General Blog Update: July 2018

I haven’t posted to this blog in several weeks.

I aim to make a post at least once a week, but two things have happened recently that have kept me away from here.

The first is the short story that I’m currently working on: “The Girl Who Wears the Cosmos as Her Dress”

I’ve got the general story and plot down, but I’m running into trouble with the details, scope, and focus of the story. Like I’ve mentioned before, this story is a major retooling of the first short story I ever wrote, but I get the feeling that overhauling the story way too much. So, on one hand, I’m sitting on the story so I don’t get lost in it all; I’ve found that time away from a text is a good way to edit. On the other hand, I’m constantly turning the story over in my head, trying to narrow down the focus and scope. To find “the point” in it.

The second is, well, better shown with pictures:

I went back to Arkansas for a week with my family to celebrate Independence Day and my brother’s birthday! The experience was relaxing and the time away from urban life was great for my mind.

The Natural State is full of wonder.

The scenery and vistas were once again beyond beautiful. It felt good being out there, exploring and sweating and getting dirty in the dense forests and mountains. It’s also given me a spark for a potential story. . .

And I also wrote a thing when I was out there. It’s not really a poem but it was something I felt compelled to write:

I spent some time away in Arkansas–

on mountains, on trails,

in forests, in rivers,

in cabins, in dirt,

in dust, in rain,

in sun, in shade,

by rocks, by trees

and fires and winds and hopes.

I thought of you every moment, and wished to share it all

with you.

But I also realize too,

when I look at your photo,

that I’m not even a thought floating in your mind.

I breathe.

I breathe in the earth and air

and skies and clouds and trees

and dirt and dust

and will create something out of it all for you.

Followers, I had a lot of dreams about her. I suppose that’s bound to happen when you’ve got a special person on your mind.

But a third thing has happened, too.

I’ve won another award for my story “The Legacy of Queso Champ!”

I’m not too sure of all the details yet, but the award is for the best undergraduate short story in a contest sponsored by the Texas Association of Creative Writing Teachers. I’ll be sure to post more information when I learn of it.

This award has vindicated my quest in becoming a published writer and has given confidence to my efforts. And I was counting on winning this award because I’ve got three particular goals set out for myself:

1. Win the Jesse H. Jones Writing Fellowship in the Dobie Paisano Fellowship Program, which is sponsored by the University of Texas.
2. Get accepted into either the New Writers Project graduate program at UT or the Writers’ Workshop at the University of Iowa
3. Publish a book! (and hopefully move to Austin)

All in all, I’m basically just editing now and preparing to apply to the Dobie Paisano Fellowship. But I’m always collecting new words and ideas!

Thanks for sticking with me!