Saturday, July 10th, 1999

I have been hearing a number of complaints from various people that I have not written in my journal lately. Oops. Even the illustrious Mike Resnick (are you reading this, Mike?) has seen fit to comment on how frustrating it is to check my journal: "Murph, if you're going to do this, do it right. You should be writing every day. I expect to see a new entry tomorrow." This journal entry is officially dedicated to Mike, who has been both gadfly and inspiration for me all this week at Clarion. :-)

So what has happened? Well, there was a huge waterfight on July 2nd, and we almost got arrested with editor Scott Edelman on July 3rd, and then we nearly blew up Van Hoosen Hall (also with editor Scott Edelman) with Indiana fireworks on July 4th... Oh, you want details. Details will be forthcoming, I promise. I plan to backfill a large number of entries as soon as I finish the story that I'm working on right now. It's about halfway done, so I have high hopes for getting you folks updated by the middle of next week.

I have been writing a lot, but have not been getting much finished. It's been very, very frustrating. I started four stories, all of which I had to set aside because they were really novel ideas and could not be handled any other way. Then I wrote the first half of an SF story, but decided to put it aside for the moment because the characters just wasn't working out. Then I wrote the text for a picture book. I don't know if I want to submit it to the group for critique, since none of them have experience with children's literature, but who cares? I finished something!! Right now, I'm working on a children's fantasy story (but for older kids) called "Nine-Fingered Maria" that I do plan to submit to the group for critique. It is going quite well, and I have high hopes of finishing it this weekend.

My husband is visiting me this weekend, and it is wonderful having him here (even if he does distract me away from writing.) Note to future Clarion students: be sure to schedule at least one conjugal visit while you are here. Your sanity will thank you.

Pregnancy Update

Well, I may have to go shopping in the thrift stores here soon. I came with exactly nine days worth of clothing, and to my dismay, three of my outfits no longer fit. It's not the gargantuan stomach (to paraphrase the Beatles: I am the Walrus, I am the Egg Woman...) that is the problem, either. Most of the outfits that I brought with me had generous skirts that are quite forgiving of a bulging belly. My chest, however, is another story. While I knew intellectually that it would grow during pregnancy, I did not realize that it would grow quite this much. I now cannot button several of my tops.

All this growth has had another disconcerting side effect. I've had a return of the nausea of the first trimester. My theory is that my stomach is being squashed to make room for the ever expanding uterus, and as a result, is not holding down food very well. My patient fellow Clarionites have now seen several of my stealth vomits first hand. You have no idea how this has enhanced my reputation out here...

Hmm