Dandelyon's Worlds

I'd planned on writing today, but instead picked up my pencil sketch drawing of Shraalan, one of the characters in my ongoing Torn World Story, Wild Snowy Chase, and worked on that.  The previous version and the present one are in the Works In Progress forum over at www.tornworld.net awaiting helpful comments.

Here's a thumbnail version.  You're welcome to offer critiques too.

In other news, I recently got an e-mail letting me know that the first reader on one of my stories sent it on to the editors, an e-mail acceptance for one of my flash fiction stories (though I don't have the contract yet), and several rejections.  I need to figure out where to send those stories before the new year--and then do a recap of my submissions.

I can tell you already I didn't make my 10/month goal every month.  Some months were just too busy, others I managed more than ten. 

I did really like that goal format, however.  Even in months when life was crazy, the goal didn't seem too big or too daunting, and when I didn't manage it, well, the first of the month I could start over with a reasonable goal, rather than feeling like I was dreadfully behind, which no matter how philosophical you are about collecting rejections, makes the depressing prospect moreso. 

Finally, being knee-jerk competitive doesn't hurt my creative output at all.  Contests are a good thing, when I'm not too exhausted to even feel competitive.

Sent out one of my stories again today--finally, when I looked at Fantasy Magazine, the note that they were closed to submissions was gone. Then started to look for where to send others, and found a new anthology: Fat Girl in a Strange Land

http://crossedgenres.com/announcements/fat-girl-in-a-strange-land-submissions-open-for-new-anthology/

So far, April was the only month I made my goal of ten submissions, though I almost filled up March's remaining slots, as I submitted more than ten in April.

What--I didn't post this yet? Well, I was interrupted. Someone broke into my car (3 windows) and stole the radio. I may end up driving to Wiscon without a radio--I fear scheduling that repair around a new job will be problematic. At least the auto glass people come to you.

And--while talking to police and the insurance company (over the phone, the police don't actually come to look at the scene of the crime), I got one more story submitted to a new market. Multitasking is my friend!

Next--got to clean the glass out of the car, since I'll have to drive to work in it as-is, and do some work on the yard in the shadow of my half-demolished garage. Perhaps I'll plan a story, with car thieves as the villains...the only punishment these guys will probably ever get is vicarious. *sigh*

Onward!