One thing I miss being able to buy is those toothpicks that were cinnamon flavored. I loved to use them when I was in school. They were fun and once you’re lips were numb from the heat of the cinnamon hots, you could roll it around in your mouth and refresh your breath somewhat. Came in handy if you were out of breath mints. I haven’t seen these in years.
The best news I could receive now is an acceptance of one of my novels out on submission. I’ve had four submissions out since the end of January. I think it’s already good news that I haven’t gotten the fast turn-around rejection so I’m hopeful. Or it could be that the four publishers are so jammed with submissions that they have just shoved me to the bottom of the pile. Guess I’ll find out sooner or later!
I recently sold another short story- this one is called Music Hall, Music Hell. It’s for an anthology called Happy Hell-o-Ween; Underworld Tours. I wrote it in a couple of hours (after getting up three times in the night to jot down notes) and then let it simmer in my head for the day. I edited it that evening and submitted it. In 18 minutes, I had an acceptance. The editor called it “a gem”- made my day.
It’ll be out in September, 2011, I believe as it is a Halloween Anthology. Check out the other books at the publisher’s website. I’ve got stories in several of them. I’m in Dear Valentine; Christmas in Outer Space; Free Range Fairy Tales; Halloween Dances with the Dead; and It Was a Dark and Stormy Halloween. There are some amazing writers there. http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/WhortleberryPress
I didn’t throw it away, I sold it. My father tried to warn me not to do it, but I was stubborn and did it anyway. He said I’d regret it. I do, to some extent, regret it until I think about how much money I would’ve spent on it over the last 26 years or so. Then I think about what I have now, and I’m content, but I do sometimes miss that old girl. She was unique and very, very cute.
What am I talking about? My three on the column 1975 Ford Granada that was painted a pale, almost silver, rose color. I was stylin’ in that baby!
I prefer fiction although I read both. I think I like the escapism that fiction provides. I have a high stress day job and fiction helps me relax after a day of dealing with other people’s problems. I do like non-fiction history books, biographies and the books I use for research for my own novels. I’m currently enraptured by books about the Queen Mary and books dealing with herbal medicine as they are useful for my current works in progress.
The most dangerous thing I’ve done for fun is skydiving. It was truly one of the most awesome experiences of my life. I absolutely had a blast. I would be so ready to go again!!
Right after I did it, the friend that I went with landed wrong and broke his pelvis. He was immobile for several months so I decided maybe that was a warning to the klutz in me that perhaps I shouldn’t get addicted to this particular sport. But, man, it was awesome – especially the free fall part!
PUBLISHING GOALS
I’m proud that my second novel (under my pseudonym) was published in February and that the third will be out in July this year. I’m also proud that I’ve also recently finished the first drafts on two mysteries.
I hope that two other novels I have out on submission get accepted and published soon. My other goal is to polish the two manuscripts I recently finished and submit them.
Ramblings of a Writer 