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Showing posts from 2016

Time & Silence, Color & Light: On Being a Writer Now

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I often walk the small public shoreline near my home. This particular beach is cold but lovely, washed with multicolored stones, swells of coarse grey sand, and rags of jewel-toned seaweed lacing the land to the sea. Seabirds and shellfish are common sights, salmon and eagles a bit less so, and rarely, harbor seal pups sleep on the sand while their mothers hunt. Each time I walk, I try to remind myself to be present and content with the beauty around me, but I often find myself naturally searching for something. I scan the sand for seashells, shards of colorful sea glass, a surprising stone, or even an image to collect and share with friends and family online. My search is both causal and methodical. Every few steps, I check the ground, I look up at the sky, I look out over the water, I look down again. When the weather is wet or windy, as it is in the fall, I’m often alone. A few times -very few times- on this journey, I’ve found something of interest or extraordinary beau

Sirens : Lovers

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Hello sweet friends, Thanks for stopping by! I'm newly returned from my fourth time attending Sirens Conference , a wonderful experience designed especially for readers and writers of women in fantasy. I've said a lot about this conference in the past and you can find those entries here:  2013 , 2014 , 2015 . This time, I'll hit the highlights and just say that Sirens continues to be an affirming and centering weekend. I'm so grateful to all the staff, volunteers, guests of honor, presenters, and attendees who make each year incredibly special and important. Darian, Lola, and I started our weekend on Wednesday at my mother's home in the foothills. We visited, sang, ate, sipped tea, and hiked a while in the red rocks nearby. (My mom and stepdad live in the foothills near Castlerock.) My sweet mama at the piano: Darian on a cliff: Lola among the rocks: On Thursday, refreshed and rested, we made our way to the Inverness Hotel in Denver where we re

Queens & Courtesans & Sirens

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Hello My Loves! It's been too long, so let me first say that I hope the turn of the seasons has been kind to you and yours. I've been busy with kidlets and our house remodel and (another!) family wedding and and and. September was a blur. Not unkind, just a bit too fuzzy for my liking. So here we are in October and I'm hoping to be more present and centered. Luckily, I have happy news to start the month. As many of you know, every year I attend Sirens Conference. This experience has connected me with dozens of wonderful women and I've learned a tremendous amount from many of them. When a few attendees got together earlier this year to create an anthology to benefit Sirens, I knew I wanted to be involved. And so I am. Today is the release day for Queens & Courtesans: A Sirens Benefit Anthology !  The whole thing was lovingly made by generous volunteers and ALL proceeds will benefit Sirens. My story, "Ripe for Rebellion", is included. I'm proud

Catch up and Querying

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Good heavens, July came and went in a blur. Hello friends! In the Luray Caverns, VA, July 2016 I hope this entry finds you well. I've been so busy I hardly know how to sum it all up. I'll let some pictures do the talking. We visited Virginia for a family wedding and left in awe of the summer landscape there: Above and beneath. Happily, the calendar is a bit more clear for the next few weeks. Lots of catching up to do. In writing related news, I'm well into a new WIP.  Having made good progress, I recently set it aside to query query query and query some more. I don't know about you, but sharing creative work can be draining for me, especially when the outcome is a simple yes or no. I'm not always up to the work of querying and it's never my favorite part of the process. When I feel like maybe I can send a few, I jump to it and try to get it done as well and fast as possible. Sadly, I'm slow.  I like to research

June (You Minx) and Lucia

June got away from me! I owe this blog a post. July, a more attentive friend, has already confided that she has plenty to say, so I'll be back soon. =) In the meantime, I have a short piece published today at a new magazine called Lucia . I must say, while I'm here, that 2016 has been challenging for most of us. The headlines are grim, our nation and world is in turmoil. Now, more than ever, I appreciate the small safe spaces where friends can gather to think about what moves them and what inspires. Lucia is all about that, and more. I hope my little essay on writing retreats finds you well and cared for. Sending out love, light, and hope for better times ahead. Always Edie

May, You Darling You

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Hello Dearest Ones! Thanks so much for stopping by. First, the good news: TOUGH (my middle grade scifi novel) is now a finalist in the Pacific NW Writers Association (PNWA) Literary Contest. WAAAAHHHOOOOOO!!! This is a *huge   honor* and one that, I'm humbled to say, I've been blessed with before. THE ONE THE EMPRESS HUNTS (middle grade fantasy) was also a finalist in 2013. I had an incredible time that year attending the PNWA conference and left with several requests from agents and editors, happy memories, and one new dear friend. This year I won't be able to attend the conference because my sweet brother-in-law is getting married to my sweet soon-to-be-sister-in-law and I wouldn't miss their wedding for the world. Still, I'm bummed to miss out on the networking opportunities that come with being a finalist at the conference. I've promised myself to push hard querying TOUGH for the next month or so and to indulge in an extra dessert (preferably somet