I've been hearing glowing reports about The Bone House all week long... well, glowing or screaming reports, depending on how scared some of the audience members were. To add to the joy, the picture book I created with Lorna Bennett received a great review in the Resource Links Magazine. Plus, I'm juggling three copy edit scripts (a short play for an anthology, a short story for another anthology and The Forbidden Phoenix). I normally don't like bragging, but I'm totally blown away that I'm getting recognition for my work in kids theatre, adult theatre and young adult publishing. Maybe my mother will get off my back about getting a real job finally. Hear that, MOM?!!!
October 2009 Archives
Oh boy, it's been a while since I had to look at this play, but I dragged it out for my road trip so that I could get it ready for publication. I still have to create a glossary and study guide questions this week, but the script looks in good shape. It's interesting that the reading experience of a play is way different than the performance. The bits that worked in the play worked because they were performed. Now that I see them on page, they just look stilted. Interesting.
I'm in Rocky Mountain House getting ready for a presentation tomorrow morning. I had an awesome visit at Ecole Rocky Mountain. The kids were so keyed up and ready to write. I couldn't believe how enthusiastic they were. My presentations didn't feel like work at all.
Tonight, I'm prepping my notes for two keynotes next week. Then I'm going to hit the sack.
I fired off a proposal to Tradewind, hoping they'd pick up my Sasquatch series. The response came back quickly. The publisher wanted real and contemporary stories. No fantasy. That kind of feedback is so valuable. Hearing straight from the publisher is better market research than any kind of catalogue reading.
So, I sat down and jotted some notes on two different novel ideas (a coming of age comedy and a horror story). The publisher liked them both. Now I have to write outlines and hope that he likes them. In a perfect world, he'd say yes to both and I'd be able to clone myself. I'll have to remember this day as what happens when a writer takes a rejection seriously, but not personally.
Oh, and he also gave the thumbs up to the short story. He's got some notes on the story, but at least I made it past the first stage. What a great way to end the week.
I sure hope I didn't write a turkey this weekend. I finished the first draft of the Tradewind short story. It flowed pretty easily with only a couple of hiccups. That's what has me worried. I'll look over the manuscript tonight. I want something great. Not just okay. So far, I'm liking the idea. I just have to make sure the execution is right. Tough thing to do with only a 2,000 word short story. Weird. I remember the days when I freaked out about a 2,000 word essay being way too much work. How times change.
Finally, I can get to work. After a week of eventful school visits, I now have a couple of days to myself to write. I need to get cracking on the polish of Forbidden Phoenix, write a short story and pull together a pitch. It's a lot more work than I can finish in a few days, but I hope to get a start on everything. Oh, and I also hope to dine on turkey and stuffing.
The morning started off with a frustrating drive through Edmonton traffic. I sat at a traffic light near the University of Alberta for what seemed like forever. I suspect Edmonton Transit is still working out the timing of the LRT street crossing. Anyone heading east or west on 82nd Avenue should avoid the University area at all costs. It's just not worth the aggravation.
Ack. I'm trying to find the energy to tackle the short story for Tradewind, but after a full day of school visits and meetings, I'm just wiped at the end of the day. I might have to wait until the weekend to tackle it, because every day is full with visits. I'm having a blast at them all, and I'm starting to come up with different stories for the presentations, but it does take a lot out of me at the end of the day. I'd like to take it easy, but this is Read In Week, and I think it's important to encourage kids to kickstart their reading habits.
If you think a writer has a cushy life, swaddled in his housecoat, pecking away at his computer keyboard while sipping warm tea, think again. This week, I've been hard at work talking up my play, The Bone House, to students at various Edmonton schools. The whole point is to generate enough buzz so that people come see the show when it opens. I'm pitching to audiences who have no clue who I am. Some days, I have to work harder than others, but I love doing this part of the job. And yes, marketing is a part of a playwright's job. I'd even argue that it is part of a novelist's job (although some novelists would bust my kneecaps for daring to suggest this). I survive on royalties. If the show sells well, I do well. If the show tanks, I'm filling out a job application for Chapters. Some writers hate this part of the job because they equate marketing to used car sales tactics. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you love your story, all you're doing is sharing your passion with others and letting them know where they can see the show. I'm having a blast visiting schools across the city and watching the reactions of people who go from cynics to believers. I can't wait until the show opens.
On a sad note, I learned some bad news about my other play, The Forbidden Phoenix. One of my actors had to drop out. That's reality of the business, but it still sucks to lose someone who talented and positive. The real sad thing is the actor's note just reminded me of how little I have to do with this upcoming production in Winnipeg. It's almost like I'm hearing family news about distant cousins. I just don't feel connected to the show, even though I created it. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing.
