Tuesday was Workshop Day!
I gave my Writing Relationships 101 workshop to a lovely group of 10 or so people who all frantically took notes the whole time and had some great questions. I had to rush the ending a bit when the library staff came in and told us we were supposed to be out ten minutes earlier (this gave me a serious grad school flashback) but everyone was very enthusiastic afterwards.
I added an extra module on to the end this time—about writing problematic or abusive relationships—not because I am an expert but because there are always questions. I’ll probably write an article about my thoughts—or overthinking—on the topic.
After the workshop I was invited to a board potluck with five lovely people. It was a lovely spread with tasty wine and I got to learn about bulk health food ordering and ball lightning. (Okay looking at those two things on the page I could see how people who don’t know me well could think I’m being sarcastic, but both were fascinating I swear!)
Back at the cabin I decided it was time to try out the limited series East of Eden on Netflix. I’ve been a Steinbeck junkie since Dave Selle handed me his complete works the summer I was 17 and working at a camp in Alaska. The series follows the book pretty well. Most of the child actors were unpleasant to watch, but that could have been because the older actors were so capable with their characters. There was a lot more nudity in the show than the book.
Wednesday I drove up to Seattle to celebrate Mossy’s birthday! We met at the mall and went to the Lego store where he picked out a couple great sets. Then we rode the escalator, and went to pho. I got a million hugs and he said “How will I ever live three more days without you?” He may be a touch of a mama’s boy…
The rest of the day was spent napping and doing some research for the short story I’m cranking out today. Quick tip—if you have to set a story in a historical setting that you are a little foggy about, go to Youtube. I found archival footage of a ceremony being held at my location in 1944, and an unpleasant AI documentary detailing the contribution of the site to the WW2 efforts.
Generally I try not to use any AI products. In this case it would have been weeks of research to get the same info—although I heard snippets from articles I had already read—and for a short story? I caved. I know, I know, giving satan a foothold.
Which brings us to today.
I’m planning on writing a draft of my short story that will go in the Historic Novelists anthology contest, then if it’s early enough heading up to Cove Crystals to do some editing in front of the fireplace. I have a pretty major rewrite to do the modern side of book 2 of my series, Before I’ll edit the entirety of book three. Editing usually goes a lot faster than getting that first draft out but not day and a half fast. If I’m being reasonable with myself, I’ll take the rest of the year editing book three.
So that’s the plan! Which is also something I do at residencies…
Happy Writing today folks!
Writing Activity: Write a spooky story. Choose some moment in your real life that has always been a “what might have been”. Then write it going horribly, horribly wrong!
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