Monday, July 11, 2005
Heat Wave Fails To Halt Creative Surge
I am getting heartily sick of this heat. What is going on? If anyone was in any doubt about global warming, we here in Scotland are having one of the hottest heat waves I can remember of the past few years. Today it tipped the underside of 80 degrees!!
Each day is solid sunshine, unbroken cloud and sweltering heat and it is just not in my make-up to be able to take it. Others can and swan about half-naked in the street if they want, but it's just too much for me. Having to walk about in a shirt and tie isn't helping much either. Last night I had to sleep in mythong boxers on TOP of the sheets!
Work was as dire as it could be, although the air-conditioning was working for a change. I had brought sandwiches with me for lunch but by 11am I knew I had to get out of the office so I arranged to meet Gail for lunch down by the Shore in Leith. We went to The Waterline (again) and sat outside in the sun; a decision I was later to regret.
The afternoon dragged.
I finally heard back from my mate who lives in King's Cross. I forgot he lived there and so with the bombings last week I sent him a text message a couple of days ago. Yesterday I followed it up with an e-mail and nothing - until this afternoon.
In typical fashion, he missed the entire episode due to a stinking hangover and it was only the emergency sirens that woke him out of his stupor! I should have known. If he is reading this, it's about time we got together for a catch-up and a bevvy!
I e-mailed my editor at KIC requesting an extension for the e-books and she was fine. The deadline is only for the initial wave of books and authors can submit an e-book any time after for inclusion. I'm glad - it gives me some breathing space. I'll work it in after the G8 story and around the 13 Journals project.
Speaking of the G8 story, I wrote out the first half of it this evening. It will probably take a couple of re-writes, but I simply must get it all down this week. I've no idea how long it will turn out to be but I'm not restricting myself. With it being so fresh, I'm thinking of submitting it to a broadsheet or newspaper supplement magazine as it will provide the focus for conflicting points of view in the on-going debates we are having in the country just now.
This month is going to be a good one. I can feel it. I have the right blend of GDR work, fresh projects and on-going work and I feel incredibly charged. At the rate 'm going not only will I beat my monthly word count record, but I will have some new work ready for submission in August. My list is quite dismal at the moment; in fact, here's an update.
Short Stories
Heart of a Child - waiting 7th submission - recently rejected by Gorlan Publications (went out of business).
The Blind Man of Cathkin Street - on sub at The Edge magazine (paying market, sf/horror/gothic).
A Bond of Faith - on sub at The Portable Muse magazine.
Daffodils - needs rewrite after getting to the latter stages at NFG magazine.
Loaded - on sub at the Barcelona Review.
The Oasis - on sub at One Story magazine.
On A Monday Morning - waiting sub to Writing Magazine competition.
Poetry
Nothing on submission
1 waiting 6th sub
1 waiting 5th sub
1 waiting 4th sub
1 waiting 3rd sub
3 waiting 2nd sub
14 poems waiting 1st sub
This doesn't include the poems published under Brick by Brick - not sure how that would work as far as copyright goes.
Also, I'm looking at a project just now that would involve grouping together certain poems and publishing in further e-books so I'm not bothered that no poems are out doing the rounds.
Each day is solid sunshine, unbroken cloud and sweltering heat and it is just not in my make-up to be able to take it. Others can and swan about half-naked in the street if they want, but it's just too much for me. Having to walk about in a shirt and tie isn't helping much either. Last night I had to sleep in my
Work was as dire as it could be, although the air-conditioning was working for a change. I had brought sandwiches with me for lunch but by 11am I knew I had to get out of the office so I arranged to meet Gail for lunch down by the Shore in Leith. We went to The Waterline (again) and sat outside in the sun; a decision I was later to regret.
The afternoon dragged.
I finally heard back from my mate who lives in King's Cross. I forgot he lived there and so with the bombings last week I sent him a text message a couple of days ago. Yesterday I followed it up with an e-mail and nothing - until this afternoon.
In typical fashion, he missed the entire episode due to a stinking hangover and it was only the emergency sirens that woke him out of his stupor! I should have known. If he is reading this, it's about time we got together for a catch-up and a bevvy!
I e-mailed my editor at KIC requesting an extension for the e-books and she was fine. The deadline is only for the initial wave of books and authors can submit an e-book any time after for inclusion. I'm glad - it gives me some breathing space. I'll work it in after the G8 story and around the 13 Journals project.
Speaking of the G8 story, I wrote out the first half of it this evening. It will probably take a couple of re-writes, but I simply must get it all down this week. I've no idea how long it will turn out to be but I'm not restricting myself. With it being so fresh, I'm thinking of submitting it to a broadsheet or newspaper supplement magazine as it will provide the focus for conflicting points of view in the on-going debates we are having in the country just now.
This month is going to be a good one. I can feel it. I have the right blend of GDR work, fresh projects and on-going work and I feel incredibly charged. At the rate 'm going not only will I beat my monthly word count record, but I will have some new work ready for submission in August. My list is quite dismal at the moment; in fact, here's an update.
Short Stories
Heart of a Child - waiting 7th submission - recently rejected by Gorlan Publications (went out of business).
The Blind Man of Cathkin Street - on sub at The Edge magazine (paying market, sf/horror/gothic).
A Bond of Faith - on sub at The Portable Muse magazine.
Daffodils - needs rewrite after getting to the latter stages at NFG magazine.
Loaded - on sub at the Barcelona Review.
The Oasis - on sub at One Story magazine.
On A Monday Morning - waiting sub to Writing Magazine competition.
Poetry
Nothing on submission
1 waiting 6th sub
1 waiting 5th sub
1 waiting 4th sub
1 waiting 3rd sub
3 waiting 2nd sub
14 poems waiting 1st sub
This doesn't include the poems published under Brick by Brick - not sure how that would work as far as copyright goes.
Also, I'm looking at a project just now that would involve grouping together certain poems and publishing in further e-books so I'm not bothered that no poems are out doing the rounds.
Colin 12:23 pm
4 Comments:
The big man in a thong?
Too much information...!
Too much information...!
It was a typo! ;-)
Thong! Colin, you're a hoot! :)
OKAY, clearing the mental image from my mind....
But seriously, my hubby pulled his "I-can't-sleep-I'm-too-hot-did-you-turn-the-air-up?" routine at 3am. He kept turning it down (and the blasted ceiling fan higher and higher) until it was 72 degrees in our house.
I told him to go sleep in the basement. Do you have a basement?
;-)
But seriously, my hubby pulled his "I-can't-sleep-I'm-too-hot-did-you-turn-the-air-up?" routine at 3am. He kept turning it down (and the blasted ceiling fan higher and higher) until it was 72 degrees in our house.
I told him to go sleep in the basement. Do you have a basement?
;-)