Here we are, another bright shining Monday! My week hasn’t been too terribly crazy, but, for some reason, the renewal feeling to the start of this week feels especially potent right now. I think it’s just because I know I slacked off a lot yesterday (sucked into several round of Age of Empires), but I’ve got a lot of stuff on my plate to blast through in the next few days, so it’s time to kick that slacker (and AoE) to the curb for a little bit while I try to get laser focused and ready.
I keep saying that I’ll not be so lazy this week, but every week, it’s the same thing. And really it’s not that I’m lazy, because I’m not. I work a regular job on top of at least two hours of writing stuff every day. I’m just a workaholic, and while I’m getting stuff done, there’s other stuff that I should be focusing on that hasn’t been taking center stage as it should. That’s why Mondays are so great; I force myself to take stock and gently push the distractions aside so that the priorities can march back up to the forefront.
So let’s break it down:
Reading: Still working on Missing People, although a friend has requested a testimonial for his soon-to-be released book, so I’ve been trying to plow through that before the deadline. It’s a cozy mystery, so at least it’s a quick read, and the protagonist is vegetarian, which I just absolutely love to see, especially in a book with a lot of emphasis on food. And despite needing to crack through that book by the 20th, I also picked up Erin Bow‘s Plain Kate for the new book of the week. It’s very charming so far, though I am not entirely digging the stripped down young young adult style of the writing itself. I’ve also got to get my butt in gear about finishing up my interview with the wonderful Max D. Stanton to talk about “The Hero of Madgeburg,” July’s featured story from World Unknown Review Volume III.
Writing: A few deadlines whizzed right by me, but that’s okay. I was working on a story for one of them, but it’s a story that will definitely find a home elsewhere, too, as it’s a pretty cool concept and who doesn’t love a good mummy story? I’m changing my focus toward a July 31st deadline for a 3Elements story, and I’m researching Théodore Monod for the kernel of another possible story about Africa. Lately, I’ve been really digging story ideas that require me to research, reminding me how much I really love research, because I’m a big old nerd.
Not a big enough nerd to just sit my ass on the computer and type some shit up, though. I still haven’t even started typing up Fearless, and I’ve got two short stories that feel like they’ve been waiting finished in the wings for a while now. One of them is sort of a standard cheesy horror that I don’t feel too confidently about yet, but the other one I think is a really unique story with a working title that I can’t decide is the stupidest thing ever or fucking brilliant: “A Mind if a Terrible Thing to Misplace.” Thoughts would be appreciated.
Only one rejection this week, putting the total at 68. No new acceptances, though I did finish up some edits on a story I sold last year, which hopefully means they’re planning to finally publish it. August is getting close, too, which means Two Eyes Open, which will include my story “Ursula,” will be coming out soon as well. Both are stories I’m really eager to share with the world.
‘Rithmatic: The only exciting thing that happened outside of my writing bubble this week is that my boyfriend got a new job working as a bartender at the bar in our store (yes, there’s a bar in the grocery store where I work). This puts us on the same team, though we’ll be working in different areas for the most part, which will be interesting, especially when we want to take a vacation and our boss gets to deal with two of her employees gone at the same time. But she knew what she was getting into when she hired him! It’ll be a big, exciting, terrifying change for him, but I’m so proud of him going out there and trying something so new and different. Plus, I know for a fact that the bartenders make beaucoup tips that blow the pants of off our coffee bar tips.
So that’s it for now! I have tomorrow off, so I hope today goes by smoothly and when tomorrow hits, I’m ready to go and in a good place to be productive and not the lazy world-conquering mess I was yesterday.
Happy reading!
