Saturday Snark - When Connie Met Whiner

Snark. It's what's for breakfast.
Be sure to visit Marie Sexton's blog to get more information on the SnarkTour, and check out the linkities for more snark.

I'll share a free Stendhal's Stand choose-your-own-adventure style short at GayRomLit, so I thought I'd share how Connie met Whiner. This is from the short Cowboys and IT-ians, in the Riding Double anthology.

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“I didn’t know you were the IT guy. Hell, they said Connie was coming. I expected a woman.” Whiner gestured at Connie, as if he could magically conjure a female IT specialist. Connie leaned back, pushed his glasses back up his nose, crossed his arms over his narrow chest, and cocked his head to the right to give Whiner a searing look.

“Well, I expected a whiner. At least one of us wasn’t disappointed.”

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Whiner, doing his usual stellar job of making people welcome. Find me at GRL, and I'll share the link to more of their story.

~xxx~

Character Interview - Whiner Stendhal

Questionnaire #1 -- The Basics
1. Your Name - Vidar Stendhal. Folks just call me Whiner.

2. Your age - Why do you ask?

3. Describe yourself - I'm big - bigger than most people. And blond.

4. Describe your mate (if applicable) - You mean the little fucker that gave me this shit to fill out? I bet Bobby Joe found it on that web thing for him.

5. Where (and when) do you live? - On my ranch. What the fuck kind of questions are these?

6. What's your favourite sweet? (It is so a basic!) - I don't have time for this shit. You're fucking fired. Connie! Get in here!


[Author's Note: The rest of this questionnaire shredded under press of bodies. All attempts to get Whiner to complete the questionnaire were unsuccessful. He says you can find out everything you need to know about him in Cowboys and IT-ians, in the Riding Double anthology.]

~xxx~ Friday

 

Today's the day.

I don't feel any different. Woke up the same as every other day this week. Traffic sucked. Again. Work was here. So was I. 

But, today's the day I can honestly say "I'm a published writer." 

Feels a bit unreal. It's something I've thought about for a while, but never really believed could happen. But here it is.

Join all the wonderful authors involved in the Riding Double Anthology for a virtual release party Sunday, 20 February at the Dreamspinner Blog. There will be excerpts and anecdotes from the great authors of the individual stories. Oh, I'll be there too.

Next Friday, I'll be back to my nerds. This week, enjoy some cowboys. Maybe they should be wrangling my Geek Stable......

~xxx~

The Process

 Writing the story was the easy part. 

Submitting it to a publisher was terrifying and nerve-wracking. Getting the selection letter was thrilling. Accepting the contract was gratifying. 

But the most stressful part of the process of getting my first story published happened this weekend. 

I had to write a blurb about my least favorite subject - myself. You would think it's easy to write a hundred words about yourself, but creating an author bio was tough. Especially for an introvert like me. 

I also got the edited version of it back. I've already reviewed (and reviewed it, and reviewed it, and reviewed, and did it again......) and returned it, so we're one step closer. It really wasn't that painful. Not as painful as I expected it to be, anyway. A few commas here and there, some formatting issues, but it didn't need as much revising as I was afraid it would.  Now, more waiting.

In the meantime, I give you my Connie.

~xxx~

I REALLY am an Author!

No, really, I am now, or at least I will be very soon. At least that's what is says in CAPITAL letters on the publishing contract I received today. 

The short story Cowboys and IT-ians has been selected for inclusion in an anthology due out next month.  To celebrate, I offer you this cowboy. Good thing he's got his saddle with him, because I'm ready to save a horse by riding a cowboy.

~xxx~