Brynn, finished and with the editor, who needs a boot up the arse from me. Shouldn't be too hard; we share an agent and he's here in town (San Francisco) doing readings at Borderlands. I might have to go threaten with a cluestick.

Why, did you want to read it?

thunks head repeatedly on dining-room table

I volunteered to beta a friend's YA novel.

I hope he'll still be my friend when I'm done.

That bad, eh? Wanna vent?

It's not horrible. It's just that it's very, very amateur, if that makes any sense. I'm not looking forward to explaining to him that handling exposition of historical fact by having two characters who already know this shit explaining it to each other is not a good way to handle things.

In general, the poor guy has trouble getting any kind of exposition--historical, character descriptions, etc.--across smoothly. For example: "Well, then it is a good thing the War is over..." David replied, referring to what would one day be called the French and Indian War or the Seven Years War.

ODL. I don't suppose he'd take kindly to being told he's got potential, but is making lots of beginner mistakes, and might benefit from an introductory book or community college course?

Actually, I think he would appreciate knowing now rather than later that he needs some serious outside help. I'm going to go through the whole thing (it's not that long) and point out examples of what's not working. The story itself is actually not that bad, once you get past the beginner-level prose.

I got some good news in the mail today...a disability arts magazine at some university in Ohio wants to run the tattoo article, if there's room for it. They sent me a form for a biographical statement, and I hope there is room because they can pay me and it has been too long since that has happened. Have no clue what to write in a bio though, especially the section about how disability affects what I write. If/when it comes out, I'll put an announcement in Beep me, but I am beginning to understand magazines enough to suspect that is premature,(and I hardly trust Ohio any more, but hey) but still, yay! And I sent the longer version, which I prefer. I think I was too accomodating about the cuts, really, but being in that magazine was a big goal and stuff so I thought it was worth it. I still do, but there are a few things I wish I'd pushed back on, just a little.

Ooh, erika, yay you!

I know! That is just so bitchin', huh? Especially since I sent it off in August and kind of forgot about it, and when I didn't hear, I thought they didn't want it. Because, as most of you know, stuff by new writers tends to get the "Have a nice summer!" treatment. It's happened to me many times already and I've not pounded that much pavement.

Totally! Yeah, makes quite a nice surprise when you thought it was already passed up. Fun!