Wins, Slogs and AI
Rereading Writing Down the Bones. I’ve been meaning to work on my website as I haven’t entered anything is a very long time. In the meanwhile I’ve had some solid successes. Buffalo Talks to the Moon saw the light of day. The production didn’t get near the care it needed by my institution, but we proceeded anyway to mount a lovely, simple, atmospheric production. Seeing the characters on their feet was so exciting! Those who saw it, liked it. The students got a lot out of it. I saw the places where it could be condensed still. I think the characters are really strong. Trusted colleagues had lovely things to say. But I will have to find another venue for it to be produced. Perhaps it’s for the best. I was able to do a little rewriting as we went. The short rehearsal time, along with some snow days, limited the work I could actually do before opening. But I saw it and can do it after the fact.
I am so proud of Beth. She was a top 20 finisher in a Writer’s Digest poetry chapbook contest and just this week was a top pick for an Erma Bombeck writer’s award. She’s sailing! I continue to submit. Nothing yet. Though I did win a spot in the 10 minute play festival at Ensemble Theatre. There were only 25 or so entries, and they chose 6. Mine was in there, Incident at Lost Bridge. My favorite young actor played the lead and the piece was really well received. Lots of laughter and Jared, who directed it, fully understood the humor. My friend Sarah came. Which meant the world. Again, a piece that ends unless I decide to submit it again. It was exciting to be a part of that. A year ago, I went to see a friend’s play there. I was struck by the quality of the short pieces and also by the vibe in the room. It made me want to get into a writing group for playwrights. Funny how things inspire us. Momentum builds momentum. Small compliments push us on. Lack of acknowledgement can be devastating, no matter how much I know I have to value my own work.
Read a fascinating book by Milan Kundera on the novel. Dense as always, but it examined how we as people don’t like when things don’t align. So, in a society that condemns us or devalues us, rather than live with the dichotomy, we look for ways that this must be true. The accused seeking punishment was the example. Society sets the standards and when we don’t meet that artificial construct, we look for where we are lacking. Yet the truth may lie in the fact that society’s rules were askew to begin with. This is the theme of Ballad of the Goblin Pieman. She must learn to break the rules. To see for herself what is right and wrong outside what authority dictates. The book also explored Kafka. The thinking behind his work. So hard to read, so absolutely enlightening. Like much of Kundera. I have only read three of his novels, and The Unbearable Lightness of Being was the easiest to read, but even that had a floating quality hard to catch – which is sort of the point of the novel.
So, I continue to submit, edit my work, read. Think about Electric Possum and ways to get into the world that will make it possible to write. Pieman is ready to edit. The first draft has been waiting for months. I confess discouragement from publishing for middle grade books is daunting. I need to take a lesson from Beth, who is writing books for her granddaughter purely out of love and enjoyment. The beautiful illustrations are a bit perplexing. They are produced with AI. And yet, they’re perfect. If she had tons of money, yes, she could hire an illustrator. As an artist I value the human touch and vision. Electric Possum is about how essential that is. Incident at Lost Bridge is about losing touch with the universal through technology. But, as much as I hate to admit it, the watercolor simulations for these picture books are stunning and perfectly convey her intent. Ugh. A conundrum.