Hiatus

I am done blogging for awhile. So this is a goodbye of sorts.


I am in the midst of something that relates to my novel and I want to engage myself fully in it. I also found some more stories and some poems (which I'm beginning to send off --2 have already been accepted, look for them in an upcoming Word Riot-- and they're over 20 years old!!) When I was in college 2 decades ago, I was on fire as a writer. Out of my family's house, I could be as smart and creative as I wanted and I was. I want to be that way again-- the I-have-to-pull-over-to-the-side-of-the-road-cause-there's-a-poem/joke/story writing itself-and-I-need-to-write-it-down. I have almost 40 stories that are viable. I've been reading about the craft, practicing exercises and I'd like to try some new techniques with these works and see what I can turn them into.

And I'm moving to Vermont!! I've mentioned that before, haven't I? Well, that's a most definite now 'cause the finances to do so will be there.

I have a friend with gazillion of dollars (from my perspective) and he often loans me money, but he's come up with an idea about repayment (no not THAT!) -- he wants to become an investor in my bear business. He's a computer whiz and he's willing to set up an online store/website. I can't let this slip by. So, I've got bears to make for this and for other purposes. Oh, Susan, he really is going to get there.


On a trip to NY or Baltimore or someplace, I was going through books in the store at the El Paso International Airport and there was one that I wanted, but I never buy anything on the way somewhere 'cause I may end up needing the money. On my return, I went to purchase the book but it was gone:( I hadn't written down the title either. But back in February, I found it at Hastings 'cause it was time and I've been working it and lately some things have been happening in my life and I want to see where this leads. Well I know where it's leading (to the bedroom) but I want to discover with whom;-)

All of my children are with me!!!! All of a sudden all of what's important to me has been returned, you might say. My three adult children are heading elsewhere though and this is a chance for me to give them something that they might truly carry with them. My four youngest, well, we'll continue to have adventures, though in months, when my son turns 18, he plans to go off and do what he wants and then there'll be three. . . (yes a part of me is waiting for the day when there will be none). But for now we're together in one house, crowded but together nonetheless.

I found my art stuff and I want to paint and draw and see about a show. I said that was something I wanted and I need to pursue it. "Paintings Prose Poetics" ---that's the title of it. I've picked a funky gallery in town, I just need to contact them and have them say yes. Easy enough, huh? (ha ha)

And if I'd ever told you my San Francisco tale, you would know about the motel putting an authorization hold on my card that they didn't remove so it was declined when the cab driver tried to use it but he was nice and said "forget it" 'cause he was cool like that. He is also from the Sudan and he's willing to help me get over there so I can find stories. "You'll stay with my family," he told me and I know that I will.

So I'm out of here for awhile. One day, I'll be back and we'll talk. I'll tell you about the love of my life, and about my move to Vermont. We'll talk about who became the American Idol. Maybe I'll have won another contest or have signed a book deal. I'll tell you that story about San Francisco and about my readings in Las Cruces and in Brooklyn but hopefully not the D.C. one 'cause that means it'll be late September and I don't want to be gone that long. Just awhile, a short while, before we talk again. Take care.

Writing quote for 4/13/06

The best part of this whole process is writing.


~~Terry McMillan

Quote for 4/13/06

It's all right letting yourself go, as long as you can get yourself back.


~~ Mick Jagger

American Idol

Didn't see last night's show. At sundown, it was Nissan 14 on the Jewish calendar (no, I'm not Jewish even though my last name is Mintz)-- the night Jesus was arrested but after he instituted the "Lord's Supper" and I was at a memorial service.

Anyway, FINALLY!! Bye, bye Bucky!! He should have been gone long ago although I must say that I wasn't actually missing Mandisa this past week.

For great AI coverage, I suggest you go to Susan's blog. Insightful and funny as hell.

slipping through my hands

So, when I was sick, I missed the deadline to return some materials for the John Hopkins event. There has been no reply to my e-mail-- "Can I still send this?" so I'm coming to the conclusion that that's a no. Bummer.

random stuff

Every Tuesday, we order Dominoes 2 for1 and watch "American Idol" and cheer and make snide comments. Last night, I thought my kids would be like, ugh, 'cause when I was sick this past week, they had pizza for dinner. Sometimes dinner and lunch. Leftover for breakfast. For six days. And they complained.

