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December 31, 2007
2007 Year End Tally
As 2007 draws to a close, here is my year by the numbers.
# of deaths among my friends and family = 2
# of births = 1
# of engagements = 2
# of people added to my household = 2
# of square feet added to my house = 0
# subs sent = 36
# subs accepted = 6
(That a 16% accept rate, which isn’t bad.)
# stories published = 7
(compared with 5 in 2006, 4 in 2005, 3 in 2004, and 1 poem in 2003)
# of novels drafted = 1
# of novels edited, revised, proofed and sent to crit partners for critique = 1
# of novels almost completely neglected = 2
# of days at Disney World = 2
# of new jobs = 1
# of resignation letters = 1
# of blood pressure medications tried before finally getting one that works for me = 3
# of trips to my beloved hometown Washington, DC = 4
Happy New Year!
Posted by Selena at 04:15 PM | Comments (0)
December 29, 2007
Remembrances
I’ve been thinking a lot about the past. I guess that’s natural for this time of year.
What strikes me is how much my life has changed in the last twenty years. At this point, my life is barely recognizable compared to what it was back then. A few things are the same, but a lot of things aren’t. Much of my past, while not gone from my memory, has no discernable evidence in my current life. For instance, you can’t tell from my life right now that I used to wait tables and loved it, or that I studied computer programming in college and have programmed in Pascal, Fortran, and Assembly. There is no evidence of any of that in my here and now. That doesn’t mean it’s gone. It’s still part of who I am, even if it’s not readily apparent.
A couple songs came to mind as I thought about this:
1) “In the Air Tonight” by Phil Collins, which has this great line: “I remember, I remember, don’t worry.” As long as someone remembers, then the moment is never completely gone. And I remember, I remember a lot of things that aren’t apparent in my current everyday.
2) “Dead Man’s Hill” by the Indigo Girls, which has this wonderful chorus:
“Don't you write it down
Remember this in your head
Don't take a picture
Remember this in your heart
Don't leave a message
Talk to me face to face
Talk to me face to face”
Sometimes it is the really important things that we remember only in our hearts and minds.
If I look hard enough there are some remnants of “the old days.” I have a pink, men’s shirt in my closet that I got from the Salvation Army when I was about twenty years old. Every time I put it on, it reminds me of that time in my life. It makes me smile.
Thinking about the past also makes me wonder about the future. If my life has changed so much over the last twenty years, what will happen in the next twenty? Will my life two decades from now barely resemble my life now? Will I be living in L.A., starring in a sketch comedy show? Or in Arizona, doing whatever it is people do in Arizona? Or in some other outlandish situation that seems completely impossible right now? There is no telling.
Posted by Selena at 11:06 AM | Comments (2)
"Gather in the Growing Things" by Daniel Ausema
To close out our last issue as DKA, here is…
"Gather in the Growing Things"
by Daniel Ausema
Gather in the growing things, hoard as you can, unsure...
We hope to see you at MindFlights in January.
Posted by Selena at 07:31 AM | Comments (0)
December 22, 2007
Unique Christmas Story
Well, RevGalBlogPals and Eternal Echoes strike again. (See Blog Jewels post for the previous mention.)
I was reading RevGals and related posts tonight and came across a wonderful three-part story about Christmas from the point of view of some women who were there but on the periphery: Mary’s mother, Elizabeth, and the innkeeper’s wife.
It’s worth checking out. Go here for part 1.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
Posted by Selena at 09:02 PM | Comments (0)
"At The End of Time, When the World Was New" by Keanan Brand
Here is the final story of our last issue as Dragons, Knights, & Angels. (One poem is still waiting in the wings.)
"At The End of Time, When the World Was New"
by Keanan Brand
What might happen to a man who thinks he doesn't believe in God, but learns his anger only confirms his belief?
Posted by Selena at 08:09 AM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2007
DKA's December Print Edition Now Available!
The print edition for DKA's December issue is now available for sale through Lulu.com.
Just $6.49 (+ shipping)
This issue includes:
"Beginning Over" by C.K. Deatherage
"De Excidio: A Myth" by Matthew Smallwood
"Soul Light" by R. L. Copple
"Stigmata Errata" by Robert Borski
"A Gathering of Dragons" by Marge Simon
"At the End of Time, When the World Was New" by Keanan Brand
and "Gather in the Growing Things" by Daniel Ausema.
