The Incompleat angler...

Still raining. Forecast calls for the possibility of snow over the weekend. More rain next week. Took a drive through Garden of the Gods this afternoon. Green, low clouds, but beautiful. Always surprised to see how many Colorado natives drive through the park. Most days it seems as if they outnumber the tourists.

Plugged away on “Desperado” this morning. “Working to Beat Hell” as well. Close on both of them. Behind on almost everything else.

Been thinking about Wyoming lately. Looking forward to getting out of town, maybe kicking back for a few quiet days of fishing. The runoff here will be pretty bad for a while, owing to all the rain, but want to get up to Elevenmile before long, too. Need some new fly line and backing. New flies.

 

Rain...

Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain.Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain.Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain.Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain. Bad dreams. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain. The Liar. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain. Bad dreams. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain.Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain.Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain.Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain.Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain.Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain.Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain. Ran. Rain.

The sky is crying...

Big rains tonight. Thunder, lightning. The whole enchilada. In to work early this morning, working on a revision of “Desperado.” Yesterday, it was “Working to Beat Hell.” Still trying to find my groove in the midst of all the schedule changes, but I think I’m getting closer.

Only one acceptance so far this year. Averaged ten or more per year the two leading up to this one. Eight pieces in the mail at the moment, so maybe I’ll hit paydirt on the back end. We’ll see. Best to just keep plowing ahead and trying not to think about it. Still.

Footings for the fireplace and side gate were poured today. Hope the rain doesn’t damage the concrete. Sprinkler system was adjusted today, too. Hurrah! Grass looks great, except for the native fescue someone sneaked into the mix, and even that doesn’t look too bad.

Spoke to the folks last night. Good to hear their voices. Hope to be able to say that for a long time to come.

Staying in step...

Followed a couple of deer down Wood Avenue today. A young buck and a doe. They were browsing on other people’s flowers. The buck stood on his hind legs and stole blossoms from an apple tree.

Beautiful day, cool and sunny. High clouds.

Got in some good revisions this morning, and had a long business lunch this afternoon. Looking forward to a quiet evening, and some reflection time. Feel like the world’s moving slightly faster than I am. Or is it vice-versa?

 

Egg on their face...

138 of us got rejections today by a new pub—Steam Ticket: A Third Coast Review. Nothing exceptional about that except that it came as a broadcast email.

The text read…

Dear Writer,

Thank you for submitting to Steam Ticket; we've read your submission carefully, but unfortunately we are not able to find space for it in Vol XVI.  Please know that we value your work as a writer, and we hope that you will consider submitting again. 

Best wishes,

Steam Ticket staff

 Responses, which appeared as reverse broadcast emails were snarky.

 One writer wrote back…

 Dear Publication,

 Thanks for the personal note!

 Another writer asked if there would be "more space" in next issue. 

Others were far less funny…or kind.

Lots of hostility out there. Lots of anger.

Best way of coming to balance is to just keep working. None of it matters except the story. Pubs die all the time, plenty of them because they deserve to, but a writer’s job is to write. Nothing else. A petty attitude is dangerous and self-destructive.

The editors apologized when the learned about the gaff. That was something, I guess.

No time to wallow in the mire...

Beat. Woke at 4:30 and couldn’t get back to sleep. Drifted in and out of sleep for the next two hours, then gave up and went to the gym. Short workout, but a good one. After, home for coffee and a shower.

Appointments all afternoon made any decent shot at productivity impossible. Got some revisions in, a little paperwork. Not much else. Called it quits at quarter to six, and came home.

Cold, rainy, overcast weather the past couple of days. Grass looks great. Hope to see some buds on the new ash trees in the front yard soon, or else declare them dead from last springs’ murderous hailstorm and start over.

Need to get a good jump on tomorrow. Dig into some old stories and try to get them back on their feet. 

Lost weekend...

Random happenings, a bit of worrisome news, and a handful of birthdays. What a weekend! Despite setbacks here and there, managed to accomplish a number of things. Lawn aerated, mowed, and edged. Story collection, “The Second Time Around,” out the door and into the hands of the editors of the 2015 Leapfrog Press Fiction contest. Revisions on the story formerly titled, “The Jesus Brand.”

