Sitting here tonight with my babe listening to Pandora radio. Right now it’s an old R.E.M. tune, South Central Rain. The poor woman has to read some Sigmund Freud and Karl Marx for her upcoming next class, so I put on some classy 80’s alternative music to keep her happy. Ok… it was totally for me, but still, I’m taking credit for making her smile.
It looks like it’s been three weeks since I’ve posted. That’s a long time, but between getting my final two reports done for class, catching up at work, and all the other particulars of life, I haven’t really had the time or inclination to blog. Plus this damn election skidded hard to the left and I’ve been wallowing daily now in watching the train wreck that is the Trump campaign as it careens wildly off a destroyed bridge into a mile deep ravine while the explosives on board go off simultaneously. It’s rather spectacular and I’ve never seen anything like it all the years I’ve paid attention to elections, starting back in grade school and the Carter/Ford race of 1976.
I’ve hit a 61 streak of straight days writing, a personal best. It’s no longer about “how can I write this morning?” It’s become “how can I NOT write something today.” It’s a habit now, and that’s a sweet, sweet place for it to be. So though I had contemplated taking time off over the holidays once the work in progress finished, I’ll probably dick around with some short stories and other stuff to keep the juices flowing. Maybe start doing a little thinking through the next Mirabel Sinclair novel, setting up some plot points and such.
I’m lining up next year’s goal as well. I’ll work on another novel, but I won’t set a specific word goal for each day. I’m going to instead plan to write 52 short stories in 52 weeks. I’m going into it realizing its a lot of work, but I already have bits and pieces of a bunch of these stories, and lots of ideas for other ones, so I hope to be as successful in 2017 as I was in 2016. More so, because I plan to sell something next year if I have to walk into an editor’s office and jam it in their face and scream at them.
Yeah, OK, I won’t do that. But with that many stories, and working hard to become a better writer, hopefully I’ll create something worthy of publication by one of the ‘zines.
Now listening to the Cowboy Junkies version of Sweet Jane. If you’ve never listened to it, you absolutely need to check out that album. It’s called The Trinity Sessions, a really amazing and laid back blend of blues, country and rock, all pulled together by the smoky voice of the lead singer. Lots of good stuff on that album, mostly covers of old country standards like 200 Miles and I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, but a couple of really wonderful original songs as well.
I think I’ll do this more often, blog about writing while music is playing so I can talk about that as well. Two of my favorite things in the world.
Signing off to Fiona Apple and Sleep to Dream, from her album Tidal. Another spectacular debut album, another lead singer with a smoky great voice.