Wed. July 10, 2013: Epiphany with Music

Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Waxing Moon
Saturn Retrograde
Mercury Retrograde
Humid, sticky, icky

Yesterday was a busy workday, with interruptions. Had to mow the front (it was getting frightening). In true Mercury Retrograde fashion, I ran out of gas halfway through (thought I had enough) and had to go get more.

Prepped for the jazz concert. Did some more work. Helped out at the jazz concert.

It was a ton of fun. I’ll be putting up photos on the appropriate blog soon. We doused each other in bug spray, served lemonade at intermission, and, in general, had a good time.

During one of the Big Band numbers, when people were dancing, I suddenly had an epiphany on my revision. Funny how that works!

Speaking of revisions, in addition to the Revision Workshop July 12-15, I’m offering a “Develop Your Idea” workshop July 15-17, where you’ll learn how to develop an idea, how to pick a format, and how to handle an idea that hits you when you’re on deadline with something else. If you take BOTH workshops, you get a special combined deal of only $50 for both. So sign up now! Info here.

This week is my week to look after Mother’s Park, so off I went, first thing in the morning. Collected trash, deadheaded roses and lilies, did some weeding.

Now, it’s back to work. The air is so thick that it’s hard to breathe.

There’s A LOT on my plate, and I don’t feel up to it, but too bad for me. Better get going!

Devon

Mon. May 6, 2013: Recoving From the 5th, and Moving Forward on Manuscripts

Monday, May 6, 2013
Waning Moon
Saturn Retrograde
Misty and cold

It amazes me that, by Monday, Friday seems so far away I can’t remember what I was doing.

I know I was pounding forward on the book. I know I did some work with students. I know I sent out the May Manuscript Prep Tip.

I wrote a review due to my editor.

I can’t remember if I mowed the terraced back section of the lawn on Friday or Saturday.

I saw an anthology call, and submitted one of the Merry’s Dalliance pirate stories. Fingers crossed it’s accepted.

We got a birdbath on Saturday — finally found one we like. It’s out in the back bed, with lilies and hostas springing up around it, and the birds are happy.

I’ve started re-reading Susan Wittig Albert’s AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR OF ORDINARY DAYS in the mornings, after I’ve done the first walk around the yard (pulling up a weed here and there), while I sit on the deck and drink my first cup of coffee. I find that book an immense restorative.

Saturday morning, the Beautification Committee headed out to Mother’s Park, pruning and weeding, and generally getting the park ready for spring. It was a lot of fun and full of lively conversation to go along with the work.

In the afternoon, I puzzled over the book’s ending, because it was pulling me away from the original outline.

Later in the afternoon, I watched the Kentucky Derby. A friend was riding, but I didn’t have a favorite horse this year, so I didn’t feel I had as much of a personal stake in things.

Diana Rigg and her daughter guest-starred together on DR. WHO — always interesting to see that type of dynamic. Between this and GAME OF THRONES, Dame Rigg keeps busy. She will also be Emma Peel in the AVENGERS to me, though. The ultimate kick-ass heroine.

Sunday morning, I sucked it up and finished the book. The draft is DONE. Now, I put it aside for a few days and, on Wednesday, dig into revisions. I have about ten days for the revisions. Less time in between and to revise than I’d like, but that’s the reality of this particular situation, so I must step up.

Wrote a little book illustrated with photos for my friends, whose son turned one yesterday. They had a Cinquo de Mayo party in his honor over in Sandwich. Great food, margaritas and fun. I ate too much — which was good, since it was the first time I’d had tequila in quite awhile!

This morning, the Manuscript Prep Tip is already out, and I have to work with students, do some freelance work, and decide which drafts to work on. I need to get back to the non-fiction book today — it’s behind where I’d like it to be. I’m going back to the adaptation, and I think LEADING OPPORTUNITIES is next up in the drafting queue. I’ve also got a short story to finish and get out this week, and another one tugging at me. I also have to follow up on the February pitches and land a few more short-term gigs for the month.

Back to the page!

Devon

Mon. Nov. 12, 2012: Good Writing News

Monday, November 12, 2012
Dark of the Moon
Neptune Retrograde
Uranus Retrograde
Mercury Retrograde
Sunny and pleasant

Busy weekend. Trying to juggle lots of things on Friday, including getting out press releases and discussing the possible play commission. One short story was rejected — have to get that back out — but another was accepted.

My 200-word flash fiction piece “Love in a Wok” was picked up by DAILY LOVE, and will run on November 26. Don’t worry — I’ll remind you!

