Well, my editor sent me my first round of edits today! So I'm going to spend the weekend bunkered down at my desk reading the track changes and marks and noting what has been corrected and what has been altered. Luckily, Turner Publishing has a team of hardworking professionals, so I'm not worried.
But I am excited for the 2016 Western Literature Association conference next week. I'm flying up to beautiful Montana to read my short story "Come, All Ye Faithful." Besides reading my stuff and listening to some other great papers, I'm going to get to see some old friends and catch up. And maybe enjoy a nice glass of bourbon while looking out over the mountains... ahhhh. I'll post photos when I have them. Oh, I'm also now on Facebook if you can believe it. So look me up and...you know... be my friend!
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Yep. Today is my birthday. I'm thirty-five. I'm not sure if I feel that old.
No real big plans for today. I'm going to try to get some work done, eat a big steak for dinner, then play trivia with some friends. Not going to make a big whoop about it. I have to say that my thirty-fourth year was pretty good. Let's hope this one is even better! I recently got my first set of clipless pedals for my bicycle.
And now I'm falling down. A lot. Or at least it seems like a lot. People keep telling me that everyone falls, and I'm sure it's true but that doesn't mean I have to like it. This morning before coming to the office I went on bike ride with a bunch of people, and I was doing really well: clipping in, clipping out, going up hills, the whole way. Right foot is good, left foot is good. After getting coffee in Gruene a few folks rode home but the rest of us carried onward. Looking back I probably should have just ridden home, grabbed a shower and something to eat. But I decided to follow the rest of the group and trek into the hills. Anyway, I don't really know what happened, but in the last quarter of the ride everyone unclipped, everyone stopped--well, not everyone--my feet and my legs didn't listen to my brain, and it was like in slow motion as I kept tilting to the left, more and more and more until the theory of gravity (and it is still technically a theory) took over and I crashed onto my hip and thigh. After a lot of cursing, and I mean a lot of cursing, I got back up and rode successfully all the way back to the starting point at the bike shop. But I was upset at myself for the rest of the ride. I'm going to hit the roads again on Sunday. I hope I don't make a complete ass of myself this time. Turner Publishing has bought my novel, Cities of Men, and they'll publish it in 2017! The deal was made by my agent, Mark Gottlieb, last week.
Mark and I met for breakfast over the weekend and discussed blurbs, marketing, and other things. He had a bunch of crazy stories about the publishing world and was a true gentleman. Things are happening! Check out Turner Publishing by clicking the button below. Well... I did it again.
On Saturday I did my second charity bicycle ride. This was the great out and back bike ride along River Road in New Braunfels. I admit I was a little nervous about this one since I heard it was supposed to be a tough ride, and I didn't know anyone else doing it. It has been raining nonstop here for the past few weeks, so I wasn't even sure if the ride would happen. But Saturday morning came clear and sunny and perfect for riding. Everyone met at the Oakwood Church bright and early. I didn't know anyone so I just hung back until it was time to go. All of the rain made the river full and lush, and I rode past small waterfalls along the cliffs as I zoomed down into the valley. Luckily all the rain scared off tubers so the road was nearly empty. Just cyclists speeding along in the shade. Every now and again I zipped across a puddle and water splashed onto my legs and cooled my calves. The toughest part was the hill right before Canyon Lake. I am not going to lie...that hurt. The worst part was that after flying down the other side I knew I would eventually have to turn around and go back up it again. And I did. It seemed a little easier on the way back, but that may have just been my mind playing tricks on me. The guy ahead of me had to get off his bike and push. I thought I was going to have to do that too, but I managed to keep changing gears and pushed myself. When I got back to the church, I had done thirty miles--which isn't that much--but I climbed the biggest hills I've faced so far, so I felt pretty good. Of course not having any of my friends to eat lunch with afterwards made it a little anticlimactic, but I enjoyed the Rudy's BBQ and Gatorade before heading home. I wish I had stopped more and taken some pictures of the river. I wonder how it will look in the fall... On Sunday I did something I never thought I would do.
