Do excuse me while I try to get back into the habit of this updating the website thing.

My story Breathing, originally slated for publication in the now nixed Second Skins has now been (possibly) accepted for a similar themed anthology. I also sent in another story under a pseudonym for the same publication. 

I was alerted that Bend was accepted as a reprint (pending publisher's approval) and I'm expecting my contributor's copies of F is for Fetish with my story, Pull, any day now.

I have another story due at the end of the month, and a few shorts I want to have done by the end of the week.

So, I'm trying to keep the writing steadyand I'm doing pretty good.  Thanks for keeping up with me!

I've ...

Received contributor's copies of: Got A Minute?, Iridescence: Sensuous Shades of Lesbian Erotica, A is for Amour, and D is for Dress-Up.

Had Return Policy accepted for Naughty or Nice... 

Signed contracts for: Dirty Girls and Sex and Candy...

Completed two assignments for Custom Erotica Source...

Submitted Bend as a reprint for J is for Jealously...

and am working on several more stories for various upcoming anthologies.

So, you see, I wasn't just sitting around, and I update my blog on MySpace pretty regularly.  I was just hoping my website would be redone before I started updating here again.  But, oh well.  You can't have it all.

Well, my intentions were to use the blog on my MySpace page for just a bit while I found someone to overhaul my site.  I solicited two people, friends actually, who have web design businesses, but I heard back from neither.  Admittedly, I hadn't been in touch with either for quite sometime and they are probably loaded with work of their own and I could just have old addy's for them, but anyways... it's been five months and my website remains the same and it's not right to keep pointing people to a site that's just a dusty old dud.

So...

I said all that to say this...

I will begin updating this website again, it doesn't matter what the bones look like for now.  I'll do what I can to get it at least somewhat the way I want it, and we'll see...

My new boss, writer/editor/founder of Custom Erotica Source, announces the release of  her new animated film:

http://sagevivant.com/your_erotic_personality_movie.php

which promotes the upcoming release of her new book, Your Erotic Personality.

I first had the pleasure of working with Sage back in 2003 (I believe) when she published my short story, Burn in her anthology Swing.  Since then, I've been in another of her books and have shared a table of contents with her in many other anthologies.  She is smart, creative and tells one hell of a story.  Check her out!

...or maybe it's not so big.  Between here and updating my Myspace page, I can't remember what I have and haven't told you, but I'll give it a shot.

 I received my contributor's copy of The Greenwood Encyclopedia Of African American Women Writers which includes my entry on the late novelist Bebe Moore Cambell.  The book is hardback, two volumes and gorgeous, and I'm really proud of my entry.

I received payment for my contributions to A is for Amour and D is for Dress Up both edited by the wonderful Alison Tyler.  I am expecting my copies any day now.

I got a great, great new writing job!!! I wrote a sample story for Custom Erotica Source about a month ago.  It was really hard for me to cram the story into 1,000 words and I was really unsure of the finished product when I sent it off, but a month later, I was offered the gig and I accepted. This is such validation for me as this was on my list of writing goals that I started way back.  So, who knows, one day soon I may be writing a customized erotic story for you!

I haven't received any word on Watching Willette or the other two outstanding stories either.  This has me a little on edge, but I also know that patiences is key.

I feel awful that it's been so long since I've updated, but I'm looking into getting someone to give this old site a complete overhaul, see what that can do for my enthusiasm.

Otherwise, I'm working on a few stories, one due this week.  Right now, have an awful headached, had an incredibly stressful past couple of days.  Kid is sick and I just need to lay down.

I actually finished and submitted a story by 5 Pm on deadline day... amazing.  It was my goal (as it is always my goal) to finish it early, like a week or at least a couple of days early, but it didn't happen. 

Well, at least I wasn't still  planted in front of the PC at 11:30 pm with a head and bellyache trying to get it done.  Be thankful for the small things, right?

Aside from that, I really, really love the story.  It's called Watching Willette and it's for an upcoming anthology.

And, now we wait.

During one of my random Google searches on my name, I found a site that excerpted one of my stories, Presenting Paulette, featured in the forthcoming Alison Tyler anthology, D is for Dress Up, simple click here for a taste.

Aside from the typo in one of the earlier paragraphs, I'm quite pleased.  This was one of those stories I just wasn't so sure about, but it looks like I'm going to end up liking it.

So, this past Monday was D-Day for two calls.  Late into the night, while sipping a nice Pinot Grigio, I completed and submitted Return Policy and Pull.  I had been working on Return Policy for several months and never could seem to get it to my liking and I hate to say it never did really get there.  But, it got to a point where I had to either leave well enough alone, or submit nothing at all.  Pull, I had been working on for just a few weeks, and I am mostly pleased with the end results.  I guess only time will tell if my fruits were effortless.

I took Tuesday off, and today continued work on another short story, Hoods, for an anthology and also began a story, Watching Willette, for yet another anthology.  Those aren't due for another two weeks, but I really, really don’t want to come under the wire again.  It gets old, it really does.

I’ve signed contracts for two projects this week.  One for As She Was Told, which was sold to Alison Tyler’s Got A Minute? And another for my piece on the late novelist, Bebe Moore Campbell, that is included in the soon to be released Greenwood Encyclopedia of African American Women.  I am excited about both, but really proud of the latter since it’s my first “sale” to an academic publication.  Both titles are due out in March.

I’ve been on hiatus from the jailhouse gig which is good for the writing and catching up on email and blogs, but terrible for my pockets.  Ah well.

First, Happy New Year to all, and I wish you all a safe, joyous and fruitful 2007.  As for me, things are much the same.  I'm still working the jailhouse gig as needed, working the writing in, under deadline and working under pressure (hey, it's my thrill).

Over the past two weeks, I've received in the mail my contributor's copies of Ultimate Lesbian Erotica 2007 and also my pay for my story that is included, Covering.  This story is a favorite of mine.  If you haven't picked up the book, do so and check me out!

The kids are getting older and becoming more of a handful but I'm enjoying every minute of it.

I wish I had more of an update, but I've been supre tired all week and I'm still a little groggy this morning.  So, it's off to the writing!

I was recently informed that my short story, As She Was Told, has made it into Alison Tyler's anthology of short, short stories, Got A Minute?  I had been feeling a little down in the dumps lately as far as my writing accomplishments lately, and this immediately lifted my spirits. 

Wow, I actually have written something in the past three months.

As for what I'm working on now, it's a short story, Hands, that I already love and am very excited about - due Friday.

I will pop back on late with a couple of other entries...

BTW... this site is currently under construction, so bear with me!