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Category Archives: Clarion West
Clarion West Write-a-Thon Begins NOW!
What’s in the hat box?
Hello friends. It’s that time again. The latest class of the Clarion West writing workshop moved into the house today.
A group of us will be writing at home while they are there and trying to raise money while we do it.
Just in case you don’t know what I’m talking about, I wrote a post about my experience at the workshop last year and the year before. If I can think of anything fresh to say about it, I’ll write another one next week weekend.
My main goal for this write-a-thon was to re-work a short story about an NDN casino in space that I whipped up in a weekend in January 2017. I haven’t looked at the draft since.
I got it out this morning and the first 3/4ths are pretty good. It’s a fun idea with fun characters. The last 1/4th is a complete mess that makes no sense and doesn’t flow logically from the beginning. It’s like I passed out under a bridge and when I woke up I was forced to finish the story or face dire consequences so I wrote the ending of a different story.
It’s actually such a mess, I’m not sure what I’m going to do. I’ll poke around with it a little, at least a week or two, but I don’t want to waste a lot of time if I don’t see a way to fix it.
Then I need ideas for new goals:
1 – Finish the kayak story and submit. Completely doable.
2 – Figure out some system for all my bazillion ideas and scraps and research. If this was doable, I think it would be done by now but let’s put it out there.
3 – Do some idea storming and try to do the first draft of a completely new story. Not hot on this idea. I don’t know if I want to do a lot of short story writing at this point.
4 – Go through partial novel manuscript that I abandoned when I started writing romances and see if I can get a working outline. Possibly doable.
5 – TBD
I will report at the end of each week.
If you’re inclined to donate, my page is here.
I usually link to my classmates who are also write-a-thoning but as of this moment, none of them are. (FOR SHAME!) I’ve sent them a guilt trip so I may have some to add next week.
One of our workshop leaders is write-a-thoning and you can donate here: Neile.
Micro-donations are welcome. We love your support.
I included a photo of the elders, my mom and auntie – modeling their hats. They were grand marshals in the Orleans Old Timers Parade last weekend.
Posted in Clarion West, pamily
Tagged Ndns, writing
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Incline
The results of my endoscopy were hiatal hernia. According to my research, something like 60% of the population has HH and many never know unless they find it during an endoscopy. There’s a long list of lifestyle changes and again, according to my research, there is no one size fits all so I’m trying everything, even the woo-woo breathing exercise I found on one website.
One suggestion for heartburn is putting your bed on an incline so your head is higher than your feet. I found some bed risers online and purchased a set. We started with the 3 inch risers which already seemed pretty high. The first couple of nights I woke up further down the bed than the spot I started.
Today we went up another level to the 5 inch riser. It looks ridiculous. They suggest going to 8 inches — we were joking that it would be like training for mountain climbing. I’m going to put a pillow on the floor at the end of the bed. I expect to wake up there tomorrow.
Do I think it helps? I don’t know. Since I made about 20 lifestyle changes at the same time, it’s hard to tell. It could be the woo-woo breathing that’s helping and I could bring back the spicy salsa and French fries. For now, I’m going to keep doing it all.
The annual write-a-thon is almost upon us. Details coming soon. Here’s my donor page if you want to get a head start on your donating.
Clarion West Beg-A-Thon Week #6
The main fundraiser ended this week. We raised over $17,000 for Clarion West.
Thanks to everyone who supported our organization.
I will resurface after I turn in my manuscript.
Clarion West Beg-A-Thon Week #5
Greetings! I have had the house to myself this weekend and very few obligations so I am hunched over the computer cranking on my manuscript.
Sorry, I didn’t do any marketing. It’s partly because I don’t like it but mostly because all my brain juice is used on revisions or mandatory life responsibilities.
I will have have some amazing garden pics soon. There is a blue hubbard squash the size of a baby out there.
