*Crickets*

You can’t always judge people by appearances. Likewise, just because my website looks dead doesn’t mean it is. I know on the internet if a website hasn’t been updated in a month it’s officially declared dead, so I guess my site is looking like some mummified relic of a forgotten age.

But I’m here to change that.

So I took a “sabbatical” (it’s just a word I use to feel better about being completely unproductive) from around the first of the year until around June. I feel pretty bad about it, but hey, them’s the apples. Work has been pretty hectic and I have a baby on the way, due the end of next month. I tell myself that’s enough reason, but then again excuses are cheap.

I’ve tried to be more active in my local writers group and the online crit group I’m a member of. I found a pretty decent (so far) writer’s exercise workbook from Goodwill that I’ve been slowly making my way through. Since June I’ve written two new stories that I’m currently editing and I’ve got a submission that’s been out for 122 days. It is by far the longest I’ve waited for a response and it’s slowly killing me.

One of the stories is a western, the first I’ve attempted to write and I’m pretty happy with it. I’ve got to send it out to a couple of beta readers after this next round of edits and see how it goes, but I hope that within a month or so I can get it out on submission.

Also, the NC State Writer’s Contest is coming up with a deadline in early October. I’ve got to decide what my strongest story is, send it out and cross my fingers.

I feel like my writing is a lot stronger than it was a year ago. Well, actually, I think the writing itself is about the same, but my storytelling or story construction seems to be coming together in a more coherent way. I actually went back and read some things I wrote two, three years ago and was surprised that they didn’t make me laugh at how horrible they were. I’m thinking of doing a few edits on them and submitting them. I didn’t think they were even worth the attempt after I wrote them. It’s amazing what your impression of your work can be if you just get a few years away from it.

So, despite the lack of updates here I am trying to keep my nose to the grindstone, and while I pull away often I always go back. I’m really hoping I can get more disciplined in my routine, but again with an infant on the way I don’t think I can give myself too hard of a time. Though, plenty of people do much more against far more difficult situations, so I shouldn’t use that excuse too much.

There’s only one thing that’s going to get me to where I want to be and that’s persistence. And the more constant the effort the quicker the results. Well, you would assume. Nothing goes anywhere if I’m being lazy.

I’m going to put my head down and pull my collar up and endure. And I’ll try not to forget I have a website until I get a renewal notice.