Birthdays and Finished-Book Blues

Baby F turned two today. It wasn’t such a big deal in his life, really. The cake and presents will happen on Sunday—if I can get the cake made. The idea of working with fondant awes me a little. Okay, it scares me. Today, though, passed as a normal day for my little brown boy, out playing in the sun.

Baby M is no longer a baby. She’s five, has the attitude of a 13-year-old, and is at the Benton-Franklin Fair with her maternal grandparents. In less than two weeks, she and I embark on her kindergarten year of our home-schooling saga.

My newborn, Baby S, is already five months old. Not crawling yet, but rocking on her hands and knees and, as I type, trying desperately to figure out how to get her little mitts on my laptop.

I, on the other hand, just finished Superior Storm by Tom Hilpert. It’s the second of his books I’ve read, and I enjoyed both immensely. They aren’t great literature (no offense Pastor Hilpert; few books are!) but they were immensely entertaining and they resonated with me in a way a newfound author hasn’t in a long while. I think I may end up liking Jonah Borden as much as I love Joe Grey. Hey, that’s saying a lot. After all, how many crime-solving Lutheran pastors measure up to crime-solving talking cats?

At the same time, I’m feeling a little blue. Part of that is the standard depression any reader goes through when finishing a great book and not finding another waiting. Part of it has to do with my own stalled status. Soon, I promise myself, when all my kids start sleeping through the night, 5 a.m. will look more appealing. For now, I tell myself to be patient and practice my craft in newsprint.

That’s just a little something to send out into the universe tonight. For those who like mysteries with a touch of gospel, check out Hilpert’s Superior Mysteries.

For those who like baby pictures, check out Baby S. (Okay, yes, I’m a shameless mommy who loves to show off her kids).

And happy writing.

Writing at a Moving Target

We’ve all heard the phrase, “Life is a moving target.” If nothing else, it’s been made pretty famous by a store of a certain name. I wish, though, that it wasn’t moving so fast. I wish it would stop, especially when it comes to my writing.

For a brief time, I thought I had a handle on this whole writing lifestyle. Then my oldest daughter was born five years ago today and she threw my life on its head.

I eventually found a new, though slightly more difficult rhythm. (I’m not a morning person, so those 5 a.m. writing sessions were a real bear.) After a matter of a few months, a combination of morning sickness and other ill health again threw things off-kilter. I can’t say I’ll never recover, but I haven’t yet.

I also can’t say I haven’t written anything. As editor of a weekly paper, I routinely write interviews and other features. As a writer, though, my heart and soul have always belonged to fiction. I haven’t touched that since months before the birth of my 21-month-old son. That’s too long.

I wouldn’t trade my children for anything, not even Stephen King’s career. Now, as I write this post, though, I try to block out the movie my five-year-old is watching (The Sword in the Stone if anyone’s interested)…and my toddler’s insistent (try throwing an empty bowl at my head) request for a fifth Cutie…and my two-month-old’s increasingly strident cries. I try to focus and wonder when the target will quit moving. Then I have to face the fact that it never will.

The target will never stop moving. Life will never be perfect. The kids will grow up and something else will happen to take my attention. So, if I want to be a writer, I have to become a sharpshooter and try to hit that target no matter how fast it’s moving or how much it zigzags. I just have to figure out how.

How do you write when your life is a moving target?

Some of the things that keep my life a moving target.

Manuscript Editing: How to Resurrect a Stalled Manuscript | WritersDigest.com

Anyone else have a stalled manuscript? Show of hands?

Manuscript Editing: How to Resurrect a Stalled Manuscript | WritersDigest.com

Your Email Might Be Somebody’s Last Straw | Rachelle Gardner

As the editor of a newspaper, not to mention a busy mom, Rachelle Gardner's post resonated with me today. Curious about email etiquette? Check it out:

Your Email Might Be Somebody’s Last Straw | Rachelle Gardner

Christmas Dreams

The following was written December 25, 2011:

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Day seems like an odd time to pick back up on this blog, but I have a couple of good reasons for doing so tonight.

The first is that I’m not at home. I’m in Las Vegas visiting my in-laws for the holiday, and right now I’m trapped in our borrowed townhouse with a sleeping toddler while the merrymaking happens elsewhere.

The second is that, as I was leaving Uncle Tony and Aunt Mary’s house, my husband’s cousin mentioned that the label on a jar of jam made Uncle Tony think I was on the web.

