Sorry I haven't sent anyone email alerts about the new updates to the Blog. I've just started using this new program they have set up to insert pictures and photos. It's pretty cool, but since I was trying to get familiar with it I thought I would wait before saying, "Oh look new entry!"
So yeah. Life has been pretty bizarre. I'm still writing, a lot. My goal is to sell a short story this summer. And if I do...well then it's off to Salem I go. No I am not going to be tried as a witch, I'm going to the Witching Hour Conference....whohoo Harry Potter. Four days! and some of my favorite authors are going to be there, Holly Black, Charles De Lint, and Ellen Datlow (editor of scifi.com will be there..we like her and want her to buy one of my stories!! She's a good person to know. We met once at Marcon last year. She was hanging with Maureen McHugh, but she was pretty cool.)
I'm still writing grants, and other business writing stuff to make extra money. I have a grant project coming up in July that I am going to start working on...but if anyone has any grants they want written...or knows someone who needs a good professional writer I'm your gal! My fee is minimal, really! I swear! I was thinking about doing mini grant consults to for grassroots non-profits. You know, a one on one where you get an opportunity to explain your project or need, and someone points you in the right direction... or if you are thinking abuot a grant you get someone to go through the RFP or announcement with you to kind of get started on the right direction. Everyone wants grant dollars but they are hard to get, especially for those smaller groups.
Ok off my soapbox. Check out the Harry Potter trailer. It is so much better than the one for the Prisoner of Azkaban. I still have some issues with that movie, but it grows on you I guess. The fourth book is still my favorite (but that could change after July 17th. I will have to let you know...) I like the fifth book too but I think that Order of the Phoenix is really a transition book, from a writer's point of view, Rowling does a lot of setting up--planting of clues, etc. So i anticipate big things with the 6th book. the other thing I like about the HP Books is that she started out knowing that there would be 7 books, and it wasn't a secret. I think that is what keeps people like Warner Bros. making the movies...It would be really easy and tempting to go on and on and on....but even though the books and movies could stand alone...it's not really a series persay. More like an extended trilogy. What do you call a book divided into 7 parts? oh well. If you think about it, the first three books are much smaller so they could actually be one story...no that still gives you five...ok maybe it is a series. I just like knowing that it's contained and I think it has maintained the readership....
