Oregon Coast Professional Writers Workshop: Denise Little Workshop

So this weekend I was in Lincoln City on the Oregon Coast attending one of the Oregon Coast Professional Writers Workshops. This one was the Denise Little Workshop. The idea behind this workshop was to examine the production of short stories and to produce stories for two themed anthologies. Co-taught by Denise Little* and Dean Wesley Smith**, another point was to examine the difference between how a magazine editor and an anthologist reviews submissions, and what they would and wouldn't buy based on their individual criteria.

The workshop was based at the Historic Anchor Inn, a 1940s-style hotel that included a big main building filled with Americana and two outer buildings made of connected bungalows, in one of which I stayed. The bungalows included a front room, bedroom, kitchenette, and bathroom, and were also filled with Americana. The doors to my bedroom and closet were bead curtains featuring a hula girl and a mermaid. The soap holder in my bathroom was a lobster with a bar of soap in each claw. The main room was heated very effectively by a faux fireplace. The bed was firm and squeaky as hell, but made warm and cozy by flannel sheets and a quilt. In short, the place was just wonderful. I honestly felt like I could have lived very happily in that little bungalow and never want for anything (except kitties . . . and wifi).

( Stuff about the class sessions, but not too much )

So how'd I do in terms of selling to the anthologies? Um...let's just say that Denise liked what she saw, but that the vagaries of anthology Table of Contents building may play a part in what happens from here. I'll provide more concrete details on that later as things develop.

I came away satisfied and exhausted and had a wonderful time, but when it was time to go home, I was really ready. I'll tell you, though, I'd go back and stay at the Anchor in a heartbeat. And if Dean runs this workshop again (and rumor has it that Denise wants to do it again), I'll be there.

And, oh yeah, about the new pinky swear. It seems I have to write a new story and put it in the mail every two weeks. Guh. We'll see how that goes. I'm taking it one step at a time.

Gary Gygax

From Wired:
Gary Gygax, one of the co-creators of the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing game, died Tuesday morning at his home in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, according to Stephen Chenault, CEO of Troll Lord Games.

He changed the world. That about says it all.

I never met the man, but many of my friends and colleagues did. Sympathies, my friends.

::raises glass::

Pictures from the Coast

I've posted my pictures from the workshop weekend here at Flickr. Of particular interest might be the following:

The hula girl and the mermaid.

The soap lobster

kenscholes is king of the world.

bravado111's new author photo (not really; it's just a really good pictures of him).

Me on the beach, with the Inn at Spanish Head in the background.

The whole gang after a long weekend.