Saturday Summary, August 6, 2011

Every Saturday, The Creative will feature a brief post about my current creative efforts and how they are progressing. If this doesn't interest you, read no further -- not only will I not be offended, I'll never know.

This was my last full week before heading back to school next week.  Even as I tried to make the most of it, some other part of me realized this was the end of my vacation and so rebelled against doing any great amount of work, which left me in a sort of strange limbo where I sat at my desk for long periods and tried to appear productive even as I got next to nothing done. 

Music -- I tried to work on several different pieces this week and succeeded in getting a whole lot of not- much done.  I did manage to finish one string piece, an easy one entitled Simple Hoedown.  I'm in the middle of trying to write it a friend so I can send them both off into the wilderness to try to get published.  I also tried to write a handbell piece or two, but for whatever reason, I just wasn't feeling it this week (probably the aforementioned end of vacation syndrome).

So, that makes my goal look like this:

• Handbell pieces -- 20 8
• Piano pieces -- 20  13
• Choral pieces -10
• String pieces --  4  1
• Band pieces -- 2
• Other instrumental pieces -- 4
• GRAND TOTAL FOR 2011 -- 60 38

I'm slowly embracing the fact that I'm probably not going to get this done (especially those 10 choral pieces -- don't know what I was thinking there), but I do know I'll get more done if I try to hit that goal than if I totally punt it, so I'm going to just keep on writing like I'm going to get all of that done.

Writing -- It is with great joy and fanfare that I can announce the title of the second book in The Sadonian Chronicles.  After months of referring to it simply as "the second book" or SC2, I can now say that the new Sadonian Chronicles book is entitled: Fealty and Fire.  I will be giving it out to my "first readers" here in the next week or so, then once I've assimilated their comments and added my own new tweaks, I'll start the long, drawn-out process of formatting, proofing, and all the other good things that go into making a book print-ready (both on- and off-screen).  I still think I'll hit my December goal of having it available.

In the meantime, if you haven't yet explored The Sadonian Chronicles, I invite you to check out the print version, the Kindle version, and the other various electronic versions at Smashwords.

Publishing -- Only one big bit of news here, and that's the news that I've added a new publisher to my list: From the Top music will be publishing both my original piece Sympatico, as well as the arrangement of Jingle Bells I wrote for the Raleigh Ringers a few years back.  I'm thrilled that both of those pieces will see the light of day in the near future, and thrilled to be part of one more publishing "family."


That's it from here.  I'd love to say I know that next week's Summary will be full of fantastic news and great tidings, but hey -- it's the first week back to school.  If I'm still upright and coherent by the end of the week, I'll consider it a victory.  Until then, though, keep creating, and best of luck in all your creative pursuits!