Mon. July 9, 2018: Say “Yes” — #UpbeatAuthors

Monday, July 9, 2018
Waning Moon
Jupiter Retrograde
Saturn Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Mars Retrograde

 

There’s a saying I’ve heard about both opportunity and the Muse: that when it knocks, you better answer or it will move on to someone else.

I believe that.

Of course, there are those who will insist they are “offering” you an “opportunity” to try to get them to work for free while they do nothing. Laugh and walk away. That is not something you to which you want to say “yes.”

But say “yes” to new experiences that are out of your comfort zone, but that you might enjoy. I did that with Argentine Tango – I said “yes” to taking classes for a few months. Not only did I have the chance to do something I hadn’t done in years – dance – I met new people, learned about a world-wide community, and gathered material for at least three new books. I even put a tango scene into my radio play “Light Behind the Eyes” which was produced this past March.

I said “yes” to attending my very first Bouchercon way back in the mid-1990s, and that was the catalyst to writing novels again. I said “yes” to my very first Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which led me to an invitation to participate in the Adelaide Festival Fringe, which meant I got to go to Australia, something I’d always wanted to do. And I got to go there as a working artist.

In Australia, I said “yes” to a local networking meeting someone I’d met in passing invited me to, which led me to saying “yes” to a curator for the library, who invited me to see an illuminated manuscript, one of the most beautiful books I’ve ever seen in my life. I said “yes” to doing a promo on a local radio show – which got such a positive response that I wound up co-hosting the show while we were at festival. I said “yes” to an invitation to an art gallery opening, where I was exposed to stunning work by Aboriginal artists depicting the sections in Australia where the ozone layers are burned all the way through. I said “yes” to an invitation to join a group of Aborginal women artists for their morning coffee – a rare honor, since they didn’t mingle with the other festival participants often – and learned a whole new way of communicating and relating.

I said “yes” the first time I was invited, in my first theatre lighting class in college, to working on the crew of a show – and that, eventually, led me to my career on Broadway.

I said “yes” in high school, when I was starting to learn cello, but they needed more viola players and asked me to switch. And I learned the viola (not that I remember it after all these years, but still . . .)

I said “yes” when I was just getting back into thoroughbred racing to work on a benefit to help racetrack workers have access to childcare and ended up with lifelong friends among trainers, jockeys, backstretch workers, which led me to pitch (and accept) a job covering the Triple Crown for thirteen years, and go to races in England and Scotland.

I said “yes” when given the opportunity to write about ice hockey and spent months with a minor league time; I said “yes” when given the opportunity to cover America’s Cup and learned about sailing and those beautiful old Newport yachts (even though I can’t swim). I said “yes” to covering Highland Games and local sports and lighthouses and restaurants and anything else that sounded interesting.

I can’t even count the times I’ve said “yes” – because I say “yes” more than I say “no” – especially if it means a new experience. I trust my gut – if something seems off about the offer, or I figure it’s dangerous in the wrong way, I decline.

But I trust my gut, and saying “yes” means I had opportunities and experiences many others around me haven’t. I ask questions. I’m interested in the world. So when someone offers me a chance to do something unique, especially by someone who is passionate about their interests, I try to say “yes” and then enjoy it!

 

Monday, June 7, 2010

Monday, June 6, 2010
Waning Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Cloudy and cooler

I woke up very, very early and went out for a run. No creepy delivery guy. Nearly a half hour earlier than I usually run. Just ran into the milkman’s van –yes, there’s a place that delivers milk again! But that was not a problem.

Quite the busy weekend. Elsa was too sick to leave on Saturday, so I wound up covering the Belmont via live feed. That was positive because: A) I could be here to take care of Elsa; B) it was so hot and humid, I would have been awfully cranky at the track; C) A Very Famous someone I utterly loathe was there and a nasty confrontation would have ensued when I performed my civic duty by slapping the smirk of the smug little sociopath’s face had we been within a mile of each other.

On the negative side, my not being there meant I saw video rather than experiencing in person the Belmont win by my friend Mike Smith. I’m so proud of him and thrilled for him and all the rest. But I still congratulated him — we’ve been friends for a long time, and we’ve got each other’s backs, whether we’re in the same physical location or not. He also won races on the lovely filly Proviso and jumped aboard Tanda when her original jockey had to be taken to the hospital unexpectedly, bringing the horse to a third place spot. But, of course, the Belmont is a glorious achievement. He’s won a lot of Breeders’ Cup races, the Preakness, and the Derby. Now he’s also got that Belmont win. He’s a wonderful horseman and a great guy, and no one deserves it more.

It’s a rough road with Elsa. One of the medications that’s supposed to settle her stomach instead disagreed with her, so I stopped giving it to her, and just gave her the other one. Getting her to eat is hard. She’s interested in food, she WANTS to eat, but it seems to make her feel queasy again after a few bites. Of course, in the heat, NONE of them were eating much. I was in despair on Saturday, but Sunday morning, Elsa bypassed the baby food and ate actual cat food again. Not much, just a little, but it had substance and it stayed down. Today is cooler, so I’m hoping everyone eats more, and I’ve got another call in to the vet.

I got the second section of POWER OF WORDS out to my readers. I started Part III, the shoot of the mini-series, with the chapter at the Cape Cod location. I felt like I hadn’t gotten very far, but I actually wrote over 2K, so that’s not bad. I worked on my Belmont wrap up article, which I will finish, polish, and get to my editor today. Ran some errands, including trying to find some other supplements for Elsa and round up some more of that Earth’s Best organic baby food, just in case. Whole Foods (AKA Hole-in-the-Wallet-Foods) had some, and it was actually reasonably priced, but still not Elsa’s favorite chicken with brown rice. Seems it’s everyone’s favorite, and hard to find.

I have a lot to do today, and, if the vet decides Elsa has to come in again, that has to be factored in. I’m annoyed at the director of the play running — I told her what’s going on, and yet I’m getting badgered about when I’m coming to the show — although heaven forbid they comp me, per DG rules! I’ve warned them several times — do not nag me. I told them I would let them know as soon as I could. Ask me to do something once, I tell you when I’m going to do it, and that’s when it’s done. Nag me, and I dig in and won’t do it Period.

Devon

Monday, May 17, 2010

Monday, May 17, 2010
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Cloudy and warm

Out the door a little after five this morning for a good run. It felt great.

