12/31/2006

2007

1. Finish the book.
2. Send out stories to 20 magazines.
3. Query 20 agents regarding the book.
4. Write my next play.
5. Keep fit.

If I do all these things, it will be a Good Writing Year. If I do some of them, or even none of them, it may still be a Good Writing Year -- it just won't be the same Good Writing Year I'm picturing now.

I'm on the edge of my seat to see what'll happen this year....

12/27/2006

Clarion South is looming....

Like one of those massive monsters from Japanese movies that my brother and I watched on Saturday afternoons, Clarion South towers over the skyline of my life. But is it Godzilla or Mothra? Good or bad?

I found out a while ago that there is a specific Japanese word for these monsters: Daikaiju, or, alternatively, Kaiju. It's also the name of an anthology of giant-monster tales. One of the editors is going to be one of the tutors at Clarion South.

Now I must go and finish the story I volunteered to write ahead of time to prime the Clarion pump (to mix metaphors rather spectacularly).

12/24/2006

Merry Christmas!

I made a massive Christmas Eve dinner (the weather obliged by being chilly and damp, almost like winter). We gave our Christmas Eve presents. (There's another batch, in the stockings, for Christmas morning -- thus do we blend our family traditions!) I'm watching a Lessons and Carols service on television. Houston has a midnight service at which he will be accompanying the soloist, but Margaret and I will stay home; we'll all go to church tomorrow (Christmas) morning.

I've spent most of the last 11 Christmases very, very, very far from my family, and you'd think I'd be getting used to it by now.

12/19/2006

First-aid exam

Instead of writing today, I'm studying for my first-aid exam (as a State Emergency Service volunteer, I'm required to carry current first-aid certification). I also spent an hour and a half at the karate school, trying hard to learn as much as I can before I go to Writers' Prison, so I can practice while I'm there and not be too far behind when I come back.

Today was not an authorially bereft day, though: I had a debrief meeting with the producer of Foul Play in Dapto. She repeated the positive feedback from the actors, and dropped hints about being interested in working with me again. So you could say I haven't completely forsaken the writing life today.

Moreover, as I've commented before, nothing is wasted for the writer. Who knows when one of my characters will need to manage a puncture wound, or be forced to fight their way out of trouble? I need to KNOW these things.

12/12/2006

The writng life

Earlier today I became utterly certain that I couldn't write another word until the refrigerator was clean (well, cleaner).

12/10/2006

Foul Play in Dapto a success!

Despite the odds, Foul Play in Dapto was a definite success last night. The kids mainly had their lines under control (which was a big relief, because frankly it had been touch-and-go), the music sounded terrific, Margaret did an EXCELLENT job as stage manager, the producer-director got some great publicity that resulted in people showing up who weren't even related to the actors, AND I got lots of positive comments on the script.

Moreover, the kids seemed to be very pleased, even exhilarated, at the final curtain. Invited the producer-director and me up up stage for bows. I was very flattered.

I think I quite like writing plays.

12/03/2006

Margaret's Big Debut

Last night was my daughter Margaret's first big performance as an actor. (She'd had one line and a few spear-carrying appearances in a show a few months ago.) She did excellently: you could hear and understand every word she said, she was able to express a wide range of emotions, and she could cover for other kids who were less confident in their lines or blocking. And she has a very nice singing voice.

I wish I could claim some sort of genetic credit for her success, but alas! acting is not what I'm good at, and it is something Houston (her dad) is very good at indeed. Clearly, I was only a vessel....

12/01/2006

Foul Play in Dapto in its last week of rehearsal....

The show premiers on Saturday, December 9. Tomorrow is tech rehearsal. Wednesday is dress rehearsal. Then, the performance! I confess I'm nervous. I haven't watched any of the rehearsals, figuring that my job finished when I handed the director the final script and I now needed to keep my nose out of it.

In other news, Margaret's current show, a sketch/review comedy that the kids wrote themselves, has its dress rehearsal tonight and performance tomorrow night. Houston's got a performance tonight. Margaret and I test for our blue belts in two weeks. I'm working on Chapter 14 of my book. Houston has more or less finished the setting of my poem cycle "Earth and Space" -- he's found some sounds recorded from space that sound amazing, and the mezzo soloist is positive about both the words and the music. Houston is also suddenly even more swamped at work than usual, as he's been promoted.

Never a dull moment at our place!