Caren Gussoff writer. geek. bon vivant. dot com

This seems like it should be the time I’d be pushing out frequent updates to the three or four of you dedicated readers. Instead, I have temporarily deserted you and experienced the last whirlwind month without you in my front pocket. What a terrible, negligent virtual pal I have been. I have been ensconced in velvet for the past few weeks and I have shared nary a corner.

Clarion West season is very consuming. There are now parties, weekly readings and all other variations of social engagements in which I get to see friends and make new ones—as well as honk incomprehensible love-words towards writers of whom I am a sick-ass fan. Maureen McHugh, my long-distance crush, materialized into this lovely woman with a gentle, no-bullshit personality and a wicked sense of humor. I did not curl up in her lap, although I wanted to, and remain convinced that she could have totally taken it without freaking out over my needy adoration. Plus, I was lucky enough to sit in on one of her CW classes and get proof-pudding that she the genius that I have lovingly expected her to be.

I was also present during the reception in honor of Octavia E. Butler’s induction into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame, and was blessed into meeting some of her relatives, her whip smart/red headed agent, and other friends and readergellencia.

The beginning of this week found me back to heaven-on-earth (AKA Hedgebrook) to a party in honor of the writers who were honored with this year’s Elizabeth George Foundation Awards. I was one of these honorees, and I was bursting with pride and nervousness and self-doubt. But, between the nourishment of Hedgebrook, Elizabeth George’s quiet, classy, feisty generosity, a rousing round of croquet, the spying of bald eagle fledglings, and some very, very, very wonderful conversation over red wine with Gloria Steinem, I felt wrapped in angel wings of printed paper.

To top this sundae of holy-shitness, I’m taking on as web manager for the SFWA website, creating and implementing a content plan that allows fresh, interesting, relevant, and useful articles, interviews, and reviews go up on the site nearly every day. I’ve spent the past few weeks ramping up. I have pulled back a corner as a place from which to jump, so watch for me pulling my parachute—possibly in your direction—starting this week.

Oh, yeah. I’m also trying to whip some novel pages into order so they can be sent out as partials.

Sometimes, I sleep.

Of all the writers in the world that I would have liked to have known, Octavia E. Butler tops my list for a hundred different reasons.  I will be in attendance at the Carl Brandon party celebrating her deserved induction into the Hall of Fame. I hope you’ll join me and spread the word.

I am really at a loss for words here, which should hopefully convey my awe and gratitude. Chris is equally speechless. Thanks to you, Chris and I can now cover his tuition bombshell.

Since we’ve made the needed $600, I’m going to close down donations. If anything comes in after this point, I will return it to the donator.

Thank you, friends–both those we know and those that materialized from the mists of the internet to help strangers. Again, if you donated and did not receive a personal email from me, please step forward and send me a note at caren at spitkitten dot com. I have tuckerizations or crits to discuss with you, or want to confirm where to send you a copy of “The King of Seattle” short story.

Chris and I hope to be able to pay these kindnesses forward when he graduates. Thank you. Just…thank you.

Love,

Caren Gussoff and Christopher Sumption

Thanks to the tremendous generosity of many of you, we’ve now managed to raise $375 of the $600 we need to keep Chris in school. I think I’ve contacted everyone who has donated so far personally—if I’ve missed you, do email me at caren at spitkitten dot com and let me know. Some folks have inquired about buying tuckerizations or crits as gifts, so I’ve whipped up a very simple little printable certificate I can send you to give to your lucky recipient. Just let me know.

And remember, everyone who donates in any amount will also get a copy of the short story “The King of Seattle” the story upon which the novel is based. This story will never be published. It’s only for the donators as a thank you for helping a bright student out of a jam.

I’ll continue to accept donations until we meet goal or until December 21st, whichever comes first.
With much love,
Caren

My husband, Chris, is a really good artist. For the last 15 years, he’s been working as an office manager for various small businesses, a career which became far less viable with the economy as it is–affecting all businesses great and small (but definitely having a direct, profound effect on smaller companies). To make himself a more attractive candidate for large companies, he returned to school–Seattle Central Community College–in fall 2009, studying database administration and programming. He’s attending under the Washington State Worker Retraining Program. He applied for and was promised a Pell Grant to continue his studies past this quarter.

