Book Contract Signed for Across An Aqueous Moon: Travels in Autism
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Posted on December 6, 2015 by

Champagne_uncorking_photographed_with_a_high_speed_air-gap_flashThis weekend, I signed and returned the book contract for my poetry collection, Across An Aqueous Moon: Travels in Autism, along with the revised manuscript (multiple hard copies plus digital files in PDF and MS Word) headshots (in color and black & white, digital and print), cover art (digital and print), acknowledgements, bios (long and short), one hundred mailing labels, countless other things I’m forgetting, and my first-ever blurbs. Yes, I now have blurbs. Very nice ones, in fact (thank you Jennifer Simpson, Connie Post, and Rebecca Foust), with a few more in the works.

The past few weeks have been stressful but exciting. I’ve been juggling a lot of balls and managing way too many tasks, not to mention dealing with all the emails and phone calls it took to track down one hundred mailing addresses. Now, more than a month after I first received word that my manuscript had been accepted for publication by Finishing Line Press, I feel I have time to take a breath and celebrate.

Tonight I’m popping the cork on a bottle of champagne grown and made in New Mexico (yes, apparently they make quite good champagne there) given to me by Jennifer Simpson several years ago. She told me to use it celebrate something big, and I think a book contract fits the bill. Wish she could be here to celebrate with me.

I’m still pinching myself, but it appears this book is really happening. Thank you again to Finishing Line Press for selecting my work and believing in me. It’s an honor to be one of your poets.

Until next time,
Cynthia

Artwork for Across An Aqueous Moon: Travels in Autism
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Posted on November 15, 2015 by

My multi-talented boyfriend, Nathan McKenna, has created some amazing artwork for the cover of my forthcoming poetry collection, Across An Aqueous Moon: Travels in Autism.

The original plan was to use some of my daughter’s artwork on the cover. Katie’s artwork, however, is extremely colorful. We found it just didn’t translate well to black and white. Nate was determined to design a black and white cover to keep costs down, so he created the art himself. Beautiful, isn’t it?

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I am hard at work revising my manuscript and gathering addresses for the mailing list, not to mention requesting blurbs. (Gulp. I need blurbs!) I must send my book contract, along with two copies of the revised manuscript, and a whole host of other items, off to Finishing Line Press by December 4, 2015. It’s going to be a busy, but exciting, two weeks….

Until next time,
Cynthia

“Waiting For Words” Featured at the Museum of Motherhood
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Posted on November 1, 2015 by

mama_logo_2015My story, Waiting for Words, is being featured for the next two weeks with the art of Sarah Nicholls as part of an ekphrastic project called M.A.M.A. (mothers are making art). You can see it here. A list of all the featured works can be found here, on The Mom Egg Review website.

The Mom Egg Review will also be featuring my work in their upcoming newsletter. Many thanks to Marjorie Tesser, Editor of The Mom Egg Review, for selecting my work (again).

M.A.M.A. is a collaboration between The Mom Egg Review, The ProCreate Project, and the Museum of Motherhood. It celebrates the notion of being “pregnant with ideas.” You can read more about it in my previous post.

As always, it’s an honor to have my work selected and sent out into the world. Plus with this story, I’m spreading some autism awareness as well. A double win for me.

Until next time,
Cynthia 

Poetry Manuscript Accepted for Publication
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Posted on October 26, 2015 by

antique vintage typewriterI am thrilled to announce that my chapbook manuscript, entitled Across An Aqueous Moon: Travels in Autism, has been accepted for publication!

After a long, hot summer filled with plenty of rejections, Finishing Line Press sent me an email last week stating that they “loved my manuscript” and wanted to publish it. I was so stunned that I sent them an email to confirm that someone hadn’t made a mistake. No mistake. They have accepted it. I’m pinching myself.

I haven’t received the contract yet, or even had time to read through the incredibly long, pre-contract email, but nevertheless, I’m celebrating. My poetry manuscript has been accepted!

