Serious Collector (Of Rejections) #IWSG July 2019

Me collecting rejection letters...

Writing has been picking up the last month. I haven't made any progress on my main manuscript, because I've been focusing on submitting short stories to several anthologies and journals. I wrote and submitted one story last week at the very last possible minute to their deadline - it was very rushed and I probably should have given up, but the story is so particular to their theme that I doubt I will be able to place it anywhere else, so I pushed through to get it in. I've also received a bunch of rejections lately on older stories, which is fine (I'm inching closer to my coveted 100 rejections). Only one of them was a bummer, as it was a story I really enjoy and a collection I thought it fit perfectly - plus there were names involved that I quite like, so it would have been cool to be part of it. To be honest though the rejections are nowhere near as disappointing as not finishing something I set out to do.

I've got at least three more short stories to finish and submit over the next couple of months, and then I can get back to and hopefully finish my current novel. We don't have any big summer plans so I have my fingers crossed I can get some work done (and not waste too much time playing Pokemon GO).

Yeah, that's not going to happen.

It would be really nice to not get bored of something and actually finish it for once. In the last two years I believe I've started 4 different manuscripts and got between 1/4 and 1/2 through before giving up on them. Hopefully one of them will stick one of these days.

How about you? Any good writing coming up this Summer?

July 3 Question: 

What personal traits have you written into your character(s)?

Most of my characters are awkward losers, so what does that say about me? There has definitely been some of my insecurities written into my characters, though I have the most fun when I write characters who say the things I wish I could say/had said. To really let the asshole side of my personality out, which I generally try to keep in check. I suppose that's wish-fulfilment writing, in an odd sort of way.

Anyway, that's all for now. Keep writin', keep livin', keep catchin' Pokemon.

Hugs and kisses,
-CDGK

The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Writers post their thoughts on their blogs, talking about their doubts and the fears they have conquered. It's a chance for writers to commiserate and offer a word of encouragement to each other. Check out the group at http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/.

MASQUERADE: ODDLY SUITED Release Day!

Today's the day!

After months of build-up, today is the day you will finally be able to get your sweaty little hands on the latest Dancing Lemur / Insecure Writers Support Group anthology, Masquerade: Oddly Suited. This little gem features 10 (count'em, ten!) young adult romance stories, one of which by yours truly. Here's the blurb once again:

Find love at the ball…

Can a fake dating game show lead to love? Will a missing key free a clock-bound prince? Can a softball pitcher and a baseball catcher work together? Is there a vampire living in Paradise, Newfoundland? What’s more important—a virtual Traveler or a virtual date to the ball?

Ten authors explore young love in all its facets, from heartbreak to budding passion. Featuring the talents of L.G. Keltner, Jennifer Lane, C.D. Gallant-King, Elizabeth Mueller, Angela Brown, Myles Christensen, Deborah Solice, Carrie-Anne Brownian, Anstice Brown, and Chelsea Marie Ballard.

Hand-picked by a panel of agents and authors, these ten tales will mystify and surprise even as they touch your heart. Don your mask and join the party…

Masquerade: Oddly Suited is available at Amazon, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, Kobo you know, pretty much anywhere you get your books! Make sure you pick up your copy today, and if we ever meet in person I promise I'll chew on your copy!

And if you're not into gently gnawed paperbacks (though I cannot fathom why), you could also sign up for a chance to win a FIFTY ($50!) DOLLAR Gift Card from Amazon! And those are US Dollars! All you have to do is click on the Rafflecopter below, and leave a comment to get started. You can get additional chances to win by spreading the word about Masquerade: Oddly Suited through social media, but you were going to do that anyway, right?