“I am online,” I said, “just not for jam.”

Then, of course, I explained about my blog. Then I had to admit how long it had been since I’d posted anything. And then, of course, I actually thought about how long it had been since I’d posted anything. Or written anything. Or done much of anything at all with my freelance career. And I felt guilty.
So, I have motive and opportunity. That’s why I’m writing a blog post on Christmas night, even knowing I won’t be able to post it until I get near a wireless connection.

It’s not that I haven’t been doing anything. I have a three-year-old daughter and a four-month-old son, either of which would consume a big chunk of any day. I’m still on church council. I still work two days a week at the local newspaper. We still have a gelato business. It’s the holiday season, so I’ve been shopping and planning and baking whenever those other activities allowed. Yet something was missing. I only vaguely realized it until I had a random conversation about jam (and conserves and marmalade, but that’s not really important right now). Writing is a part of my life, a part of who I am, but I'd more or less given it up.

Unnecessary guilt is always bad. (There’s a theological discussion about what guilt might be necessary, but I’ll not get into it right now.) Guilt can be a good motivator, though. Tonight is caused me to tuck my girl into bed and then sit down and draft out an article idea I’ve had in my back pocket since September. It felt good. Yes, it was crappy and unfocused but, darn it, it felt good.

We all have dreams. For you, that dream may or may not be to write. It doesn’t matter. Sometimes life gets in the way and we place those dreams aside. When we do that to ourselves, we can feel guilt. It can be destructive, debilitating. Or, it can make us get off our rears and realize our dreams, if only a few steps at a time.

That’s a lot of rambling for a small point. This Christmas and into the new year, give yourself a gift. Give yourself the gift of a dream realized, one day at a time.

Happy 2012!

Where I've Been

I know, it's been months since I posted anything on this blog. Those who follow regularly or who friend me on Facebook will have some idea of what happened. For everyone else, here's the newspaper version.


Frank Joseph Di Salvo II

Carmelo and Andrea Di Salvo of Heppner announce the birth of a son, Frank Joseph. Frank was born at Good Shepherd Hospital in Hermiston at 3:06 p.m. on Sunday, August 21, 2011. He weighed eight pounds and was 21 and a quarter inches long.

Frank joins older sister, Moira, age three. Grandparents are Frank and Pam Di Salvo of Cheektowaga, NY; Lucille Di Salvo of Buffalo, NY; and Dexter and Corinne Miles of Heppner.

New baby and big sister probably won't allow for a regular blog schedule for some time to come, but I'll get back to posting as I'm able!

Wednesday Update on...Saturday -- 5/7/11

Oops, looks like some more days got away from me somewhere.

Well, it was another week of no fiction writing...only news, news, news.

I got smart after having to stay at the paper till 6:30 last Tuesday. This week I planned ahead, checked emails from home, and did an interview on Saturday. I also drafted the article on Saturday. Sure, doing it off the clock basically meant I didn't get paid for it. I gave myself a byline for the article and photo, though, and got out by five both Monday and Tuesday. I call that progress! I also think the article was a higher quality than it would have been if I'd been writing it during the deadline crunch. As it stands, it's a piece on which I'm happy to have my byline for the world to see. (And, since layout is also my job, it got placed above the fold on page one...heh heh heh...)

The down side of the week is that WRITERS' Journal posted the results for their Science-Fiction/Fantasy contest. I didn't make the cut, not even as an honorable mention. Time to take another look at Baggage Claim and then pick the next market to assail.

Writer's group on Tuesday was good! Only three of us showed--Pat, Leland and myself--but that made for a more intimate, productive session. We finally seem to be hitting our stride as a group. Now I need to make sure I start writing something to have critiqued every week; that's surely the difficult part right now.

My cold and cough continue to linger, as does Baby M's. Her ear is still inflamed, even after two rounds of antibiotics. I have an upper respiratory infection that's making life miserable and for which I can do nothing except use a Neti Pot. Other than that, life is not so bad.

There's my news. Happy, um, Saturday!

Currently reading Shadowmarch, Volume 1 of the four-book Shadowmarch trilogy (yeah, you read that right; that's a Tad Williams trilogy for you). I've read both this and Volume 2, Shadowplay, before. This second read-through is a refresher before tackling the final two books, which were finally released. Seven- to eight-hundred-page books, but I'm willing to immerse myself in them again. 'Nuf said.

