So, as a backer of the Geek Love Anthology, I get project updates. #10 included the stunning opener from Kirsty Logan’s story “The Purpose of Tongues”. I don’t know if I’m supposed to share it with you, but as a writer, I experienced the awe and envy that really good prose produces. Like, were Kirsty Logan standing in front of me, I wouldn’t know whether to kiss her feet or spitefully throw sand in her eyes. I’d probably do both, and end up with sand in my own eyes (and rightfully so may I add).

A lot of that reaction was that I was working on a last minute story, about a black gay Trekkie being kidnapped by an alien for some sexytimes. Basically, I read what they wanted more of and wrote that. It was fun. The story had a few moments of humor and horror in it. At the same time too, it felt flat compared to the opening of the other story, like I was having fun playing connect-the-dots with a laundry list while Logan was dipping her pen in her heart and really writing. It’s not like I don’t have those moments, it’s just this story wasn’t one of them (Love on the 500). Nor do I treat my characters callously, both alien and nerd have back stories, etc. Even in my little snippets, I try to flesh out my characters. It’s just, well, yeah…I felt like I was trying to get a lot done with my 6,000 words, and the plot took up more space than it probably should have. If it gets rejected, I’ll probably expand on it before sending it off elsewhere.

But, back to Geek Love, I supported it at the Cunning Linguist Level ($200) because it includes a class with Shanna Germain! It’s six 2 hr. classes, so, 12 hours of classes, plus another 12 hours she spends outside of class, at $200, works to be about $8 per hour of her time. Frankly, I consider that to be a flipping bargain. Add that to the fact that I literally have no formal creative writing training (unless high school counts), and altogether it seems like a very good idea.

I also may, or may not have, found a source of income doing some smut ghostwriting. I’ve been asked to write another piece, and am waiting to be paid for the first. Worse comes to worst, I end up with another free bit of 1,500 word smut for everyone to read (I won’t start the second without payment for the first).