Drove up to South Salem on Friday and picked up Elsa’s new medications. She responded immediately and positively to the sinus infection medication — I’m wiping her nose like she’s a toddler constantly, but it seems like she’s getting rid of all the gunk, which is a good thing. I mean, have you ever tried to get a cat to blow her nose into a Kleenex? She responds much better to the natural hydrocortisone than to the synthetic steroid, and yesterday we added the olive leaf, so we’ll see how that works. So glad I didn’t just slap her into the other center for radiation treatment.

Got my teaching information off on Saturday morning. Also had a request to a pitch I sent for a writing job a few weeks ago, asking for my portfolio samples. I already like them — they talked contract terms and didn’t expect me to write an audition piece for free. So let’s see if I’m a good fit. It would be a long-term, intermittent gig that sounds like tons of fun. If the pay is even in the ballpark and they like my work, I’d do it. Found another job that sounds fascinating. I’m going to apply for it — getting it would send me in a completely new direction in life, lifting the bulk of what I do out of entertainment and into more academic/preservation/education nonprofit. Which is fine, I’ve done a lot of work in nonprofit, and I am particularly enamored of this organization — but it would still be a huge change. It wouldn’t be 9-5 — I’ve never been able to cope with that — but it would veer quite far from theatre and plays and screenplays. Although I doubt I’d give up playwrighting — the theatre is my emotional home.

Didn’t run on Saturday morning — it was stormy again, although it blossomed into a gorgeous day. So that makes only two runs in last week. Will have to make up for it this week, and, due to the out of town gig next weekend, will run Tues-Thurs-Sat next week.

Had a good morning writing session on the screenplay, SETTLING THE SCORE. I’m honing some of the scenes, rearranging a few beats, putting in some short scenes of the ensemble to break up the former linear structure that made it Lucas’s story. Lucas is supposed to be the catalyst, not the focus. I had to write those early, more linear drafts to meet some of the other characters through his eyes, and now I can work with them on their own terms.

It’s still too long and there’s still a lot of story to happen, but I will deal with that once I’ve put down everything I want to say. Then I can look at it, see what’s unnecessary and remove it,, and tighten the rest of it. Because very often, the actors don’t need three rhythmic beats to get out a piece of information — if they’re good and I give them specific lines with meaning, they can do it in one beat.

I was really, really nervous about the pottery workshop. It’s an introductory workshop, and i wanted to take it to see if I truly like playing with clay, or if I just like the IDEA of playing with clay. The Clay Art Center, which is one town over from where I live, is a place where professionals can rent studio space, where artists-in-residence teach, etc., etc. It’s not like taking a class at the Y. These are serious, full-time artists. I’ve never worked with clay. So I was, to say the least, intimidated.

The class was small — there were only two of us, which was great. The teacher, an artist named Jon McMillan was really terrific. Some people have both the gift of their art and the gift to teach — he’s one of them. He kept it relaxed and fun, taught us basic technique, while giving us a lot of information we needed on both the mechanics and the background of it. I was surprised by how much chemistry goes into the process. Since my dad was a chemist and it makes sense to me, that was something for me to use as a starting point. Also, an example of why mystery writers should keep their mouths shut in pottery class — of course, I started speculating how the tools could be used in a murder, which got me a few odd looks.

Anyway, we learned how to make a pinch pot and made oversized mugs using the slab method. Mine are pretty pathetic — it will take a lot of work to develop technique. I have to think less about it and feel the clay more. I may need to take 101 level classes more than once to develop a decent technique and lay a solid foundation. But it WAS a foundation, and I had fun with it. Since the construction of my pieces was beyond rough and rustic, I felt that very technical and specific painting would make the mistakes in structure stand out even more. So I opted for bright color and exaggerated brush strokes to support the construction. We left them to be fired, and I’ll pick them up in about two weeks. Yes, I’ll post photos. I was way out of my comfort zone for all of this, but that was a good thing.

It whetted my appetite. I want to take a basic pottery class, but the one that makes sense to take runs during dates that don’t work for me. This teacher, who I like so much, is teaching a glazing class that does work for me, time-wise, but I’m wondering if that’s putting the cart before the horse. The chemistry of creating glaze fascinates me, and I’ve spent to much time in wonder at the Edgware pottery glazes, I think it would be interesting. If it’s just experimentation and tile making, I could do it — if it’s creating objects on which to experiment, it’ll be too advanced. However, since Jon’s residency finishes this summer and he won’t be here in fall, this might be my only chance to take it. I also don’t want to take a slot from a professional who might really need the class to progress with a career. I shot him an email to ask him about it. He responded pretty quickly, and my instincts are right — too early for a glazing class at this point for me. Another sign of an excellent teacher — he’s honest while still being supportive!

I’m disappointed I won’t get the chance to take another class he teaches, but very grateful for the opportunity I had to take the workshop with him.

There was a wonderful exhibit in the space, by Marlene Ferrell Parillo, called DREAM CITY. It mixed tapestry (with beautiful stitching), beadwork, crochet, and ceramic. Very striking and inventive.

Anyway, the whole day gave me a lot to think about. Which is a good thing.

Came back in time to watch the live feed from the Preakness — it was weird not to be down at Pimlico this year. The Preakness is my favorite of the Triple Crown because Pimlico isn’t as fussy and celeb-oriented as the Derby and the Belmont, and there are still high hopes — at least at the beginning of the day — for a Triple Crown. I watched the video of all the other races so I could see where my picks landed and write my article.

Sunday, I worked on the Preakness article and actually got it out in the morning — which meant I had the whole rest of the day to read a novel by one of my favorite writers. I was so excited! I’ve read five or six of his books and one of them ranks among the best books I’ve ever read.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t one of them. The premise was interesting, but there was too much espionage and too much religion. It gave me a headache. The characters crossed and recrossed each other so many times I couldn’t keep track. I realize that was part of the point, but it didn’t work for me. I read his author’s note at the back, where he talks about the genesis of the idea and his passion for the material. This is definitely a book of his heart, and I feel guilty that I didn’t like it, but . . .I didn’t. I felt both disappointed, because I’d been looking forward to the book for days and it was my treat, and also guilty for not being able to like something that someone I genuinely respect is passionate about.

