Scarlet Letters

It's fun what you find when you wander around looking for yourself. I was checking on Amazon's ABADDON page and saw that someone was selling a "collectible" version of the book. Since I'm not familiar with a collectible edition, I clicked it. Seems a Lisa Marie (Presley?) ordered a personalized copy of the book and never picked it up from this seller. This is quite a trick, since personalizations would only be available at conventions or by direct sales. Either this bookstore special-ordered it from us for her (and didn't get the money in advance) or they actually stood in a (very short) line at a show last year to get it done. Or, y'know, it's used. :) They're asking $11.99. Until the price kicked up on Jan. 1, the book retailed $5.99. Now I know what my signature is worth: six bucks. HEE. I will not be satisfied until it's at least twenty! Hey, Stephen King's early hardbacks go from $55-70 to $500-plus when he signs them, depending on ho...

In my sophomore year of college, I took a class on playwriting. I kept meaning to take a fiction writing class, but it was always cross-scheduled with something required by my theater major. I figured playwriting was the closest I would get and still satisfy my adviser. The playwriting professor was Dr. Stephen Malin, one of the finest teachers from whom I ever had the privilege to learn. I had already taken theater history from him. Dr. Malin was not satisfied with my writing, regularly giving me C's. It was quite the conflict for me at the time - my writing had always skated me by in other classes. I might not have understood very much about World War I, but my charming prose usually got me higher marks. My writing was my strong point. But Dr. Malin didn't grade us on what we accomplished. He graded us according to what we were capable of doing. He knew I could write circles around much of the stuff I turned in, and he would not accept the bare minimum. Naturally, I was nervo...

Last night I dreamed I was flipping through an electronic Writers' Market, which is funny because a) I haven't used WM for years, and b) I don't own a Kindle. Maybe it was actually Ralan.com, best market listing on the web - sort of Ralan if it was on a booklike reader. I was flipping through guidelines searching for new novella markets, because I have this really great novella and I can't find a good home for it. That part is true. And clearly it's taking over my subconscious. So I'm reading the guidelines for market after market, and for some reason I'm also sitting beside the lovely pool at my ex-husband's house, which is funny since I've never been there. And I find a great market, but oops! It pops up a preemptive rejection note, very polite but very firm. Addressed to me. Yes, in my dream I am rejected before I even submit. Methinks the whole slush fight might be getting me down a bit. But we all fight the slush wars, don't we? Okay, maybe ...

Reposting from damn near everywhere: Online "Lottery" to Benefit the Shirley Jackson Awards Takes place from February 9 through February 23, 2009 Boston, MA (January 2009) – The Shirley Jackson Awards will hold a "lottery" to raise funds for the award. This on-line event takes place from February 9, 2009 through February 23, 2009. Persons buy as many "lottery tickets" as they want in hopes of being selected the winner for any of an array of donated prizes from well-known authors, editors, artists, and agents. "Lottery" tickets are $1 each and can be purchased from http://www.shirleyjacksonawards.org/store/ Persons may purchase as many tickets as desired. Tickets will be available from February 9th, 2009 through February 23rd, 2009. At midnight on February 23rd, "lottery" winners will be selected randomly for each item and announced on the website. Prizes will be mailed to the lucky winners. In recognition of the legacy of Shirley Jacks...