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And last but not least, now is also the time to UNMASK my little teaser story. For the last two weeks, the contributing authors of the anthology have been sharing little secretive snippets of each others' fiction, without revealing exactly whose story they were teasing. In case you weren't following or hand't guessed, my story was teased yesterday at http://publishness.blogspot.com/, and here is my character's portrait, UNMASKED:

The wonderful portrait of Madison Reid, the main character of my story, was provided by Elizabeth Mueller, another of the contributers. Be sure to check out more from Elizabeth at her website:  https://elizabethmueller.blogspot.com/

MASQUERADE BALL SCHEDULE

To check out all the revealed stories, check out the tour schedule below:

Thur. April 18th: L.G. Keltner https://lgkeltner.blogspot.com/

Fri. April 19th: Jennifer Lane http://jenniferlanebooks.blogspot.com

Sat. April 20th: Deborah Solice https://thefabulistdotblog.wordpress.com/

Mon. April 22nd: CD Gallant-King http://www.cdgallantking.ca/

Tues. April 23rd: Elizabeth Mueller https://elizabethmueller.blogspot.com/

Wed. April 24th: Chelsea Marie Ballard https://www.facebook.com/masqueradeoddlysuited

Thurs. April 25th: Carrie-Ann Brownian http://carrieannebrownian.wordpress.com

Fri. April 26th: Myles Christensen http://www.myleschristensen.com

Sat. April 27th: Anstice Brown https://dustingthesoul.com

Mon. April 29th: Angela Brown http://publishness.blogspot.com/

STRANGELY FUNNY VI Release!

Hey look, a new book!

While everyone had their eyes set on Masquerade: Oddly Suited, the OTHER anthology featuring my work this month, STRANGELY FUNNY VI, crept up and jumped us out of nowhere, just like a good boogeyman is supposed to do.

Strangely Funny VI features twenty (20!) new tales paranormal comedy. I haven't read everything in the new batch yet, but with stories with titles like "How a Vampire Gets a Tan" by Paul Wartenberg and "Skunknado" by B. David Spicer, I don't think you can go wrong with this one.

The Kindle version is available now, with paperback coming soon! It's only 4 bucks! Check it out!

THE BLURB

"My name’s not Clarence, and this ain’t Bedford Falls. I’m more like a pixie on probation and you’re my punishment.” – Dial M for Marvin by Robert Allen Lupton

Welcome to the seventh book (yes, seventh) in the Strangely Funny series. Tales of paranormal comedy await you. Meet one vampire who has found a unique method of sheltering from the sunlight, and another one seeking a tan. See what they’re serving at the Devil’s table below. Discover a new definition for ‘dream lover’. And if you can’t figure out what a ‘Skunknado’ is, we’ll show you. 

BOOK DETAILS

Print Length: 220 pages

Publisher: Mystery and Horror, LLC (April 21, 2019)

Publication Date: April 21, 2019

ASIN: B07QZQCRQY

Kindle Price: $3.99 USD

BUY LINKS

AMAZON US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07QZQCRQY

AMAZON CANADA: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07QZQCRQY

AMAZON UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07QZQCRQY

Also be sure to check out the publisher, MYSTERY & HORROR, LLC:

Website: http://www.mysteryandhorrorllc.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/mahllc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MysteryAndHorrorLlc/

STRANGELY FUNNY V NOW AVAILABLE!

Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime is still chugging along strong, but I was surprised last night to discover that the other anthology featuring one of my stories, STRANGELY FUNNY V, is now available at Amazon!

BUY IT NOW AT AMAZON.COM

I knew the publisher, Mystery & Horror, wanted to get it out before the end of May, but since I only saw the galleys last week I didn't think it was going to happen. But here they giving the people what they want and have clamoured for: More side-splitting stories of horror and weirdness!

The blurb: 

The sixth book in the Strangely Funny series. You have all heard tales of the phantom hitchhiker, but what about her parents? How do they feel after a few decades of boys showing up on their doorstep looking for their jackets? Take this journey with us and find out what club the Devil use for a short putt. Discover where werewolves retire when their muzzles turn gray.

Open the pages of Strangely Funny V and join authors Eldon Litchfield, Dan Foley, Juliet Boyd, and many more, as they explore the strange happenings that could be in your neighborhood.

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My contribution to the anthology is "The New Job," a story about an under-funded and under-staffed city department responsible for the extermination of "exotic supernatural pests." And by pests we of course mean ghosts. Hilarity and gore ensues.

Currently only the Kindle version is up on Amazon but the paperback should follow soon. Keep your eyes peeled!

BUY STRANGELY FUNNY V AT AMAZON.COM

STRANGELY FUNNY V COVER REVEAL!

I said I would have a story appearing in another anthology later this month, but I can't remember if I mentioned the name of it. Well, here I am now to reveal not only the title but also the cover of said anthology, and it's STRANGELY FUNNY V!

