So, I have been struggling with writing. I haven't really written
anything past letters and cards for the past month or so. I didn't
hear back from any of the editors I sent stuff out to, and I was
feeling pretty disheartened. I went through one of those lows where I
feel like everything I produce is a hackneyed piece of poo.

Until today. I got this email in my inbox today.

Dear Marisol,

This is one of the moments in which I do not enjoy being an editor.
After much consideration, XXXXX will not be using "Death
Rites," and you are free to submit it elsewhere.

That said, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you I found
"Death Rites" very enjoyable. While not right for XXXXX, I believe
this is certainly a piece that will find publishing.

As to why we did not accept the story, I believe it just became a
matter of preference with the limited spots we have. I normally give advice
at this point concerning items that were issues for us during the
consideration period, but I have nothing for this story. It is well
written and engaging.

"Death Rites" was a fantastic read, and thank you for letting us
spend so much time with it. I wish I had better news after the lengthy
consideration, but would love to see another story from you in the future.
I wish you the best of luck with this piece, especially as a fan.

Sincerely,
XXXX

Submission Editor
XXXXXX


Suddenly I don't feel so bad. And maybe I can be superwoman and be a
newlywed, work, be a stepmom, and write!

Maybe.

Short Stories

Death Rites has been fixed up and sent to another publisher. It got a personal note last time. I'm hoping to get another or a sell.

Fugue was given an overhaul last night. It's in workshop, so I'm hoping to get some feedback this week. In the meantime, I'm going to look for a place to send it.

I've finally started delving into the novel. It's a qiuck but slow process, because I'm actually repiecing the parts I decided to keep. Chopping off 20k means a tighter story, but what's left makes no sense to a first time reader. It's been refreshing, however. It's a revisit into the universe, and I find myself able to get into the story so well. As much as I like action novels, this land is such a deep, different sort of land that I have to keep leaving hints, descriptions/exposition, and showing through action how completely different land this is. It's comforting.

The first novel is the easiest and the hardest to write. On one hand, your ideas are the best and brightest, and the idea of this nebulous thing, this pinnacle of writing shines in your mind. On the other hand, if you've started writing short stories or had a previous writing rejection, there's always an element of what others will think when you write.

It doesn't mean that you write for them, but it can help with reminding yourself that your readers, who cannot see into that fabulous mind of yours, probably would like a description or explanation at certain intervals.

Finished Soul Hospital

I've completed another short story today - Soul Hospital. It's good, although much shorter than most of my other short stories. It's just over 2k words, which is nearly unheard of considering my more normal obsession with writing novelletes.

Yesterday I also completed revisions on Death Rites. Although I sent it out to a mag, I don't think they'll accept it without the exceptional fixings that I did. Oh well. At least I can keep sending it out!

Faery

Worked on backstory and synopsis of the current book in order to help myself separate the back story I've written form what will appear in the novel itself.

Musings

After spending some time stewing over my innate dislike of my faery story, I finally realized what about it I disliked so much. It's not that my writing or the story is bad, but rather half of what I've written is really backstory. So, I've got about 35,000 down in Carwyn's world, and half of that will be axed. I am perfectly fine with this, though. You'd think I'd be upset, but I really want to write an extremely engaging, action-oriented novel. And I've realized saying that a medieval society is incapable of moving quickly is a big, fat, stinky excuse. Even I have started to say it once or twice.

After reading Poison Study and the follow-up to it, I've realized just how possible it is to write a compact novel. It shouldn't feel strung out, as the beginning of mine currently does.

So, I'm going to fix it.

College Graduation

As of Saturday, May 12, 2007, I have graduated with a bachelor of arts from Webster University.

I can't believe this chapter of my life is over.

All I want to do is read and write.

Final Draft: Thesis

I've turned in the final draft of my thesis. I present to my department on Thursday. This week is also finals week. Let's hope my papers go over as well as my thesis will. Or at least, I think the thesis will go over well.

First Draft: thesis

My thesis's first draft is complete. Nineteen pages long, and it's not nearly long enough. It needs to be closer to 30 pages, but I was pretty tapped out after writing it all week. It also had a lot of reorganizing needed.

The topic of my thesis is a study of medieval Ireland and Catholicism's entrance into the druidic, polytheistic society. The idea presented is that saints were used as a large part of the conversion process in Ireland. Because they are also the figureheads through which monasteries were founded, they also were the influence behind the monastic movement.

The monks used tales about the saints - called hagiography - in their quest to prove the saint's dominance over each other and, more importantly, over the native religion.

Fugue

I finished hard editing Fugue. Whether it stands alone or not is an entirely different matter. Because of the subject matter, it was written in a way that either draws people in or turns them off. Readers have said they love it and were disappointed when it ended. A few fellow writers said it had a jumpy beginning.

I presume editors tend to think in more of terms of a critical writer rather than a reader. I'll be shelving it for a few weeks until after my thesis is finished.