Between Assignments

Studying to become an elementary teacher has affected my writing in many ways.

First of all, I haven't been able to do a whole lot of writing--save for school. For the past two and a half years, my studies have devoured every available moment to the point where I feel lucky just to snag the chance to jot down an idea or a couple sentences in a story or a mere line or two of verse in a typical day. To compensate, I try to insinuate my interests and style into every assignment I possibly can. I've even composed a couple of essays involving themes that I like to explore in my fiction and poetry that I'm rather proud of, in fact. I also find that the ideas I've been coming up with lately are geared more and more toward readers of elementary age. It'll be interesting to see where many of those ideas will lead me--when I have a spare moment to develop them, that is.

I am also becoming aware of whole new ways to relate to readers. I've taken courses such as Educational Psychology and Children's Literature and Cultural Diversity which have presented quite interesting perspectives of young readers and learners and how to engage them. I'm taking a fascinating course this semester called Teaching Reading In The Content Areas. Halfway through the semester and I can appreciate how "reading" and "teaching reading" are truly their very own beasts. I have a couple more teaching-methods classes involving reading and writing coming up this Summer which should be just as enlightening.

Of course, having had twins just over a year ago has proven to be even more powerful than school at pulling me from my writing--and at supplying me with story ideas at the very same instant. But that is a whole other post.

Anyhow, that's just a couple of quick thoughts between assignments: that it's one thing to study writing--it's another thing to study reading. A writer must view the words from both sides of the page. It is absolutely fascinating to begin to realise that there just might be more than two sides to every page.

"Encouraging Rejections"

I have had a few "encouraging rejections" from a number of editors over the past couple of months. They said they liked my stories but the pieces just didn't quite work well with other tales in the magazines or anthologies, or it was "just a matter of fit."

I always appreciate a word from the editor regarding a story not being accepted. I understand the need for form rejections; the volume of submissions many publishers receive requires that they process pieces as efficiently as possible or writers would clamour with even more agonised ire about the long wait to hear back. Also, I recognise that some of the works I have submitted in the past very well warranted a form rejection. (Heck, I admit some didn't even deserve the form response I got.) Nevertheless, a terse comment, a mere hint at why the decision is made, even something akin to Gordon Van Gelder's apologetic and friendly "This story just didn't grab me," are all boundlessly better than the form rejection--especially that variety which goes to great lengths and into fine detail explaining precisely why the publisher cannot go to any lengths or into any details about why a story was rejected.

Anyway, even with as little as I have been writing and submitting lately due to attending school coupled with being the stay-at-home-dad for our year-old twins while my wife is working, I feel as if I'm on a bit of a streak with submissions. It feels like I'm getting ever closer to my next sale.  And it's an exciting feeling to be sure.

Of course, whether that feeling soon proves true is a whole other blog post.

Traditional Publishing vs. Digital Publishing

Here is a link to an interesting broadcast I heard the other day on National Public Radio.

http://www.npr.org/2012/12/27/168068655/e-books-destroying-traditional-publishing-the-storys-not-that-simple

It examines a couple of pros and cons publishers face with the transition to digital publishing.

Perhaps even more interesting are the comments elicited beneath the article.

Midnight Serenade -- My Twins' Morning Song

My ten-month-old twins love this song: "Midnight Serenade" by Arch/Matheos.

One morning a few months ago, I was checking out the video on my computer and noticed that the twins seemed quite interested in it. Just about every morning since, I have played the video for them while they eat breakfast. They are always entranced. As soon as the guitar starts up, they both smile ear to ear and then watch and listen, transfixed all the way through as I feed them their cereal or apples or bananas. It has become our morning ritual.

Indeed, for my daughter and son, "Midnight Serenade" has become "Ode To Oatmeal."

Lately, we have found that when they get cranky in the car, all we have to do is put on the song, and they listen calm as can be. It's almost hypnotizing. (Although, I imagine it must make them hungry too, just like little Pavlov's dogs.)

I know of nothing else that can hold their attention so well for four and a half minutes. I am extraordinarily glad that they like the song and that they are starting off right with their "musical tastes."

