I was excited not to be traveling anywhere this month that required a suitcase. I thought the month would be a slow-down month. It turned out to be quite eventful, in spite of no packed bags, and it still has nine days to go.
I started the month with my Lost State Writers Guild and Tennessee Mountain Writers Board meetings online. Our speaker for Lost State this month was my friend John Claude Bemis, who I know through Table Rock Writers Workshop. He talked to us about children’s books, middle grade books, and YA books – the differences between them and what makes YA books so hot.
On June 4, I took one of Darnell Arnoult’s “Mining the Motherlode” classes for the first time in a long time and got some really interesting pieces out of it about two teenaged cousins in the 80s. I’m telling you, I think there’s some sort of retro 80’s YA book hanging out inside of me that will fight to get out eventually. But it’s way down the priorities list.
On June 16, I started taking another class with Diane Zinna. This one is a two-week Book Publishing class. I’m learning a lot. I’ve made some big decisions about my short story collection since the class started, based on some of the things we’ve talked about. I’ve decided to leave out five stories told from a YA perspective that all happen during the 80s. I love the stories. But, structurally, there’s no reason for five stories from the 80s. And it would take a LOT of reworking to make them functional with current technology and fashion. It also knocks my word count down by about 10,000 words, but I think I’m still in the right arena for a short story collection at 46,500 words right now. I could probably write another story or two if I needed to, although, honestly, no one from the town formerly known as Langston has spoken to me for quite some time. Yes, I’ve also changed the name of the town. It’s tentatively being called Dog Lick now. It’s no longer the county seat – that’s Carters Corner – and the county it’s located in is Carter County, VA (which is also fictional – there’s a Carter County in Tennessee, but not in Virginia). So I’m working through ideas. I’m also preparing to look for an editor to help me with the final stuff so I can begin querying it to potential publishers before the end of the year. It’s exciting, but also scary. I’ve been working with this place and these characters for two years. It’s a strange feeling to set them off into the world. But I’m eager to have them out there to share with other people! We’ve had four publishers/agents in the class for visits so far: Jennifer Ann Gordon, Cat Pleska, Jaynie Royal (Regal House), and Caroline Bock (Washington Writers Publishing House). We have more coming this week, including Denton Loving with Eastover Press – I always enjoy hearing from Denton. The most exciting part is that each agent/publisher has agreed to talk privately with a few of us from class about our works in progress. I have my fingers crossed for something great happening there. We had homework due last night – a query letter – which is mind-blowingly difficult work, even with a sample to use and instructions for it from Diane. I admit I’m horrible at reading other short story collections, so I don’t have many comp titles. In fact, I could only come up with one. I’ve got a lot more homework to do. I’m also looking for someone well-read in Appalachian short stories who might like to read my collection and offer me some ideas of other titles my work is similar to in order to give me a jumping off place. I need help, friends!
Yesterday, Russ and I drove up to Wytheville to attend the Chautauqua Festival Creative Writing Awards Ceremony. Frank X Walker was the keynote speaker. He fascinates me on so many levels! I just finished reading his book Last Will, Last Testament this week (I bought it when he was the keynote speaker at the Mountain Heritage Lit Fest). It had so much great stuff in it. So many wonderful lines about a man who had been estranged from his father as a child. I could really relate to that. I got to see several of my writing friends, which was also nice – Jim Minick, Deanna Bradbury, Jamie McDaniel, April Asbury, and Angie Clevinger. It was a wonderful event. And the first time I’d gotten to attend in person since I won my first-ever writing contest in 1989 there, for the poem “Priest of Nothing.” Who says you can’t go home again?
So, yes, it’s “awards” season for regional contests. I’m very blessed to have placed in all of them I’ve submitted to. At the Mountain Heritage Lit Festival, I got first place in the Emma Bell Miles Prize for Essay for my nonfiction piece, “Breathe,” judged by Wes Browne. At the West Virginia Writers Conference, I got first place for fiction with “Genevieve.” That’s three first-place wins for “Genevieve” in regional contests, plus first place at the local level in the Golden Nib contest in the past year! And another story from the short story collection, “Second-Hand Girl,” received first place in fiction in the Wytheville Chautauqua Festival Creative Writing Contest. I’m thrilled for all three pieces.
I’ve found out about several publications recently, as well. There have been some rejections – I’m up to 47 rejections and 16 acceptances. Recent acceptances have included “A Smoke in the Kitchen” to Songs of Eretz; and five pieces total for the Mildred Haun Review – three poems (“The Hawk Flies,” “Haiku for the Earth,” and “January Morning”); “Old Doc Jones” for creative nonfiction; and another story from my short story collection, “The Drunk Man,” for short fiction. I still have twenty pieces out, so I will hit my #50Rejections this year, I’m sure. Also, the book The Stafford Challenge 2024-25 Anthology is out now and has a poem in it that I wrote, entitled, “A Prayer for Lent.”
For a month with no suitcases required, I’ve stayed busy, and I look forward to the second week of Diane’s Book Publishing class and a few other things to finish in June.
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