How long was I gone? I was only offline for a couple of days, but it seems a lot happened in that time that’s worth noting.

Some news from the fiction-goes-real category (Warning: It’s high on the disgust factor):
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,301254,00.html

–

If you’re looking to join the ranks of Kaavya Viswanathan and now Lanaia Lee, some tips:
http://dearauthor.com/wordpress/2007/10/11/top-10-tips-for-plagairists/

–

And finally, some fantastic news from one of my writing groups: a member just had his memoir hit the NY Times best-seller list. Check out John Robison’s book, Look Me In The Eye, and his website at http://www.johnrobison.com/

(Robison, as you may know, is the brother of Augusten Burroughs, author of the best-selling memoir Running with Scissors, which later spawned a movie. The controversial lawsuit regarding the memoir was settled in August this year and was described by Burroughs as “a victory for all memoirists.” Thanks to Burroughs, writers the world over can feel more comfortable saying “bring it on” to people who threaten us with lawsuits for writing the truth about our lives.)

We’ll call it the terrifying weekend followed by the psychotic week from hell.

Here’s what I’ve been up to:

1. For the second time in my life, I was cyber-stalked. This led to taking down identifying information from several online groups, getting a crash course in the behind-the-scenes of Facebook (it pays to have gone to school with geeks), and the realization that when successful writers tell you that you can never be too safe, they may be on to something. (A note for the peeps at AW: I may resurface anonymously in a month or so. Try not to miss me too much. And this time I won’t be your favorite chocolate. )

2. Blasts from the past. Selfish, needy people who always want your help and support, but disappear when you need theirs? Yeah, I got me a few of those. And then, finally and painfully, I got rid of them.

3. The weather’s changed. Of course, I fell sick. It’s a twice-a-year-ritual. If someone punched you in the stomach, broke every bone in your body, proceeded to walk all over your broken skeleton and then shot you in the neck for good measure, I believe this is what you would feel like. Thankfully, I have a wonderful neighbor who makes me dinner, buys me groceries and says things like, “When I get back from work, we’re taking you to the doctor.”

My psychic friend says it’s a sign that I’m releasing negative people and energy from my life. My techie friend says it means I’m spending way too much time working. My doctor friend says there’s nothing a few pills can’t cure (and ain’t he right!)

4. Speaking of work, I present to you three deadlines, missing sources, last-minute reschedules and phones that don’t connect when you desperately need them to. The silver lining? I get to spend the weekend at the home of a magazine editor I deeply respect, and go out dancing.

–

There’s been a lot of great stuff that has happened in the past few weeks, but I’m (currently) forbidden to talk about it. Watch for updates.

I’m also, once again, trying to take this blog in another direction, so that it can be a resource for writers like it once was. Please be patient with me, and in the meantime, if there are any questions you’d like answered here, ask away.