Enjoy!
Posted by Selena at 07:59 PM | Comments (0)
December 18, 2007
"A Gathering of Dragons" by Marge Simon
Today we have a poem that is particularly appropriate as DKA prepares to close publication and move to our new home at MindFlights. (Not that there is anything wrong with this location, just that we are moving.)
"A Gathering of Dragons"
by Marge Simon
An exodus of dragons.
Posted by Selena at 08:04 AM | Comments (0)
December 15, 2007
Blog Jewels
Last night I was too tired to work, but still had to be awake for the baby-watching, so I ended up surfing. I found some jewels and wanted to share them:
Grendel, The Misanthropic Dog: this blog is from the point of view of a dog. So sweet and entertaining.
That led me to this blog post from one of Grendel's friends, a dog named BlackStar. What a great story about an "incident!"
I also like to read RevGalBlogPals. Yesterday's "Friday Five" turned up all kinds of good responses at various member blogs. But this response from Eternal Echoes particularly got me:
Under the heading of "what makes you rejoice about Jesus' coming," this blogger wrote:
"That God should come amongst us in the form of a baby,
born to a poor family...
That God should choose vulnerability..."
Wow. Thinking of Jesus, the Son of God, as a vulnerable baby… And that he chose that as his way into the world… What does that tell us?
Wow. Just wow.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)
Posted by Selena at 10:31 PM | Comments (0)
"Stigmata Errata" by Robert Borski
This update is a poem. Enjoy!
"Stigmata Errata"
by Robert Borski
Counterfeits in Heaven?
Posted by Selena at 07:43 AM | Comments (0)
December 12, 2007
Quote of the Day
Today's quote is from a Star Trek Voyager episode:
"Survival is insufficient."
Posted by Selena at 06:16 PM | Comments (0)
Listening to…
"I Can Only Imagine" – both the version by Mercy Me and the one by Wynonna Judd. Actually I am also listening to the adapted Amy Grant version that is called just "Imagine."
The song gets to me every time, no matter which form it's in.
If there are still people out there who aren't familiar with this song, here is a sample of the lyrics:
---
I can only imagine
What it will be like
When I walk
By your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face
Is before me
I can only imagine
[Chorus:]
Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine
---
If you don't already have a copy of the song, I'll highly recommend it.
Posted by Selena at 02:24 PM | Comments (0)
Whew.
The last few days I've been proofing a book that DEP is getting ready to publish both in book form and as an online serial in MindFlights. I finally finished it today.
Whew. My eyes are tired.
Posted by Selena at 02:09 PM | Comments (0)
December 11, 2007
"Soul Light" by R. L. Copple
Welcome to New Poetry Tuesday. Here is the special of the day:
"Soul Light"
by R. L. Copple
The creation of a stars usually means the destruction of worlds and equally often, the birth of new ones.
Also, stop by the archives and check out Rick's previous work in DKA:
Black Hole Relationships – Honorable Mention, 2006 Poetry Contest
Dimensional Shifts
The Path of Least Resistance
Dragon Stew
Posted by Selena at 07:30 AM | Comments (0)
December 08, 2007
"De Excidio - A Myth" by Matthew Smallwood
Here is the first story of our December issue...
"De Excidio - A Myth"
by Matthew Smallwood
Malo had never wanted to be a saint, let alone a prophet or visionary. He was content to work for the Ponticate, splicing theology and chopping logic, copying old manuscripts for redaction and correction, stealing late hours to write his Universal History. He could make words serve him like God used the elements. Soon, he would replace the aging Father Jaruman, and lead the improbable mission on the Northern Alps. But the heretical Hidden Isles, whose holy texts he admired for their literary style and had helped to save, were the last place he would ever want to visit. One could tell they had gotten it all wrong from reading their Vitae. It was all a question of understanding the power of words.
Posted by Selena at 07:31 AM | Comments (0)
December 07, 2007
A "Yes" from The Courier
I just got an acceptance from a new market called The Courier.
They publish "mundane science fiction." (I admit it, I had to look up the term.) If you write such stuff, you might want to check them out.
