Wulf Moon's SUPER SECRETS Workshop & Challenge!

@dragonchef 

I have four kids, Dragonchef. 

I'll second your thoughts. 

@wulfmoon, I have been following the conversation off and on over the last while, and I wanted to send support and kindness for what you are going through. 

Best thoughts to you.

Danuta

My thanks to all of you for your kind expressions posted here. I have appreciated each one. 

Warmth and sunshine,

Wulf Moon

UPDATE!

I've just had my 3rd acceptance for the year (excluding "Echoes of Gliese," which was published in January but accepted last year)! This latest story is flash fiction I wrote based on @wulfmoon 's prompt here on the forum. It will be published in March(???) by Bag of Bones Press "206 Word Stories". And yes, this story is exactly 206 words long! 

Three cheers for Wulf Moon's KYD exercise! 

... Now if I could just win WOTF ...

@henckel Congratulations, Christopher! Told you that was a great KYD! Thanks for letting me use it as an example in my KYD master workshop! Cheers!

Here’s your Monday KYD Prompt:

They say to dress for success, but what if your definition of success doesn't match those around you? What if the occasion/job you’re dressing for isn’t all it seems? What if you aren’t all you seem?

Bow Ties and Daggers

Go to work, but have fun!

@wulfmoon I am so sorry Moon! Losing someone is heartwrenching and I wish it wasn't something we experience. I hope the last moments where you made him proud can be something you cherish forever! Thank you for giving so much and helping each one of us!

My father lost his battle against COVID yesterday, February 18th, 2022, at 1 AM. He was 82 years old and was always a fighter. He understood the dangers of COVID and was triple vaxed and stayed isolated at home after news of the more contagious strain of the Omicron variant. A month ago, he got tired of sitting at home and wanted to ride in the car while Mom went to the store to buy groceries. Unfortunately, he had to leave the car to use the restroom, and although he wore a mask, that’s all it took for him to catch the virus.

A few days later he came down with the symptoms--muscle ache, neck ache, headaches, and then his lungs became so congested, he was taken to the emergency room, where they administered monoclonal antibodies. His breathing improved remarkably within a couple of hours. He returned home, and he appeared to be improving daily. I thought he was out of the woods, and I quit calling him daily so he could rest.

A couple of days after my last call, Mom called and said Dad had experienced a total reversal and told her he was dying. Hospice had been called in, and I was told he would not last the day. Even more shocking, one of my sisters had sat with him through the night, and he woke up and told her when we die, we all have a junk room we need to sort out, and he started sorting out his, dictating messages to my sister to give to each one of his seven children. Mom gave me mine.

Before I share it, I should state that I was the oldest of his children, and to put it mildly, I broke the ice for the rest--they had a vastly different home life than I had with Dad. He was the hardest worker I have ever known, and he provided well for his family and did nice things for us. But he had a violent temper back then, and I finally ran away from home to save myself and was placed in a foster home to finish high school. I rebuilt the relationship with my father when I realized he was never going to say he was sorry for the things he did, but I could forgive him in the form of letting go, and that’s how we went on. We had what I consider to be a normal father/son adult relationship.

Except for my writing. I couldn’t talk with him about my writing without him putting it down, even after him seeing me win many national, regional, and state awards for stories I had written. So I decided to protect myself by never telling him about my writing again. I stuck to that, even though I longed to have him see the books I was in, and to see me take the stage when I won Writers of the Future, a major accomplishment I had worked so very hard to achieve. I told no one in my family, none of our family friends either. My friends-list on Facebook is composed almost exclusively of my writer friends and fans of my work.

So imagine my shock when Mom called that fateful morning and gave me the message Dad had dictated to my sister. “Tell your brother he’s a good writer. Tell him I know he will help hundreds of writers get their words into books.” I broke down at that. All those years I had told him nothing of my writing to keep peace between us, yet somehow, he knew and understood so much of what I’d become. When I could speak again, I asked Mom if Dad could still hear me if she brought the phone to him. She said he could. I told Dad I loved him, that I was proud of him for taking care of the family, and that his words given to me had already come true, that I had already helped dozens of writers get their words into books and magazines. And though he could hardly speak, he whispered back, “I’m proud of you.” And a moment later, the words every son longs to hear from their dad. “I love you.”

In spite of the past, I love my Dad, always have. I’m glad he could open some of those boxes in his junk room and leave me with his prophecy, a prophecy I had already been fulfilling, and was able to tell him so. I wish he wasn’t such a fighter. He fought on for two more weeks, and toward the end each day his face would turn blue and his breathing would stop and hospice would say this would surely be the end.

But they didn’t know my Dad. He never gave up in life, and he would never give up facing death, not even when all of us told him we’d be okay, just let go now Dad and we’ll see you again. Dad fought for life until there was nothing left in him to fight with.

