Untitled Writers' Group

Idea Whap--Steven Harper Piziks

Yesterday on my way home from school, an idea for a stand-alone novel hit me hard.  The premise dropped into my mind with almost perfect clarity, and I fine-tuned it on my way home, at which point I ran to the keyboard to get it all down before I forgot any of it.  It was very exciting.  You know how it is--you can't type fast enough, and more possibilities come to you with every word.  What grand fun!

Now it's sitting at the back of my head, simmering.  I have a few scene snatches.  I know what the main characters look like and their basic personalities.  I have a plot.  I have settings.  I don't have a name for my antagonist yet--he's remaining stubborn about that--but it'll come.

Interestingly enough, this book would probably be marketable more as magic realism than fantasy, which is mega-cool.  Wider audience and all that. (And yes, I maintain that the difference between magical realism and fantasy is the marketing department, but I can only do so much to change the
publishing industry.)

--Steven

Early Present for Sarah

The Firebird's Vengeance is up for a RITA award.  Go me!

For those who don't know, this is the romance writer's award.  We'll take it.  With chocolate sauce.

Not a Winner by Catherine Shaffer

It's official. I finally received notice that I am Not a Winner in the Writers of the Future 3rd Quarter contest. I had been notified almost two months ago that my story was in the finals (the last 6-8 who get passed on to the celebrity judges), but it took an uncommonly long time to get the results. I actually haven't received my letter yet, but there was a rumor that people were getting phone calls, and I didn't get a phone call, so I emailed Kathy Wentworth and she informed me that my story wasn't on "the list." So.