The Clarion West class of 2018 has one more week of the workshop. To my best recollection, at this point I was never more tired in my life and I was tired of deli sandwiches for lunch and wanted to see my husband again but also completely in love with all my classmates and couldn’t believe it was all going to be over soon. I hope the current class is having a great experience.
According to my latest progress report, there are over 200 participating writers in the fundraiser and they’ve raised just over $15,000. I met and exceeded my $100 goal, finally sent in my match plus some extra because I sponsored all my classmates. Thanks everyone for your support. There is still time to donate. Honestly, you can donate anytime you want. If you wake up in November and feel like there’s money burning a hole in your wallet, feel free to donate then. Here are some suggested people to sponsor:
me
Theresa
Maggie
Carol
Tracy
Leslie
Neile
Or pick other writers that interest you: The Group.
If you prefer to send a check here’s an address:
P.O. Box 31264
Seattle, WA 98103-1264
Posted in Clarion West, doing it wrong
Tagged writing
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Clarion West Beg-A-Thon Week #4
Today is the end of Clarion West 2018, Week #4.
I am full meal deal, pedal to the metal working on cleaning up the manuscript. I enjoy this part but I’m not very fast so it’s hard to find any satisfaction in the work when I see how far I need to go.
I have done some super baby steps marketing tasks. I will do more. Yay, marketing.
I don’t know why I update the progress meter because I’m not writing for word count now. I’m trying to replace bad stuff with better stuff. The visual is encouraging.
72373 / 75000 words. 96% done!
There is still plenty of time to donate to Clarion West. They are grateful for all donations large and small. Links to me and my classmates and workshop leaders below.
me
Theresa
Maggie
Carol
Tracy
Leslie
Neile
Or pick other writers that interest you: The Group.
If you prefer to send a check here’s an address:
P.O. Box 31264
Seattle, WA 98103-1264
According to my latest progress report, there are over 200 participating writers and they’ve raised just shy of $12,000. Thanks everyone for your support.
Do I have neighbor news? Yeah. I’ll make it quick.
A different neighbor is remodeling and the process filled a giant truck with debris. This truck was parked in front of our house. At first I didn’t mind: it’s a public street, she’s doing a project, this is a short term thing. Except 4 days later the truck was still there and there was plenty of room to park the truck in front of her house. She came over while I was at work and profusely apologized to Bob and said she’d been calling the haulers to get that thing out of here or at least move it in front of her house. Then I wasn’t mad anymore. The truck didn’t bother me. It bothered me when I thought yet another neighbor was being inconsiderate.
The next door situation isn’t any worse but still not optimal. Last night at about 9:30pm I cautiously opened the window, ready to enjoy a cool breeze in the bedroom. “Dare I push my luck?” I said to Bob. It was all quiet over there. Five minutes later cars drove up and people started smoking and talking and shouting. “I dare not.” Windows closed. This morning Bob said a car pulled up to that house and three people got out with open containers and carrying a six pack. Maybe I’m just jealous of their leisure time.
World Cup Final TOMORROW! I’m interrupting project BOOK 3 for that.
Clarion West Beg-A-Thon Week #3
Today is the end of Clarion West 2018, Week #3.
I am still spending almost every spare second working on cleaning up the manuscript. Every time I go out in my yard I want to cry. There is a big jumble of stuff growing–dahlias, pumpkins, peas, sunflowers, weeds, weeds, weeds. The roses desperately need deadheading. Everything neglected. That’s just how it’s going to be right now.
Sorry, I have not done one marketing thing except think about much I dread marketing. I have three weeks to do better.
Here is the current progress meter:
72168 / 75000 words. 96% done!
Working on these big projects reminds me of this teacher I had in high school, Mr. Lasnik. He taught science classes, and he was a true college prep instructor. His classes were tough, but I loved him as a teacher and learned so much from him — not just biology and physiology but also about how to approach research and studying. He assigned these monster research papers. Back in those days we had to get our parents to drive us to the university library to find articles and make copies. We had to bring bags full of nickels. I remember when the report was almost due I used to think: I will be so mad if I die before I get to turn this in.
