And it turns out what I thought was easing myself into the program was actually taking double the average workload of my peers, so OOPS! That was a wake up call. A few big things happened this semester....
We had the National Book Awards on campus
and I was privileged to meet Tea Obreht and Gene Yang, authors of the novel
"The Tiger's Wife" and graphic novels "Boxers" and "Saints," respectively.
Tea gave a speech about
her writing process and was absolutely hilarious in person, I half suspect she
was as nervous about us as we were of meeting her. Gene was incredibly cool, we
talked everything from Avatar to Star Wars, and I purchased a boxed set of his
graphic novels. He was kind enough to autograph both of them.
I tell you that story to tell you this
one. While attending the National Book Awards, I met the terrific individuals
hosting the event, all members of Sigma Tau Delta, AKA the International
English Honors Society. Guess who's now technically a frat boy? I've even
talked to our professorial sponsor and she's asked me to come on as an officer
in autumn.
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So say a prayer, wish me luck, do whatever
superstitious thing you do! As my sports buddies say, it's only weird if it
doesn't work.
And in still other news, this summer
semester I'll be working as a TA and come autumn I'll be a tutor at the campus
Writing Center! I'll have gainful employment! Am I using to many exclamation
points!? Yeah, cutting that out now, but still, very exciting.
I'm also in the process of revising a
novella I wrote for Nanowrimo (arguably a short novel at 50K words) and am
about half way through its sequel. The intention is to self-publish the first
this summer and the second soon thereafter. Maybe come autumn? I guess it's
going to depend on how my submissions go over with Jessica
Kirkland, the incredibly nice--insert list of positive actives
here--literary agent I met through the HWG.
Very exciting times right now. It's hard
to believe how things have changed from this time last year.
Well done and congrats on catching the eye of an agent! What is your book about?
ReplyDeleteThanks a ton! Multiple books actually, but they're all speculative fiction ranging from mermaids, to genetic engineering, to cowboys and dragons.
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you are doing well.
ReplyDelete