Category Archives: Clarion West

One of the many pumpkins. I also seem to have a lot of gourds (?). I don’t even know what all I’m growing out there.

This week I wrote a 3650 word NDNs in space story about a generation ship that is not doing too well.

Snippet:

In truth, the kids went around to everything but learned very little. It was like a big game. Dori had spent her time in engineering making beaded necklaces and polishing metal things that Uncle Toad gave her.

They glossed over the math parts, they could rely on the computers to help with that. They learned to fix the computers but there were critical parts that no one seemed to know where to find or how to make.

The fundraiser continues.

You can sponsor me here.

You can sponsor one of our workshop leaders here: Neile.
Or tireless workshop supporter Kate.
My classmate: Maggie.
My classmate: Tracy.

If you want to check out the participants yourself: CW Write-a-thon Writers.

Here’s the address if you’d prefer to mail a donation:

Clarion West
P.O. Box 31264
Seattle, WA 98103-1264

All donations are appreciated. Thank you.

The socially distancing birthday party was a delight but I still haven’t organized my photos so I will post at some point in the future. My photo collection is completely out of control. A massive day of organization is needed but not a priority at this time.

If this was the workshop the participants would be halfway through and probably all in love with each other and starting to worry how fast the workshop is flying by.

I made my goal but not very artfully.

I’ve been working on characterization and trying too hard made me seize up. I started writing in the first person and then started over in the third person. Both stories are slightly different but I did work both to an ending. 2410 words combined. No snippet this week.

It’s about a Karuk tribal member who is driving to Hoopa and picks up a hitchhiker who isn’t what they seem.

The fundraiser is kicking ass. According to my report there are 527 writers from all over the world plus the spirits of Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins, and Jules Verne. We’ve raised $12,929 so far. Thanks to everyone who has contributed. I will send personal thank yous to my sponsors.

You can sponsor me here.

You can sponsor one of our workshop leaders here: Neile.
Or tireless workshop supporter Kate.
My classmate: Maggie.
My classmate: Tracy.

If you want to check out the participants yourself: CW Write-a-thon Writers.

Here’s the address if you’d prefer to mail a donation:

Clarion West
P.O. Box 31264
Seattle, WA 98103-1264

Any donation you are willing to give is terrific. We appreciate it.

What do you think? Is this guy going to make it?

This week I wrote a 2600 word story about Kelsey, the tribal member in charge of the Tribe’s theme park ride who is called in on her day off to investigate a ride anomaly and has to deal with a guy who is still mad she dumped him when they were teenagers.

Snippet:

“What’s going on?” I asked.

At first glance everything looked normal but you could never be sure since the ride went deep into the forest, mountains, a gold mine, a re-created Karuk village, a white-water river sequence and some generic wildlife activity before returning to the start point.

“Got ourselves a blip,” Ike said. He was dressed like a gas station attendant and pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket like an oil jockey which was hilarious because he actually sat in front of bank of monitors like a surveillance employee which is more like what he was.

I looked at Archie who nodded, vigorously not smiling and making sure I knew that was for me.

Full disclosure I am scheduling this post ahead of time. Today is my dad’s 90th birthday and we’re having a socially distant, masked-up, very few select guests birthday celebration that will include grilling red meat.

Hope you’re enjoying your Independence Day, too.

Important fundraising information:

You can sponsor me here.

You can sponsor one of our workshop leaders here: Neile.
Or tireless workshop supporter Kate.
My classmate: Maggie.

If you want to check out the participants yourself: CW Write-a-thon Writers.

Here’s the address if you’d prefer to mail a donation:

Clarion West
P.O. Box 31264
Seattle, WA 98103-1264

All donations are welcome. If you’re suffering donation fatigue, we’ll take your good thoughts.

This week I wrote a 2800 word story about Lester, a fast-talking tribal member who hears the feds want to unload control over the “alien portal” that is located on tribal lands and sees a great opportunity for himself.

Snippet:

Lester had a friend of a friend in the local government. It took a few calls and some loitering at the casino bar until he managed to hook one of the alien portal employees into a conversation.

June was her name and she was three minutes away from retirement and not about to let you forget it. She drank something called a salmon prisoner – he was never clear what was in it but it was one of the most expensive cocktails on the menu.

The idea was inspired by this piece by Winona LaDuke Reconciliation Pipeline: How to Shackle Native People. Relevant quote:

Dressed up as “equity positions”, or “reconciliation”, across the continent, corporations and governments are trying to pawn off bad projects on Native people.

You can sponsor me here.

You can sponsor one of our workshop leaders here: Neile.
Or tireless workshop supporter Kate Schaefer.
My classmate: Maggie.

If you want to check out the participants yourself: CW Write-a-thon Writers.

Here’s the address if you’d prefer to mail a donation:

Clarion West
P.O. Box 31264
Seattle, WA 98103-1264

All donations are welcome. If you’re suffering donation fatigue, we’ll take your good thoughts.

First a correction from my last post: My tree has 1 Gala apple and 3 Red McIntosh for a total of 4 apples.

Like most people, I can’t seem to dig out from under all my email so I let it accumulate and then tackle it in fits and starts which isn’t particularly effective as it comes in all the time.

I finally read my Clarion West Write-A-Thon email and learned that it starts tomorrow. Whew. Just in time.

As you might have guessed, there is no workshop this summer. The same students and instructors are hoping to convene in summer 2021. The workshop will be doing online things this summer.

These are my posts from during the workshop: Overview, Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4 part 1, Week 4 part 2, Week 5 and Week 6.

If I can think of anything fresh to say about it, I’ll add it to a future post.

Because I’m not happy unless I’m not happy, my goal for this year is to pull a fresh idea out of my butt and write a brand new story each week. I’m not going to gnash my teeth and try to make them pretty but I will aim for at least 1000 words of something. I will post a little snippet or description at the end of each week.

You can sponsor me here.

You can sponsor one of our workshop leaders here: Neile.

I’m not sure if any of my classmates are write-a-thoning, if so I will post links next week.

Here’s the address if you’d prefer to mail a donation:
Clarion West
P.O. Box 31264
Seattle, WA 98103-1264

Micro-donations are welcome. We love your support.