Hello, glad to be here!

[JoanUP]

Hi Litopia!

Excuse my delayed introduction, I've been a bit slow to figure out navigation on the site.

I only recently have started writing fiction. I am working on two novels currently. I'm happy with how they are progressing, except for my awful use of punctuation- lots of room for improvement.

A bit about my previous life:
I am an American from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, married, and now living in Maryland, outside of Washington DC.
I worked for 30 years a data manager for genetics projects, sorting through huge files for DNA sequencing results, patient records etc. I got laid off bout two years ago. I took a year off to work on writing a novel of a story idea I've been chewing on for... 40 years. I was just wrapping up my first draft when Covid hit. Also, I realized I enjoy pre-retirement. So I'm continuing with working on a sequel to my first story. Other than that, I enjoy horseback riding, gardening, cooking, genealogy.

I posted the first chapter of my prequel for "Critique Wanted" and got a lot of ideas for re-writes, so I'm glad to be here. It's a coming of age story of a teenager who moves to Manhattan in 1903 and goes to art school there, becomes an artist, and then leaves with the outbreak of WWI. The protagonist (Alvin Zeller) is based on research I have collected on my grandfather. The protagonist of the other story is Alvin's granddaughter, and the story follows her through her first semester of college at the University of Pittsburgh in 1967.

JoanUP

 

[RK Wallis]

Welcome aboard @JoanUP glad you’re working out the site. What’s your other book about?

 

[JoanUP]

Welcome aboard @JoanUP glad you’re working out the site. What’s your other book about?

Thanks RK
This is the blurb so far. It needs work-it ends with a preposition!!!!
Both stories are not action-stories, so it's a challenge to try to package them as something engaging.
Suggestions welcome.

1967. A family tragedy has ripped Sharon Hope away from her childhood dream of being an artist. She turns to science to fill the void and semester of college physics is all she needs to get started. However, her imaginative and inquiring mind begins to question what she’s taught about heat, gravity and the Big Bang. Soon she must rethink not only the basis of science but her relationships with friends, romance interests, and the unlikely older couple she shares a house with.

 

[RK Wallis]

That sounds interesting, the relationships and how people interact with one another is very engaging!

 

[AgentPete]

Welcome, @JoanUP - nice to have you here! Just shout if you have any questions.

 

[Jonny]

Hi @JoanUP

Welcome to the Colony and hope you enjoy it here. I'm sure you'll find Litopia a very welcoming environment.

There's plenty to do and we have lots of people happy to give and receive advice on works in progress. You'll get the most from the Colony with a two-way exchange and you'll be pleasantly surprised how beneficial offering critiques on the works of others is for your own work.

Litopia is a friendly and supportive community and best thing to do is dive right in. You'll find a very helpful intro here How to guide which will point you in the right direction, and the Writing Workshops Directory WWD is a great place to road test your opening pages, chapters, blurbs & synopses etc.

If there's anything you're unsure about or need help with please drop me a message and I'll be happy to help.

 

[Barbara]

Hi Joan

Welcome to the Colony! Glad you have found us.

Any questions about the site, please message me. I'm one of the Guardians and always happy to help.

Do check out the Colony Notices to familiarize yourself with how the site works – The Prime Directive is the foundation of our ethos. For literary chat and general socializing, head over to Café Life.

So get stuck in. You'll see that the more you put in, the more you get out. You'll learn a lot here.

Great to have you on board.

 

[Ancora Imparo]

Hello, Joan, and welcome. Great to see you making good use of the Writing Workshops and getting to know the place. Don't be shy about offering your own critiques of others' work. Your opinions as a reader are as valid and important as anyone else's. As many members will testify, we learn a lot from critiquing others' work, too. Your books sound interesting – as does your work experience. Fascinating stuff, DNA sequencing.

 

[Paul Whybrow]

Welcome to the Colony!

 

[KateESal]

Hello @JoanUP and welcome aboard!

If you haven't already discovered Pop-Up Submissions, it's a great place to get a heads up from the publishing industry on what they're looking for and when you're ready, you can submit your own work. Do subscribe to the Litopia Youtube channel here and join us in the "Genius Room" on Sundays to see Peter at work and offer your own thoughts