Year in Review

Magazines are good at this: recapping everything that happened during the year to make you feel nostalgic for something that's only just gone. I won't be doing that, but I will be saying goodbye to 2011 with a kind of bittersweetness that I don't often experience.

The bad could very well outweigh the good if I let it. My job as an office money finally got the better of me (and if any of my former coworkers are reading, I don't miss it), and I found myself hastily putting together the puzzle of what would ultimately make me happy. The answer wasn't in another office position or in nursing or in graphic art: it was hairdressing.

As a result of my hasty decision to go to one of the best schools in the country, I'm once again living alone (or rather, in a roommate situation), struggling to keep on top of my responsibilities while retaining everything I'm paying a small fortune to learn. New York is not the easiest city to live in, especially after having spent my life in spread-out places. On the other hand, it's freaking New York, and I've been having a great time exploring and getting to know the place that will be my home for the next chunk of time.

This year also brought me one of the greatest triumphs of my life: a publication for sale. Even as I form myself into the next great hairdresser, I've been furiously writing for whatever gets accepted next. It remains to be seen if my sales extend past my family and close friends -- but even if not, I'm PUBLISHED!

Next year will tell me a lot about the decisions I made in 2011. Maybe I'll have a job that doesn't make me want to kill myself. Maybe I'll garner a following in the writing world. Maybe my little family will be secure together, not to be separated again.

It's been a difficult year, but one that's (hopefully) been leading up to something great.

Cosmetology, Publishing, and other Stuff

So, jeez, where to begin?

It's been a crazy month or so. Started cosmetology school at Arrojo in New York -- commuting every day from Philly. It's a lot, but about a fourth of the people on the bus every day are regulars, so I'm not the only one doing this. Cosmetology just kind of happened all of a sudden. I couldn't be in the cubicle any more (they say office work is soul-crushing--I found that to be horrifyingly true).

Some things have been more challenging than others (getting the blow-dry right, for example), but for the most part, I love going to school, and I'm so glad I made this decision! The teachers are extremely knowledgable and helpful, always telling us why something is important rather than saying, "Oh, don't worry about it, just do it." Genuinely nice, too.

In the Writing World...
Can't give any specifics yet, but one of my short stories is about to see the light of day! The Morning After, the "little novella that could", finally piqued someone's interest when I chopped a few thousand words out. Not sure if the title will stay the same after it's gone through the final edit. Super excited! My first real foot in the door! Rest assured I'll keep you all updated on the release date once I have one. Until then, share in my happiness.

Awake is getting such a big overhaul that it's almost not the same story it was when I started. Granted, that's not all bad, but it's always disheartening when someone doesn't like your characters or doesn't enjoy a particular plot point (particularly when someone says a decision your character has made was stupid ... because really, it was me making the decision for him ... ouch). Nevertheless, all the comments and critiques I've gotten so far have helped develop both the characters and the plot. Every time I rewrite this story, I think it's finally the last time, but now I'll just let it go where it needs to. Each time it gets better, so in 50 more drafts, it'll be quite okay. Reassigning a few character traits, adding some backstory and suspense. Yeah, it'll be fine.

Other Creative Stuff

Because I can't leave well enough alone, I've decided to make and sell some jewelry and amigurumi. I've always enjoyed making things, and now I'm pushing them on you fine people! I mean, look at that bear in my hand. She's practically begging you to take her home. Don't make her cry!

The Elusive Dream

Ah, the feeling. Opening my email to what I'm sure is another rejection letter (after a while, you only have to read the first few words: Thank you for your query. Unfortunately ... ), and finding the words, "may we send you a contract?" instead is nothing short of stunning.

The work in question is a short story called The Morning After. It's about two vacationers joining their friends in a wooded cabin, only to find one friend brutally attacked and everyone else missing. Like most of my stories, this one went through a multitude of changes before finally settling into its final form (and after the editors at the publisher get finished, it could very well change again). My critique buddies helped me tremendously with this piece--from telling me which sentences didn't flow well, to which whole pages ruined the suspense. Forever grateful!

After a few days feeling like I kind of suck at writing, this was the ego boost I needed to get back to work.


On a roll ...

Just posted my long-overdue story to Generations, the blog where my Papaw, my Dad, my sister, and I tackle a central topic and write something about it.

Yeah, I played a little with Photoshop.

The story I posted, Do Not Spoil the Ending, uses a familiar setting (Toronto) and a familiar situation (uhh.. spoiler), and makes something completely fictional out of it. I also used Kat and Bridget, characters from the mystery novel I'm trying to sell, and learned more about their personalities and background.

Something which I have no experience with, but find really interesting, is urban exploration. The story touches on it when the characters wander into the long-closed Lower Bay subway station (which is real -- read about it toward the end of this page: Infiltration: Toronto Subways). Creepy and exciting, huh?