+

I've been working on a short story (of much longer length than the ones I've share with you) with the intention of submitting it to a lit magazine when it's ready. It's tentatively called "The Painters." It's about a boy and his grandfather. I've written just over 1,700 words, but trust me when I say that it's in pretty terrible shape and there's still a big chunk that hasn't even gotten onto the page yet. But I am feeling hopeful because this time* I have a solid vision of my characters and their wants and their troubles. That's the hardest part, developing characters that are so vivid in your mind that you forget they don't actually exist. Well, I guess they do exist, in little bits and pieces taken from real people in your life, but you know what I mean.

*have I ever mentioned the 60+ unfinished, abandoned stories on my hard drive? Yikes.

p.s. on another note, If you're looking for a way to help out those affected by Hurricane Sandy, please consider donating to the Brooklyn Recovery Fund – I did right after reading this post.