Things I’ve learned on the MARTA:
– Someone will kill any cockroach which dares to show so much as an antennae in a passenger car. I’m pretty untroubled by cockroaches. I don’t want them in my house, but they don’t freak me out, and I try to adhere to a live and let live philosophy in general. So when I saw a cockroach scuttling by the other day on my commute, I just scooted over to the empty seat next to me–’cause tolerance notwithstanding, I didn’t want it invading my personal space–and turned back to my VAIO. But, as it cleared my row and continued along its way, I heard behind me, “Cockroach!!” followed by an unmistakable *crunch*. Now how is smushed cockroach on the train wall an improvement, I ask you?
– It is a cosmic truth that the more work I need to do, the greater the likelihood that the person who sits next to me on the train will strike up a conversation and keep talking to me, no matter how laconic or terse my response.
– The MARTA is timed to promote hurrying. If I scamper–bolting for the platform and briskly striding up the escalator rather than lazily letting it carry me along–there will be a minimal (or no) wait until my train arrives. If I lollygag or get trapped behind folks progressing in a more leisurely fashion, I will arrive at the platform just in time to see my train pulling away. @#%^!!

Writing Stuff
Publishers Weekly gave Best New Fantasy a starred review and included me among the writers to give a kudos to:
“. . . Wallace also showcases newcomers with stories that indicate abundant promise: Yoon Ha Lee’s mystical fable, “Eating Hearts”; M. Rickert’s homage to Stephen King, “A Very Little Madness Goes a Long Way”; and Eugie Foster’s haunting “Returning My Sister’s Face,” a retelling of a Japanese Edo tale. . .”
I’m a newcomer with abundant promise! *Squee!*
New Words/Editing:
– Negative 800 words on “Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast” in a rewrite/editing pass after feedback from fosteronfilm. I did a complete overhaul on the ending, which pulls the theme of the story together in a more meaningful manner. I think. And the hubby gave me good suggestions on pulling out big ole chunks of unnecessary exposition. Going to give it a few more passes before declaring it a first draft and ready for the rigors of critique.
well…….YEAH!!!!
;D
congrats on the success.
Yay for abundant promise!!! 🙂
A newcomer with abundant promise
We could have told you that, but I’ll grant it means something different coming from PW. 🙂
Congrats on the PW kudos!! That’s very cool.
Wow, a starred review with specifics. Double-wow and a big congrats!
Make next week, be kind to cockroaches week and see if that lessens the murders. I doubt it. There’s just something deeply frightening about a beast who can survive microwaving, or is that an urban myth?
I’m a newcomer with abundant promise! *Squee!*
Double squee! What a great review. You must be glowing!