This morning, Wade told me that his story, "Badlands Journal" in our shared Black Coffee Fiction short story blog ( http://blackcoffeefiction.blogspot.com ) was going to be a three parter. Part 1 appeared last Friday and Part 2 showed up today. Next Friday, he will finish the story, and then it is my turn to produce fiction for the next three weeks, since from the onset, we have shared the blog equally, though from time to time we have guest writers.
To have a short story ready to go once a week is putting pressure on any writer. I looked at the short story ideas I had and despaired. How could I work on the stories and continue to work on my novel at the same time? Wade and I both struggle to keep our other writing on track.
Luck was on my side because the day was sunny and warm. I took a long walk to think about where I was going. Half way down Lincoln Street, I remembered a story about a lighthouse that we had agreed was way too long for the blog. We try to keep our stories around 3,000 words each week and "Island Fever" is over 7,000 words long.
Since Wade's story was in three parts, I thought, why can't I do the same? I sent him an e-mail and he agreed. So in two weeks, I will be ready to go with a thriller.
Tomorrow, I start another Fox Valley Technical College course taught by Nikki Kallio. Why does this writer continue to take these classes? Ballerinas work at the barre, actors attend the Actors' Studio in New York City, artists attend workshops. Those of us in the arts are always learning from each other.
I hope to come away from Nikki's class with enough new ideas to keep Black Coffee Fiction in stories for months to come.
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