…and this week had such potential

Again, I will never complain about having too much work.

Still, I had so many big plans for writing this week.  And I accomplished basically none of it.  But somehow in those few dazzling breaks of daylight (usually breaks for lunch or to “rest my eyes”) I was able to get some writing done.  Here are my meager accomplishments this week:

* Added about 900 words to the First Book of the Unnamed Paranormal Series

* Came up with a possible name for the Paranormal Series – does The Everything Theory sound too cheesy to you guys?

* Wrote a new poem and sent it to Dark Recesses in the hopes of having it added to my soon-to-be feature.  This poem is called “Housewives” and is possible the creepiest poem I’ve ever written.  I was very pleased with the outcome.

* Started a flash-ish story.  At 490 words, it seems like it’s mostly done.  However, this is without a doubt the oddest story I have ever conjured up.  I blame the lack of sleep.  To give you some indication as to the bizarre nature of the story, it’s working title is “A Mouth for Picket Fences”.

And that’s it.

All of this work is very nice indeed, but there is so much I want to write!  I plan on having a talk with Sleep this weekend and trying to work something out.

Time Jesum Transeuntum et non Riverentum

Ever since I have started rediscovering poetry and trying to write more of it, I am coming to a place where my style of poetry flirts with the fine line between flash fiction and poetry.  Sometimes it’s simply hard to distinguish the two.

A perfect example is from what I have always thought was some of the most brilliant recorded words in the past 25 years or so.  I’m a Nick Cave fan and for the most part, his lyrics are brilliant anyway.  But his odd poem-song titled Time Jesum Transeuntum et non Riverentum is amazing.  The lyrics always give me chills and actually inspired the current Still Untitled Paranormal Series I am working on.

So here are the lyrics and a YouTube video so that you can hear the music if you want (it’s actually quite beautiful).  Tell me what you think…would you conisder this flash or poetry?

We were called to the forest and we went down.
A wind blew warm and eloquent
We were searching for the secrets of the universe
and we rounded up demons and forced them to tell us what it all meant
We tied ‘em to trees and broke them down one by one
And on a scrap of paper, they wrote these words;
and as we read them, the sun broke through the trees:
“Dread the passage of Jesus, for he will not return.”

Then we headed back to our world and left the forest behind,
our hearts singin’ with all the knowledge of love.
Then somewhere, somehow, we lost the message along the way.
And when we got home, we bought ourselves a house.
And we bought a car that we did not use.
And we bought a cage and two singing birds.
And at night we’d sit and listen to the canary’s song.
For we’d both run right out of words.

Now the stars, they are all angled wrong
and the sun and the moon refuse to burn.
But I remember a message in a demon’s hand
“Dread the passage of Jesus for he does not return.”
He does not return.

At a snail’s pace

I have had absolutely no time to write as of late. The best I have been able to do is some editing and a very quick and messy 300 words that I hope will become an effective short story.

However, to make up for the lack of writing, I have sent out 4 new submissions in the lsat few days.  One of these was “Jinx” a story that has seen several short lists but, in the end, was always passed on.  Another of these subbed stories is “The Mannerisms of Runners” and after a fifth and hopefully final edit, it is probably my favorite peice of flash that I have ever written.  But, as is usually the case, if I like it then that probably means that there is something wrong with it…

I’m also waiting to hear back on two shortlists that are due soon: Allegory and the …Meurtos anthology.  I am also still awaiting word on my shortlisted position for the Dead Bait antho, but I don’t think they’re sending out responses until next month.

Phew…for someone that hasn’t written much lately, there sure does seem to be a lot of things to keep a check on!

Weekend Update (without Norm MacDonald)

(Note: …because the last time Saturday Night Live was any good was when Norm MacDonald was anchoring Weekend Update…)

As the weekend approaches, there is actually quite a bit going on with my several different writing projects.  And as usual, as I do my little checklist, I remain convinced that I am trying to work on to much at once.  So, in no partiuclar order…

About two weeks ago, I got a notice from The Yet Unnamed Comic Company concerning the artist for Birdwatching From Mars.  The artist they had taken on for the project called it quits (a pay dispute) and I was asked to choose another one.  I did, and he has apparently started doing character sketches and panel test.  I’m supposed to get some of them by the end of next week.

