There has been a lot happening in my life lately: good things, bad things, crazy things... about a week ago my good ol' trusty laptop decided to crash, and then my phone stopped working, and our internet died and... well, needless to say, I've been in crazy mode trying to get something working again. lol!
The good news is, I did get something working again, and that something is my phone... or, actually, rather than getting it working again, I simply replaced it with a new and improved version. This phone allows me to hook up a universal keyboard via bluetooth and so, with the help of an app that allows me to edit and create microsoft word documents (and, of course, with the assistance of the ever useful dropbox) I am able to access some of my more important and recent documents and continue my writings on my phone. Pretty spiffy, huh? ;)
But honestly, it's just not the same thing as working from a computer console. *le-sigh* I think my computer can be fixed... I even think I might know how to fix it... the problem is, I don't have the equipment to fix it and so, until I find someone who does (which may be within the next week, if all goes well) I will be doing most everything from my phone. This, of course, means that work on the cover art for Gillian's book must be put on hold... but, not to be deterred, I am looking into a few other options concerning third-party artists. I have one in mind in particular, and I'm SERIOUSLY looking forward to conversing with him on the subject. :D
With that said, some other interesting things have been going on in my life. I know some of you already know that I lost my job about a month ago, but now I have an interview lined up for tomorrow (or rather, today, since it's already almost 2:30am... I'm too excited to sleep. :p). The job is once more in health care, BUT the good news is it is offering everything I was looking for in a health care based job. Tomorrow is only the first interview, but I'm hoping they are impressed and decide to hire me. Prayers would be appreciated.
In other news, some interesting winds have been stirring within one of the writing groups I am a member of. One day, in the hopes of getting some advice about a fairytale retelling I am working on, I posted a question on the page, and from that question sprouted a varitable smorgasboard of ideas from my fellow writers... which resulted in this group deciding to create their own Publishing imprint specializing in anthologies.
The imprint's name?
Paradigm Shift
(curtesy of my good friend, Andy Poole, who suggested the name for the imprint, even though he originally wanted to use it for a band. :))
As some of my friends so aptly said upon hearing of these interesting events, "Well... that escelated quickly!"
Our first anthology won't be released until the end of next year and is to be filled with all sorts of fairytales retold. Some of the ideas the group is coming up with are simply astounding. My friend, Andy, plans on doing a rewrite of Snow White in an historical fantasy setting... with possible vampires. I may be working on a retelling of "The Juniper Tree", a story from the Grimm collection that is rather haunting, to say the least. Other stories to be retold in this anthology include Red Riding Hood, Rumplestiltskin, and The Princess and the Pea, to name just a few. Its a very exciting endevour, and similar to what I had hoped Magpie would become at one time: a group-run project in which many authors come together to not only support one another, but to learnrmore about publishing and to hone their craft.
Speaking of Magpie, work is moving forward! I've already pretty much given you the low-down on Gillian's book... edits were sent out today, so before long, I'm sure, we will be moving on to formatting. :D The anthology is also coming along, as I was pleasantly surprised the other day to open an obscure folder in dropbox and find ALL of the files I thought were still locked up in my old compaque computer. :) Now granted, with my computer down, while I can still access some of these files, others require different programs to unlock them which I don't have on my phone. BUT, not to be detered, I am going through all the files I can access now, and very soon will be sending out contracts again...
ON that note, please, please, PLEASE; if you are reading this and have been informed in the past that you were accepted into the Magpie Eclectic Press Anthology, when I send you a contract I need it to be returned to me SIGNED. Electronic copies are fine. You may email them to magpie.eclectic.press@gmail.com. I say this here, because last time there were some issues with contracts not being returned at all, and unfortunately I cannot do anything with your story as a publisher until I have your permission to do so, which is what the contract is for. So please be sure to return it signed if you get one.
In other news, I am glad to announce that a very beautiful cover has been created for the Anthology by my good friend, Ryan Paige Howard. Unfortunately it is also locked up very securely in my currently nonfunctional computer, but I hope to be able to retrieve it soon and plan to post it here for everyone to see. :)
God bless, my friends! As life moves forward, so must I. Hopefully I will be able to blog more in the near future.
Happy writing!
Nichole
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