Amusing the Muse with Dr. Horrible

Hats off to Joss Whedon who has outdone himself with his latest project, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, a 43-minute musical in three acts.

For reviews, news, a trailer, and instructions on how to download the episodes from I-Tunes, surf on over to the official Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog website, and the official Dr. Horrible myspace (and be ready to amuse your muse.)

Summer Craziness, Butt in Chair Time, and Why it's Time to Ressurect the Summer Writing Experiment

Between E's twice weekly Easter Seals runs, on-going doctors' visits, and S's various camps and friend outings, the summer has become crazy enough that I can't depend on stealing away to a quiet corner of the house for serious butt in chair time during the day anymore. And since my muse is worthless after 9 p.m., it's time to resurrect the Summer Writing Experiment. More later when I have time to breathe.

Amusing the Muse at the Renaissance Faire

A trip to the Bristol Renaissance Faire is a sure way to amuse the muse. Here we are on opening day waiting for Dirk & Guido, the Swordsmen, to appear.

Writer's Retreat Round-Up

One of my sisters flew into town this week. As a result, I've been spending more time out of the house than in. In terms of writers, this means less butt in chair time, and even less time to post. Quick impressions re the Words in the Woods retreat:

1. Camp Cantrall is a kick-butt location to hold a retreat. Nestled in the woods Northwest of Springfield, Illinois, the facility is far enough from the hustle and hum of the city that hundreds of stars were visible in the night sky, and the only way to find a reliable cell phone signal was to hike into the field outside the retreat center.

2. A small sampling of lessons learned during the weekend:

* SCBWIers are a very talented group of writers and critiquers.
* Honor the process. A fair portion of the published writers in attendance studied the craft for years before winning their first contract.
* Remain stalwart and true to your characters, story and style.
* One story. Three readers. Three different opinions. Happens a lot in the industry. How this translates for the aspiring writer: don't give up. If your piece comes back "rejected" and you honestly believe it's "ready" for publication, send it out again. Someone will buy it or see enough spark in your writing to ask for revisions.
* A request for revisions isn't a rejection. It's a very good thing. It means you have hooked an editor long enough to interest him/her in your story.
* Each editor brings his or his own baggage to a piece of work, which in turn will affect his/her opinion of the piece.
* One editor's opinion is one editor's opinion.
* Never leave home (or sit butt in chair) without patience and peseverance tucked into your writer's toolbelt.
* Don't expect your first draft to win you a contract. This rarely ever happens. Only in the subsequent drafts will your true story be discovered, and even then your story may not be ready for submission.
* Don't burn bridges by sending your story to editors before it's ready.
* Don't give your story to the choir (family and friends) before mailing it to editors. Find people you trust--readers who know the craft, the genre and the industry--to give you an honest opinion.
* The process from interest on an editor's part to revisions to contract to publication is often years-long.
* When an editor asks for revisions, do them, but don't expect to be paid. No money changes hand until after the revisions are accepted, the editor wins approval from the Powers that Be and a contract is signed.
* Find a critique group and keep it close. Your writing buddies will be the ones to pick you up and dust you off when you and/or your characters take a tumble.

More later after our schedule settles down.

Amusing the Muse, part II

Attention fantasy writers! Looking for a cheap way to indulge your muse? Consider tuning in to ABC Family's newest show, the Middleman. Based on the graphic novels by Javier Grillo-Marxuach and Les McClaine, the hour-long show is smart, the dialogue snappy, and the characters memorable, and, more often than not, laugh out loud funny. The motto's a hoot, too: "Fighting evil so you don't have to."

Amusing the Muse

I'm more than a bit punchy these days thanks to the retreat weekend and a sicky at home, but my muse is conscious enough to appreciate this news:

Our oldest daughter won a new role at the Bristol Renaissance Faire this summer. Instead of returning as Bridget Manners, maid of honor to Queen Elizabeth I, she leaves the confines of the court for the streets of Bristol where she will play Maggie Pye, the cut-purse of Bristol. You go girl!

Words in the Woods, part one

Words in the Woods left my muse so energized and exhausted that by the time I rolled up to P's folk's house to collect S and E for the drive home, all I wanted to do was curl up on the sofa and sleep. I would have if Buffy, our golden retriever, wasn't waiting for us at home.

Before hitting the road, P's folks ordered up a fried chicken dinner from the Wedge Drive In, one of the local diners in town. This place is a story all on its own. Picture a typical greasy spoon, the kind you see in the movies, then place it in a double-wide trailer in the middle of corn country. No joke.

The food and conversation revived me well enough to face the three-hour drive home. Once there, we tossed the bags in the front hall, scrounged up some sort of dinner (I honestly don't remember what we found in the fridge), and crawled into bed.

Monday came too early. E boarded the bus to summer school on her old scooter because we forgot the key to the new one at the folks' house. E came home from school coughing and cranky. By the time dinner came around she was spiking a temperature requiring round the clocks meds to control. Yippee. Let's hear it for ear infections.

Stay tuned. I plan to post highlights from the retreat as soon as I reclaim enough brain cells to do so.