What the heck?
So come May, I'll have been out high school for ten years. Yes. I know this officially makes me old. The weird thing is, ten years go by and I don't see anyone I graduated with. Well, save for a handful (like four) who attended the same university and worked as student workers at the same library as me. But even still, after college graduation, I've only seen one of them--and that's only because she continued to work at the library while working on her graduate classes.
Back in November, our class president and I began work on planning our 10 year reunion. Suddenly, my former classmates are EVERYWHERE! I see them in grocery stores, on campus--even right here in my library! It's insane. And what's worse, I'm not even seeing the people I'd like to see. It's all the ones who wouldn't give me the time of day back in high school and now they're all like, "Hey Jana! Oh, it's so good to see you!" I swear, I didn't think they even knew my name and yet here they are recognizing me ten years later? What's up with that?
Of course, I haven't changed all that much since high school. Well, for a while I was like 40lbs heavier but now I'm almost back at the same weight I was in high school--which, wasn't all that svelte, mind you. And yeah, I've got the curls now (though they need perking up. Starting to look a little sad! lol) But basically I'm the same me I was back then. Meanwhile, they've all packed it on. hehehehe
No. I'm not gleeful at the fact that they've blimped out.
Okay maybe I am but still! LOL These were the skinny mini's who harassed me and the rest of the big girls (my friends!) because we weren't a size four as they were.
Meanwhile, where have all these people been that they're suddenly crawling out of the woodwork? And while I suppose it's cool that they've decided to deign me with their attention, why the heck do they bother? I couldn't care less. Really.
In other news, I may be working toward my first submission for publication. Samhain is taking submissions for a Valentine's Anthology for next year. I'm thinking it might be good to start out small with it's 25,000 word limit. And I do already have at least one WIP that I could finish by the deadline. Maybe.
But...the requirement is for erotica which, yeah, I can write. And yesterday I was all cocky with JT (who's been a BIG help, btw) saying that I'm cool with it and that whatever I lack in experience I more than make up for in imagination. But...I'm starting to doubt. I know erotica calls for a lot of really risque word choices and really steamy sex scenes and while I've totally read erotica and even written erotica short stories before, the thought of writing one for possible publication kind of makes me queasy. LOL I don't use that sort of language in my everyday life and would be entirely embarrassed thinking that there were people out there seeing for themselves that I could be a complete potty mouth if I chose. I'm a total weenie, I know. But should I ever get published I'll want to shout it to the rafters and...would I really be comfortable with my mother reading an erotica that I wrote? Ack!
And there's the whole Christian aspect of it. You know, besides sounding ignorant, there are reasons why I don't use a potty mouth in my everyday life. My goal in life is to be a living witness through my actions. What would people (and Jesus!) think if I wrote and published what amounts to soft core porn? Argh!
That's not to say that I want to only write inspirational romances. I don't. Despite the fact that the short story many of you have read was inspy-esque, doesn't mean that's what I enjoy writing. Quite honestly, I don't really even care to READ a lot of inspy-romances. There are the exceptions, of course. Judy Baer writes phenomenal inspy-romances/chick lit's and I inhale her novels like chocolate. And I totally went through a Janet Oak phase when I was younger but on a whole, I don't like inspirational romances. So I sure don't want to write them. Not even sure I'd know how. The short story called for it because, hello...the hero was a preacher! LOL
And I'm well aware that there is definite middle ground with traditional and contemporary romances. So it isn't that I'm forced to choose between the extremes. I suppose the problem is, that I'm just tired of making excuses for myself. I like the goal of completing a story on a deadline (and giving myself a deadline is fruitless) and Samhain has been a good publisher to several of my friends. So do I or don't I? At some point I'm going to have to pee or get off the pot, right?
Anyway, I don't expect ya'll to fix this for me. I've got to figure it out for myself. What suits me and my purpose in life. I just needed to say it all "out loud" in hopes of figuring it out.
