For a week and a half I’ve struggled to write the post I really want to write, but I’m stuck on how to write it. So much has happened and not happened in the last few weeks, however, that I figured I should at least write another “update on life,” boring as I’m sure some of you find those. And if you don’t find them boring, you should.
Update on “The Book”
I participated in a couple of Twitter…competitions? that encourage authors to solicit book agents en masse. Not the most effect method of solicitation, but the history of these competitions includes requests for manuscripts and book contracts. I received a query request through one competition and am waiting to hear back about another.
Update on Life
Two weeks ago I helped out at a camp for foster/abused kids. Due to the nature of the camp, I’m not allowed to say much but I can emphasize what an amazing experience it was (I’m sure I can say more than I will here, but I’d rather err on the side of caution in this matter). Basically, the goal of every adult (all are volunteers) at camp is to ensure the kids have the best week of their year or life (to this point, of course). Well, selfless as it’s supposed to be, it’s still a supremely powerful experience for all volunteers, and I’d encourage you to locate the camp near you and help out (if I trust you, I’ll let you know what the camp is called). I’m still trying to figure out how to put it all in perspective – not just the camp, but everything I learned, saw and acquired as a result, and I am definitely doing all in my power to participate next year as well.
Update on My Short Story
Facebook friends know I’m working on a short story submission to Writers of the Future. This story reads nothing like most of my writing, but I found its creation absolutely fascinating. A few people bit off more than they can chew in offering to help revise the story (perfectly fine), but feedback so far has proved beneficial. With the submission quarter ending this week, I plan to enter this story tomorrow or the day after. Here’s to “good luck” – Cheers!
Update on Other Writing
As I said, camp put a lot of other things in perspective and I’ve been working on a novel I thought back burnered. Yes, this is a novel of mine you heard a lot of vague information about a few years ago (if you read my old blog or Facebook posts), but I feel drawn to it at the moment and I don’t think that’s all an attempt to avoid the book for which I’m agent-hunting (see above).
Update on Health
While at camp, I experienced zero problems with health, a first in such a long time (wow, has it already been four years?) that I was not going to let that go to waste. Yes, go figure that everything has returned since camp, but I’ve been trying to push through to at least maintain some momentum. So far it’s partially working, but symptoms are – as always except at camp – ever-present.
Update on Other Shtuff
Life’s crazy. I’ve had to learn how to weed out good, better and best in my life, but I’m still very much learning…my weakness is well-told, well-acted TV shows and movies – ones with raw, deep emotion (unfortunately, increasing numbers of people put heart and soul into these programs, and the supply of them is ever-growing). I considered putting some examples here, but my goods, betters and bests were turning out funky. Basically over the last long while I took up the habit of constantly improving myself and trying new things (new to me). Some of these things distract from writing and reading while others augment (for instance, activities I can mindlessly do while listening to audiobooks).
This post contains fifteen sets of parentheses. Maybe next time I ought to write a post where parentheses are prohibited because I’m obviously out of practice. And maybe I ought to write a post where all -ly words are prohibited. Oh, and all ises, wases, weres, ares (haha), ams, haves, hases and hads, because I’m feeling quite passive.