I had to count on my fingers – twice – and then ask Jim to confirm before I could believe that the Wednesday Wanderings are approaching their seventh anniversary.
My first post, on January 13, 2010, was very short and intended more as a placeholder than actual post. Nonetheless, it received several Comments, showing me that there were interested readers “out there.” It read as follows:
Starting on January 20th, I’ll be making weekly posts to this site.
They’ll be about whatever has caught my fancy, especially the odd stuff I see as I go about my day.
Maybe they’ll provide some insight into how one writer thinks. Hopefully, they’ll be amusing.
Join me on January 20, 2010, and we’ll all find out.
Seven years later, I haven’t missed a single week. Moreover, I’ve added the Thursday Tangents with Alan Robson, as well as the Friday Fragments. Lately, I realized that the Wednesday Wanderings has become more ambitious than I initially intended. The Wanderings have generated enough essays on writing to spawn a book – Wanderings on Writing. They’ve hosted interviews with writers as varied as Darynda Jones and Jack McDevitt. And – honestly – they take a lot of my time and attention.
There’s a lot I want to accomplish in 2017. I plan to make an additional two or more of my Avon backlist titles available as e-books. I’d like to write more short stories. Over the holidays, I had an idea for a novel that I’m considering writing, then releasing as a serial. I’ve learned that if I don’t read or make time for art/crafts, my writing suffers, so it will be out with the beads, clay, and maybe a try at decoupage…
Therefore, 2017 will see a change to the Wednesday Wanderings. I’ll still check in each Wednesday. Sometimes there will be longer pieces or interviews. (I’m already in contact with Walter Jon Williams about doing one on his two new series.) However, other times, I may just say “hi” and offer a short snippet about what I’ve done the past week.
Pictures may also drop off or at least reduce in quality. Jim has been my faithful photographer since we started including pictures, but right now he’s directing a field project in Santa Fe. While he still comes home at night, we’re more pressed for time. Although you may not believe it, getting those three original photos takes time and imagination.
For the foreseeable future, Alan and I will continue to write the Thursday Tangents, because we keep finding things we want to talk about both with each other and with you folks. And the Friday Fragments will also continue, because I hope to be reading more, not less.
I welcome – even encourage – questions or suggestions of subject matter that you’d like to hear me natter on about. In seven years, I’ve covered most of the general topics readers ask writers about and I could use tinder for my fire. I can’t promise to answer all questions, because I don’t always have answers, but I always write better when I know that at least one person would like to hear what I have to say.
Here’s hoping you’ll continue to join me on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Here’s where there will be the first announcement of any public appearances. (I’m reading at ASFS again in February, and I’m Guest of Honor at MiHiCon in October.) Here’s where you’re most likely to hear about new releases, forthcoming works, and the like.
Now, I’m off to write an afterword for the forthcoming e-book release of Smoke and Mirrors. Composing that has really had me reflecting on all that’s changed in the past 20-some years… But for now, to write!
January 11, 2017 at 5:36 am |
Is it very odd that I’m looking forward to the new afterword almost as much as I am to the re-release? I always enjoy those sorts of peeks behind the curtain.
Did you do any editing of the ms or is this the Avon text? I admit to being of two minds on re-issue edits.
January 13, 2017 at 7:14 am |
I tried to give you a “peek,” and I hope you enjoy.
There are some edits, but I hope they won’t be obvious.
January 11, 2017 at 10:17 am |
I understand the fact of your original photos taking time and imagination. That’s what most of my drawings are, imagination of combining my favorite characters from different casts, expressions of beliefs and feelings, or just personal imagination.
I enjoy art enough to use onion skin paper which is thin and perfect for tracing, and at ceramics I’m an aide for those who need help choosing color since they want it to look natural.
Our family enjoys cross stitch just like you enjoy your beautiful bead pictures Jane.
Jasmine Olson speaking
January 11, 2017 at 10:57 pm |
Thank you for not going away completely on Wednesdays. Your posts are one of my favorite things about the mid week. I always look forward to them. I can’t believe it’s been 7 years!
January 12, 2017 at 11:33 am |
I’ll be here!
If Jim doesn’t mind talking about it, get him to ghost-write regular reports on what he’s turning up. Some of it is bound to be catching local attention anyway, the way we all sat up and took notice last summer. Survey excavation for a new condo turned up one of the last surviving Great Lakes schooners in the land fill where Spadina Wharf _used_ to be on the Toronto waterfront [the current Wharf is some 500m south of the original]
January 13, 2017 at 7:17 am |
Jim won’t have time to ghost-write reports, but I can do so, especially if they turn up anything fascinating. Last week was clearing away and setting up. This week they had a backhoe in (believe it or not, there are specialized backhoe operators). They started digging yesterday — nineteenth century materials, mostly broken glass and pottery, although they did find a nearly intact inkwell.
Thanks for letting me know you’d be interested. I always am — yesterday was quizzing Jim on the soil. (Surface frozen, beneath clay/sand mixture.)
January 13, 2017 at 7:50 am
I didn’t believe it the first time I saw them wheel one in to open the trench, but I do now. The guys on the backhoes are amazingly precise. I’ve become addicted to an ITV series called Time Team. Reality TV for archaeology buffs. Thought the idea was appalling until I watched it, but the crew are pros, and apparently were highly respected in the UK. And they put on a really good show – the series ran [on commercial TV, to boot] for 20 years.
January 12, 2017 at 2:27 pm |
Take notes on your self-publishing journey. Might be fuel for a wander there as you go through the process.
I too have enjoyed the posts, even if I don’t always comment.
January 13, 2017 at 7:18 am |
So far not overly different from what I’ve reported on in the past, but thank you, I’ll do so and when SMOKE AND MIRRORS is ready to go, I’ll write a piece about the full process!