Writing
I did tons of writing this year. I think my spreadsheet says 235K words and my goal was to average 500 a day. I still need to do a post about that. I think I wrote about 25 new stories but some of those were exercises and I don't expect to do anything with them. I also wrote half a novel and learned that I need to re-think my idea.
I had my first major success and sold a story to Asimov's. It will be coming out sometime in 2010. I'm going to guess February. I will spread the news as soon as I know.
I didn't submit as many stories as I wanted to so that's the goal for 2010.
I've included a holiday story with this letter which you can find at: The Pie Maker's Curse. I tried to keep it short in the hopes more people would find time to read it. It's a heart-warming story suitable for all ages.
Technology
We still have a land line. A similarly aged friend asked me why and I said: I don't know. Because we've always had a land line?
We don't have phones that get email. I don't Twitter or text message. I'm holding firm on these two. I don't want to learn and I don't want any more distractions. I have a Facebook account and I like the idea in theory but every time I fire it up I mutter about how much I hate it. I also think 90% of YouTube clips are a waste of time. But the other 10% are what make the Internet genius.
2009 Favorites
My book reading was pitiful. I read a bazillion short stories but I've never developed a good system for remembering which ones I liked. The current system is a giant stack of magazines next to the computer.
I read Wuthering Heights for the first time after watching the latest Masterpiece Theater. What a crazy story. I think Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo was my favorite. Maus I and II by Art Spiegelman were fantastic. I also loved Doomsday Book by Connie Willis.
For movies I loved Stranger than Fiction (which is actually from 06), Emma Thompson and Will Ferrell in a crazy story that I can't summarize in a few words, Let the Right One In, vampires in Sweden, Frozen River knuckle-biter about a woman smuggling in Indian Country. And beyond all expectation, I loved Star Trek.
Shows: At The Movies is back! I LOVE Sons of Anarchy and do not understand why this isn't the biggest show on television. Especially after all the attention Mad Men is getting. I like Mad Men, too. I think Sally Draper is really creepy and there's a girl on my bus who's like Sally Draper as a high school cheerleader. It's weird. I liked Sarah Connor (canceled!). I don't know that there's anything else that I loved. If I did it was probably canceled.
Looking forward to World Cup 2010. Already plotting my June and July. Don't expect to see me unless you want to watch a game.
Have a super fun holiday and happy new year!
xo Pamela
