Had a busy and tiring week at work. Monday, the gal who shares janitorial duties with me was ill and didn't make it in. While I couldn't do much about cleaning the ladies' locker rooms, I still ended up doing a bit more of the common tasks and areas. Thus I ended up being there a half-hour or so longer than normal. I was late enough in leaving that I went straight to the down-town facility for our annual employee benefits meeting. (I normally come home and clean up a little before going.) As it ended up, I put in over 12 hours from the time I left home and finally got back that afternoon.
Tuesday and Wednesday were pretty much normal days, but on Thursday we cleaned the outside tennis courts for the first time. Probably wouldn't have been so long in doing it, but it took nearly an hour to get started. Hoses leaked, connections were mangled, and we had to swap stuff around until we got a set of equipment that worked. Plus that, the weather didn't really cooperate. It was probably the coldest day of the week, windy too, and there I was, pushing a "water broom" along the courts while dragging over 200 ft. of hose behind me. Definitely discovered muscles that I hadn't used in a long long time! And as it was on Monday, I ended up being there well beyond the normal end of my work day.
Friday was pretty much a normal day, other than the fact that I was a little stiff and sore from the previous. Really felt good to be able to say (and fervently believe), "Thank God It's Friday!"
I've been fairly busy of late with stuff for the Corvair Club. I managed to get the April REAR ENGINE REVIEW out about a week ago. It has all the stuff in in concerning the ECONO-RUN we will be hosting in June, in concert with the "Car D'Lane" car show and cruise in Coeur D'Alene, ID. Now I have to come up with a spread sheet to track registrations for the event as they come in. Worked some on that yesterday, and hopefully will do more on it today.
Honestly, I've not had much of a chance to get much done on the writing side of things. I'm probably a week or so behind in sending out queries, and I've not even looked at the WIP for several weeks. And it seems that I've always got some other little project, writing or otherwise that takes away from the actual effort.
Plus that, Jessica will be graduating in a little over a month, so there is all the stuff connected with getting her out of high school and into college. (If I haven't mentioned it, she's been named one of her class's valdictorians!) In other words, the present time is a quite hectic one for all of us.
While I'm thinking of it, I'd like to mention that Anne Mini is running a little writing contest on her AUTHOR! AUTHOR! blog. (www.annemini.com) Information can be found on her post dated April 20th. And yes, I'm going to try and get something written for it.
I may have mentioned this as well over the previous weeks. Barbara Cagle, who was president of Spokane Authors and Self-Publishers (SASP) (www.spokaneauthors.org) before me, has published her book about her mom. It's called 16 X Mom: A Mastery of Motherhood. As it is a story about a Mom, she's promoting it as a Mother's Day gift. In fact, I think she's running a contest on her blog to give away a copy of it. She has a website at: www.barbaracagle.com There's a link there to her blog if anyone is interested.
Well that should be it for today. I need to get some other computer type stuff done, and hopefully this afternoon I'll get outside and get some stuff done there as well. I need to figure out why the "service engine soon" light keeps coming on in the Suzuki. I don't normally worry about it, but I need to take it in for a smog check this coming week.
As a last thought, I think the last time I mentioned my reading, I was reading THE THREE STIGMATA OF PALMER ELDRITCH by Philip K. Dick. Well I completed that one about half-way through my break time, and started right in on his DO ANDROIDS DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? I have a volume of four of his novels. I hadn't planned to read two in a row, but since I finished the one and didn't have anything else to start, I figured, "why not?" Still have UBIS to read from that volume, but I'll save that until later. Now I'm reading CUT-OUT by Bob Mayer, which I bought (and had autographed) at last summer's PNWA Writer's Conference. Speaking of which, I need to be getting registered for in the near future. The one this summer, not last summer's.
Dave
Sat, Aug. 23rd, 2008, 10:12 am
Just me again
I think that last time I mentioned I had started reading a new book entitled EVERGREEN IS MOVING. Then I could not remember the author's name well enough to include it, and as the book was at work, and I was here at home, I could not readily go find out. But as I have read a little of it over the past week, I've had ample opportunity to remember the writer's name. The book is by a fellow PNWA (www.pnwa.org) member, Bob Gabbard. (Gosh, my memory seems to be a bit confused, so there is a possibility that I don't have the last name correctly spelled. If that is the case, I'll check Monday and post a correction.) From information within the book, or perhaps the lack of information therein, I'm guessing that it's self-published. It's one that I bought (and had autographed) at the PNWA Conference last month.