Also, the Still Shrouded in Secrecy Publisher that has shown interest in The Bleeding Room is being very cooperative and helpful with my edits and revisions.  And while there is still no guarantee that all of this editing will ensure that they will eventually give a resouning ACCEPTED, I am already convinced at only 5 Chapters in, that I’ll have a much better manuscript to show for it.

Also, in the course of the past week, I have added about 1,200 words to Blood Routes and 3,400 words to my Still Untitled First Book of My Series.

As far as submissions go, I received a “maybe” letter from Allegory for my short story “This Tour Don’t Roll Through Seattle”.  This is the second time I have been placed on their shortlist (I didn’t make it in last time).  It also goes in my shortlist pile which now stands at 4.  And while that is very exciting, it also has me bouncing off of the walls.

Lastly, I somehow managed to edit and basically rewrite an older short story called “The Mannerisms of Runners”.  I knocked it down from 2,050 words to about 740.  And I fear that it may be the last bit of flash fiction I write in a while.  (I currently have about 3 flash peices out for consideration).

And with that, I shall return back to work and wait for The Wife to get home.  With freelance writing there are no set hours, so closing time for me is when she gets home.

Acceptances and a blurb

I know, I know…I’m getting lazy with the post titles.  But it’s Friday…

I received my first acceptance of the year this morning.  It came following a rewrite request that I received yesterday.  My story “Colonists” will be appearing in the brand-spanking new market Flash Scribe sometime in February.  As the site’s name suggests, it is a flash story.  It’s one that I’ve had sitting around for a while but always seemed awkward to me.  But, wanting to break into a new flash market, I edited it up (knocking it down from it’s original length of 1,350 words to a sleek 972) and sent it out.

I also received word that the Death In Common, in which I will have 2 poems, has received its first blurb.   Actually, I’ve had the blurb for quite some time–it got lost in my inbox somehow.  The blurb for the poetry anthology Death In Common comes from author T.M. Wright, author of Bone Soup.  Wright had this to say about the book:

Death in Common: Poems from Unlikely Victims brings unusual depth, creativity and chillingly potent imagery to what is often referred to as ”horror poetry.”  The poems within this unique volume are not simply horrific, they’re genuinely lyrical and wonderfully human stories as well, and that’s not easily accomplished by any poet, living, dead, or somewhere in between.

It’s nice to see that even before its release, the book is getting some good reviews. While I still am not clear on when it is being released, I’ll be sure to keep everyone in the loop.

SUPERCOOL UPDATE!!! 

For the first time since I started writing, I have received two acceptances in ONE DAY!  What a way to start off a Friday!  Sand has just accepted my short story “End Credits”!

While it is far too early in the year to base the following on anything, this brings my 2009 stats to:

Rejections: 2
Acceptances: 2
And 1 on a shortlist.

I can only hope that this is an idicator of what 2009 will be like…

The whirlwind that will be November

So today I took a look at some of the things that will be occuring for me in November.

NaNoWriMo is an obvious time consumer, but there are a few other things I’ve been waiting for as well.  I really want to get 2 or 3 ideas going for 52 Stitches.  I’m not great at flash fiction, and I know to not even bother trying to write it unless I am in the mood.  I have been in the flash-mood for about the last week and have done nothing about it.  The timing for my two acceptances for Northern Haunts was perfect.  I wrote five flash peices in the course of a week and the two I selected for Northern Haunts made it through right away.  Word is still out on the other two (the fifth became a 1,100 worder) which are at Flash Fiction Online and Horror D’oeuvres.

Also, I got a hold request from Allegory for my story “Jinx”.  I should hear something within the next few days.  Needless to say, an acceptance would be an awesome way to start off the month.  And, if the guidelines for the Dia de los Meurtos anthology are any indication, I (like many of you) should be getting a response for my story “The Drums Will Take You There.”

But there’s no sense in worrying about November when there are a few trick-or-treat inspired hours reamining in October.  Dress-up time for my daughter is in in t-minus 3 hours…