Yes, it's official. The powers-that-be have proclaimed that Sioux can indeed do romance. (I'm sure when my husband sees me snoring and drooling, while sitting upright on the couch, at 7:30 at night, he might question that ruling.)
This past weekend I got word that my story, "Playing a Different Tune" will be published in Welkin Press' Cupid's Quiver.
Since romance is such a foreign genre to me, I used some elements of reality. This year, I am taking violin lessons right alongside my third graders, much to the
I took our violin teacher, changed her to a man and made her Venezuelan (my teaching partner's husband is from Venezuela), transformed myself into a young teacher in her early thirties (sweet!), and added some of the actual screw-ups that have happened to me during our lessons. It's a reality-romance mash-up.
What have you done or tried in order to make a story more realistic? Gary Paulsen once ate a fish eyeball in researching Hatchet and Brian's Winter. (He promptly threw it up, his sled dogs immediately gobbled it up, and that made him hurl once more. This is chronicled in his book Guts.)
I know my fellow WWWP, Linda O'Connell, also has a story that will appear in Cupid's Quiver. I've heard that Donna Volkenannt's story will be included as well. Are there any other blogging buddies who had stories accepted by Pat Smith? Give a shout out and give yourself a pat on the back. For at least Linda and me, it was an instance when writing out of our boxes paid off...
Congratulations! Maybe you should work for the Witness Protection Program, switching up identities all willy-nilly for their clientele. One of these days, I'm going to try something different. Which is not to imply that it will require my participation in the Witness Protection Program.
ReplyDeleteI already am an employee of the Witness Intensive Protection Program, or WIPP, as we like to call it around here. I add on warts, I can remove them. I can make you shed years--instantly--or I can make you a curmudgeon before your time.
DeleteDo you need to be prodded? ;)
Rats. I mean Congratulations! I only say rats because I squelched my chance at submitting for Cupid's Quiver. I'm very happy for you (and Linda and Donna) but sad that I won't be in there with y'all. I have a great story but waited too late. And you have found the secret to writing out of your comfort zone: Adapt non-fiction with a few minor changes, and there you go. (My Pearls for Christmas story for Pat's 50 Shades of Santa is almost autobiographical, though I deny it all.)
ReplyDeleteMarcia--Thanks. I think you are right. At least your advice worked for me. Since it IS not my niche, writing a story that was knee-deep in reality helped a great deal.
DeleteI'm sorry you didn't submit it in time, but now you have a story that can be submitted to a different anthology, correct? AND you've made me curious to read your story "My Pearls."
Oh Sioux I read your response to Val: I can make you shed TEARS instead of years...and either would be true. So happy to be going on tour with some of the best in the midwest.
ReplyDeleteYou HAVE made me shed tears with some of the poignant stories you've written, Linda. Yes, a "tour" with you would be a blast.
DeleteCongratulations! I love this post ... that you are taking violin lessons and everything (the fish eyeball thing made me laugh, but it is a bit early in the morning to visualize all that throwing up).
ReplyDeleteKathy M.
Kathy--Yes, any time of the day is the wrong time to visualize vomit and re-vomit.
DeleteNo one is more deserving! YAY for you! And Linda! And Donna! I'm a little sad I won't be in there with you all, but that's the way the arrow flies.
ReplyDeleteHi Sioux,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your acceptance. I'm looking forward to reading your story and all the others in the anthology.
Donna
Donna--
DeleteCongratulations to YOU. Perhaps we could go on an international tour? ;)
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ReplyDeleteI can indeed believe you are a romantic at heart. Let us not forget that you have been instrumental (bring out the violin) in setting me up with a certain Frenchman. Félicitations, Sioux!
ReplyDeleteMais oui certainement!
DeleteMerci.
Congrats! I'm of the opinion that you can write anything you want to. Quality storytelling doesn't care about genre.
ReplyDeleteAnd when I say "you" I mean "You Sioux!" :)
ReplyDeleteLisa--Thanks. I don't know about ME, but I agree. If you're a good storyteller, you can tell it via romance, sci-fi, historical fiction, and so on.
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