Things I’ve learned on the MARTA

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.