected when both eyes are in synch and I will see the world in a less than distorted image.
Hi Sal
Welcome back. Don’t you know distorted vision is the job description of any writer? A cheezee line in a movie I loved ,Modigliani, the artist is scolded by his lover who says in anger “Why do you have to be so blind!” to which he answers “So I can paint what others don’t see.” So hopefully it will be only your sight and not your vision that gets altered.
Salvatore! Salute! I love your dedication–writing every day. You are now on my list of heroes.
It seems life requires a constant cobbling, not one project but many. And as I find the time to dash from marketing the books that want selling to organizing The Right Room Blog, to co-hosting It Matters Radio, on which we have such strange guests as the bard of Moscow, I try to carve out time to work on my newest creation. Red and White is the working title, and the late nineteenth century the setting. I call it a work of historicity, trying to capture the underlying historical truth rather than the factual fluff and chafe.
Since it’s been quite a while, I think I’ll mention that I have brought two books out while Moscow was under renovation. “Broody New Englander,” composed of a novella and two short stories takes Maine during the twentieth century and sprinkles in some speculative fiction. “Times to Try the Soul of Man” follows a young reporter who—just before 9/11—finds himself in the middle of conspiracy and crime right near Ground Zero. I hope folks will check them both out.
Hope everyone is as busy and happy as I. Swing gentle, Ken
Such multi-century variety, Ken! You must be a glutton for research. And a radio show, too. I am inspired by people who know how to keep busy and productive.
Diana
Swig gentle? Oh! Wait! SWING gentle. hmmnn…are you competing for the double-entundra award, AGAIN?
Glad to have you back on board. And thanks for the copy of Brrody New Englander. As time permits, I’ll see it gets reviewed on the site.
beast–oops!–BEST!
thorn
Thanks, Thorn. Always appreciate a review. Of course, if Egbird reviews it, I hope he doesn’t go for any bad yokes.
Poor Thorn, I probably ruined his perfectly perfect trip to Catalina Island by sending him part of my girlie historical romance to peruse or snooze thru. Trouble is with most books the agent only sees the start and not the super-exciting culmination of 4 years’ work! Thanks anyway. I owe you one.
Anyhoo, the first hours of my sweaty days here in hell – oops super-sweaty Florida – are spent composing love letters to agents. Double-spaced, single-spaced, attached, unattached, 5 Chapter, 3 Chapter, 5 pages, 8 pages, in the snail mail, via email – UGH! you know the rest if you write. Each query takes me an hour, in which time I could write a whole nuther chapter in my comedy series.
Ah well, time to pop a top and leap in the pool…
Karen! Haven’t you heard I LOVE it when female authors submit? I will give it a quick read while I am on the road to San Francisco, and a more thorough response when I am back in the land of the double-entundra. I also love it when writers of my favorite gender–there are so many to chose from these days–pop a top. If I like your story–who doesn’t like hysterical-oops!–historical romance?- I will send you something that you can include in an agent letter. Why not enter our contest? When I introduce your entry it gives me a chance to introduce YOU and help you start to develop your fan base. Hope the pool is cool. I am in California where pools have become gathering places for hoofed animals to congregate to drink at night. Come to think of it, it has ALWAYS been that way!
So tell me about this comedy series, Karen. Setting? Protagonist? I am ready for some humor (in addition to Thorn’s, of course).
Diana
Since you asked, Thorn, I am engaged in a startling undertaking for me–a children’s Easy Reader that I wrote over 15 years ago and lost on an old Commodore 64 floppy disk. I dug it out–almost literally–extracted the text from the obfuscating GEOS code (couldn’t find an emulator), and completely rewrote, re-titled, and reformatted it. I fell in love again with my plucky protagonist, a tiny seed with big dreams who finds out dreams don’t always come true.
“Misho of the Mountain” is an adventure in rhyme written to save lives. Yes, I said “save lives.” The number of suicides in children and teens–and drug abuse and other self-inflicted harm–is heartbreaking. “Misho” carries a message to youngsters to counter the unrealistic standards of beauty and success set by our culture. ‘If you dream it, you can do it!’ does not work for everyone. Hard times happen. Failure is part of life; success and happiness may come from things you don’t expect.
Tough sell for a kids’ book? Perhaps.
With a heavy infusion of nature and friendship and exhilarating adventure Misho’s message nurtures self-esteem. For parents and caretakers, “Misho of the Mountain” is a tool to help them walk the fine line between teaching realistic expectations and encouraging their children to reach for the stars.
