Hello, again. What a weekend.

So I am back at the day job after quite a busy weekend. I attended the DFW Writers Conference this weekend. It was my first and I am still thinking over a longer post on that. I will tell you now that I had a great time. My only regret is that I didn't meet more people. I talked with other writers while waiting for sessions to start and at lunch, but didn't leave with any names or email addresses. I did learn a lot though and know it will make my writing better.

On Saturday after the conference I met Gina at a birthday party for a friend of hers. It was a lot of fun. It included a conga line.

More conferencing Sunday then the Bon Jovi concert that night. It was great. I didn't know every song they sang but the show was still great. Really great. And the songs I did know were fantastic.

We didn't get home until midnight last night and had to be up for work early so I think Gina and I are both feeling sleep deprived. But it was worth it.

Another milestone

That rather unremarkable post about continuing my Playing House story was the 200th post on this blog. Pretty crazy to me that I've had that much to say in a little over a year. I've enjoyed writing it. Hope you've enjoyed reading it, and I hope you'll stick around for however many more posts are to come.

Playing House, continued

Three people have asked where is the rest of my story Playing House, including my wife. I guess it lent itself to follow ups. Well, one is in the works. I started it tonight. I am about 300 words in. I like the setup so far. It seems dark and I am trying to add a bit of humor. Trying to work on setting a scene better. I'll let you know how it progresses.

And, to be clear, it doesn't pick up right where the other left off. It does continue the story, but not picking up in the same place.

Welcome back, baseball. You've been missed.

There are many things I do that drive Gina crazy. One is watching the MLB Network almost all the time. If there is nothing else on TV I will flip channels to MLB Network. I watch it in the morning when getting ready for work. I turn the TV in the living room to it. Then I move to the bedroom to get ready and turn the TV in there to it. Then when Gina gets home in the afternoon all of the TVs in the house are on baseball.

But starting today I can get my baseball fix by watching in person. It's opening day and Gina and I will be at the ballpark watching the Rangers take on the Blue Jays. If I am remembering correctly, this is our fourth opening day together. I had never been to the opener until I met her. I am lucky. As much as I love baseball, Gina loves it just as much, if not more. She wrote about it on her blog here. (And while you are there check out the pictures of her cakes and encourage her to post some of the recent pics of the cupcakes she's been making. My girl's got skills, ya'll!)

So, welcome back, baseball. At least in our house you've been missed.

Writers conference advice

I am heading to my first writers conference this weekend.

The organizers sent out the schedule of sessions last week and there quite a bit being offered that I am interested in. Lots of how-to sessions that would improve my writing and lots of sessions on getting published and marketing yourself. I am thinking that I'll stick to the how-to sessions since that's where I think I'll get the greatest benefit.

I'm excited about the conference, but also nervous. I tend to be the quiet one in large groups. I'm fine once I get warmed up, but I am a bit of a wallflower to start. I'm not sure what to expect when it comes to the networking aspect of this thing. I'd love to go there and meet other writers who I could work with and become better. I'd like to meet people who could help my career.

Anyone who has ever been to a writers conference before have any advice? What do I need to do to make sure I get the most out of this experience?

Since it's Good Friday

Seeing as how it's Good Friday for us Christians, I thought I'd point you over to Thrillers, Killer and Chillers. You'll see why if you click here.

Sue Harding does a great telling of what is, for Christians, a great story.

Writing prompt, an update

I mentioned a couple of posts down that I wrote a short response to my writers' group prompt. It clocked in at just under 300 words. Since then I have added to it. It comes in at closer to 2000 words now and I am still not sure it's finished.

UPDATED UPDATE: I wrapped the second draft of the story this morning at just over 2,000 words. It's set -- surprisingly, to me -- in a world that I have been playing with in my head for a while. Didn't expect that, but just went with the story as it came to me. It's a sci-fi-esque story with a crime bent. I kind of feel like that's my niche. It's where I am the most comfortable writing. It's the kind of stuff I enjoy reading, so that makes some sense. I've set two other stories in this world. One has been rejected the couple of times I've sent it out. The other is a longer piece I am working on. They all take place at three different time periods in this world. One of the features of this world is the government collapses. That has just happened in the longer piece. It's about 20 years later in this writing prompt that I just finished. And it's well after that in the flash piece that keeps getting rejected. So I am kind of feeling my way around it for now, hoping that I can do more with it in the future.

A bit of an anniversary

They are doing some demolition at the day job in preparation for a whole new executive suite that's being built. I'm not in the executive offices, but I am nearby. Last night before I left I took a picture off of my office wall so it wouldn't fall with all of the tearing apart of things going on right behind me.

The picture is the framed negative of the first newspaper page I ever built. It's from March 9, 1990 and I was a sophomore in high school. I didn't realize until I rehung that negative that it had been twenty years since I started doing the journalism thing. I did it all through high school. Took two years off in college then joined the newspaper staff there and haven't stopped since.

So happy anniversary, Jarrett and journalism.

Another Twist acceptance

Just got word that my story Playing House is up at A Twist of Noir. It's the second story of mine that they have published, so I know that at least they like me. Go check it out if you are so inclined. This one is short and shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes to read.

Another Twist submission

I sent another story to A Twist of Noir late last night. Inspired by Paul Brazill posting some of his own flash pieces at his site, I went back and read some of the flash pieces of my own I posted about a year ago. There was one piece that I thought wasn't too bad and with a few tweaks it could be made ready for submission.

I spent about an hour reworking it a bit and sent it off to A Twist of Noir. I'll let you know if they like it.