THE JOY OF STORY
John M. Daniel’s Blog
February 27, 2016
Greetings!
This week, I’m starting off with an announcement. As I announced a few weeks
ago, Black Lamb, the literary
magazine to which I’ve contributed monthly essays for more than five years, has
ceased publishing a print edition. For (what I consider lamentable but
understand all too well) economic reasons, Black
Lamb is now an on-line zine. My announcement is that the first edition of
the new on-line Black Lamb is up and
available for reading (free) at http://www.blacklamb.org.
My
first contribution to this new incarnation of Black Lamb is a bunch of 55-word stories. By now, if you’ve been
reading this weekly blog, you know my affection for micro-fiction, and these
are some of my favorites. These ones have not been published in print, but you
may have seen some of them appear on my blog. Others are making their first
appearance anywhere. The sampling starts with a dilemma for Frank Sinatra, and
contains other celebrities as well: St. Francis, Leonardo da Vinci, and King
Arthur. See for yourself: http://www.blacklamb.org/2016/01/01/very-short-stories-2/
§§§
Speaking
of 55-word stories, I’m using one to introduce this week’s essay. Here goes:
Such
a Deal
“God,” I prayed, “let me write for a
living.”
Through my garret door strode a dude
wearing a red suit and brimstone cologne.
He grinned. “Let’s talk.”
“What? You want my soul?”
He laughed. “A writing career’s not worth
that. I’ll accept your sanity.”
“Deal.”
Decades later, I’m still in my garret.
He’s still laughing.
WRITING
IS A REAL JOB
Whenever Susan and I go on vacation, we
find ourselves talking to strangers, often in warm, friendly bars. Inevitably
someone asks us the question “What do you do?” We refuse to answer. It’s not
that we’re shy, or ashamed of what we do, or especially unfriendly. It’s just
that we don’t talk about our work when we’re on vacation. We work side by side,
fifty hours a week, fifty weeks a year, and the reason we’re in that bar
somewhere in the tropics is to forget about the publishing business.
In recent years, however, I’ve developed
the sheer brazen gall to say, “I’m a writer.” That warms up the conversation,
shines a big spotlight on me, allows me to brag about my books, and gives me a
chance to pretend to be modest, just this guy doing his job. I don’t pass out
bookmarks or collect emails for my mailing list. But I do say out loud what for
decades I’ve been too shy to say: “I’m a writer.”
Why haven’t I dared to say this all my
adult life? Have I only recently earned the right? In fact, I’ve been writing
all my adult life, and have always been able to make a few dollars doing it.
I’ve led a literary life as a bookseller, a free-lance editor, a small-press
publisher, and a teacher of creative writing. Along the way I’ve written a lot
of books and a ton of stories, and some of those books and a few dozen stories
have appeared in print. Some even brought me some money.
It is true that most of the writing that
has earned me a living has been crafting contracts, press releases, catalog
copy, back cover copy, and business correspondence. When I’m writing contracts,
business letters, and press releases, I’m writing to live. When I’m in the
midst of making a novel, on the other hand, I live to write. And by God, I
consider that a real job, a
respectable job. For practical reasons, I don’t allow myself the addictive pleasure
of writing fiction during “business hours,” Monday through Saturday. But I
write my fiction all day Sunday, every Sunday, and even a few hours every day
on vacation.
I’m a writer. You are too. Say after me:
“I am a writer.” We writers are writers because we must write. We made a deal
with the devil, I suppose, and the deal was worth it.
Note:
If this essay sounds familiar, it’s because I’ve posted it before. In fact it’s
a bit out of date. Most people don’t ask me what I “do” anymore. I now usually hear
the question “What did you do?” I guess I appear old enough to be
retired. Hah.
§§§
Calling all authors—
I
feature a guest author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month.
If you’re interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote
a published book—email me directly at jmd@danielpublishing.com.
§§§
Call for submissions: Your 99-Word Stories
The deadline for next month’s 99-word
story submissions is March 1. The stories will appear on my blog post for March
12 and the week following.
note: this 99-word story feature is a game, not a contest.
Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may edit the story to make it
stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to my editing willingly.
That’s an unwritten rule.
Rules
for the 99-word story feature are as follows:
1. Your story must be 99 words long, exactly.
2. One story per writer, per month.
3. The story must be a story. That means it needs plot
(something or somebody has to change), characters, and conflict.
4. The story must be inspired by the prompt I assign.
5. The deadline: the first of the month. Stories will appear on
this blog the second Saturday of the month.
6. I will copy edit the story. The author of the story retains
all rights.
7. Email me your story (in
the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: jmd@danielpublishing.com
THIS MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:
The title of
this illustration is “It Hit Me Like a Tornado.” Write a 99-word story inspired
by the illustration or the title, but don’t make it about the weather.
§§§
And now a word from our
sponsor:
Recently published by
Daniel & Daniel, Publishers, Inc.
Charlie’s
Pride
a novel by
Dee Hubbard
ISBN 978-1-56474-568-2
192 pages, paperback, $15.95
order from your local independent bookstore.
Also available from Amazon and other online
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Charlie,
the proud hero of this strong and gripping story, is known to his fellow
truckers, loggers, and fishermen as Hawk. His father, a full-blooded Hupok,
taught him his Indian heritage; his Scots-Irish mother gave him a lifelong love
of reading. He feels connected to both roots, but he is most himself when he’s
by himself, out in the forest, on the banks or in the flow of his beloved
Klamath River. The language in this novel is lush and romantic. Lots of
thoughtful philosophy is verbalized in internal thoughts and stream of
consciousness. In the mix we are treated to solid information on fly fishing,
trucking, logging, the marijuana industry, and most of all the ecology of the
forests and rivers of the California far north, a land that still enjoys
wildness.
Dee
Hubbard worked as a Denver CPA and
was also a Director or Trustee for twelve organizations, including the Nature
Conservancy in Colorado. He now lives and writes in Steamboat Springs. His
other passions include hiking forest trails and climbing high mountains with
his wife and muse, artist Bonnie McGee, and fishing with their golden
retriever, Skye. His writing has been recognized in local, regional, national
and international literary competitions, and his first book, Slim to None: A Journey through the
Wasteland of Anorexia Treatment, became a Denver Post best seller and a Colorado Book of the Year nominee.
§§§
As
always, thanks for visiting. I hope you’ll make a habit of it. Meanwhile, enjoy
reading and/or writing stories. They’re a wonderful pastime. But you know that
already.
 |
| John at the mouth of the Klamath River |
