Bacon and Whiskey

Fat lady gets honest

Posts Tagged ‘writing life’

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Voting closed: results are…..(drumroll please)…….

Posted by Katje on March 7, 2011

I’m apparently doing a podcast!

Of course, I’d pretty much already made up my mind, but I did want to see how many of my readers would actually listen to a podcast or if it’d just be me circle-jerking to the sound of my own voice (and yes, I do hate the sound of my own voice but I also get orgasms from misery, much like Pintsize).

ANYway. It was a close race, with 9 yes votes, 7 no votes, and 3 asking about their cheeseburger. Disappointingly, some of you actually said I should be banned from speaking. THEN WHY YOU ON MY FACEBOOK AND BLOG, FOOL?

Well, I’m doing the podcast, and if there were a way I could get it to play in those four people’s ipods against their will I would. But I can’t, so I’ll just have to hope that they’ll have to suffer my Cartman-like speech patterns some other way.

Not sure what my first podcast will be on, or even when it will be. I can’t force a good rant, you know. They have to be inspired. But check back here for updates (and I know you will) and it’ll be up whenever it’s up.

Peace (except for you four, you know who you are),

-Katje

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.a small confession.

Posted by Katje on January 8, 2011

I spend a lot of my time wishing I was more creative. Or. Well.  Wishing I could express my latent creativity with more ease.

I see pictures in my mind and I can’t get them to form on paper. I draw stick people and my handwriting is crap.

I create songs without words, but cannot translate them to instruments. I feel emotions that want to come out through my voice box, but all you might hear is a whimper, as I realize that I have very few skills. There are prodigies and geniuses out there. I’m not one of them. I’m smart and I have some small talent, but it’s nothing that comes easy.

And then I think maybe this would be different if only I had more discipline. If I could commit to creativity in some form every day. If I actually worked at my craft, and didn’t let it atrophy as I wallow in depression.

I need something to save me from myself, and I have a horrible sinking feeling that that thing…is me.

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2011 Writing Goals

Posted by Katje on January 1, 2011

  1. Start Bellica rewrites.
  2. Write 4 chapters of The Jade Star of Athering.
  3. Complete Clio Muse table for parthenon.
  4. Write rituals for Imbolc, Ostara, Beltaine, Litha, Lughnasadh, Mabon, Samhain, and Yule.
  5. Flesh out some story ideas.
  6. Fix up Snowbound.
  7. Finish 30 books in 30 days blogging prompt challenge.
  8. Win NaNoWriMo.

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Oh, let’s get her started again, shall we?

Posted by Katje on December 16, 2010

Well, you can obviously tell this author is a student by the four-month stretches of no posting at all.

It’s been a rather crazy few months. Shortly after my last post my Oma died, and then shortly after that school began. Between those things, two new relationships (one failed on account of him being a total douchebag; the other is going strong on account of both of us being completely awesome in every respect), my cat destroying my will to live, my full-time layout/publishing job on this project, and a host of other small things, it’s been a very interesting four months.

I have written next to nothing. I did two poems for my First Nations studies class, which did not require poetry but allowed it for our concept papers. I’ve been a bit antsy (read: fucking neurotically insane) to get back to writing, but it just hasn’t been possible.

Starting January I am getting back on the ball of responsible living. I am moving out, for one, so I will be living in a basement suite by myself (it’s the cutest thing ever). I will set a schedule and stick to it. And I will make health, writing, grades, and religion my priorities.

Oh, and loving the cat. She can’t help that she’s neurotic.

So, starting tomorrow, I will be continuing with the 30 Books in 30 Days meme, but I won’t be posting every day. I will post as and when I can, and that will have to be good enough. I have few spoons and forks* these days, and I have a couple other blogs to spread my blogging ones around on.

Til tomorrow,
-Katje

*For an explanation of Spoon Theory, go here. Forks are like spoons, except instead of energy units they’re givafucks.

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That’s progress, I suppose

Posted by Katje on August 11, 2010

I have not actually written any on The Jade Star of Athering since August 2nd. However, I have thought about writing on it, and even opened the notebook to the appropriate page so I can start typing up the handwritten chapters I have done so I can continue on, as I’ve reached that point where I look at the  handwritten stuff I have and say “What is this I don’t even.“

It’s time for story-beefing!

