Miranda Suri blogs the writing life
Well, this is turning out to be a good month for me. I’m happy to announce another story sale, this one a piece of flash fiction titled A HISTORY, IN REVERSE to Every Day Fiction.
This story recounts the last, lonely journey of humanity’s sole survivor in a very distant future. It should appear sometime in the next month or two, and I’ll be sure to share a link when it does.
I think I’ll celebrate with some leftover pecan pie and a nap 🙂
It sure does help a lot.
Thanksgiving break is upon us, and I am ready for it. Everyone at school seems ground down and tired, and we’ve still got weeks to go before finals. This little space for fresh air and pecan pie and turkey overdose is desperately needed.
I’m spending my Thanksgiving Eve cooking (and tasting) and allowing myself to not worry about work or writing or anything else. It’s lovely. I’ve already finished preparing my family’s traditional 24-Hour Salad (an insane concoction of grapes, pineapple, marshmallows, toasted walnuts and a lemon sabayon cream sauce), which has to gel overnight before serving. I’ve also cooked up the golden and red beets for a beet salad with goat cheese and hazelnuts, and have toasted the pecans for the pecan pie, which I’ll make tonight.
In between cooking, I’ve got to squeeze in a dentist appointment and a Pilates class, which I’m telling myself will make me feel less guilty about the gorging to come.
Tomorrow, of course, is the Big Day, with stuffing and turkey prep early, followed by the final mad dash when a million things (corn casserole and potatoes and gravy and I-can’t-even-remember-what-else) have to go on the stove at once, all smothered in butter and cream and herbs. A big glass of wine will help keep everything calm 🙂
Friends and family arrive in the afternoon and then the gluttony begins in earnest! I plan to eat my weight in everything.
The long weekend will be spent digesting and writing, naturally, but also turning toward the inevitable realization that the giant stack of exams I administered on Monday aren’t going to grade themselves. Sigh. But that’s a worry for another day, and another glass of wine.
How will you be spending your holiday?
I’m happy to announce I’ve sold my story DISCARDED to the online speculative fiction magazine Electric Spec. It should go live sometime around the end of the month, and I will most certainly share a link when it does.
In the meantime: YAY!
I got the inspiration for DISCARDED when Sid and I visited an installation art exhibit on Governor’s Island. The story is about a dragon sculpture who also happens to be an aspiring artist and the interest he takes in an NYPD officer framed for murder. I’d describe the genre as sort of urban fantasy, sort of magical realism. It’s got a special place in my heart and I’m so happy it’s found a home.
This won’t be the first story of mine Electric Spec has published. My first sale, a horror story titled THE NEW ARRIVAL, was also to this market.
So, that’s my exciting news for the day. Now I’m off to a prepare a review session for my students and teach a lecture on the Aztec.
Toodles!
My sister is visiting me in New York. She’s got two kids and works full time, so it’s a rare treat to get to spend time just the two of us. We’ve been making the most of it by gallivanting around having adventures and stuffing our faces full of delicious food. It’s left little time for work or writing or updating my blog.
Instead, then, I’ll share a cool thing about my sister. In addition to being Mom of the Year and kicking ass at her job, she’s also an amateur photographer.
So, for you, for extra specials, here’s a picture she took of a crab on the beach in our home of Vashon Island. I think it’s pretty swell.
Welcome to this writer’s workspace. Here’s what’s happening liiiiiiiiiiive at Miranda’s desk.
What I’m working on: Today is an editing day. Final edits on two short stories I’m about ready to start sending out to markets and some edits on the latest draft pages of PROJECT AWESOME. Edits and tea. Yup. That’s what’s up today.
Snippet from the screen:
I let myself in and continued on through the entry to the living room. I expected to find it empty–mom was usually out in the garden this time of day and dad would be at the University. To my surprise, though, my mom was sitting in the living room, dressed to the nines. And she wasn’t alone.
She appeared to be hosting the Stepford wives for tea.
There were three of them, all frosted blonde hair and afternoon pearls, plus my mom. I leaned against the door jamb, unhappily aware that I’d left a smear of blood on the cream paint.
Keeping me company: Mr. Ramses is perched, as per usual, in his Tower of Terror, looming behind me with baleful eyes….(okay, maybe that last part is a minor exaggeration)
In my mug: a steaming cup of Harney and Sons Palm Court tea. So yummy 🙂
On the iTunes: Anyone Else but You, by the Moldy Peaches
Out the window: winter. It is apparently now winter. Cold, grey. You get the idea. (makes a frowny face…)
Procrastinators Paradise: if you haven’t already checked it out, I have a book review of Jenna Black’s YA book REPLICA up on Adventures in SciFi Publishing. Good book. Fun read. There’s also an interesting post up on Jody Hedlund’s blog about deals we writers make with our readers and the consequences of breaking them. Though, be warned, the post contains spoilers for Veronica Roth’s Allegiant. Also, IO9 has got a bit up on some yummy F/SF books coming out this month. Check it out!
Alright. That’s all from here. Back to editing!
Comedy or Tragedy? 