NaNoWriMo, Six Days In

I fear I gave the wrong impression last week. Seeing David Sedaris in person DID make me contemplate writing irreverent pieces about family, but I have been ramping up for NaNoWriMo for far too long with a fiction plan to simply give it up.

The short story collection is off in the hands of a few first readers. I don't expect to look at it again until after the first of the year.

For NaNoWriMo, I am re-tackling a story tentatively titled Lost Girl of Birch Fall. This will be the third forth full draft of this story (assuming I get it finished... which I will, I will!) The story line has undergone quite a significant transformation between drafts three and four, though the protagonist remains very much the person I have envisioned her to be from the start. This is the novel I have written as a mystery, but thanks to a workshop at the Kansas Authors Club convention in October, I have decided it might be better presented as suspense. In my mind, changing from mystery to suspense novel was going to "fix" all of the difficulties I was having with this story. However, 10,000 words in, it is still feeling very much like a mystery. An improved mystery, but still a mystery. We shall see. It's amazing how clear it can all seem in your head, but when the words are committed to paper, they don't always say what you think they will say.

An Evening With David Sedaris; October 30, Stiefel Theater, Salina, KS

The next time David Sedaris comes to Kansas, I think I will invite him to dinner. I’ll have to clean my house, of course, give it that extra little sparkle befitting a celebrity. It may actually require that I follow through on a few of those upgrades. Not that I think Sedaris would feel himself too good to come to dinner in my built-circa 1902 abode/not in the quaint vintage, historical site-worthy sense. I just wouldn’t want any soft spots in the kitchen floor where a petite author like Sedaris might actually disappear!

Though I didn’t exactly mind sharing Sedaris with an audience of 1,000, and I rather enjoyed sharing him with my dear hubby and a few of my closest friends, it was hard to stop thinking of him as just another person in my life whose stories I collect. Perhaps because he is an author who records his own work, and I heavily favor Sedaris when I am looking for audio book material, I forget, I suppose, that he has not actually been my co-pilot on dozens of road trips across Kansas and beyond.

I had to remind myself that Sedaris has legions of fans who devour every word he has written, though I half-imagined myself special enough that he might look up and say, “Hey, Tracy, how have you been?” While we were waiting, the lady in line behind me informed me that David Sedaris had saved her life. I had to admit that my connection wasn’t quite that deep.

I wore my “I love Emporia” shirt to the event, and Sedaris did ask what Emporia was, so maybe he would welcome an invite to a fresh and local market meal at my house. I explained that Emporia was the center of the universe, of course, though I don't think he really got it. I wanted to tell him so much more, but it was time for him to address his audience.

When I invite David Sedaris to dinner, the next time he comes to Kansas, I’ll make sure there is time to show him a few of the cool things about my town and more. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an urge to write some irreverent stories about my family. 

My daughter, Evie, who is also a Sedaris fan, should have been my partner in crime at this event. Alas, she is off gallivanting in Ireland as a study-abroad student, but Sedaris was kind enough to sign a book for my daughter, too. 

Short Story Collection: Mrs. J's 9th Grade English Class

How about this dot matrix print job! 

The photo is of the original document, 

typed by my teacher, and printed on 

fan-fold paper with tractor holes. 

We didn't learn typing until the 10th grade!

 I have the original, hand-written story, as well.

My deadline for getting my short story collection to my first readers is quickly approaching. I have 14 complete stories, plus three that I feel are very nearly there. I am looking forward to participating in NaNoWriMo this year, and that has been incentive enough to keep me focused on the collection.

I am contemplating the story in the above photo as my final entry in the collection. I wrote it 32 years ago in my 9th grade English class. It is not the most original story, and I am not going to even claim that it is a particularly good story, but I have friends who still say they remember reading it. Honestly, I think they remember visiting my house and being a little bit spooked by our big red barn. And if they weren't afraid before they read the story, they certainly were after.

I wasn't scared, of course. I was never, ever scared of that barn.

The idea of ending the collection with this story is very satisfying to me, and perhaps a bit fun for the readers, too.

Coming next to a bookshelf near you!

Can you believe it? It's not the mystery I was working on. It's not the novel I worked prior to that. It's not the sometimes-promised sequel (or companion story) to Tiger Hunting. It is a collection of my short stories and it is near-enough complete that I will be sending it to beta readers by the first of November, with plans to publish it early in 2017. I have a lot to work on still... like order... a cover... and a title...

