Writing, Life, and other Risks

Cover image by Jim Linwood

It is easier for me to decide in retrospect which “theme” a year embodied.  For example, 2013 was “The Year of the Move.”  What with Life being Life, I am not sure if it is really possible to assign a theme to a year that is still in progress.  Don’t get me wrong, that doesn’t mean that I don’t start out each year with goals and lofty ambitions—because I do.  I really, really do.  I really want 2014 to be “The Year of Good Writing.”  Or maybe “The Year My Writing Takes Off.”  Or “The Year of Much Publication.”  I guess only time will tell.

Despite the need for large amounts of Kleenex and decongestant, January seems to be boding well for All Things Writing.

My short story “A Sort of Homecoming” is in Spark: A Literary Anthology, Vol. IV, which is out this month.  You can order a copy here, if you are interested.  I am in the company of a lot of talented writers, and I am a little nervous to be included among them in case someone realizes that they made a dreadful mistake and didn’t mean for me to be lumped among them.

I also have another short story available on Amazon entitled “Counting Crows” (which is in no way associated with the band, although I do love their stuff and make it a point to listen to “Long December” as each year wraps up.  I always lament the fact that I never thought to use the phrase “the smell of hospitals in winter,” since it is so incredibly evocative and makes me shudder a bit each time I hear it).  My story is only 99 cents, so if you have a little time to kill and a dollar that is burning a hole in your pocket, you should go download it.  And, when you are done, perhaps you could take a minute to review it, if you have time.  Reviews are so important to authors.  Partly, because we really like to hear what people think, and partly because other readers like to know what they are getting themselves into before they buy it.

cover image by Chris Metcalf

Also, if you have not already read my short story “The Collector,” it will be available for FREE this January 10-12^th (Friday through Sunday).  It is a creepy little story, and it is the first in a collection of other creepy stories.  You can read more about the stories here, and download your free copy here.  If you have already read it, maybe you could let your other like-minded reading friends and acquaintances know about it, just in case they need to add to their collection of stories waiting to be read on their Kindle.

I also found out about a really nifty tool on Amazon Studios called Storybuilder.  It lets writers create notecards/story boards.  It is free, and it is fun to use, and it has enabled me to work out the flow of the next story after “The Collector.”  I hope to the story completed soon, but I am currently getting sidetracked getting another collection of stories, all a bit dark in nature, ready for Amazon.  I hope to have it available in February.

In the meantime, I will make another hot toddy, pick up more Kleenex, and try not to make too many plans–life has a funny way of upending them when I do.  Best not to risk it.