July Writing Round-Up

Where did this month go?! I spend one weekend away and it all disappears out from underneath me.

I feel like I spent all month working on two chapters because, really, that’s what happened. But then I look a everything else I accomplished (*cough* skip to days written *cough*) and I feel a bit better.

• Words Written: 4,417  (YTD: 112,227 | 2017 Goal: 200,000+)
• Works Complete: 1 (YTD: 7 | 2017 Goal: 10)
• Submissions to Paying Markets: 10 (YTD: 52)
• Books Read: 1 (YTD: 13 | 2017 Goal: 30)
• PLUS
  • Two of my stories published this month: one in Shimmer and one on Cast of Wonders.
  • I have not submitted my new thing. I think it’s complete, but we’ll see; I want to sit on it some more. I started two other short stories but they’re definitely not ready to be submitted!
  • 9 rejections this month, all forms.
  • I applied for two grants!
  • Botanizer is more than half-revised. I’m working through the last 50k (or so). I think I’m going to get to the end of this and not know what to do with myself.
  • So that weekend away: I spent it running base camp for an amazing fundraising hike that I’ve participated in for 9 years now. You can read a bit more here.
  • Days I’ve written/revised this month: 27/31 (WOOT! I did my job this month and had my butt in my chair!)
  • Days written since the inauguration: 123/191
  • Longest streak: 31 days (SO CLOSE)

Story Published! “Phalium arium ssp. anams” on CAST OF WONDERS

How lucky am I that I get to write up two of these posts so close together?! 

My flash story, “Phalium arium ssp. anams,” went live on Cast of Wonders over the weekend. I love this production and I am so proud to be an officially podcasted writer thanks to the Escape Artists family.

Of course, it’s also brilliant that Cast of Wonders snagged Leigh Wallace‘s artwork for the episode cover. You’ll hear more of it if you listen and can read more about the back-story there on my sale post.

I hope you’ll consider giving this a listen!

Story Published! “The Moon, the Sun, and the Truth” in SHIMMER #38

Isn’t this beautiful? Weird, wonderful, strange, and awesome? Well it’s the cover for Shimmer Number 38, and my story–“The Moon, the Sun, and the Truth”–is one of four stories in its digital pages.

I am really proud of this particular story for many reasons. It gets at the heart of some of my political anxieties. It was one of the first flash pieces I’ve attempted–and then got longer upon revision. It appears in a magazine that I absolutely love and respect. And it’s just…well fun for me in many ways.

You can read the story now, today, this very minute by purchasing the issue or a subscription. If you do this, you’ll also get to read a short interview by each of the authors in the issue. Shimmer does release its stories online over the course of two months so you can read my story in August if you prefer to go that route. The choice is yours.

I’d also like to shout-out to TOC-mate Andrea Corbin, a fellow member of the Boston Speculative Writing Group (BSpec!) and an all around awesome person. I’m honored to share a cover with your name and our fellow 38ers 🙂

I can’t wait to hear what you guys think!