I watched a book promotion video this week that said Indie authors should talk more about their works-in-progress! So this is me, talking about what I expect to be publishing next.

If this book comes together as I expect, it will contain at least 14 of my short stories. Some of them have been published and/or won awards. Some of them will be printed here for the very first time. I am considering the inclusion of a piece from my 9th grade English class. If it makes the cut, I will be able to truthfully say that this book took me 32 years to write!

Imagine - 2016 Kansas Authors Club Convention in Lawrence, Kansas

Home from a weekend with my writing tribe and family -- grasping for a way to bottle up this energy and store it for later days. At this moment, I imagine myself coasting on this energy through the completion of the next several projects I have on the table.

Just a few my take-homes (posted mostly for me to return to and savor on another day):

Performance Art -- The convention featured several examples of poetry as performance. We had some really awesome entertainment. I've gotten much more comfortable as a speaker and presenter over the years, but I am a little surprised at how much this performance aspect appeals to me. I may have to devote a teeny tiny bit of my time to writing poetry and then a teeny tiny bit more time adding a bit more performance to my presentation.

Barry Barnes was a stellar performer. He looked like he was
having fun doing it, as well.

River Cow Orchestra -- the improvisational nature of this performance absolutely fascinates me. As writers, we are taught to write, write, edit and rewrite. This group would listen to a poet, and on the second read, start playing. It was entirely unscripted. The results were delightful.

And the award for best workshop... actually, I don't think there could be an award for best workshop. We had a good variety this year and all were high quality. Darcy Leech, however, is the one presenter where I honestly could have sat for another hour or two just soaking up her story. It was one of the most engaging and useful workshops about marketing that I have been to in quite some time. I'd like to be a mouse in her pocket for a few days. I look forward to studying her website -- and reading her book!

Darcy Leech was one of the 2016 KAC Convention Workshop Presenters.

My good friends, Mike Graves and Wendy Devilbiss were the contest managers this year. It has been a delight to meet with them and work with them on this project over the past year. They did a wonderful job of presenting the awards, as well. And it was so much fun to see so many of my friends have their work acknowledged in the contest. (Full disclosure -- I entered one poem and one prose piece this year -- no winners!)

Wendy Devilbiss - Poetry Manager, Roy J. Beckemery - Poet of the Year, Reaona Hemmingway - Prose Writer of the Year, Mike Graves, Prose Contest Manager. Well deserved awards to our writers of the year. It was good to see these two honored.

That message intended just for me... In 15 years as a member of KAC, I believe I have attended 13 conventions. Each year, I have come to expect that at some point during the convention, I will encounter that message that was "just for me." Sometimes it is something in the keynote speech, and sometimes it is something discovered in a workshop. Sometimes it is something found in conversation with another writer at the event. There's always this moment when I think to myself, "THIS is what I came for this year. This is the nugget I've been needing to hear."

This year it happened on Sunday morning. Ann Fell (2x Coffin Award Winner -- Sundrop Sonata in 2016) talked about the process of writing her suspense novel. Her first task was to distinguish the difference between a mystery and a suspense. Ta-da! Bells are ringing. I've been calling my most recent work-in-progress a mystery. Quite clearly, it is a suspense story. I look forward to getting back to it now. In a one-hour presentation, Ann's words opened up for me the problem I was having in completing this novel.

Ann Fell is the author of In the Shadow of the Wind, the 2015 Coffin Memorial Book Award, and Sundrop Sonata, the 2016 Coffin Memorial Book Award. 

Last, but certainly not least, I was thrilled and delighted that two books near and dear to my heart were awarded the first ever "Looks Like a Million" Book Design Award. To Leave a Shadow, by Michael D. Graves, was the winner. MoonStain, poetry by Ronda Miller, received an honorable mention. Both are books I produced as editor and publisher through my very own press, Meadowlark Books. I was also recognized for 15 years of membership in Kansas Authors Club and honored with a service award (Thank for the nomination, Gloria Zachgo!)

Muse Chasers Walk Across Kansas

My writing gang is growing and taking on new challenges. This month, six of us have banded together to form Muse Chasers, a team for Walk Kansas, a K-State Research and Extension Health Initiative. We mostly walk on our own, but have added a short walk together (for as many as can make it -- me, that's about half the time) prior to our usual Monday meeting write-in routine. Last Saturday--that's two Saturdays now as it has taken me just that long to get from draft to publish--three of us started the day at the Tallgrass Preserve for a little hiking.

