Reading: Franklin bio
Music: John Hartford "Oh Me, Oh My"
TV/Movie: Tomb Raider
Link o' the Day:Project Gutenberg

Info an the Fiction Writers APA can be found in February 26th's entry. If you're a writer, give it a look.

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I've been hearing rumors about some new epic fantasy markets opening. Nothing too solid yet, but something in the wind. It's a shame I don't have more epic fantasy stories in my stable. Maybe I should put some in? (By epic fantasy, I mean fantasy in the tradition of Tolkein. If I'm mis-using the term, I'm sure someone will bop me on the head sometime down the road.) In any case, I'm going to see if I can't do a little branching and experimenting. Some of the very first stories I wrote (back when I was thirteen or fourteen, I think) were epic fantasy. Ah... I wonder whatever became of Aerin Aerindale, that intrepid half-elven journeyman thief just making his start in the world? Or Running Elk--the displaced Algonquin brave who (with diverse companions including elves, dwarves, and a wizard) fought lizardmen for the sake of a golden kingdom. hehe... oh it hurts when I think of those old, old stories I used to either write long-hand until I had callouses on my index finger from an unforgiving, hard plastic Bic, or the little cracks on all my fingertips from continuously mashing them down on the keys of a very old Royal typewriter (remember those?)

Thank Great Ghu they're all dead and buried.

It's kind of funny, though, in a way. I've wanted to be a writer since I was a little kid and wrote a radio play about two kids who discover Atlantis. I started reading Asimov's starting with its second issue. I still have stacks and stacks of MoF&SF lying around. I emulated the stories that appeared in Dragon magazine, and published a few very bad ones in a mimeographed journal which (hopefully) no longer exist. High school saw less time for writing, not that I didn't try a few pages here and then. I wrote a few poems... bad high school poems... and wrote a couple of short stories while in college (one of which isn't too bad and appeared in their literary journal).

Then I hit a dry spell that lasted over ten years. I had to deal with a few personal tragedies, but it was mostly due to rampant alcoholism, This was later compounded with living online instead of the real world. I had a few other hobbies that also occupied my time and writing, while never completely absent from my mind, was too much work. Eventually, however, I was drawn--pulled--dragged--back to writing by the echoes of my younger self's desires and I started to write again. I re-evaluated my life, and decided it was time to get serious.

I wrote some very, very bad stories, but in my defense, I was also drying out and re-establishing my priorities. Not an overnight feat by any means. I persevered and learned about the craft from those who went before me. Over the next couple of years I practiced trial and error. I sold a book review, and then an article. I sold a couple of more reviews, then a story! Then a poem! I sold another article. I sold another story! And hey!--There's another poem, a few more reviews, and another article.

So here I am. Still writing, and doing so each and every day. Building a discipline (another feat not wrought overnight) and peservering.

I'm happy with that.

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Today's journal entry has been sponsored by Project Gutenberg! You're one-web-stop for the best in public domain free e-books. From Charlie Chan to Fletcher Christian and Ishmael.

Enjoy!