Equilibrium

Seeing as today is my birthday, I figure a progress report is in order.

Teaching continues unparalleled—four classes and about a hundred English Composition students.  Writing time has taken a hit the last three months, what with the hours of lecturing, grading, and planning.  I have a great time as a professor, and, for the most part, I’ve grown fond of my students this semester (there are a few navel-gazers, however…)  My students consistently surprise and entertain me.  Always sad to see them move on.

But good God man, is it ever time for the semester to end.

Work continues on short stories to pack my collection.  A number (the ones originally in my master’s thesis) are “finished” and out to markets, some are in various stages of near completion, and a couple still need to be written.  I’ve presses and agents in mind.

The novel is slow going because I’m one-third in, where paths fork and losing one’s way becomes a valid fear.  I have a plan.  An interesting part of the process is, some of my extraneous short work is being pulled into the event horizon of this fractured world.  Come midway, we’ll see.

According to those in the know, waking up early to write is the Blessed Way.  Also my bane.  Once over the initial hump (my-eyes-keep-closing-by-themselves), few things could be better than bitter coffee on a rickety porch, drizzling rain, a quota of hard-won fiction, morning sunlight.  Suppose I’ll try again tomorrow, since I’m reminded.

The application process for MFA programs begins again.  Ack.

And then there’s this review of Broken Time Blues.  The author, , offers blush-worthy praise for my story, Chickadee:

“…Chickadee deserves mention because it may be the weirdest story I have read in the past few years. I say this having survived college writing workshops and over a year as a slush reader for two different publishing houses. Ard does a lovely job of making a dark tale of foibles, family and greed absolutely fucking surreal with his choice of speculative element.” 

I owe so many of you letters and emails.  Promise to write as soon as the semester grinds to an end.  Great things afoot.