After posting about how I didn’t lack for content and wish that spammers would vamoose, I actually spent the next week writing everything except something for my own blog. Which is good, because I’m writing stuff that will posted for larger audiences than just my personal network, and will also mean a paycheck (or two). And actually, one of the pieces that went to another site was a long-ish piece I originally meant to post here. So, in the interest of providing some reading material, and of convincing myself that I have been working, just not on my own stuff, here is a run-down of some of the articles and material that I’ve had pop up elsewhere on the Internet this week.
Fiction: My short story, “The Peacemaker,” was originally written for a friend’s anthology. The theme was broke-down superheroes, and what happens when they don’t get there in the nick of time to save the day. I didn’t want to make any promises, so I was noncomittal about providing a piece, but later that day I had this idea show up about a reality show for crappy superheroes. After some generous feedback from friends and a couple of submission mis-fires, (and some more editing), Fantasy Scroll Mag has published it in their third issue. Check it out, and if you like it, please share!
Non-Fiction: As part of my plan to return to freelance journalism, I contacted a local magazine, CityView, and asked if they were looking for writers. Happily enough, I received an invitation to write a piece for their living section, about the first couple to move into a new, local apartment complex. I wasn’t sure if it was what they were looking for (it’s been a while since I tried my hand at feature writing), but they invited me to do another piece, and so I just sent off an article about a local couple who have done amazing renovations on a local historical property.
Additionally, I’ve had a few more pieces show up in Task & Purpose, including a three-part piece on innovation, which I’m particularly happy with. Part One and Part Two are up now, and will be followed soon by the conclusion. I say I’m happy with them not because they are perfect, but because T&P allowed me to write on a topic that I find particularly interesting and fascinating. The sources in the article were extremely helpful and forthcoming, and these three pieces have whet my appetite to continue researching the topic, perhaps in a larger format.
And finally, that piece that started out as a blog and ended up as a T&P article? 3 Lessons Colleges Can Learn About Sexual Assault From the Military. I wrote this mostly as a reaction to the naysayers profiled in the NY Times analysis of the recent California legislation requiring colleges to develop consent policies – naysaying that was echoed in the comments on the piece. The primary objection appears to be that we don’t know if it will work, so why do it? This mindset was so foreign to me—coming from the military where we tend to tackle a problem with the idea that we’ll MAKE it work, whether it’s possible or not—that I sat down and wrote what I thought might be a more helpful set of lessons learned.
Now it’s on to sharing some of the links, re-sharing others, and then taking a break to head back to work and continue my transition. I’ve got three or four more freelance stories to finish up before taking a short hiatus, as well as two manuscripts that are in desperate need of some TLC and attention. I also hope to have an interview with an author from Iceland who writes in two languages, which I am in awe of and also think is pretty neat. Hope everyone is having a fabulous week!
Peace.
