Shirley Reeves

Good. Golden. Overwhelming.

Since last you read, amazing things have happened in my life:

Awesome Niece Rachael announced she is going to visit us in August.

Nancy Leone stopped by and we had a lovely morning together discussing writing.

I had a strange-but endearing-meeting with a person who will henceforth be referred to as “Trouble” about Matt’s presidential campaign.

The play by Donna Hoke I directed was performed by three amazing women (Shirley Reeves, Marilyn Heary and Jeanne May.)

My interview with Beth Gilstrap about her short story collection, ” I Am Barbarella” was accepted and went live on The Tavern with the support and care to detail that only Scott Waldyn and Mike Joyce can provide.

Kim Chinquee–the Queen of Flash–gave me, Gina, and Mary a tour of her awesome home before our novel critique group meeting.

The zinnias are blooming.   Displaying IMG_20150723_103133.jpg I WON THE GOVER PRIZE!

I know, nothing like burying the lead, is there? Anyways, I’m working on yet another revision of my book on the off chance the prize encourages an agent to contact me. Take care of each other until next time!

(These are my creek side reflections; your experiences may vary.)

Happiness is a Warm Pen

Or laptop. So, hello. I just reached 12125 words in NaNoWriMo this morning. Last night I was working on a synopsis for the novel I wrote during NaNo 2010. I’ve since rewritten it and polished it and it’s been seen by so many first readers–all of whom I appreciate for their help: Chyo, Natalie Condor, Betty Brown, Teresa Tucker, Shirley Reeves, Jim Wood, and Dr. Scott Greene. Each one of you has helped me get the manuscript to here–where an Agent has requested to see thefifty pages. I’m so excited! THANK YOU ALL!!!

And if my mind has forgotten a reader, please let me know so I can add you. All I’ve been doing is reading and writing lately, so it’s possible I’ve forgotten someone. I was asked to join a novel critique group and as I’m joining later in the process, I had eighty pages of their work to read before they sent the new 20 pages for critiquing. Yeah, that’s quite a few words to cover in addition to the stories that have been submitted to r.kv.r.y.

Never before has “writing is my life” been more true. I’m off to post this then talk to Chyo about tweaking the synopsis to Ellie’s Elephants. Then I’ll reread the first fifty pages, print it out and tonight, my Aunt is in Hawaii for a Sweet Adeline’s competition that’s being broadcast at 11:55 p.m. Tomorrow night is Jeff Schober’s book launch at Danny’s South for Boneshaker and Saturday is my normal shift at the West Falls-Colden Community Library.

I am immersed in literature and I love it.

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(These are just my Creekside reflections. Your experiences may vary.) 

Preparing for Winter Normalcy

Before I start, I have to say I had an odd thing occur.  I heard someone talking about the movie “Gattaca” and I wanted to see it. Though I don’t recall buying it, I own it on DVD, so I am watching it now. Uma’s eyes are awesome, btw.

I’m looking around, thinking “We start a lot of projects at this house.” This year, we came close to finishing a few of them.

The garden shed has a roof and most of the shelves are in place. I’ve been gathering things from the many places the “garden” stuff has been stashed over the years. Now I can be all anal-retentive and put all of the pots and planters in proper order.

The household plants came in last night. A few still need to be taken upstairs, but they are in. The stereo was broken down and resituated. The next steps are the furniture rearrangement, wood stacking, the screens replaced with storm windows and the last of the tomatoes canned. Ah, winter prep…Nothing else like it.

And in case you haven’t heard my awesome news by now, I’ll say it again: Rosebud Magazine, one of the most awesome magazines ever, accepted one of the stories I wrote this summer. “Bess No More” is slated to appear in Issue 54. I am so pleased!

My real-life writer’s group started up again. Shirley Reeves gave me a detailed, wonderful critique of “Ellie’s Elephants.” She made great points and I’m nearly ready to jump back into rewriting. I really had hoped it was “done,” but now with the new flaws exposed, I’m ready to polish it even harder. I love that baby. I want it picked up by a reader and loved just as much… I also want to start a new novel, so I’ll be busy (as if that is something new) for a while.

Remind me sometime to tell you about why you shouldn’t have long, late night chats with a poet–specifically Sundin Richards–unless you can commit to three days of recovery. It was an awesome time though, from what I remember…

May your next two weeks be as awesome as my past two have been!

 

 

 

*These are just my creekside reflections. Your experiences may vary.