I just finished translating the transcript from Early Diana and it is in the hands of my talented illustrator, Teri Rider, whom you all know.
I always knew you were an obfuscator! Teri who?
I was so happy to see many of the AWWYP peeps again (including ones I had correspondence with via Facebook but got to hold in my arms for the first time that night)! Coming to Oceanside is basically my heart coming home. It was also an honor to meet Fred Rivera in the flesh finally! And as always, it is an honor to walk the sacred grounds of the Villaseñor ranch, graciously opened to us by Victor and Barbara. I hope to make the sequel to this event!!!
FYI — this is what Rile is doing now!
“Spotz!” is a satirical social commentary which addresses racism, classism, sexism and economic injustice.
Amber Citrine & Azul Indigo want to get married. In their society, while Yellow & Blue spotted people are segregated, Proposition 28 allows for them to have a “non-standard union.” However, theses unions are highly regulated, as the young couple learns. Are the rights they have give up worth the right to be together?
Playwright Rile Grant is a 12 year old social activist, involved with San Diego Organizing Project. He is a California Virtual Academies student, student advocate for California Parents for Public Virtual Education, young novelist with NaNoWriMo, member of Voices in Unity Choir , and has performed with San Diego Junior Theatre and Looking Glass Theatre ~ San Diego.
“Spotz!” will premiere July 18th & 19th at 5 pm as part of Balboa Park’s Garden Theater Festival.
#RiledUpTales is still seeking actors for a few parts.
Please contact Kia Bordner kiakiali@gmail.com for more information.
Thank you for your support!
And what is Mom (aka me) doing? Well, what I always do! I am Rile’s social media secretary, his editor, his stage designer, his director, his casting agent, his social secretary, and his travel agent.
It was absolutely wonderful to visit with everyone at Victor Villasensor’s hacienda. I especially enjoyed the book swap (boo-to-the-yaaah, I scored an ‘Almost Avalon’) and visiting with Thorn, Diane Cresswell, Parisianne, Fred Rivera and others whose names I cannot remember. The food? One word: Empenadas. Whoa. Okay, three more words then I’m done: homemade chocolate chip cookies. Double whoa.
With the launch of AWWYP’s revamped website, thus begins another bout of contests, laughter, friendships and spicy writing by writers much better than me.
I can only dare to have an above average entry that catches Stang, Katz, Cresswell, Sal and everybody else napping. Maybe Obi Wan can help me this time. He’s my only hope. Say, maybe Judge Thorn will accept a bribe payable in yearly installments…hmmmm.
Me? I’m working on the sequel to my first book, The Sing Song Child. I hope to have The Angel School available by October of next year. I’m still working on my ‘elevator speech’ that my beautiful wife, Vicki, gave and bailed me out of a tight spot.
Here’s a tip of the hat and a big ‘thank you’ to those involved in the re-launch of AWWYP’s site. Well done, and, hey, let the bon temps roller.
Oh yeah, visit my website TheSingSongChild.com and buy a few dozen of my books, will ya? And leave an honest Amazon. com review for me. I’ll do the same for you, you know that.
Mike
OK Mike comes across as the choir boy, but wait til you read his entry in our contest AGAIN. He may be in need of confession. Contest entries will begin posting as early as today. Please get your own entry in soon so they don’t all arrive the last minute. here is the link: https://awordwithyoupress.com/contest/again/ or simply go to the contest page from the home page of the site, and scroll down to Current Contests.
And here is what the Mighty Moi is working on…Organizing a writers’ retreat for early November in Moscow, Idaho, to include authors Fred Rivera, Jonathan Freedman, and Victor Villasenor. I am doing this in conjunction with the University of Idaho and the Edward R. Murrow School of Journalism in neighboring Washington State University. Lemme know if you are interested in attending and I will send details. I have been invited to hold a writer’s workshop in Avalon by the Santa Catalina Island Company sometime this fall, as well, perhaps also to include Jonathan. These are relative certainties…Pie in the sky but a possibility is a retreat in Italy at a property Morgan, my son and partner in AWwYP manages/promotes, called Villa Tereze. This would take place this coming spring, when I intend to take a semester abroad. Those of you who know me understand I have always like studying a broad, but now I am hoping to do so overseas! (sexist? Moi?). Here is a link so you can dream along with me: http://www.terezehouse.com/
My entry for “Again” along with suggested artwork and video were sent today with the suggested fee. I organized the story in my dreams from 12 midnight until 3am, woke, edited, wrote, edited several times, wrote, edited more and submitted before noon. This is what possessed artists do when inspired. I had written two other entry pieces for the contest in previous days, but was not satisfied with them. Now I am upon my third attempt and excited to offer the flash fiction story I did submit.
