This feels so narcissistic. To make myself feel better, why don't you tell me about yourself in the comments! What do you write? And what are you currently working on?
If you don't read my other blog, The Innocent Flower, you may wonder why the heck my name is Lady Glamis. Let's just say it has to do with Macbeth and my husband and nothing to do with being glamorous at all. I won't waste your time here with the explanation. If you're truly interested, take a peek here.
I've been writing since I was ten or twelve, and wrote my first novel when I was fifteen - about a teenage girl who hates her mom and gets kidnapped by jewel thieves. My second novel, written shortly after, is about a young woman who gets entangled in fish and corporate bio-terrorism, and my third novel, written only recently, is about a 50-year-old spy trapped between murder and love and lots of butterflies. My protagonists keep getting older, my plots always strange...
I've always wanted to write novels, but in college I focused mainly on poetry and short stories, both of which have taught me a great deal about writing well. I'm also a photographer greatly annoyed with my lack of funds to buy better equipment. You can view some of my photography work here.
As for writing, I've been published in the University of New Mexico's national literary journal, Scribendi, 2002, and was also given the staff poetry choice award for that journal in that year. I've been the editor-in-chief of my own university's literary magazine. I've won awards for my short stories at the collegiate level, and I'm recently putting forth my short stories into the literary market for publication. I've had one accepted so far to the Rose & Thorn Journal, which you'll be able to read on April 15th in their Spring Issue. If you'd like a taste of my fiction, I have a story up on Simon Larter's blog, Constant Revision, that you're welcome to read, titled "The Threshold."
I like to read and write in a wide variety of genres, especially literary, and have recently been dabbling in a screenplay that involves three different genres, including paranormal. My next piece of long fiction, starring a fairy tale character, is historical fantasy with elements of magical realism. I'm really enjoying experimenting right now, and hope all of you stick around to see the results!
I currently reside in the beautiful Rocky Mountains, graduated with a BA in English, and hope to one day meet Dr. Malasarn and Mr. Bailey when I take a trip over to the coast. That will be an interesting day, indeed!
I don't want a puppy.
Not narcisstic at all, reads more like a synopsis. A very good synopsis. I can understand about the puppy.
ReplyDeleteHey, I loved your sensory-tickly descriptions in "The Threshold."
ReplyDeleteHave you read Vladimir Nabokov's memoir, Speak Memory? I ask because he was an insect collector, mostly of butterflies, and he weaves in that theme in a beautifully poetic way with his life story and relationships.
I'm curious to learn more about your next piece of fiction. My WIP is also a magical historical fiction with fairy tale characters. It's been fun--I've always loved fairy tales but have never written fantasy before. I look forward to reading the way you write that piece, if you choose to post selections in the future.
It's always nice to get to know people better. BTW, I don't want a puppy either.
ReplyDeleteChants: "Puppy! Puppy! Puppy!" No wait... that was yesterday... Anyway.... I think we're writing the same kind of novel. Well. Sort of. Mine doesn't have a fairy tale character, but I think I would qualify it as historical fantasy with elements of magical realism. Let's be friends. :D
ReplyDeleteI love your info! I had no idea you wrote all those short stories. Plus I just found out you are a photographer. So Cool!
ReplyDeleteAnd I thought I was impressed by you before. You have quite a few accomplishments under your belt. Oh, and I had no idea we were neighbors. I'm down on the plains in Denver (if you can call it that), but I'm near enough to the Rocky Mountains to ride my motorcycle through em. Thanks for sharing all this. Oh, and everyone needs a puppy. Or a kitten.
ReplyDeleteGlam! We're in the same neck of the woods! I had thought you lived on the West Coast as well. All you multi-talented people! I'll stop with the exclamations now!
ReplyDeleteNow.
I can't believe nobody has commented on your movie-star poster.
And oh, I'd love a puppy if someone else takes care of the inconvenient stuff.
It's nice to learn more about you, Glam! Your next project sounds fascinating.
ReplyDeleteI'm allergic to puppies :(
Even though I feel like I know you and Scott well, I'm still learning so many new things from both of you. Thanks for writing this, Michelle! I think you should get a puppy. It will distract Darcy and give you more time to write. For a few minutes, at least. :) And what's this fish story???
ReplyDeleteAnne: A synopsis of me! That was easier than a synopsis of Monarch, haha.
ReplyDeleteGenie: I haven't read Nabokov, but people keep telling me I should. If he's doing something with butterflies, I must read! Awesome that you are writing magical historical fiction as well. Now I'm interested in your work, too! I'm going to send you something. :)
Patti: Why don't you want a puppy? I don't want one because I already have a child, and I'm trying to potty train her, and I've potty trained puppies before, and it's not fun and they're just obnoxious. Very cute, but obnoxious. I think it's just the puppies my parents always pick...really loud neurotic ones.
Valerie: Yes,Davin wants a puppy! Historical fantasy seems to be getting popular, and I wanted to try my hand at it with my own literary dark twist. Mwhahaha! Let's be friends, for sure! Do I follow your blog? I must go see...
Carolyn: Hey, if you ever want an author photo... I did Jenni's! Any excuse to get together, hehe. :)
Eric: Oh, you're in Denver! Exciting! I love Colorado. I'm one state over from you. :)
Yat-Yee: Where do you live? I must go check your profile and see if you have it listed... Yes, the inconvenient stuff with the puppy is what I can't handle right now. I've got my hands full with the three year old.
