Writers in the Heartland - I've been awarded a residency
http://www.writersintheheartland.org/
Exciting news. I just confirmed today that I'll be one of a handful of authors that will be attending a residency at Writers in the Heartland this October. They only take ten authors a year. I'll have a week in a house out in the middle of Illinois, three square meals a day and nothing but time to write.
Now the hard part, what to write? Do I get a bunch of stories started, play around with some steampunk, neo-noir, edgy lit, horror, magical realism, and aim high with journals and magazines? Or do I start my third novel? I have an idea for the third one (I'm shopping my second, Disintegration right now) that might be steampunkish, in the Stephen King, Dark Tower kind of way, with a tentative title of Incarnate. I was able to write 40,000 words in one week for Disintegration, over four days, can I keep up that 10k word pace over seven days? Time to do some research and re-read some books that have inspired me in the past.
Whatever I write, don't worry, it'll be dark, sexy and strange. In other words, the usual.
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That's awesome, Richard! Congratulations!
@screwtape - thanks, what kind words, i appreciate it
@mirka - thanks so much, i'm stoked
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Sweet. Way to go, man!
"...human speech is like a cracked tin kettle, on which we hammer out tunes to make bears dance when we long to move the stars."
That sounds like a pretty exclusive slot you got yourself there man, congrats!
As for what you should write, I'd say a big opportunity calls for a big project, no?
I was able to write 40,000 words in one week for Disintegration, over four days,
When you go on a writing bender you don't mess around huh? Impressive feat man! Is this the secret of how you manage to write so many stories and book reviews and still somehow juggle a real life?
(10k words a day + one week in a residency = 1 short novel and sunday left for putting ice on those burning fingers 
)
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That residency sounds really awesome, Richard. What an awesome privilege. The way you write, I'm sure you'll get the most out of the experience.
@xyzy - thanks!
@voodoo - thanks! if i had the story ready, man...maybe i could pour out 10k a day, but i can tell you that the 40k i did, wow, my fingers DID really hurt! if i can find a way to harness this steampunk thing, i'd like to take a run at it - or, with less pressure, i could do a flash fiction in the AM (<1000 words) and a short story in the afternoon (3000-5000) and call that a good day - not sure if the nights are going to be spend writing, reading or what
@bek - thanks for the kind words, i'm excited
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Good luck, though I doubt you'll need it. I've noticed you're one of the writers who are constantly publishing and doing new things. So just have fun!
@labelleza - thanks, i'm trying, it's hard to be a pimp out here, i'll tell you that much - fun, now there's an idea
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"The Sage Of Jay (Volume 1)" If you don't, Richard, I will.
Kidding, of course. I think you should go for a novella. Something that you can have and easily write in that time period, and not spend months editing after.
You look like the type of guy / gal, who would like:
good idea, but novellas are so hard to place, took me forever to find a home for "Victimized" at 7000 words, and had to trim it down to 5000 for Murky Depths - but who knows what will happen once i'm down there
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Yeah, perhaps if you have a story long enough to be pushed up to around 20k? Then some presses will go near it
You look like the type of guy / gal, who would like:
they always seem problematic to me, and if i'm writing 20k, then i'm writing 70k 
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Congratulations Richard, that sounds like fun. And I assume "technology free."
I feel more like I do now than I did before.
pretty much, there is wifi at the house but not in the rooms, i'll try to stay off the net for sure - thanks for the kind words
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congradulations man, best of luck. May your clouds of thought be thick, steamy and wet with inspiration
The smartest thing you can ever do is realize is how stupid you are