Voting for phase 2 of the Marcher Lord Select contest ( http://wherethemapends.proboards.com/index.cgi ) is now open! You have until Sunday, November 30 to vote. Again for both the main and premise contest you must vote for at least three.

I’ve been thinking about what I consider my chances for this one. I admit I’m in a gray zone, neither confident or uncertain.

Okay, maybe a little uncertain.

It’s one thing to look forward to the opinion of a single person, publisher or agent. No matter the outcome, it is after all the opinion of one. That the ego can bear.

With this contest, I’m depending on the opinion of hundreds. To find out that hundreds didn’t vote for mine is not something my ego can shake off so easily. By the same token, if those hundreds vote for mine, I’ll have trouble keeping my ego from giving my forehead stretch marks.

Yet, as a writer seeking publication, that’s the pool I’m diving into. To be published is only the beginning of the swim. Yet if I am to succeed, I have to take a risk and allow hundreds if not thousands of readers to judge my work.

As a Christian, I could easily say that there is only one Judge that really matters. While true, it’s not my only goal. I want the words I write to be read by others, and, God willing, find God in them.

After all, no one ever said ambition can’t be a good thing — as long as I dedicate that ambition to God.

Now I’m going to slather my forehead with some anti-stretch-mark cream.
 

After seven days the Lord gave me a message. He said, “Son of man, I have appointed you as a watchman for Israel. Whenever you receive a message from me, warn people immediately. If I warn the wicked, saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths. If you warn them and they refuse to repent and keep on sinning, they will die in their sins. But you will have saved yourself because you obeyed me.

“If righteous people turn away from their righteous behavior and ignore the obstacles I put in their way, they will die. And if you do not warn them, they will die in their sins. None of their righteous acts will be remembered, and I will hold you responsible for their deaths. But if you warn righteous people not to sin and they listen to you and do not sin, they will live, and you will have saved yourself, too.”

About a week ago I saw an advertisement for the release of Susan Boyle’s first music album on November 23.

If you don’t know who that is, check out this youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY

Word of advice, have tissues handy.

When I went to Amazon yesterday, I saw that it’s #1 in sales rank. And it hasn’t even been released yet. I wasn’t remotely surprised.

What is it about Susan Boyle we all find fascinating? Why do we want to see her succeed?

Because she’s like every single one of us; a person with dreams as yet unfulfilled. We know what it means to be mocked and laughed at as she was before she started singing. With one note, she proved the cynics wrong. How many of us long to do the same?

She had a dream, practiced for over 35 years, took a chance, and fulfilled that dream.

I want to be like Susan Boyle.
 

Looks like I will be moving to the second round in the contest.

It's both a celebration point and a shrug.

First, the shrug: All the premises made it through to the second round. The publisher decided that some authors could have written a killer premise, but the entire manuscript may not live up to it. The reverse is also true. He felt it was only fair all should move to the 100-word blurb round.

The celebration point is even if the publisher decided not to go that route, my book would have made it.

I could email for how my book scored overall, but I'm a bit ambivalent about it. Do I really want to know how many votes it got? Could I take finding out I ended up near the bottom, barely scraping by?

At this point ignorance is bliss.

The fact I'm moving to the second round is good enough.
 

The voting for the contest my book is in began yesterday, and goes until Sunday. For more information check out http://wherethemapends.proboards.com/index.cgi? Click on Marcher Lord Select (the first sub-board listed). It will ask for a username and password, so if you haven't signed up for the boards yet, you can do it there.

You can vote for up to 20 in the main contest, and 25 in the premise contest (where my book is). I also recommend you check out the http://www.marcherlordpress.com/New_Store , especially if you enjoy Speculative Fiction with a Christian world view - or know someone who does. I've read three of MLP books, and was impressed with every one.

Sales pitch over. Enjoy the rest of your weekend!
 

Forget Friday the 13th. Let's go for Monday-Friday.

A single week when nothing seemed to go right.

I found an error with three plats I drew up -- after they were completed, signed by the owner and filed at the courthouse. Oi. How do I explain to the client that this will be the third (yes, third!) time they had to come in and sign their plats due to a mistake by yours truly?

So I stressed out about it Monday night to the point I couldn't sleep.

However, once I corrected the errors, I called them up and explained what happened. The were so gracious and understanding, I felt like crying in gratitude. Okay, maybe not to the point of tears, but I was grateful. I didn't deserve it, that's for sure. Ever feel like you're a waste of space? I sure did feel like it that day!