Which is a good segueway into the flash fiction workshop, Flash 7, I’m teaching from December 7-16. Students will write, revise, and submit 7 flash fiction pieces in 10 days. Since they should all be writing 1000 words a day anyway, and no assignment is more than that, there better not be any excuses! You’re all done and submitted before the holiday madness strikes! 😉 More information here.

Here’s a press release about the Playwright Intensive. The CAPE COD TIMES was also very kind to run something about it in the Sunday paper.

Saturday, the Beautification Committee did a work day at Mother’s Park. We had a lot of fun. It was definitely a time of “many hands make light work” — got everything done and had time for coffee, cake, and a chat before heading home. At home, I kept going, cutting back and getting the beds in the front of the house done for the winter.

I’m luxuriating in the NOTEBOOKS OF HENRY JAMES in my down time. Fascinating stuff.

Sunday was all about catching up on school work. Watched all the lectures for the World HIstory class and aced all the quizzes but one. Watched all the lectures for the Mythology class — we studied the Orestia this week, which I practically know by heart. So, yeah, I did well on the quizzes, too.

Got some writing done, but not enough, so I have to buckle down some more today — have to get work done on two novels, a non-fiction project, and revise a press release — and, hopefully, hustle a few quick-pay, quick-turnaround short gigs, such as press releases.

Busy week this week, lots going on — I have the final galleys for OLD-FASHIONED DETECTIVE WORK — and I can’t believe that Thanksgiving is already next week!

Devon

Saturday, Octoer 29, 2011

The tree in Mother’s Park that’s nearly 100 years old

Saturday, October 29, 2011
Waxing Moon
Pluto Retrograde
Neptune Retrograde
Uranus Retrograde
Jupiter Retrograde
Cloudy and cold

We’re battening down for our first Nor’easter of the season. I’m glad we’re safely tucked in here, and not in the process of moving, like we were at this time last year!

Today is my mother’s 87th birthday! Happy birthday! She had a BAG of books waiting for her on the table this morning. Yup — I went to the bookstore yesterday, bought a bag, and filled it with books! That and the cheesecake she requested are her favorite birthday treats.

In honor of her birthday, today’s essay on A BIBLIO PARADISE celebrates Sharon Shinn, one of our favorite authors. And, if you haven’t left a comment to welcome Mary Abshire, I hope you’ll do so, scrolling down to the previous day’s post.

Yesterday was busy, and this morning was busy. I keep rewriting the pivotal scene in the harpy book. Just going to keep hacking at it until I get it right. I’m closer, I’m almost close enough where I’ll have enough sorted out so I can move on without seriously tripping myself up further down the line. I wrote between 3-4,000 words. And tossed them all out. All of them, including “and” and “the.”

We went to Falmouth yesterday — got some of the ornaments I’m donating to a charity tree, bought new pillows for my bed, got some long-sleeved shirts for winter yoga! Set up the grow light and the tomatoes, et al, are happy. The Big King eggplant is practically spitting a harvest of eggplants at us. I’m not complaining.

This morning, since we’re supposed to have horribly strong storm winds, I hosed down the patio furniture (instead of the thorough scrubbing I planned to do next week), took in the rest of the pots I’d washed and the iron plant stand, pulled back the potted plants that will stay out all winter (the hollies, the tiny oak, the witch hazel, the lilac which will stay through the first big frost and then get moved to the garage to go dormant. As soon as the furniture dries, I’ll take it in, rub it with teak oil, and put it where it’s going for the winter. The bench is going at the end of my mom’s bed, the tables will hold flowers, and the chairs will be folded up and stored in the garage. I’d hoped to do part of the Samhain celebration on the deck, but I don’t think that’s going to work this year.

Baked banana bread. Will spend time with my students. I have a class to wrap up this weekend.

Am getting a little restless with an organization with whom I have a fairly good and long-term relationship. I feel that, for the percentage of the fee they keep to administrate, they should be problem-solving, not expecting ME to problem solve for them. I”m there to show up and do my job, NOT administrate. I was moaning to a friend who said, “You’re outgrowing them, that’s all. They run things the way they run them, and you keep evolving, as you should.”

That was a good perspective and a good articulation to hear. It fits in with the restlessness I feel, only I hadn’t looked at it from that perspective –a perspective that will help me make decisions without getting frustrated.

My buddy Costume Imp had to cancel his trip to London this week and pack up and move his stuff and his cats quickly because of an ongoing mold problem in the apartment that his scumbag landlords simply ignored. Poor thing! But he’s in a better situation, and I’m sure he will have a great holiday season now.

Because, yeah, the “Holiday Season” has begun — from now through Twelfth Night, we’re all going full out!

Devon