temporary disturbances

Our computer has been in a bit of trouble. Some of it due to a download that affected everything else and caused a temporary absence from the ether. We're back online though, and I'm happy to say Word is usable again. Yay.

I received a lovely email from Sharon Dodge accepting Rituals of Grief for an upcoming issue. I'm looking forward to being in Reflection's Edge again. I dithered for a long time before sending them another story as they'd published World in A Bubble in 2006, and I tend to get really perfectionist about work that I send in to a market I'm trying to get into for a second time. I did a little leap in the air when I saw the acceptance email :)

Last week's flash challenge at Liberty Hall went surprisingly well. I was quite ecstatic about having my first Liberty Hall challenge win. Yayness. I got to supply the trigger for the weekend challenge (agonized about whether I'd done it right, I did), but didn't get to join in because of microsoft weirdness.

I posted my lengthy Children of the Sun for critting in the polish challenge, but it looks like it's begging to be turned into a novel. Ow! Oh well...

On other news, Stichting Bayanihan has decided to launch the Hope Away from Home book on International Women's Day.

I've been invited to give a short talk on the choices that we make. Since I'm fonder of being in the background than being onstage, I'm already a bit nervous...what will I say?

I loved the email I received from Strange Horizons with regards to my small histories, and I've decided to give the stories leeway and let them expand and fill out the space they want to fill. I love how Paraluman is coming to life quite nicely. What started out as a protest against governmental abuse of tribal rights seems to be growing into something different and new. It combines all the stuff I've been thinking about. I like this new direction and well...I suppose I can't keep preventing stories from turning into novellas if they want to go that direction. I have to accept the inevitable and run with it, I suppose.

Being myself though, I must confess the short form is much easier for me than the novel or novella form.

I would like to send something new to Route's new anthology. I'm hoping I can find my UK stamps so I can send off my submission to Ian Daley. The Skin byteback publication has provided so many lovely offshoots. I'm quite, quite happy.