This is merely the official announcement of something that’s probably obvious. This blog will remain on hiatus for at least the rest of the year. Please visit again in 2010.

Today I have a post up at Adventures in Writing about having a room of one’s own to write in.

Live and learn, they say.

A couple of days ago I was organizing the files on my computer, deleting duplicates and anything else I thought was just taking up space. Yeah, well. A folder called Recent Changes (or something like that) was full of duplicates of files that I’d recently changed. All the files that are important to me are documents and pictures, and they are are stored in Documents or Pictures. Makes sense, see?

So who needs a folder full of duplicate files? I deleted them all, the entire folder, sent them all to the recycle bin, which I then emptied.

Did I say they were duplicates? You know what’s coming, right?

So. I opened my Pictures folder. Surprise! Empty except for some picture files and clip art that I used months ago for work and one profile pic. But it wasn’t the disaster it could have been, as my pictures are still on my camera, so nothing was really lost there.

So. I opened the Documents folder. Incomplete short stories I’d been working on, gone. Novel revisions, thankfully, still there.

I’ll fast-forward through the part where I panic.

In the end, I downloaded some free trial file-recovery software, and with it I was able to peep back through time and memory into the dark heart of my computer’s dead and lost files. Lots of stuff is still in there, but with weird file names (oh, like $GRTYP099). It took a long time to figure this out.

Live and learn.

As it turns out, only one story is truly, irretrievably lost, and that’s because I attempted to recreate the beginning of the story on my own and I saved my pathetic progress under the same file name as the deleted file, which was then overwritten. At least, I think that’s what happened. I may rewrite this story, but if I do, it will be different from the original. Then again, I may not.

Now the mystery that I still haven’t solved is this: Why were my files not saved where I put them - in Documents and Pictures? Why did deleting them from Recent Changes (or whatever) make them disappear from the other folders?

Some exciting news! My short story “Beanstalk” has been published in OG’s Speculative Fiction. This is my first time appearing in that magazine. You can read the current issue here.

Now, I know I haven’t posted here in a while. So, here’s what’s happened regarding my writing since my last post: I received a rejection from a professional market (sigh!) but it came with news that the story made the second round, and an invitation to submit again - which I haven’t done, as I don’t think I have anything suitable for that market.

I’ve been posting weekly over at Adventures in Writing. And I’ve been writing posts on another non-fiction blog dealing with a criminal case that has gotten my attention.

Also, on the non-writing side, I’m taking some online courses for my regular day job. I’ve been doing these on my own time, and yes, it’s time-consuming but important, and as a result my own fiction writing has been suffering a little lately. I’m not worried about it though, as I’ll be done with this course work soon.

I’ll be writing more regularly and posting here again soon, and also, I’ll be catching up on all the blogs I like to read.

I’m driving.

I don’t mean story ideas, really. I mean actual phrases, entire sentences, scraps of dialogue. Maybe it’s the boredom of the road, and being alone during my commute.

Anyway, I have no way of recording these things since I’m, umm, you know, driving. I’ve heard of at least one writer who makes audio recordings of her voice while driving, but I don’t see myself doing this, ever. It would be too distracting, I feel. So I just make a mental note to remember, and in the end I remember making the mental note, but forget the acutal words. I shudder to think how much good material has been wasted like this.

So what about you? When do your best ideas come to you?

Adventures in Writing

A new multi-author blog dealing with various aspects of writing, which I feel honored to have been invited to take part in.

Douglas L. Perry has his first post up there now, and you can expect to see introductory posts from each of the blog’s authors over the coming week. Discussions on the writing life will start up in earnest shortly thereafter. You’ll find interesting and varied topics every day, as we have an interesting and varied cast of writers. It’s going to be a real adventure!

Yep, I have them - compounded today with the Sunday blues! I’m in survival mode now: first survive January, then survive February, then survive March, and so it goes for every me, every year.

Anyway, I thought I should post an update on my writing, even if it’s just a record for my future self to read on some warm spring day. And I thought I should put in place some deadlines for myself, in order to insure that I complete these projects. No, I don’t really think fake deadlines are any more effective than the other tricks I play on myself, like making my alarm clock run 15 minutes ahead, or hiding away fifty dollars for when I need it, while pretending I don’t know I have it. But maybe posting my fake deadlines here in an open forum will bring the full force of public shame upon my head if I fail to meet stated deadlines. So with that bright hope, here goes:

Beamstar - That’s my sf novel about killer satellites. I completed the draft months ago, and for writing it by the seat of my pants, I was happy with the way it turned out. But it needs revision (aka, lots of rewriting) and I am not doing it, not now. The deadline here is a bit hazy: 2009.

Short stories – I’m working simultaneously on two, which is something I usually don’t do. They’re both fantasy, though one has sf elements. Deadline: the end of January for both.

And… drumroll… 

A new novel! Yes, that’s right! I don’t really  have a title that I like yet (I keep trying out titles, then rejecting them), but it is a fantasy. I’m using the snowflake method to develop the story. I first heard about this last summer from Mary Garcia and I’ve wanted to try it ever since. I’m on Step-5 right now, and it’s going very well so far. My goal here is to complete up to Step-9 by the end of January (though I’m not sure about using spreadsheets) and then to begin writing in February, sticking to a strict word-quota plan. Once the actual writing begins, I will publicly state my deadline for completion of the first draft.

So that’s it. Please feel free to heap scorn upon me if I fail to meet my made-up deadlines.

Somewhere around here, I have a copy of the crazy-optimistic No Plot, No Problem, and I thumb through it with lots of envy. Yes, I do know this novel-in-a-month scheme works wonders for others, but I won’t do it. Actually, for me, I think at most it might produce a bare-bones plot that could be reworked into a novel later (a.k.a., a draft). Maybe it might be inspiring. Maybe it might be fun. At the very least it would provide lots of plotting practice. But I won’t do it.

And maybe you’re wondering - what’s the real reason why not?

Short answer: I value my sanity, and I wish to keep peace in my house.

Long answer (read at your own risk): Here is what would happen if I wrote every day as though writing were my highest (and only) priority. My husband would start by being sullen and skeptical – this would progress to sarcasm, then to open warfare, with both of us refusing to do dishes, laundry, meals, etc. My daughters would complain and judge (because they’re old enough for this) and I would have to tell them to stuff a sock in it. My son would tug on my arm and cry (because he’s young), and I would do my best to ignore him. Can’t you see I’m busy, I would say. Will somebody please take care of him, I would say. Then: the cycle would get more vicious. Other family members would get an earful (not from me!) and by Thanksgiving, they’d all get up on their high horses and gang up on me. All stiff-lipped and disapproving. And I would be the petulant child, whining about my unfulfilled dreams over cranberries and sweet potatoes.

So now you know: November’s not a good month for this kind of baloney. June would be better. Or maybe when I’m 60.

But I’m a little (more than a little!) jealous of all of you out there who are making it work right now.

Keep up the good work!

This is just a post to say that I haven’t had time for blogging lately, and this will likely continue for another week or so. I will be back to posting regularly and visiting my favorite blogs as soon as other projects/responsibilities are taken care of. Also, I will begin revising my novel on October 4.

My short story with the deadline of yesterday? Not done.

Word count as of this second? 3290 with maybe 1000 to go.

Excuses? Many: Fourth of July last Friday, graduation party Sunday at my house with lots of prep and then all the cleaning up, new front door and sidelights being installed today (which looks really nice and which I hope will help with heating costs this winter).

New deadline for this story? Tomorrow.

Sure thing? Alas, no.