News and Links

I'm all over the interwebz and thought I would post a few links to indulge my braggadocios tendencies.

First, thank you to Jacqueline Bach for profiling me on her blog series, The Process Project!  The interview was fun and really made me consider just how I go about putting my thoughts together when I write.  I love this series.  Writers always want to know what other writers do and how they create, hence the popularity of books on craft or The Paris Review's "The Art of Fiction" series.  But it is nice to see a project that embraces beginning writers, like myself, along with more established folks to show how we all do what we can to make our dreams happen.  What a fantastic idea!

So to Jacqueline,


Second, a small personal essay I wrote for the online magazine mater mea went live today.  mater mea "is a website that tells the stories of women at the intersection of motherhood and career. Launched in 2012, the site offers a more realistic depiction of black women in the many spaces they occupy: as mothers, daughters, employees and employers, lovers, and friends." 

It is one of a few essays I've written about my twins' difficult birth and the lessons I've learned trying to navigate my feelings around it.  A larger essay will be in Quaint Magazine's next issue, but I am not certain when that issue will be available.  I am currently working on another short essay related to parenting, covering a topic that also deals with my sons' prematurity. 

For some reason other than the obvious reasons, I feel inspired lately when I think about them, and I am writing about them more.  Maybe because it has been two years since their birth, and now I finally feel able to discuss that event without breaking down in self-shattering guilt and panic.  Maybe it is because I am entering a new phase of parenting, the toddler phase (aka, "my kid is an asshole" phase), and I have more to learn and therefore more to write about.  I have a feeling that I will continue to write about my kids for a long time to come, even when they are bigger than me and have moved out of the house.  But, for right now, I am trying to deal with the fact that others will soon know how I went into early labor, and it freaks me out a little.  This first foray in autobiography has been positive though, so I will lean on that for a little while longer.

So for me and my self-promoting, no humility having ass...
 

What's Going On

It's been some time since I've actually written about my own writing.   

I am in my last workshop before thesis, and I'm pretty much freaking out about what is going to happen after thesis is over, but that is a post and/or topic for another day.  I've only been writing and submitting stories for a short amount of time, but I have two publications and a pending third under my belt so far.

A colleague from my program has made a goal of 100 rejections in 2015, obviously with the hopes of at least getting some of her stories accepted in the process.  I've decided to join her on her quest (whether she knows that or not).

Right now, I have two stories out for submission at twelve different journals.  One story has been with two journals for 190 days.  I sent a query to find out the status, no response.  However, if they think I am going to give up and withdraw, they are mistaken.  I will let it stay pending until it gets picked up by another market.  I think it is rude to just never respond to someone who is a fan of your publication and would like to be a part of it.  So, until they say "no," I am keeping my Pomeranian in the fight. 

I have a flash piece out at ten different journals.  It is a long shot, but I love it, and I am hopeful that some sentimental editor will love it as well.  I am keeping my fingers crossed, my hopes up, etc, etc, etc.

My plan is to carefully evaluate the responses I receive.  Being realistic, if the story is rejected, I at least hope to get a personal rejection so that I may consider how to revise the work.  Those are long shots, but it does feel much better to get a personal rejection than a form rejection.  The last rejection I received said, "We’re sorry to say that we have decided against taking... The best way to know what we are publishing is of course to read the magazine, which we hope you will continue to do."  YIKES!

This is my 2015 year to date stats (not including responses received in 2015 from 2014 submissions):
Stories/Essays: 2
Submissions: 28
Acceptances: 1
Rejections: 1 (personal)
Withdrawals: 17
Pending:10

My stats are only in consideration of stories submitted this year.  So far, 2015 is going pretty well as far as publishing is concerned.  Now, I just need to continue writing, revising, and really working on my craft.  I am not a fast producer (as some of you can tell by how long it takes for me to update this blog).  But, I am working on finding more time to write, especially this semester since I have only one class.

Let's hope this isn't me when it's all said and done!