Strangely Funny is an annual anthology of comic supernatural and horror short stories published by Mystery and Horror, LLC. I actually had a story appear in last year's edition as well, and those who know my writing know it's a perfect fit - weird, creepy and funny fits my style exactly. 

Anyone who wants to check out last year's Volume 4, including my story, "Save or Die," about a fantasy adventure that goes terribly, terribly awry, can pick it up here.

I don't have a lot of details for Volume 5 except the cover and that it will be released in late May or early June. And it will be full of weird, funny stories! Previous volumes have included contributors such as Kevin J. Wetmore, DJ Tyrer, Edward Ahern and Jonathan Shipley. 

Not only do I have a story in this one, but you can also of course check me out in this one, too.

Like A Screaming Hippo in a Bobsled (#IWSG May)

Every month I talk about (or at least hint about) all the shitty stuff going on in my life. Today I'm not going to do that. I'm going to be positive for once, and celebrate the release of TICK TOCK: A STITCH IN CRIME.

If you're reading this you're probably members of the IWSG, so I won't go into detail on the backstory of the anthology. Instead I'll just add that I'm proud of the story I contributed and have received great feedback on it so far. I'm also proud to be included with so many talented writers, and I want to say thank you to the judges, the folks at Dancing Lemur Press, and to Alex for making it all possible.

And here's something I don't usually do: share an excerpt from the story. If you like what you read, check it out and pick up your own copy. There are ten more great stories in the book even better than this one:

GUSSY SAINT AND THE CASE OF THE MISSING COED

by C.D. Gallant-King

As I awaited the inevitable impact, my mind wandered back to the day this investigation went downhill like a screaming hippo in a bobsled. The moment when I seriously started reconsidering my decision to be a private dick.

Rain fell in Mount Vernon. It always rained in Mount Vernon. The rest of the country was suffering through sub-arctic temperatures and enough snow to make an Inuit pack up his dogsled and move south for the winter, but if you looked out the window in Mount Vernon you'd swear Noah was going to buzz by on a jet ski any moment.

The rain was cold and chewed down deep into your bones like a junkie trying to bite through a baggie of heroin. I hated a rain like that. It always portended something terrible on the horizon, like spilling a baggie of heroin all over the toilet of a bus station restroom.

It was a place I’d found myself more than once that I hoped not to visit again.

I was a long way from that bus station restroom and the lifestyle that had driven me to the stoniest of rock bottoms. In many ways,  you can’t get away from that place—not completely—but I made improvements. I had steered clear of hard drugs and bus stations for nearly six years, though I replaced that addiction with liquor, gambling, and women.

I was sitting in my office, which was only slightly less filthy than the aforementioned restroom, with my shiny wing tips up on the desk and my chair tilted back to the point of toppling, lost in my thoughts around the biggest case of my life. I heard my new secretary's heels clicking across the tile in the outer office and it snapped me back to reality so fast I nearly ended up on the floor. That woman was probably the biggest score of my life, and I hadn't even slept with her yet.

I found her in a club downtown, drunk out of her mind and looking for a fight and a lay, and not necessarily in that order. Usually that's just the way I like my lady friends, but before I could move in another broad knocked over her drink and sparked off the most beautiful cat fight I'd ever seen. I’ll dream about those two gorgeous women rolling around on the floor, tearing at each other,  until the day I die.

It had taken all my pull and connections down at the precinct to get her off. By that I mean I had to get the police captain off—twice—which was a moderate challenge but not really much of a hardship. The girl was so happy not be going to jail or deported that she threw herself at my offer of a job. And of course, by that I mean I had to beg and plead with her to work for me and had to offer way more money than I can afford. It was worth it, though. It's  It was a little piece of heaven to have a nice pair of legs around the office, and the new bird had legs to die for.

She called herself George. I had no idea if that was her real name, and frankly I didn't give a damn. With legs like that she could call herself whatever she wanted...

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TICK TOCK: A STITCH IN CRIME is available in paperback or eBook format at any of the fine retailers below. We're currently working on converting it to smoke signals, stay tuned.

