Hey! Yay!
Okay, I was saving this surprise. That Mark Young liked my hay(na)ku poem was already a big honor. But it has also been named as one of the winners for the Hay(na)ku Holiday contest. ( Should've blogged about this earlier, but Joel Jan is on vacation and it's pretty difficult to write and pay attention to a six year old who insists that he is more important than Mama being on the Internet...he is right, of course.)
The winning poems are posted on The Hay(na)ku Blog. Click on the link and read those poems. What a nifty form. Someday, when I'm brave enough, I'll do some more experimenting with it beyond what I've tried to date.
***
So what did I do today, aside from checking my mail and updating this blog? We spent almost all of today in Amsterdam. Me and my son.
This because of his desire to ride in a double-decker train (the intercity). That train doesn't ride through Bodegraven, so we took the train to Leiden and from Leiden we caught a double-decker intercity to Amsterdam.
I wanted to take a boat trip to the I, but Joel who is totally into anything that is a train or related to a train insisted on us taking the tram. We boarded the tram and rode it all the way to Amstelveen Binnenhof ( a thirty minute ride ). When we got to Amstelveen, he wanted to go back right away. But Amstelveen Binnenhof has been judged as the most beautifully decorated shopping center in The Netherlands. No way I was leaving without seeing those lovely christmas lights and automated porcelain angels. After all, viewing is only until the 6th of January when somehow everything vanishes as if someone had waved a magic wand.
I suppose that means going back to Amsterdam again so that we can visit the I.
I had also planned on visiting The English Bookshop (in the interest of inquiring whether they are interested in stocking up on books by Filipino authors), but I'd left my danged address book at home. I was calling myself all kinds of dumb...drat! I'd taken care to look up specific directions and all that and I leave the book lying on the table next to the computer. Oh for the time when scifi comes to life and it is possible to summon up imprints from a book left lying on the table...
For some strange reason, I couldn't find the Biggest American Bookstore either. I was really disappointed as I'd been looking forward to picking up some books in the interest of research. Drat and double drat again.
Of course, it gives me another excuse to visit the city next time ;) I just have to check and double check locations and this time not forget to bring the instructions with me.
***
Anyway, one of my first moves for this year, was to re-write and send out The Man who Swallowed the World. I am keeping my fingers crossed. This year, I hope to send out more subs than I did last year. I think I only subbed five times last year. This year, I'll try to have around five stories out a month ( and try not to be disheartened when rejections come.) Sent out my second story today...just waiting for a verdict. Waiting is probably the hardest part.
Whatever happens, my thanks to Bec who took the time to look over my stories and point out where they needed strengthening.
***
Motto for this year: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. rephrased...
Send consistently to the same market until you break that market. I do have a couple of markets on my wishlist this year. I'd also like to submit something to The Sword Review. Hoping it will make it through the gauntlet, just as Benigno did. But Benigno took seven years to reach maturity! What does this mean?
***
In any case, 2006 promises to be a really busy year. I suppose that's only logical. I haven't done anything for the past six years and half. I have a lot of writing to make up for.
The winning poems are posted on The Hay(na)ku Blog. Click on the link and read those poems. What a nifty form. Someday, when I'm brave enough, I'll do some more experimenting with it beyond what I've tried to date.
***
So what did I do today, aside from checking my mail and updating this blog? We spent almost all of today in Amsterdam. Me and my son.
This because of his desire to ride in a double-decker train (the intercity). That train doesn't ride through Bodegraven, so we took the train to Leiden and from Leiden we caught a double-decker intercity to Amsterdam.
I wanted to take a boat trip to the I, but Joel who is totally into anything that is a train or related to a train insisted on us taking the tram. We boarded the tram and rode it all the way to Amstelveen Binnenhof ( a thirty minute ride ). When we got to Amstelveen, he wanted to go back right away. But Amstelveen Binnenhof has been judged as the most beautifully decorated shopping center in The Netherlands. No way I was leaving without seeing those lovely christmas lights and automated porcelain angels. After all, viewing is only until the 6th of January when somehow everything vanishes as if someone had waved a magic wand.
I suppose that means going back to Amsterdam again so that we can visit the I.
I had also planned on visiting The English Bookshop (in the interest of inquiring whether they are interested in stocking up on books by Filipino authors), but I'd left my danged address book at home. I was calling myself all kinds of dumb...drat! I'd taken care to look up specific directions and all that and I leave the book lying on the table next to the computer. Oh for the time when scifi comes to life and it is possible to summon up imprints from a book left lying on the table...
For some strange reason, I couldn't find the Biggest American Bookstore either. I was really disappointed as I'd been looking forward to picking up some books in the interest of research. Drat and double drat again.
Of course, it gives me another excuse to visit the city next time ;) I just have to check and double check locations and this time not forget to bring the instructions with me.
***
Anyway, one of my first moves for this year, was to re-write and send out The Man who Swallowed the World. I am keeping my fingers crossed. This year, I hope to send out more subs than I did last year. I think I only subbed five times last year. This year, I'll try to have around five stories out a month ( and try not to be disheartened when rejections come.) Sent out my second story today...just waiting for a verdict. Waiting is probably the hardest part.
Whatever happens, my thanks to Bec who took the time to look over my stories and point out where they needed strengthening.
***
Motto for this year: If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. rephrased...
Send consistently to the same market until you break that market. I do have a couple of markets on my wishlist this year. I'd also like to submit something to The Sword Review. Hoping it will make it through the gauntlet, just as Benigno did. But Benigno took seven years to reach maturity! What does this mean?
***
In any case, 2006 promises to be a really busy year. I suppose that's only logical. I haven't done anything for the past six years and half. I have a lot of writing to make up for.
posted by rcloenen-ruiz at 2:34 PM
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