I’ve got quite a week coming up, followed by quite a month after that. I hope I can get everything done. First, I’ll be guest blogging over at Novel Spaces this Friday, the 18th. I’ll be talking about a concept called GEMS, and I hope you’ll stop by.
Next, my first signing for Write With Fire is this Saturday, September 19, at the Causeway branch of the St. Tammany Library system. Everything starts at 10:00 in the morning, and I’ll probably talk on writing for half an hour to forty-five minutes, followed by a question and answer period and then a signing. Although the signing is primarily for Write With Fire, I’ll have copies of the Talera books and Cold in the Light available as well. I know that most of you aren’t in position to come, but come if you can and if not send me good wishes.
The address and phone number for that specific library branch is:
Causeway Branch Library
Address: 3457 Highway 190
Mandeville, LA 70471
Telephone: (985) 626-9779
Fax: (985) 626-9783
E-Mail: causeway@mail.sttammany.lib.la.us
As for actual writing, the novel, Razored Land, is at a complete standstill at 144 pages. That’s where the “month” comes in. I’ve got a 7,500 word story due at the end of September, a book review that I agreed to do at the same time, and a 1000 word story due by the first of October. Immediately after that last story I’ve got roughly three weeks to do a scientific article on Charles Darwin, all the while preparing for the Louisiana Book Festival on October 17
This, of course, is secondary to that pesky…“Day Job.” After all that is done I’m going to take a week off writing.
I want to also thank Erik Donald France for his great review of my book at Write With Fire, and for his follow-up commentary. Check it out. And thanks so much Erik for your support.
And to all my friends in Detroit, no offense, but Go Saints!.
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42 comments:
See how these kinds of things creep up on a person? I think we BOTH need some deck time. <:(
Sounds like fun times!
Sending good wishes since Louisiana is just a bit out of my range at this time!
Best Wishes for the signing- I would solove to be there!
And good luck with your busy month-sounds like you will need that week off!
I do believe margaritas on the deck with Lana are in order. Meantime, good wishes... SENT! :)
Good luck with everything Charles!
I'm looking forward to your World Tour :)
I hate it when projects pile up like that. I am not good at multi-tasking. Even if I'm on target, my brain sees all that is coming and puts it in the "imagination pot." I work much better if I'm ahead of the game, with only the current WIP and MAYBE a few traces of the next one stirring in my head.
I'm nuts.
Hey man, cool. That's my sister Linda's birthday, too, the 19th.
Good luck getting it all done, and thanks in turn for your work, and your thanks.
Oh and, you got your win over the hapless Lions. These are the kind of Lions the early Christians might have preferred . . . but then they might not have become martyrs, let alone Saints. . .
Wish I was in Louisiana for it, but good luck. And hey, busy isn't always a bad thing - all kinds of good things going on anyway.
Ahhh, the beauty of being an octopus.
Good luck Charles! It all sounds fantastic! I wish I was there for the signing!
And good luck juggling it all with the day job - mine is already driving me batty!
Lana Gramlich, I know we do, and we’ve gotta do it now that the weather is getting cooler. I didn’t get out much this weekend even though I wanted to.
Sidney, that’s one way of putting it. :)
Travis, What if I write a book about Dancing with the Stars? Or Football? ;)
Cinnamon, I will be ready for that week for sure.
Steve Malley, I’d like to be able to do some backyard camping pretty soon. It’s starting to cool down.
Miladysa, I’ll let you know when that’s scheduled. Can I stay at your house? Lol.
Natasha Fondren, I can get very panic stricken when I’m too overscheduled. I’m like you. I like to have some time to work on things.
Erik Donald France, Lana brought the “Saint’s/Lions” thing up today. I’d never thought of it before. But this time the Saints turned the tables. That still leaves Detroit ahead in total wins in the series, I think, though.
benjibopper, I definitely in the past have much preferred to be busy, but now days I think I could enjoy a bit more leisure.
G, I feel like I need to be an octopus with clones right now.
Ello, my day job hasn’t gotten too horrid yet but I know it’s coming.
ahh yes ... that pesky…“Day Job.” I know all too well about distractions. Sure wish I could crank out the words ... from mouth to page preferably.
Every time I quit a day job to go off to the cottage to write, I get "blank cavas syndrome" and wonder WTF I'm doing in an empty cottage by myself. Fix storm windows. Do a bit of housepainting.
Brother-in-law phones. "Going crazy in the house?" "Yep."
Took all that ingenuity to get set up. "Get set up so you can write," said old prof.
Mental block.
Let's see. Your name in top right corner. Start halfway down the page:
"Why Are We in Afghanistan."
...What do I know about Afghanistan?
Doesn't matter. Lady next door is watering her lawn in a bikini.
Here we go again.
The novel will be about adultery.
Why do I now think of my drunken photographer friend, who used so sing,
"Sticks and stones will break my bones
"But whips and chain excite me."
Play with your life, why don't you?
It's okay if you produce the novel.
But if you don't,
...Delivering telephone books with your M.F.A.
Then write about the failure.
And it hits the big time, the story about your failure, maybe like F. Scott Fitzgerald in his "The Crack Up.'
You think of some adolescent Confucius joke about the woman flying the plane.
