So! It’s been a busy few weeks! Work’s been picking up, but I think (I *hope*) I’m settling into the new, faster pace. Apex has been pretty busy too, what with opening back up for submissions, marketing Gene O’Neill’s new collection of short dark fiction TASTE OF TENDERLOIN, and with Apex becoming SFWA certified! YAY! GO APEX! Now, officially, if you sell something to us, it will count toward your SFWA membership (and Pro status! ^_-). It’s quite exciting, I must say! Even as just a humble submissions editor. Congrats to Apex! ^_^
Meanwhile on the home front, I’ve been trying to write more, paint more, and keep the house clean, besides making sure to make good, relatively healthy meals to eat. Went to see Food, Inc. last weekend, and boy, does it make you want to cook your own food and know your own personal poultry farmers! ^_^ Some of the info in the film I already knew, either from my mother who seems very food/health-forward, or from relatives in the farming industry, but it’s always eye-opening seeing video of it. And–as always noted–it is a documentary, which if I learned nothing else in college, I learned that there is no such thing as an objective documentary. They’re all biased–but that’s not a bad thing. Most documentaries are *trying* to convince you of some truth, and therefore, their opinion does shade their portrayal of the facts, even if only by how they select to edit the film.
Someday, I think I’d like to have a micro-bakery/micro-brewery. I’ve been thinking that a lot lately, but it’s sticking in my head. Ah! Too many hobbies, too many interests! ^_^ Plus, watching Kiki’s Delivery Service just kind of emphasizes the bakery side. haha
Writing Stuff:
Naturally, because it’s been so busy, I feel like writing has been taking the hit more lately, though I have made some meager process on July’s TO DO List (which I’ve itemized this time):
– Edit “Dystopic SF”
– Submit “Dystopic SF”
X Write Chapter 4 of UNTITLED NOVEL
– Write Chapter 5 of UNTITLED NOVEL
– Write Chapter 6 of UNTITLED NOVEL
– Write Chapter 7 of UNTITLED NOVEL
– Write Chapter 8 of UNTITLED NOVEL
– Write Chapter 9 of UNTITLED NOVEL
– Write Chapter 10 of UNTITLED NOVEL
X Resubmit “Mimicry”
X Post Thief Dilemma – Chapter 17
I think I may have been a *little* overzealous in my hopes for the UNTITLED NOVEL, but I’m going to see what I can do about making more time. Plus, I’ve got Write Nite with Sadie tomorrow, so hopefully I’ll be able to get some serious work done. And the “Edit Dystopic” is a little deceiving, considering that I’ve actually been working on that a good deal, but the edit isn’t precisely “finished” yet, so it doesn’t count. But then, submitting it won’t take much time, once it’s ready to go. Planning to get some hard-core work done on that this weekend.
On the plus side, I DID get Chapter 17 out as planned, and its reception has been good so far! Hooray! A pretty dark, intense chapter for some, but hopefully things will start getting (a little) lighter soon.
More time! I need to make more time. Maybe if I can get really disciplined, I can do what Nate Kenyon does and write from 9PM to 11PM or something… One hour at lunch simply isn’t enough to get everything done! And if I can then sleep in a little more in the morning, I should feel okay rest-wise. We’ll see…
Maggie Slater 