AMAZON US

AMAZON CANADA

BARNES & NOBLE

KOBO BOOKS

iTUNES

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The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Writers post their thoughts on their blogs, talking about their doubts and the fears they have conquered. It's a chance for writers to commiserate and offer a word of encouragement to each other. Check out the group at http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/.

Book Release: TICK TOCK: A STITCH IN CRIME!

It seems like it's been forever (actually it's only been about 4 months, which is pretty quick in the publishing world), but the TICK TOCK anthology is officially available today!

Observe.

In case you've been living under a rock these last four months (technically six months, since the submission deadline closed), Tick Tock: A Stitch in Time is a collection of eleven crime and mystery short stories all centered around the theme of time and clocks. Submissions came from the Insecure Writers Support Group, and the final stories were chosen by panel of authors, editors and agents from the mystery industry. The book is published by Dancing Lemur Press.

You'll see when reading the stories that "mystery" is a pretty broad category, and the individual tales venture into horror, cozy, supernatural, comedy and more, so there should be something for everyone in there. If you don't believe me, here's a picture of some random dude enjoying his copy:

Who the f*** does this guy think he is?

You can get your copy in paperback or eBook format at any of the fine retailers below:

AMAZON US

AMAZON CANADA

BARNES & NOBLE

KOBO BOOKS

iTUNES

And if you want to find out more about the stories and the writers involved, be sure to check out the Tick Tock Anthology website and blog.

2018 Starts Off On A High Note (#IWSG January 2018)

Holy crap, it's 2018.

For those paying attention, my story "Gussy Saint and the Case of the Missing Coed" was selected as a winner in the IWSG 2017 Anthology Contest! I was definitely not expecting that. The official announcement was just this morning, but I found out about two weeks ago, and along with finding out on Christmas Day that another of my stories had been shortlisted for another anthology, it was a couple of nice little surprises to end an otherwise very shitty year.

I would like to thank the IWSG Admin staff, the folks at Dancing Lemur Press and the panel of judges for choosing my story. It's a great honour, as I'm sure there were tons of other great works to pick from. I don't have a lot of details on the book yet other than it's being published in the Spring, so if you want to get all the news straight from the horse's mouth, as well as the full list of contributing authors, make sure to check out the IWSG Blog.

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On a personal note, for those wondering my wife is going in for surgery on Friday, and my father-in-law starts his chemo today. Wish us luck.

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JANUARY IWSG QUESTION: What steps have you taken or plan to take to put a schedule in place for your writing and publishing?

Currently my writing schedule is "whenever I can," which usually amounts to my lunch breaks at work, at 11:00pm after everyone else goes to bed, and sometimes at 6:00am on Saturday morning. I don't recommend it.

So far, my publishing schedule has been equally erratic (mostly because of my terrible writing schedule). I don't put out books & stories regularly, nor do I even write in consistent series or even genres. So yeah, I don't recommend that, either.

In fact, don't do anything I do. Except submit stories to the IWSG Anthology contests. That's obviously a good idea.

The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Writers post their thoughts on their blogs, talking about their doubts and the fears they have conquered. It's a chance for writers to commiserate and offer a word of encouragement to each other. Check out the group at http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/.

INTERVIEW with Author JB Reynolds

Today in my ongoing series of author interviews I'm chatting with JB Reynolds. Reynolds has several excellent stories available (check out Amazon or his website). I've read a couple of them and was quite pleased, he has an easy but poetic style that really sucks you in. He's especially good at making unpalatable things seem sympathetic or even enjoyable. I highly recommend his "Art of Cigarette Smoking." If he can make cigarettes seem inviting, you know he has a gift!

THE AUTHOR!

J.B. Reynolds lives in rural Northland, New Zealand, where he raises children and chickens. He writes humorous short fiction, where tragedy meets comedy and character reigns supreme. His first short story was published while he was a university student, and in between that and a return to serious writing in 2016, he has worked as a graphic designer, landscaper, ski and snowboard technician, librarian, apple picker, and baker of muffins and teacakes.

Nowadays, when not writing, he’s a husband, father, and high school teacher (not necessarily in that order). He enjoys sailing, cycling, and playing music, really loud, when his wife and kids aren’t at home. He has a big garden, where he likes to get his fingernails dirty, and he loves to eat the things that grow in it.

