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These last two weeks were interesting in a number of ways. I rediscovered reading for pleasure—something I’d put on the back burner for too long. Every writer needs to read. If I think about it, someone always wants to know what a writer reads.
When I wasn’t working on stories for submission and a chapbook that will be released this weekend, I read. And before you ask, the books that come home with me are by authors I enjoy or who’ve been recommended by those I trust. The subjects and plotlines are varied.
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For example: all four books of The Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts, Hangman’s Root by Susan Wittig Albert, Home from the Sea by Mercedes Lackey, Grammar Girl Editing Checklist (a very short read but worthwhile,) the Hay House World Summit ebook, How to Overcome Procrastination by Paul Newton, Market and Promote Your Book Checklist & Worksheet by Katie Davis, and several other short instructional pieces.
A mix of subjects and genres never hurts a mind’s flexibility. Between reading sessions, a few movies kept my interest—ones I’d never watched before, like Truly, Madly, Deeply. I really liked that one and not just because Alan Rickman was the male lead. I liked the quirkiness of the plot and the thinking that went into it.
You might ask when writing found a space on such a reception-only mindset. Well, I’ve slowed social media down to a crawl to concentrate on writing and all that goes with it. My time is being used more effectively. I hope. Playtime is being built-in again as well. Long days mean working into the night—a practice not unfamiliar to me.
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My new Short Tales chapbook—Memoirs from Dreamie’s Box is finalized and will be available no later than Sunday. My novella, Wisher’s World, Vol. 1,Composing an Apprentice, is now through the beta reader phase. Now begins the final edit before it goes to the formatter. Its release is slated for the autumn.
There are also three short stories (7500+ words each) in revision for submission to magazines, a slew of poetry in revision for either a collection for competition or a release on Kindle. So you see—it has not been an idyll.
Sorry, but I couldn’t resist the pun. I leave you to return to those pesky words that fill stories. I’ll be back in a few days with an excerpt from Wisher’s World. By the way, that series will go a full eight to ten volumes before it’s finished. The terrific thing is that I’m still discovering secrets about my characters that I would never have suspected before this last rewrite. Secrets that will deepen and intensify the overall story. That’s exciting.
While I dive into chapters and formatting, why don’t you all take this weekend to play, enjoy, and relish your ability to participate in life. Have a great time. It will never come around again, you know.
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