Mariah: Allergic to just puppies or dogs in general? Puppies are cute, I must admit. And I do like them better than cats, but right now in my life they aren't my cup of tea. I get my fill house sitting for my parents and taking care of their dog.
Davin: I think my husband would like a puppy, but we don't live somewhere that allows pets. Oh well! Haha.
The fish story was originally titled "Blind Access," then I retitled it "Shift." I wrote it in high school and haven't touched it since. It's really bad but an interesting premise, although probably overdone.
How can you have not read Nabokov? "Transparent Things" is amazing, as is "Pnin" and "Mary" and "Ada" and "The Real Life of Sebastian Knight" and "Invitation to a Beheading" and, of course, "Lolita." His lectures on literature are really good stuff, too.
ReplyDeleteMagical realism is getting to be more widely acceptable. Have you read Garcia-Marquez? The short story "A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings" is really great.
You didn't mention that you play the clarinet. And Davin plays it, too.
Scott: Yes, Davin and I have a lot in common. It's frightening! We both also don't play our clarinets anymore...
ReplyDeleteI think I touched on Nabokov in college, but I don't remember much so I can't say I've properly read him.
Yes, I've read Garcia Marquez. I've read "One Hundred Years of Solitude" and wrote a creative essay that includes parts of that story and others - I'll email you.
Speak, Memory teaser:
ReplyDelete"....and the sense of leaving Russia was totally eclipsed by the agonizing thought that Reds or no Reds, letters from Tamara would be still coming, miraculously and needlessly, to southern Crimea, and would search there for a fugitive addressee, and weakly flap about like bewildered butterflies set loose in an alien zone, at the wrong altitude, among an unfamiliar flora."
Yes, please send me something!
jeannie11111982 at yahoo.com
I like your writing style, and I have a hard time finding fantasy text that I actually like. I don't read it in general. I have a few pieces of my own WIP posted on my blog if you want to peek.
Oh--to read selections from my current work, click the label "Vepres."
ReplyDeleteI like knowing more about you! And I also loved The Threshold.
ReplyDeleteLet's see, something to share about myself... I'm 1/4 Irish, 1/4 German, 1/4 Polish, 1/8 English & 1/8 Dutch, I was born in Japan, and my husband is Greek. I'm trying to get an agent for my first novel, and I am SO glad to have a sunny day here in Boston, I can't even tell you.
:-)
Wow. I must know you pretty well. I already knew all that stuff. Now tell me something I don't know. :)
ReplyDeleteNo puppy? I totally understand. Potty training a toddler is bad enough.
Genie: I sent you the email! I'll look into your blog a bit later to see your work. Thanks for your interest in mine!
ReplyDeleteCarrie: That's great to know about you! Do you eat a lot of Greek food, then? I love Greek food. Love it, love it, love it. Yay for sunny days!
Lois: Hmm, something you don't know. Did you know that I once went to a concert and body surfed and they dropped me on my back and then lifted me up again and the bouncers near the stage caught me and made me go back into the crowd? Yes, true story.
Nope, not narcissistic at all. Love getting to know you a bit better. Enjoyed "Threshold." You rock with the sensory descriptions. Thanks for all the links - lots of things to check out. I didn't know about Rose and Thorn Journal.
ReplyDeleteI'm still working on Eyes in the Ashes. Hope to finish it in a couple months. I love fantasy and science fiction but my brain can't write it. I just don't have the imagination so sticking with mysteries and romantic suspense for now.
I don't want a puppy. I have three children under the age of 5, so I don't need any more bundles of energy in my household, thanks. i do think your short fiction is very cool, and that you should do more of it.
ReplyDeleteI hear literary fiction is defunct, by the way.
Okay, that's a lie. I haven't heard that. I hope it's not defunct, 'cause it's what I'm writing right now. I guess we'll see, huh? :)
Robin: Rose & Thorn is pretty new, so I'm excited to be a part of it. You should submit something! Good luck with your book! I'm not sure I have the imagination for fantasy, either. We'll see. It might end up being super boring. Hah.
ReplyDeleteSimon: Nice to see you! I just finished another short this afternoon. You should take part in Loren Eaton's six bird thing he's doing on his blog. It's totally up your alley!
Literary fiction will never be defunct! That's a contradiction of terms in my opinion. :)
That's a very pretty picture of you. It's great to know a little more about you, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWhoa. You're such a rockin' hot chick. Crowd surfing and e'thing.
ReplyDeleteRick: Thank you for reading, Rick!
ReplyDeleteLois: Yes, I WAS wild. No more, alas. That was when I was 18. Don't let your daughters do stuff like that. :)
Love this! You're one busy lady. The lack of funds to buy web-design equipment annoys me, so I feel your pain! Oh, and if you change your mind about the puppy, I've got a 5-month old mini-wiener dog you could try! Ha! Ha!
ReplyDeleteHave a great weekend!
Jill: Thank you for coming by! I'll say no to the puppy since this morning my parent's dog woke me up at 2:30 peeing on the carpet and I had to clean it up which is weird because she's potty trained. I guess she drank too much water for bed and couldn't hold it. Sigh. Then I let her outside and she wouldn't come back in. Grrrr! Dogs don't make me happy these days, especially with a kid running around at the same time. But you could maybe send your dog to Davin!
ReplyDeleteI always think I want a puppy, but then I start thinking about cleaning up all that poop and I change my mind.
ReplyDeleteB.J.: Exactly. Although, I must admit cleaning up after my daughter is worse. But she'll grow out of it. :)
ReplyDelete