December Updates

Let me start my December Updates by saying it's good to be back posting. Computer problems will be slowing me down for the foreseeable future, for which I apologize. I've spent a lot of time away researching a singer, the late Connie Dycus, for my music Blog. That's a he, not a she, which is what started all the research I've done. There have been many ups and downs involved in researching and posting on this lost singer, who should've been more widely recognized in his lifetime. If you've ever felt the spirit of a dead person has led you to write about that person, then this is the feeling I get with Connie Dycus. Each time I give up, new information appears. We'll stop with Connie Dycus, for now. I'm sure he'll be back.

Angel Young is moving along with her college education. She's also finding time to get some short stories published. I hope to devote a whole Blogpost to updating you on those I've interviewed and on authors I follow. The past few months have been amazing. Suzanne Young has two books done, with her first book not being due out until February. Is she a Robotic Author? She never seems to stop writing! There's a good lesson for all of us who love to write. Tammy Boehm, another of the fine authors I've been blessed to interview, has been hit by The Author's Nightmare, little or no time to promote her book Bethany's Crossing. I'm not certain of all the details, but I believe her work hours greatly increased for a long time (some co-workers quit); she had a family death; and other matters only allowed her to do one book signing this year. That was at a bookstore not far from where she lives in New Mexico. People, can we find this lady some help? A fine book is going unread. Remember, Christmas is a great time for giving books; especially by the authors I have interviewed.


Finally, me! At long last I have become brave, even brazen, with my writing. I entered 3 of my poems in a certain magazine's poetry contest. If I win, place, or show---or whatever you call it in poetry contests---YOU WILL HEAR FROM ME. Did you get that or do I need to repeat it? Best of all, I entered the same magazine's Short Short Story contest. Again, if I win, place, or show---YOU WILL HEAR FROM ME! And loudly too. I learned a lot about writing, so I have already won, in that sense. By the time I submitted my story over half the original story was gone! Until I began hacking away at the story to whittle it down to contest size, I thought the original story was very good, as is. SO WRONG, as the first rewrite dumped half the story as unnecessary. Further hacking, then the realization someone was going to read the story and needed to know what I was seeing in my head, transformed the story again. Let's say this, by the time the story was entered, it was well below the maximum word count allowed. Worse, it probably needs further editing, unless it wins, of course. Then I can see myself as a visionary genius, who knew every word was needed. If I had a laughing emoticon, I would be posting it right now.

Allow me to thank, and wish a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, to all my readers, plus those I've interviewed this year. Without ALL of YOU, I wouldn't have entered those two contests. In 2010 I hope to post many interviews, reviews, updates, and more. I hope to send off my stories and poems to fulfill my goal of being published. This has been a challenging year. At times I've been way up, because people have actually allowed me to interview them. I've been way down, because it's scary wondering if you can convince the next person to let you interview them. Especially, when they can see the interviews you have conducted to date. I'm encouraged, but still nervous. Thank you for reading my 2009 Blogposts. I hope to become a follower of many of you, now that I have an idea of how that works. Take care my readers and my authors.