And I have thought about it. Even gotten fairly close. Tomorrow I hope to type up a chapter.

We’ll see how that goes.

-Katje

PS Oh my gods is Wrimo really only eighty-one days away what the fuck. I’m going to die.

PPS Current GYWO2010 count is 35,365. I wrote 15K on another project, if you can believe it. Not a fiction project. A journaling project. It’s easier to bullshit when it comes to journaling.

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Adventures with an Amsterdam Prostitute

Posted by Katje on May 27, 2010

This past weekend was a long one for Victoria Day (Canadian holiday — yes, we have those), so I decided to go to my dad’s for a few days.

My dad is a farmer, and going to visit him means helping out on the farm or in the garden. WHAT I AM A WRITER I AM DELICATE FLOWER NO HARD LABOR NO.

Well, I helped out anyway.

AND DISCOVERED THE MOST AWESOME GARDENING TOOL EVER.

It’s called a Dutch Hoe (and everytime dad said that I was like “WHO YOU CALLING A HO”), or an Amsterdam Prostitute, because that’s funny and more likely to make you read my blog.

This is sort of what it looks like, and how it works.

That’s not a really good picture, but I don’t care enough to find a better one.

Anyway, the premise is it’s a flat piece of metal with sharp front and back edges, and a long wooden handle. You stand straight up (don’t bend your back; it’s a bad idea) and push it with the loooonng handle back and forth just under the dirt. It cuts out all the weeds nearly effortlessly.

OMGWTFBBQ.

I so wish I’d had one of these things a year ago when I was putting in my garden at my old place, because it would have saved so much work.

So, you know, if you garden, invest in one of these. It’s so worth it.

Oh, also, I wrote a shit load on The Jade Star of Athering while I was at dad’s place. About 6,000 words. There. *ties post into writing because this is her writing blog*

Anyway, I promise my next post will be on topic. Maybe.

-Katje

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Determination

Posted by Katje on May 14, 2010

It pays off. I found my notebook!

As I was posting earlier it occurred to me, somewhere in that thing I call a brain, that the notebook may be in my set of plastic, clear drawers, because I remembered setting the notebook on top of the drawers while I was packing.

So I toddled on down to the garage, where all my stuff is sitting until we can get a yurt built in the backyard for me (no lie; I’m living in the library right now), and looked in the clear drawers and lo! my notebook! And the notebook for The Man of Bronze, and my AA batteries!

A good day, overall. I’m going to reward my hard work with some Glee, and then I’m going to write.

Really.

I promise.

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Word to the Wise

Posted by Katje on May 14, 2010

So, fellow writers, I have a bit of advice.

If, like me, you find that your words come easiest when you write them down in a notebook and then type them up later, and if, like me, you have a habit of keeping a notebook that’s always a few chapters ahead of whatever story you have on your computer at the time, then I urge you to consider, when you’re moving, exactly where you keep that fracking notebook, because when you’re sort of settled in but unable to unpack everything at once, and you want to get some writing done, knowing where that notebook is so you can retrieve it and actually make some progress on the story would be really fracking useful I mean am I right or what.

In other words, no, I haven’t got shite done on The Jade Star of Athering because I can’t find that notebook, and it really sucks because right about now I’m really wanting to dive back into that world. And I have no other outlet for this, except, well, trolling around on the internet for HOURS AT A TIME.

I suppose I could try and write my short story. Yeah. I’ll do that.

But I need to find a notebook.

-Katje
a writer in search of tree pulp

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I’m still your best pilot

Posted by Katje on May 12, 2010

I wrote 4,602 words in January and haven’t penned one since. I’m hoping to write about 26k a month this summer to try and catch up. We’ll see how that goes.

Story goals are same as before, with an addition.

