September 18, 2009

A little more traction this week, though not by much. I have managed 1600 more words on my new story, a werewolf tale called "Father Patrice Hears Confession." That title's subject to change, of course. It's what I'm calling it now, anyway.

What else has happened...let's see. I went to the Friends of the Lafayette Parish Public Library semi-annual book sale and picked up my usual sack or so of books. Didn't find as much as I normally do, unfortunately. It wasn't that there weren't a lot of books available, just not as much in the categories I'm interested in. Science Fiction and Fantasy take up one tiny table in the corner. Other speculative genres and horror are kind of spread around here and there. It's fun, a giant garage sale of books twice a year (and what bibliophile wouldn't love that) but I wish I could have found more in my favorite genres.

Yesterday I read "Brokeback Mountain", by Annie Proulx, from her collection Wyoming Stories. I wanted to read it for two reasons - one, because Annie Proulx is a master of beautiful prose and I wanted to study her style, and two, because I'm interested in including more GLBT characters in my own writing (my recent story "Becoming" being my first attempt). It was wonderful, of course, heart-achingly beautiful and poignant. It evoked a level of emotion in me that I hope to one day achieve in my own writing. The movie was wonderful, I loved it, but maybe because I'm a reader and a writer the short story - condensed, tightly written and powerful - had a much stronger impact on me. I think it's one I'll come back to.

Facebook continues to be interesting. Despite privacy concerns, it's been wonderful for connecting with people I thought were lost to me forever. Old friends, connections broken by life and circumstance, have been popping up everywhere. Makes me nostalgic for my old hometown, and for at least some parts of my childhood.

My son and I are working on growing some little pumpkins for Halloween, though I fear we may have planted the seeds too late. Today I found a female flower, little green baby pumpkin attached, so I hand-pollinated it. We'll see what happens. If push comes to shove, I'll buy a little pumpkin from the store and shove it among the leaves sometime in October. Hopefully he won't catch on that it's a big fake-o.

If you're of the liberal mindset and interested in politics, check out my friend Diane's website, The Wild, Wild Left. I've posted some essays there before, and hope to again eventually, but there are lots of good writers hanging out ranting about this or that. Caution, though - if you're conservative and looking for a scrap, you'll get one - they're pretty devoted over there.

In any case, off to write for a bit. The book sale is ongoing through Saturday, so I may sneak back over there in a little while. Shhh....don't tell anyone, ok?

Image © 2009, Lynette Mejia, all rights reserved

18 September 2009

Progress And Other Tidbits

1,003 words yesterday on "Passing" a new science fiction short story I started right before Gustav came to town. Kind of stuck at this point - I know what I want to say, but I'm not sure how to say it. Call it a big, fat, steaming plot hole. Yes, that sounds about right. Also, I'm trying to add in some humor, but funnies are funny things - they are by nature sort of off-the-cuff, and it's hard to craft them - takes away some of the spontaneity. Also, after reading something four million times in the editing process you start to wonder if it was ever funny in the first place. Ah, well. We'll see.

On a happy note, the day after we got power again I received an email from Claire at Twisted Tongue Magazine saying she wants to publish both my poem "Wicked" and my short story "What Goes Around." My first acceptance! Needless to say, I am totally thrilled. Lends some satisfaction, not to mention validation, to my efforts. Hope that I am improving as a writer, enough so that one day I'll actually be able to make a living at this.

Weather is nice outside - cloudy and cool, which, if you know anything about Louisiana, means A LOT this time of year. I plan to enjoy it too, as today I am eschewing the mines for a bit in order to head over to my local Friends of the Library semi-annual book sale, something that has become, for me, a twice yearly orgy of bargains and book finds. Totally psyched. Will head back home afterwards to work on THE NOVEL.

11 September 2008