Updates on creative endeavors
Nov. 8th, 2004 07:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shalannaI should update y'all on what's happening with work I've sent out.
First, the fun news. My essay "The Zap Palace" (a memoir of illness, in a way, all about my bout with radiation therapy) made it into the Fall issue of the University of Oklahoma’s literary and artistic journal about healthcare that comes out of their College of Medicine. "Blood and Thunder: Musings on the Art of Medicine" is for doctors and patients to open a dialogue. I've been invited to the publication party and reception for authors. Only trouble is, that's in the medical library on campus in Oklahoma City, and I'm in Dallas. My family thinks it would be "outlandish" and "ridiculous" and "a waste of time" for me to go, and of course as far as taking a guest, hubby suggested I could take the dog, because he is the one who cares about my creative work the most, and laughed. They're right, of course--it wouldn't make sense for me to expect to have him take me, or to go by myself. I really couldn't justify driving up there--I don't trust my night vision and don't do that well in heavy traffic on expressways even in daylight, and it's at least three and a half hours from here, on a route I've never driven. I've never been up there. So I won't be able to attend the reception, though I'm going to send off for a couple of extra copies of the publication. I want to send a copy to my neurosurgery team, for one thing; even though this all happened some years ago, I think my doctor(s) will get a kick out of reading it. One copy is just for me. If I manage to get hold of a third, that one can be shown to interested folks who visit. All in all, it's an honor to get in there, and I'm very interested in reading the other patients' stories. I had no idea there existed such a venue. (I'm secretly thinking of sending a copy of the tearsheet to Harper's Magazine; they excerpt articles like that to reprint, or they used to back when I could afford to subscribe and read the mag. You never know if they might like it, and that would be neat, too.)
I heard back from the famous fantasy/SF author who agreed to look at the first 35 pages of Miranda's Rights (as part of the critique I won by bidding on eBay when the Trish Jensen Medical Fund Auction was going on last month). This author was very quick to respond, friendly, etc., and gave me very good feedback on a few "minor points" he noticed. Then he said that I should send the first hundred pages (or even the whole thing) to his wife, who turns out to be a new literary agent. The very idea that he didn't hate it was cheering, and so I sent the first 100 pages on ahead. Didn't want to overwhelm her, and I hoped that a shorter bit would be plucked out first (the huge tomes must intimidate readers, who think, "I'll just read this shorter one." At least it works that way for every student and critique partner I've ever sat with!) So there's some bright spot right there. It would be really nice if she liked the book and wanted to read the rest. I don't want to raise any false hopes the way I used to when I'd announce, "The agent wants the whole manuscript" and people would get the idea that it meant anything . . . so all I'll say is that it would be very nice if she did like the book. The ultimate would be if she offered to represent me, of course.
I don't like to drop names, and I don't have people's permission to do so. But I will say that I checked with the P&E site, and I checked with the world of fandom. This author is well known and well loved in the world of fandom, and he and his wife were both guests of honor at TorCon (a Toronto fantasy con) and a World Fantasy Convention recently. Our co-NaNo friend Melanie confirmed that he is for real, and so is his wife. So there's nothing to worry about there, despite the doubts that the Tarot cards expressed when asked *grin*.
I still haven't heard back from the other two authors I won critiques from, except that one of them is busy with her own deadline and wants me to mail in my excerpt, and the other was overwhelmed with family obligations and illnesses of her parents and in-laws, and will get back to me soon. So those two manuscripts are still waiting on hold.
Still have heard nothing from the judge in the mystery contest. She said I'd be hearing from her (either the acceptance or one of the rejections) by Oct 15th, but I think she must've been mistaken, because that was the postmark deadline. Still, there has been time to allow all manuscripts to come in and get read, so she must be ready to make her decision. I continue to feel strongly that my book is a strong contender, and that it would stand a good chance if sent on to New York. (It's usually the amateur readers who don't like my stuff; editors always say they are struck by my facility with the language, the smoothness of the prose, the playfulness of the plot, and so forth, whereas many amateurs have a checklist that they are going down, and if they don't think you fit the checklist, you are out on your 12-pound bond.) I suppose no news is good news.