It is the day after 911 today.
She has dropped the watering can and is knocking at the door.
Oh oh. Chapter One.
Je suis mauduit
Abandon all hope
All ye who enter here.
Be a tinker, soldier, sailor.
But don't try for Norman Mailer.
Good luck with the signing. I hope it's a pleasant experience for you.
JR, I'm slowly getting better at being able to produce on demand. Slowly. But after 20 years you'd think I should eh?
ivan, I know some writers who say they need the stimulus of being in the world. I've never been one of those writers. I write best in the cottage, but I have folks who depend on me so that doesn't happen. Until summer rolls around again.
BernardL, thanks, I appreciate that. I'll probably like it once I'm into it, but I tend to dread such obligations before I get to them.
Deck time all around.
Have a wonderful signing, and I hope you sell lots of books.
all the best on the signing session, and the rest of your projects, charles :)
Bah! It's not too far for me if I am in Mobile. It is however not doable if I am forced to go back to North Alabama. I would share the story of WHY we have to travel again this weekend (geez Charles I am going to have to CLEAN thanks to Mother Nature) but it is just too sorry to share.
I hope you have an amazing turn out at the book signing. I am so jealous of those who will be able to attend.
Go Saints!
hey Charles, hope the signing goes well! should be fun.
pattinase, I agree.
Shauna, me too. Looking forward to yours coming out as well.
Laughingwolf, thanks. I appreciate that.
jennifer, North alabama? Sounds like a story there. You know what they say, "Don't mess with Mother Nature."
Greg Schwartz, I do too. I'm inviting a lot of folks. HOpe they can make it.
Wow, Charles. I do wish you well for your upcoming appearance. :-D And after you get all that writing done after the day job, you need a break. :-D
Yikes, and I thought I had a tough schedule ... hang in, Charles.
Sorry I won't be able to attend. It's the day for the meeting on my one-a-month large writing group, SOLA, and the time coincides with the SOLA meeting. I'm wishing you luck...and I'll order a copy either through our weekly meeting place, Borders, or B&N online.
Charles, spend some time with your bride--you have earned it. Go Lions!
Gosh! I'm exhausted!
You have my admiration and sympathy, Charles.
Enjoy your success- for that is what it is; you are in demand....I've GOT to read "Writing With Fire."
Aloha
We'll be here when you return.
Comfort Spiral
ha ha ha The Lions kept the drive alive but when you come here for a football game you can get an all you can eat seat for $75. That will keep the stands full.
Demon Hunter, I'm getting to the point where I feel I deserve a few breaks.
Don, at least I can see the end of it.
Sphinx Ink, I didn't realize that. I hope I will have some folks from my northshore group there. I'm sorry I missed the talk by Tim Hallinan. I was in a meeting from 4:00 TO 5:45 and unable to make it. I'm going to buy one of his books, though.
jodi, Lana's a sweety but she usually gets her way with some together time. After this few weeks I'll owe her.
Cloudia, it's weird, you work to be "In demand,", then when it happens you're "tired."
Mark, sounds like a pretty decent deal!
Yep, we all have weeks and months like that but that doesn't really make you feel any better about it, does it?
A great review and I'm now off to see if it's available on Kindle. Hope so.
Looking forward to finding out about GEMS.
Good luck with the signing! I’ve just ordered my Cold in The Light copy from Amazon.ca but I have to wait about three weeks to get it. Next time, it’ll be “Write With Fire”…
A lot of projects for you, Charles ! But what about Halloween?... :-)
Gaston Studio, I'm afraid it's not availble yet on Kindle althought it may be offered in ebook at some point, which is easy to transfer to Kindle.
Vesper, thanks for ordering Cold in the Light. Sales on that book have been slow this year
Charles, I wish I could be there for your fiorst "Write with Fire" signing. It's a wonderfully powerful book for writers.
Write With Fire, I like the name of this book. Hope the book signing is a blast.
Rick, thanks, I really appreciate that, man.
Rowe, thanks. I spent quite a bit of time thinking to get that title. Thanks for visiting.
Rock your signing like a Kiss Concert, Charles !
One of these days Heff and I are gonna show up at one of these things and you're gonna shit a golden twinkie.
My God you're busy down there!
Wil Harrison.com
Heff, Rock like a hurricane. But not Hurricane Katrina, which blew.
Wil, hell, there's a brewery about 5 miles from my house, man. !
Holy cats and Darwin, too, Gramlich! You got some serious work there!
Geez. I know on Throw Mama From the Train that a writer writes, but dude. You gotta take a breather once and a while, right?
Charles: You never run out of energy. Enjoy the book signing. Wish I could drop in! You and Lana plan for some alone time. You both deserve it. D
I wish I could come to your signing and hear you talk, but I'll have to settle for sending good vibes your way and blog hopping to find you on Friday.
Best :)
boneman, my world seems to be filled with a lot of "feast or famine." sometimes things are slow, sometimes, crazyyyy! This is one of the crazy times. Thanks for visiting. I appreciate it.
Donnetta Lee, when I do run out of energy I crash. Just like a boxer who has already lost the fight, I'm just trying to hang on until the last bell.
L.A. Mitchell, thanks. I appreciate that. I think my guest post is kind of interesting.
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