So someone is suing Ms. Rowling for a billion dollars (or some other ridiculous amount) again because they think, 'The Goblet of Fire' rips off some unknown book from the 1990s. That and a line in my current WIP made me wonder if we'll see more of these claims now that so many writers are blogging excerpts from their WIPs - obviously, I don't mean the wonderful people who visit my blog because we're all sane. Well most of us are and those who aren't, well you know who you are. Okay, must stop looking at myself in the mirror, anyway...

I read a line on an LJ blog a week or so ago and I thought, 'not bad' and a few people commented on this person's rather cool line/idea. Cue a few days later, while redrafting Grim Glass Vein, I read a similar line (not the same words but running along the same theme) in the second draft. Now, I am the sort of person who worries about things that most (rational) people would ignore. So, I went into a spin as to whether I should remove this line - after all, it's one sentence - but it is kind of pivotal to the story line and it's good and well, I came by it honestly about three to six months (the previous draft was composed sometime between Aug 09 and Nov 09) before reading this other person's line. The crux is though, prove it...

And thus, I worry.


*The wardens shouldn't unlock my cell door and let my thoughts escape, but I pay them very well.
**Thank goodness I'll never make squillions and no one will ever want to sue me. Oops, shouldn't really tempt the gods, my bad.

I’m Severus Snape

This was the week that I discovered I’m a much tougher cookie than I thought I was. Had a big rejection that I admit knocked me for six, I expected to be depressed for the week, and then found myself bouncing back into gear within the day. Of course, it left everyone who witnessed my sudden intake of breath and sob (note to self: do not open emails at work, especially when you’re the receptionist and everyone walks past your desk) thinking isn’t she supposed to be sad, but hey, you can’t be sad forever.

So what have I accomplished this week?

Well thanks to Kim Kasch and a not-so fun Harry Potter Personality test, I discovered I’m Severus Snape.

I started, finished, revised, finished again, and submitted a story to the Cafe Doom Writing Contest – can’t give anymore details than that as the story will be posted on the forum along with the other entries (twenty-four so far) for voting purposes, so it has to remain pretty much anonymous. Just look out for one containing…. :) Only kidding.

I wrote a flash short story that I intended to send to 52 Stitches when it opens on November 1st, then I decided it was probably not scary enough (or rather not scary at all) so I sent it along to Every Day Fiction instead. I hate the title I subbed, so I’m hoping if it’s accepted they’ll allow me to change it to ‘Travelling Along the Conveyor Belt’.

‘Nobody Smiling’ didn’t place in the Apex Digest Halloween competition, so now I can sub that story to 52 stitches when it opens. Silver linings and all that.

Received my copy of ‘Twisted Dreams’, which contains my story ‘Dead Bolt’. I should have received it ten days ago, but Lulu mixed up the order and sent me a copy of a book about the Lusitania instead. I complained (of course) and they said I could keep that book and they’d get another copy of Twisted Dreams out to me. I feel it is now my duty to feature the Lusitania in a short story.

And on a final screeching note – It’s one week to NaNoWriMo. If you hear an alarm while reading this, don’t worry it’s just my panic button going off.

Excited, some!