(By the way, this set is classified not just as fantasy, but as cyber-punk. I suppose that's related in some way to steam punk. Can anyone tell me what in earth those two genres are? Time for more research reading!)

There Are No Rules

Feel like you need HELP as an aspiring writer? Check out Jane Friedman's post on why people offer help to writers, what help writers really need, and where to get legitimate help.

There Are No Rules

Wednesday Update

Here I am, having missed my Monday update on yet another week. It looks like working on Mondays and Tuesdays will have to call for a change in my blogging schedule...again. For now, that means updates on Wednesdays and something on Fridays. I'm far behind on my blog reading, so Friday's will probably feature more reflections and rambling and fewer blog roundups.

Yesterday saw the end of my second work "week" on my own at the paper. I still like the job, but it often feels like trying to drink from a fire hose. I arrive on Mondays around nine, usually to more than 100 emails. My first task is to filter through and find the actual news amid all the spam and junk. Then I spend the rest of the day editing that news.

Tuesday mornings hold my trip to the courthouse for their news, along with any leftover editing and interviews. Then I have the afternoon to lay out the editorial portion of the eight-page paper (that means I lay out everything but the ads and classifieds). I'd love to get a jump on layout, but it hasn't happened in the last two weeks.

That's why I haven't yet left the paper before six on a Tuesday. I walked out the door yesterday at 6:30, half an hour late for my rescheduled writers' group. Good thing I only have to walk a block.

I'm not complaining. (Fooled you, eh?) The work is exhilarating if stressful. I'm sure, though, that it will calm down once I get a better grasp on the routine. I may never leave at five, but I hope to make 6:30 a thing of the past very soon!

In other news, the past week contained a wicked cold from Wednesday on, followed by frantic Easter preparations on Saturday and, of course, church and our big family gathering on Sunday. Then back to work on Monday. I gave an excerpt from my NIP to the writers' group last week, and received good, positive feedback last night. I'm grateful for their support of someone who usually come late and leaves early! Now that Easter is out of the way and I'm over all but the last remnants of this cold, I'm trying to get a grasp on what I have to do for the rest of this week.

And the fire hose keeps pumping.

Happy Wednesday!

Connections -- Part 4

Finally, what you've all been waiting for: part 4 of my series on connections.

Connections in Writing

And what exactly do connections have to do with writing?

As writers, our strongest, most creative writing comes from the connections we bring to life through our words. Our characters can’t live in a bubble any more than we can. The more connections we give them, the richer and more meaningful our writing will be.

Yes, sometimes writers delve into lives that seem to have no connections. It’s never quite true, though. Look at some exceptions that prove the rule.

The boy who lived in a plastic bubble had no physical connections, but he had relationships, connections of the heart.

In Orson Scott Card’s Ender’s Game, Ender had the lonely life of a leader, with no true connections. None except his sister, Valentine, who remained his anchoring connection to all that was good in the world.

In The Count of Monte Cristo, Edmond Dantes seemed to have no connections, living a life stripped of everything except revenge. Yet he did have connections…connections of pain and vengeance to the people of his past, connections of loyalty to those who served him, and a blossoming connection of love to Haydee.

Our characters and events can’t exist in a void. They must be connected. They must be connected to their worlds, to themselves and to each other. They must connect in some way to our hearts. When we succeed in that, we form one more connection..a connection with our reader.

Monday Update -- 4/18/11

It's amazing how much two days can screw up an established schedule.

I had my first week of work at the newspaper two weeks ago. My trainer, Autumn, was great. She was patient and thorough. I still left week one with feelings of panic, as if I'd definitely bitten off more than I can chew.

I think I already posted my to-do list for the rest of that week. Wednesday--dentist. Thursday--ultrasound and five-hours of errand running. Friday I took a break to spend some time with my daughter, who hadn't been feeling well. That left me Saturday to be productive and "Git 'er done."

Saturday at 3:30 AM, Baby M woke with an ear infection.

It caught us off guard, without even the basics like children's Tylenol. Living in a small town, we had to wait until the grocery store opened at 7 in order to get Tylenol and OTC drops. Too bad they didn't work. Of course it happened on a Saturday; that meant a trip to the ER later that morning. That got it straightened out and Baby M on the road to recovery. It also left my husband and I feeling like we'd been used to wipe the floors.

