Progress

Two crits done today (one was a quickie), and brainstormed on Viola. I'm closer to the science answers, the research helped, but I still need to nail it down.

why didn't I pay attention in high school?

I'm not a scientist, and I don't bluff well, but somehow I write science fiction. I write the characters and the problem first, and place them in the world where they'll be most interesting. Currently, it's science fiction. Somehow I have to evolve the science of my story into a merge of actual science and dawn-science. It's not easy but I do enjoy a challenge every now and again.

Story Breakthrough

I finally remembered what happened this weekend (sick child and stress and exhaustion) and the bad news is I feel it sneaking up on me now.

Onto the writing: I hit a breakthrough on the story I'm writing on for the parsec contest. I wrote the ending first and now I'm on the beginning which is weird for me but a change in routine is good for the brain. It confuses the muse, but she gets into the swing of it. I think it amuses her. The title is Watering the Black Violas, and it wound its way into science fiction. The original ending I wrote is already obsolete, but that's all right. It helped me find my path for this story which I can't wait to share.

Weekends...

...don't work for writing. I don't even know what I did Saturday night. I promised two writers in my crit group some feedback and I wasn't able to deliver. I should be able to finish up the work tonight and send them off, then I can work on Fading Light again.

The publication date for the Shadows & Light anthology has been moved up -- the updated date is October 2009.

so much to write, so little time

Hunter isn't an edit, it's a rewrite. The new ending I have in mind is good, and it ties together the story threads quite nicely. I want to salvage a few parts of the original story, I worked in a lot of imagery that adds to the ghostly feel of the story and I want to keep that. The main character is still the hunter, but he's not so much hunted as he's caught between a rock and a hard place. He becomes judge jury and executioner.

As for the parsec story, I've jotted down about a dozen ideas I could write. I'm going to pick my favorite and run with it. The contest allows up to four entries per writer, so I'll take it one story at a time, and just try to vary the use of the theme and genre to make them as different as possible. I started the first story over lunch, and it's a little creepy. I wrote the ending first actually, which is unusual for me, and the fate of these characters is kind of sickening but fascinating at least to me. I just need to keep writing it and see what it turns into or rather, starts with. :)

I really like the theme -- Color of Silence -- and I swear they must've picked it for me this year. Last year's theme was Dark Glass and I almost had a story for it, but just didn't commit to it. The prior year just stumped me (Metallic Feathers). I know I can write to a theme, and finally I've got one that just sings to me. I can't waste the opportunity. Hopefully the story will sing too.

Wed Eve

Read two stories for crit, brainstormed on the parsec story (too many ideas, I need to focus a bit more), and focused on the Hunter edit. I think I managed to nail down Daymar's involvement with a pretty neat ending. The story's come a long long way from its first draft.

Moving Forward Again

Edits are coming along, and I found a critique group to join. Fading Light should be ready to post to the group by next week at the latest. My progress posts won't be daily, as that would be too boring to type (and for you to read) "I edited" six times a week. :) I'm just excited about the crit group at the moment. I know most of the members (online contacts) and I've exchanged crits with several of them over the past few years. I'm excited about critiquing their work too. They always had interesting stories in the past, and I'm sure that hasn't changed.

Updating

I'm in edit mode, so I'm going with it. Fading Light is moving along once again, and I've cleared the dust off Hunter Hunted, which is getting revamped big time and is due for a title change. Writing is once again becoming a daily event. Now I need to work on completing tasks a little quicker. Fading Light needs a few more days of computer time and Hunter needs some paper & pen time so they balance well. It doesn't help that tonight is the season premiere of Heroes, but I guess I'd better make good use of now.

Treischan Strength

Treischan Strength has been accepted for publication by Pill Hill Press.

Need Groove Back

I slipped away from the writing for a bit, scared off the new novel for some reason. I think I was intimidated by the new characters (which can be fun, challenging, and terrifying all at once!). I need to get the groove back, even if it's 30 minutes a day. This week, I'm aiming to edit Fading Light, something I know I can do. I've got a strange schedule with work, and Mom's in town, so I anticipate some level of exhaustion, but writing is ON the agenda. SOMETHING every day.