This Ain't No Rodeo

My kind of mail!! This came in yesterday's mail. My story, "Bullheaded", is in print. You can get your copy of This Ain't No Rodeo, a collection of bullriding stories, now at Amazon.

Networking Junkie

It's official. I'm a networking junkie. I'm thinking that should be my tag line for my speaking profile. The one I still need to write... I'm in about 8 LinkedIn groups alone. That's in addition to the Yahoo groups, Face Book, My Space and a number of published author online groups. And Broad Universe. I've probably missed ten or so, still.

I've cut way back on volunteering, but the networking is now getting extreme. But I love it! I enjoy meeting people and sharing ideas and tips.

This Ain't No Rodeo is now available. My story, "Bullheaded" is in its pages. 75 percent of the proceeds go towards the Resistol Relief Fund for injured bull riders and their families.

Two story rejections arrived in the last two weeks. I should be getting an acceptance soon, then right?

I finished Lord Tophet by Gregory Frost and have started on the review. It will be at Mostly Fiction eventually. Meantime, I'll just say - AWESOME! Can he ever weave a story within a story and turn a world inside out -- or in this case -- upside down. :)

Literary Cereal - that's right cereal, not serial

Snap, Crackle, Pop!!! Saturday, "Your Smiling Face" went up at Every Day Fiction. Yesterday, my funny, short SF story, "Jolaneering" went up at Nanobison AND (Pop!) I sold "Bullheaded" to an anthology. It was the bull riding story I've been working on throughout the summer that was due last weekend. Very exciting to have so much happen at once. Now, it's time again for those SSIAWs (Short Story in a Week challenges) over at OWWW (Other Worlds Writers Workshop). Do I or don't I? Perhaps I'll just do two, although I should really be concentrating on the sequel to Awesome Lavratt.

I made a discovery over Labor Day weekend. I've been job hunting since June. I've figured out why it's so darned depressing, aside from the rejection. We work hard to convince ourselves and sometimes actually know that what other people think doesn't matter. We learn that our worth doesn't need to be validated by others. (If you haven't even considered this concept, run, don't walk to an al-anon meeting or get yourself a book on co-dependence or self worth.) Anyhow, then we job hunt and it's ALL about what others think of you. Suddenly we have to quantify our worth and sell ourselves. Every time I see the "must have ______ degree" or "must have ________ experience with ________ systems", which I don't, I feel inadequate. A call for an interview and I'm doing mini victory dance--until I get the mail and the Dear John/Jane letter is staring me in the face, mocking me.

There's a gem of a job out there somewhere--one that is perfectly suited to my talents and abilities. I just wish I could find it sooner rather than later, so I can get off of this emotional rollercoaster of job hunting.

Writer's Conferences

Get thee hence, people with suggestions for interesting workshops and topics for a writer's conference...My fellow RWC (Redwood Writers Club)writer, Linda McCabe, is looking for ideas for a one day RWC conference. There are already 15 responses. Add yours now.

My bull riding story is really taking shape. Quite a departure from my usual alien stories. It's for a contest that benefits the Resistol Relief Fund for bull riders. It's doubling as a way to flesh out a character, who happens to be a bull rider, in my mainstream novel. Did I mention how much I love bull riding? Best 8 seconds in sports!

I have three more signings and/or appearances this month and two more the following month. I'm looking forward to all of them. Meantime, I'm job hunting... And, of course, all the good writing jobs are taken. I'll wind up in an office again. I'm looking into temping. That wouldn't be so bad. I like to go in and organize an office and move on. My husband calls it my Mary Poppins routine. :)

Now would be a good time to scale back on the volunteer positions. How do I always manage to do this to myself? It's a simple little two letter word. One of the first I ever learned. Why can't I use it more? NO!