Today, December 10, he was informed by financial aid that although we do indeed qualify for a Pell Grant based on need, there is absolutely no money left to offer him. Nice news, especially since payment for Winter Quarter is due on December 21.

He can get a loan, for fall 2010 (Seattle Central doesn’t offer Stafford Loans, and the community college locations that do offer it don’t offer his coursework). He’s currently madly searching for scholarships. But we’ve got to find the money to pay for his tuition. We can split it into monthly payments, which we can totally plan for and swing, however, in this case, for this quarter, we have to come up with 600 dollars before December 21. Which we don’t have. At all. Not even close. If we knew a month ago, maybe…but now? Not so much.

So, for the first time ever, I am asking the interwebs for help. But not for nothing. I’m offering a few things to maybe help tempt you to part with some of your own precious cash:

1. A tuckerization in my novel-in-progress. The novel isn’t done, isn’t sold (see the progress meter to the right), but if it means anything, it’s earned me both the Gulliver Travel Grant and a Hedgebrook Residency for 2010, based on its potential. So, apparently, other people that aren’t related to me think this novel could actually go somewhere. I also have published before (see about me if you have no idea what I have ever done).
This tuckerization can be anything really. I’ll name a character after you, make them look or act like you, or add into my novel any thing, concept or idea that you would like to see.
I’m asking for a $50 donation for a tuckerization. There is no limit to this. I will tuckerize as many people are interested.

2. A crit, much like we offer over at Brain Harvest. I will do either a line edit style or a developmental edit for you. I’m a good editor, too. Pinky swear.
I’m asking for $25 to crit a short story fewer than 10,000 words or $50 to crit a story/ies between 10,000 and 25,000 words. This can be any genre (my first two books were literary fiction).
Story shorter than 10,000 words

Story longer than 10,000 words

3. The story package. I will offer people who donate this way a copy of an as-yet unpublished story, which will, forever and ever, remain unpublished and only in the hands of the people who choose to donate this way. I will never send it out. I will never post it anywhere. It is your story, should you decide to donate (BTW, if you’re curious, it’s the short story upon which the novel in progress is being based).
This is for any amount of donation.

Many, many thanks for reading this and spreading the word. I’ll post progress if and when we make some–towards the $600 goal.UPDATE: Thank you everyone who has donated or posted about this! So far, we’ve raised $250 of the 600.

UPDATE 12/12, 10:30PM: We’re at $350. You all are amazing!

UPDATE12/14, 1PM: Thank you! We did it!

xo
Caren

The Speculative Literature Foundation has the 2009 Gulliver Grant press release up:

http://www.speculativeliterature.org/Grants/SLFTravelGrant/TravelGrant2009.php

I’m really excited and very honored. Looks like I was up against some serious competition, just from the announcement of the honorable mentions.

I am going to use the grant to offset expenses to travel from Seattle up to Orcas and Whidbey Islands, and then southwest to Ocean Shores (during various times in February, March, and April 2010)  for research for the book.

A super sweet one line review of my mini space opera in BIG OTHER : “Caren Gussoff offers a fine cyberpunk junket in her story “Correspondence.” ” Thanks, John Madera! I love the word “junket.”

I’ve been having a lot of fun lately guest blogging for Jeff VanderMeer while he is on tour. It’s especially cool because the other guest bloggers are so brilliant that they make me seem much smarter just by posting near them.

Also, in odd news, I’ve become one of the Seattle Literary Scene Examiners for Examiner.com. Kind of a random and strange little gig, but becoming pretty awesome. I’m keeping up with this stuff because it’s uh, my life, so I may as well grow some discipline and write about it. I can see wicked potential to pimp my friends and loved ones in here (because you people do such really cool things, anyway). I’m planning on spotlighting Seattle writers and editors weekly, so drop me a line if you are interested in being featured (caren at spitkitten dot com).

I was really happy to find out that my vampire alt history/vampire academia story–one I really like, but am aware was a weirdly hard sell for most places–was snapped up by Daikaijuzine today, and will appear in an issue at the end of December.

My winning “worst cover letter” is now live in Poor Mojo’s Almanac(k). This was super fun to write.