submission: Ooligan Press Flash Fiction Contest

Flash Fiction Contest

Write to Publish 2011 Flash Fiction Contest

Presented by Ooligan Press

Deadline for Submissions: Sunday, April 24^th, 2011
Submission Guidelines:

• Please submit one flash fiction piece of five hundred words or less. While there is no specific theme, we are not seeking genre-specific work, such as romance, westerns, or sci-fi.
• Any submitted work should not have been previously published.
• The winning authors will retain all rights to their stories.
• Each submission should include a note about your interest in Ooligan Press’ Write to Publish conference, and an optional, brief bio in the body of the email.
• All submissions should please include “Flash Fiction Contest” in the subject line, and be sent as a Word document attachment to: events@ooliganpress.pdx.edu

There is no entry fee for the contest. We are, however, encouraging contestants to donate to the Ooligan Press Offset Fund. The Offset Fund was created as part of Ooligan’s effort to promote sustainable printing practices. All money donated to the Ooligan Press Offset Fund will be used for the production and publication of Ooligan’s sustainable Open Book Series, to send students to workshops and conferences where they can learn and teach about sustainable publishing practices, and to help the press make more sustainable choices. Go to the PSU Foundation to get started.
Prizes:
All three contest winners will be given the opportunity to read their stories on the author stage during the Write to Publish Open House Day, Sunday, May 22^nd. The three winning stories will also be posted on the Ooligan Press website and at the Write to Publish conference.

• First Prize 1) One full day pass to Workshop Day, Saturday, May 21^st; 2) two tickets to Open House Day, Sunday, May 22^nd, and 3) copies of both of Ooligan’s most recently released books, The Portland Red Guide by Michael Munk, and Rethinking Paper & Ink: The Sustainable Publishing Revolution by Ooligan Press.
• Second Prize 1) Two tickets to Open House Day, Sunday, May 22^nd, and 2) a copy of Rethinking Paper & Ink: The Sustainable Publishing Revolution by Ooligan Press.
• Third Prize 1) One ticket to Open House Day, Sunday, May 22^nd, and 2) a copy of Rethinking Paper & Ink: The Sustainable Publishing Revolution by Ooligan Press.

Write to Publish
Open Books: Open up your book to the possibilities.
May 21^st & 22^nd, 2011
Organized by Ooligan Press, Write to Publish aims to demystify the publishing process for writers. Write to Publish is different from other writing conferences in that it does not focus on the craft of writing, but rather on the process of getting published via lectures, workshops, and industry professionals available to answer your questions. Speakers for the 2011 Open House Day author stage are soon to be announced.
For more information about Write to Publish 2011, please visit the website at: www.ooliganpress.pdx.edu/w2p.

Hazel Dixon-Cooper's Retrograde notes

Mercury has gone retrograde, again. And I've found Hazel's notes pretty accurate for possible influences. The last Mercury in retrograde was a tough one for me - and I don't usually notice them much. Shortly after the events in my life began, I saw the link to Hazel's site in my reader and there, surprise, was just what I was going through, along with some timelines and guidelines. Those really helped me get through that period with more calm and awareness.

Thank you, Hazel (who is a friend and fellow writer with Bonnie Hearn Hill, and whom I hope to meet on my trip down to Bonnie's soon).

Mercury Retrograde in Aries - March 30 to April 23, 2011

Mercury, the planet of communication and ideas, is retrograde in impatient, action-packed Aries. Your mind could buzz with new ideas and brainstorms. You could also receive invitations, offers, and meet new professional and personal contacts. You could feel energetic and enthused.

That’s the good news.

The caution is to pace yourself and think before you act. Remember that Aries is the sign of impulsive behavior, and is ruled by competitive and hot-headed Mars. During a retro period in Aries, your mouth can easily kick into gear about ten steps ahead of your brain. The result? Pissing contests, bad business deals, and lust-vs-love affairs.

On April 11, Mercury spins backward into Jupiter, then into Mars on April 19. This is the critical phase of the retro period and it’s critical to consider your actions before you proceed. Make sure you understand what you’re agreeing to before you jump into a project or take on more responsibility at work. Give yourself breathing space instead of jumping into bed, or dumping a relationship. Impulsive action now can turn into a major regret later. On a bright note, these days are good finds ways to inject new energy into old projects, ideas, or habits.

For a sign-by-sign look at how this could affect you visit Hazel's website.
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Meeting a Memory

This is a short post, as I'm still digesting the afternoon.

It was a good afternoon.

And an unusual one - but I hope there will be more.