Writing is often thought of as a solitary activity, and much of the time I suppose that is the case. Maybe writers don't suffer from loneliness because there is simply so much going on all the time inside their heads. For me, walking has often been the first step to very satisfying writing. A really good walk, in fact, often ends in hours and hours of time at the keyboard. This happened the day we hiked at Tallgrass--hours and hours... though nothing was completed because the current work-in-progress has several weekends of hiking/writing to go. In a perfect world, when the fingertips slow, the body goes on a walk again to refuel.

I have learned that walking with other writers is fun, too. When one shares a story, the others are often quick to point out that it's one that should be written down. And writers never seem to tire of talking about books... those we've read, and those we would like to read, as well as those we'd like to see written so that we can read them, and those we'd like to write just because...

How many muses have been caught? It's hard to tell. For each one I catch hold of, there's another one or two that manage to evade my grasp. Our team has made it about 3/4 the way across the state with 4 weeks left to go. Seems like pretty good progress for a group so easily distracted by the sparklies we pick up (both real and imagined) along the trail...

Hazel, Michelle and I hit the trail at Tallgrass Preserve. What do writers talk about as they hike? Books, of course.

Hibity Hibity: An interview with me!

From a birthday greeting on Facebook from an old friend (my second mother) ... hbty, hbty... I immediately read "hibity hibity" and I liked the way it rolled off my tongue. Hibity is a happy word. It's a new word (to me) and I'm keeping it.

My 2nd birthday, a few years ago, and the family dog, Poochie.

Today I celebrate 45 years on this planet with a little sleeping in, a lot of chocolate, and a nap! Inspired by my writing friend, Nancy, I have settled on an interview with myself for my 45th birthday.

Q: Are birthdays important to you?
A: Not the actual day so much; certainly not the way it used to be. As I've written elsewhere this year, I tend to kind of roll my age forward with the year these days. I've been thinking of myself as 45 since the beginning of 2015. I do enjoy giving myself a day of pure leisure, though I try to make that happen a time or two a month year round! A birthday is a good excuse to be spoiled a little. I took the time to respond to every single note I received on FB today. It was awesome to think about the web of connections I have after 45 years on this planet. I am proud to be the age I am. I have never been a 20-something, 30-something woman. Every year is a badge. I wear it proudly. I will not waste time mourning the years that are behind me.

Q: What is the best thing about getting older?
A: Growing confidence. With each year, I am less concerned about fitting someone else's image of what a writer should be, what a woman should be, what a mother should be... and more willing to simply embrace and BE what I want to be, moment by moment. I don't look for a prescription anymore. I don't need someone to tell me how to walk the path. I am simply walking it. Taking my steps and choosing the way I want to go, even if it means backing up, turning around, skipping over or finding my way around an obstacle or two.

Q: If you had one thing to do differently in your life, what would it be?
A: This always feels like one of those really dangerous questions. Sure, I have ideas (what about all that free time I had pre-kids... why didn't I finish a book or two then?) but what it always boils down to is this... I love where my life is at right now. The problem with doing any part of it over is that I might change the course that got me here. And while it might be another acceptable place I get to, I don't really have any desire to give up this place, so I guess I'll leave the past as it was, embarrassing moments, wasted time, and all.

Q: Okay, but if you were to pass on some writing advice to your past self, what would you say?
A: Stop worrying about it; just write it. Have fun with words. Say what you want to say. Don't be shy. Get your stuff out there and write, write, write some more.

Q: If you could save time in a bottle, what would you spend it on?
A: My family. No contest. I fill a lot of hours of my day. I probably work too many jobs, juggle too many balls. But nothing -- no money, no book, no completed essay -- is worth the price of time with my family. I have raised three very busy and involved people, and I will drop everything/anything, just to spend a bit more time with any one of them. Hubby, too!

Q: And how about your future self? What would you expect her to say, looking back on you today?
A: I would expect her to admit that the second 45 years went a little quicker than the first. That seems to be the trend, anyway. Each year passes a little more quickly. I hope she says that I learned to be a little more selfish and less giving... but in a positive way. That I learned to guard my time and keep it mine, still willing to share, but perhaps narrowing the focus of what I am available to do for others. I hope she says that I finally learned to never commit to projects I later resented (maybe I am already there?) and that I was bolder in my second 45 years, and more experimental in my creative endeavors. Above all, I expect her to say, "No regrets." Life is too short for regrets.