Despite a creativity slump, I've been busy with edits and revisions. Yesterday, I finally got a new short story going: Listener . Meanwhile, I've been occupied with some experiments. Experiment 1. Enter the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award--known as ABNA to us "insiders." Goals: More experience with e-publishing, a chance to pick up some reviews from strangers, and publicity (I hope). I entered my 61,000 word YA scifi novel New Vision . The contest requires three parts to the entry: 1. The pitch or jacket teaser, 2. The first 5000 words excerpted from the novel, 3. the complete manuscript. I'd already rewritten the opening chapters numerous times, and I finally felt reasonably good about the first 5000 words. Nonetheless, I polished and edited the entire MS. That covered #2 and #3. But no matter how many times I redid the pitch, I never liked it. Finally I got something I thought I could live with and posted the pieces to the contest site. Despite my attempts
Herein, I blog my writing experiences. What does that have to do with a mimosa? Not only is the mimosa a drink, it is also a tree. A paper in a scientific journal from 1917 suggests the mongoose uses mimosa leaves to treat himself for snakebites. This blog is my way of doctoring my writing mishaps. - Ronald D. Ferguson