That’s what I think when I get to the end of a book.
Fireworks snakes of disappointment. Or Burning Turds, as I called them.
In other news — it was weird having a day off in the middle of the week. I kept thinking it was the weekend. I thought about taking Thursday off but I figured it would be dead at work and I could have an easy day. HA HA! I was busy all day. Now it’s the weekend, and I am still confused about where we are in time.
Bob talked Denise and me into going to the fireworks tent with him. I’m glad we did. It was complete insanity but in a fun way. There was a line to get inside and then the line to check out wrapped around the entire store. There were people with shopping carts piled with fireworks.
I think this was the last year. This year we couldn’t have fireworks in the city limits (our house), and I think next year not in the county (bro/sis-in-law’s house). I understand all the reasons for outlawing them, and I’m happy about it, but it is fun to have a day where all the neighbors are outside and blowing stuff up.
What is the latest with the neighbor situation? Thank you for asking.
A couple of weeks ago they woke me up at 2:30 am on a Tuesday night. It was some obviously drunk people screaming out front. I phoned the renter to complain. We’re trying to be reasonable about this but 2:30 on a school night is not cool. She was very friendly and apologetic and said she would deal with it.
And then Sunday night 2:00 am the same thing. This time I called the leasing agent. When I got home from work, their lawn was mowed, the driveway swept, and a single car parked out front.
The following weekend I heard someone drive up in the middle of the night. The car doors went: SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!
Then a person: SHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Even though I was awake, I wasn’t mad, because some tried to be quiet. Peaceful since then. Well, there was some sort of drumming and singing one night but it didn’t go on for long. (whew!)
Trees caught fire in the neighborhood. Terrifying to watch. Fire department got it under control quick. We walked up there the next day and no buildings were damaged which was a miracle.
There is still plenty of time to donate to Clarion West. They are grateful for all donations large and small. Links to me and my classmates and workshop leaders below.
me
Theresa
Maggie
Carol
Tracy
Leslie
Neile
Or pick other writers that interest you: The Group.
If you prefer to send a check here’s an address:
P.O. Box 31264
Seattle, WA 98103-1264
According to my latest progress report, there are 200 participating writers and they’ve raised over $9000. Thanks everyone for your support.
Clarion West Beg-A-Thon Week #2
I successfully completed my week #2 goal which was 7 days of no writing. I cheated a tiny bit one day when I accidentally read an article about dialogue. As soon as I realized it, I shut my browser.
During my break, I did all kinds of things that I normally never do: I hung out downtown with my sweetie and saw Malcom Terence read at Powell’s, I went to a happy hour celebration for one of my sweetie’s colleagues, I watched epic amounts of World Cup soccer, I finished three books that I had sitting around here half finished since January, I went to the Farmer’s Market, I went to see Isle of Dogs.
It went by fast.
I’m back at it again, working on cleaning the ms. up. I have not done any marketing things yet but I’m sincere in my intent to do so soon.
Thanks to everyone who donated so far. Still plenty of time and all donations are appreciated. Here are links for me and my classmates and workshop administrators.
me
Theresa
Maggie
Carol
Tracy
Leslie
Neile
Lots of other writers — find someone to sponsor here: The Group.
Posted in Clarion West, doing it wrong
Tagged Beg-A-Thon
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Clarion West Beg-A-Thon Week #1
These are some of my Clarion West classmates waiting for Chuck Palahniuk to do his reading. Front row is: Christopher, Maggie, Kristin, Owen, Caren, Eden, Raj, Tracy and a tiny bit of Kira. Behind them is: Jim, Carol, Theresa, Pritpaul, and Douglas.
For week one I finished my romance novel manuscript and sent to beta readers. I am so tired I can’t see straight. I take my personal deadlines very seriously and I estimated three 12 hour days to get here but it was two 12s and one 11. I am looking forward to 7 full days of zero writing other than what I have to do for work. Also I said I would do some marketing. So we’ll see how I do. Tomorrow I hope to be screen free.
