this is my journal ... i write it as i go ... it has typos ... it's not perfect ... but then ... neither am i A Weekend Away From the Keyboard August 4, 1999 5:11 a.m.          I have, on a few very rare occasions, actually sold stories at conventions. I am free to report, however, that this did not occur at Rivercon. Despite this atrocious (1) oversight, I had an awfully good time. The bottom line for the con was that I had plenty of good discussions with writers, connected on some old time connections, did my share of laughing, and managed to get my sleeping pattern completely out of sync.      So, it pretty much hit all the bases.      Here's my opinion of the Top 10 snippets of conversation I overheard (or said) in Louisville to give you an idea of how the event went:       10. Chainmail is notoriously inelastic. (Okay, it's no longer original, so what?) 9. Dum dum? (said while waving a candy sucker under the recipient's nose) 8. Is it a real fire? (said when the fire alarm rang right after the Y2K panel) 7. It's hot out here. (said after a minute standing outside) 6. It's really hot out here. (said after two minutes standing outside) 5. Is the Fire Department coming? (said after ten minutes standing outside) 4. Just call me Nostradamnit 3. Don't you be a lesbian (not complete without finger wagging) 2. I'm better known for my Web Page than for my stories. (just the facts, ma'am). 1. Question: "Can I send you a book?" - Answer: "Why, yes, I'll take an Orson Scott Card if you have one."      Okay. You had to be there. But believe me, they were mostly funny at the time. Of course, they would have been funnier if Christopher Rowe had been there.               Dumb headline of the day: SHOOTER LOST $105,000 IN A MONTH, BUT MOTIVE STILL A MYSTERY               After selling three stories in June, I garnered the big goose egg in July. Nada, zip, the big 0-fer. Not only that, but I think I had a record low for rejections, too, although, my record keeping mechanics don't really allow for and easy way of confirming this.      Just what you wanted to know, eh?      Maybe it's the convention season. Has anyone out there ever done a study to see when editors are the most active? I'm certain some new writer must have gathered this data sometime.               Let's see ... progress ... what progress have I made recently? Well. Friday I received the galleys for "A Gathering of Bones," a story that's to be included in Mercedes Lackey's Flights of Fantasy (due out in November, last I heard). Saturday, Dell sent back the signed contract and a check for "A Matter of Pride," which is due to be in Analog someday.      I'm maybe 40% through a new short story, and moving fairly briskly.      "1 is True" is nearing the point of being prepared for Lisa's copyedit.               Anyway, back to work. Have a good one. E-Mail Daily Persistence is © Ron Collins

MORE ENTRIES "...the fact is that most productive writers show up for work as dutifully and with as little fanfare as any civil servant..." Rosellen Brown 1 -- per the American Heritage Dictionary: a·tro·cious (e-tro'shes) adj. 1. extremely evil, savage, or cruel: an attrocious crime. 2. Exceptionally bad; abominable: atrocious decor. [< Lat. atrox, cruel.] -- a·tro'cious·ly adv. -- a·tro'cious·ness n. BACK TO