Are you still in this? I sent you a quick e-mail and haven't heard back. Did you get it, or did it get lost? I haven't received your story either. I just want to make sure communications are working.

Just to make sure if anyone didn't receive a crit from me say so. Actually, I discovered one I had forgotten about so there should be one I didn't do.

Looks like my story won't be late after all, it could be early in fact. I had two more days to work on than I thought.

I've had two more ideas for stories that should be really good. The second one broke me and I wrote the first scene. Four more to go till it's done. I really don't want to get kicked out of school, but this is just proving the point that I HAVE TO WRITE!

How's everyone else doing? The only second-round story I've seen so far is from Genevieve and I'm about halfway done with that crit. Anyone else want my thoughts?

Since Q2 holds some special significance for me after last year, here's a little offer: If you're in this group, putting final touches on a story to submit for Q2 and want an extra critique from someone who's won a quarter, send me your story (but be aware that my current workload might mean a couple of days to get a crit done). Having won a quarter doesn't guarantee I have some magical insight into things - I'm not Joni or KDW - but I might be able to lend something extra.

Also, if you take the offer up, indicate what you want looked at and/or how brutal a response you want. I'd add a few more caveats but I'll restrain myself...

Ben, has it really been a year already?
Damn, but time is flying.

We need a winner this year so we can have someone in the anthology three years in a row.

I wasn't planning on starting my second draft until I had received all the group 2 crits, but I haven't heard anything (crit or story-wise)from Eyegore or Owasm yet. Are they around?

BenM, I'd also love to take up your offer if I can get something together in time. We'll see.

Need to start on the final revision of my story for Q2-I think I got all the crits- and crit a story which I am probably way late on. I will be doing that one tonight. Nice story and I may not be able to help much with it anyway.

And waiting for Q1. When I think about which isn't often I think about that the last two stories were rejected in almost record time and how with two others I was sent the rejections after most of the HMs were listed on the blog...back when Joni was doing that on a mostly regular bases.

Make that two stories but I just received one of them a day or two ago.

So if you're partway through a crit for me, let me know. If not, don't worry about it. I know we're all busy and I know it's a long story. None of this is a complaint. I'd just like to know where I stand.

Or use the time to write..talk about inspiration.

Unless you're in the labor room of course, like I was. As I recall my wife didn't take all that long esp. compared to some cases I have heard about.

She is not due for another 3 weeks, but she has been saying all along that she was going to go early. As uncomfortable as she is, I hope she is right!

My own daughter is almost 18 months, and I only started writing while on maternity leave with her, so writing-with-child is the only way I know.

My experience is probably a bit different than many parents. My baby was a slow and frequent nurser her whole first year, so I spent many hours cradling her in one arm and typing or holding a book with the other, simply because I was stuck in one spot and had little else to do (no cable). Now writing is done mainly affter she's in bed, but sometimes while she's playing because she's a very independant kid.

Hmmm I decided I'm going to take a chance on my Q2 story. Since it was one of two fantasy stories John Jacob Adams, now of Fantasy Magazine, hasn't seen I thought I would send in my Gudknight story to him Sunday evening. Fantasy M. is going to stop accepting submissions for a while next month. Since he hasn't seen any of my stories for a long while I thought I would send it to him now instead of waiting until WotF is finished with it. I already sent in the other one he hadn't seen. Of course it's not much of a chance so I'll probably get it back in plenty of time to send it in to WotF before the end of March.

If there's anyone else with a desire to read my story, let me know. It's only 3000 words.