The Writing Life

Contest!

2008-07-16T11:11:58Z

Win a copy of my story!

Visit my other blog between today and July 31st and post a comment to enter the drawing for a PDF of my novella. One winner, random drawing, no purchase necessary.

The Brightest Heaven
(Book II of The Song of the Muses Anthology)

Read an Exerpt

Watch the Trailer

Or Get it Now!

In other news, after being computerless for four days, I have my baby back! Upgraded to a new motherboard, with a shiny new video card, I'm happy!

But... Ah, there's always a but... Somehow I didn't connect the sound... and there's the Internet issue with the (also brand new) Ubuntu Linux setup on Daughter #2's machine.

New toys. New stuff to learn.

It's out!

2008-07-12T12:02:21Z

My first published story!

The Brightest Heaven
(Book II of The Song of the Muses Anthology)

Read an Exerpt

Watch the Trailer

Urania, muse of Astronomy, is disconsolate: technology flourishes, but true creativity seems lost. Then she meets Daniel Kettering, an astrophysicist who shines with inspiration. But he's about to make a discovery which will threaten time, space, and every existing world.

The Olympians order Urania to carry an ultimatum for Daniel: forget your research and get eternal life. Or else. But first, Urania and Daniel have to figure out who stole Daniel's research, save the universe, and defeat Chaos. And maybe find happiness.

Get it Now!

A blog about... Me!

2008-07-05T18:56:03Z

Andrea Snider interviews me on the occasion of the upcoming publication of The Brightest Heaven.

Write Life of Andrea & Corrina

Interview w/Song of the Muses author, Masha Holl

WOW vs. FF -- and what does gaming have to do with writing books?

2008-06-22T13:52:22Z

As it turns out, more than I thought. And inspiration and revelations come at the strangest moments in the oddest places. Just to show you that you have to keep your eyes open, you ears ready, and your mind flexible.

It was at the bank. A casual exchange with a slightly stuttering teller, on the occasion of my daughter's birthday. As it turns out, he likes video games, I like video games, and we both speak computer. We came to the quick conclusion that the main reason we preferred console-based games like Final Fantasy to online games like World of Warcraft is that we liked story-based games where we discover a plot, a motivation, and a resolution rather than fantasy worlds consisting of quests of increasing difficulty.

Mind you, nothing was said about the relative merits of either system, and I'm still not saying anything. I could make long and involved comments about the amazing graphics in online games, and the fascinating online communities they generate, and the whole folklore of it...

It's all about personal preference. It was one of those moments. Because I truly love surfing the Internet, lurking in all sorts of geeky forums, and learning more about all kinds of software.

But I really have no interest in getting sucked into the world of online games.

I'd been telling myself it was an act of self-preservation.

The truth is that I'm simply not interested.

In a video game, as in a book, I look for a story to unfold. In movies, unless there's a strong storyline (mind you, I didn't say it had to be plot-driven), I get quickly bored.

I want stories. I tell stories. In my view, the whole world is about stories.

But that a whole other... um, well, post.

I've been tagged.

2008-06-16T14:04:26Z

List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your spring. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to.

Enter Sandman - Metallica
Orion - Metallica
Wind of Change - Scorpions
Dust in the Wind - Kansas
Wherever I May Roam - Metallica
Of Wolf And Man - Metallica
Nothing Else Matters - Metallica

I'm in a mood, can you tell??

I tag Anna, Shereen, and whoever else feels like playing.

AWOL again -- Blame Life

2008-05-19T14:27:33Z

I'm not dead. No one's sick. Well, unless you consider this

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/metro/stories/MYSA050708.OLLU_Fire2.EN.40426d0.html

an illness.

Yes, there was a major fire at my place of work. No, my office (or my building) was not affected, but many faculty members of our division have been displaced, have lost something (if not everything) in the fire, whether to the flames or to water damage.

There are more links here:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/specialcoverage/

And some striking photos here:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/multimedia/photogallery/News/stories/MYSA050608.fireOLLU.ENss.d67eb363.html

There's also a MySpace page: http://www.myspace.com/ollucommunity

It's been (still is) a very strange time.

In the meanwhile, I still had to do the final edits to The Brightest Heaven, and keep up with the family. I feel like I am indeed recovering from a long illness -- and it's only been a couple of weeks (oh, add a few family long-distance health concerns to that, and it's been one of those months).

