Well, yesterday I had sushi for lunch, buffalo wings for supper, and finished the 135th page of “Razored Land,” my WIP in progress. This also closes out Part 1 of the book, marking essentially the halfway point, although it’s not absolutely clear yet whether Part 2 will be as long, longer, or shorter. I’m tying up loose ends on Part 1 today but may take tomorrow off. After that, I’ll go back and do a fairly close read through on Part 1 before I rev up for Part 2. The final product will be longer than it is now. I already know some places where I need to add detail and foreshadowing.
In other writing related news, I’m scheduled to be interviewed this morning for the Covington Times Picayune, a local newspaper. Lana is responsible for setting that up. What a sweetheart she is. Later this month I’ll be a guest at Babel Con in Baton Rouge. So far I’m on panels about Pulp fiction and Dreams and Nightmares. And I have a reading scheduled. If anyone is going to be in the area July 17-19, drop in for a visit. I’ve had so much fun the past two years, and this year is planned to be bigger than ever. I assure you that I’m not going to be the biggest name there. There’ll be people you actually recognize. Thank goodness for that.
I may also be able to announce something that I’m really happy about soon. But I try never to count my chickens before they’re fried and in a bucket.
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grats all round, charles!
ReplyDeletesorry, i'm too far up the coast to make it there... one day, perhaps?
and i DO recognize your name! ;) lol
Good progress on the writing.
ReplyDeleteLooks like an eclectic guest list for that con.
Go Lana.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me, that you're developing into one of the stars of your genre. You might not be the biggest name now, but something tells me that your nomen will expand in the near future.
Congrats.
Good on ya, Charles (and Dear Lana ;-)
ReplyDeleteSounds like you are getting lots done. Cool. Glad you will be on the panels, wish I could come and be there.
Aloha and good luck with your uncounted buckets of chicken.
Comfort Spiral
Shoot, Charles, wish I could be there. And when you get your chicken--grill, broil, or bake. So much healthier!
ReplyDeleteCongrats!
ReplyDeleteI don't live in the area either, but good luck 2 you.
I love to write. Recently, I've been thinking of taking it serious.
I don't know, we will see what happens. Again, best of luck!
laughingwolf, thanks. I appreciate you knowing me. :)
ReplyDeletePaul R. McNamee, yeah, they always have some celebrity guests and a fair amount of local writers.
X. Dell, thanks. I appreciate that. And yes if I weren't married to Lana I'd have to pay her as my publicist. Well, I'll take her out to dinner!
Cloudia, yes, it would be a long trip for you. Maybe I'll get invited to one in Hawaii some day.
jodi, I like chicken pretty much anyway you can fix it.
starbender, thanks for dropping by. Writing can be a frustrating business but it also has great rewards. Not monetary rewards mind you. lol.
Summer is treating you well.
ReplyDeleteyummm...sushi.... the wings sound good too...darn, i'm hungry now. :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the half way point :)
Ah, as they used to say in Canadian publishing before they flaunt you "That's where it starts."
ReplyDeleteOver here, things are happening as well, but like you, I ain't countin' my chickens before they're fried. Been on cable TV a lot, but except for a few women on the phone, not much else happened.
Sounds like summer is progressing pretty well.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like Lana is your greatest fan - lucky man!
ReplyDeleteHave a good weekend!
Sounds like an epic work in progress. It feels great when everything's going along so well.
ReplyDeletepattinase (abbott), It definitely is. I'm getting very spoiled.
ReplyDeleteSteve Malley, yes indeed. Much fun.
Lauren, oh the sushi was sooooo good. I want to go back tomorrow.
ivan, I remember the first couple of times I thought something good was gonna happen and then it....didn't. Sigh. Hope yours works out well.
Travis, I'm already dreading summer end.
jennifer, we are pretty much each others' biggest fans.
ARCHAVIST, it's been eerily smooth for the past week. I hope I don't jinx myself.
congrats on the halfway point, interview, and panels! you give the rest of us something to aspire to.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations. May I join in the bandwagon?