Sunday was calm, a church and TV day, with Baby M recovering but still acting the part of a clinging vine.

Last Monday and Tuesday saw my second week of training at the paper. I left those days feeling nervous about taking over the job on my own. Absolute panic abated, though, and I feel confident I can do this with minimal screw-ups.

Wednesday saw the three of us (hubby, daughter and myself) on an all-day shopping trip. Looking back, it was a mistake to drag Baby M along. Guilt made us do it. The day seemed much longer than 8 hours.

Thursday was clear during the day. WOW! However, the evening was consumed by a 4-hour council meeting in the evening. Friday and Saturday were gelato-churning days. Sunday, Baby M was a monster in church. 'Nuff said.

Today will be my first day solo at the paper. By tomorrow, I'll have a better idea if I can edit and lay out an 8-page weekly on my own.

Sorry for the long, boring update. That's my last two weeks...full of activity and emergency, but with little progress in writing or publishing. That's what happens when you live life. Life gets messy. It gets sidetracked and makes you take crazy detours. When you see the sun shining on your two-year-old's hair, though, it somehow all becomes worth it.

Happy Monday!

Connections -- Part 3

Sorry I've missed almost two weeks on this blog. Part of that involves general busy-ness and part is due to a very sick toddler. I'll try to get out an update this coming Monday but, for now, here's the next installment of my "Connections" series.

Connections in Our Lives

Whether we choose to acknowledge our connections, we all have them. We have family, friends, coworkers, activities, or events that have touched us. Our lives are suspended in a series of relationships and interactions. Some are good and some are bad, but they all work together to form the reality we inhabit. It may sound egocentric to say it, but we all sit at the center of our own web of connections, the associations that tie us to the world.

We often don’t realize they’re there until we start looking for those lines of gentle tension that tie us to others. They are felt but not often seen. They are silk-thin but strong as steel. With enough work, we can sometimes sever connections. Like any good spider web, once broken they cannot be repaired; they can only be re-spun over time.

Most of all, we cannot live without connections. Some people might think they do. A sense of isolation may make those glistening threads invisible to us. If anything, though, they are negative connections that still bind us, sometimes adversely. They may be connections of pain, abuse or abandonment. Those are connections that are better off being severed and, if possible, re-spun in a different way.

No matter how painful our connections, though, we never exist in a void. A life truly without connections would be humanity misfired, a terrible aberration of what we are meant to be. Because we are meant to be connected.

Next week: Connections in Writing.

Currently Reading:


So far so good on this Biblical-archaeology novel. I'll let you know for sure when I'm finished!

Recently Read

I've decided to keep my followers up-to-date with my reading as well as my writing. First up: The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan.

I'll be honest; I found this book incredibly depressing. (Depressing? I went through reams of tissues every time one of Winnie's children died.) That's probably because I'm from the strictly escapist school of novel readers. Regardless, it was well-written. The voice fits the characters, telling the story with authenticity and occasional humor. The writing style is unique and intriguing, and the story is interesting (albeit depressing). I'd recommend The Kitchen God's Wife on the basis of the craftsmanship alone. If you like a dose of realism with your reading, though, you'll probably enjoy the story as well.

Monday Update -- 4/4/11

Yes, I'm a day early this week. In view of this Monday's crazy schedule, though, I thought I should get this out while I can.

An hour or two after posting last week's Monday update, I got a call from the newspaper where I'd dropped off my resume. After a short interview that afternoon, I left having been hired as the Heppner Gazette-Times' new part-time news editor. Tomorrow is my first day. How it goes will have to wait for next Monday's update.

According to the paper's owner, David Sykes, the position has less to do with writing than line editing and layout. That's fine, though. It gets me back in the workplace. I get to earn money and keep design skills I may otherwise have lost over time. Most importantly, the knowledge that I have to be away from home two days a week has already made me value my time at home more...both for freelance work and for spending time with my daughter.

Part of the proof of this is that I got off my duff and got my Woman's World short story in the mail. High time I got something else out there! Now I have to wait "one to six months" to see if I made the cut. It might be a bit much to expect my first time querying them, but it would sure be nice!