Today I have to play hardball with someone who’s being paid to play hardball with someone else and not doing her job. Hate that. Also, am looking over some material for a friend of mine, working on a big job application, and working on the screenplay, and maybe a couple of article pitches. I had some ideas during my meditation this morning — so much for an empty mind!

Okay, some television stuff: Rumor has it HUMAN TARGET has been renewed, but with a different show runner. Interested to see how that changes it, and happy for those involved who still have jobs. Very interested to see how they’ll develop the characters, especially the way Jackie Earle Haley will continue to embody Guerrero. HEROES has been cancelled — finally! I can honestly say that’s one of the worst shows with the worst acting I’ve ever seen in my life (and I’ve been around plenty of atrocious acting over the years), and it was appalling that it was on for as long as it was. LAW & ORDER: THE MOTHERSHIP’s been cancelled after twenty years, which throws a lot of people I know out of work and makes me sad. You know why the show is expensive to produce? Because Dick Wolf values the people who works for him and gives them what they need to put on a quality show. I remember working on the CONVICTION spin-off, and they’d have to change the schedule for whatever reason and put more pressure on the crew. They never said, “This is what we’re doing, tough shit.” It was always, “This is what we need to do, what do you need to make it work?” which is how true professionals behave. I’m irritated that they’re doing an LA production — calling it LOLA ? Really? Ick. We don’t need to see any more shows set in LA. I’m also annoyed on the behalf of an actor whose work I really like, who was very excited about a comedy pilot in which he was cast. The pilot was picked up, but he was fired. I hope the show tanks on its first episode!

By Thursday, I should get my readers’ comments back on POWER OF WORDS, which means i can take them to Philly with me over the weekend to digest them and get back to work on the second section of the book. I’d like to have the draft of SETTLING THE SCORE done by then.

So I better get back to work.

Devon

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Thursday, August 27, 2009
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Uranus Retrograde
Sunny and pleasant

That was an intense two days. Hopefully, I’ll be able to post photos soon.

I was out of the house before 6 AM on Tuesday, and on the road. It was nice to cross the Tappan Zee Bridge as the sky just barely lightened — although the bridge is past its expiration date, and construction crews are desperately trying to keep it safe, considering how many thousands of people use it every day.

Traffic was heavy and steady all the way up I-87. Most of the Mobil stations are now Sunoco stations, and my gas card is a Mobil card, so I would up paying cash at one point to get in a few extra gallons, and then stopping at the next Mobil station I found to fill the tank. Still, gas is 20 cents per gallon cheaper upstate than down here. (And 30 cents cheaper around Lenox, MA).

The traffic going south on I-87, the other side, was just a total nightmare. It was a parking lot, barely crawling along at 15 mph from the bridge all the way up past Albany. So I decided I would not be returning that way.

I got into Saratoga early, so , of course, I hit Mrs. London’s for an almond croissant and a cup of coffee. I got a table by the window so I could watch the world go by — it’s completely different in the summer, with the tourists and the racegoers, than it is the rest of the year. The difference in vibe, and the tensions it causes is one of the things I want to explore in DEAD MAN’S STALL.

It’s a little different this year, due to the economy. The “playas” — guys who wear too much jewelry and too much cologne, chain smoke, have Botoxed bottle blondes in skimpy clothes hanging off their arms, throw money around, act like they’re big time horse better (but their choices rarely win), and generally behave badly, aren’t out in force this year. The economy’s kept them away.

There was a lot less tension around without them.

I spent a few minutes wondering what differences my life would contain had I accepted the acceptance to Skidmore College and studied in Saratoga, rather than going to Florida State for a year, where I made my commitment to theatre, and then transferring to NYU for film production. Would I have wound up on Broadway? Would I have gone into dance administration? Would I have started writing full-time earlier? Writing would always have been a part of it, but I’m curious about this particular road not taken.

I stopped to sigh over the amazing Adelphi Hotel. I love this place — I wish I owned it. It’s a stunningly beautiful Victorian Inn.

Magic Moon was closed so early in the morning, so I couldn’t go there. And the newsstand seems to be gone — so I went to Stewart’s to get the papers. Drove to Lowe’s, down on the other end of town. We don’t have a Lowe’s around here, and I love it. I had a list of stuff that one can’t get in Home Depot that one can get in Lowe’s, so I stocked up.

Then I headed over to the park. My first stop was the National Museum of Dance. They were having computer problems and didn’t want to handwrite a receipt, but I made them do it anyway. They are required by law to provide a receipt, whether they feel like writing one out or not.

The Museum itself is quite lovely. There’s a big Broadway section, which was interesting because most of the focus was on dancers with whom I’ve worked. I thought it was well done. There was also the Hall of Fame, very well done, and a section on things like the Ziegfeld Follies, the Ballet Russes, etc. I took a lot of photographs of the costumes. And, because it’s dance, the focus is on the feet — tables and tables and tables of shoes. I also photographed the label in one of Peter Martins’s costumes, because it’s made by the same shop which does a lot of the work for the Broadway shows I’ve done.

After the museum, I headed up to the Gideon Putnam Hotel to help set up for the Gala. I was pleased to see a lot more volunteers there than in previous years – and this batch actually got to work. They weren’t spoiled girlfriends and spouses of money people, they were actually interested in the event and its purpose. It was a pretty merry group, and we had a good time setting up.

The friend who’s the head of it and I headed back to her place after, to work on the computer. I wish I’d brought up MacGeorge — even limping, he’d have been quicker to set everything up on than the PC. My friend’s getting tired of the PC rearranging files all the time and not telling her where they are. Typical PC.

Anyway, we coaxed it into doing what we needed, we did some event scripting for the evening (a friend who attended texted me last night and said, “You wrote what X said, didn’t you? I could tell. He wouldn’t have been able to speak in complete sentences otherwise, and no one around here writes with both grammatical correctness AND a personal tone.”)

I had a chance to attend the Bruce Springsteen concert, and, much as I adore Bruce, I wasn’t about to cancel out on my friends.

I tossed my dress on and slipped into the cute shoes and drove back over to Union Street, where two of my friends just happen to be living in the same building — one friend bought an apartment there, the other is renting for the duration of the race meet. It’s a lovely historical landmark from 1886, with a graceful front porch, where we all met.

