Susan Forest

Okay, well, it is over 9,000 words and I have to cut it back to at least 8,000, so there are definitely edits to be done — still a nice feeling! Also, I have been asked to judge the Robin Herrington Short Story Contest again this year, and I have read and ranked all the submissions — for both the student and adult categories — so I certainly haven’t been idle!

I hope it’s a short story. I have an 8000 word limit, so cutting may be required. Oh, well. Write first, then cut.

Yes, I think the universe conspired to ensure that I would NEVER want to go back on my decision to retire from the day job. So, as much as I enjoyed it, leaving it behind feels very much like Heaven, right now. I revised a flash fiction this week and am getting it critted right now for submission to an anthology next week, and have just come up with an idea for a short story, which is a good thing, because I have a deadline for a short story workshop coming up in 3 weeks. Also, I was asked to judge the Robin Herrington Memorial Short Story Contest again this year, so got a start on reading stories for that. Then, there is the novella revision and submission, and the novel to have done by the end of summer . . . September? Lots to do!

Wrote several scenes – short ones. Maybe half a chapter. I like the way the novel is going. May not get too much done in June – amazing number of commitments already – but I have holidays in July and so should really be able to gear down.

Congrats to Rob, winner of the Aurora for Wake! A fine field of competitors, too! And to Eileen, who won four times over – Auroras for Best Short (English) and Best Other (for 4 Women of the Apocalypse), second place in Writers’ Idol and had a publisher approach her with an invitation to submit. Wow! And I was there for all 4 – vicarious thrills!

The con was good, the people were great, AND I got lots of writing done, too!

One scene — but still plugging. I know the next few week will be a challenge to get writing time because I’m retiring from my job and so have a lot of things to wind up. However, next weekend, the long weekend, I am going to Keycon in Winnipeg to see the Auroras, and I know one of my friends will win because all 5 nominees for Best Work Long Form – English are friends of mine! However, I am also treating it as a writers’ retreat and plan to write at least as much as I attend programming. Too many ideas, too little time!

So, between Rob’s book launch Friday (awesome!!) and spending Friday night in emergency until 7:00 AM (Don’t worry, Holly’s fine!), getting my eyes measured for contact lenses, a great rehearsal for the Monster Mash (come see us at Conversion in October) and babysitting my grandson overnight, I am finally getting down to my writing today. Yay! May not get much done, but I’m moving forward a bit at a time!

Sorry – didn’t post last week, but did get writing done, both last weekend and this. Tendonitis is getting better, but I’m still using the Dragonspeak, so as not to bring the tendonitis back. Got a good start on Chapter 5 today of “Magiers.”

Okay, so last weekend I went skiing — no writing. But today I presented at the Young Writers’ Conference. This is always a highlight of the year. I get to do 2, 75-minute sessions with 30, 10 – 15 year-olds who really want to write (they give up a Saturday AND) pay $35 to be there) and see a lot of authors that I only see once a year. I sold 19 of the 20 books I took down and got a nice little honorarium. The keynote speaker was awesome — all in all, a great day!

Revised my novella and put it up for crit, as well as my last short story. Yay!

AND — congratulations to Rob, nominated for the Hugo for “Wake.” “Watch” comes out next month (I have his May launch on my calendar) and it was a thrill to work side-by-side with him at our semi-annual write-off as he did the finishing touches on “Wonder.” Great weekend! Next week – back to the novel — I can hardly wait!