It's been awhile I've realized...

since I've actually sat down and written something. I need to get with this. Especially if I'm trying to finish my novel by next year so I can shop it out to agents... School and other stuff just takes up so much time and energy that I think about writing all the time and never get anything done. I need to start trying to write a certain number of hours a week. I can do it. Just three maybe. Three hours a week isn't bad right? And it's more productive than I have been. Saturday is going to be a big writing day too. Since I have nothing better to do. lol. Aren't I sad and pathetic? Not really I could care less. I think I might do an internship in Austin next semester. A public policy one. It will be really interesting though to see who wins the presidential election. I was thinking about going to D.C. but I realized that Austin will be perfect since that's where my novel is set. If I was living there... perfection. I'm sure I'd have free time to write and stuff too. Plus I'd be immersed in the setting with new ideas around me all the time! Maybe I'll have started the second one by then!

Ok I met this really awesome writer at ArmadilloCon (sorry rapid subject change, keep up) named Phoebe Kitanidis and we became pretty good friends. However I have managed to lose her email address and all other avenues of getting in contact with her have failed. If anyone has ideas for how I can contact her they would be greatly appreciated.

I want to shoot myself.

#1- I'm tired of whiny little girls who complain about all the stuff they have to do. I have a lot to do too and I don't complain I just get it done. I'm glad someone stepped in last night because I was going to stab her. Sorry. A little exaggeration and even though I did make her cry I didn't want to get in a blown out fight about it. I'm just VERY aggravated. I think I should leave town early today. Like after lunch.
#2- I don't know where I'm staying tonight/this weekend which stresses me out. I can't sleep in my car. I only know two people in Austin well enough to ask to stay with them and I can't get a hold of either of them.
#3- I for sure lost one of my scholarships. I only have one left now. At least I'm graduating this year so I won't be a burden on my parents too much longer. It's just REALLY aggravating when you need a 3.0 and I have a 2.985. Oh well.
#4- My boss is getting kinda antsy about me being gone a lot lately. But I've been here all freaking summer with no vacation at all. I'm sorry I'm not a workaholic like him but I have priorities and other obligation. This is the only two weeks in the whole year that I have to completely devote to the sorority and I even managed to somehow work every morning this week getting up early to get here around 8 when I went to bed past midnight.
#5- I have to fill out and fax all these forms and thank you letters to my donors for the only remaining scholarship I have so that I'll get my money next week. And right now I should be working. Lame.

I'm starting to get a stress headache. This wasn't supposed to be a super emo whinefest. But I guess that's what it turned into. I could go on but I don't have time.

See you if I'll see you this weekend at ArmadilloCon. I think I'm going to cut back on how many panels I go to so I get more time to just sit down and think. *sigh* Back to the grindstone.

The Russian Trepak!!!

I'm so proud of So You Think You Can Dance for what they've done this season to introduce world dance to America. And! The fact that two hip hop dancers are in the finale. Hip Hop dancers dancing a Trepak?! Amazing.
I want America academia to think that way about bringing World Literature over here. That's all I'm saying.


Project Runway later. I'm exhausted. Summer school finally ended today and I get all of... three days off? before I'll be back for sorority stuff. Somewhere in there is ArmadilloCon. Woot! So I'll use this opportunity to publish what sessions I'm going to.

From 8:45 Friday morning until... uh I don't know when I'll be at the writers' workshop. After I take a break for food in there somewhere I'll be going to...

Fr1700DW Electronically Published Fiction

Fri 5:00 PM-6:00 PM deWitt

Burton*, Henderson, Huff, Marin, McKinney, Trimm

An examination of new publishing avenues opened by technology, and the best places to publish and read it.

Fr1800DZ Why I Write

Fri 6:00 PM-7:00 PM deZavala

Bey*, Sheridan, Swann, Wade, Swenson

Our panelists discuss why and how they transitioned from reader to writer.

Fr2000PF Meet the Pros Party

Fri 8:00 PM-10:00 PM Prefunction Area

Mingle with and meet your favorite writers, artists, and editors. They're friendly -- honest -- and would love to chat with you.

Fr2030DW Reading

Fri 8:30 PM-9:00 PM deWitt

J. M. McDermott

Fr2100DZ Interstitial Fiction

Fri 9:00 PM-10:00 PM deZavala

Denton, Klaw, Person, Richerson, Trimm*

A lot of recent fiction falls between the cracks of genre. There have been anthologies devoted to it, and now there is the Interstitial Arts Foundation. The most recent Nebula-winning novel falls into this category. What are the essential works and authors, and is this a full-fledged literary movement?