  1. Finish editing Parts 2 and 3 of Bellica and upload to site.
  2. Finish The Jade Star of Athering.
  3. Finish The Man of Bronze.
  4. Finish Islands of Fire and Water.
  5. Start that new story idea in November.
  6. Publish Bellica in hardcopy.
  7. Write Snowbound sequel (?).
  8. Write short story that’s been bouncing around in my head for weeks now.

I’m going to see if I can do that before Saturday and under 3,000 words so I can submit it to a contest. I’m only a little bit crazy.

Other things on my plate this summer: getting Motley Crew House Publishing more well-known, and with more than 2 books out. The third book is coming out this weekend, and will be presented in a special 2-author poetry reading at Breakwater Books in Powell River, May 15th, 7pm. Kaimana Wolff and I will be presenting from generation of thistles (her new poetry book, published by MCH) and glasstown (my old one, published by The Pack Press).

Getting a full-time job? Gods know writing and publishing don’t pay enough yet, and I’m 2300 dollars in debt currently. (This is not counting my student loans.) I also would like to eat next school year; just a thought.

Getting ready for the school year. I have decided to try and finish my Anthropology and Theatre degree, as well as taking French on top of that. If I work super hard and am lucky enough to land the classes I need when I need them, then I can finish my degree in two years. This is important to me, because I started college when I was 17, and I’d like to get my degree in fewer than 10 years. So finishing by the time I’m 26? Win.

I haven’t branched out as much as I wanted to with regards to finding writer friends. Still hoping to find that snarky, bitter writer that I can share all my bile and vitriol with.

There was a plan to move to San Francisco after the summer, but that has been scrapped for family reasons, and other factors. I am sad about this, but I shall just have to go to SF at a later date.

Bellica is going through a small hiatus; my editor managed to fry her computer and only now has had it fixed and is getting caught up with stuff. Updates to return next week.

Also, big news: Bellica should be published by the Pack Press this summer! Yes, that means that in addition to reading it for free online, you can buy your own paperback copy in bookstores in BC starting this summer. Details on the date, book launch, signings, tour? to come as soon as I know them.

And last but not least as I need to get dressed and walk the dog, I am now to be found on LibraryThing. I’m not an author there yet, but with your help, I can be. If you have a copy of glasstown and you’re on LibraryThing, please add it to your collection of books. When my books appear on LT, then I can become an LT author.

Also, feel free to add me as a friend. Kaimana Wolff is on there too, and she’s got author status. Go forth and favorite her!

Well, that’s that. Stay classy, internets.

-Katje

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Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow creeps in this petty pace from day to day….

Posted by Katje on January 1, 2010

2009 was a fairly productive year, writing-wise. I finished Bellica, started and finished Snowbound, and started The Jade Star of Athering. I also wrote a few poems, published a book of poetry, and reached a total of 156,732 for my yearly word count. I didn’t make my goal of 200,000, but I’m not too concerned about the 43,268 difference. It was a difficult year and I think I far surpassed my own expectations; the fact that I didn’t make it doesn’t discredit my valiant attempt. (Also, 70,000+ words in July is nothing to sneeze at.)

I have the same goal for 2010, as far as word count goes, and I intend to make it this year (mainly by being more on top of the word counts early on in the year). I also wish to make more blog posts here, on top of my story goals (listed below for convenience).

  1. Finish editing Parts 2 and 3 of Bellica and upload to site.
  2. Finish The Jade Star of Athering.
  3. Finish The Man of Bronze.
  4. Finish Islands of Fire and Water.
  5. Start that new story idea in November.
  6. Publish Bellica in hardcopy.
  7. Write Snowbound sequel (?).

The last one has a question mark because Dear Gods I am busy this year, and seriously wish to be less insane.

I’d also like to branch socially as a writer more, but I’m such a damn recluse and so intolerant of most people in all groups that I move in that I’m scared this may backfire on me terribly. Or I’ll meet another writer as snarky and reclusive as I am, and we shall become great friends and dominate the world of something. Trufax.

I also want to crochet more, and improve my knitting, but that has nothing to do with writing. Too many projects. Too much creativity. I’m having a small meltdown, I think.

So. Off to bed, and tomorrow is a fresh day that I shall sleep through. As is my wont.

-Katje

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