Spinning Plates

I have to take a little time and devote it to all that has been happening in my writing world of late. It is fast and furious at the moment and all of it is good, but there are days where I feel like I'm spinning plates. Most of my issues are good problems to have, so please understand that I'm not complaining, just very busy. That said, here's what's going on at the moment:

• The tragic LUV story about my cat Tonto, was finally published in an anthology devoted to pets and pet rescues. The anthology is from the "Memories from Maple Street, USA" series. I've had a couple of other memoir pieces published in, including, Leaving Childhood Behind and The Best Christmas Ever. This one is titled Pawprints on my Heart. If you love pets, especially dogs and cats, this would be a great little read. Lots of heartfelt memories about pets. All of the books in this "Memories from Maple Street, USA" series are compilations of short memoirs and are quite affordable. Check them out.

• I've been invited to speak on a couple of panels at the Southeast Wisconsin Festival of Books in November. The panels are on Writing about Family and Writing Across Genres. The theme this year is Roots and Branches. I can't wait!

• I recently found out that I was one of the chosen for publication in the Wisconsin Writers Association's Literary Journal titled Creative Wisconsin. This will be a bound paperback journal and includes my childhood memoir about neighborhood hockey in Minnesota in the 1970's. This was a really fun piece to write.

• I've been asked to be a "frequent contributor" to the Flash Fiction Sunday Edition at 101
  
  Words. (My reviews will be featured this Sunday July 17th) 101 Words is a flash fiction site that requires that user-submitted stories be exactly 101 words in length. They also have a Sunday Edition that consists of an author posting links to four different flash fiction stories that they thought were good, and then providing a two or three line review. I was flattered to be approached for this, but it is another spinning plate. Ha!

• I am awaiting the publication of the David Bowie Anthology titled 47-16 Volume II  (the years of his lifespan) that has my poem, "Not So Major Tom" in it. Volume I is out already, but I was selected for Volume II. Coming soon...

• I still continue to promote my most recent eBook of poetry, Reciting from Memory. This is a fun collection of "poems for the working class." Nothing too lofty, just fun and introspective poems.

• Of course the elephant in the room is my ongoing book about the family/house/neighborhood that I grew up in. I've been giving it more attention lately, trying to get serious about getting it done (first draft). These other things are fun distractions, but distractions nonetheless. Not arguing, it's all good, but if I had about two more hours each day...

• I've had a smattering of poems published over the past six weeks or so. For more on those, visit my publications page at my author website.

• I am an occasional guest blogger at our church, Collective MKE. Not a huge commitment, but another plate.

• I am looking down the road at what's next too. I am still intrigued by re-writing/co-authoring a book my deceased uncle has written. As you may recall, I read the book and thought it moved a little slow, so was thinking I'd re-write every other chapter and see if I couldn't help make his dream come true. The idea thrills me - the work involed might kill me. Ha!

So that is most (but not all) of it. Throw into this a busy summer schedule and some quality fishing time, and, well, more plates.

Thanks again to all of you who take time to read my work, my blogs and offer words of encouragement and support. You are the reason I do it.

Blogging off...