Election results, writing classes, castle building, and fun with Gapman
It's the Feb issue, and so much is happening!
Normally, I’ll send these on the first Friday, but I wanted to let you know about my class.
2024 is starting off with a bang!
In the Writingverse
I’ve been elected the Catholic Writers’ Guild President. I helped found the Guild in 2008 and was an officer in it during the early years. It’s grown so much since then! I’m excited to have the opportunity to steer it into an even brighter future and hope that we can find the time, talent, and treasure needed to help it achieve its promise. I’m going to be very busy with it, but time well spent!
The Catholic Writers Conference Online is coming Feb 22-24. This conference has launched careers. We have over 20 presentations, networking time, and pitch sessions with traditional publishers and an agent. While designed for Catholics who write in all genres from nonfiction articles to novels, it is open to anyone wanting to learn the trade; just know there’s a deep spiritual element to the presentations. It’s $60 for non-CWG members and $40 for members (email me for the code). Clergy (priests, sisters, deacons, etc) are free. (Again, ask me for the code.)
https://catholicwritersguild.org/online-conference
I’m teaching idea generation Feb 1. I had so much fun teaching my idea generation class to MetroWest Writers’ Guild that I’m doing it again Feb 1. I don’t believe that people run out of ideas. I think they have plenty of great ideas—the issue is learning how to recognize and develop them. My idea generation class covers that and then puts the lesson into practice. Attendees have come away with great starts for articles, blog posts, even novels. Come join me!
Date: Feb 1st, 8-9 PM
Price $25 ($15 for CWG and LegendFiction members—ask me for the coupon code)
At Home Base
On the home front, things are up and down. My eldest lost his job and is actively seeking another. It’s hard because he doesn’t really know what he wants and hence, doesn’t have specific skills to market. Yet, it’s been a blessing in disguise because Mom’s Alzheimer’s is getting to the point where she sleeps until late in the afternoon, and he can go over at the drop of a hat to watch over her when Dad has something to do….like help me.
Last month, I got the hairbrained idea to make a headboard for our bed. Not just any headboard. A bookcase headboard. Shaped like a castle. We are using as much of the stuff we can find in our garages, from a bookshelf to reclaimed wood and any odds and ends we can find. It’s a monstrosity, and every step takes multiple rethinks and careful measurement, but it’s going to be SO AWESOME!
Of course, the best part is having the time with my dad. The last time my dad and I did a project like this was the platform for my couch in the theater. We had a lot of fun doing it, but even more fun this time. I like making things with my dad because he has expertise, likes to explain things, and is extremely patient when something does not work out. You can go to my Facebook page and see the whole process—we’re videoing it as we go.
Why a castle headboard? Because we have a fantasy-themed bedroom, of course!
Work in Progress: Gapman (A DragonEye, PI novel)
My superhero parody set in the Vernverse, Gapman, continues apace. Ron Engleson is the perfect combination of hero and clueless. Vern is so annoyed, especially since St. George has appeared to be sure Vern takes good care of Ron. Lots of unexpected things have happened to poor Ronnie since I last talked about it:
· His mom started the Oh My Gapman fan club
· Murder hornets attacked his house
· Queen Titania kidnapped him
More fun is coming! I’m hoping to publish in August. In the meantime, here’s an excerpt: (WOUS is Wasp of Unusual Size, of course)
At least I was ready when Gapman came tearing out of the house, the hornet-shaped proto-empyre in hot pursuit. Still at the porch, he made a sharp turn up, rising above the treeline and angling toward the clear area where a large pile of blacktop waited to be spread on their road. Smart human—that gave the flaming carcasses a safe place to fall.
Speaking of. Once I was sure my vector would not intercept any of the Autumn-dry trees and Gapman was out of range, I blasted the WOUSes with an incinerating blast of flame.
I was feeling spunky; my flame lit the area like the midday sun. I kept the flame going hot and wide, long enough to blast my victims to ash and then set the ash on fire.
And yet, I didn’t see any ashes, flaming or otherwise, dripping from where my intended victims hovered.
Confused, I cut off my flame.
And there they were: two WOUSes, glowing orange and even bigger than when they’d started.
“But!” I started.
“The heat! They must absorb the heat!” Gapman pointed at the hot tub, which was running without any steam coming from its surface.
“That’s not fair!” I shouted, then dodged quickly to the right as one of the waspy creatures made a beeline toward my head. Apparently, my mouth was its new favorite heat source.