I'm probably a third of the way through it, and I'm enjoying it tremendously. In a nutshell, as as far as I've read, it's set in the near future, concerns the first women elected Vice-president of the United States, an act of terrorism that thrusts her into the Presidency, and her struggle to bring true peace to the Middle East. In my opinion, it is very well written, grabs one's attention, even with the discovery of a few typos along the way. (But then, haven't we all seen typos, even in the best selling books published by the biggest houses of the traditional industry. Or do I notice them now because as a writer I look for them in my own work... and don't always find them!)
There's mention on the cover of a site where one can go to obtain copies of the book. If I remember, I'll write it down and include it in a subsequent post for anyone who might be interested.
Well, on to other things. I've mentioned my new web-site in the last couple of posts. I did do some updating a few days ago, but there is still a lot to do. I hope that if you check it on a regular basis, you will find that it is growing and expanding as time goes on. I can't promise that you will notice something new or revised everytime, but you should not see the exact same thing week after week. I also have revised my LJ profile and have included the site there as well.
You may have noticed that lately I've not mentioned much about my actual writing. It seems that I've been busy with other stuff and just haven't gotten to it. I need to get back at it one of these days. Yet, while I'm not actively sitting at the computer and inputting words for it, I'm thinking about it, figuring out how to continue the scene where I left off, and where to take the story next. Oh, I do have an idea of where it will eventually end up, but I have to envision the route taken to arrive there.
I also want to go over and revise my basic query letter before I start querying again next month. I think I have a pretty good one, as it has gotten me requests for more material from several agents. Even so, I think it could be better. While I've not tracked any sort of success rate, I'm hoping that a better letter will up that rate, even a little bit. By the way, Anne Mini is currently posting about query letters on her AUTHOR! AUTHOR! blog at www.annemini.com
Last weekend we had temperatures hovering around the 100 degree mark. During the week, things cooled down and we got some rain. This week end is supposed to be nice, with temps in the mid 80's. That being the case, I shall make an effort to get outside for at least a part of each day and get some outside stuff done. After the rain, the yard needs cutting, and there is always that garage to be cleaned out.
Sat, Aug. 16th, 2008, 01:38 pm
I guess you learn something everyday...sometimes the hard way! I was quite a ways into this post, or what I thought was this post, when I realized I needed some other information. I thought I could open another page over this, get the info I needed and use the "back" arrow to bring me back to here. When I got back, it had all disappeared! Like many of us who grew up in the pre-computer world, I stumble now and then. But as it is supposed to be near 100 degrees to day, I won't mind sitting in the fairly cool house and redoing it. Tomorrow, "they" predict it will be over 100. I have to work a half day or so, and I'm really glad that I work in the early morning. I should be back home before the temperature starts to peak.
I think it was Tuesday when I last posted and mentioned that my new web-site, www.stoneislandseastories.com was up. In that, I also mentioned that I needed to print out the current issue of the REAR ENGINE REVIEW, the Inland Northwest Corvair Club's newsletter and get it in the mail. I didn't get to it then, and on Wednesday I spent my afternoon (computer time) helping the SASP (www.spokaneauthors.org) secretary and web-master update the site. We got a lot done, but as usual in that sort of endeavor, there is a lot more to do. Thursday I became too engrossed in internet stuff that I again did not get the newsletter printed. I did however get the e-mail version of it sent out, and finally printed the RER last night. I mailed it this morning.
Yesterday I received back one of the copies of the manuscript for SAILING DANGEROUS WATERS, my second book. Helen, the "first reader" who had had it, had this to say about it. "Did I enjoy reading your book? YES! I also was fascinated by the sailing terminology and the maneuvering of the ships. To me, the book was CLEVERLY done, with many interesting events occurring that kept me interested through-out. I felt as though I was with Pierce and his crew every moment.
"I have only one area where I was hoping to 'hurry up and bet Pierce back to England.' Pages 317 - 329 could be shortened in that confrontation of ships.
"The ending was excellent with Evangeline, and left me wondering how that was going to work out with Pierce's sea personality in the long run."