It’s not the manuscript I thought I would publish first (i.e., my memoir), but it’s one I worked hard on. I’m proud of it—even if I do want to make a few tiny little edits before it goes to print….

I will keep you posted as things develop, but publication is expected in 2016.

Until next time,
Cynthia

Story Selected for Multi-Media Collaboration at the Museum of Motherhood
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Posted on October 6, 2015 by

antique vintage typewriterI am excited to announce that my piece, Waiting for Words, has been selected by Marjorie Tesser, Editor of The Mom Egg Review, as part of a new ekphrastic project called M.A.M.A. (mothers are making art).

M.A.M.A. is a collaboration between The Mom Egg Review, The ProCreate Project, and the Museum of Motherhood. Twice per month, on the 1st and 15th, The Museum of Motherhood will post art from The ProCreate Project and pair it with poetry or prose from The Mom Egg Review.

M.A.M.A. celebrates the notion of being “pregnant with ideas.” Scholarly discourse intersects with the artistic to explore the wonder and the challenges of motherhood. Using words and art to connect new pathways between the creative, the academic, the para-academic, the digital, and the real, as well as the everyday. Wherever you live, work, and play, the Art of Motherhood is made manifest.

The multi-media online project is already underway. I’m not sure when my piece will be presented, but I will let you know as soon as I know more. You can check out what’s already been posted at http://mommuseum.org/m-a-m-a/ You can also view some interesting mother-related art at procreateproject.com

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As always, it’s an honor to have my work selected and sent out into the world.

Until next time,
Cynthia 

 

Essay Selected for Forthcoming Dating Anthology
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Posted on September 1, 2015 by

antique vintage typewriterI am pleased to announce that my essay, “Pick Ups at the Dog Park,” has been selected for publication in a forthcoming anthology entitled, Rendezvous in the Rough: Essays from the 21st Century Dating Trenches. Dealing with topics such as online dating, sexting, and dating after divorce, the collection explores what has and hasn’t changed in how we date and find love in the 21st Century.

Edited by Danita Berg and MacKenzie Jennings, both English Professors in Florida, the anthology will contain witty, wry, raw, insightful, and humorous essays on the modern, technology-enhanced dating experience. Which is funny because absolutely no technology, modern or otherwise, is involved in my story. None whatsoever. Nevertheless, it’s a funny little tale.

As always, it’s an honor to have my work published, and I absolutely love the title. Don’t you?

The anthology has a tentative publisher and is expected to be released sometime in 2016. I will keep you posted as I learn more.

Until next time,
Cynthia

 

Third Draft of My Memoir is Done!!
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Posted on May 28, 2015 by

Hand-writing-with-penIt’s been a long, strange spring.

First I developed a bizarre thumb infection that rendered my right hand virtually useless. I was forced to take more antibiotics than I care to think about and soaked my bloated digit six times per day in a dilute bleach solution. (For two months my thumb smelled like an over-chlorinated swimming pool.) The tattered skin shredded and peeled. There were strange, blister-like pustules. (Yuck!) Eventually my beautifully manicured nail simply floated off. (A friend convinced me to save the nail because don’t all writers require something worthy of the Little Shop of Horrors? Well, now I have mine.) It was a single parent ordeal magnified by the loss of a functioning dominant hand.

Finally the infection receded like a bad dream, but the aftermath required months of physical therapy that is still ongoing. Unable to focus on my memoir, I took a detour into poetry and managed to complete a chapbook of autism poems days before my self-imposed deadline. I submitted the chapbook on March 31st, and feeling a powerful momentum, I returned to my memoir.

I couldn’t hold a pen for long before my feeble hand cramped. I had to re-teach myself to type. At first all I could manage was two-finger typing on an iPad, but eventually I worked my way back to a regular keyboard. It was slow going, but I continued to plug away. The chapters started to gel; pieces fell into place. I began to think that maybe, just maybe, I was nearing the end.

It’s true. At long last Draft #3 of my memoir, tentatively titled My Guardian Angel Sings the Blues, is complete!