He is currently working on his Crossing The Divide short story series. The stories in the series feature different characters and switch between locations in New Zealand and Australia, but they are all, in a way, coming of age stories and are linked through the theme of relationships.

THE INTERVIEW!

From what I've read of your work, I can't easily place it in any single genre like "mystery" or "romance." What do you call your genre and what drew you to write in it?

I’ve struggled a little to even define the genre for the short stories I’m writing at the moment. I guess it’s humorous contemporary fiction. In some ways, they are coming-of-age stories, but with characters in their late teens and early twenties rather than adolescents. I’m writing in this genre because these were the ideas I had in my head that were the most developed. They’re also stories that have arisen out of my own life experience. Once I’ve finished this series, I have some ideas for short stories that are more fantastical, and I have an idea for a fantasy novel that I’ll get to after that. My reading preferences tend towards sci-fi and fantasy, and that’s where I want to head with my writing.

We all love some good fantasy and sci-fi. Which writers inspire you?

I love the short stories of Kurt Vonnegut and Will Self. Vonnegut is the short story master and has some great tips on writing short stories that I always try to keep in mind when I’m writing them. Will Self is both disturbing and hilarious, and a much better short story writer than novelist, in my opinion. His Grey Area and The Quantum Theory of Insanity short story collections are brilliant. My favourite novelists are Iain M. Banks, because of the grand scope of his imagination; Terry Pratchett, because he manages to be both profoundly silly and profoundly serious at the same time; and Paul Auster, because his storytelling seems so graceful and elegant and effortless. I’m sure it isn’t; he probably sweats blood like most other writers, but that’s how it reads on the page. But I think the writer who most inspired me to write was Hunter S. Thompson. His passion for what he does just blazes out of the page. There was a point in my life when I wanted to be Hunter S. Thompson, but I didn’t have the balls.

Few of us have the balls to trip balls like he did. 

Change of topic, but this one is always a hot button with independent authors: Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process?

Absolutely! And the great thing about ebooks is that you can change them. I trained as a graphic designer so I’ve done my own, but you can always improve things.  I’ve changed mine three times, so far. To be honest, I’m not the world’s greatest graphic designer and the first two iterations were a bit shit. It’s only after round three that I’ve got something I’m happy with. I’d like to employ an artist to do some drawings for me for future covers as my drawing skills aren’t up to the required standard, especially for sci-fi and fantasy, which is where I want to go with my writing.

For what it's worth I quite like your covers. Do you write full-time or part-time?

Part-time. Full time is the long-term goal, but currently I get an hour or so every morning to write during the week, a little more in the weekends. Since I started this routine in January of 2016, it’s been life-changing, and I’m much happier for it. It’s slow going, but every little bit helps. This year, I’ve gone down to four days a week at work, and I’m going to spend that one day a week I have without children to look after doing some writing, but also trying to get the bulk of my marketing and admin tasks done.

I feel your pain about juggling kids and work, but building a routine helps tremendously. What are your ambitions for your writing career?

The long term goal is exactly that; to make a career out of it. I want to be successful enough to do it full-time and pay the bills with the money I earn from it. The short and medium term goals are to write more books and grow my audience.

THE LINKS!

JBREYNOLDS.NET | FACEBOOK 

AMAZON | TWITTER

FREE STORY!

Click here for your free story!

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STRANGELY FUNNY IV Release! (#IWSG July 2017)

IWSG Day! It came at a perfect time, since last week was absolute shit for me personally, but I'll spare you the details of that.

The one bright spot was that I found out STRANGELY FUNNY IV, the anthology featuring my short story, was released on Monday! I've been waiting months for this, and it's finally a reality!

Behold, the appropriately weird cover:

Available from Amazon

Yes, the cover depicts zombies playing basketball with skulls. Possibly their own heads. It's the kind vibe that this humourous supernatural/horror anthology is going for.

The story I contributed is called "Save or Die." It's a comic fantasy in the vein of my "Werebear vs Landopus" stories, but it's way less obscene. It's like a PG-13 Grimdork. If you're into self-aware comic fantasy and roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons, you'll probably appreciate my story. I received a proof copy of the book and everything I've read so far is pretty great.

