Gateway... is up to 49,000 words. I was making some pretty decent progress (for me) then the weather warmed up and I had to get to work on outdoor projects: powerwash and re-stain the deck, chainsaw those 20" diameter ash logs, split and stack wood, spring maintenance on roof and gutters, etc.

The essay didn't place in the contest, and "Staking Sunflowers" was rejected by its seventh market. Haven't bothered trying to shop it to an eighth market or any of the other short stories because I haven't gotten over those feelings of futility.

Back in March, I took a class entitled "Fearless Writing", based on the book of the same name. It helped me to see what's been blocking my attempts to write (me) and showed me how to dispel those thoughts and get back into the flow. It's not an overnight cure; I have to keep working at it until it becomes automatic. But it made me feel hopeful, which isn't something I typically feel.

\_/
DED