It has always been my grand desire to be a published author.
For my ENTIRE life.
You know, where someone actually pays me.
To that end I have sent off a letter introducing myself and by bona fides to all the AORN publications. I guess you could call it a query letter. I am querying if they need an article freelancer. But one who has broad knowledge and experience in the operating room.
Because, you know, I have all this free time now.
It’s a start.
I have also been signing up for all the free sites I can for recommendations on how to start at freelancing. Also a start.
And I have also been exploring the free offerings from the library. I have been to 2 gardening classes, a book club, and a writing club.
The last was yesterday.
Me, being who I am, was 15 minutes early. Clutching the first chapter in my zombie book and peering into the near empty classroom. Okay, let’s do this.
I had no expectations about the group, as this was the first one I had ever been to. Apparently it was a read a chapter aloud and discuss strengths and weaknesses. And I should have brought 5 copies of the chapter so people could read along. Now I know.
There ended being 4 other writers in the group. And the moderator.
I read the first chapter I had brought.
I wrote it several years ago, prior to the pandemic, and my MSN.
And, let me tell you, post pandemic it hits a little differently.
The lab where our main character works is developing a biological weapon around the zombie flu. In this universe the zombie flu is caused by a virus, that is carried in saliva. And 100% infectious and 100% fatal.
I need an elevator speech for it. A quick 30 second synopsis. What I have so far is that the scientist working on weaponizing the zombie flu accidentally infects himself, despite the lab protocols. He has to get to what he hopes is the cure across the country, accompanied by his ER doctor girlfriend. He is getting sicker, and sicker, and closer to full zombie. This is a high stakes race across the country at night, pursued by the man who wants to kill him, to prevent an outbreak.
After I had strong positive feedback from the group I pulled up the rest of the chapters I had written. And re-read them until 0200 this morning. I don’t think it is half bad, but it is a book that clearly needs to be finished. I have the beginning, the middle is plotted, and the ending.
It is called Calling in Dead.
The title came to me when I was waiting for the core elevator in the middle of the night, about to search for something that the case that was underway needed. This was the 3rd add on, it was the 0400, I had been at work since 1030 the morning before and I was tired. I looked at my reflection in the dull silver doors and said that I needed to call in sick the next day, hell I needed to call in dead.
The title is still awesome.
Dispatches from the Evening Shift 