What I really want to do now, I go visit my werewolves, but darn it if I can find a means to travel to that world.

Help! Where's a wormhole when I need one?

Oh, oops, wrong story.

The Brightest Heaven

2008-04-24T11:30:44Z

...edits are done. That's one step closer to actual publication.

I need to remind myself of what's going on, sometimes. Working on a book is exciting, but it's also exhausting, tedious, and all the other aspects of an actual job. This is where discipline, or willpower, or obstinacy (pick your choice of attitude) is needed.

In my case, it's sheer stubbornness. I am not going to give in just because writing went from fun to work. The excitement is there, the pride of having your story selected to be published. But reality sets in and scribbling on a notepad is not enough anymore. Suddenly, all the little writing mistakes you thought insignificant acquire a whole new dimension. Suddenly, you're working on the definitive version (well, at least for this edition). This is it. What you're writing is going to hit the world. Anyone can look at it. Anyone can read it. Everyone can criticize it. And you can't hide behind false modesty or shyness anymore.

Writers rarely have to stand on a stage and perform. We can hide behind imaginary world. We can create a persona to fit a pen name and hide behind it, like an actor hiding behind a character -- it's not me saying these things, and those emotions are not mine; they belong to the character.

But in the end, your writing is what speaks, and you can't hide what's in your written word. Because you must pour everything you can into your story, and there's no taking it back.

I can understand why great writers and poets would never try to get published. Not everyone is an exhibitionist.

But I can't help wanting to share my stories. I can't help wanting to show off the people that crowd my dreams.

I can't help thinking mine are better, bigger, stronger, more vivid than yours. Whoever you may be.

Yeah. Writer's ego. Not a small thing.

Blogging over there...

2008-04-15T20:58:57Z

...just because I can:

Alien Places: On a not-so-nice day

Check it out.

Amazon is making waves

2008-04-10T16:38:16Z

Almost everyone has heard about it. There's a good summary of the whole brouhaha here:

Amazon BookSurge Information Clearinghouse.

There's even a call for a boycott:

http://www.youwriteon.com/info/Publishers/amazon-boycott.aspx

I'll let you make up your own mind about the whole thing, but usually the simplest action is to vote with your money: if you don't like a certain place, don't patronize it.

Talk is cheap.

I'm mostly curious to see how it develops. It's all very interesting in the Internet age as it all happens almost in real-time. And since it involves writers, the reports are good reading.

Live soap opera, or something.

No, I'm not minimizing the importance or impact of Amazon's actions, or anyone's reactions. But don't forget I'm a writer. I see everything in terms of story: plot, dramatics, actors, the quality of the telling.

Now if we add some music and visuals, there's potential for a good thriller movie, don't you think?

Proofreading and the writer

2008-04-08T11:49:08Z

What's in a typo? Literary agent Kristin Nelson gives a humorous answer in her blog today:
http://pubrants.blogspot.com/2008/04/whats-in-typo.html

I read her post post after a friend sent me a series of hilarious photos of unfortunate logo creations. Don't people look at their own work with a critical eye? (Or maybe, just maybe, at least one of those logos was an act of revenge; the notion appeals to my twisted imagination.)

Which leads me to ask: How much do you proofread?

Do you proofread your letters? Do you proofread your email messages? Do you proofread your blog posts?

Surely you don't proofread your chat responses.

The latter is the one and only exception I accept to my proofreading rule. Sometimes chats just happen too fast to allow for the checking of typos.

But everything else? Yes. Absolutely. Every time.

Does it make everything I write perfect? Definitely not. I still miss things here and there. And sometimes I even make spelling mistakes (nooo... I'm not full of myself; of course not; I'm just a writer).

It took me quite a few years to convince my daughters that in writing, spelling was as important as grammar, and that they should pay attention to spelling even in their drafts. I don't think they really understood the importance of spelling until they started paying attention to my submissions... and rejections, and started wondering what made a good query letter... and a bad one.

At least I have them convinced now.

Next battle: good writing (and spelling) on MySpace.

Transition

2008-04-03T21:44:24Z

Blogging over there today:

Alien Places

Sick and sleepy

2008-03-31T18:28:40Z

... and doing nothing for three days.