We went to an English pub on the other side of town called The Local, where we had some excellent food and drink and great conversation. I didn’t go with anything English — I had fish tacos, which were excellent. Then we went over to Congress Park, where there was an outdoor concert — good musicians, but they were playing what I call “70’s Lounge Music.” It was pretty funny. There were lots of dogs in attendance, so I got to make new canine friends.

I was also bitten my mosquitos, and the bites started giving me trouble. We passed one of the many natural sulfur springs, for which Saratoga became famous in the 19th Century. They’re disgusting to drink, but I splashed some of the water on the bites. It felt strange, but in about ten minutes, the redness and the itch stopped.

Good to know.

We wandered up the street to Uncommon Grounds for gelato and coffee, sitting outside, watching the Saratoga night life pass us by. More bikers than usual are in town this summer, but they were really funny and interesting.

Wandered back past Magic Moon — which was closed for the night. And headed back home. I stayed with one of my friends, one her sofa bed. It’s a lovely little apartment. It was so quiet that I had a hard time getting to sleep, but I finally did.

I woke up without the alarm around 5 AM, and met my other friend on the porch just before 6:30 (did my yoga and everything)! Packed the car, and we walked up Union Street to the track. He signed me in for a guest pass for the day, and we headed to the Oklahoma training track first for the works, then, at the break, over to the main track, where we met up with some of the Thorofan leaders. They are a new group, started by fans of the sport, who want to improve the overall sport. They have chapters all over the country, under a national umbrella, and are affiliating with tracks. Several of their members were among those volunteering for the gala. I was very impressed with everyone I met — genuine love for the sport and interested in both making the sport better and safer and drawing in more fans to keep the industry healthy. I’m going to do an article on them for FEMMEFAN.

Headed back up to the Gideon Putnam to help set up and arrange the items for the auction. The space looked lovely and cheerful and fun — a nice change from a lot of the more serious, formal fundraisers in town.

Put in a few hours there. I didn’t feel so guilty leaving, because plenty of volunteers came in. I knew it would be great this year.

I stopped by another friend’s house, but she wasn’t home, and I wasn’t able to arrange to see two other friends, so I hit the road. I took Route 50 down to Ballston Spa. It’s a cute town, but nothing particularly compelled me to stop, and I wasn’t in the mood to visit The National Bottle Museum today, so I kept going. I enjoyed the farms in Malta, and got back on I-87 going south — not fun.

At Albany, I picked up I-90 headed east, which shortly becomes the Mass Turnpike. As soon as I got on it, I relaxed. There was hardly any traffic, the day was gorgeous, low humidity, and about ten degrees cooler than New York.

I got off the first exit from the Pike and headed north through Lee to Lenox. Found a parking spot right away, bought the papers, went around the corner to The Haven, and that’s where I had lunch (curried chicken sandwich), and a meeting with a potential client up there. I’d really like to do more work in that area. It’s so laid back, friendly, and literate.

Stopped at the wine store and found a bottle of outstanding Argentinean Malbec on sale, so I bought it.

Hit the road again, taking 20 down to 8 down to the Merritt — only took me two and a half hours to get home. And, until Waterbury, there were only about a dozen cars on the road. From Waterbury down, there was a lot of traffic, but it moved well. So much more delightful than taking I-87 down!

I took a quick peek at 14 acres of land for sale on Laurel Lake — the same lake Edith Wharton’s property overlooks. I’d rather have a house already built, though, even if it needs work. But it’s awfully tempting to purchase the land so it can’t be developed.

Very tired when I got home. The cats were glad to see me. I didn’t unpack much. Ate, and went to bed early. Slept for 11 hours.

I had trouble getting going this morning. I skipped the morning yoga, which I know I will regret. I’ve got thank you notes to write, photos to download, follow-ups to do, email to catch up on. I have some client work to get to, and a follow-up on yesterday’s meeting. I need to do some more work on an article, and send questions to some other sources, and the formulate the interview questions for the Thorofan interview.

I have plenty of stuff percolating for both DEAD MAN’S STILL and the revision of SHALLID. I am eager to get back to AMENDS. I hope to talk to Apple today — I’ve finally got MacGeorge running the way I want it to, and I’m wondering if I should stick to the devil I know.

It’s hard to get back to “reality”, so I need to take another look at everything and see how I can move my reality — which is still better than most people’s, since I don’t work in an office on someone else’s schedule — to align it even more with the best of the past few days.

I am deeply saddened by Senator Edward Kennedy’s death. His work had an enormous and direct impact on my life. I’m mildly acquainted with the next generation of Kennedys, via various work-related encounters. Some of his actions angered me enormously — no matter how much good he’s done, it can’t erase Chappaquiddick. But he was passionate about social justice (most of the current politicians are far more interested in corporate welfare than the good of individual citizens or they wouldn’t allow the banks to continue their daily acts of economic violence against the citizens) and he was completely unique. He was a true Yankee individualist. I am tempted to go to Boston, where he will lie in State today and tomorrow — if I didn’t have to worry about Hurricane Danny, I probably would attempt it. But, much as I respected Senator Kennedy, getting caught in a hurricane is too much of a risk right now. I don’t want to be on the road in weather like that. So I will light a candle to his memory and honor him in my own way.

Back to work. There’s a lot to think about.

Devon

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Saturday, May 2, 2009
Waxing Moon
Saturn Retrograde
Pluto Retrograde
Rainy and cool
Kentucky Derby Day

My picks for the full race card are in the post below this one, so scroll down if you’re interested.

With the poor weather, it gives my top pick, Friesan Fire, a better shot at the win. Friesan Fire and Pioneer of the Nile are still my top picks. And Dunkirk’s moved up from a “maybe” to a “definite.” He’s gorgeous, tons of personality, and, if his mental focus is there tonight, I think he can do it. I’m betting all three across the board and boxing a trifecta. One of my longshots will be Chocolate Candy, for a show spot, and I’ll probably toss in another, perhaps Flying Private or Hold Me Back.

My publisher already paid me for “The Retriever”. Pretty psyched. Will post the link to the story as soon as I’ve got it. I’m thrilled they took the piece, and I hope to work more with them in the coming months.

An interview with me is going up on Tuesday over at Long and Short Reviews. I’ll schedule the link, since I’ll be out of town — I hope you stop by.

Got to visit the chat room where I’m giving the workshop next week. We’ve got a test run today. I can only stop in for a minute, due to the Derby, but it’ll be worth it.