I am also writing more on my autobiography thanks to the inspirations of this community. Thank you, I hope you will read my entry into “Again” as well as the other contestants dedicated to fine literature.
Merci beaucoup,
Parisianne
And you said you were dealing with ‘writer’s block’…
I was quite blocked and lost in a very false set of relationships including FaceBook Mike. I had written a handful of inferior poems, a handful of short stories not worthy of me and two entry attempts that were pathetic. My novel labeled, “Smoke Veil Bridge” is stalled in Chapter Four and I’ve been out of sorts since my brother died in late March. This had been a miserable year for me in fact until the party, but seeing many of your accomplish some of your dreams did inspire me to begin the next day to try again. I thank all of you who were present for that inspiration.
My autobiography has advanced about 5000 words needing a serious set of edits which is slow for me and my third attempt at an entry piece was worked out in a dream I had just last night. I got up at 3am having had only three hours sleep and gave it the next eight hours of my attention.
The writer’s block is over Mike as I recover from one of the most misleading set of relationships in my life’s history. I am moving on and so writing is most of what I have left to call a life. I am grateful for most of the community at A Word With You Press for my writing life. I feel a renewed spirit now that the publishing site is active once more. I hope people understand that writers are just human beings with the same vulnerabilities as those who never publish.
My heart goes out to you over the loss of your brother.
And shh; the baby entry is sleeping peacefully in her crib. You’ll meet her in a few days after she has her check-up <3
Well, looks like the party is in full swing. I’m getting ready for July 4th – what can I tell you, I’m just a conflicted kinda Brit! Wow, it’s been a while since we all got together. After the launch of two brit thrillers, Standpoint and Line of Sight, I’m now beavering away on the third part of the series, Cause & Effect.
Hey, it’s not too late to join the party, if you know what I mean ^_^
Ah the invitation must have been lost in the mail or perhaps the swift wind picked it up during a recent thunderstorm, so alas, I was not in attendance. Surely another time.
My latest work, The Wheel’s Final Turn, was just released beginning of June and there is always the preparation of the It Matters Radio broadcasts. In fact we are always seeking talent, be it musical or spoken word.
I am beginning yet another tale, though I said the last would be it, called ‘Seeking Angels’, which of course, will have nothing to do with Angels if you know my style of writing.
Take care all and nice to hear what you have all been up to.
I LOVE taking pictures. It’s a nack that I guess I acquired watching my grandfather when I was a wee little girl in his Hartford, Connecticut photography studio. He barely spoke English, as he was an import from Sicily, however photography is the Universal language so he thrived and made his way into the stock market and buying apartment buildings.
Anyway, my 24 year old daughter just graduated from UCSCruz with her physics degree and is now ghostwriting a book on physics for the famous inventor Bob Hotto of Carlsbad. He has over 49 patents including the technology that stops the blurring of LCD (and all) televisions. The book will be an overview of what a new student should expect when going for a physics degree. Really an overview of what physics is all about. It will be a FREE Ebook as Bob has made his fortune and now is sharing with the World in every way he can.
Stop in to check out the many faces of my art if you like. My website is above.
Thanks for listening 🙂
Just stopping by to share the news that I won (another) drabble contest.
” DRABBLE CONTEST UPDATE (Alien Politics)
” We are pleased to announce the following results of the drabble contest.
First Place: Julie Mark Cohen for “Election Day, Tammany Hall, Central-lartneC City, MoxAT-TAxoM” ”
This contest was sponsored by Alban Lake (http://albanlake.com/july-2015/) with editor Terrie Leigh Relf. My story is published in the “Drabble Harvest #4” which is for sale today, 07/15/2015.
Seyfert is not in this story, but it takes place where he has been living for some time. So, it will be included in “Asymmetrically, Seyfert.”
Hi Thorn, Parisianne, all you lovely people I just haven’t met yet. My writers block and Moby Dick have serious comparisons this year, so it’s been online gaming, and art, art, art lately. Gonna take a swing at the contest I expect. Hope you’re all doing everyone you can, and the dumb ones twice (wink).