ROW 80 Update, KONY2012, etc...

Well, folks, it's almost the end of the first Round of Words challenge, and I am feeling pretty good about it, overall. Conceptually, it has turned out to be a great way to set and achieve goals, improve my networking with fellow authors, and encourage me to blog a little more often than otherwise I might.

Before moving on to the ROW80 update, let me touch on another subject, that of the KONY2012 campaign, which seeks the capture of one of the International Criminal Court's most-wanted criminals, who until March 5th, was known to a relatively small number of interested people worldwide. I was impressed enough by the video to make an immediate donation, but also pledge the 2012 proceeds of my story "Seven Lives..." to the charity that is organizing this campaign. Why? Although I'm not positive that it will succeed in capturing Joseph Kony and delivering him to justice, I do think it has the potential to serve as an example of how modern citizens from around a nation (or the world) can mobilize to make positive changes in policy on issues that affect them, and the world we live in. My sister wrote a great piece that expands on this idea. Now, if only someone would start a similar campaign to get Congress to restore funding to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) which was cut to send a political message, but will end up depriving UNESCO of some of its ability to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, the implementation of sustainable development and the expansion of intercultural dialogue.

With just a few days left to go, there are a few tasks that remain undone, and shall probably still be in progress come 22 March. I did get a non-fiction essay submitted to Current Intelligence, but it was not the one I'd been working on, but a complete "flash of inspiration" piece of travel writing that occurred to me while I was on the road in Borneo last week.

1. Publish 1 non-fiction book.

• Edit all material: Still working...
• Publish: TBD

2. Publish 1 more short story on Amazon.

• Cover art: TBD
• Trailer: TBD

I'll be in Hong Kong next week to play and watch a bit of rugby, so writing's on the back burner for the next 10 days, although I'm sure I'll get some done on the airplane to and fro. A lot of other things going on in the coming week, too, including closing on an investment property, trying to arrange visas and clearances for some upcoming trips to Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

But, by the time the second Round of Words kicks off, hopefully life will be a little less hectic, and I can get back in the swing of writing (and everything that goes along with it; publishing, covers, trailers, promotion, networking, etc.)

I have found that traveling and reading have been great sources of inspiration for my writing, and have added 2 more short stories to my growing stack of work in progress. Stay tuned for anthropomorphic mice, charming Princes, scandalous rakes, war-weary snipers, barbarian queens, Yugoslav artillerymen, and death from above, all coming soon to a short story near you!

Until next time,

Edward