Yesterday, I spent a lot of time handicapping today’s race card and running errands. Took some time off in the afternoon to read a cosy, getting me back in the headspace to go back to work on the Helena Francis mystery. The book was okay. There were some lapses of logic that bothered me. But the characters are fun and the writing’s fine. I just didn’t find it all that memorable.

Got to dash out for an errand and then get back and get ready for Derby coverage. This will be the first year I can use my own laptop to write my wrap up article as the races are happening instead of scribbling notes and then trying to decipher them later. I probably can’t Tweet as it’s happening, but, oh well. Besides, I need to be WATCHING the races.

The Red Wings vs. Anaheim hockey game was really good last night. Red Wings won, 3-2, as I hoped they would. They are one of the best-run teams in the league.

Off to a busy day.

Devon

Saturday, June 14, 2008

Saturday, June 14, 2008
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Mercury Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Hot, humid, sticky
Bastille day

The producer loves SIDEKICK. We’re going to talk on the phone on Monday and take it from there. Now, that’s one of the fastest sales I’ve ever made! Once contracts are signed, I’ll let you know the production details.

If you haven’t read my review of Yasmine Galenorn’s Dragon Wytch, hop on over to A Biblio Paradise.

If you want to read my wrap-up of the Belmont Stakes, check it out on FemmeFan.

By noon yesterday, I was beat. I’d been up until 2 AM writing SIDEKICK, gotten up at 6 AM, and had an edit of the play and almost a complete re-write of Act III done by a little after 9 AM. That went off to the producer. I got the review up on Biblio Paradise. I dealt with building crap. I picked up a few groceries. I landed the project from my editor – eight short holiday articles for the publication’s date book. I’ve written for their calendars and almanacs before, but never the date book. And their date book is the one I use. So, I’m delighted. I thought my other article for the calendar was due on Sunday, but it’s due in July. However, since I thought it was due on Sunday, I’ve been working on it and I might as well finish it and send it off next week, rather than sitting on it. These are for 2010, mind you. We have to write ahead.

Tried to nap, so I wouldn’t be a basket case by show time, but the construction noise made it impossible.

Train in to the city was okay; not great, not horrible. It was there and it got me into town in a reasonable amount of time. Grand Central was so packed that I had trouble getting out – whatever happened to summer hours? I thought everyone left by one p.m.! What were they still doing there by 5:30?

Anyway, crawled over them and through them. Stopped at the bookstore to pick up Book #1 of Julie Czerneda’s Trade Pact Universe series, A THOUSAND WORDS FOR STRANGE. Started reading it last night . . .wow. It’s fascinating and complex and imaginative and . . .wow.

Had trouble getting back into “show head”, but everyone was glad to see me, and that helped. I confided in one of the actors whom I trust the most about the project from which I walked away and was upset about – and he told me there was a billboard on Broadway a block from the show advertising it. On my way back to the train, I walked past it. Horrifying. The cheapest, most classless billboard I’ve seen in a long time. I wasn’t sure how I’d react, but the actor was correct – I had to laugh. It was like watching a bad accident. All I can do is be grateful I left when I did. For me to have worked in that concept after spending so much time with the people I did would have been a deep betrayal of them.

My series will come out when it’s ready, and it will do right by the people who shared so much with me. I think all of us sitting around watching it next week will give me a sense of closure. I hope so, anyway.

Back to the theatre for two shows today – I hope I don’t get so lost in Julie’s book that I miss any cues!

I’m worried about all those in the Midwest facing those floods – having lived through it last year, my heart hurts for them. And I’m saddened by Tim Russert’s death. He was one of the few sane political commentators we had left, and goodness knows, we needed him this year. My condolences to his family.

Devon

Monday, June 9, 2008

Monday, June 9, 2008
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Mercury Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Hazy, hot, humid, ick

Well, it was quite a weekend. There was that huge upset in the Belmont Stakes – my wrap-up will be up later this week on FEMMEFAN.

Yesterday, I headed in to the city early. I’d booked brunch in the dining room of the Morgan Library, on Madison Ave. at 36th St. for myself and a friend in from the UK. Lori, we had lunch in the Café that time – next time, we eat in the dining room – it’s magnificent! Then we wandered around the exhibits for a bit. I want that three-level library for my very own. I headed back out to finish the work for Confidential Job #1 and work on SIDEKICK a bit – not much done on the latter.

There was no air conditioning on the train coming back out, so I was pretty cooked by the time I got back. Unbelievable – they run the air conditioning all winter, when it’s below freezing outside, but half the time don’t have it on in summer. Metro North is the most incompetent train line I’ve ever encountered, in all my traveling around the world. Even “Great Western” , the line that runs to Cornwall in the UK, that I nicknamed “Worst Western” when I was there – better than Metro North.

And, of course, Con Ed lied like rugs, as they usually do. They got an obscene 17% rate hike and SWORE they were prepared for this heat wave. They weren’t. Power outages in the five boroughs and CT. Someone really should set their executives’ pants on fire for all their lying, at least metaphorically speaking. Or, better yet, roll back the rate hike. Make them earn it.

Got more stuff out of the storage unit in the city. I don’t know how I’m going to manage to consolidate everything within this month. But it’s nice to get some of my stuff back. One of the books I pulled out of a box is Christina Baldwin’s LIFE’S COMPANION, one of the best books out there on journal writing.

I have a couple of errands to run this morning while it’s still in the 90’s, before it hits 100. I have a Plan B in case the power goes out. And then, it’s to work on the Belmont wrap-up article, the write-up for Confidential Job #1, more work on SIDEKICK, and finishing the revision on THE MATILDA MURDERS. And a proposal out to a high-paying magazine for whom I want to work. I read several issues this weekend, and have come up with some ideas that I think are within their scope.

Supposedly, I’m short-listed for this Canadian job, but I’m not convinced it’s a good fit.

I have to prep for the NHL Draft that’s happening in less than two weeks.

Good morning’s work on the Adaptation. It’s flowing well again, and I’ve come up with some plot twists that are intriguing to me. I look forward to exploring them.

Off into the heat so I can get back before what’s left of my brain broils.

Stay cool!

