The Weekend Report
Jul. 21st, 2008 02:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mmerriamDespite becoming ill and still being that way, the weekend was full of fun.
The weekend started off with a rare Saturday meeting of the Twin Cities Speculative Fiction Writers Network. Usually we have topics about such things as world building or short fiction markets, but this month was a more low-keyed meeting, as they tend to be after a convention. We had several members read snippets from their current works-in-progress. I found each snippet enjoyable in its own way, and I have my eye on a couple of pieces that might be break-out work for the writer. I did not have to read a snippet, though I brought one, just in case. We had several new people show up (hi![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
dmbaird!), which is always a good thing, in my opinion. Next month we get back to topics as we discuss How to Create a Plot.
We had a gaming session scheduled for that night atsittaraha1's home, so instead of riding the bus all the way back to Hopkins, I went to the Loring Park Dunn Brothers coffeeshop and settled in with my notebook, pen, and lunch. I managed to put in some pretty good writing time (see the word meter below) and watched a nice rain storm move through the city.
It also provided the one moment of weirdness I had this weekend. I was working away when I was approached by a young woman who asked if I was at CONvergence. When I said yes, she asked if I was Michael Merriam. When I told yes, I was, she explained that she had been at the "Where Do You Start?" panel. She talked nervously about how much she had enjoyed that panel and then, looking outside at the approaching storm, said she needed to get home before the rain started and POOF!!! she was gone as suddenly as she had appeared.
Now, I've had people ask me if I was Michael Merriam before (including once at a rest stop in Wisconsin) but always in the context of them knowing me online through Live Journal. This time it was a complete and utter stranger. I was boggled.
The gaming session went well this weekend. The players worked hard, over came several challenges, complete this part of their quest, and only one of them died in the process. And again, it was through friendly fire. It looks like we will be adding a couple of new characters the quest next sessions, which is this weekend. Everyone brought yummy food to share and a good time was had, despite the character death.mojos_lady pointed out that her characters keep dying in fiery explosions.
Sunday night I slept terribly and woke up ill, but gamely went about my day, and was glad of it. We went to downtown Hopkins for the Raspberry Festival Grand Parade. I had never been to the parade here and did not know what to expect. It was a two hour parade of floats, bands, acrobats, precision driving teams (motorcycles, go-carts, and mini-cars), Honor Guards, and other fun stuff. We found a vender with cheese curds, corn dogs, and mini-donuts on the corner of Main and 10th, and then after the parade we visited the local Masonic Lodge (which is the oldest building in Hopkins still serving its original purpose) for their open house, because we wanted to see inside the building.
Then we went home and ordered Chinese take-out and I pretty much collapsed. I'm still not feeling very well, but I think if I can get some more sleep, that might fix me right up.
In other news, I have a couple of stories available at the Anthology Builder site, and hope to have two or three more with them in the future. Shimmers & Shadows has sold well enough considering I have to hand sell them all. I'm not sure we are going to break even, but you never know. I don't have anymore conventions this year, though I am reading at DreamHaven Books in September, so hopefully can sell a few copies there.
Why yes, I am still working on a novel.
Dark Water Blues
The weekend started off with a rare Saturday meeting of the Twin Cities Speculative Fiction Writers Network. Usually we have topics about such things as world building or short fiction markets, but this month was a more low-keyed meeting, as they tend to be after a convention. We had several members read snippets from their current works-in-progress. I found each snippet enjoyable in its own way, and I have my eye on a couple of pieces that might be break-out work for the writer. I did not have to read a snippet, though I brought one, just in case. We had several new people show up (hi
dmbaird!), which is always a good thing, in my opinion. Next month we get back to topics as we discuss How to Create a Plot.We had a gaming session scheduled for that night at
sittaraha1's home, so instead of riding the bus all the way back to Hopkins, I went to the Loring Park Dunn Brothers coffeeshop and settled in with my notebook, pen, and lunch. I managed to put in some pretty good writing time (see the word meter below) and watched a nice rain storm move through the city.It also provided the one moment of weirdness I had this weekend. I was working away when I was approached by a young woman who asked if I was at CONvergence. When I said yes, she asked if I was Michael Merriam. When I told yes, I was, she explained that she had been at the "Where Do You Start?" panel. She talked nervously about how much she had enjoyed that panel and then, looking outside at the approaching storm, said she needed to get home before the rain started and POOF!!! she was gone as suddenly as she had appeared.
Now, I've had people ask me if I was Michael Merriam before (including once at a rest stop in Wisconsin) but always in the context of them knowing me online through Live Journal. This time it was a complete and utter stranger. I was boggled.
The gaming session went well this weekend. The players worked hard, over came several challenges, complete this part of their quest, and only one of them died in the process. And again, it was through friendly fire. It looks like we will be adding a couple of new characters the quest next sessions, which is this weekend. Everyone brought yummy food to share and a good time was had, despite the character death.
mojos_lady pointed out that her characters keep dying in fiery explosions.Sunday night I slept terribly and woke up ill, but gamely went about my day, and was glad of it. We went to downtown Hopkins for the Raspberry Festival Grand Parade. I had never been to the parade here and did not know what to expect. It was a two hour parade of floats, bands, acrobats, precision driving teams (motorcycles, go-carts, and mini-cars), Honor Guards, and other fun stuff. We found a vender with cheese curds, corn dogs, and mini-donuts on the corner of Main and 10th, and then after the parade we visited the local Masonic Lodge (which is the oldest building in Hopkins still serving its original purpose) for their open house, because we wanted to see inside the building.
Then we went home and ordered Chinese take-out and I pretty much collapsed. I'm still not feeling very well, but I think if I can get some more sleep, that might fix me right up.
In other news, I have a couple of stories available at the Anthology Builder site, and hope to have two or three more with them in the future. Shimmers & Shadows has sold well enough considering I have to hand sell them all. I'm not sure we are going to break even, but you never know. I don't have anymore conventions this year, though I am reading at DreamHaven Books in September, so hopefully can sell a few copies there.
Why yes, I am still working on a novel.
Dark Water Blues