To tell the truth, I didn't exactly know what what wrong with me for the last three days, just that I couldn't concentrate on anything. My story is right there at the back of my mind, I really want to get it down on the page, but nothing has been coming. And then yesterday, I spent a lot of my time sleeping, and then I completely lost my appetite. If you know me, you know that's very unusual. I have to watch every bite I eat, so I look forward to every meal. Skipping one is a sure sign that something is wrong.

Guess what. I'm not at work today. I've spent the morning... sleeping.

How weird that LJ's writer's prompt of the day has to do with being sick.

There's only one thing I like about it: no one asks me to do anything. No one wakes me up. No one reminds me of chores or deadlines.

But it's not like I can catch up on anything I really want to do.

Ack.

I'm going to veg out in front of the TV for a while.

I had (another, weird) dream.

2008-03-28T14:28:22Z

Someone should decode my dreams.

There was a car I couldn't quite control and I couldn't get where I was going until I got off and started walking. Said car kept trying to move on even when I got out and took the keys out of the ignition, like a restless horse pulling on its reins (I was trying to hold on to its open window).

There were other people's children who kept taking my things, and I managed to get them back without upsetting anyone and even while entertaining said children, and pleasing their parents... But at the back of my mind, I knew they were making me waste my time when I was supposed to be getting to my own children who were waiting (patiently) for me.

There were giant dogs (bear-hounds) that looked like super-oversized huskie puppies, threatening but not dangerous, held in check by their owners, but ready to wreak havoc on a dense crowd.

And all that was happening at night, in a European-ish city (maybe Paris, but not quite -- dream-Paris, I suppose). The streets were rain-wet and shiny, but it wasn't raining. Then the encounter with the children was in some kind of building, either a school or a clinic, or maybe the atrium of a large apartment building. Some of the parents looked like people from real life, others were real-looking, but not anyone I knew.

Do you think I'm feeling out of control?

Nah, can't be that simple.

Anyway, weird, complex dreams in color usually mean good writing ahead. Because if I can see dreams this vivid, I can watch the movie of my story. And if I can watch the movie of my story, I can write it down.

While you wait...

2008-03-20T11:33:14Z

for the stories I've been talking about...

It's not an excerpt! Not a tidbit! It's a Whole Story!!

http://www.longandshortreviews.com/story.htm

The Long and Short Reviews is publishing my short-short story (1,000 words) "Unexpected Bounty" this week. After that, it will go into the Archives, so you'll still be able to find it if you miss it.

It's short. It's fun. It's science-fiction. It's still a romance.

And I still have no idea how I pulled it off. The shortest story I ever wrote!

In one week!

2008-03-13T15:15:18Z

Remember, I have a free read coming out at The Long and Short Reviews on March 20. It's my first short-short story (under 1,000 words!!), and of course it's pure sci-fi. Be sure to check it out in 7 days!

"Quote-Unquote"

2008-03-11T14:18:49Z

As a language teacher, I firmly believe in two simple instructional methods:

Repetition
Laughter.

As a writer, I am seriously annoyed by the modern lack of understanding of basic grammatical rules.

Both are illustrated with great flair in the following blog:

The “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks

Enjoy!

While you wait

2008-03-07T12:38:07Z

...for my stories to make their true debut at The Wild Rose Press, I have a free read coming out at The Long and Short Reviews on March 20. It's my first short-short story (under 1,000 words!!), and of course it's a cute little sci-fi romp. Be sure to check it out in 13 days!

Toothpaste Dreams

2008-03-05T12:21:01Z

Some dreams are odd. Some are inscrutable. And then there are the moments when you wonder whether you were dreaming at all.

I woke up thinking of toothpaste.

No, it wasn't because it was morning, and, well, you know.

I woke up thinking that the toothpaste my husband got wasn't the wrong brand after all, and that I had grumbled for no reason last night, so I should check it out and tell him.

So I did. He didn't pick the wrong brand. The one I really hate. So I told him.

I must have been dreaming of toothpaste just before I woke up. Or maybe the bathroom. Or maybe the store.

But before that, I had a dream within a dream. Yes, I had a dream that I was dreaming. In that dream, I woke up and realized I had been dreaming. Usually, this will make me open my eyes and wake up almost all the way, and reconnect with the waking world. But last night, I stayed comfortably asleep and thought about my dream while still dreaming... and then I woke up.