The magazine's first issue is due in February, but the guidelines are available on their website now.
Posted by Selena at 10:24 PM | Comments (0)
Totally Likable Dell
Speaking of unlikable men, here is one for the likable men list: Dell from Private Practice.
Normally, young and blonde is not my type. But Dell is quickly becoming my favorite character on Private Practice. Dell distinguished himself in the episode where he brought Naomi cake day after day, and he told the other men the secret to dealing successfully with women: "Figure out what they want, then give it to them." (I'm not sure that is an exact quote since it's from memory.) Turns out, young Dell knows women.
Then in the most recent episode Dell confessed his feelings for Naomi to her ex-husband and then to her. Whoa! Dell's the underdog in the fight for Naomi's affections, but I'm pulling for him. Great moment when he told Naomi's ex-husband: "I guarantee you, I wouldn't make her cry." Add that to Dell's lessons on dealing with women. It sounds so simple, but in truth that and cake goes a long way. ;)
Also, the funniest part of this week's "Private Practice" was the lead in from the previous show, a Christmas special: "Santa's left behind a new Private Practice. (Heehee.) Of course, the EW.com recap had to remind us that "at the conclusion of the episode, Santa Rhimes went on strike." Bummer. I had forgotten about that.
Posted by Selena at 09:59 PM | Comments (0)
A Tale of Three Stories
I've been working on three short stories, two of which came out of the NaNo experience. Today I finished all three and sent them off.
That's when I realized that all three stories have protagonists who are unlikable men. I've read that writers should occasionally try to write from a perspective different than their own. I just hadn't realized I was doing so much of that lately.
What do you think that is about?!
Posted by Selena at 04:38 PM | Comments (0)
Back in Business
I finally got my Entourage back the way I like it, with all my email restored. Whew.
One of the first things I did was set up a recurring task to remind me to backup Entourage everyday. 'Cause I don't need to go through that ever again.
Posted by Selena at 04:33 PM | Comments (0)
December 05, 2007
Entourage Crashed AGAIN
My Entourage has lost its mind again. (Aargh! That always derails my day.)
Periodically I will start my computer, open Entourage and discover that it has developed amnesia and reverted to a brand-new, just-installed state. Yes, that means no email, notes, events, tasks, etc. Just nothing.
I always stare in disbelief for a few moments. Then try restarting my laptop like maybe it was all just a bad dream.
For a while I was in the habit of backing up Entourage everyday, just in case. But last time it was so easily restored – by switching identities – that I fell out of the habit. Unfortunately, it's not showing any additional identities this time, so switching won't fix it this time.
I do have a backup that is only about three weeks old, so that's not too bad. I just have to figure out if I can download only the last three weeks of email from gmail. There's got to be a way.
Sadly, I also haven't synched my pda in several days at least.
Grrr. Man, I hate it when technology fails. Even more when I know it is partly my fault for not backing up stuff like I know I should. I gotta learn to back up everyday.
So, let this be YOUR reminder: back up your files.
I hope you are having a better morning than I am.
Posted by Selena at 07:58 AM | Comments (0)
December 04, 2007
Post-NaNo Writing
Now that NaNo is done, I am getting back to other writing projects. I've been working on two short stories that came out of this year's NaNo. I think they are both very promising. I hope to finish editing and proofing them in the next few days, and send them off by the end of the week.
I am also continuing work on my first novel. My crit partners have been very helpful and provided great feedback, but I have to put all that to use by actually revising the book. Novel writing is a long process, but the more I work on this book the more I love it and the more I believe it will ultimately be successful.
One thing I learned doing NaNo is that if I write a lot and write everyday, then eventually the words and ideas will flow. Sometimes I am even surprised by what comes out on the page. It's a great feeling when I'm in the zone, really interested in a story, and just typing as fast as I can in an effort to keep up with the story as it unfolds. You can't buy that high. Seeking that feeling is one of the things that keeps me writing.
Posted by Selena at 10:45 PM | Comments (0)
"Beginning Over" by C.K. Deatherage
A poem to begin our December issue...
"Beginning Over"
by C.K. Deatherage
What happens after the Big Crunch?
Posted by Selena at 11:51 AM | Comments (0)