I didn't write much this week. I did manage a very short post for Lessons from the Shadowland in time for my April 1 deadline. I also did some editing and pulled an excerpt from my NIP to share with the writer's groups on Tuesday. That's if I get there. I went last week, but with Baby M in tow. She calmed down toward the end, but I don't think I'll try it again. No babysitter, no writer's group.

I also spent some time uncovering the desk in my office/toddler's room. While not directly related to writing, a cleaner writing space will surely be more conducive to productivity. The room needs more work, but I'm feeling proud of myself for finding the desktop.

Otherwise, I have a busy week ahead: Two days of work, one Bible study, writer's group, a dentist appointment, an ultrasound and, somewhere in there, a couple of visits with an old friend who's in town for the week. Writing? Hmmm...

I think that's it for this first Monday in April. Happy Monday and happy writing!

Ramblings, Reflections and a Blog Roundup -- 4/2/11

Again, Friday has come too quickly. That's my reflection for the week. So, let's dive in.


I love this post by Mary over at KidLit.com. It's funny, hard-hitting and inspirational... everything I needed for a swift kick in the pants Monday morning. Check it out and see if it affects you the same way.

Creative Confidence


Mary Glickman writes a guest post for the Guide to Literary Agents "How I Got My Agent" feature. Her tale of enduring 40 years of rejection before landing her first deal on her 7th novel... well it's inspiring, and makes my whining seem pretty insignificant.

How I Got My Agent -- Mary Glickman


Rachelle Gardner had a couple of wonderful posts on what a fiction editor looks for. They are not the posts I chose for this roundup. Instead, I honed in on a topic with which I can relate, the "quick no." If you've ever been discouraged about how quickly agents and editors say no--but how slowly they say yes--you may want to check it out.

Why "No" Comes Quickly...But "Yes" Seems to Take Forever


My husband and I self-published a book, but the sales have been... Well, let's not talk numbers. That's why Joel Friedlander's post on getting book reviews for self-published books caught my eye. Maybe it will catch yours, too.

How to Get Reviews for Self-Published Books


Write with TLC has some beautiful insights into the power of words, as well as what happens when words and actions don't match. Of course, she also does an excellent job of applying that lesson to the writing life!

Beautiful Words Seduce, But Actions Commit


Finally, Michael Hyatt gives some tips for dealing with something every writer has experienced. Yes, he has 24 methods for getting out of a "funk."

24 Hacks for Getting Out of Your Funk


Happy Friday and happy writing!

Connections -- Part 2

Last Wednesday I looked at human connections. This week I delve into connections in logic and events.

I think it perhaps is the writer in me, or maybe that pesky remnant of my left brain, that looks for logical connections between events and people. Sometimes, also, illogical connections. What do I mean?

What is the connection between weather and mood, mood and action, action and reaction?

When I see a behavior, an event, or even a natural phenomenon, I start looking at the cause and effect relationships. I don’t mean in an algebraic sense. I’m terrible at math, especially algebra proofs. I do love, though, sorting out the factors that lead people and animals to behave as they do.

If my friend lashes out at a friendly barista when she makes a simple mistake, is it in character or out? If out of character, why did it happen? Is my friend having a bad day and, if he is, then why? Is it a personal problem, Seasonal Affective Disorder, or a problem with medication dosage?

When earthquakes and tsunamis start ripping through the earth at a startling rate, I wonder about that rate. Is there a cause and effect relationship within the earth's plates that causes a ripple effect (um, yes, pretty sure there is)? Does the earth go through this cycle every several hundred years, or is this a sign of the coming end? Or have things been this bad all along, and we just didn't have the technology to spread the word?

And what about the connection between such disasters and the humans who endure them.? The people of Japan show amazing fortitude in the face of calamity. In other places, such events would lead to looting and rioting. What is the connection between events and reactions? What deep recesses of the soul lead some to amazing heights of courage and others to the darkest depths of human behavior?

Maybe I’m wrong about this being something writers examine in particular. Perhaps this is another trait all humanity shares. I’m not sure it is, though, because I often find myself getting sideways stares when I start asking why people behave in certain ways under not-so-certain circumstances. These, though, are the questions that drive my thoughts…who, what, where, when, how and why.

Next Wednesday, the role of connections in our lives.

Monday Update -- 3/28/11

After suffering a major relapse last Wednesday, I again find myself pulling my hair out over how little I accomplished and how far behind I am. I was so ill last week, I simply forgot about the writer's group on Tuesday. They probably don't expect to see me again.

