Art on 12th, Abtract Art, and Rocking the Rewrites.

The Long Journey Home by Amanda Corlies SandosIt's a whirlwind adventure over here at Creative Antics this weekend. What can I say? I like to keep things at an insane pace and then occasionally fall on my face from sheer exhaustion. That seems to be  the way I keep my muses happy and willing to work with me on creating stuff. So this weekend, not only am I getting ready for the upcoming Marginalized show next Friday, but my studio group, Art on 12th, is having their semi-annual open house this afternoon from 2-4. So I'm in the midst of hanging not just one, but two shows, while also trying to juggle all of my various writing deadlines.

Oh, and while I'm at it, I've also started a total rewrite on the story that was once La Playa Blanca. It's getting a make over and a new linear storyline, thanks to some sound advice from my editors. One should never scoff at the advice of editors. It's not that they always know what's right, but neither should anyone try to write in a box. It usually turns out crappy work. Best to rant and rave and get angry if you must, while on the surface remaining mature and polite, of course. You might even need to give yourself some time and distance from it, but then truly sit down and take what the editors have said to heart. Nothing they say is ever intended to be cutting or mean. Not if they are at all professionals, and most are. I guarantee work that has several eyes and lots of opinions on it is always much better overall, particularly if you are willing to be open minded about changing things.

Waterhorse No. 1 by Amanda Corlies SandosAnyway, I digress. After taking that needed distance, I started over, making some big changes to the overall story arc. I've hit the 6000 word mark here today on the do over, which I am now calling Deep Down. The whole thing is already up around 10,000 words and I just started the rewrites at the beginning of the week. Not too shabby for a girl with more balls in the air than she has hands to juggle them with. Now that I've caught the linear storyline, and figured out how this thing can come together, I feel like it's turning into a much stronger story. It might even hit novel length before it's over. My goal is to have it done in time to give away at least a .pdf version for the Hop Against Homophobia, but that might be pushing things. Alas, the writing is going strong, so in case I forgot to say it, thanks editors. You know who you are. I really appreciate the honesty and the little shove in the right direction.

If you live in the Lynchburg area, and you like abstract art, come on by the studio today, Sunday 4/29/2012. Art on 12th is on the corner of 12th and Grace Street in downtown, above The Art Box. We'll be open from 2-4 PM. I will be showing my abstracts at this particular show. Plus, all ten of the other artists in the building will be showing, as well. It should be a good time.

A Ripple is All it Takes. NSFW

This weekend was a writer's retreat of sorts for me. Fantastic fun ensued with fellow writers and friends, West Thornhill, Andi Lea, and Amanda Young (aka The Coffee Porn Gang). We had a lovely lunch followed by coffee porn, where the usual hold-your-sides laughter ensued. Time with these ladies always brings inspiration, usually from something small that was said. It's like they drop a little stone of an idea into a still body of water and as the ripples fan out they grow. Sometimes the inspirations comes because we intentionally brainstorm, and other times just because we're outside of our usual routines enjoying fun together. This weekend included a little of both. 

Anyway, I stayed mostly offline all weekend, enjoying research to follow said ripples down whatever path they wanted to take. They seem to have built into a big wave. I'm riding it while the moon's pull is strong. Thanks Coffee Porn Gang for, once again,  throwing a stone into my pond this weekend. 

Keeping with a watery theme, I was over at West's blog catching up, and I noticed this photo she posted. It is the very same photo that started the whole La Playa Blanca (LPB) story. She sent it to our Eros writer's group last year with a prompt about kissing in the rain. So, I wrote my very first scene about Shane and Andrew kissing on a boat during a storm. It later became part of Chapter 3. I wrote two more short scenes for the following prompts using these same characters, and the whole story built from there. 

Tomorrow, LPB comes down from this site to be subbed to the first publishing house I've chosen to try. Cross your fingers for me. This is truly your last chance, peeps. Shane and Andrew set sail for adventures unknown tomorrow afternoon.

Update on Monday, January 9, 2012 at 3:10PM by Amanda Corlies

As of 3 PM the sails were unfurled and snapping in a good strong tailwind. My boys are off to their next harbor. May their journey be safe and may they find many new friends along the way. 

The Next Phase, the LPB Update, and Environmental Art

Now that the holidays are done, and writing La Playa Blanca (LPB) has come to an end, it's time to move to that "what's next" phase. And, don't worry, there is plenty in the works. The one thing that ties all of my art in its various forms together is the need to promote greater respect for ourselves, each other, and the environment. 

I spent yesterday at the studio. But, I didn't paint. Instead, I ended up doing administrative work preparing LPB for subbing to publishers. This included things like query letters, formatting, and synopsis writing, all the things I find most tedious in this writing experience. I've done them before to sub my journalism, short stories and poetry, but never for this particular genre, and so, in some ways it feels like I'm starting at the beginning, again. It's all a learning process. LPB should be off to its first potential home by the end of the week, so, if you haven't read it, now's the time. Once it's sent out, it must come down from this site. 

This week also finds me working on The Elephant Keeper novel. Mark and Aiden are ready for some quality time. Aiden, as I've already mentioned, is an elephant keeper working at a fictional Chicago zoo. Mark is an environmental artist, like me, who creates sculptures out of industrial metal scraps. His work comments on the overabundance of human trash. (I'll talk more about the environmental art movement in coming posts.) Mark, a long-time lover of elephants, is chosen to create an elephant sculpture at the zoo. He and Aiden meet under less than ideal circumstances, but fate has a way of throwing them together, and the sparks, they will fly.This story has been fantastic fun to write, so I'm looking forward to giving it more of my focus.

There are numerous other projects in the works, some of them in entirely different genres, one is a big secret that I am very excited about. All of them remind me that a new year is always a good thing, because it feels like rejuvenation and a fresh start loaded with potential. 

A New Year of Boys Love. The Final Chapter is Here.

As the year comes to an end, so does the writing of my first novella. I just posted the final chapter of La Playa Blanca. It will be posted here as a  free read for a while, yet, while I decide where I want to sub it. I feel strangely sad now that it's finished and a little confused. On the one hand, I feel like this calls for a party, and on the other, I feel like partying would be inappropriate, since I have to say goodbye to these characters I've grown to love. 

For those who have enjoyed the story, not to worry, I have an idea for Captain Jim's tale, and I'm playing with stories for several of the other characters, too. Shane and Andrew will definitely be a part of these. In the meantime, I have started several unrelated M/M contemporary romances, so it promises to be a Happy New Year of boys love over at Casa Corlies.

I hope you will enjoy reading La Playa Blanca as much as I enjoyed writing it. Many thanks go out again to my fabulous editors and beta readers, Andi Lea, West Thornhill and G.H. Worth for all of their advice, and to my early beta readers Cherie Noel and Kortny Alexander. You ladies are all awesome sauce with extra awesome on the side! 

Santa Loves to SCUBA

I mean, he has to distribute gifts to all the creatures of the sea, right? You don't really think Santa only delivers to humans do you? I wondered until I found a few photos of Santa on his ocean rounds. But before I get to those, don't forget to check out La Playa Blanca, a SCUBA diving contemporary M/M romance adventure. Now, there's a mouth full. What could be better than sexy divers in Belize? Free sexy divers, that's what. For those already following along, here's the latest chapter.

Now, back to Santa.

Yep, Santa gets around! Hope you all have a fantastic and safe holidays!