Fred and I were married on April 1, 1991. Thirty-one years later, we’re still together, working on our creative projects, individually and together. When he proposed to me back then, he insisted we marry on April Fool’s Day. I agreed, loving the absurdity of getting married on a day designated for pranks. It was a low-key, yet lovely wedding, with just a few family members, the clerk at the Orange County courthouse, and a vagabond here and there.
After the ceremony, we all left Santa Ana and headed toward a hotel for a celebratory lunch. Unfortunately, Fred’s truck ran out of gas, and we barely made it off the freeway exit, then coasted into the parking lot of a car dealership that just happened to be at the bottom of the hill. Fred told the whole story to the head dealer, and they graciously gave us a couple gallons of gas to get on the road again.
Most people would think running out of gas on the freeway is a bad omen, but the fact that we were directed to a kindly car salesman who gave us a break, showed me good things could happen anyhow.
I also love April 1st because in France it’s known as Poisson d'avril, or April Fish. And since I’m enchanted by all things fish, and other sea, river and lake creatures, that’s another reason why the First of April is one of my favorite times of the year.
Here’s an article all about the history of the April Fish!
The Wilder Life
Fred recently submitted an artwork to a collaborative show in Westin, Germany. The show is a public exhibition of hundreds of artists from around the world, each creating a work of art on a 30x60 mm board. The boards will be assembled into a large collage. Fred’s contribution is called “Peace in the Ukraine.”
Writing and Business News
My journey to bring Mark of the Champion into the world is like flying through the Death Star trench in Star Wars. Just like the rebel pilots, I've attended strategy meetings (a.k.a. YouTube videos); analyzed data related to self-publishing from several articles and books; teamed up with other writers to collectively increase our visibility via livestreams; enlisted the help of critique partners, beta readers, an editor, two sensitivity readers, and a proofreader to correct my mistakes and enhance the story; collaborated with artists to create interior art and cover art for my novel; and now I'm venturing into the quest that is publishing a book.
So I'll take a deep breath and dive into the trenches of Ingram Spark, the publishing and distribution company that will print my book (if my print-ready file passes muster). I'll need to dodge formatting mistakes, check for typos, make sure the chapter header graphics are clear, and hope the first proof comes out perfectly. (I know, there's no such thing as a flawless book.) If the proof looks right on the first try, then I can announce the release date and start preorders right away. This would fire those proton torpedoes into the big moon-shaped hunk of anxiety I've carried around for the past year.
I admit this is a strained metaphor. But when you feel like you're in permanent limbo, seeing the light at the end of the long tunnel can really give you hope, not to mention the gumption and stick-to-itiveness to keep moving forward.
Checklist Update:
Continue outlining Book Two in The Champion Tales series
Rewrite script for MOTC Book Trailer
Renew our DBA and make a new DBA for our publishing imprint
Finish our taxes
Apply for my Real ID
Apply for new business license after receiving updated IDs
Fred finally crossed the finish line at the DMV to get his Real ID! They took his picture last Friday, and he should have his shiny new ID next week. Finally we’re moving forward on re-establishing our business! Now it’s my turn to get on the Real ID train. (I’ll do that after we’ve finished filing our taxes for last year.)
More exciting news: the Prologue and Chapters 1-3 of Mark of the Champion are on my author website, candyglynnwilder.com/books! Check out the first section of MOTC now!
Highlight of the Month
My Life as a Zucchini
Written by Celine Sciamma, directed by Claude Barras (2016)
When Fred checked out some films from the library a couple weeks ago, he managed to add the stop-motion animated film “My Life as a Zucchini” to the list, without even knowing it. We put in in our Blu-ray player to see what it was like, and we were instantly enchanted.
The official description from Universal: My Life as a Zucchini is a delightful and touching tale about the uplifting power of friendship in the face of adversity. After befriending a kind police officer, nine-year-old Zucchini is taken to a foster home filled with other orphans his age. Though he struggles to find his place at first, with the help of his new friends, Zucchini learns to trust and love again as he searches for a new family of his own. With a band of unforgettable characters you'll be cheering for, My Life as a Zucchini stands as a testament to the resilience of the human heart.
The DVD we checked out only had the English dub version, but the original French version (Ma Vie de Courgette) is available on Blu-Ray, and there are double-language versions as well. My Life as a Zucchini is a sweet story that’s laced with melancholy, but is also filled with love and hope. Be sure to watch the bonus features to see how the stop-motion animation was done with innovative, practical techniques!
Thank you for reading!
Remember, you can read the Prologue and chapters 1-3 of Mark of the Champion at my author website, candyglynnwilder.com/books, right now!
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