If you are so inclined, holding a positive thought for Nice Work to be passed along to the editors would be a mitzvah.
I'm thinking of sending out a batch of poems to literary journals.
I'm currently working on a NaNo novel, as well. That one ain't goin' out for a while.
Oh, and I had to turn around and come back home last night, instead of going to that meeting where I was up for election to a Board Member At-Large position. I left after dark, tried to get on the Dallas North Tollway, and was unable to feel confident about seeing well enough in the twilight/dark that I would be able to continue on that busy road, let alone find the unfamiliar downtown building in the dark and navigate around. A man/woman's got to know his/her limitations (as the script said), and I do have some. Sorry, world. It's just that-a-way. I can't risk crashing this car, and I'm not used to the madding crowds and weaving in and out of this crazed traffic. It is not simply that I "didn't care enough to try," "didn't even bother to show up," or whatever they're probably saying about me. I don't hitch rides with people (which is what you're wondering now, isn't it?) because I might need to leave before the event is over or before they're ready to, and I would rather be able to have my own schedule. (I really don't know anyone well enough to impose that way, even if I didn't feel the requirement of being able to stand up and leave when I want to, or to come straight home instead of going to eat with others after the meeting, or what-have-you. I ain't a teenybopper no mo', and I have responsibilities and the aforementioned limitations.) The election was important, but I could not make that meeting. Our meetings are normally in the community room of the local Central Market that is about ten blocks from my house, and that's where I had expected to go. Sure, I'd be happy to serve as a board member (mainly because that would give me an excuse to be "visible" at meetings, rather than just be someone who comes in, sits down, and is not talked to by anyone because they have no idea who I am and no reason to approach me.) On the other hand, the organization probably needs someone who can whiz around town in a brand-new car and hasn't got any limitations (physical or due to neuroses). I'll continue to help out wherever I see a need.
First, the fun news. My essay "The Zap Palace" (a memoir of illness, in a way, all about my bout with radiation therapy) made it into the Fall issue of the University of Oklahoma’s literary and artistic journal about healthcare that comes out of their College of Medicine. "Blood and Thunder: Musings on the Art of Medicine" is for doctors and patients to open a dialogue. I've been invited to the publication party and reception for authors. Only trouble is, that's in the medical library on campus in Oklahoma City, and I'm in Dallas. My family thinks it would be "outlandish" and "ridiculous" and "a waste of time" for me to go, and of course as far as taking a guest, hubby suggested I could take the dog, because he is the one who cares about my creative work the most, and laughed. They're right, of course--it wouldn't make sense for me to expect to have him take me, or to go by myself. I really couldn't justify driving up there--I don't trust my night vision and don't do that well in heavy traffic on expressways even in daylight, and it's at least three and a half hours from here, on a route I've never driven. I've never been up there. So I won't be able to attend the reception, though I'm going to send off for a couple of extra copies of the publication. I want to send a copy to my neurosurgery team, for one thing; even though this all happened some years ago, I think my doctor(s) will get a kick out of reading it. One copy is just for me. If I manage to get hold of a third, that one can be shown to interested folks who visit. All in all, it's an honor to get in there, and I'm very interested in reading the other patients' stories. I had no idea there existed such a venue. (I'm secretly thinking of sending a copy of the tearsheet to Harper's Magazine; they excerpt articles like that to reprint, or they used to back when I could afford to subscribe and read the mag. You never know if they might like it, and that would be neat, too.)