Here's what else I haven't done; I haven't:

• Trimmed my short romance to Woman's World requirements,
• Written the Shadowland post for my last deadline (with another deadline coming at me on Wednesday),
• Marketed any of the tips or fillers I have lying around,
• Written outlines or drafts for miscellaneous ideas,
• Done anything with my children's books,
• Worked on my NIP,
• Journaled, or
• Much else.

I did take a bit of a plunge last Friday. Thursday, I opened our local paper (a weekly that comes out on Wednesdays). I scanned all 6 pages and, for the first time in months, looked at the help wanted ads. That same paper, the Gazette-Times, is currently looking for a part-time news editor.

I wasn't on the hunt for a job. I wasn't consciously seeking an opportunity. But...part time? Two days a week? News editor? I dropped off my resume on Friday.

I haven't heard back one way or the other yet. It has only been three days. I imagine that, even in a town of 1,300, there's some stiff competition. I'm praying though, and have all fingers and toes crossed.

In some ways I feel like this may be a sign of insanity. After all, I purposely try to work from home in order to raise my daughter myself (versus having a daycare do it). I don't feel I need more on my plate right now; I'm busy enough.

In other ways, I feel I'm going to seed. This job, if gotten, could be what I need to give me back a bit of my edge. Besides, we need the money.

So, there's my situation for the week. How's everyone else doing this last Monday in March?

Ramblings, Reflections and a Blog Roundup -- 3/25/11

I can't believe it's Friday. I imagine I'm not alone in that thought.

It seems strange to me to think in those terms since I don't have a Monday through Friday, 8 to 5 kind of job. Being a mom is more like a 24/7 job, while trying to squeeze everything else in around the edges. Still, years of dealing with a 9-5 environment has left me with the continuing urge to measure weeks in five-day units. So, another week has passed.

I suffered a relapse of the cold I thought I was beating. So, not much got done besides the basics. By the basics, I mean feeding and clothing my family (barely) and...well, that's pretty much it.

Enough about my life. That can all be said in my Monday update. Here's what I found in my Google Reader this week.


A question about the use of real place names turns into an answer about not giving into distractions on Rachelle Gardner's blog.

Keep Your Eye on the Ball

On the same blog, guest blogger Mary Demuth weighs in on 7 Ways to Be a Professional. Since this is something I work hard at (yes, despite apparent flaws), I thought it worth including in this roundup.

7 Ways to Be a Professional


We've all heard the slogan, "Write what you know." What if you want to write about a place you've never been? Write It Sideways has a great post on the topic, complete with pros, cons and helpful advice.

7 Tips for Writing About Places You’ve Never Been


When I first started reading Mary's post at KidLit.com, I thought, "Yeah, I've heard this before." But her post on matching detail and syntax to content turned out to be insightful and worth the read, even if you simply consider it a reminder.

Mimetic Writing


T.L. Cooper has an interesting post on priorities and the workaholic in her over at Write with TLC.

The Workaholic in Me


This last one has nothing to do with writing. As a frustrated travel addict, though, I enjoy reading Ryan's posts on his thoughts. It doesn't hurt that he's an old college friend. Anyway, this post from The Savvy Traveler was well-written and worth the read. And maybe it does apply to writing, if you bend your mind enough.

What's the Nature of Your Travel Addiction?


That should be enough to keep us all busy. I continue to battle a cold, so I know I missed tons of great posts this week. My apologies to the authors of those posts; I'll catch you on the next go-around! Till then, happy Friday and happy writing.

Connections -- Part 1

I look for connections everywhere.

I don’t know if it’s my rural upbringing, my writer’s mind or some human trait we all share, but I follow the thread of every person I meet or event I encounter to see how it connects with other people and events. I do this as a person, but also as a writer. That’s why I’ve decided to write a short series of posts on the subject. I’ll write about connections with people, connections with events, how connections shape our lives and how those connections shape our writing.

First up, connections in humanity.

Human Connections
I believe it is, in fact, a very human endeavor to examine the connections between ourselves and others. Whether we’re raised on a wheat farm in Oregon, an Italian neighborhood in the Bronx or a village in Botswana, all of us find something satisfying in establishing connections between ourselves and others.