Attended the Theatreworks prologue salon yesterday evening and was treated to the recital of a tall tale by Bill Lepp, five-time winner of the West Virginia Lying Contest. What a hoot.

Cold pizza for dinner (unintended, driver got lost) and turned in for an early bedtime.

 

Short on details...

Up early. Gym, home, office. Knocked out a couple of radio spots, left office, worked at home. Overcast day. Cool, too. Same for the rest of the week, they say. Hope to get in some writing time tomorrow, maybe finish a new draft.

In and out of time...

4:14 pm. Warming up with a cup of tea. Busy morning finishing a new project, then home for other work. Temps in the 60s today, a bit cool, but managed to get a brief walk and soak up what sun there was before the clouds moved in.

Way behind in my entries after four days on the road. Learned late Friday evening my story “Burn Scar” had been accepted by Kansas City Voices. A lit journal associated with Whispering Prairie Press. The piece was submitted blind, so it was one of those acceptances you appreciate on a different level.

Didn’t write a word while out of town, nor did I do any reading. Usually get antsy when that’s the case, but this time around felt refreshed. Listened to Steinbeck’s Arthur while driving, but having read Le Morte d’Arthur some ten or twelve years ago (and seen Monty Python’s Holy Grail one too many times) I was happy to make an end of it when I got back to the Springs.

Lord Jim has the hook in me now. Took a while to accustom myself to the tone of the narrative—along with the odd paragraph/dialogue breaks—but midway through, I’ve begun to appreciate the genius in it. Still maintain most lit journals, agents, and editors would want to pare it severely if it fell into their hands today.

Writing this earlier than usual in the hope I’ll find my way to the gym this evening and return home too exhausted to write.

Have a couple of radio spots to push out the door tomorrow morning, so need to be up early and get a jump on things. Late in the week looks promising for a return to the world of fiction. Crossing my fingers it turns out that way.

More comings and goings...

Downbeat day. But why? Big progress revising “The Jesus Brand,” and some solid research on the new healthcare project.

Looked into putting together a new collection of stories. Think I have enough material to enter a contest or two. Deadlines looming, however. Will need to push hard to make it happen.

Taking off for Albuquerque tomorrow. Spend a few days with the old folks. Been on the road a lot lately, but I don’t mind. The drive is worth it.

On the road again...

Up early Saturday. A little writing, a small birthday celebration for young J, then off to Santa Fe for a bit of shopping. Picked up a set of 100 year old doors, which we hope to make a gate of on the side yard. Quiet trip home on Sunday through Taos, San Luis, Fort Gardner, etc.

This morning, to the gym before seven, then off to the office to write a radio spot and take care of some housekeeping. Home by early afternoon. Long walk, short nap, and a bit of catching up on FB.

Heading for bed now, to read a little.   

Good Friday...

Progress! “A Convergence of Interests” is out the door. Also got a nice rejection from the folks at Sententia Books regarding “Occurrence at the Night Owl Liquor Store,” calling it “very accomplished.” Which is progress, too, in that most pubs—from what I’m able to gather—seem to view it as a vaguely racist piece of work, judging from the reception its gotten. So much for an honest exploration of one man’s misanthropic attitude toward vagrants and street people.

Doc appointment checked out in the plus column, and the rest of the day moved along nicely. Got in a long walk downtown—had a chance to listen to a bluegrass/jug band play a couple of numbers on the street corner—then walked home, took care of a few domestic matters, and headed to the office.

Enjoying the longer days and cool weather. Big birthday bash for J. tomorrow, and after that a quick jog to Santa Fe in search of old doors. Looking to spend the night there in a casita, and head back early on Sunday. Spaghetti tonight. And wine. Going to savor every minute. Try and act like a big boy and stay up past ten o’clock for a change.

Weather...or not...

Long day that got colder as it trudged toward afternoon. Spitting rain. Mountains wreathed in clouds. Wouldn't be surprised to see snow on the grass tomorrow.

