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The Stories of Scott D. Southard

  • In Jerry’s Corner
  • A Jane Austen Daydream
  • Permanent Spring Showers
  • Megan
  • Maximilian Standforth and the Case of the Dangerous Dare
  • The Dante 3
  • Me Stuff
  • Man Behind the Curtain
  • March 19, 2012

    My March 2012 Update

    Now that I am three months into this experiment that is my blog, I’ll like to give some updates on some of the things I have written about (I’ll probably do this from time to time).

    Writing here has been an interesting experience for me, and I think I am a better writer for it, but really who am I to judge?

    My update is in three parts.  

    Part I: School Days…

    I never considered myself popular when I was a teenager. Oh, I had some close friends, but pretty much that is where it stopped for me. I really didn’t need more. Strangely, this reality changed for me 20 years after graduating from high school and just over the last 5 or so days.

    See, on Tuesday, I learned that my old high school was closing and merging with our arch rivals. On Wednesday, I realized it was definitely stirring some emotions, so I sat down and worked on an essay to explain my thoughts around it. (more…)

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  • March 13, 2012

    A Taste of Austen

    To those who are new to my blog (and hello), a big part of my writing life right now is trying to find a publisher or agent for my novel, A Jane Austen Daydream.

    A Jane Austen Daydream was a labor of love, a project I had worked on and off of for over seven years. It was inspired by the idea of what Jane would have done if she could’ve rewritten her life as one of her novels, making this book both for newbies and Austenites.

    Last year, I was honored to have the novel chosen to be shared via Green Spot Blue (a literary Web site). The links to the chapters can still be found via the A Jane Austen Daydream page above. In the past on this blog, I have debated myself around agents or not (I have a history with agents that make me a little nervous), created a query letter, and wrote about different possibilities for the work. Currently, I am sending out query letters again for the work to both agents and publishers. So if anyone knows an agent or publisher that might be interested, please feel free to share (Because honestly, nothing is more persausive and important than contacts in the arts; it is one of the reasons I recommend often for new writers to find opportunities to make contacts and friends in the writing community)… And speaking of sharing, I thought I would share a taste from the work.

    This is the second chapter from the first volume. Previously, it was announced that a big ball is being planned to introduce Cassandra to society and possibly find her a worthy suitor, the only problem is her sister Jane has to come to the dance as well…

    -Chapter 2-

    From Volume I of A Jane Austen Daydream

    To the residents of Steventon, she was known as the “other Ms. Austen.” So, when Jane was spoken about, it was in a manner such as this:

    “Will the other Ms. Austen be attending?”

    “Has the other Ms. Austen discussed the matter with her mother?”

    “I try to avoid the other Ms. Austen when I see her, she does effect me so.”

    Not to say that Jane was not liked in her hometown, if pressed a person would have a hard time finding anyone that disliked her or had any reason to dislike her, per se, it was just that she had something about her that was different. (more…)

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  • February 9, 2012

    Writer’s Corner: A Query Letter for Jane Austen

    I always seem to be overtaken by a feeling of apprehension whenever I begin to consider the idea of contacting agents and publishers again. To begin with, it’s not like I feel like I am “selling out” myself or my books, but I am definitely doing something that makes me feel a little dirty.

    See, when you are writing a book you have all of the best intentions. You want to tell a great story, maybe do something groundbreaking or new in your artform; but when you start to contact agents and publishers you have to forget all of that. The best intentions are fine for writing tables; agents and publishers, typically, want to know the bottom line.

    Could this book sell?

    More established authors have their name to help sell a new work, but when you are unknown you are a member of the ever-growing faceless mass. And by that I mean, the daily struggling army of want-to-be authors that fight in query letters and e-mails for attention for their work. And that army is growing each year as more and more people graduate from English programs and writing programs, or simply decide they want to write a book… growing and growing… (more…)

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  • January 30, 2012

    Music and My Writing Brain

    I first learned the power of music in my writing while I was an undergrad in college. At that time, I was working on a story and for some unexplained reason I had to listen to The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky (This happens, now and then I get taken over by a certain “sound”). Anyway, so there I was in a writing class (it might have been a writing table, I don’t remember which) and I started to read the story… And I began to notice that the meter in my words mirrored Dance of the Sugarplum Fairies.

    Yes, without realizing it, my character’s speech was actually set to music. I had to fight to control my giggles, now imagining my character on toes as he was speaking. I’m sure my reading began to seem ridiculous to the other writers there, but at that moment I knew I had a problem… and, of course, I knew I was going to have to rewrite the entire speech.

    Well, since then I have figured out the potential impact music can have on my writing. While I have not let the cadence of a song take over a story again, certain artists and music became part of the creation process for me around different works.  Sometimes I use them to influence a mood I am hoping to create, sometimes they are just simply the soundtrack for the “world” I am “living” in. Here are five examples: (more…)

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  • January 18, 2012

    Dear Green Spot Blue, Jane Austen Thanks You!

    Green Spot Blue is a great literary/arts/entertainment/parenting/overall awesome Web site I have been writing for for over a year now.

    They also published my novel A Jane Austen Daydream online as a serial over the course of last year.  Today, they joined the effort to help me collect quotes from readers of the book in my effort to find a publisher or agent. You can read what they have to say here.

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  • January 5, 2012

    Writer’s Corner: Does Jane Austen Need an Agent?

    Whenever a newbie writer has had the misfortune (if that is the right word) to ask for my advice, I will always say the same two things:

    1. Enter as many writing contests as possible. It will build up your resume, give you free opinion from someone who isn’t family or a friend if you are actually good or not,  and you never know who a judge might be (For example, my radio series, The Dante Experience, was produced and directed by a judge of a radio script competition I entered).

    2. Try to get an agent. An agent’s job is to find you a publisher and help you succeed. They have contacts you don’t have. You need them.

    The problem is with number 2; while it is right to say it, it does always leave a little bad taste in my mouth since my experience with working with agents has been lackluster at best. So far I’ve had four agents. (more…)

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  • October 18, 2011

    A Jane Austen Daydream… available for the time being…

    A painting of Jane by her sister, Cassandra

    While A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM is done with posts and chapters via Green Spot Blue, the complete novel is still available for the time being online.  You can find all of the links to the chapter (as well as exclusive introduction for the online publication) via the A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM page here-

    https://sdsouthard.wordpress.com/a-jane-austen-daydream/

    My hope is for the book to find a home with a publisher and/or ebook publisher and I am actively pursuing  that direction with the novel (well, at least trying to, but we’ll see what happens… fingers crossed and all. You never know really what is going to catch the eye of a publisher or an agent).  When that hopefully occurs the page will probably need to be taken down.

    I hope you enjoyed the book (or will enjoy it). For me it was a great pleasure writing the book and sharing it with you. Please, if you enjoyed the work, share it with a friend. If you wish to ever comment on the book or write to me, I do read posts and comments on this blog.

    Thank you.

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  • October 5, 2011

    An Interview about A Jane Austen Daydream…

    I gave an interview recently to Vicariously Jane Austen about A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM. You can check it out here: http://www.janeaustenlives.socialgo.com/magazine/read/3-minute-interview-scott-southard-author-of-a-jane-austen-daydream_5.html

    Enjoy!

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  • July 13, 2011

    A Jane Austen Daydream on Period Dramas.com

    Period Dramas.com (a Website celebrating period-drama stories) has created a page supporting A JANE AUSTEN DAYDREAM. You can check it out here-

    http://www.perioddramas.com/articles/a-jane-austen-daydream.php

    It has been very flattering the attention and support I have received from the Jane Austen fans (the Austenites) out there for this little book.

    Thank you!

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