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"Midnight Serenade" from the album "Sympathetic Resonance" by Arch/ Matheos -- featuring the original vocalist and guitarist of Fates Warning, along with other members of Fates Warning's current line-up. 

(Here's a link to the Fates Warning website where it can be found: http://www.fateswarning.com/Home.aspx,
and here's a link straight to the video on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=IwcL04CYews )

An essay and a give-away

I wrote an essay entitled "Imagination Infinite?" which appears today, the 8th of October, on "Poor Richard's Bloganac."

Here's the link: http://bloganac.com/imagination-infinite/

The essay I wrote as my final project for English Composition my first semester of college. I had always liked the essay but never really thought I would do anything with it. After all, "who reads essays anymore?"

"Poor Richard's Bloganac" is published by the same folks who put out The Absent Willow Review, the magazine which first published one of my stories, "Yesterdays Tomorrows." The Bloganac is a collection of essays regarding philosophy, science, and life. Rick, the man behind The Bloganac, put out a submissions call a couple months ago to former contributors to The Absent Willow Review in case any were interested in sending in an essay.

I knew I had that essay on the infinitude of imagination, so I cleaned it up and sent it in.  And now it is available for all to read.

Never did I imagine. . .


(My whole family is gathering tonight to celebrate with a platter full of Whoopie-Pies!)

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Now to the Musa Publishing Anniversary Blog-Hop:

The winner of a free download of "Day Dreamer" is--

Well, I am coming up on a year since the novella was published, and I still have a "stack" of author's copies to give away; therefore, I have decided that everyone who left a comment with contact information wins a free download.

So congratulations to: Janice, Jean, BLHmistress, Cassandra, Donna, Cia, Shadow, Latisha, and Julianne.

I will be contacting each of you to find out your preferred formats. If you would be so kind as to share your thoughts on the story with friends and family and perhaps even leave a few reviews on Goodreads or facebook or wherever you choose, I surely would appreciate it. Also, feel free to contact me and let me know what you think.

Again, congratulations to all, and thank you.

Musa Publishing Anniversary

Celebrate with Musa Publishing on its first anniversary--Visit the websites of its authors, register to win books and other prizes, and maybe even win a Kindle Fire!

 

One year ago Musa Publishing began operations, offering novels and short stories in electronic format. It held a promising outlook in a less than certain industry, starting small yet dynamic, with an uncompromising goal of getting good stories into the hands of readers at fair prices. They have since gone on to include dozens of authors and hundreds of works, even expanding into print editions, carving out an ever growing and resourceful presence in the world of books.

It was just over a year ago that I was offered a contract for publication of my novella "Day Dreamer" and learned that it was to be published during Musa's inaugural month. Although it wasn't my first publication, it was my first sale, and I shall remain always grateful to Musa and its directors for believing in the story and in me.




Here is a list of links to various interviews and features regarding "Day Dreamer" during the past year:

http://musapublishing.blogspot.com/2011/10/meet-devin-hodgins-author-of-day.html
http://musapublishing.blogspot.com/2011/10/character-thursday-with-steve-wespers.html
http://www.amaleenison.com/?p=207
http://jkbooklover.wordpress.com/2012/07/09/writerly-questions-with-devin-hodgins/
http://laurahardgrave.blogspot.com/2012/06/featured-musa-book-day-dreamer-by-devin.html
http://www.casperjournal.com/arts/article_1638511c-d9a6-5fcc-8b22-7a816b7c0898.html

Please check them out and let me know what you think.


CONTEST:
To help commemorate Musa's anniversary, I will be giving away a few free downloads of "Day Dreamer."
All you have to do in order to enter is join to follow this blog, like my facebook page at www.facebook.com/DevinHodginsOfficial, and leave a comment here, perhaps describing a dream that came true for you (or whatever else you wish to say), along with your contact information in case you win. I will draw the winner at the end of the week.
Good Luck!

Be sure and hop through the websites of Musa Publishing's other authors. Many will be giving away copies of their books as well.


Again, congratulations to Musa Publishing. May she celebrate many more anniversaries of realizing her dreams.