I consider Helen to be an ideal first reader. Not because she has such nice things to say about my work, but because we have never met. She is an acquaintance of the assistant general manager at work, and hence we "know" each other through him. She is also highly educated, majoring in English and teaching school for several years.
Speaking of having nice things said about one's work, I received another rejection letter a few days ago. While it was a rejection, it was not a form letter, but one addressed, right there on the page, to me. And in part is said: "...I want you to know that your work was carefully reviews and considered.
You are a very talented writer; however, my agency just does not have the resources to represent all of the good manuscripts that come across my desk. I encourage..."
While the rejection part is certainly disappointing, the praise of my writing abilities tends to ease the pain. The letter as a whole indicates that the entire submission, three chapters, synopsis, and author bio, was read and evaluated. Had it been a form rejection letter, I could never have been sure that the agent didn't just glance at it and say, "Next!"
Other than sending along the material requested by the agent I pitched to at the Pacific Northwest Writers Association's Conference (www.pnwa.org) last month, I've not done any querying as of late. I understand from Anne Mini and the AUTHOR! AUTHOR! blog (www.annemini.com) that during this time of year, a good portion of the publishing industry, including literary agents, goes on vacation. According to Anne, one should wait until after Labor Day to resume querying or sending submissions. I'd even say that one should wait an additional week or so, and give the industry folks a chance to wade through all the queries and submissions that have piled up during their absence. So, I'll wait and perhaps take advantage of the time interval to revamp and revise my query letter a little.
Additionally, if any are considering the self-publishing route, Anne's most recent post features guest blogger Janiece Hopper, who took that road with her book.
I can also announce that I've finally finished reading VICTORY OF EAGLES by ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) naominovik. Like other followers of the TEMERAIRE series, I'm now awaiting the next story. I've started reading a book that I bought at the conference, written by a fellow PNWA member. For the life of me, I do not remember his name, but the book is entitled EVERGREEN IS MOVING. I'm not that far long in reading it, but I'm enjoying it tremendously.
Now, I think I'll spend the rest of the afternoon working on stuff to eventually add to the web site. Again, if you happen to "drop by" to see it, and would care to offer your opinion of it, feel free to leave a comment here.
Dave
Another week has gone by since I last posted. It's almost as if I'm on a schedule, in that I've posted on Sunday for the past three weeks or so. I'm sure I could come up with enough to post everyday, but then I'd never get anything else done.
Over the past few days I've gotten a little work done on my second Naval Adventure/Fantasy novel. I finally have the final details worked out in my mind, and now it's just a matter of putting them on paper. (On screen? In memory?) A lot of the final portions are already written, so a good deal of what I'm doing is a rework as much as anything, I've a few more things to develop from the mind to the page, but it's going fairly well. Much of what is going on in the story at this point was originally to have been near the beginning of the book. However, over the past few months, I've filled in the resulting gap between the first and second books, and now these events occur near the end. I also moved what had been the last two chapters of the first story to the second, and now they are the second and third chapters of it. I've also been giving considerable thought to moving at least a portion of the final chapter of the second book to the beginning of the third.
As it seems to be going now, I might actually be writing a trilogy. My original idea was for a series of stories, related and in order, but not necessarily running on, one to the other. My goal was that one should be able to pick up any book in the series and read it for itself and not feel lost because a certain situation was dealt with in an earlier volume. Hopefully, these two and those that follow will still enable a reader to do that. Now, I have them more closely linked together. It is almost like chapter one of book two could be chapter twenty-five of the first. (It has twenty four as it stands now.)
I'm hoping to get the first draft of book two done by the middle of February. Then I'll use it for my reading at work, and go through it with an eye towards a bit of polish and typo elimination. Eventually I want to be able to read it at work the same way I read other books, where I don't feel that I have to mark changes and corrections. (For those that might be interested, when I print out my working copy of a manuscript, I use both sides of the page, three-hole punch it, and put it in a binder. Makes it a lot easier to take to work or to writers groups. JUST SO NO ONE GETS IT WRONG! I DO NOT SUBMIT ANY OF MY WORK IN THIS FASHION. THEN IT'S SINGLE SIDED, NOT PUNCHED, AND UNBOUND, just like STANDARD FORMAT and the traditions of the PUBLISHING INDUSTRY REQUIRE!)