My life isn't confusing enough. My dreams have to be confusing. I don't mind weird, odd, and mixed-up dreams, because a morning after a good night's dreaming is a creative morning.

But confusing dreams?

That's just funny. And I'm not a comedian.

Mysterious Author

2008-02-29T21:53:50Z

When an author who used to be an art teacher dreams up a mystery writer, this is what happens:

Argh Ink » The Liz Danger Mysteries

With bloggers like this, I don't even need to write my own posts. This is too much fun not to share.

And too precious to add to.

Agent Wisdom

2008-02-27T16:40:30Z

Agent Kristin Nelson has been in New York this last week, and meeting with editors. Her posts have been interesting, educational, and witty, as usual.

There is one thing many writers tend to do: get hung up on market trends. Read her post and mark her words:

Pub Rants: The Year Delay

I think what you should take away from all these posts of mine lately is that it’s good to know the market but ultimately don’t get overwhelmingly caught up into it.

Remember to tell your story well. That's the first and last thing that matters. The rest, in the long run, is the publishing lottery.

Hurry up slowly is the game.

Writing Hard

2008-02-25T16:52:12Z

So this is what happens when you actually have a deadline looming on a signed contract.

You disappear.

Forget posting. I don't think I checked my mail this weekend. And I still didn't manage to finish polishing the first draft of my last chapter.

Ack.

I whined. I sulked. I pulled the covers over my head and tried to disappear. My kids, wisely, avoided me.

Yeah, sometimes, even teenagers behave appropriately.

My husband just hugged me, told me he loved me, and other nice things. The right things.

What would I do without him?

So back to that last chapter...

Things I get to read for free

2008-02-14T12:45:05Z

It's always fun to do reviews for our chapter's newsletter. Check this out:

Alien Places: Review: A Cowboy Seduction

Did I say I read everything? If I only read what I wrote, I'd get bored.

You should see my library.

Truth be told, my library is enhanced by my academic husband, my curious daughters, my self-taught mother, and the books I inherited from my historian father.

Still, doing reviews is special.

Don't spend money, 'cause...

2008-02-05T14:52:35Z

Pub Rants: Research Is Free

...says Agent Kristin Nelson of the Nelson Literary Agency.

If you've ever wondered whether you'd be better off subscribing to some search service for agents because they can provide you with insider information... read on. And don't forget the comments. Between the eye-opening information and the smart remarks, you will feel much better about doing your own investigation into literary agents and editors when the time comes to submitting your work.

So there.

Superbowl

2008-02-04T21:00:04Z

One more Annual Superbowl Party for the Academic Crowd -- or the Superbowl for the Modern Languages Department and Friends.

It was, naturally, rather international. We had a Chinese (Taiwanese) guest, a German-born one who's more interested in the ads than in the game (she does Communication Arts), the usual assortment of Russians, and of course, all the applicable accents in various strengths.

English, Russian and German were freely spoken. At other times, at such parties, we've heard Chinese, Spanish, and French at our house.

The food was definitely local: chips, dips, picadillo, and chili. Beer and soda, and of course, considering the crowd assembled, a choice of wines.

But most of all, fun was had by all. And the game was good. Maybe I should note this date as the Superbowl when I actually sat down and got stuck watching football. All right, not all the game, just the riveting (actual) half hour (something like 3 minutes on the clock, but maybe I'm exaggerating just a little bit), but that's a lot more than I've watched in the last, oh, ten years or so.

I mean, really, in spite of all the teasing I get for hosting games and disappearing to do "my thing", I can appreciate a good play. I did use to watch soccer with my dad, and once upon a time (also when my dad was alive), I used to sit through every men's singles French Open match.

So our weird little academic, odd, book-laden family had a fun, ordinary, Superbowl Sunday.

Except for the teenagers, who did their thing around the laptop of my oldest daughter and watched some videos. But then, that's a teen thing on a Superbowl Sunday. No one really expected them to hang around their parents, except to get a refill of snacks and sodas.

New Article on My Site

2008-01-13T17:00:47Z

I just posted a new article on my "Belief" (AKA Folklife) page. Check it out.