Now, a time before I was busy with some things and cooking wasn't on my schedule so they had Domino's pizza for nine straight days and only on the ninth day did they complain. What's up with getting grouchy on day 6?

Last night though, they didn't say anything. Just "how many pieces do we each get?"

Maybe they knew starving was their only other option.

~~~~~~~~~

Note this morning that I will be reading in Brooklyn in August. Have decided that I'm not pursing any readings for June/July 'cause I'm going to be relocating and establishing a home, so my attention will be elsewhere. I need to get Oct, Nov, and Dec covered. Hmmm. . . .

~~~~~~~~~

I'm writing a novel. Well, a novel I've started, abandoned, thought about, talked about, etc. A writer friend offered my name to Nat Sobel and I sent him an e-mail. He said to send him some examples of my work, but said the novel I proposed was a "breakout" novel. After reading my work, he said he was impressed and asked, "How's that novel coming along?"

Well, it wasn't. But what we got to was this: Complete "Buzzard's Roost," the novel-in-stories and give him 50 --only 50!!--pages of the novel. Which I couldn't do at the time because several works needed for "Buzzard's Roost" were in the storage unit and there were some things I needed to learn before I could begin the novel and I've learned them now and I started reading that agent's book about writing a breakout novel and I understood why Mr. Sobel thought my idea had merit.

So I'm writing a novel. And I'm doing it because I want to. And because I might just get some money out of it.

~~

At the reading on the first Sunday, I got several cards.

One, from a freelance writer who works for this publication distributed throughout the state. Years ago, I'd read about this poet in the publication and contacted them about unsolicited submissions and the possibility of me being in the paper and they said, pretty much, not unless you're somebody. Which, according to their standards, I wasn't, but I guess I am now 'cause I've been asked to give an interview.

This woman with a local literary magazine wants me to be the July interview.

A man who works in the library gave me his card. He wants to make sure that publications with my work get into the library where I went to college. I told him that works were already being collected, but it appears that I no longer need to go the usual route--I can take my stuff directly to him and get into the card catalog much quicker.

Quote for 3/12/06

You must understand the whole of life, not just one little part of it. That is why you must read, that is why you must look at the skies, that is why you must sing, and dance, and write poems, and suffer, and understand, for all that is life.


~~ J. Krishnamurti

Reading in Brooklyn

during the summer. I can't wait for THAT!!!

I still owe you my San Francisco tale. And the one about the reading at the library. I'll get to that.

Still hoping on Chicago and I've got to bug Bruce again about Atlanta. Hopefully I'll be reading somewhere every month 'til the end of the year. Fingers and other assorted crossed!

Home

I finally got my stuff out of the storage unit! Boxes and boxes and boxes!! I kept saying I needed to do that and I was going to do it, but I was so overwhelmed by the thought of going through all the boxes! Well, there's still lots on the back porch, but at least it's a manageable number.

Another box of books? Delighted and dismayed. I don't have enough bookshelves:( About 500 books stacked in piles against the wall. And I even got rid of some-- yes, something I thought I'd never do. But you can outgrow certain books. No, I kept the one on Tantric sex, most definitely, just other ones. Like Danielle Steele. Adios, sweetheart!

The fun--est part was rediscovering my stuff and rediscovering me through the process.

My house looks cool! [I found a box of flower pots-- guess that means more plants;-p]

And in just months, I get to pack it all up again and unpack it somewhere else-- ha ha!

The coolest-- I found the stories I needed that are part of my novel-in-stories and I found five stories I'd begun that I'd forgotten completely about, and seven more I had rough (very, very rough) drafts of! Time for me to clean them up and get submissive.

Back from the dead

Well, the sick bed really. I have never gotten well from when I was previously ill; just downing over-the-counter medicine to help me ignore what I needn't be ignoring.

But I'm up.

Hacking and blowing my nose ragged, but at least I'm upright.

Writing quote for 4/2/06

Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer.

~~Barbara Kingsolver

Quote for 4/2/06

Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.

~~Franklin D. Roosevelt

$2 a minute

You have 25 minutes, the reading coordinator told me.

Reading from my work to people who've come to see me, me, me (!!!) and I get paid!

50 bucks, so that works out to be. . .