A pretty heavy entry

For some time now, I've been an atheist and anarchist, mostly because I've lost faith in any sort of authority figure -- father, god, president, doctor. How, then, can I have faith that my book will be published? This is what I'm thinking as I bring it to the revision process again. I already know this revision will be the breakthrough one for this book, the one that will transform the snarky little voice and become the haunting yet strong narrative it will be. The themes are stronger in my mind now, the characters fuller. It will be a better story.

destroyed books = $$$ for New Orleans Public Libraries

Part of my stint in Chicago included being a part of the Rebuilt Books project, where authors & publishers destroyed and rebuilt a copy of their own book, then donated them to an auction benefiting the New Orleans Public Libraries. Most of the libraries were destroyed by the hurricane, but the rebuilding campaign aims to not only replace them but use the opportunity to improve them to one of the leading library districts nationwide. I drowned a copy of my poetry chapbook, SAFARI, in the bathtub.
The event raised $4,000.

Blogging Virgin

It's official; I'm jumping onto the blogging wagon. I've kept an online journal before, but this is different. This blog is more about my work and journey as a writer, editor, web publisher, journal founder, and all-around wordsmith.

I'm currently in Chicago, attending the very first Pilcrow Literary Festival. Props to Amy Guth and Leah Jones for all their hard work putting this together. I spoke on two panels yesterday, and attended two more. (One was specifically about blogging, which inspired me to start this.) Tomorrow I head back to a quiet little hippie mountain town that is currently home for me. After being on the Chicago streets for 10 minutes when I first arrived, I realized I've been living in Colorado too long. :) I want to strike out on this last day and explore some places to write about in the novel I'm researching  (You Know Me, Etc) but a lot of the neighborhoods I want to see I've been warned not to visit -- not even in daylight with a police escort. Hopefully when I write those scenes something will ring true. 

ta ta for now