Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Illuminating

The newest issue of The Illuminata has just been published. If you follow the link and click on “Download an issue” you can get it for free. It’s volume 7, Issue #4, October 2009.

I’m pretty popular in this issue. Bret Funk starts out with some commentary and a review of Write With Fire, which I appreciated. The Illuminata definitely played a big role in the creation of that book. Without the demands of writing a regular column for the newsletter Write With Fire might never have existed, and certainly not in the form it took.

I also have my usual Writer’s Block column in this issue. Those of you who read my guest blog over at Novel Spaces, called “GEMS,” will see that this article is largely a reprint with a few minor changes. There’s also a review that I wrote for a fine fantasy novel called A Mage of None Magic: Heart of the Sisters by A. Christopher Drown. Drown is kind of a cool name eh?

Not much time for anything else. Mid-term grades were due at noon today and I squeaked mine in. I’m putting the final touches on the Darwin essay, which is due on Friday. It’ll be done tomorrow night, with just some final nitpicking on my part. I’m rather obsessive in case you haven’t noticed.

Man, I need sleep.
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35 comments:

Cloudia said...

Sleep well!


Aloha, Charles
Comfort Spiral

Greg said...

Drown is a pretty cool name. sounds like a good book, too.

the walking man said...

Sounds more like you need a beer then some sleep.

Unknown said...

Have noticed 'cuz I am too! Get some sleep!

Lisa said...

Scared of appearing not up-to-date (or s t u p i d), may I know what is a Darwin essay, what does it look like? (Is it an essay about Charles Darwin or an essay about evolution?)

Charles Gramlich said...

Cloudia, about 6 hours last night. And a long day today unfortunately.

Greg, it was pretty good, the first in a series.

Mark, a beer would probably put me to sleep. But I do have a couple of Turbodogs in the fridge.

Gaston Studios, thankee. Looking forward to a chance to sleep.

Ocean Girl, it's an article for a reference work on great books. It's primiarly about "On the Origin of Species," Darwin's most famous book, with some info on him and on evolution thrown in.

Cullen Gallagher said...

Do professors dread midterms as much as students? I have two due next week. For some reason one of my professors decided to amp up weekly readings and homework during this time period -- which really doesn't help things at all.

Scott D. Parker said...

Dang, Charles. At least my day doesn't make me use my brain as much as yours. Yikes.

Lana Gramlich said...

No rest for the wicked & DAMN you wicked, man! ;)

Gary Dobbs/Jack Martin said...

Thanks for the link Charles - I've got the mag on my ebook reader now as a PDF for later enjoyment.

jodi said...

Charles, rest and keep a clear head. Oh, and have Lana take a cold shower! With you!!

Charles Gramlich said...

Cullen Gallagher, I probably don't dread it as much as my students. In fact, I tend to give them tests fairly early so they won't have everything colliding just at mid-term time.

Scott Parker, well, my brain often hurts at the end of the day. But it's a good hurt. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Lana Gramlich, takes one to know one, wicked girl.

ARCHAVIST, cool. Glad it was of use.

jodi, I don't remember when last my head was clear. Probably summer!

LoveRundle said...

How exciting to have so many things going on!

It is time for mid-terms. It's been two years out for me and I forget so quickly what is going on in the college world. I'm thinking about going back for a few classes. I liked the pressure writing classes put on me to write new projects. To this date, I only have two more short stories finished and both came from the college classes.

Merisi said...

Respect!

"Without the demands of writing a regular column for the newsletter Write With Fire might never have existed, and certainly not in the form it took."

One would not think that a certain degree of pressure would serve creativity, but it does, I believe. I work so much better when a certain amount of adrenaline starts flowing.

Steve Malley said...

Sleeep.... Sleeeeeeeeep....

Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep....
:p

Charles Gramlich said...

Christina, and right after mid-terms is preregistration for the next semester, which is a busy time.

Merisi, yes, it really turns one's mind toward producing, toward coming up with something.

Steve Malley, indeed. I agree completely.

Spy Scribbler said...

Oh cool! I just sent it to my Kindle. I didn't know about it!

Good luck with sleeping!

Barbara Martin said...

Sleep before you post again, Charles.

Rick said...

Sleep is highly overrated, Charles, but necessary. If you could only learn to write in your sleep...

Drizel said...

Good mother of mary....your way too busy:)
Take care:)

BernardL said...

Thanks for the link, Charles.

Charles Gramlich said...

Natasha Fondren, a Kindle is sometimes a good thing to have!

Barbara Martin, maybe Sunday.

Rick, yeah, I've often wanted a machine to record my dreams into words and that way I'd be writing stories constantly. My output would be much greater!

etain_lavena, October was an incredibly busy month.

BernardL, no prob, my friend.

ivan said...

There was s time when I though all work and no play makes Jack.
...Till Jack ended up with Great Balls of Fire.
"Und what else," asked the shrink.

Pace yourself, pace yourself friends had said.
But it seems that no breakdown, no breakthrough....Hell of a way to write.
Perhaps power naps would have helped.
Ah well. The airplaned gets patched up. But it's still sort of a patched up airplane.
Ah well. Keep her flyin'.
Can't be an aspidistra.

pattinase (abbott) said...

You are so eclectic!

Mary Witzl said...

Midterms already? God, you're way ahead of us! I feel a little sick thinking about midterms, actually. But my students are going to feel even sicker.

Charles Gramlich said...

ivan,I've gone the all work no play route a lot in my life, but I don't much want to do it anymore.

pattinase, I like that word! Thanks.

Mary Witzl, my midterm grades weren't too bad this year, and I have fewer students than in past years so it hasn't been too awful.

Tyhitia Green said...

Wow, hopefully you'll get some sleep soon. The professors seem a little more busy than the students. And in your case, deadlines, papers, and speaking engagements make it busier still. :-D

Charles Gramlich said...

Demon Hunter, just a lot of stress right now. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving break.

j said...

Rest well Charles. There's no doubt that you are a busy man.

Vesper said...

I read Bret Funk's editorial. I liked the way he reviewed "Write With Fire", expressing his fears at first and then his relief... Bravo, Charles!
And your GEMS also - always good to reread them... :-)

Sleep? What is sleep? :-)

laughingwolf said...

grats on all fronts, charles

now get some ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzz

X. Dell said...

(1) It's #@$!-ing midterms already?

(2) Congratulations on the inclusion, and on the festival weekened.

Six teenage girls? Before you know it, you'll be a big name in chick lit.

Charles Gramlich said...

jennifer, so it seems these days.

Vesper, thanks for the kind words. I appreciate you checking otu the link.

laughingwolf, thanks, my friend.

X. Dell, unfortunately it is. As for the chick lit? I could use the money. I need to write a twilight type story.

Heather said...

going to check it out....congrats on another issue!

Charles Gramlich said...

H. E., thankee!