Thoughts on writing, living, and believing…
Since I was asked recently, none to subtly, what was up with the book, I thought I’d give you an update.
[BTW Jack, you weren’t the only person who’s asked me that recently.]
I really am pretty damn close to finished…with the first draft. *cough*
Look, it took Europe 22 years to start WWII after they finished the first one. I’ve got a lot of ground to cover so I’d appreciate it if you got up outta my grill about it, m’kay?
Seriously though.
Continue reading “Online Keno is Addictive!”
Dry Leaves
Look at all the leaves in my garage!
Blown here by a persistent northwest wind,
They swirl in little eddies when I open the door,
As if rushing about to find a hiding place,
Unsure of where to go.
Broom in hand, I push them to the door,
To freedom!
Crossing the threshold, they catch the breeze,
And scurry away like so many little animals suddenly released from captivity,
To find their way in the snowy landscape outside.
With each sweep, I urge them on,
But strangely, they do not wish to go.
Carried ecstatically by the wind at first, they hesitate then turn back.
They rustle in tiny waves under my car, cowering from the cold,
And my broom.
How much like my thoughts are these dry leaves.
They gather in profusion, and then flutter in confusion,
When I try to bring them to order.
I push them out, to clear a space for You,
But they come fluttering back.
Refusing to be swept away.
I know what you’re thinking, “Any single-cell organism can have a blog, so please don’t drone on about how hard it is.”
You’re right. And wrong.
Speaking for all single-cell organisms, yes it’s easy to have a blog. Many of us do. But just having a WordPress account doesn’t mean it’s easy to keep it. To keep it requires work—a lot more than I thought the day I oozed over to my webserver to set up the database.
Continue reading “Confessions of a Manic/Depressive Blogger”
FOB Joann Fastoff has just won the Black Excellence Award for Outstanding Achievement in Literature for her book The Lie.
The award was presented by the DuSable Museum of African American History in Chicago. Joann’s book won in the fiction category.
You can check out Joann’s website in the Links section below.
Way to go JoJo!
I met a lot of interesting people last weekend, and Tim’s one of ’em. From his website:
Tim Chapman is a former forensic scientist for the Chicago police department who currently teaches English composition and Chinese martial arts. He holds a Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Northwestern University.
His fiction has been published in The Southeast Review, the Chicago Reader, Alfred Hitchcock’s Mystery Magazine and the anthology, The Rich and the Dead. His first novel, Bright and Yellow, Hard and Cold, has just been published by Allium Press.
In his spare time he paints pretty pictures and makes an annoying noise with his saxophone that he claims is music. He lives in Chicago with his lovely and patient wife, Ellen and Mia, the squirrel-chasingest dog in town.
Tim’s a fascinating guy. If you like crime stories, you need to get his book! Check out his website—you can also find it in the Links section at the right.
Here we are at Barnes & Noble with 29 authors from Chicago and Rockford.
Here’s my award-nominated pal Joann Fastoff with me at my table…
Along with book signings, Christine Swanberg read some of her poetry, and the panel discussions were fun and informative.
More below the fold…
Continue reading “Scenes from the InPrint Author Fair”
November is National Novel Writing Month. So take that musty old 
manuscript out of the shoebox in the closet and get to work!
When I tell someone what I do with my time, they usually get a suspicious look on their face and then ask:
“You wrote a book?”
“Yup.”
Then there are one of two responses:
“Ya know, I always wanted to write a book…”
or
“My sister wrote a book.”
One thing I’ve learned since The Good Thief came out, is that everyone has written a book or is thinking about writing a book. It really ain’t that big a deal anymore—if it ever was. Now, the landscape of publishing is changing. Traditional publishers are in the decline along with bookstores. The ones still alive and kicking are shrinking their catalogs, while simultaneously reducing support for new authors.
Meanwhile, self-publishing/distribution options are proliferating and the ubiquitous e-book is changing how people buy and read books. This is both a blessing and a curse for writers and readers alike, but that’s a different post.
Anyway, it’s time to release your inner-Faulkner. You too can join the ranks of the published. Just like the very literary folk of Iceland!
If you find yourself in the Rockford area this weekend, c’mon out to the Barnes & Noble at Cherryvale Mall where I’ll be doing a book signing with my good buddy JoAnn Fastoff and other local authors.
Along with loads of good books, you can meet the authors, and enjoy some neat panel discussions afterward. Part of the proceeds from the event go to InPrint. Check the link for more details.
