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Sat, Aug 23, 2025

7:28pm EDT

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The Undiscovered Country

by vivacious

Rated: 13+ · Book · Opinion · #1254599

Exploring the future through the present. One day at a time.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

I hope I stay within budget

My website: http://almarquardt.com

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Soldier_Mike

Jun 26, 2022 at 12:08am
In response to "Dare I?"

To quote Cleavon Little's character in Blazing Saddles: "Dare! Dare!"

2 Like

vivacious

Apr 11, 2022 at 8:12am
In response to "A Possible Goodbye"

Jayne

: I’m also reading a book titled: “Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now” by Jaron Lanier. It’s illuminating to say the least.

Being away for as long as I have does feel like I’ve started living again, too.

Jayne

Apr 10, 2022 at 10:36pm
In response to "A Possible Goodbye"

I'll admit it.

I tanked all my social media and got my life back. The people who want to stay in touch have my cell phone number and we do a few zoom chats if they aren't close by.

I can say, for myself, it was the best decision I could have made.

2 Like

vivacious

Mar 19, 2022 at 8:58pm
In response to "Seeking Motivation"

Kåre เลียม Enga

: I’m glad you’re back in the groove after your own hiatus. 5,235 page letter?! I hope he reads fast

Kåre เลียม Enga

Mar 19, 2022 at 8:54pm
In response to "Seeking Motivation"

I missed a couple months of writing in my hand-written journal. I'm back to it now; but I wrote fewer pages (61) in a year than I normally write in a three month season. I need to write about today on page 5,235 of this letter to my friend.

I have been fasting and trying to post daily introspections here.

vivacious

Mar 19, 2022 at 8:50pm
In response to "Seeking Motivation"

Fathertymme, "Cold Durry Days"

: Good advice! And since I live up north I’m always in need of sunlight. Spring could definitely improve my mood. Thank you for stopping by and commenting!

Fathertymme, "Cold Durry Days"

Mar 19, 2022 at 8:25pm
In response to "Seeking Motivation"

Vivacious, Things always look and seem better in spring. I to have to push myself to write, I do not write as often as I should. It prompts me to have special people to write to, My Grandsons and Granddaughters. Pick someone dear to you to write too, It give the writing purpose....

vivacious

Jan 21, 2022 at 9:03pm
In response to "Take Wing and Fly. Or crash. Either is Fine."

zwisis: Time does indeed fly! I remember revealing his birth here when I was still in the hospital!

vivacious

Jan 15, 2022 at 9:17am
In response to "Take Wing and Fly. Or crash. Either is Fine."

Kåre เลียม Enga

: That’s so sad. Being the optimist that I am, though, and judging by the adventures you’ve shared over the years with all your traveling and meeting new people, I’d say you bloomed quite nicely.

Kåre เลียม Enga

Jan 14, 2022 at 8:37pm
In response to "Take Wing and Fly. Or crash. Either is Fine."

My parents sheltered me. Of course, I was very withdrawn and 'hid' so that didn't help. I was frightened of anyone my age and avoided them. I was neither self-reliant nor independent. I was clueless when I went to university and suffered for my ignorance. But... I did start to bloom, until an early frost nipped me in the bud when I was 21. It's been needlessly rough all my life because I still withdraw and hide.

Whether it's abuse or neglect it's the same thing, a lack of good parenting skills.

August 22, 2025 at 4:46pm

#1095758

An Overdue Update

Hard to believe nearly three years have passed since I last posted here.

So why did I stay away for so long?

Several reasons: I also have a WordPress blog, so I've been posting there instead. Also, most of the people who I connected with back when I first signed up now twenty years ago (!) have since moved on to other things. Some have even passed away.

I have been wondering, though, if I should remove my WordPress blog and website, and upgrade to Premium Plus. It'll be cheaper than what I'm paying now, and with quite a few more benefits. The question is, am I really motivated to make that change...

On the writing front, I've been doing more editing than writing. First I'm an acquisition editor for an online flash fiction magazine called "Havok" (https://gohavok.com). I've also line-edited two (working on my third now) anthologies for an online writing college called Author Conservatory (https://authorconservatory.com/).

Since I've posted here last, I did publish a series of blog entries (some even taken from this and my other blogs) in four categories: life, culture, politics (yes, I went there), and faith. I called it "Catching Idle Butterflies," which some of you may find familiar. It's the title of my first blog here, which is still here in my portfolio.

Last month I attended a writers conference called Realm Makers. It's geared toward speculative fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, horror, etc.) writers who are also Christians. I've attended it for the last seven years, and it's always been a lot of fun and I always learn a lot from the sessions.

We're also given opportunities to meet with editors and agents for fifteen minutes to pitch our WIP.

I decided to pitch my fantasy to Donald Maass, a literary agent and writer. He's written "Writing the Breakout Novel," "Writing 21st Century Fiction," and "The Emotional Craft of Fiction." All excellent books if you haven't read them yet. Anyway, he liked my book well enough that he wants me to send him the full manuscript.

Eventually. He read my first four pages, and although he likes my writing (it's "commercial and easy to read" apparently), he wants me to dig deeper. It starts with a slave sale, so he wants me to show the horror of it more, to make the reader squirm. He also said to work on it for at least several months, even a year, because he's in no hurry.

Even if he decides not to take me as a client, that's okay. He gave me excellent advice on how to improve my story, and that's nothing to scoff at.

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Printed from https://www.writing.com/main/profile/blog/amarq/day/8-22-2025