Happenstance, Life Happens

Look for it. March 5 is the launch date for Happenstance, a digital publication published and largely written by me.

The first issue will feature an article entitled Preservation and Prosperity, how communities can find value by evaluating existing architectural, cultural and historical assets. This is by no means a new topic but success stories across the country suggest in these difficult economic times it is imperative to build on the bones of what already exists. The featured agency is the Las Vegas Citizens' Committee for Historic Preservation.

Look for How is Lisa Doing? A Love Story, about a family coping with cancer.

Have you ever wanted to start a journal but keep putting it off? Journal Writing in Five Easy Steps will inspire you to go from thought to page.

Happenstance Reviews look at a cleverly written book of poetry by Steven Fivecats, and a favorite magazine of the publisher, Guideposts.

There is more, but you have to wait and find out what that is. Look for Happenstance. It will be sent to subscribers to the www.vandermeerbooks.com newsletter and posted on the website. If you would like to become a subscriber, go to the www.vandermeerbooks.com homepage and click on the Join This Mailing List link.

New day

I am an early riser, 5:30 a.m. is about my usual. I don't have to get up early, but I do. I always have. When I was a child my mother and father were up and at 'em before sunrise. My dad worked in the oil fields and I can tell you it was no 9 to 5 job. You would think it would have set the pattern for all of us, but while I tended to get up and get with it, my siblings were happy to sink deeper into the covers. Me, I never wanted to miss anything. What if something happened and I was asleep and missed it? Even after my dad got other less stressful and dangerous jobs, I still got up when he and mom did and stayed up, busy-bodying my way through the day. It's a trait I've spent the bulk of my life trying to get under control until I realized, as a writer, it's one of my strong points. Early morning is when I am most productive.

Every one's productivity time clock is slightly different but if I were handing out advice to beginning writers on how to get the most work done, I'd say figure out what hours of the day you are most alert and get to work! The other critical element to success is being consistent. Don't let a work day go by when you don't write. What are work days? For writers every day is a work day, but even the most dedicated take time off to regroup and refuel. Whatever your schedule, four days a week, five, two, it doesn't matter, commit to a time and write.