Devon

Adaptation: 51,126 words out of est. 90,000

51 / 90 (56.7%)

Devon’s Bookstore:

5 in 10: Create 5 Short Stories in Ten Weeks by Devon Ellington. This ebooklet takes you from inspiration to writing to revision to marketing. By the end of ten weeks, you will have either 5 short stories or a good chunk of a novella complete. And it’s only 50 cents, USD. Here.

Writing Rituals: Ideas to Support Creativity by Cerridwen Iris Shea. This ebooklet contains several rituals to help you start writing, get you through writer’s block, and help send your work on its way. It’s only 39 cents USD. (Note: Cerridwen Iris Shea is one of the six names under which I publish). Here.

Full Circle: An Ars Concordia Anthology. Edited by Colin Galbraith. This is a collection of short stories, poems, and other pieces by a writers’ group of which I am a member. My story is “Pauvre Bob”, set at Arlington Race Track in Illinois. You can download it free here:

Sunday, June 8, 2008

Quick post, because I’m on my way out the door.

Big Brown’s race in the Belmont was a disappointment to many; I’m sure there will be lots of second-guessing, but the bottom line is that no one who’s not with the horse every day will really know what’s going on, and the second-guessing causes unnecessary pain and suffering to those close to the horse. I just hope the horse is okay and they find whatever caused him not to fire. Da’Tara had moved up, after Casino Drive’s scratch, as my place pick, but I sure never expected him to wire the race. What a beautiful job.

The yapping’s already started that 3 races in 5 weeks is “too hard” — it’s supposed to be hard, you idiots. If it was easy and we had a Triple Crown Winner every year, it would lose all meanings.

Am I disappointed? Yes. Am I worried about the horse? Yes. Am I surprised? Not particularly.

Sad to hear of Jim McKay’s death — I grew up watching his broadcasts.

I’ve hit the ground running for another busy day. The heat and humidity are ridiculous. I’m drinking so much water I slosh when I walk.

Devon

Racing Ink June 6-7, 2008

The regular “Ink in My Coffee” post is below this one; scroll down if that’s the one you want.

If you want my racing picks for today and tomorrow at Belmont Park, read on here.

Friday, June 6:
I’m betting on three races on today’s card, in spite of what looks to be gloomy weather.

Race 5: The Argentinean-bred horse Harbinger, trained by David Donk, ridden by John Velazquez, because of Donk and JV, and Chobe, the Christophe Clemente-trained horse. Across the board and boxed exacta.

Race 9: Brooklyn Handicap
Sightseeing, with Edgar Prado up, across the board. I loved this horse in his three-year old last year, and I continue to enjoy him.
I’m also going to bet Evening Attire, a ten-year-old gelding of whom I’ve been fond of, whether he wins or not, since he was three or four. I’ll bet him to place and show.
I want to take a look at the Pletcher/JV horse Nite Light for the possible win spot.

Race 10: The Hill Prince Stakes
Spark Candle, who was my pick in the pre-Belmont gossip as the possible upset horse, was entered in this race instead of tomorrow’s Belmont Stakes. So he’s my pick, across the board.

Saturday, June 7, Belmont Stakes Day:

Race 1:
Commandeered, Desert Key, Forest of Dreams, but not sure yet in what order.

Race 2:
Tiz It – across the board.

Race 3:
The David Donk-trained Smart Enuf — across the board.

Race 4:
Teide, Firejack, Forefathers – probably in this order, but may reshuffle them paddock-side.

Race 5:
I’m going to take a look at Too Tough Pete and Benny the Waiter to see how I want to bet them. I also want to put a show bet on a 30-1 longshot called Prince Dubai, because it’s trained by Leah Gyamati, whose style I love, and ridden by Channing Hill, who could get a sawhorse over the finish line.

Race 6 – True North Handicap:
Thor’s Echo – across the board
Probably add in a boxed exact with Benny the Bull (not to be confused with Benny the Waiter in the previous race).

Race 7: Just a Game Stakes:
With fillies and mares, a paddock decision is always best. On paper, I’m looking at Vacare (trained by Clemente) and Criminologist (ridden by JV) first. Sharp Susan is in here at unusually long odds, so I may try to make some money with her if she looks, well, sharp. The French-bred Lady of Venice, trained by Kiaran McLaughlin and ridden by Edgar Prado is also worth a look.

Race 8 – Acorn Stakes:
Indian Blessing, Game Face, and Zaftig across the board. Game Face is my personal favorite horse of the three, but Indian Blessing just might beat her this time out.

Race 9 – Woody Stephens:
I’m going to make win and place choices in the post parade, but my show choice is Majestic Warrior.

Race 10 – Woodford Reserve Manhattan Handicap:
Shakis is at shockingly long odds, 10-1, in this race, so I’ll try to make some money on him.
I’m betting my nine-year-old buddy Better Talk Now across the board. We’ve had our ups and downs, betting-wise, and I’m not going to abandon him now.
Pays to Dream, the David Donk horse who did so well on Preakness Day undercard, is a choice across the board.
I’m going to look at Shake the Bank for a show spot.

Race 11 – The Belmont Stakes:
Big Brown across the board. I’m worried about him, I think they’ll try to trap him at the rail and trip him up, but I’m hoping he and Kent keep their cool in heinously hot weather and take down the field. I want a Triple Crown winner. And I’d like to see Big Brown be the one.
Casino Drive is also an across the board bet for me. This horse fascinates me, especially since we haven’t had a chance to see much of his personality, just his determination.
Boxed exacta with the above two.
I’m sticking with Icabad Crane and Tale of Ekati for show bets. I might also throw some show money at either Da’Tara or Ready’s Echo.

Race 12:
My Dream Tomorrow – across the board.

Race 13:
Law Enforcement or Ferocious Won for the win spot.
Lights of Broadway to place.
The Truffle Man – another 30-1 shot trained by Gyamati and ridden by Hill to show.

Have a great racing day, stay cool, stay hydrated, and let’s hope all horses and jockeys come home safely.

The wrap-up of this card will appear on FemmeFan next week.

Devon

Friday, June 6, 2008

Friday, June 6, 2008
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Mercury Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Rainy and humid

The Racing Ink post will be up shortly, handicapping all the races on the Belmont Stakes day card.

