Argh!!
The nice thing about the library is that, hey, did you know you could actually do some research at these places? I'd nearly forgotten how to use a library. I am now in possession of a copy of Bulfinch's Mythology. Yesterday was rainy, so I read everything from Cupid and Psyche to the abridged version of Malory's La Morte d'Arthure. My eyeballs have only just now stopped spinning. Great stuff, including a line about Viking runes that I may be able to use. At some point this week, I plan to finish the Mabinogion and go on to Irish mythology. Not sure how useful it'll be, but I'm looking forward to refreshing my memory of the stories.
Saturday was all kinds of fun. I went to the South Carolina Book Festival in Columbia and attended a couple of master classes. The first on "Writing Fiction" was pretty generic and kind of useless except to learn that the Q&S is Very Important Stuff. The other class was on Writing the Short Story and it was great. The teacher was almost a stereotype. Just finished alcohol rehab, college professor in ratty T-shirt under rumpled jacket, needed a haircut. But he was a great teacher. His name was George Singleton and he writes Southern short stories. Very clever.
Anyway, he had a great idea for plotting out short stories. He called it the 500 word sentence. A massive, ugly run on, complete with bad grammar and tangents. But by the end, you're plotted. Seems to me that I could use something similar for novellas. The down side was the dearth of publishing opportunities for short fiction, but I already knew that. Somebody remind me why I write short? Oh yeah. Because I just do.
After, I went into the hall where lots of different businesses had their booths and met the editor of Echelon Press, Karen something-or-other. For once, it's not that I didn't catch her last name, she just never pitched it. I would give you the link, but I can't do fancy stuff on the library computer. So you'll just have to find them the old fashioned way.
Time's almost up and I must segue from doing the writer thing to doing the mommy thing and go shop for groceries. Thanks for keeping up with me here. I hope to be back regularly soon.
9 Comments:
Yaaay, you're back! Sort of. gg
Good going on the writing.
By 
vanessa jaye, at
10:11 PM
So glad to see you back. Hope you get your computer up and going soon!
By Tricia Fields, at
10:13 AM
Might have to try that 500 word idea. D'you think it would work for novel synopses?
By Kate Allan, at
5:32 PM
Ack, bummer on the computer problems lasting this long! I hope you get it fixed soon!
By 
, at
7:29 AM
Hey lady, good to talk with you today. I needed the laugh and the Ciao Bella! inspiration.
Love
Jul
By Julie Cohen, at
7:01 PM
I'm LMAO@research! Go figure! Take care of yourself girl!
By Amie Stuart, at
7:31 PM
Susan, bummer about the computer but LOL at the benefits of the library. Oh, I have loved libraries since I was 5 years old - so many books - so little time.
Miss you.
Lori :)
By , at
8:23 PM
I haven't been in a library in years... except to sing carols.
I'm a poopy-head. *sigh*
Minnie just got up stretched, curled up again and beamed at me, reminding me that I may be a Non-Library-ing Poopy-head, but I'm a fabulous kitty-mom.
Miss you, Sela!
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3:59 PM
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By , at
12:46 AM