I didn’t have a post prepared for this week, so I thought I would give a brief update on what I’ve been doing lately with my writing. 🙂
Currently simmering:
Story contest: My flash fiction entry in Speculative Faith’s story prompt contest made it to the final rounds!!  I didn’t realize it until a friend posted the link on Facebook and tagged me – my heart did a huge jump.  😀  If you have a moment, please pop over to the voting page and check out all four finalist stories.  Then vote for the one that you like best!
Click here to go to the voting page for the
Speculative Faith Writing Prompt Challenge!
Flash fiction:Â This past week I wrote another piece of flash fiction, which I hope to submit to the next issue of Havok (a speculative flash fiction magazine). This story was inspired by the adventurous fantasy tales I used to write with a childhood friend growing up, so it’s been fun to work on: two spunky heroines, magic, pirates, and a steampunk airship. Â I’ll let you know if anything happens on the publishing front with that!
My main work in progress: I’ve been chipping away at the new draft of The Trusted. I had grand plans for this revision and a number of ways I intended to change it from the previous version…but some of these changes simply refuse to happen!  I’ve had characters freeze up on me, and scenes won’t come together properly.  It’s an uphill battle.  My gut is telling me that my carefully-organized plans are faulty and that I should revert to the plot outline of the previous draft.  So funny.  I’ve never had a draft “assert itself” over my plot plans like this.  We’ll see what happens!  Will writer or story prevail?  😛  My goal and hope is to complete this revision and begin submitting it to agents and publishing houses this year, Lord willing.
On the back burner:
Other projects:Â I have an older flash fiction piece I would love to publish, and plan to submit it to some places this year. Premise – imagine coming of age in a world where children are always perfect and obedient…carefully controlled by their parents via chips in their brains. Â This story is special to me, and I’d love to see it go somewhere!
In general, I’ve developed a fondness for writing flash fiction. Â It’s short, it’s fast, and it offers an opportunity for fun alternate projects between sessions of the long, slow overhaul of my trilogy.
*
What have you been reading or writing lately? Â Anything exciting you in the literary world?
Flash fiction is nice because you can put it through so many iterations so fast. 🙂
And hey, if your characters in Trusted want to behave a certain way, let them, but follow the logic. In Storm Chase, I had Carda rejecting the magic stuff at first, because in the Hero’s Journey, they have to do that. But it didn’t work for Carda. I rewrote that entire plot line because Carda has always wanted magic, and LOVES having it. He embraces it, not rejects it! The new chapters feel much more authentic to his character now.
Ah, yes – thank you! My case is actually the opposite…my hero embraced things the last draft, and it wasn’t realistic for his character. This time he’s rejecting instead. The trick is getting him to do it anyway. 😉 My original tactic fell through, but I have other ways of forcing him into his journey. 😀
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah. I wish I could buy the rights to The Disconnect so you can never let anyone else see it.
(totally goofy dramatics right now. I’m eager to see where it goes1)
Hahaha. 😀
The diabolical laughter does not comfort me… 😛
I’ve never tried my hand at flash fiction . . . maybe you’ll inspire me! 🙂