And it's off...

My novella for Ellora's Cave, that is. (It was going to be for the Ellora's Cavemen anthology but by the time I gave it, oh, a setting, it was a bit too long for that.) Many thanks to Dayle and Janet for critting and to Dayle for giving it a good title, Lady Sun Has Risen, as opposed to the this-space-for-rent title I'd given it.

Next major project, in between bouts of editing, will be plowing through Making Master Right. Okay, so I haven't gotten the "call" on it yet. I still want it done! I have a few short story anthologies that are tempting me as well.

And poetry. Fall is poetry season.

Gods, I miss writing when I get so immersed in "need-it-now" freelance editing that I don't get to it for a while. The actual new word count on the EC anthology is fairly wee, but I did a lot of honing and fine-tuning and it felt amazing to be back in the saddle. Sadly, I still have editing to do, but the money will be wonderful when I get it!

In other news, Caught Looking:Erotic Tales of Voyeurs and Exhibitionists is out. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1573442569/ref=cm_arms_pdp_dp/104-6489436-8415143?ie=UTF8 I have a story in it (heavy, heavy d/s elements, so be warned) and so does Sophie (light, fun lesbians-at-play adventure).

And one of my favorite bondage stories will be coming soon to an Alison Tyler anthology near you. Nothing like seeing an acceptance note pop into the in-box as I'm gulping down that last bit of coffee before heading out to the brain-rotting part-time day job to make the day a bit brighter.

Don't forget the reading on 10/17 at Good Vibrations in Boston. Lesbian erotica by me and 7 other great local writers--just what the doctor ordered for a cold fall night!

(My, I'm rambling tonight. But it's almost 10 PM. I did bookkeeping all day and then finished a novella--and wrote the dreaded synopsis. I think I'm entitled to wander a bit. Perhaps, though< I won't try to squeeze in a bit of editing before I keel over.)

Three more short stories--two of mine, one Sophie Mouette--have been accepted in the past two days. Details will be posted closer to release date, as the anthologies are still many months away from seeing print. The two in one day (Dayle has a solo story in the same anthology, BTW) was particularly needed as it came on a day when I was feeling mentally exhausted, burned out, and discouraged. (It happens in this business. Publication doesn't make those days go away permanently. Good reviews don't. I bet Nora Roberts has 'em too. Of course, if she does get the writer's blues, she writes through them, which is why she's so prolific and some of us...aren't.)

I wish I could report that I've made great writing progress, but it hasn't been. Instead, I've made reasonably great progress toward stabilizing our finances, between various editing jobs and a new part-time data entry position. Having money is a Very Good Thing--in fact a critical thing--but I need to get into the rhythm of writing for at least a little while when the paid work's done. (The writing is paid work too, of course, but in the much longer term, and will not, oh, pay the mortgage.) I also spent some time being sick, which has slowed down the word count.

Yes, I'm grousing, and I really shouldn't be. I could have written tonight, for instance, but opted not to. Sometimes my brain gets tired of words and needs to recharge. Fortunately, I have a weekend planned that should recharge me: splitting and stacking wood, in the company of friends, and then a few days in Maine.

Progress

Some days it feels glacial, but progress is happening.

Making Master Right got rejected from Black Lace. (Adam liked it, but felt it was kinkier than the line was looking for right now.) Undaunted...well, only slightly daunted... I sent the partial to Berkley HEAT and a query to Avon Red.

After a much needed reality check from Dayle ("Uh, honey? Those first ten pages or so? Nothing actually happens.") and much gnashing of teeth, I got the Controlled Burn partial off. I'm still not sure about this book. Some days I utterly believe in my funky women's fiction/romantic suspense fusion. Others I'm not so sure. One thing I am sure of is that it'll need an even more thorough overhaul from its draft from than I'd originally thought.

The new Sophie collaboration is underway, although I haven't gotten as far with it as I'd have liked for various reasons (including splitting headache, computer glitches, Real Life Intervening, and the need to wrap up a few other projects, such as the CB proposal). I'll see how much I can do tonight, although... how the heck did it get to be 9:45?

I've been sitting on the Ellora's Cave story for a few days, since I had a little more time than I thought, pondering questions of setting and the need to rewrite the opening. It's possible that if I enrich the setting, it will let me know it wants to turn into a longer work, and I'm okay with that.

Two short stories have been accepted in the past few days, one at www.goodvibes.com, the other for an anthology called Lust: Erotic Fantasies for Women. I'll let folks know when they're actually available.