Yes, yes. Late as usual...but that's about right for me the last few years. It seems to take me a few weeks to actually get the knack of anything, including the New Year.

I hope everyone has made the transition to 2003 without trouble. Things here in my little office are moving along as well as usual. So far 2003 hasn't been too bad. I've made my first sale, a short story for an Ebook and print anthology to come out later this year from Echelon Press. I've written two short stories, and started a new novel. So far things are looking good.

Working as a writer is an unusual occupation. There is no such thing as 9-5 for a writer. (I am, in fact, writing this at 5AM after a long night of work.) Ideas are apt to strike at any time, and people who want to be ready does rather odd things. They take little notebooks into the bathtub with them. They take their Visor (a Palm like device) to bed with them, so that they can turn it on in the dark and jot down notes. They are apt to get odd looks at strange times when the final piece of a story problem drops into place.

Sometimes the stories come quickly, and sometimes they stretch out over months. But I've never had a story I gave up on, even if some of them turn out not to be as good as others. Writing is the best way to learn to write, and I'm still learning a great deal.

Looking back, it is obvious that 2002 was a good writing year for me. I had more sales than rejections (18 sales, 17 rejects, 8 placed with non-paying sites, and 7 still out at the end of December -- one of which sold in January). I had the largest word count I've ever done -- 1,064,141 Words --and had fun doing it. I wrote 1 poem, 21 short stories, 2 novelettes, 5 novellas, and 9 novels. I hope that 2003 goes nearly as well for writing and for sales.

Do I have plans for 2003? Yes. I plan to write stories. I plan to approach the year with the same enthusiasm that I did 2002, even though I don’t plan to write as much. (Of course I didn't plan to write 1,000,000 words in 2002, so you never know what might happen.)

The Good People of Coralville is now available from Writer's Exchange Epublications:

http://www.writers-exchange.com/epublishing/zette-book1.htm

Antoni Battista has spent his life in Chicago, shuffled from one foster home to another, and getting into more and more trouble as he grew older. However, after surviving a drive-by shooting -- in which he is an innocent victim -- Tony unexpectedly is given a chance at a new start. There's just one catch; he's sent to a very strict foster home in a small town.

Tony wants nothing more than to stay out of trouble for the next few months until he turns eighteen. Unfortunately, he's come to the wrong place.


The second book of the Dark Staff series should be on sale in February. In the meantime, you can find all my currently available stories listed at my website:

http://lazette.net

Be sure to check out the new issue of Vision as well. We have some great articles and a wonderful interview with Sharon Lee and Steve Miller of the Liad Universe (tm) books.

http://lazette.net/vision


And, in a final note, for a short time I am offering a free Ebook on my site. If you would like a copy of my humorous story collection, DON'T GO HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS check out the link here:

http://www.sscdc.net/zj/Sangre/Preview.htm

As the cover blurb says, it's a story of spies, aliens, and really BAD timing.


Have a happy 2003. And have fun!

Lazette Gifford
http://lazette.net