Picking stories for my SH workshop application. Wounds we thought, for sure. But then, what other story? Hannah said Salt over Blinding, and Blinding over Bough, and I think she's right, but Salt is 6.5K, and Wounds is 3.6K, and that's too much. Has to be...5.4K or less. So I thought of Flawless, but it's flawed, or Goddess, but no one gets that one, and so it's at least a revision from perfect. SH has Driftwood, and I'm just not quite sure what the protocol is there--Mary Anne said we could use published stories as our application, but what about stories like Driftwood or Firing, which I still think is one of my best, despite them turning it down. I thought of Requiem which is at least probably perfect enough for submission, i.e., wouldn't embarrass me completely. And I keep thinking about it, but as though it's a new thought, which is when I decided it was time to write this post so I didn't forget again.

I haven't ever had a whole Gin and Tonic. I don't really like the taste. But my mom bought Minutemade Limeade, and it tastes like G&Ts, and I really like the taste suddenly, and for a moment there craved someone else drinking them so I could sip from their cup (my favorite way to drink, because that way I don't have to drink the whole thing on my own if I get tired of drinking it. And I did this somewhere, why can't I remember where? I had about half of one before I disliked the flavor too much and gave it back. I hope it wasn't a dream. I always hate getting them mixed up.)

Tags: blinding, bough, driftwood, nightlight, tos

80 words tonight. Of revision, so it's probably really at least twice that, and about an hour's worth of work. First 4 pages of Requiem (known to Clarionites as either Nightlight or Laying Ghosts.) Slower than sludge, but hey, it's something. And I've had nothing for so long, anything is good.

I cleaned up Listening for submission last week, and Feeling Driftwood the week before, but both of them were just polishing runs. I haven't revised something seriously since early March when I worked on Firing, and before that, the last time was the end of January when I got three pieces out the door in a week. I haven't finished a story since Wounds, and I've barely written any since then as well.

That's what's so frustrating about my problems with Requiem. I *know* what happens. I fixed the ending in my head, so I know what happens where and all, I just need to buckle down and find the words for it. And I can't. I end up staring at the story and drooling. (well, not literally.)

I think maybe I know why everything sucks so much. And it's not SH's rejection of the Firing rewrite, even though that wasn't nice. What hurts is a form from Alchemy for it. I really love this story. And I know that doesn't translate to much of anything, really, but I really love it. And I've only had one other form rejection for it so far (and only two more pro markets for it, I think), so I don't like that. I think I deserved a personal note, even if it was "didn't get it." I know it's my entitlement gnome. I *know* this. (or gnow this). But it still makes me cranky.

I'd like to query ROF about Church of Chain and Roses. I didn't much care how long they were holding on to it before, but now that I have Firing back, I have a story to send them, and I want CCR to come back. I was going to query, but I was being neurotic about who to query (Carina? but she doesn't have it, she passed it up to shawna, and I know this, and she knows I know this, so is it coy to ask her, or should I still ask her?), and while I was being neurotic, someone who subbed well after me (early Jan, I think, instead of late October) got a rejection letter. So maybe she's holding onto mine for a reason? or maybe not, but I think I'll give it a week or so before I query.

Tags: church, driftwood, firing, listening

I sent out Firing to FSF. If JJA rejects it, I will, in an effort to externalize the blame, say it's all because I renounced JJA in favor of Ted and he's now jealous. Just so you know. Next up will probably be Sea Change, assuming I can manage to sort out some sort of ending for it. (see next post for stuff about endings and other things.

Tags: driftwood, firing

1400 words today. I can actually still do it. Plus, both Firing and Sea Change have been revised again, though neither are finished--sea change has no ending, and firing still needs the next to last scene hashed out.

Tags: driftwood, firing
Current Music: Remy Zero - Goodbye Little World

For those who are keeping track of this sort of thing. I have revised Sea Change extensively, but still need to fine tune it, I think. It's visiting a friend so he can see what Clarion taught me, and when it comes back I'll probably go through and put in all the damn setting details and such I remembered needed to be added. I've made all the technical edits to Firing the Dead, and am now ready to figure out the next to last scene, and some stuff in the middle where it drags.
As far as new stuff goes, I've typed in the first page of a story I wrote down at Clarion. But it needs a different POV, and I can't figure out how to shift it and keep the detail just yet. and today I had a really cool idea for another story, but the problem is, it's another damn mystery, and I don't think I know how to write them.

Tags: driftwood, firing
Current Mood: blah
Current Music: Jimmy Eat World, Sweetness