Revisions on "Convergence" finished. Story goes out the door tomorrow. Early doc appointment. We'll have to wait to see what else the day brings.

Over and Under: the odds of success

Up early to do a bit of writing, then off to meet a new client. Home for a quick lunch. Mowed the lawn, hit the gym, then drove to the office to put a few more revisions in place.

Looking to push “A Convergence of Interests” out the door before the weekend. Other stories coming along, too.

 Read with skeptical interest a piece online two days ago. Part of the Kenyon review’s “Why We Chose it” series. The writer suggested, without buttressing the observation in any useful way, that the most difficult stories to write were those whose word count was over 2500 words but under 3500. I wonder if it occurred to her that those are the word limits to which most pubs adhere, and by extension, the stories she sees most often. I mean, if most of the pieces you publish come in at 3000 words, the law of averages says you’re going to run into a fair number of clinkers, right?

Why do I waste my time reading that sort of anecdotal nonsense? The only secret to better writing is hard work and study. Enough griping. Lord Jim is calling from my nightstand.

Out of control...

Out of the bed, to the keyboard this morning. Notes and revisions. Then off to the office. Came home to help with little things, then off to the gym. Need to make a quick trip to city hall in a bit and drop off my ballot. Stir fry tonight.

Late morning meeting tomorrow. Good to have a little more biz coming through the door. Haven’t made a decent entry in days, but hope to rectify that bit of business before the week is out. Weather is beautiful. Wish I could feel the same about my writing!

On point, on schedule...

Played the layabout this morning. Stayed in bed till almost nine. Had a couple of cups of coffee then went to work on a bit of research. Put in some small revisions on an old story, “A Convergence of Interests” just before noon, then went off to the gym for an hour or so. Beautiful, sunny day. Cool, but nice.

Spent the better part of the afternoon window shopping for things around the yard. Got in a little reading, too. A FB friend, Mark Krieger, suggested I look up Tennessee Williams short story, “ The Resemblance Between a Violin Case and a Coffin,” and I did, and was quite charmed by the piece. It had that southern nobility of language. The sort you know would never make it into three quarters of today’s lit journals.

Easter Sunday tomorrow. No big plans except to keep the cars where they are or risk losing a parking space within a mile of the house. That and get in some writing. Should have a few spare moments to work on manuscripts next week, but taking nothing for granted. Happy about the way the new schedule is working, though it still suffers from a few clinks. The morning workouts are good. Energizing. Now if the harebrained clients would only cooperate by keeping to their schedules.

Waiting on the weather...

Cool weather blowing in.

Got to the gym early. Come and go day with many, many distractions and very little writing. Stumbled across a copy of the Old Man and the Sea while running errands and managed to find the time to read the first forty pages. I remember now why it’s a book I’ve always returned to when my own writing seems to get mired. What a beautiful, simple, gently-told tale.

Missed the rain and snow the forecasts have threatened. Maybe it’ll come tonight. Looking forward to a little more moisture so the new growth in the lawn doesn’t die back.

Early spring blooms...

Good day. Up early to the gym, out early to the office. Made a few last revisions to “The Catch,” and mailed out mss to a few different pubs. Wish I’d been able to put the story into play much sooner, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. Anyway, it’s out. Which means I can put my eyes on other pieces.

Had a nice walk this afternoon. The neighborhood is starting to bud. I was told the forecast holds rain and snow toward the end of the week, so maybe I’ll fertilize and seed the lawn in advance of the moisture. Most of what was destroyed last spring has come back, although how long it lasts is dependent on the new trees, which were banged up in last spring’s big hailstorm. Fingers crossed, as always.

 

Critical mass...

Up a little later than usual. Greeted by a clear cool spring morning. Got some good writing in, then put on the glad rags and ventured off to the back yard to trim the vines and put the patio in order. Still a lot of cleanup to do, but it’s only March.

This evening, dropped in on the Theatreworks salon to listen to critics Ben Brantley, Matt Wolf, and Lisa Kennedy speak. Nice gathering. Enjoyed fish and chips and a good pale ale. Walked home, then fetched the keys and drove the truck to the shop for some minor repairs.