Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Wednesday's Writing Update


It's time again for another episode of "Wednesday's Writing Update."

I feel like I don't have much news to report.

I submitted my fantasy short story "Magna's Plea" to Pill Hill Press's Shadows & Light, Vol. II: More Legends on Monday. Within ten minutes, it was short listed. Woohoo! Now, short listed doesn't mean too much unfortunately, since there is no guarantee. I should know something around the deadline for the anthology, which is October 31st. I really do hope for good news from this story, though. For one, I enjoy getting into Pill Hill Press's anthologies, and I would love to get into this particular one. For two, "Magna's Plea" is part of my Phoenix Trilogy fantasy world, and I think it would help if I could get a short story published from that world. We'll see.

Yesterday on my blog, I posted about my business card dilemma. I still don't know which one to pick, so if you have a moment, go here and check out the sample cards and let me know what you think.

Today is my short story day on Raven and the Writing Desk. My story this month is "Autumn Kicker." You can read it here. This is what the story is about: Autumn Smith groans every time she sees Wyderly College's infamously bad football team, and she has decided to do something about it. She's trying out for the football team as their new kicker, if only they would just let her step out on the field.

I've been editing "Melek Katili." I hope to finish it today or tomorrow, so I can read through it a few more times and then submit it on Monday. The deadline for it is Tuesday. Not much time to go!

I hope to finish "Lady Death" this weekend, as well. I want to submit my first 500 words before October 1st, since it is the possible deadline for the Assassins anthology. (They are guaranteed to still be open to submissions until then, otherwise the deadline is November 30th).

I believe "Lady Death" will be my last short story until December. I need to prepare for NaNoWriMo 2010 in October, and I'll be writing Sarah's Nightmare in November. I must admit I'm really looking forward to NaNo this year. My brain has been so scattered with ideas and writing various things at the same time. I'm really looking forward to giving myself completely to a novel and write, write, write for a month. I plan to get all my flash fiction for October and November written soon (hopefully before the James River Writers Conference).

I still need to edit my previous novels. *sighs* I've been so bad about revisions and editing. I keep telling myself to do it, but I open up the file and don't get anywhere beyond the first chapter or two. It's not that I don't love these stories because I do. I guess I'm just afraid to mess them up or something. I don't know. I hope to get a chance to do a quick run through of at least one of them in October before NaNo. *crosses fingers*

Well, that's the end of the update for now. Hopefully I'll have more news next week!

5 comments:

Unknown said...

You have so much going on! Wonderful about being short-listed for the anthology -- my fingers are crossed for you! And best of luck with NaNo. I'm skipping it this year but will be cheering on all my writer friends as they take on the challenge!

Cherie Reich said...

Thanks, Nicole! I think I'll need all the support I can get come November and NaNo. I won last year, but it's a new year, a new book. I'll have to wait and see how quickly the words flow on the page and try my best to turn off the inner editor, so I can just write.

Elana Johnson said...

Very cool on the short list! I so need to master the art of short stories. Every one I try to write is either A) terrible or B) too long. So yeah. I'm in awe of those who can actually write a short story.

Lisa Rusczyk said...

Grats on the shortlist. Sounds yet again like you have been hard at work!

Cherie Reich said...

Thanks, Elana, for stopping by! I feel like all I've written this year is short stories (and I wouldn't be wrong either). I find with short stories that you have to focus on the action at hand. A small snippet of life, so to speak. I'm going to a workshop on short stories on October 7th, so maybe I'll get some good advice that I can share with everyone. *grins*

Thanks, Lisa! I'm trying to be hard at work. *laughs* I need something to occupy my actual work time. Now, if I can just get "Lady Death" written, I'll be doing well.