I heard back from the famous fantasy/SF author who agreed to look at the first 35 pages of Miranda's Rights (as part of the critique I won by bidding on eBay when the Trish Jensen Medical Fund Auction was going on last month). This author was very quick to respond, friendly, etc., and gave me very good feedback on a few "minor points" he noticed. Then he said that I should send the first hundred pages (or even the whole thing) to his wife, who turns out to be a new literary agent. The very idea that he didn't hate it was cheering, and so I sent the first 100 pages on ahead. Didn't want to overwhelm her, and I hoped that a shorter bit would be plucked out first (the huge tomes must intimidate readers, who think, "I'll just read this shorter one." At least it works that way for every student and critique partner I've ever sat with!) So there's some bright spot right there. It would be really nice if she liked the book and wanted to read the rest. I don't want to raise any false hopes the way I used to when I'd announce, "The agent wants the whole manuscript" and people would get the idea that it meant anything . . . so all I'll say is that it would be very nice if she did like the book. The ultimate would be if she offered to represent me, of course.
I don't like to drop names, and I don't have people's permission to do so. But I will say that I checked with the P&E site, and I checked with the world of fandom. This author is well known and well loved in the world of fandom, and he and his wife were both guests of honor at TorCon (a Toronto fantasy con) and a World Fantasy Convention recently. Our co-NaNo friend Melanie confirmed that he is for real, and so is his wife. So there's nothing to worry about there, despite the doubts that the Tarot cards expressed when asked *grin*.
I still haven't heard back from the other two authors I won critiques from, except that one of them is busy with her own deadline and wants me to mail in my excerpt, and the other was overwhelmed with family obligations and illnesses of her parents and in-laws, and will get back to me soon. So those two manuscripts are still waiting on hold.
Still have heard nothing from the judge in the mystery contest. She said I'd be hearing from her (either the acceptance or one of the rejections) by Oct 15th, but I think she must've been mistaken, because that was the postmark deadline. Still, there has been time to allow all manuscripts to come in and get read, so she must be ready to make her decision. I continue to feel strongly that my book is a strong contender, and that it would stand a good chance if sent on to New York. (It's usually the amateur readers who don't like my stuff; editors always say they are struck by my facility with the language, the smoothness of the prose, the playfulness of the plot, and so forth, whereas many amateurs have a checklist that they are going down, and if they don't think you fit the checklist, you are out on your 12-pound bond.) I suppose no news is good news.
If you are so inclined, holding a positive thought for Nice Work to be passed along to the editors would be a mitzvah.
I'm thinking of sending out a batch of poems to literary journals.
I'm currently working on a NaNo novel, as well. That one ain't goin' out for a while.
Oh, and I had to turn around and come back home last night, instead of going to that meeting where I was up for election to a Board Member At-Large position. I left after dark, tried to get on the Dallas North Tollway, and was unable to feel confident about seeing well enough in the twilight/dark that I would be able to continue on that busy road, let alone find the unfamiliar downtown building in the dark and navigate around. A man/woman's got to know his/her limitations (as the script said), and I do have some. Sorry, world. It's just that-a-way. I can't risk crashing this car, and I'm not used to the madding crowds and weaving in and out of this crazed traffic. It is not simply that I "didn't care enough to try," "didn't even bother to show up," or whatever they're probably saying about me. I don't hitch rides with people (which is what you're wondering now, isn't it?) because I might need to leave before the event is over or before they're ready to, and I would rather be able to have my own schedule. (I really don't know anyone well enough to impose that way, even if I didn't feel the requirement of being able to stand up and leave when I want to, or to come straight home instead of going to eat with others after the meeting, or what-have-you. I ain't a teenybopper no mo', and I have responsibilities and the aforementioned limitations.) The election was important, but I could not make that meeting. Our meetings are normally in the community room of the local Central Market that is about ten blocks from my house, and that's where I had expected to go. Sure, I'd be happy to serve as a board member (mainly because that would give me an excuse to be "visible" at meetings, rather than just be someone who comes in, sits down, and is not talked to by anyone because they have no idea who I am and no reason to approach me.) On the other hand, the organization probably needs someone who can whiz around town in a brand-new car and hasn't got any limitations (physical or due to neuroses). I'll continue to help out wherever I see a need.
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no subject
Date: 2004-11-08 08:34 pm (UTC)P.
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Date: 2004-11-09 08:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-11-10 11:34 am (UTC)Hooray!
And some more good thoughts for the editors' psychic consumption!
Hugs.
The Velociraptor