Fr2200DW Neglected Gems of Genre Fiction

Fri 10:00 PM-11:00 PM deWitt

Blaschke*, Brust, Graham, Hobson, Nakashima-Brown, Sheridan

Which works of speculative fiction are the most criminally-neglected?

Or? (If Lindsey is with me she'll want to go to this one \/ for sure. I won't have a choice.)

Fr2200DZ Adult Topics in SF & F

Fri 10:00 PM-11:00 PM deZavala

Hale, Huey, Kimbriel*, Roberts, C. Spector

Must be 18 or older to attend! We'll have a freestyle discussion of "advanced" topics including sensitive topics in fiction, specialized cons and fannish subgroups, and wherever else our panelists want to take it.

Saturday

YES! I don't have any panels I want to go to until noon. Brilliant. I can sleep.

Sa1200DZ Literary Criticism

Sat Noon-1:00 PM deZavala

Hobson, Huey, Kofmel, McDermott, Webb*, Wagner

How does critique of sf differ from that of mainstream literature? Where should one look for the best analysis? Is this the domain of fans, or are academics taking over?

Sa1300R Broad Universe Rapid Fire Reading

Sat 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Robertson

Burton, Dimond, Eudaly, Henderson, Latner, Leicht, N. J. Moore*, Reisman

Come hear several good but short readings by members of one of our favorite writers' organizations.

Sa1400DW What You Should Have Read

Sat 2:00 PM-3:00 PM deWitt

Dimond*, Hevelin, Klaw, Marin, W. Siros, S. Williams

Our distinguished panel of writers, editors, and book-sellers discuss their take on the most important, influential, and enjoyable books and stories of the year.

Sa1500DZ Sex, Drugs, and Urban Fantasy: Teen Fiction is Not For Kids

Sat 3:00 PM-4:00 PM deZavala

Chester, Leicht, J. Moore, Thomas, Sarath*, Wagner

"Young Adult" fiction sometimes seems obsessed with some adult or at least dark topics. Is this a natural reflection of the challenges facing the target audience, or a marketting excess?

Sa1600DW Crazy Grrlz: Slipstream Ain't Just for Boys

Sat 4:00 PM-5:00 PM deWitt

N. J. Moore, Nakashima-Brown, Oliver, Reisman, Ward, Wheeler*

The guys writing hard-to-classify alternative fiction have gotten a lot of attention, and labels such as "Texas Weird". What about the women working this same vein?

YES! A break for dinner!

Sa1900PN Paranormal Romance

Sat 7:00 PM-8:00 PM Phoenix North

Babcock*, Burton, Frost, Kenner, Kimbriel, Mallory

The romance genre has invaded our turf! A large portion of the sf shelves is devoted to the cross-genre paranormal romance. What are the attactions? Why are so many authors making the jump to this fast-growing movement?

Sa2000DZ Elves in Condos

Sat 8:00 PM-9:00 PM deZavala

Fletcher, Kenner, Rogers*, D. L. Smith, Swann, Wade

Urban fantasy isn't just a matter of putting elves on motorcycles or in a rock band. What is it -- and why is it so fascinating?

Sa2100DZ Metafiction in Comics

Sat 9:00 PM-10:00 PM deZavala

Benjamin, Blaschke, Klaw*, Porter, Potter

Metafiction has a long and rich history in comic books and graphic novels. Recent works such as Dr. 13, Nextwave, Scott Pilgrim and Ambush Bug have ushered in a new era for this insightful and entertaining storytelling method. What are some of the best examples, why do writers & artists use this method, and why has it become so popular?

Then it's nighty night!

Sunday

Su1000PN Religious Themes in SF

Sun 10:00 AM-11:00 AM Phoenix North

Broderick, Dimond*, Eudaly, Latner, Webb

How does religion inform our panelists’ writing? And how do they feel religion has been treated in science fiction?

or

Su1000DW Challenges of Writing Genre for Younger Readers

Sun 10:00 AM-11:00 AM deWitt

Benjamin, Chester, Fletcher*, J. Moore, C. L. Smith, M. Williams

How does writing for young adults differ from writing for adult readers? Our panelists discuss whether it’s harder, easier, or pretty much the same, but with a different label.

I can't decide...

and ALL of these sound interesting!