I entered a cycling event for charity and rode over forty miles. Now, I know lots of folks can ride forty miles without blinking an eye, but for me it was a big deal. I had not really been on a bicycle in over twenty years, so I was a little nervous about trying to keep up with everyone. But on Sunday morning I showed up at the Rolling Oaks Mall in San Antonio and entered the Fiesta Wildflower Ride. Like a bad omen my front tire's tube blew out on me while pumping up. I thought for sure that meant I was going to have to sit out the ride. Luckily some friends had an extra tube and another friend could help me change it. Sam, Glenda, and Shauna, thank you! The first stretch wasn't bad at all. I didn't even bother to stop at the first rest area. I really got in the zone around the tenth mile. It was overcast and cool and nice for riding. The wildflowers of the Texas Hill Country bloomed in oranges, reds, blues, and greens. Cows behind barbed wire watched us speed by. There were hills, too. But they didn't seem too bad. At least not at first. Around mile thirty the hills felt a little more difficult. I didn't stop at the last rest area though I probably should have. The last five miles were difficult. My thighs felt like concrete. But then I pedaled my way across the finish line with a great big smile on my face. Then it was time for water, kiolbassa, and Red Bull. Then, as in the beginning, my back tire's tube blew out while riding back to the truck. I'm just happy that didn't happen on the road! I know I wasn't the fastest guy out there (heck, I may have been the slowest), but I was happy to be there and thrilled that I finished. I'm happy to say that I'm already looking forward to my next big ride. April has been a pretty nice month so far. My latest short story, "Come Again Another Day," has been selected for inclusion in the anthology Texas Weather. My story and a bunch of others (and poetry and non-fiction) all about the wacky weather in the Lone Star State.
And as if that wasn't cool enough, I've moved into my new apartment in New Braunfels. It's always a pain in the butt to move, but I really like the new place. I'm right up against a gulch and some hiking trails that lead down into the heart of Landa Park. I'm surrounded by cedar and oak. I'm looking forward to all new adventures in New Braunfels. How long until Wurst Fest? I got back the other day from AWP, and I have to say I'm still exhausted. I got to meet some fascinating people and have some great conversations, but I'm glad to be back home in Texas. I flew in Wednesday and registered and that was about it. Things really started the next day. I went to a few panels and got to see Claudia Rankine give an amazing speech that night about the need for diversity in MFA programs across the country. It was truly moving. Everyone was talking about it for the rest of the conference.
On Friday I got to see some old friends from Arizona. We went to Musso and Frank's grill in Hollywood and had a great meal and a wonderful time. Rob, Bobby, Daniel--it was wonderful seeing you all again. Let's not wait so long next time. Saturday was the final day. I went around and bough a bunch of new literary journals and met some folks at the literary journals I subscribe to. I got to have a nice talk with Scott Blackwood and Matthew Thomas. Both of whom were warm and engaging. I also got to meet up with Octavio Quintanilla and Brian Allen Carr from Texas. We didn't get to hang out as much as I wished, but we were all busy people. Later that night the conference closed with Joyce Carol Oates interviewing herself about her writing and her newest book, The Man Without a Shadow. I had never seen Oates in person, but I found her to be lively and energetic and humorous. I got her to sign my book before I left. I had a great time in Los Angeles. I didn't get to do everything I wanted to, but that's why AWP will be in Washington D.C. next year. I can't wait! I am getting on a jet plane and going out to California for AWP!
I hope to see a few old friends and make some new pals. I know my friend Octavio Quintanilla will be there. Ito Romo should be there, too. A few other writers and poets should be hiding around. I know all the good people from Newfound will there, and I cannot wait to get to hang with them. I'll be out in Los Angeles until Sunday but will report on everything once I get back. California, here I come, right back where I started from! |
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September 2022
William JensenWriter living in Central Texas. Categories |