I’m to the point where there is so much energy around my writing that it’s a second full-time job for me. But, I’m not getting a whole lot of coin for it yet. But, I can feel it coming. It’s swimming down in the depths of my literary life trying to pass the murky deeps like a leviathan rising to the surface during a stormy gale.
I’m still busy trying to care and nurture my writing group — SnoValley Writes!If you live in Twin Peaks and are a writer, you really should come and join us. We have lots going on…a) putting together our second annual publication, which we are turning into a real literary journal, b) entertaining our community with literary fabulousness at Word Jazz – Fall Into Story on Oct. 26 at Boxley’s in North Bend. It’s an evening of poetry, prose and music and last time (in March) we packed the house. So, get your reservations today if you plan to attend, and c) we’re trying to accumulate the paperwork for our 503c status so we can do our first writing conference!
In addition, I’ve volunteered to help a great literary cause: The Novel: Live! and helping with outreach in the greater Seattle area. It’s been like a full-time job. Trying to figure out what will get people excited about supporting Seattle7Writers and their efforts to get writers in schools. I mean, for me, it’s all about watching successful nationally published authors sweat through their writing process with literary voyeurs waiting to bite off the energy from their favorite author(s) as they sip wine and cocktails at Hugo House. Personally, I’m already excited because I’m working with Jennie Shortridge in the whole process of outreach/promotion. I first met Jennie back in 2007 when she was at the Whidbey Island Writers Conference. She was on her promotional push for Riding with Queenie. And because she’s local, I keep running into her in a variety of venues. I love that she’s involved with young writers — another of my passions. That’s why, as I said in my last post, I decided to make my September and October a little crazy and get involved with The Novel: Live! Also, can I just say I’m so nervous about meeting Garth Stein.
I’m also spending lots of energy to get Martius Catalystbeefed up so that I can build up the amount of followers, readers and fans. It’s free fiction. It’s speculative, paranormal, fantasy with a Steampunk bent, obviously. Sam and I are having a ton of fun. And Jackie’s art just adds more depth to it. I need to finish the proof for the bookmark that I plan to hand out at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival (although I know that Martius Catalyst is much tamer than most Lovecraft fans prefer, yet there’s enough elements of darkness, they may be interested, especially if they stick around. But hey, maybe. Shrug. Right?) and SteamCon. The HPLFF is going to be in Portland the first weekend in October and I’m a bundle of stupid fangirl nerves to meet Caitlin R. Kiernan. Anyone who knows me knows that her writing is some of my favorite.
I also have decided that I’m going to start doing regular blog entries on book reviews. So stay tuned for that.
And something about National Novel Writing Month coming up, in which I serve as the municipal liaison for my community. There’s this pretty scary — scariest yet for me — story percolating in my head for this year’s attempt. I will finish this year.
Then there’s the actually writing. I have three manuscripts I need to clean up one last time and re-exert some efforts on trying to get an agent to get excited about them. I have at least three contest deadlines coming up. Yet, I’ve spent the last 30 minutes trying to make this blog entry make sense. Honestly, I really should be focused more on the whole creation part. Yet, all of the above feeds into the creation part. It’s what creates a well-round full-time writer. Truly. This I do believe. As I also believe one day people will be happy to plop down their disposable (or not so disposable) income for my book.
Dreams, it makes me get up in the morning to get it all done.