Something Mythic...

Interesting day today.

At home with the kids this week (last week they had a day camp that allowed me to get a little work done). With a pair of bright and high-energy kids I have certainly been challenged to keep them busy and interested. More often then not, I fear, I've relied upon the computer and that other electronic teat to keep them entertained. Right now, the boy is watching Rocky and Bullwinkle on the TV as I type - I suppose there's worse stuff he could be watching. My daughter has announced she's bored and has hightailed it upstairs to read. Piano practice and multiplication table review is still on the agenda for this afternoon.

Earlier, as an excuse to get out of the air-conditioning on this humid day, we went Letter Boxing (or, more accurately, Atlasquesting). - Here's the website. We have but a single letter box right in town although I suspect letter boxing's cousin - geocaching - has a couple of treasures locally. We sought out and found Fergus' single box as a diversion and a reason to get in w walk for the dog.

Taking care of the kids makes it difficult to get any actual writing done, but during those blessed times when they occupy themselves or, miracle of miracles, actually play with each other without fighting, I have found time to ruminate upon the 3 Day Novel Contest.

The entry form has been sitting on the printer's output tray for a few days now. I've walked by it but haven't been of a mind to fill it out. Yesterday and today I've let a story that's been rattling around in my head for a couple of years take centre stage. I've been considering a beginning that, in my mind at least, works. I have even formed a few scenes in my mind's eye. The thing, however, that made me grab that entry form and fill it out was an almost continuous string of dialogue that was going through my head for the last few days. It's very good dialogue.

So - barring any illness or emergencies between now and Labour Day Weekend, I will be participating in the 3Day Novel Contest this year. I won't disclose too much right now but I'm thinking something Mythic and Psychological set in the wilds of Northern Ontario.

Gotta go - my daughter has found a remote control train that I was sure had "accidentally" found the garbage long ago. I can hear the annoying electronic whistle and it threatens to drive me mad...

Routine

Howdy, all.

It has been a while but I'm finally getting around to putting together a post. Settling back into routine proved to be a little harder than expected upon returning from vacation but while I'm not yet in the groove, at least I can see it.

One little vacation story to relate and really something kinda cool. On our last day of vacation while heading back toward the highway through Kingston, Ontario my wife asked if we wanted to visit the grave site of Sir John A. Macdonald - 1st prime minister of Canada. While visiting the grave we stretched our legs in the impressive old cemetery. The first thing my son noticed were a number of holes in the ground around one of the tombstones. I assume they were rabbit-holes but it was the only tombstone that sported holes around it. A little creepy to be sure but my son also spied a stick apparently dragged deep into one of the holes. Without a hint of hesitation his arm was suddenly shoulder deep in the hole retrieving the stick. It has since been dubbed "the Ghoul Stick" and is not allowed in the house. A few minutes later I was photographing an impressive family plot when my son came up behind me and said, "Hey, Dad, look at the box I found under that bush!"
I turned and saw my son with the ghoul stick in one hand and in the other he held a sealed Tupperware container completely covered with camouflage tape. Now I had a pretty good idea what was in the box but I told everyone to stand a few feet back while I opened it anyway. Inside was a stamp,an explanatory note, some markers and directions to the next box. I wish I still had the note but it has been misplaced but it explained that this box is part of a game called Atlasquest - basically a scavenger hunt on a grand scale. Check out the website - they're all over the place.

During my first week back I received a rejection letter. I have read somewhere that a rejection letter from the New Yorker is supposedly the holy grail of rejection letters - I forget where. Well, a rejection letter from the New Yorker has no useful information so like any form rejection letter it is exactly that - useless. Here's the letter - note the milky-white stationary.

Speaking of rejections - I had a useful one before going on vacation regarding my story Just Business. In the letter there were suggestions and constructive criticism and from those suggestions and criticisms a story evolved. The story is called Old Timer and I think it's pretty damn fine. It has, of course, been submitted to the magazine that took the time to offer the suggestions.

Finally - and it's funny because as I type this I just received an e-mail from them - The 3 Day Novel Contest is closing in. Each Labour Day Weekend a contest is held to see what kind of novel can be written over the 72 hours of the holiday weekend. I have entered the last 2 years and both novellas - The Platinum Ticket and Patriot - are works of which I am very proud. This year, however, I will take a pass. There are a few reasons - kids start school the day immediately following the weekend and I don't need to be exhausted for that. I am also building a routine in which writing a set amount each and every day is a crucial part of my success. I don't want to mess with the routine just as I'm establishing it. In the past I have found the exercise of the 3 Day Novel extremely rewarding - I highly recommend it to others and will no doubt do it again in the future - but just not this year.

Anyway, speaking of routines - I need to get back to mine...