Good news, good vibes

As a self-proclaimed wordie, I write and write and write. I read obsessively because it helps me stay current and knowledgeable. As writers, we do this without complaining or whining (well, maybe a little). Rejection letters mean progress, but an acceptance letter means ... well, everything.

I received a mood-altering email informing me that one of my six-word memoirs will once again be included in one of their upcoming books. I've been smiling ever since!  

Six Words Fresh Off the Boat marries the phenomenon of Larry Smith's successful Six-Word Memoirs with ABC and 20th Century Fox Television's hit comedy Fresh Off the Boat. The book captures hundreds of takes on the immigration experience, from every-day people as well as world-famous celebrities including Aziz Ansari, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Julianne Moore, Mario Batali, George Takei, Neil Gaiman, Amanda Palmer, Billy Collins, Junot D az, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta. This book will have you thinking in sixes and challenging others to share six words about their lives.

If you're familiar with Orange is the New Black, then you know the character Larry. Well the real-life Larry is the one who started and oversees Six Word Memoirs. I submit dozens of memoirs to the Six Word Memoirs project each week (2,831 total so far, having joined in Oct. 2014). I won't know which one was chosen until I actually get my copy of the book, which comes out September 5, 2017. Even though it's just six little words, it has a big meaning because 1. I'll be officially published again in the non-fiction world, and 2. I'll be in a work that includes some very cool people, as you can see in the caption above. (Click the image to go to the Amazon page.)

What a nice boost of confidence. Just enough to keep me going. 

And going. 

And going.

Submission isn't a bad word

In the writing world, submission is the proof of productivity.

Often, my free time revolves around writing and creating paper flower designs. If my writing endeavors end in me submitting my story to one or many publications, I know I'm doing well. Still haven't scored my first fiction byline, but I'll die trying. I recently finished writing a ghost story that had attracted the attention of some editors who then requested character development and a more powerful ending. After completing that, I ended up with a story that is triple the size it was when I originally sent it. Hopefully, that isn't a new deal breaker. It's been resubmitted and was my last one for May.

Today, I submitted my first work of June, an essay to Chicken Soup for the Soul, under their book title "Stories of Redeption." I've been published there twice thus far. A third essay, focused on the subject of moms, had made it to the final round but didn't make the ultimate cut. Non-fiction is where I've had most success. No surprise since I was a journalist for 10 years. It's hard not to keep swimming in the sea of non-fiction possibilities, a world that still brings me joy. Fiction, though, is still my prime focus since it's new territory.

If you want to explore submitting to Chicken Soup, here is the link;
http://www.chickensoup.com/story-submissions/possible-book-topics

Because you never know.

When life keeps you too busy

Currently, I'm trying desperately to finish a short story that an online publication had shown interest in back in Feb. For several months, my life has felt like a never-ending hurdle relay race. I write when I can until I'm summoned to the next non-writing endeavor that yanks me away from my keyboard kicking and screaming.

Thanks to tax season, I was able to replace my broken laptop that was barely working with a gorgeous Dell Inspiron. The itch to use it is unbearable. Come on, Universe! Let me write, and I promise to use you as a protagonist.

No worries, though. I'm happy that I have my short ghost story almost done as well as two almost-finished novel manuscripts. So it's not like productivity is dwindling. I'm giving myself a pass for zero productivity this past weekend because I was in Austin celebrating my son's graduation from UT. Thrilling, to say that least. FYI, there is one more theatre arts teacher in the world.
*Mental cartwheel*

This graphic made me laugh. I always do this! I have exactly one hour before I have to go pick up the hubby and kiddo, so that's it for now!  Write on.

Series domination

Hello, and welcome to my first post in 2017. Pathetic, in a sense, but I can say that since my last post, I've had some noteworthy haps.

The Game of Thrones book series has dominated my reading time since the series finale last year. I decided to dive into it to quell the pain of the void left behind by the end of a season that also signified a long wait until the next dose. I'm halfway done with book 5, Game of Thrones: A Dance With Dragons, which is the last book available currently. I realize now by delving into the book series, I've doubled my pain. You see, since the story line in the TV series is different from the books and each has a different release date, I have to anticipate both with bated breath. I have read nothing else but GoT (well, except for The Count of Monte Cristo) since starting the series. It's an addiction, I tell you. Once I finish reading, I'll hop over to my book blog and give you a scintillating book review, promise. Until then, I'll have to leave off here with this graphic to express my feelings ...

Great News

My next spot of shareable news is that I got a bite on one of my fiction short stories! FINALLY. Any dedicated writer will understand how thrilling it is to get a positive response from an editor after a zillion rejections across the globe. Basically, this publication's editorial team loved most of my story, called my writing "amazing," and requested some tweaks on the ending (which confused them a bit). I was told to complete the edits and resubmit. Even if they don't end up accepting it for publication, I call this a huge win and the confidence boost I needed so badly. I'll fill you in on the details if there is Earth-moving news to report post re-submission.

Whew! Back to it.