Met a guy the other day who, by complete coincidence, recognized me from my picture on this here website. The guy is a friend of a friend. My friend brought him to a morning writing session (a bunch of us get together early on Sunday mornings to write before we go off to do whatever it is we do on Sunday mornings), and since my friend and I have ties to Clarion West, it stands to reason that this friend of a friend might come across my site when looking up things on the Internet regarding Clarion West, and that we would eventually meet.

So. The friend of a friend noted that I had referred to my novel-in-progress on this ol' blog, but never actually included clips from it. It sounded like he expected to see samples here (possibly to illustrate some of the points I'd been making), and was therefore surprised to find no such thing.

Truth be told, I've been considering for some time now the idea of posting samples of my fiction writing here. (Obviously, I'm *already* posting samples of my writing... just not my fiction. :-)

There are a number of reasons not to do so, the first of which is that when you are trying to sell your work, magazines and publishing houses are most interested in the first publication rights. If you've already published the work on your site, it's already published. As a business move goes, self-publishing your work on your website can be publication-limiting in the professional markets.

For me, though, it's also been an issue of publishing in the appropriate forum. My blog is a forum for essays and humor; a particular kind of creative outlet for a particular kind of writing. Even the poetry and recipes I've posted here have a certain kind of fit. Each card I lay on this foundation helps to build a house that is larger than the sum of its parts.

My fiction often speaks with a different voice. Much of the fiction I write would change the very character of this site just as Peter Jennings reading poetry on World News Tonight would change the tone of his anchor-man persona.

I love that word: persona.

To extend the "house of cards" metaphor just a bit, my fiction might be like those crooked decks you see. They might help build this web log which I fondly refer to as my house of cards, but it'll take a very steady hand a bit of strategic placement.

With all of that metaphorical nonsense aside, the thought has, as I mentioned above, crossed my mind, nonetheless. I understand that posting my fiction here might limit its appeal in the professional markets, but some of it might prove to be more appropriate for this forum than for the pro outlets. We'll see.

In the meantime, however, I'm pleased to report that I've received a most favorable, er, rejection from a well-known science fiction periodical. The letter essentially says, "Liked it quite a bit, except for this one aspect, and if you should choose to take a stab at addressing said aspect, please feel free to resubmit it." This is encouraging; it is the first time an editor has asked me for a rewrite (in so many words). It's not an acceptance letter from this particular pro-level periodical, but I'm getting closer.

On a related topic, I'm happy to report that the novel formerly known as The Do Over is back in circulation. According to the website of the US Postal Service and their package tracker, the manuscript was received today at a most excellent publishing house that has agreed to take a peek at my work. Wish me success. :-)

All this, and I'm now beginning chapter three of the next novel. And no, I shan't be posting the working title here anytime soon (given my experience with The Do Over), nor the plot, nor sample chapters (at least for now, har, har) except to say that I'm very excited by the way these characters and their situations are developing.

So. The Do Over (under a new name) is in play, a new novel is in the works, and my short fiction is starting to gain some traction. Just wanted you to know that having a baby in the house is not the only thing going on at Casa Rousselle.