Samhain Publishing Ltd. Weblog

Hazards of working from home

Repetitive Strain Injury.
Writer’s Bottom.
Feline-inflicted Injuries Due to Smacking Her When She Walks Across Keyboard.
Falling Asleep at Laptop and Accidentally Typing fffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff For Six Hundred Lines.
Slowly Solidifying in Chair Due to Extreme Cold of Unheated House.

The alleviation of many of these conditions is a little tricky. I’m currently experimenting with a mix of pen and tablet, vertical mouse, mini keyboard, exercise DVD and water pistol.

I have, however, found what is, in my opinion, the Ultimate Cure for the last condition. I present it to you below.

Long Distance Letters

Once upon a time, when I was still in college, I met a boy. Well, he went to a different college than I did – we met at a summer party by a bonfire, and that was that. I know what you’re thinking, but no, we never dated. Instead, we began this very odd and interesting friendship based completely on letters. Interestingly enough, we’ve shared our lives with each other for the last twenty years almost entirely on paper.

A Muse Me by Jenna Bayley-Burke

As the mother of three, one of whom is a twenty-month-old diva who doesn’t want to miss a minute on either side of midnight, I have plenty of time to daydream. Sometimes it’s about a self-cleaning house or a deserted stretch of beach with an ever-full margarita machine, but usually I ponder whatever story I’m trying to get on the page between naptime and after-school pick-up.

I take my characters with me to the gym, the grocery store, doctors’ offices, bakeries – heck I’ll even play with them while I’m stuck in traffic. It’s the everyday things that make characters real to me. It can also put them in some pretty interesting situations.

MSN.com had a headline about exploding toads and WHAM, they found their way into Par for the Course. Thank goodness there was a golf course with a few water hazards, or it might have been awkward. Good Morning America ran a piece about new exercise routines – aerobic striptease, couples yoga…and then The View had someone on talking about using Kama Sutra to reenergize your sex life. The two ideas blended together in my why-won’t-this-child-sleep-through-the-night haze and VOILA, Compromising Positions had a Sensational Sex yoga class — couples yoga to ease the more demanding postures from the Kama Sutra.

Characters drive the story, but having fun is what keeps me writing rather than giving in to the call of the afternoon nap! I looked forward every day to seeing how Ben would handle the toad carnage, how David would deal with Sophie’s advances. Just as I hope the stories keep a reader turning the pages, they kept me writing to see not what would happen next (I had that part plotted out) but how it would unfold.

My next story blossomed in much the same way. I was watching Beauty and the Beast with my boys while cleaning out old college files. I couldn’t seem to let go of any of my notes and papers on Jane Austen and her stories — Elizabeth Bennett and her preconceived notions, Emma Woodhouse and her sheltered devotion to her father. The Beast roared from the television and the boys demanded it be turned off, and so while they turned out attentions to Hot Wheels, my mind spun a story that combined Beauty & the Beast, Emma and Pride & Prejudice. Hey, it happens! It was such a joy to watch Lily’s vision of Jake change from a beastly ogre to a handsome reflection of love. Pride & Passion will be available next week.

Writing takes effort, don’t mistake my enjoyment for sheer entertainment. But even writers can glean entertainment from their work. You never know what might weave its way into a story…you’ve been warned. I can’t be held accountable for being inspired by anything you might say or do!

Jenna has a new ebook releasing next week. Pride & Passion comes complete with a hero used to getting what he wants, a heroine determined not to give in to him, some indecent proposals, a fair amount of pride, and enough passion to burn up everyone’s control.To find out what Jenna is up to …check out her website

The Most With the Time You Have

Saturday afternoon I clocked in, I worked my shift, I signed the confidentiality papers, I clocked out and—it was over. My company officially closed its doors the next day and I became a statistic of the recession. Everyone who heard about the company closing quickly offered their condolences and support. I felt touched, grateful and…guilty.

The first few hours of learning I would no long have a day job, (evil or otherwise), were rough. I had long term plans, including transferring out of state within the network next year. To go on a mini-vacation with not a care in the world on day and come back to know it was all gone five days later, well there are no words and too many of you don’t need words because you’ve lived some variation of it. Knowing the hardship others are experiencing is what makes me feel guilty.

After the first few hours I thought about all my works-in-progress and the sense of loss slowly transformed to a sense of excitement. The current average I’ve been quoted is three months to find a new job in the non-profit sector, for a town this size maybe six. Things will be tight, but doable and that means three to six months of writing full time while I search.

I was among the countless writers that lamented the writing hours lost to the Evil Day Job, (which by default is any job, not matter how rewarding, that is not writing full time). “Oh, if only I could spend the ten hours of work and travel-time writing I could get each WIP done and truly devote myself to my writing.” It’s a phrase I’ve heard and said some variation of numerous times. When we said it I’m sure we were all dreaming of lotto numbers and big advances that let us retire to write, but what we got was a struggling economy and the consequences of living in such. But time is time.

I spent a day writing up a new budget and figuring out ways to tighten our belt. I’ve spent weeks organizing open call deadlines, prioritizing WsIP, (or is WIP its own plural?), and clearing out my writing space. As January became February I was beside myself waiting for the end of the month. By February 23rd I was all but bouncing up and down as the days ticked by. Everyone around me grumbled, railed, ranted or wailed about the coming end while it took everything in me not to clap and holler the final week.