Champagne_uncorking_photographed_with_a_high_speed_air-gap_flashIt’s not the last draft, I’m sorry to say. Draft #3 is a total reworking and revision of my first two drafts, but the book is not done. The life I thought I had when I began ten years ago is not the life I now have. Several chapters need to be written to conclude the book. I’ll tackle those, along with subsequent revisions, in Draft #4.

For now, I am going to take a much needed break and review Jennifer Simpson‘s manuscript. Jennifer and I have been pacing each other on this long, sometimes painful journey to a published book, and I’m thrilled that she completed her draft on time in April. I lagged behind, but hey, I had an excuse!

My plan is to resume work on the memoir in August when my daughter has summer vacation. I have no idea at this point how long it will take to produce Draft #4, but I will keep you posted as things progress.

I’ve worked hard. It’s time to celebrate!

Until next time,
Cynthia

Another Story Selected for Performance By Petaluma Readers Theatre
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Posted on May 21, 2015 by

Hand-writing-with-penMany of you will remember that the Petaluma Readers Theatre (PRT) performed my award-winning story, “Elliott Comes to Play” on stage back in the summer of 2012. As I told PRT after the performance, “seeing my story performed on stage was truly one of the highlights of my writing career. Words cannot express how amazing it was. To sit in the audience and not only listen to my fellow attendees laugh and cry, but to experience my work as the reader does, was a dream come true. I hope I can do it again one day.”

Well, that day has come.

I am happy to announce that my work has once again been selected to be performed on stage by the Petaluma Readers Theatre. Last time I didn’t know whether to be excited or terrified at the thought of someone other than me reading my words aloud, before a paying audience. This time I’m just flat-out excited. Really, really excited to be a part of this.

The theme of the show is fatherhood, and my piece is entitled, “There’s No Daddy Here.” It’s a story about my daughter dealing with the fact that our family unit, for better or worse, includes no father. And yes, it’s bittersweet and also rather funny, if I do say so myself.

If the event is anything like the last one I attended, it’s going to be a very special evening. Please attend if you can. And then, as always, let me know what you think.

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The Petaluma Readers Theatre
Presents

Dear Ole Dad: A Tribute to Fatherhood

Rough and ready, slick and sophisticated, or dowdy and squat. Whatever their shape, size, or demeanor, fathers seem to have a soft spot in our hearts—whether we like it or not.

Petaluma Readers Theatre, with Tiny Lights and the Theater at Clear Heart, present a series of stories written by authors near and far, dramatically interpreted by the talented Jon Berger, Terry Kolkey,
Jennifer March, and Leslie Scatchard.

 The Clear Heart Stage
90 Jessie Lane, Petaluma, CA
(near the Petaluma Outlet Stores)

June 18, 19 and 20 at 7:30 p.m. and June 21 at 2:00 p.m

Featuring poems and essays by:

Sheila Bender, Christine Falson-Daigle, David Berner, Craig Harris, Cynthia Patton,
Chuck Kensler, John Noland, Ed Rau, Susan Starbird, Pat Tyler, Eric Wallace, and Jean Wong.

Tickets are $12 and available at http://www.petalumareaderstheatre.com

 

If you plan to attend, please let me know. I hope to see you there!

Until next time,
Cynthia Patton

Second Guest Post on Monday Coffee
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Posted on April 14, 2015 by

Monday Coffee AnthologyThe multi-talented Liz Whiteacre asked me to do another guest post for the Monday Coffee and Other Stories of Mothering Children with Special Needs website and blog. If you remember, I had a story published in the Monday Coffee anthology back in October 2013.

Given that the post was scheduled for April which is Autism Awareness Month, Liz asked for a story that celebrated autism. I said, no problem! Here’s my post: That’s Why They Call It a Spectrum. The parents who contributed to the anthology, and now to the blog, are an amazing bunch. I’m honored to be a part of this inspiring group and thrilled to be helping with the blog.  Go check it out!

Until next time,
Cynthia Patton

Flyer for Autism Awareness Event at the UC Davis MIND Institute
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Posted on April 11, 2015 by

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