I have a lovely small wreath now on my door out of artificial ivy with small flowers on it, and, hanging below it, my bagua mirror. The bagua mirror I bought to replace the one that smashed thanks to all the building chaos kept falling off the new doors, which have been treated with something so that nothing sticks to them. However, by hanging it, I have it where it needs to be. And, since the building chaos is getting worse – I’m taking every precaution I can. I was really twitchy without the bagua mirror on my front door.

Good grocery shopping. I have to be careful, since food prices have shot up so much, but I love grocery shopping, so I see what’s on sale and then create menus in my head and go for it. I can’t wait to have a garden. Can you imagine having basil, tomato, and mozzarella snacks when the basil and tomato are fresh out of the garden?

Sent my response to the potential Canadian client. Ball’s in his court now, so we’ll see. It’s an intriguing project, but I want to make sure there’s a solid contract before I commit to anything. And, I might not be what they’re looking for.

The first act of SIDEKICK is almost done. I’m having a ton of fun with it. It’s a wacky little play, another interactive mystery, but this one is the most comic of the three.

My remaining editor on Confidential Job #1 asked me not to quit. I told him that I would stay put . . .for now.

Dashed into the city to pick up my check and drop off the salt water taffy I brought back from the Cape for the show. It was fun to see everyone, and a friend I haven’t seen in two years is also swinging there this summer, so it’ll be a good chance for us to catch up.

There’s more building chaos – what else is new? At least more people are getting fed up and wanting to take action.

I’ve got some errands to run, and some on-site work today, but most of the day will be spent writing and preparing for tomorrow’s Belmont Stakes day.

Good morning’s work on the adaptation. The ending is completely different from the screenplay, and now I’ve got to create a bunch of new material that wasn’t in the screenplay, because it needs to be fleshed out. I also realized I have to deal with the issue of language. I did it in EARTH BRIDE in a very specific way, but I want to deal with it differently here.

I need to pull out the old Latin textbooks, because so much of the science reading I’m doing for upcoming projects uses Latin terminology. It’s been years since I took Latin in high school, and I need to brush up.

I’ve also got a friend in from the UK, so I’ve got to find a good place in the city for us to eat brunch. A friend gave me a good suggestion yesterday – I’ll probably take it.

Gotta run – Racing Ink will be up in a few hours.

Devon

Adaptation: 47,875 words out of est. 90,000

47 / 90 (52.2%)

Devon’s Bookstore:

5 in 10: Create 5 Short Stories in Ten Weeks by Devon Ellington. This ebooklet takes you from inspiration to writing to revision to marketing. By the end of ten weeks, you will have either 5 short stories or a good chunk of a novella complete. And it’s only 50 cents, USD. Here.

Writing Rituals: Ideas to Support Creativity by Cerridwen Iris Shea. This ebooklet contains several rituals to help you start writing, get you through writer’s block, and help send your work on its way. It’s only 39 cents USD. (Note: Cerridwen Iris Shea is one of the six names under which I publish). Here.

Full Circle: An Ars Concordia Anthology. Edited by Colin Galbraith. This is a collection of short stories, poems, and other pieces by a writers’ group of which I am a member. My story is “Pauvre Bob”, set at Arlington Race Track in Illinois. You can download it free here:

Thursday, June 5, 2008

Thursday, June 5, 2008
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Mercury Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Rainy and warm

I’ll attempt to make this a short post, so if you haven’t had time to read yesterday’s marathon-length post, you can finish!

I’m putting together my press list for HEX BREAKER, and looking at “stuff” – because, once there’s cover art, there will be “stuff” to give away, and yes, dear hearts, you’ll all get the chance at some. I want to find some fun stuff that’s also relevant to the story. Thanks, Jackie – I’m looking at the company you recommended. And I’m working on permutations of an overall press release that can be sent hither and yon, depending upon the needed angle.

I’m also working on my new Fearless Ink brochure – between the trip to Maine and the trip to the Cape, I have, probably close to 250 new prospects that need a brochure, business cards, and a kick ass letter for a direct mail.

I looked back at the job listings put up while I was gone. 95% are simply insulting. Therefore, it is time for me to do a direct mail piece targeted towards places for whom I really want to work, and convincing them that their business will grow oh-so-much better with me.

This all helps fight the inevitable crash of coming back from an excellent trip. Bad case of the blues. The cats were happy I was home, but I wanted to be back on the Cape. Preferably, moving my belongings into my new home.

One of my editors at Confidential Job #1 was fired – this is the same company that recently cut our rates. If they fire the other editor, I’m giving my notice. It’s unacceptable to start treating people the way they are. I may leave anyway, if it becomes too much work for too little money. You can bet the top-level executives didn’t take a pay cut – why should we? We’re the ones doing the actual work. I’m devastated – these are two of the best editors with whom I’ve ever worked.

Got some work done on the adaptation this morning, and am getting ready to dive into the rest.

Amy, I’ve written for the Llewellyn calendars and almanacs for nearly 13 years now, and I learned most of the retrograde information from the other authors there. The almanacs and the calendars have great information. For general astrology information, I found the best-written book THE ONLY ASTROLOGY BOOK YOU’LL EVER NEED by Joanne Martine Woolfolk. I also have a book called RETROGRADE PLANETS; TRAVERSING THE INNER LANDSCAPE by Erin Sullivan. It’s very good, but my personal experience with tracking how retrogrades manifest in my life is a little more wide-ranging and not as absolute as the book indicates. Sullivan also wrote another interesting book called THE ASTROLOGY OF FAMILY DYNAMICS. Weiser Books published both.

Okay, must dash out and buy cat food, and then get back to work. I got an interesting nibble from a prospective employer in Canada – we need to talk further. It sounds a little too good to be true, but I don’t want to assume anything without a complete picture. I don’t want to get so jaded I never give anyone the benefit of the doubt. I’ll talk further before making any decisions.

Belmont Stakes coming up Saturday. Tomorrow I’ll have the entire race card handicapped. It’s going to be a hot, humid day on Saturday, which means I am going to be CRANKY. 😉 I’m a snow and ice girl, not a heat and humidity girl.

Detroit won the Stanley Cup last night — Yee-hah! Mike Babcock, their coach is both an amazing coach and a terrific human being. I was thrilled when Detroit hired him, and I’m even more thrilled that they won the Cup. It was a great game. The Pittsburgh Penguins have come so far this year — I know they’re hurting today because they lost, but when they look back over the entire season, they should be so proud. The team was in trouble for a long time, and this year was a wonderful comeback.

