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Still alive, y’all!
For some reason I feel sane enough to post a quick update here. (It’s possible there is some shame involved, too. I mean, why have a blog if I’m not going to update it regularly?) I’m not sure if this is an indication that I actually have more writing time coming my way (cue deranged laughter here, as Roz is a crawling champ now), or if this is just the eye of the storm. Regardless – yay! Words! On my blog!
March is a happy month for me. I have 2 (count them, TWO) stories coming out within a week of each other – “Shrugging Off the Weight of the World” will appear in Fireside Magazine (http://firesidefictioncompany.com/) and “The Shifter” with Metro Fiction (http://metromoms.net/author/metro-fiction/). Both publications have great editors and great communication, and I’m thrilled to be working with them.
So the good news is that I appear to be pretty good at selling flash fiction. All four of my stories that have found their ‘first publication rights’ homes are all flash. I’m cool with selling flash, but I’d like to think my other, longer, stories have some merit that will help them find homes eventually.
In other, non-writing-related news, my Pilates classes will be appearing any day now on Piranha Fitness On Demand (http://www.piranhafitnessstudio.com/free-videos/). Piranha Fitness is one of the amazing studios I teach for here in College Station, and we are recording my Pilates mat classes whenever we have the good, non-buzzing camera (A PiYo class that I cotaught with another amazing instructor, Kayce is already up – here’s a clip: http://www.piranhafitnessstudio.com/free-videos/free-piyo-videos/?tubepress_page=2) This is a cool opportunity for me because 1) I like performing for the camera, even if it’s just me giving some killer ab exercises, and 2) Doing this makes me really, really think about how many filler words I’m using in class, and so now I’m excising my excess words while exercising. (See what I did there?). I’m always up for improving as a teacher, and I always need to find more ways to GET TO THE POINT when I’m talking, because I can go on and on and on and on sometimes.
If you know me and nodded to yourself while reading that, I hate you just a little bit.
So anyway, it’s a cool opportunity for me, and I’ll give a short shoutout here when my videos go up, if you’re interested in checking them out.
Other than that, it’s business as usual: I teach a little too much and yet not enough, the house is never quite clean, Roz’s diapers don’t get changed quite as often as they should, I don’t make my own meals as much as I’d like, and words don’t get on the page as quickly as I want them to. ‘Tis the season to be feeling this way, though, I think. It’ll change soon enough!
Long time no post!
So having a baby really takes away your free time, doesn’t it? Roz is nearly 3 months old, and my writing output has been… sad. Very sad. In addition to teaching dance and Pilates approximately 30 hours a week, there’s just too many diapers to change. Too much spit-up to clean up. Too many sleepless nights. Too many moments that she’s smiling at me and I Must. Take. Picture.
She’s a fantastic cuddler.
I’d planned on having my novel ready for WorldCon, but – well, HA! That didn’t happen, and I have to be okay with that.
But really, who couldn’t be okay spending all day with someone like this?
So it is what it is.
Life happened.
I’m just going to go and enjoy my time. I met tons of awesome people last year, and I think this year’s going to be just as great. And, you know, if someone’s interested in a partially finished middle-grade underwater fantasy with mermaids, dragons, witches, and narwhal horns, well, they can come talk to me.
in other news, I made a sale to Fireside! (Like, over a month ago. My friends on Facebook heard about it, so there’s that. But we’ve already gone over the baby thing.) I’m very pleased to have a story with this magazine. Brian White, the editor, is great to work with and there are tons of fantastic writers also appearing this year in Fireside. My issue isn’t coming out until March 2014, but I’m okay to wait. There’s always more writing to do and other stories to sell.
And diapers to change.
As a final note, I’m starting a wellness feature on my blog because I absolutely LOVE Pilates and what it’s done for me and my students, and I think everyone can benefit from Pilates, especially with all the time we spend reading on our computers, tablets, and smartphones. I’ll be talking about posture, the proper way to engage muscles and hold positions, and short, sweet ways to strengthen your body as well as different relaxation techniques.
ALL FOR THE PRICE OF ZERO DOLLARS. Because this is a blog, and you get it for free.
Unless you wanted to pay me. I’m sure one of these days I’ll link Paypal to this blog or something.
Well, that’s it. I’ve got writing to do while Roz sleeps. If you see me at WorldCon, come say hello! It’s highly likely you’ll see Roz wearing a steampunk hat or something else equally precious.
Dantzel Cherry 