ReplyDeleteYou're an inspiration to us little fellas trying to make our way, trying to find our voice with our latest writing projects.
ReplyDeleteHope you wow'em at the conference.
As for your line about "chickens," I will always remember your missed opportunity--the one where a writer you admired choked on a chicken bone.
Yep...Just keep on pluggin' away at everything Charles. Your best is ahead of you.
ReplyDeleteYes, Lana IS the best, isn't she??
ReplyDeleteCongrats - it sounds like an embarrassment of riches right now. Will there be a link to the interview when it's in the paper?
Greg Schwartz, Thanks dude.
ReplyDeleteOcean Girl, thanks, and thanks for visiting. Are you on the Lana bandwagon too?
JR, dude, I feel like I should say "I'm not a role model." lol. Yes, I was just thinking of that story the other night. Francis Gwaltney was his name.
Mark, thanks. I hope I can keep up the momentum.
Laurie Powers, I don't actually know if the column will be online or not. I'll let folks know if so. And yes, Lana is a real sweetheart.
Congratulations, man!
ReplyDeleteNice mix of food, by the way . . .
Hey Charles,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on all the good news, even the secret unfried chicken good news. :) I know what you mean -- I always am afraid of jinxing things as well. Good luck at the conference -- you'll be great!
Erik, thanks. That was a good food day.
ReplyDeleteMichelle, I'm not a terribly social person but I come out of my shell a bit for cons.
Well done you! Be back to hear about your other news soon
ReplyDeleteSounding good.... well, except for the sushi stuff LOL
ReplyDeletex
Hey Charles! Your name came up in our writing meeting for the blog you wrote on info dumping. ^_^ yeah! Good stuff!! Thanks for always sharing.
ReplyDeleteMiddle Ditch, thankee. I hope I'll be able to share fully soon.
ReplyDeleteMarmiteToasty, sushi isn't for everyone. I'll admit that.
Christina, wow, that's cool. I appreciate that.
Go Charles! It sounds like fun. I wish I could be there - just a little ocean and a few land miles in the way. In any case, I'm already booked for a signing in the beautiful historic town of Bath in England on the 18th, travelling up there on the 17th after hopefully being interviewed on BBC Radio Somerset (woops - counting a chicken that's not yet hatched). I hope it goes as well as last Saturday in Cambridge where we sold out by lunch time and then spent a lovely afternoon by the river watching people punting. I hope you have as good a time at Bable Con. I'm going to follow the link and read about it now.
ReplyDeleteLeigh, sold out by lunch? Excellent. Congrats.
ReplyDeleteYou've got some good news to announce, maybe? Good for you! And you had sushi for lunch, too: I'd do a lot to have some sushi for lunch. What they try to sell as sushi here in Scotland is enough to make me weep.
ReplyDeleteoooh...cool possibilities on the horizon. Congrats on the article and have a great time this weekend :)
ReplyDeleteI hope the chicken bucket gets filled fast. :)
ReplyDeleteMary Witzl, I'm sorry to hear about Scotland's sushi gap. We have the good stuff here.
ReplyDeleteL.A. Mitchell, thanks, I'm starting to get ready for my presentations today. I'm going to be a busy fellow.
BernardL, I'm hoping so too. This project would be good to see come to fruition.
You had my favorite lunch! Congrats on all the upcoming speaking engagements. And I'll keep checking back to see your fried-and-in-a-bucket news!
ReplyDeleteBarrie, thanks, I appreciate that.
ReplyDeleteSounds like things are going well, writing and speaking.
ReplyDeleteThat was an interesting culinary trip through several time zones! :-)
ReplyDeleteReading how you already know some places where you need to add detail and foreshadowing, how you write about tying up loose end leaves me in awe. You are a true master of your craft and I wish I could have something like four years of writing classes with a teacher like you!
Congratulations on all the other good news and I can't wait to see your fried chicken in the bucket! ;-)
Barbara Martin, things have certainly improved over the past few years for me.
ReplyDeleteMerisi, thanks for the kind words. And yes, when it's in the bucket is when I began to celebrate.