While I was away . . .

/ Ev Bishop

I’m still in the process of Organizing My Office (note the capital letters, please). It’s a convoluted task. While I was away this summer, messmaker elves (a breed similar to the shoemaker’s elves in the old fairy tale, but nowhere near as helpful or benign) were hard at work. Or at least I’m pretty sure they were involved–I have no idea who else would’ve left stacks of notes jotted on crumpled scraps of paper, piles of mail (opened, but not dealt with), and mountains of miscallanea across the region called (in fond remembrance) my desk.

While other writers are in full fall mode and have already written inspiring posts about new energy to pursue goals and freshly scrutinized, revamped plans, I’m pulling out another trash bin. However, there’s been some progress. My keyboard is cleared (I do have my priorities), my year-at-a-glance calendar is updated (yes, I consider September the first month in a new year), and I’ve pulled down my corkboard (not sure that was a good decision) to replace with two new ones . . .

Before digging into my day’s work though (editing and writing a column, then organizing if I get to it ;-)), I wanted to share two exciting things that happened while I was away (no elves are involved this time): (1) I had a story accepted by AlienSkin Magazine. “Red Bird” will appear in their December 2009/January 2010 issue. (2) I got an e-mail about how well Cleavage – Breakaway Fiction For Real Girls is doing. It’s gone into a second printing and is listed in the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Best Books for Kids & Teens 2009, as well as in Resource Links Best of 2008 for Grades 7 – 12. The editors Deb Loughead and Jocelyn Shipley continue to promote it and the book now has a trailer. I know my story is just one small part of the anthology, but I’m very excited about how the whole book has been received!

Autumn is re-energizing, but even more inspiring than new post-it-notes, colour-keyed schedules, and the like, is the fact that bit-by-bit I’m starting to amass a body of fiction. I’ve published non-fiction for awhile, but I’m eager to share my stories. Slowly, slowly it’s happening. It’s happening! And I don’t want to rush my year, but I’m already wondering what nice surprises I’ll look back at next September.

20 thoughts on “While I was away . . .”

  1. Congratulations, Ev!! that is great news!

    Do you know that today I could not write – I had to tackle my office. I was ignoring, thinking I cannot waste precious writing time on cleaning and organizing, but I caved. I think your elves did a nice visit to my house as well.

    Like

  3. I think the issues it tackles need to be tackled too. Have you read it? As a mom, I think I enjoyed (benefited) from it as (or more) as I would’ve as a teen.

    It was funny–I was thrilled to have a story accepted for the anthology and then when I read the collection, I was honoured.

    Maybe not every story is for every person, but I think everyone will relate to at least one story in it.

    Like

  4. I think the issues it tackles need to be tackled too. Have you read it? As a mom, I think I enjoyed (benefited) from it as (or more) as I would’ve as a teen.

    It was funny–I was thrilled to have a story accepted for the anthology and then when I read the collection, I was honoured.

    Maybe not every story is for every person, but I think everyone will relate to at least one story in it.

    Like

  7. I’ve been wanting to read the anthology and plan to do so. I’m so happy it is doing so well. Congratulations! Anthologies are fun to be a part of, so many different people with such different insights. Did you get to meet any of the other contributors?

    Like

  8. Dear Laura,

    You’ll have to let me know what you think of it, once you get around to it.

    >>>Anthologies are fun to be a part of, so many different people with such different insights.<<<

    Yes, that's exactly it. 🙂

    I haven't met any of the other contributers–I'm up on the northern end of the west coast in BC. I think there are two or three contributors from Vancouver and Vancouver Island . . . one from Alberta, one from the U.S. . . . the rest, I think, are mainly out in Ontario. The geographic region is just too large to traverse easily! I'd love it if our paths crossed at a conference or something in the future, however . . .

    The anthologies you've been part of look VERY fun too–and it seems like you did get to meet/hang out with the other writers. That must've been very cool!

    Like

  9. Dear Laura,

    You’ll have to let me know what you think of it, once you get around to it.

    >>>Anthologies are fun to be a part of, so many different people with such different insights.<<<

    Yes, that's exactly it. 🙂

    I haven't met any of the other contributers–I'm up on the northern end of the west coast in BC. I think there are two or three contributors from Vancouver and Vancouver Island . . . one from Alberta, one from the U.S. . . . the rest, I think, are mainly out in Ontario. The geographic region is just too large to traverse easily! I'd love it if our paths crossed at a conference or something in the future, however . . .

    The anthologies you've been part of look VERY fun too–and it seems like you did get to meet/hang out with the other writers. That must've been very cool!

    Like

  11. >>>Trailers for books<<<

    I _know_. I was surprised when I first learned of them six months ago or so (and I think they've been popular for much longer! ;-). I get my next read ideas, gasp, from bookstores, libraries, magazines, WORD OF MOUTH . . . 😀 (But hey, whatever attracts people to reading is good in my books! ;))

    ~Ev

    Like

  12. >>>Trailers for books<<<

    I _know_. I was surprised when I first learned of them six months ago or so (and I think they've been popular for much longer! ;-). I get my next read ideas, gasp, from bookstores, libraries, magazines, WORD OF MOUTH . . . 😀 (But hey, whatever attracts people to reading is good in my books! ;))

    ~Ev

    Like

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