I mentioned a few days ago that our printer was acting up, just as I went to print out this months issue of the REAR ENGINE REVIEW. I managed to get one copy to come out satisfactorily and took that to a copy shop to make the remaining copies. Took the printer in and had it cleaned and aligned. Works good! I'm just glad that it was because of usage rather than non-use. So many things seem to break because they are never used instead of because they are not used. If something of mine is going to break, I'd rather it break because it has worn out, instead of a result of sitting and gathering dust. I feel the same with regards to my Corvairs. I prefer that if they break it's because I've been driving them; not that they've been sitting. Yeah, they have been sitting, but that's a different story.
Well, about a half hour now until game time and the NFC Championship game. That means I need to start winding this up. As I go, I'll relate the titles of a few more of the books I've read during my current reading spurt.
Once I had finished with C. S. Forester's Horatio Hornblower series, I undertook the reading of Patrick O'Brian's Jack Aubrey/Stephen Maturin series. I read them in order, but not exclusively. Normally I read one of that series followed by something else. Of those, I read: Master and Commander
Post Captain
HMS Surprise
The Mauritius Command
In between I perused:
Atlantis Rising by Thomas Greanias
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne
Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
Dave
Sun, Jan. 13th, 2008, 10:44 am
What I Read!
I think it has been pretty well established that most writers are also readers. As I look back on my life, I think it is the enjoyment of reading that has led me to become a writer. As a writer, I find that I read differently than I did when I was just a reader. I tend to look a little closer at the writing itself and not just at the story being told. Hopefully I am learning from this, and that as I read I am also improving my own writing.
I've been reading ever since I learned how. As I remember it, that was a fairly simple and straight forward process, no doubt due to the fact that my parents read to me constantly when I was very small. It only took a few weeks for me to grasp the concept of words in print being the same as words spoken by an individual. I suppose I was so taken with the magic of reading that I taught my younger sister to read, even before she entered kindergarten. (She too, picked it up with very little difficulty.) My one regret is that she did not have a chance to read my work before she succumbed to cancer nearly two years ago.
I think I've mentioned in an earlier post that it was in getting back to reading regularly that inspired me to dig out, dust off, and revise a story I had written years ago that brought me back into the writing arena. For some obscure reason, I've been keeping track of what I have read during this latest and last reading stint. If it's not too boring to mention, I'll provide a little of the list of what I've read lately. This probably goes back about three and a half years, and compared to some folks it may not seem like that much. However, the vast majority of it has been done, a half hour at a time while I've been on my lunch break at work.
To start, I reread the Horatio Hornblower stories by C.S. Forester. (I read Mr. Midshipman Hornblower prior to starting to read at work.) While I had read most of the series several time, I had never read them in order of Hornblower's naval career. In order, after Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, and as I read them, they are:
Lieutenant Hornblower
Hornblower and the Hotspur
Hornblower During the Crisis (This was the last written by Mr. Forester and was unfinished at the time of his death. It also includes two short stories; Hornblower and the Widow McCoo, which takes place sometime between Mr. Midshipman and Lieutenant Hornblower, and The Final Encounter, which comes well after the end of the series.)
Hornblower and the Atropos
Beat to Quarters
Ship of the Line
Flying Colours
Commodore Hornblower
Lord Hornblower
Admiral Hornblower in the West Indies
As I enjoy C. S. Forester's writing, I've also been trying to read some of his other works. I've read some of his other works many years ago, but in this latest reading spurt, I've only had the chance to read The African Queen.
I've also read The Life and Times of Horatio Hornblower by C. Northcote Parkinson, which is written in the style of a biography of a supposed real individual. (I've been posting a little on the concept of hiding fictional characters amongst those individuals who are (were) real.)
The next time I post, hopefully I'll continue the discussion mentioned above. What I might do as well, is as I end each post, update the list of what I've read by a few more entries. Once get today's effort posted, I need to get back to working on my second story. It's basically finished, except for one additional chapter I need to write. However I have three or so that I wrote a long time ago that I'm reworking and polishing up to fit where they now occur in the story. Sometimes that can be almost as time intensive as writing something brand new. It does so happen that what now occurs in the later parts of my second story was slated originally to occur near the beginning of it. A lot of what I had intended to have happen in this volume will now find its way into the third book. Or maybe a fourth?
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