Back in November, our class president and I began work on planning our 10 year reunion. Suddenly, my former classmates are EVERYWHERE! I see them in grocery stores, on campus--even right here in my library! It's insane. And what's worse, I'm not even seeing the people I'd like to see. It's all the ones who wouldn't give me the time of day back in high school and now they're all like, "Hey Jana! Oh, it's so good to see you!" I swear, I didn't think they even knew my name and yet here they are recognizing me ten years later? What's up with that?
Of course, I haven't changed all that much since high school. Well, for a while I was like 40lbs heavier but now I'm almost back at the same weight I was in high school--which, wasn't all that svelte, mind you. And yeah, I've got the curls now (though they need perking up. Starting to look a little sad! lol) But basically I'm the same me I was back then. Meanwhile, they've all packed it on. hehehehe
No. I'm not gleeful at the fact that they've blimped out.
Okay maybe I am but still! LOL These were the skinny mini's who harassed me and the rest of the big girls (my friends!) because we weren't a size four as they were.
Meanwhile, where have all these people been that they're suddenly crawling out of the woodwork? And while I suppose it's cool that they've decided to deign me with their attention, why the heck do they bother? I couldn't care less. Really.
In other news, I may be working toward my first submission for publication. Samhain is taking submissions for a Valentine's Anthology for next year. I'm thinking it might be good to start out small with it's 25,000 word limit. And I do already have at least one WIP that I could finish by the deadline. Maybe.
But...the requirement is for erotica which, yeah, I can write. And yesterday I was all cocky with JT (who's been a BIG help, btw) saying that I'm cool with it and that whatever I lack in experience I more than make up for in imagination. But...I'm starting to doubt. I know erotica calls for a lot of really risque word choices and really steamy sex scenes and while I've totally read erotica and even written erotica short stories before, the thought of writing one for possible publication kind of makes me queasy. LOL I don't use that sort of language in my everyday life and would be entirely embarrassed thinking that there were people out there seeing for themselves that I could be a complete potty mouth if I chose. I'm a total weenie, I know. But should I ever get published I'll want to shout it to the rafters and...would I really be comfortable with my mother reading an erotica that I wrote? Ack!
And there's the whole Christian aspect of it. You know, besides sounding ignorant, there are reasons why I don't use a potty mouth in my everyday life. My goal in life is to be a living witness through my actions. What would people (and Jesus!) think if I wrote and published what amounts to soft core porn? Argh!
That's not to say that I want to only write inspirational romances. I don't. Despite the fact that the short story many of you have read was inspy-esque, doesn't mean that's what I enjoy writing. Quite honestly, I don't really even care to READ a lot of inspy-romances. There are the exceptions, of course. Judy Baer writes phenomenal inspy-romances/chick lit's and I inhale her novels like chocolate. And I totally went through a Janet Oak phase when I was younger but on a whole, I don't like inspirational romances. So I sure don't want to write them. Not even sure I'd know how. The short story called for it because, hello...the hero was a preacher! LOL
And I'm well aware that there is definite middle ground with traditional and contemporary romances. So it isn't that I'm forced to choose between the extremes. I suppose the problem is, that I'm just tired of making excuses for myself. I like the goal of completing a story on a deadline (and giving myself a deadline is fruitless) and Samhain has been a good publisher to several of my friends. So do I or don't I? At some point I'm going to have to pee or get off the pot, right?
Anyway, I don't expect ya'll to fix this for me. I've got to figure it out for myself. What suits me and my purpose in life. I just needed to say it all "out loud" in hopes of figuring it out.
Comments
It's good to think it through before doing something permanent like submit erotica for publication. Phillipians 4:8 is a good rule of thumb to use. Also, I read at least one publishing company's guidelines that included something to the nature of "We don't publish author's who have published questionable material." (not a direct quote)
Your writing if phenomenal. IF you submit you WILL be published eventually! :)
Sara