You may be wondering why I’ve not posted anything new regarding my writing or projects since… OMG, January? *facepalm*
Truthfully, there hasn’t been a lot of news on this front. I’ve been concentrating mostly on my freelance book cover work at Designed by Starla, and I’m also getting ready for a big cross-country move in a few weeks. I am still writing, however, along with continuing to search for a home for Antigone’s Wrath.
I did have some news regarding that project recently. Twitter saw my joysplosion, as did Facebook, but I forgot, in my elation, to post about it here.
Back in February I made a last minute decision, at the behest of my friend K. L. Grady, to submit the first 20 pages of Antigone’s Wrath to the Crested Butte Writers contest, The Sandy. I wasn’t expecting much, especially given the string of agent rejection letters I’d been receiving leading up to it. To save my sanity, I pushed it to the back of my mind as not to dwell on it. The results weren’t due to be released until April 15th anyway.
So you can imagine my shock, and utter joy, when I received a phone call on March 30th informing me that I’d been selected as a finalist this year. I found out later that not only was I a finalist, but my submission was the highest scoring in its category (FSF-130 is me). My poor husband had to deal with my hysterical tears and shaking as I told him the news. I can only imagine how baffling that must have been. *LOL*
Up until that phone call I was thinking I’d start planning to self-publish Antigone’s Wrath if nothing had happened with the book by the time I was settled in Rhode Island. Being told I was a finalist has caused me to rethink my thinking and wonder if maybe I shouldn’t give up quite yet. As a finalist, my 20 pages and 2 page synopsis are going to be read by James Frenkel, an amazing editor at TOR/Forge (a MacMillan imprint). THAT IS MIND-BLOWING TO ME. Based on his feedback I will make a decision, one way or the other, on how to proceed with Antigone’s Wrath.
Regardless of whether or not I am selected as the winner, his comments are invaluable to me as an author. That kind of feedback is the sort of thing writers dream about. As I’m now attending the CBWC at the end of June I may get the chance to meet Mr. Frenkel. Given it’s a small conference, that’s not entirely impossible. If I had only one question, I would ask him if, based on my 20 pages and synopsis, should I continue my quest for traditional publishing, or give in and DIY it? Not that I would let one person’s opinion make my decision for me, but it would weigh heavily given his credentials.
So that’s where that stands. As for other writing stuffs, I have around 17,000 words written on the sequel to Antigone’s Wrath, titled Master of Machines. It’s markedly different from the first one as I’m weaving in considerably more actual history from the era (1881 for AW, 1883 for MoM), including many important figures from the time. I did some research for book 1, but book 2 has taken that to a whole other level.
I got sidetracked from the sequel for awhile as I was possessed by another story idea. I got up to 65,000 words on a New Adult Science Fiction Romance novel (WTF? Yeah.), but I’ve stalled on it as I think I need to go back and rework the plot development. The climactic (literally, LOL) relationship development occurs in the middle of the book currently, but with the romance novel formula the Happily Ever After or Happy For Now shouldn’t happen until the end. So, I’m not scrapping it, but I am applying the brakes to rearrange some of the elements. Also: I’m having to learn way more about marine microbiology and biochemistry than I ever had a desire to know. For a romance novel. Really. That breaks my brain a little.
I’ve got two other story ideas that I started, got about 500-1000 words in, and realized I wasn’t connecting with them. I’m not discounting them, but I can’t write a story that isn’t ready for me to realize it yet. Apparently those muses just showed up to class for roll call but had better things to do for a little while. I’m sure they’ll turn up eventually. They don’t get to graduate until they meet participation requirements. ;P
Anyway, that’s where the writing stuff stands right now. I’m juggling many creative projects (writing, designing, and continuing to narrate) and trying to balance that with not totally ignoring my family and have-to’s of real life. Basically, pretty freaking busy. But it’s the good kind of busy.
Expect the next post as I gear up for Balticon in May.
x
Thoughts. We needs them, Precious.