Whenever you hear of a person-centered event in your community--a birth, death, wedding, accident or arrest--what is the first thing you do? If your family is like mine, you look for relationships. "Ah, yes, so and so who’s getting married is the son of this person who was related to that person who was a next door neighbor of the other person, who is--of course--a second cousin of such and such."

Like any good “Six Degrees” game, you eventually end up with a connection. Maybe it’s a familial connection. Maybe it’s not. In any case, you get close enough to establish that person’s place in your world. They are no longer simply a disembodied name. They are someone who, no matter how convoluted the path, is firmly fixed in your reality. You have a connection.

Next Wednesday: connections in logic and events.

Monday Update...on Tuesday?

I have a cold. That explains in part why I'm a day late with this weekly update.

This past weekend was Heppner's Wee Bit 'O Ireland celebration, one of the two biggest events in our small town's year. For me, that mainly meant making sure the local stores were stocked with plenty of gelato. That translated into hours spent churning those dozens of pints...only to turn around this week and realize I need to start all over again.

Throw in a funeral on Wednesday and a few church obligations, and my body was ripe for the cold virus my niece and nephew brought to us during the middle of the week. Saturday, the day of the big festivities, saw me with sinuses ready to burst a nose leaking like a faucet. My darling daughter was not much better off.

It took me three days to re-enter the land of the living. Three days is a pretty good record for me and colds, but seemed interminable when combined with an active 2-year-old and my pregnancy-enforced absence of meds. That's right...no Nyquil, Dayquil, Robitussin. No meds.

So, not a lot of writing got done this past week. That doesn't mean nothing got done. Remember that short story I wrote a week or so ago? I wrote it with Woman's World in mind, and last week I emailed them for their fiction guidelines. I received a response yesterday. For those who are interested, I'll post their fiction guidelines below. From what I hear, it could take several attempts to break in; the number of submissions they receive is phenomenal. They pay pretty darn well, though, especially for this economy, so it's worth the effort.

As for tonight's writer's group...I've missed the past two weeks and I'm not sure how I'll feel about it tonight after a day playing catch-up. We'll see how it pans out.



WOMAN’S WORLD
FICTION GUIDELINES

Romance guidelines:

We buy contemporary romances of 800 words. Stories must revolve around a compelling, true-to-life relationship dilemma; may feature either a female or male protagonist; and may be written in either the first or third person. Characters may be married, single, divorced or widowed; should be down-to-earth (no yuppies or jet-setters); and their dilemma should be poignantly or humorously conveyed. Please think carefully about a story's setting, mood and plot, and tell the story with interesting action and dialogue. (Every sentence, paragraph, and scene of the story should deliver more information about your characters and their situation and/or briskly advance the storyline).

We are not interested in stories involving life-or-death matters, nor are we interested in fluffy, flyaway-style romance. When we say romance, what we really mean is relationship--whether it's just beginning or is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary. The emphasis in our stories is on real life-which is why we do not buy science fiction, fantasy or historical romance.

We pay $800 per romance and retain First North American Serial Rights for six months after publication.

Mini mystery guidelines:

We purchase short "solve-it-yourself" mysteries of 700 words--a count that includes the narrative and the solution. Stories should be cleverly plotted, entertaining cliffhangers that end with a challenge to the reader to figure out whodunnit or howdunnit. The solution to the mystery is provided in a separate box.

Robbery, burglary, fraud and murder are acceptable subjects, but spare the readers any gory details or excessive violence, please! We are also not interested in ghost stories, science fiction or fantasy.

We pay $500 per mystery and retain First North American Serial Rights for six months after publication.

IMPORTANT NOTES!

Manuscripts should be double-spaced in legible size type.

Where to send manuscripts: Fiction Editor, Woman's World, 270 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632. Indicate Mini Mystery or Romance on the envelope.

How to send manuscripts: (1) You must include a Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope to receive a reply. Manuscripts not accompanied by a SASE will be discarded. Note: A #10 SASE is necessary not just for a response, but for your contract if we purchase your story. (2) Please DO NOT fax or e-mail manuscripts--because such submissions do not include SASEs, we have no means of responding to your submission.

Get to know us: Please familiarize yourself thoroughly with our romances and mini mysteries before submitting your work.

Be patient: Because we receive a tremendous volume of manuscripts, our turnaround time may range from one to six months. If you still have not heard from us after that time, feel free to re- submit your manuscript. Please do not call or write us to inquire about a manuscript's status.