It’ll be short but important this weekend. It’ll be hard to write this coming week as class is starting and that is always a chaotic time.

I did manage to finish my edits for Nine Star Press on the steampunk Christmas story. I still have a ton of other stuff to finish for them (maybe tomorrow) but the edits have been turned back in. I’m struggling to come up with a picture for my bio. I loathe having my picture taken.

And I finally finished editing Blood Red Roulette. Oh it’s not ready yet to send out. My beta reader is going over the first third of it since I changed it so extensively and I have a few scenes that I want to dither about cutting or not but it’s done (but still pretty long. Sigh). I wanted to get it done by July and failed so I revised that to get it done before classes. I’m making that by the skin of my teeth.

I still fear this one will never find a home.

I am very happy to say Nine Star Press gave me a contract for my Christmas Steampunk short story. It’s a thrill to see someone not only want my unusual story but also hoped there might be more in this universe.

This is a very nice feeling. I hope that the readers will love it as much.

But it’s more than just a short story sale. I’m making connections with another publisher and that is a good thing.

I need to, once I get Blood Red finally over and done with (hopefully soon), edit through those two novellas of mine and try them again.

I’ve also noodled a bit with These Haunted Hills so that’s good.

I’ve not accomplished all I wanted to this week but it’s been a good week regardless.

Just a hurried post as I prepare to go on vacation. Or as I see it, research for future stories because that is often the case. I’m looking forward to it (in spite of the fact I picked an area of the country that’s bloody expensive).

As expected DSP turned down my Christmas story. Well I have to say a steampunk adventures IS a weird holiday story. I am very grateful that they let me know in time to send it on to Nine Star Press which maybe is what I should have done in the first place. I’d like to get a toe in the door with them after all. They’re putting out some interesting stuff.

I haven’t touched Blood Red but I had to get that class done like I said and I did. The rough draft is more or less finished which makes me very happy.

So I’d best get to bed. The plane leaves early.

I missed last week because I was traveling and it was the day after my 50th birthday and I’m still not easy with that idea (though grateful to have so much time allotted to me).

I’ve finished all the proofs for Conned and I picked a cover (I asked 4 people for input, actually got 4 responses split 50/50). Neither picture were a truly great fit but with something set at a con, it’s very hard to do that since everything is trademarked. I’m still pretty shocked that each story in this one-a-day thing (or however it’s being done) is getting art so I am very happy with what I got.

I’m waiting to hear from my beta on my omg why can’t I title it Christmas short. I’m not really sweating it if it doesn’t get picked up. I’ll self pub it and give the money to St. Jude’s or the like.

I’m trying to quickly write a Halloween m/m/m story which all it wants is sex. I could barely finish my Christmas story because I felt it needed a sex scene but didn’t want to deal with it and that’s all this story wants (it’s not getting it, some yes but not nearly as much as it wants). I do have a beginning (which has been lost three times, driving me nuts) and I know the end but will I have the time? Who knows.

And I want to finish Blood Red which I STILL haven’t finished. It’s been a matter of time and I’m more and more sad over it daily.

It’s been a strange set of months for me lately. The writing has been way down between depression, work and my ability to focus (ADHD, Depression, diabetes converging)

However, I did get some writing done during the boring parts of my convention. I’m not sure I’ll find a home for a Steampunk Christmas story but I tried it any how. It’s nearly done.

I spent the plane ride to Utah and back again editing Blood Red Roulette. I’m shocked at how rough areas where, things I should have caught in earlier edits.

And my flash fic Falling Water has been selected for Queer Sci-Fi’s flash fic anthology, Renewal. That made me very happy. The winners in the contest haven’t been announced yet but even if I’m not a winner, I’m proud to get selected to be in the anthology again.