Then! I find out another plat may not go through because the newly appointed County Engineer doesn't want to sign it because it doesn't meet the County-Across-The-River's standards. Another two days of stressing, because should he decide not to sign, not only with the owner lose a sale, but the buyer will not make the January 1 deadline for First Time Homebuyers.

How do I explain to the client that I couldn't convince the Engineer we do it on this side of the river a bit differently?

So I lost sleep another day stressing about it.

Today I talked to said engineer and he decided to sign it.

Plus there were a bunch of other things to go wrong: My home internet modem crapped out, and my DSL provider drug (drug? Its feet are stoned? Let's go for dragged) its feet on sending it to me, and blamed the delivery company for the delay.

Then last night I couldn't get the new one to work, and spent over an hour on the phone with the technician, all the while trying to keep my little guy from screaming at me.

Oi.

I'm tired.

Good news, though. In the end everything turned out well, and perhaps I'm a little more patient for the next time things fall apart around me.

And! I'm taking the next week off. The entire week! Yay! My hubby is going on a hunting trip and I get to play full-time Mommy. I'm looking forward to it, but at the same time, it won't be easy. Thomas is entering the Terrible Two stage with screaming and crying when he doesn't get his way.

Luckily the screeching is the limits of his tantrums.

We're also trying to teach him not to throw things unless we're ready for it, or hitting and kicking us or the dog. It's nothing vindictive, but typical boy behavior. Still, it's important he learns that to hit or kick others is mean and not appropriate behavior.

He's learning.

But I need to get back to my nano-novel. I'm pathetic at 6800 words, but I'll keep plugging away. I may not make 50k, but as long as I keep writing, I'm happy.

Have a great weekend, all!
 

Travis Garrity felt the man's breath on his neck and tried not to cringe.

Did the self-appointed governor of this expedition have to eat so much garlic, and on top of that, stand within a half a meter with everyone he wanted to talk to?

"We're not there yet," Travis said for the nineteenth time today. He knew. He kept track.

Governor Isaac Johanna leaned over the console, his breath even more pungent, and said, "You said it would be today, Garrity."

"And it will, but you hovering over me will not make this bucket go any faster."

Travis could feel Johanna's glare when he said, "This bucket has been your home all your life. Show some respect."

Home, Travis thought. More like a prison and the only way out was the vacuum of space. How could he respect that? Truth was, he was more eager to get to their destination than the governor, and most of the other colonists aboard this 70-year-old heap named "Red Dagger."

Red Dagger. What a name. Pink Rust Bucket was more apt in describing her.

Travis smirked and gave the pilot console a small caress. He did love her, even as he despised her. She brought them through many a hardship with few problems. She was well-built even if she was ugly.

===========================================================

This is how my latest nanowrimo novel begins. It's a prequel to my very first nano-novel entitled "Red Dagger." The first novel wasn't about the ship named in this one, but in fact takes place almost 600 years in the future.

Kinda fun not only coming up with a new story, but an entire universe.

But also daunting. So far I'm a bit slow in writing "Redarian." It's not because I'm not interested in the story, but I feel out of practice in writing over 1500 words a day. It's intimidating, because I've spent so much time lately editing. I keep wanting to either edit as I go, or stop to rephrase a word, paragraph and constantly ask myself, "Is this scene even necessary?"

Who cares!

The point is to write, and write anything. It's about volume, not quality. The fixing can come later.

So I best get to writing, even if it is total ick.
 

The Marcher Lord Select contests officially started today!

It consists of two separate contests: the Main contest and Premise contest. Phase I for the main contest consists of the 20-word premise, 100-word blurb and a single-page synopsis. The winner of this contest will be published -- although the publisher, Jeff Gerke still makes the final decision.

Phase I of the Premise contest (where I'm an entrant) is the Title of the book and 20-word premise. The 20 stories with the most votes moves on to Phase II, with a total of four phases. For the winners of this contest, Jeff Gerke will read the entire manuscript and decide whether or not it will be published. There's no guarantee, but at least we're moved to the top of his reading list. For the ones who didn't win, they aren't immediately rejected; they'll just have to wait a little longer for that thirsted after "Send your entire manuscript."

I hope you'll participate in the contest as a voter. The more the merrier. The only caveat is you'll have to vote at least three times and you'll have to sign up as a member to the forum. Also, if you know anyone who might be interested, especially if they like science fiction and/or fantasy, please send them over as well.

Voting begins November 13th.

To find out more click here: http://wherethemapends.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=mlpselect