I wouldn’t have chosen this path to much needed writing time, but it’s the one laid out before me and so I’m going to walk it with a smile and enjoyment. We all have to make the most of the time we have while we have it. Goodness knows we need the money I was bringing in, but being depressed and angsty won’t put me back in the workforce a single day sooner. On the other hand, accepting this as exactly what I asked for—a chance to write full time—will get me well ahead on my project list and get more submissions out there for consideration where they belong.

If you’re a writer, every bit of time you get that you complain about is time you could be writing. Waiting in line, at the doctor’s office, during gridlock, picking kids up from practice, waiting to be called for jury duty, and even sudden “redistribution of personnel resources” are all chances to finish what you started or start what you’ve been talking about.

If you’re a reader I don’t have to tell you how to make the most of those times. What I will tell you is that every opportunity to pursue what you love is the right opportunity, even if it’s a stunning one you would have never chosen.

For those of you like me, I wish you the best, and I hope this change is one that reveals a chance for all you’ve ever dreamed about. For those of you still caught in the EDJ, congrats on the steady income, and good luck on taking advantage of every nook and cranny to pursue the dreams we often lose to the daily grind.

To everyone who’s ever wanted anything but thought there wasn’t time, there is. Good Hunting.

~Xakara

Going for Gold!

So Canada hasn’t beaten Russia in hockey since the 1960’s, at least in the Olympics. Sat down and watched the game tonight, which is totally unlike me, but I couldn’t stop myself. The whole country has been transformed into a wingnut’s paradise and it infected me. That’s my only excuse. I sat there for all three periods and thought that the only thing better than watching the game would have been being there. The stands blood red with jerseys and every throat must have been raw by the end of the game. I know I let out a yell or two myself. Especially when Staal went down.

Alas the writerly life. I have to work during the day to make the money to live out my dreams at the keyboard at night. Working two jobs has been taking its toll lately. That and we’re in the depths of winter up here in the Great White North, without a foreseeable break until late April. It’s like a slump in my training. I needed some get up and go, some serious inspiration! I needed to write this blog! So I slipped away and watched the team with Syd the kid (from my home province, not that I’m overly proud or anything) take Russia to school with a 7-3. And you know what? It was exactly the shot in the arm that I needed. The chapters I’m working on sped through my fingers! I’m excited about getting back to work tomorrow, for both jobs. Heck, I’m just excited and jazzed, right now.

Canada is playing for a medal! It’s our game! Let’s show the world how we bring it when you play on our pond! My heart is racing, I’m pumped for Friday’s game! Come on keyboard, we’ve got some writing to do!

Perfect 15

I’m not much of a TV watcher. Most evenings, I come home from my day job, have dinner, then park myself in front of my computer to write the night away. That means I get a lot of my news and information from online sources, unless I happen to be eating dinner when the news (or something interesting) is on.

I used to be an Olympics junkie.

Sacrifice

The talk around school this week has been, “What are you giving up for Lent?” I live in a predominantly Catholic city, but even non-Catholics get in on the Lenten sacrifice. So far my principal has given up Facebook (!), another teacher has given up breakfast tacos (she said she’ll fall off the wagon by Friday), another has given up her Red Bull and another sodas.

Every year my grandmother would give up candy, which was torture, because her very favorite candy was Easter candy—the Cadbury eggs, the Peeps, all of it. Heck, when it wasn’t Lent, she’d eat candy for lunch (and weight 90 pounds and lived to 92!). My brother gives up soda, which I tried one year but didn’t last a week.

One year I gave up hamburgers (my favorite thing next to sodas) and I was a terrible person to be around by Easter.

I’ve given up buying books (but I own like 400, so what’s the sacrifice there?) and plants. That CAN be a sacrifice, because Spring Break is always during Lent and I’m itching to get outside already.

But I figure the whole point is to improve yourself, right, so I’m giving up swearing. I’m BAD. And I’ve already slipped once. But maybe I can start a new habit.

Do you give up something for Lent?

The Dark Days of Winter by N.J. Walters

Unless you’re a vampire, you’re probably not too fond of the short days this time of year. It’s February, the time of year where winter has you firmly in her icy grip. The excitement of the Christmas holiday seems like naught but a memory and spring is still far out of reach.

Finding the bright side.

I had equipment malfunction problems this weekend, and wrote a brilliant post about the Death of a Keyboard.

(Goodbye keyboard, you served me well.)

But then last night an email that showed up in my in-box that made my keyboard bit suddenly read more like whining than brilliant sarcasm.

My keyboard of 5 years is dead, but on the 1-5 scale of tragedies it rates about .001. So, no complaining today. Instead I’m going to be thankful.

I am thankful…

It isn't that romantic...

Ah, February… the month when our hearts and minds are turned to love. If the frilly decorations and heart-shaped boxes of candy won’t do it, then the myriad of romantic films and songs just might.

But despite the candy hearts and chocolate confections; all the shades of pink and flounces of lace, I have a confession to make. Are you ready? … I don’t like Valentine’s Day. As a matter of fact, I dislike it intensely.