Oh, and I dreamed the show did a photo call on Martha’s Vineyard and we hit a storm on the ferry over . . .

Devon

Screenplay adaptation: 46,113 words out of est. 90,000

46 / 90 (51.1%)

Devon’s Bookstore:

5 in 10: Create 5 Short Stories in Ten Weeks by Devon Ellington. This ebooklet takes you from inspiration to writing to revision to marketing. By the end of ten weeks, you will have either 5 short stories or a good chunk of a novella complete. And it’s only 50 cents, USD. Here.

Writing Rituals: Ideas to Support Creativity by Cerridwen Iris Shea. This ebooklet contains several rituals to help you start writing, get you through writer’s block, and help send your work on its way. It’s only 39 cents USD. (Note: Cerridwen Iris Shea is one of the six names under which I publish). Here.

Full Circle: An Ars Concordia Anthology. Edited by Colin Galbraith. This is a collection of short stories, poems, and other pieces by a writers’ group of which I am a member. My story is “Pauvre Bob”, set at Arlington Race Track in Illinois. You can download it free here:

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Saturday, May 31, 2008
Waning Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Cloudy and warm

I got the pre-Belmont article done, but had to rewrite part of it this morning as things continue to develop. But that’s out, and will be up at some point next week.

And we don’t even want to talk about the journalist who drank so much he passed out on my living room floor. Trust me, it’s a long story. And Violet, the littlest cat, just says, “Talk to the tail.” She is furious with me.

The Cable Guy came and I have my channels back, along with a whole bunch more I’ll never watch.

Looks like I’ll be doing some copywriting for a lingerie company. They’re sending me some samples. I guess I’m supposed to test them?

And I walked away from writing a sports comic because I feel the creator is misogynistic. Why? I looked at the established characters and all the women were insulting clichés. When I asked (in an unusually diplomatic fashion) if I could introduce some new female characters, he asked what was wrong with the ones he had, and I said I felt there were no positive female characters in the current repertoire. His response, “All women who attend sports events are sluts and losers looking to fuck the athletes, and then, sometimes, the rest of us get what’s left over.”

I was very quiet for a beat. I didn’t explode. I simply said, “We’re not going to be a good fit. Good-bye.” And hung up.

Show was a lot of fun last night. I truly enjoy the people with whom I work.

I’m reading Gay Talese’s autobiography. It amazes me how many writers whose work I respect started out writing about sports.

My bags are packed; I’m going to repack my writer’s bag. Camera’s ready, extra batteries, folder of information for everything I need this coming week.

I have a show tonight, get home at midnight, up at 4:30 and off to the Cape for a few days, a combination of research for some articles, background for THE BALTHAZAAR TREASURE, and house hunting. That means I’ll be offline until sometime towards the middle or end of next week.

“Racing Ink” will go up on Friday, June 6, handicapping the entire Belmont card.

Have a great few days, and I’ll check in when I get back!

Devon

Devon’s Bookstore:

5 in 10: Create 5 Short Stories in Ten Weeks by Devon Ellington. This ebooklet takes you from inspiration to writing to revision to marketing. By the end of ten weeks, you will have either 5 short stories or a good chunk of a novella complete. And it’s only 50 cents, USD. Here.

Writing Rituals: Ideas to Support Creativity by Cerridwen Iris Shea. This ebooklet contains several rituals to help you start writing, get you through writer’s block, and help send your work on its way. It’s only 39 cents USD. (Note: Cerridwen Iris Shea is one of the six names under which I publish). Here.

Full Circle: An Ars Concordia Anthology. Edited by Colin Galbraith. This is a collection of short stories, poems, and other pieces by a writers’ group of which I am a member. My story is “Pauvre Bob”, set at Arlington Race Track in Illinois. You can download it free here:

Thursday, May 29, 2008

Thursday, May 29, 2008
Waning Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Sunny and warm

I’ve never been good at waiting. Patience is not one of my virtues. I can be patient with a rescued animal, trying to gain its trust; I can be patient getting to know a horse. But people? Not so much.

The contract requests are in to the publisher. They’re small tweaks, but very important to me, and we’ll see if they’re accepted. They both deal with contexts of my work beyond any single piece, which is why I keep them consistent from contract to contract, no matter which publisher is involved.

Still waiting to hear back from the producer – which is fine. For crying out loud, it takes more than a day to make a decision. But I don’t want to work on FEMME FATALE or SIDEKICK until I know I’m going in the right direction with tone, style, content, etc. with MATILDA MURDERS.

Still trying to figure out how to structure the next sequence of scenes on the adaptation, and didn’t get anywhere near enough work done on the anthology story. Yesterday wound up being more about admin work than creative work, which is a little frustrating, but it was necessary.

I’m out of the house today by ten a.m. and not home until midnight. I got called in for another photo call for the show, and then, well, there’s the show!

I started the pre-Belmont article, which I’ll finish tomorrow and get out.

The listings on the job boards have been frustrating: either the pay is insulting or the topics are out of my range of . . . let’s say, willingness to work. I wouldn’t be good writing about real estate because I have such a low opinion of most of the people I’ve met in the real estate and development business. So I stay away from those listings. And listings that are vague or don’t list payment – usually they’re by those site owners who want a slew of articles per week for a pittance – again, not worth my time.

I better get cracking on those brochures. I’ve been putting together a list of prospective clients, and a new brochure and another print run of snappy business cards will be a step in the right direction.

I’m out the door – have a good one.

Devon

Devon’s Bookstore:

5 in 10: Create 5 Short Stories in Ten Weeks by Devon Ellington. This ebooklet takes you from inspiration to writing to revision to marketing. By the end of ten weeks, you will have either 5 short stories or a good chunk of a novella complete. And it’s only 50 cents, USD. Here.

Writing Rituals: Ideas to Support Creativity by Cerridwen Iris Shea. This ebooklet contains several rituals to help you start writing, get you through writer’s block, and help send your work on its way. It’s only 39 cents USD. (Note: Cerridwen Iris Shea is one of the six names under which I publish). Here.

Full Circle: An Ars Concordia Anthology. Edited by Colin Galbraith. This is a collection of short stories, poems, and other pieces by a writers’ group of which I am a member. My story is “Pauvre Bob”, set at Arlington Race Track in Illinois. You can download it free here: