IWSG, Summer Wrap Up, and General Catch Up

That'd be me, cooling and writing. The hunk'd be my muse, ugly as a bitch but plenty helpful.

Well, hello everyone! Yeah, I know, I know. I've been away for quite some time but summer got me wrapped up in all kinds of exciting, writerly things. How was your summer? Busy? Horribly hot and humid? However you spent these months, I sure hope you enjoyed yourself.

As for me. Where to begin...

The girls were off to their grandparents for the whole time, which gave me full control over my days. I'm telling you, 24 hours hadn't felt that productive (and long) in nine years! I was committed to write two short stories for two different anthologies, was asked to contribute to a noir mag, had my Haunted Manhattan blog thing, attended my first-ever writer's retreat, and finally traveled to Mexico to bring the girls back home. Just got here over the long weekend... So whoo, was I busy!

NEWS:

• I'm very happy to say Burial Day Books has officially accepted my gothic story A DIARY OF MADNESS for publication in their anthology GOTHIC BLUE BOOK 3, scheduled to be released for Halloween. Yipee!!

• I also completed (and submitted) a story for an invite-only anthology. Since I haven't received an answer, we can't celebrate just yet nor will I reveal the name of the anthology. But please, do keep your fingers crossed. 

• I'm still madly working in another story that the editor is waiting for the end of the month. It has given me a hard time because it is in a genre I don't usually write, but I said this would be a summer to go out of my comfort zone. So there.

• About the Haunted Manhattan series... I did drag the hubby all over Manhattan, taking pictures of the places that were voted for you among the most haunted I could find. No experience was had, sadly, but it was a lot of fun. And I have great pics to show. Wait for them starting next week.

All in all this was an amazing time full of experiences that helped me grow as a writer, and this is where the IWSG comes in.

Today I don't have an insecurity to share but a smile and my experiences. Three months ago I was debating with myself, thinking maybe I should stop playing writer and do something real. So much time lapsed between my last publication and a new one that I though it'd been a fluke. Today I can't be happier or more fullfiled. I know tough times will come once more, but I have to feed off the good ones to make it to the other side.

During the writer's retreat, one of the things we talked about was positive advice. What was the best we'd ever gotten. The answer is: READ, WRITE, and SUBMIT. There is no secret to become a published writer, only infinite patience and pigheadedness.

READ to be better. Read classic books even if they're out of your genre. Read everything that falls in your hand and you will lear what works and what doesn't.

WRITE no matter how awful it may seem today. There is always tomorrow, you'll get better and your writing will do too. But you can't be better if you don't try it. The thing with a job well done is that it looks so easy... great literature seems so effortless! But it isn't and if you stop trying, you'll stop growing.

SUBMIT to small presses as well as big ones, you never know who you'll meet or where the next break will come from. A few months ago I submitted to an anthology. My story was rejected but two months later I got an invitation to participate in an anthology from one of the editors.

Success takes the combination of perseverance, luck, and maybe talent (there are plenty of untalented people shoving money out the window). Our job is to position ourselves so when luck comes knocking, we are within reach of that door.

I wish you a phenomenal end of the season. Happy second anniversary to the Insecure Writer's Support Group and may this year be the one your dream comes true. Don't forget to stop by the Amazing Ninja Alex Cavanaugh's blog to get more news!

See ya next week!