Streethorsing

Tbilisi, Georgia by Martha Camarillo

I'm taking a two-week blog break. I have a design deadline approaching and want, if possible, to maintain some writing momentum (not to be confused with momentous writing ;)) amidst the craziness of completing the project.

Back in December!

Until then...

Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club Documentary
by Martha Camarillo



“In the heart of downtown Philadelphia, among abandoned buildings and impoverished neighborhoods where drugs and unemployment pervade, is a place called Fletcher Street. A block that upon first glance looks just like all the others, that is, until you see the horses and hear their hoof beats…"

Hard Work and Inspiration

My serious phase continues apace -- to the point that I might be embracing the ethic a little too wholeheartedly. For example, I have not allowed myself to stop and eat dinner until after 10 pm. And last night, I found myself propped up in bed writing elevator pitches for my no-longer-finished novel and my wonderful WIP. At 4 am! Needless to say, I drank gallons of coffee this morning.

Back to that no-longer-finished novel, no-longer-titled Hybrids Taste Delicious, which has racked up 27 rejections thus far. Some feedback gelled with the niggling doubts in the back of my mind, so I decided a rewrite was in order: a younger protagonist and a different slant to the story (more comic, less weird). Still, I wondered, with that number of rejections, had I already messed up? Perhaps I should shelve my darling first novel and forge ahead with my WIP.

But then... I read an inspiring interview with soon-to-be-published YA author Cindy Pon, who queried 121 agents!!! Making me realise I am a complete and utter lightweight. So. Come January, I will don my army fatigues, hook up with my SAS buddies, and adopt Cindy’s mantra: “Query and conquer!” To which my platoon will chorus: “To infinity and beyond!”

Boundaries

In the last two-and-a-half weeks, life has gone topsy-turvy. Not in a dramatic way (though you wouldn’t guess it from the picture), but more that it has become too amorphous in shape, too flowing in form.

Flow is good in the sense it is vital to the creative process. But if flow means one’s life is more like a flooded pond seeping down a partially blocked drain than a powerful running river, then it is time to build a damn or a channel. Time to switch off the phones, lock all the doors, and reclaim time for writing and reading.

And this is the perfect time of year. Although I’m not doing NaNo, it is helpful to grab hold of its spirit and, hopefully, hang on to the coat tails well past the end of November.

To reinforce this serious phase, I will wear my glasses from dawn till way beyond dusk -- with a tweed skirt and sensible shoes. REWIND: Second thoughts on the sensible shoes. Serious is one thing... frumpy quite another!

Gunpowder, Treason and Plot

If you do not love fireworks, look away now!

Tonight is Bonfire Night. However, in tune with the popular idea that everything is better at the weekend, my town held its public firework show on Saturday, November 1st. So... we had ghosts, ghouls and skeletons on Friday, followed by an inferno on Saturday.

My apartment is perfectly situated for this display. Quite a treat! And it made chez Mary a popular place to be.

These photos were taken from my living room. (Not a sparkler in sight. I saved those for tonight!)

Ooh
Aah
Wow
Weee
Cool
Crikey!
Fab
Gorge...
Yum
Beautiful!

Congratulations to Barack Obama!!!