I was absolutely stunned earlier this year when my story was accepted, not only because it was the first real acceptance I've received for one of my submissions, but it was the very first time I submitted that particular story anywhere. To compare, I've had another story (one I personally thought was better) rejected 12 times already this year. I guess with "Save or Die" I just had the right piece for the right market at the right time.

Strangely Funny IV is edited by Sarah E. Glenn and published by Mystery and Horror, LLC. You can check it out here.

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IWSG Question for July:

What is one valuable lesson you've learned since you started writing?

Ideas are worth shit.

Everyone has ideas. Many of them suck, some of them are fabulous, but until you actually make something out of them, they're worthless. A finished story is worth thousands of good ideas.

How many people out there say they have great ideas for books but have just never gotten around to writing it? Or have half-finished manuscripts they've been working on for years? I was there for a long time myself, and I always felt crappy about it.

I didn't feel better until I actually finished my first book and got it out there. Sure, it's not setting the world on fire, but just the act of finishing it and putting it out there into the world is a tremendously satisfying accomplishment. That alone puts me ahead of many people, and it's an achievement I really don't stop to appreciate often enough.

So I'm going to stop and appreciate it today. I need every victory I can get.

Get out there and make your ideas into something real. You'll feel way better once you do.

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The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Writers post their thoughts on their blogs, talking about their doubts and the fears they have conquered. It's a chance for writers to commiserate and offer a word of encouragement to each other. Check out the group at http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/.

Five-Year Plan (#IWSG)

After a disappointing October, November started off well as I finished a couple of short stories, neared another to completion and made good progress on my special project. I knew that I wouldn't be able to carry the momentum into the holidays, so I tried to get done as much as I could while the going was good. Sure enough, everything came crashing down at the end of the month as my wife ended up bed ridden for almost two weeks and then everyone in the house started working through a nasty flu.

Now we're hurtling headlong into the holidays and we haven't even started cleaning, decorating and all that fun stuff, so the next few weeks are going to be crazy hectic. I'm not going to put down many words for the rest of the year (I nearly forgot about this post, too) but something about today's IWSG question set off a spark in me. So without further ado...

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December IWSG Question: 

In terms of your writing career, where do you see yourself five years from now, and what’s your plan to get there?

I had to think long and hard about this one, because I don't think about my writing as a "career." I've said before I'm not doing this to make money or achieve praise, nor do I ever expect to make it a full-time gig. A small second income would be nice, sure, but it's not a priority.

I've never had a long term goal or plan for my writing. For me it's more of a hobby. Usually I just go project to project, but lately I've thought a bit more about new things I want to try, and what I want to do next. If I had to make a list (and really, that's the point of this exercise) some things I want to accomplish in the next 5 years, it might look something like this:

• Write 3-5 books. That doesn't mean publish or even get to final polish, just a first draft would be acceptable. I just have to keep working on something and moving forward.
• Submit at least 3 books to agents/publishers, just for the hell of it. One of them is already mostly done, and the other two are heavily outlined (and will fall under those 3-5 I plan to write above). As I've said in the past I have no particular desire for the validation of a traditional publishing contract, but it's worth a shot just to see what happens. Even if none of them are picked up, that leads me to...
• Self-publish 2-3 books. This could be stuff that is not picked up traditionally or one or two ideas I have that I know would have to be self-published (including a sequel to one of my previous books). 
• Write at least 2 short stories per year and submit them to anthologies/magazines. I really like short stories and I've been working lately to get better at writing them. Two a year, even with my other goals above, should be reasonable, and even I will admit it would be cool to get a couple published and see my byline somewhere.
• Collect at least 100 rejections. Between the three books and 10+ short stories, that should be more than doable. I'm not even sure why I want to do this, as I don't care that much about the ultimate publication, but I feel like this is just supposed to be part of the author experience and I kinda want to say that I've done it.

So yeah, I don't know if this is "where" I see myself so much as a just a bunch of roadposts I want to hit along the way. Where exactly will I be in five years if I follow this plan? I have no idea, but at least I'll feel that I accomplished something along the way.

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The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Writers post their thoughts on their blogs, talking about their doubts and the fears they have conquered. It's a chance for writers to commiserate and offer a word of encouragement to each other. Check out the group here.