And that, too, I respect him for.

“Do not go gentle into that good night,

Old age should burn and rave at close of day;

Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”--Dylan Thomas

@wulfmoon This is such a beautiful and heartbreaking tribute to your dad.  I'm so sorry for your loss. 

So very sorry for your loss. Wishing you peace and healing.

My condolences Wulf. 

@wulfmoon That was a touching tribute. I am glad that you and your dad got closure in the end. 

@wulfmoon So sorry for your loss, but glad for what you gained in the end, you and your dad.

@wulfmoon 

A truly amazing and touching tribute, Moon. How wonderful to honour your dad, and to be fulfilling that dream of helping so many others. Thank you. Our thoughts are with you at this time.

I'm sorry for your loss, Wulf. Grief, especially for a family member or loved one, always leaves me a little stuck for words--I feel like words alone aren't enough to help someone through such a harrowing experience. I hope that you have the love and support necessary to help you through this difficult time, and that you're able to find peace and comfort as time goes on.

@wulfmoon Condolences on your loss. Words never suffice in these times. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

Loss and grief affect everyone differently, and cultures since time immemorial have found unique and meaningful ways to honor those who crossed the final threshold. In consideration of this, our Monday KYD prompt is:

Last Rites

So very sorry for your loss, @wulfmoon. Hoping that you receive the support and love that you need. 

@wulfmoon -Yours is what stories are made of . . . (and a good Scotch heals much)!

@lost_bard 

Ended up doing a KYD this month based on this one. A pleasant throwback to a game I once played, many moons ago. I didn't play it much cos my friend, who owned the game, always beat me.

Anyone play Spy vs Spy as a kid?

Two KYDS, four submissions and one short story this month. March, here I come!

This is the first month where the KYD is really the hardest part. I'll do it but man, it's taking a lot out of me. Next month, KYD will be first thing I do. 

Posted by: @scott_m_sands

@lost_bard 

Ended up doing a KYD this month based on this one. A pleasant throwback to a game I once played, many moons ago. I didn't play it much cos my friend, who owned the game, always beat me.

Anyone play Spy vs Spy as a kid?

I remember Spy vs Spy! Like you, my friend had the game, so I never got good at it, but it was fun. 

February report:

1. 3 fresh stories (Word counts approximately 4500, 5000, 2000)
2. 2 KYDs
3. 7+ submissions to pro-paying markets

Plus some rigorous editing of past stories.

@scott_m_sands @lost_bard I played Spy vs Spy with my cousins as a child. My cousin had the game, but I think I kicked his butt anyway

Or maybe I didn't. Seriously can't recall anything about it. Just the white and black figures.

For February I wrote a horrible 3k+ story, though horrible wasn't my intention. Wrote an even worse KYD (technically I can still tinker with it given 24hrs to go). On the bright side, I did it and every word of writing is something learned about the craft.

I submitted stuff to 5? markets. I should start keeping track of these things. 

This week’s KYD prompt is about hope and new beginnings.

Maiden Voyage

@lost bard  and  @linardos 

Nice, David and Akis! You guys would definitely top me. I wasn't overly great.
And if you're remembering the little white and black figures (with lots of sabotage and weapons and the like), that's it, for sure.

February report:

1. Finished a 3000w+ chapter of my novel. Would love to have done more. Next month. 

2. A KYD on the 'Bow Ties and Daggers' prompt. I did enjoy the nostalgia with this one, drawing upon the 'spy vs spy' game I played as a kid.

3. No story subbed to WotF yet, but I'm polishing up the final draft ready for next month.

4. 29 submissions to respectable markets. (I got to a few days out from month's end and realized I'd done more than 20 subs. I wanted to look back at this year and say "For one month I subbed more stories than there were days!" A silly accolade, perhaps. I'll still claim it)

I've pretty much finished editing my older stories now. I look forward to writing a few new ones, while still keeping up with the 318R course. 

For February of year 4 challenge. Wrote 3,000+ new words on a new story which may be my Q2 that I got a personal rejection with feedback from one of my Q1 submissions. I have a backup story in mind for Q2 (or it could be a Q3 perhaps??). I did one KYD and worked on several more that didn't really go anywhere. I'll have to do all 3 submissions in March to stay in the challenge. Feeling a tad discouraged and distracted. Did do a Q2 submission to IOTF contest which isn't part of the year 4 challenge, but goal adjacent.

Year Four - February Check In

1. Wrote 2 novel chapters and 1 new short story (>3000k)

2. Eked out 1 KYD yesterday before month-end (note to self: start this earlier in the month!)

3. Revising my Q2 WotF submission based on feedback received and will submit before the deadline

4. Have 2 of 3 submissions for the quarter completed and am working on 3 additional submissions in March to make it 5 total