Su1100PN Alternate History

Sun 11:00 AM-Noon Phoenix North

Huff, J. Lansdale, Mills, Rogers, Utley, S. Williams*

Rome never falls, Dewey defeats Truman, New England Patriots defeat the Giants in the Superbowl. A discussion of writing alternate history and how to show how changes in the past can affect the present.

Su1100DW Living with a Creator

Sun 11:00 AM-Noon deWitt

C. Foster, G. Haldeman*, K. Lansdale, W. Spector, T. Wilson

What’s it like living with a writer or artist? Is it more boredom, like going to conventions where you have nothing to do because your spouse was invited? Or is it more excitement, such as seeing a new work spring from their fingertips? Our panelists will give us an idea of what living with a creator is like.

Su1100DZ No More Excuses: Making Writing a Part of Your Life

Sun 11:00 AM-Noon deZavala

Antonelli, Broderick, Kenner, Richerson, Sarath*, M. Wells

Having trouble fitting writing into your life? We'll have tips, tactics, and boot camp-style exhortations to get you to stop making excuses and spend more time writing.

LUNCH!!

Su1300PN From Agent to Editor to Publisher to Store

Sun 1:00 PM-2:00 PM Phoenix North

Finn, G. Haldeman, Leicht, Roberson, Rosen*

We examine the process and decisions between an author finishing a book and it showing up on store shelves.

I dunno. I think I'm gonna go home then!!!!!! Nothing else tickles my fancy enough to stay longer when I really should get back.

So.... lately

I've bought too many books, lately. I raided the used bookstore when I was home for July 4th weekend. I picked up some really awesome old issues of Assimov's. Like '85 issues. Back when Marion Zimmer Bradley, Harlan Ellison, Jane Yolen, etc. when populating its pages. But my favorite part of them is the old book reviews and movies reviews. lol. I don't know why. I also think that my used bookstore at home has a wealth of first editions laying around that no one has mined yet. My coffee's ready so I better go to it. More sorority stuff today. I got official permission yesterday to miss alum skit day therefore I will be at ArmadilloCon for sure!!

K So 3 posts in one day may be a little excessive

But!!! I'm really excited that I managed to get everything in for ArmadilloCon Writers Workshop in time. Which now means that I have to plead with my sorority to let me have the three days off because I'm supposed to be here doing recruitment stuff. That's why I originally wasn't going to go until after this weekend I decided it would be super important toward my hopefully future career. I think if I word it that way they'll understand.

Anyway! That's all. I start summer school session 2 tomorrow. Maybe I should find out when my classes are before I go to bed. Also tomorrow morning starts day 1 of the new lifetime treadmill journal. I'm gonna stick with it! So tomorrow morning at 7 I'm going to drag my ass out of bed and go write. Then go to work and then class. Until then...
yours truly, Lola.

WOOT! Finals are over.

So I just got back from my McDonald's comfort run after my last final for the first summer session. It's about RIDICULOUS that the next summer session starts tomorrow. What I'll do to be able to leave this place sooner astounds me.
Now I'm able to return to the rpg that misses me and write more (starting tomorrow morning at 7am!) as well as sleep. This weekend I didn't sleep much. But I'm about to go get my comments on the Merlin story. Edit it up and then send it off to apply for ArmadilloCon's writing workshop. Hopefully I will be able to continue cultivating my contacts with writers there for when I (hopefully) move to Austin in a year. Woot! Wouldn't that be sooooo much better than College Station? Yes I think so, too.

Also now I'm able to read again!!! Not stupid history books but all those books I couldn't read yet that I bought the other day. Right now I'm working on Mercedes Lackey's Ill Met By Moonlight. She's one of my standby good authors. I love all her stuff. But there's a lot of other stuff on my shelves too. Oh and last week I finally bit the bullet and talked to my adviser about wanting to go to graduate school. It didn't go as badly as I was afraid it would. Looks like me thinking about taking a year off might be a possibility. I think I want to do my masters at UT, that's what it's looking like now.... So if I don't get in, I doubt I can get in anywhere I want to do my PhD at, I think I'll just move to Austin, get a regular job and write full time for a year. I need to work on my second foreign language anyway and I think ACC offers Italian which is what I want to take. Or German.... Still haven't decided which to tackle next. Any opinions? lol. I love when I write these things like people read them. One day!!!! I'm a secret optimist trapped in a cynic's body. No denying it.