Back to Writing Part VI: Editing

So my editor sent some copy back overnight. It had a lot of markups, but it wasn't nearly as bloody as I thought it would be.
Her comments were as great as ever.
Apparently, white briefs are NOT sexy. Also, "she let them have at it" is not a sexy way to end a story. LOL.
And the dreaded Xena FanFic slipped in there somehow. I thought I'd beaten that very, very bad habit out of myself. Guess not. I'm glad she caught it.
I sent it off to be judged. We'll see if it makes the cut. I'm off to the next one.

Back to Writing Part V: Call for Submission

I submitted something. It's not what I normally write. It was a good exercise, like a tough workout after a year of inactivity.

The first four paragraphs were torture, then the rest flowed.

I cut those first paragraphs. We'll see if it worked.

It's a start. I've got nine other leads -- more if I'm willing to push my comfort zone. I feel nervous and satisfied at the same time. It's a strange but exhilarating feeling.

Back to writing Part IV

Something came up.

The writing was starting to go well. As always, however, something else began to interfere in a big way.

It's almost promotion time. The boss lady is quite adamant that I invest extra time at home in my learning to get that next post. So I've been studying and working on presentations. I need this gig in a bad way.

Then I realized that something is always going to come up. This is just a matter of time management. The writing doesn't always have to take a backseat. It just might not get to be the star all the time.

So I've decided to try this: Fit in at least an hour of writing every day. I can sacrifice watching one reality TV show or another, right? Or sleep.

Back to writing Part III

RAIN!! Thank goodness! After 40 consecutive days of 100+ degree heat and no rain, I couldn't be more grateful that it's been raining all morning.

Now I can write. I've got my coffee. The GF is out for an extended walk (14 miles as part of her training for the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure). The puppy is curled up on the carpet in front of my desk.

Let the words flow...

Back to writing Part II

It's definitely not easy... First there's finding the time, then the ideas all seem to be lame, and it's too damn quiet in the house. I have a ton of crap on my mind -- little of which has to do with writing.

Luckily, I have discovered a new way to multitask: Turn off the iPod and work out the plot while exercising at the gym. I just need to keep a notebook with me to jot down stuff other than weights and numbers of reps.

I'm off to the gym...

Back to writing

I took a long break from writing to sort out my life.

But I'm back.

After clearing out 3,000+ messages in my yahoo e-mail account, removing dozens of farmville and island paradise requests from my facebook page, and tracking down the passwords for this blog and my Web site, I'm ready to get back to basics.

Projects are definitely in the works. I'm hunting down leads and calls for submissions (primarily short stories and/or flash fiction for anthologies). My idea folder is open and ready to be updated.

A year without writing feels like half an eternity, like I have to start from scratch. Telling myself I've written three books already and published other stories and articles doesn't help much.

Like running, a year off changes everything.

Today is just day one. We'll see where it goes from here.

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I quit smoking six months ago -- cold turkey. I used to write at the bar, while smoking. Maybe I need to find some candy cigarettes. The writing is coming... slowly.

Dallas JEWEL and a new book!

Hi, ladies (and a few gents)!

It's great of you to stop by again. It's been a busy and wonderful month -- dear friends coming to visit, having babies, and getting engaged. I'm full of happiness for all of them. March 2010 is being good to all of us.

Needless to say, I've been a bit busy. Still, I've managed to knock out some writing-related business. I have a new Web site. http://www.kimberlylafontaine.com/. Yup, I'm all grown up now -- no more geocities or other "free" sites. I decided it's about time I bought a domain. Please visit and let me know if anything seems out of order. I'm not exactly computer savvy.

I also want to thank the ladies of the Dallas JEWEL Lesbian Fiction Book Club for having me speak at their March meeting. Even though I was nervous, I had a really good time. Author Carsen Taite interviewed me in this vlog:



I never realized how many gestures I make while speaking. LOL. Cameras freak me out a little bit. Thank you anyway, Carsen!

As mentioned in the vlog, I've started tinkering with a new book. Its tentative title is Cookies for Breakfast. I've conned my wonderful friend and Intaglio Publications editor Tara Young into joining me in this venture. Over drinks at the Rainbow Lounge, we fleshed out the characters and laughed our asses off over scenes we want to include. Yes, this book will be a light and fluffy, hopefully hilarious read that you can take to the beach. We'll start writing seriously as soon as I'm done with school in June. In the meantime, we're sending silly suggestions to each other via Facebook, and I've completed the first chapter.

It's been entirely too long since I've had a new book out. Life, it seems, keeps getting in the way. Mostly, it's the good stuff.

I did manage to crank out a short story and just submitted it for consideration for the anthology, Best Lesbian Romance 2011. We'll see how that goes. The publisher said that decisions about which stories will be published will be made over the summer and the book will be out in the fall. Please wish me luck! It's my first attempt at getting a fiction piece in print that is more PG-13 than R. ;)

Thanks again for reading, everyone! I'm so pleased with responses you've sent about Let It Shine and Preying On Generosity. Look forward to more stuff finally coming soon.