66. Cleaning house

Saturday, June 11, 2005

I don't know what it is every month or so I decide to clean around my desk. Sometimes my desk is hiding under various papers and other things that usually end up piling up since the last time I cleaned. Well, I ended up going for a complete re-organization today. I grabbed a box, and put a bunch of books from desk shelf and put them away. They were books I hadn't really looked at since I bought them in my college days. Books that were mostly collection of short stories I'd picked up to read. So I put those all in a box and then put that box in my closet. Next came these two crates I saw in my closet when putting the box away. I knew there was stuff in there, so I pulled those out, went through them, threw out things that I didn't need and put those back away.

While going through my crates I found some folders containing old stories I'd written in my teen years, and a folder with ideas I had typed out for future stories. I pulled this out and put in on my desk. I'll go through it in detail later, but I remembered some of them. Also found old manuscripts my best friend from high school had sent me to critique. We were each others first critique partners. she doesn't write much anymore that I know of, and I really wish she would. The manuscripts I saw today were good. Maybe I'll bug her about it later. I sent her an email touching base just before I began tackling cleaning.

I have to say I'm really happy the RWA graphical standards have somewhat been suspended for the time being. I'll keep an eye on what happens in the months to come, and then evaluate if I'll join there once some formal decisions are made. I'm also following the discussions about forming an association for Erotic Romance Authors as well. It seems they are a bit more open to authors and stories with alternative lifestyles, and that is something I really like. Also seem to be more open to e-published authors as well. Another good thing.

I didn't get any writing done last night. That will change today. I did start reading "On Writing." It doesn't read like any other book on writing that I've read in the past. Reads almost like a novel, and I'm enjoying it so far. I'm about 30 or so pages in. I'll probably read some more later on. All the lifting on boxes and crates killed my back. It should be better in a bit. Tonight is also a good movie night on cable. Tom Cruise and Matt Damon are both on. Speaking of Tom, I'm really excited to see War of the Worlds later on this month. Fantastic Four as well. War of the worlds looks really good. I've always been a fan of Tom, and Dakota Fanning is amazing for her age. I've watched her in a great number of movies, and she always seems to hold her own with the big name adults she works with. Plus, she is absolutely adorable.

A quick note from the ERWF:

Want the chance to win a $20 cash prize, *and* read a good book? Then why not pop along to Fiona's website for details of the free treasure-hunt competition she's running to coincide with the launch of her e-book from Torquere Press? 'One Degree of Separation' is a collection of eight poignant gay love stories featuring men from all walks of life - journalists and gypsies, humans, vampires and aliens, even a prisoner or two - all of whom have fallen in love.

All you need to do is answer the five simple questions on the site, email your answers to Fiona by 15 June 2005 and all correct entries received by that date will be entered into a prize draw, the winner to receive a $20 cash prize!

Of course there's always a catch and in this case you need to have read the book before you can answer the questions. But as it's available from Torquere Press for only $4.95, and as it's a really great read, that doesn't seem like too much of a hardship!

Have a wonderful Saturday everyone!