I’m going to cut and paste from the Clarion West page: Clarion West Writers Workshop is a nonprofit literary organization based in Seattle, WA with a mission to improve speculative fiction by providing high quality education to writers at the start of their careers.
I attended in 2008 and do not exaggerate when I say it changed my life.
Any donation, even just a couple bucks is cheerfully accepted. These are links to my donor page and my classmates who have registered so far:
me
Theresa
Maggie
Carol
Or pick other writers that interest you: The Group.
Hopefully some more detailed updates to come.
This was the word count of the beta reader draft:
72006 / 75000 words. 96% done!
Clarion West Beg-A-Thon Week #6
This is a wrap up for week #5. The workshop is starting week #6.
I have, just 5 minutes ago, sent off the finished manuscript to editor. My brain is ruined. I am a little dismayed by how exhausted I am right before I start the work week.
I wish I were more excited about it. At the very end I was still messing around with things and my computer froze during a save so I lost a little bit. I think I’m too tired to be a good judge of what I did. It’s done. Mission accomplished.
This week I will work on the blurb and otherwise give myself a break before I hammer on the promotion stuff. I might try to finalize the prequel story as well.
I made another fail loaf. I had the same problem last week and figured the sourdough was weak. Now I think the kitchen is much warmer than when I usually bake and I’m letting it sit too long. Haven’t had time to research properly. Homemade fail loaf is still better than store bought bread.
(Nice arty reflection shot) Also, RIP Black and Decker toaster. My parents gave this to me when I moved into my Lake Oswego apartment in 1992. I’ve been with this toaster oven longer than I’ve been married. We’re guessing the heat shield failed because Bob put in some bread to toast and minutes later black smoke and a smell like Satan’s butthole came pouring out of it. It’s in the backyard. We’re afraid to stand too close to it.
Last I checked the write-a-thon raised over $13,000. It’s not too late to donate. Even a few bucks is appreciated. You can sponsor any of these wonderful writers:
Christopher
Owen
Eden
Carol
Shane
Maggie
Raj
An
Theresa
Pritpaul
Kira
Tracy
Douglas
Me
And huge thanks to everyone who’s participated.
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Clarion West Beg-A-Thon Week #5
Clarion West is starting week 5 today. I am reporting on my write-a-thon progress from Week #4.
I did all the things I said I’d do. A draft of the blurb/bleargh exists and I am finalizing the manuscript like a champ. I’m sending it off one week from today and I need every minute to work on it.
This week is a quick garden report:
Remember this? This is one of the tomato plants about a week after I planted it Memorial Day weekend. I wish I had a photo from when I first put them in the ground because they were about as big as my thumb.
There will be an update at the end of this post.
This was the first dahlia this yard. I have a yellow one and a few red and a couple of big pink ones out front. There are more on the way.
Check out that franken flower in the middle. It’s a head taller than the others. What’s up with that? And yes, I realize I have way too many for that tiny patch. They volunteer and I yank tons of them out but I always underestimate them. There’s one little tomato planted back there that is overrun with sunflowers and pumpkin leaves.
This is a backyard tomato that I grew from a seed. I think it’s a Stupice which is an early tomato. Probably helps if you plant it earlier which I did not.
Backyard pumpkin. In the early days the best pumpkins grew out front. This year the backyard is where the cool squash are hanging out.
Here they are – the huge tomatoes out front and growing like crazy.
Thanks again to everyone contributing to the write-a-thon. The last report said $9631 raised so far (not me, for the whole thing). Small donations are welcome. If you’re still considering a donation, please sponsor one of my great Clarion West classmates:
Christopher
Owen
Eden
Carol
Shane
Maggie
Raj
An
Theresa
Pritpaul
Kira
Tracy
Douglas
Me
Posted in Clarion West, garden
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