Clarion West

I've been sending out updates to my sponsors, with one of the stories from the week attached. Here's my first three, because I just realized that maybe I should post them here too.

Week One

Dear folks:

It's been a great week. I heard Michael Bishop read at the University Bookstore on Tuesday and on Friday I sat in on the Clarion West classroom and got a chance to hear him teach. I went to the first Clarion West party on Friday, and took my mom to the Locus Awards Saturday, where we got to talk to lots of wonderful people and had the thrill of sitting near Ursula Le Guin.

In professional news, I sold a story that I'd finished last week, "Long Enough and Just So Long," to science fiction magazine Lightspeed. I sold the audio rights to "Angry Rose's Romance" (http://www.abyssandapex.com/200810-angry.html) which originally appeared in Abyss & Apex Magazine to EscapePod, which will be publishing it as a podcast,

In writing, I completed a couple of stories that I had previously started as well as finishing two pieces. I've attached one, "The Coffeemaker's Passion," as this week's thank you for supporting me in the Writeathon. I'll be sending the polished version off to the Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction next week. Next week, I'll be doing another chapter of the young adult novel I'm working on, Fairy Revolution, as well as one (or more!) stories (I've got a couple in the works right now, both fantasy.)

Thanks, as always, for your support. I hope to have more good news and interesting stories within coming weeks!

all the best,

Cat

 Week Two

Week two of the Clarion West Write-a-thon has slipped away, and we're ready for week three. This week was pretty productive for me.

In writing, I finished a fantasy short story, "The Bra," which I started last week, a chapter of Fairy Revolution, advanced some stories further along the line to completion, and wrote a piece of flash fiction, "Swallowing Ghosts," while sitting in the CW classroom listening to this week's instructor, Maureen McHugh, which I've attached as this week's story.

In other news, I've done the usual sending stuff out this week. My short story, "In Order to Conserve," which also appears in the ELSACAM collection, will appear soon in the anthology Triangulations, so I looked over the proofs for those as well as the edits for my story "Amid the Words of War," which will appear this September in Lightspeed magazine. That story's one I produced my second week of Clarion West when I was a student. I finished final drafts of a few stories and sent them out to test the waters of their first markets.

Next week I begin teaching "Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction" at Bellevue College, which I'm looking forward to. This first session we'll talk about generating ideas and doing some in-class writing exercises designed to spur creativity. I need to finish editing "Clockwork Fairies," which will appear this October on Tor.com as well as finishing up polishing a story to send to them.

Thanks, as always, for supporting me in the Write-a-thon! A new story is attached for your reading pleasure:

best,

Cat

Week Three

It's week three of the Clarion West Write-a-thon and everything is swell. I see there are some new sponsors, and I will make sure to send you folks the Week One and Week two stories today.

Most of the week was spent working on stories without finishing any, although I believe I will complete "A Man And His Parasite" today. I got a chunk done on Fairy Revolution, as well as some of the revamp of The Moon's Accomplice. I also finished the edits on a couple of upcoming stories.

I also spent a chunk of time extending a previously written horror story by three thousand words. Its title had been "Everkind," but as I worked on it this week a better title emerged: "Close Your Eyes." I've attached it as this week's story. It is experimental and (I fear) tedious in places, but remember it's still in the unpolished stage. :)

I started teaching my Writing F&SF class at Bellevue College. I blogged about some thoughts resulting from that class - http://catrambo.livejournal.com/295655.html This week I'm teaching an introductory blogging class as well, which should be fun.

In writing news, I found out that Every Day Fiction will be publishing two flash pieces, "The Investigation" and "Love Affair." A horror piece, "Centzon Totochin," will be appearing in Crossed Genres Magazine. Most exciting of all, I found out that my collection, Eyes Like Sky And Coal And Moonlight, is a finalist for the Endeavor Award (http://www.osfci.org/endeavour/)!!! The award ceremony is this November in Portland, so I'll be going down for that. Cross your fingers for me!

Thanks, as always, for supporting me in the Write-a-thon!

best,

Cat