After my morning job, I drove to Salem and met for lunch with my best friend from childhood. She and I were best buds from second through twelfth grades. We had a little communication for a couple years after that - because I ran away and got married and commuted back to my home town to finish high school, so we weren't together all the time; our lives diverged.  (Yes - the stuff memoirs are made from *wink* - yes, this is the period I've been writing about in my memoir; yes, right now, editing, revising, adding/deleting - and she contacted me as I was writing the part about meeting the person I married who this friend I had lunch with today introduced me to all those years ago.)

I wondered what we would say, where to begin. And it was easy.

"Dot?"

"Marja?"

Hug!

"Where do we start? Go back to the beginning and go forward, or start where we are and go back?"

"Or just jump right in."

And we did. We hugged. We were seated at a booth. We ordered lunch. We ate and talked and talked and talked. And four and a half hours later I headed home. After exchanging phone numbers (land line and mobile), more hugs, and a commitment to meet up again and continue the conversation.

It was a very good afternoon.

And it's nice and it's odd (in a good way) to have her back in my life.

So much has changed and so little.
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synchronicity

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I've been trying to write this post for an hour. Getting nowhere. So I won't for now.

Except to say that right now seems to be a time of pieces coming together for me. And some not. Of writing about something or a person and then, they appear somehow (an email, perhaps; or a mention from someone who I didn't know had that connection, too). Of reading a discussion thread about a topic and then receiving and email or a class list about just that topic the next day.

I'm not really talking about cause and effect.

More like the energy in the air and multiple sources picking up on it.

Yes - it's in the air and it's being tapped into. Like the waves at the beach, touching the shores for miles and miles and touching the toes or lives of many, who just happen to be there about that same time. And notice the water at their feet.
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Script Frenzy update

Yes, I'm still writing the script. Whoa. Sometimes easy and sometimes not; two of the days the pages have flown by and I thought, wow this is easy! Then times like today - ugh. What do you mean I only typed 1.5 pages? So I typed another - what? 1? Okay....type type type type. Yay! I reached three pages. Wow.

It's still fun and I think I'm working something out through it.

Or priming the wheels for the other things I'm doing.

So my current page count is: 14!

And here is my little info from my Script Frenzy author page -- just for fun:

Title: The Not So Alternative Lifestyle

Script type: Stage play

Script genre: Romance/Romantic Comedy

Logline: A cautionary tale: the thing you fear may be no different than you. Love, laughter, and misunderstandings in a long term relationship.

Writing Our Way Home blog: What you feel deepest and hardest

Writing Our Way Home blog: What you feel deepest and hardest:

"Why write?

You could also ask, why create? Why bow to the golden Buddha?

Why love?

Writing gets us closer to what we feel deepest and hard ..."

I really like this post and wanted to share it. Click on the link - it's an awesome "why we write" piece and poem.
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Hazel Dixon-Cooper: Aries New Moon

Astronomer and author Hazel Dixon-Cooper posted about the Aries New Moon. I'll just let you read her words. (and there is a link at the bottom to click to see your sun sign's horoscope during this period).

For those friends I've been around lately, this note about the "a sky filled with wild energy" may resonate. Note to myself : pay special attention to the bit about "slowing down..."

Thanks, Hazel!

Aries New Moon - Sunday, April 3, 2011


Sunday's New Moon in Aries adds even more mayhem to a sky already filled with wild energy. This anything-goes Moon joins the Sun, Jupiter, Uranus, and retrograde Mercury in this impulsive sign. The resulting shoot-from-the-hip force can make us feel as if we're on a runaway roller coaster. Although the next few days are ripe to bring opportunities, invitations, and lucky breaks, the best way to snag something good is to slow down. Think about your options and don't rush. You'll need to stay organized and keep your eyes open because navigating the upcoming week can be as tricky as maneuvering an L.A. freeway during rush hour. Here is a sign-by-sign look at how this dynamic energy could impact you:

Hazel's sun sign horoscopes.
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Time on my Hands

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How often do I say that? Not much, I know. But here I am, with a series of circumstances which have left me with gaps in my schedule.

I know. Don't get me started. What I'm calling "gaps" in my schedule may not even be considered "time off" for other people. But today I do have the whole day off. No work (the job I had canceled, billing done, emails responded to, no prep work to do, no play to translate or practice). No teaching (scheduling, grading, reviewing, contacting mentors or students - it's all done - waiting for replies). And with the canceled ongoing assignment, I have more time. Yes, I will have to pick up some other jobs to fill in that gap - but it will be fine. Those assignments will trickle in as I need them to (thinking positively here).

So I'm writing more. As I've already said here. I'm actually writing a lot. (And, see, I'm posting more. This was part of my commitment to myself - to post at least four times a week, with a secret hope of nearly daily.)

And - you know what else I found myself doing this morning? Sitting here with my coffee (which is contradictive with the arnica I took; I'll have to take more in an hour or so) and my cottage cheese with kale and blueberries, ice on my achey ankle and foot raised - online, looking around at Masters and PhD degrees in creative writing, creativity, and MFAs. Again. I revisit them now and then. See what's new. If any of them look better than they did last time. What's close to home. Who is offering what for distance degrees/low residency options. And they're looking better. I wonder about those with graduate teaching assistance - maybe, that could be fun or could be H E double-toothpicks; it would certainly be a time consumer, as I know very well. Distance/low res options cut out the time and place requirements, but tend to be more expensive and don't have grad teaching financial help (but they could! I know they could! I've been a mentor and instructor in distance programs and I could do it for an MFA). Today I saw one, more local (and I forgot to check if it's at the local campus or only on the main campus) where a bulk of the classes are workshop. I love that idea!

Simultaneously I am thinking: what AM I thinking? How could I do this? Am I simply uncomfortable with time off or is having some time off from so many obligations giving me time to think about what I do want?

Would a Masters degree in writing or creativity or even the coveted MFA really make a difference? Further my goals as a writer? Or simply prolong or derail them? I've toyed with the idea of a PhD - with all the credits I have an my experience, there used to be a program that I could wrap up the Masters requirements simultaneously and go straight to the top. But the top of what? What is the PhD for - but to teach? And do I want to teach writing/creativity in a standardized academic setting? Or is it the experience and exposure and cameraderie of the degree; the shared space and the permission to write and the feedback (I have great experience with this through Ariel Gore's workshops - in person and online)?

Why do I keep looking at the degrees? And yes, I noticed the excitement I felt at the one with the workshop foundation. I don't know. I've been here many times.

Time consumer? Validation? Permission to write? Networking and information to move ahead?

Thinking.
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Script Frenzy: Day One

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Yes. I did it - I hit the minimum number of average pages per day in my Script Frenzy play - and more.

I'm ending today with 7 pages of my script written.

And I decided to insert a Poet into the play. Well, more like a wandering minstrel who will appear throughout the play. So I am also doing a poem a day, as well (we'll see how this goes).

I'm not quite sure why I'm doing this.

Maybe because I'm a writer.

Because I want a challenge.

Because I have some words I need to get out to keep the flow moving and there's nothing like Write X in 30 Days to get me going. Because I have learned that the more I write, the more I write.

And I've just been given back some blocks of time - so I have more time. (For those who know me, yes, this means I've lost some work. I'm putting a positive spin on it and trusting the universe to provide enough for me to meet my obligations.)

I planned to step up my walking and we'll see how that goes starting tomorrow. Tonight when I arrived home, I moved the blender from the counter in the disaster of our kitchen (this always happens with the grandson visits), slipped on some water that had been spilled from unloading the dishwasher and not wiped up, slid into the counter and grabbing onto the sink so I didn't fall and break the blender and knock my head on the still open dishwasher door and land on my butt - and the side of my ankle jammed into and under the bottom of the cupboard. That hurt really bad. I cursed like I shouldn't of with the grandson in the house. I twisted my leg a little or my knee, I'm not sure. I've taken ibuprofen and arnica and have ice on my ankle now and foot raised. I don't think anything is broken but it hurts. So my plans for walking tomorrow are probably curtailed. If the ankle or knee are sprained, maybe for longer. So maybe going from the half marathon on May 8th to the quarter marathon may not even be a possibility. I was excited to get a reply earlier today that I could go from 1/2 to 1/4 - it means I didn't have to give up, I only had to scale back (my training was interrupted by a car accident; then I got sick in February with the respiratory illness floating around - so I was being realistic and not setting myself up for a bad experience by scaling back... now we'll see).

I'm not sure how this applies to writing a script and writing poetry in April, while I'm working on the memoir and in the Literary Kitchen. But somehow it does. Maybe in terms of time.

And my friend and writer buddy, Deb, is also doing NaPoWriMo and she will be posting her poetry over at The Writing Vein Playground. Last year I put up daily prompts for April and she and I posted our corresponding poetry there (the prompts and the poems are still there; click on the 2010 archives, April; then our poems are in the comments for the prompts). Make sure to hop over to read her poetry!
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