Other Articles to Write

Currently, I am writing articles for a local news' website.  I seem to be completing about two a week for them.  My first publication date isn't for another month.  They are fun to write and it helps with my research methodologies.  The first article took about three hours to complete from research to finished product not including edits.  The one I completed today only took an hour.  So I'm getting better.
I plan on working on a new short story for Yahoo! Voices this weekend.  There's this idea about a girl's academy on the Mississippi Gulf Coast that is a little strange that has been floating around in my head for a while.   My last short story for Yahoo was declined because of length.  I also need to rework that one so that it can be published.
I also have to complete two genealogy articles tomorrow.
And, I need to start work on my second Portia Andrade novella.  I am thinking I can combine two novellas into a print book and the third one can be a novel.  That's my grand plan anyway.

First Draft Done

I've completed the first draft of my Portia Andrade mystery novella and it's horrible.  I will spend the weekend fixing what I can and will send to a good friend to read over the next few weeks.  In the meantime, I will complete some genealogy articles and a short story for Yahoo Voices.  And anxiously await my friend to finish reading and tell me not to quit my day job.  Ughh!

Portia Andrade and Her Stories

One night, I imagined Portia Andrade. I could see her clearly in my mind.  She wasn't Gigi and she wasn't me.  She was the combination of our Fears and our Strengths.
I could see her traipsing through the French Quarter and dining at the best spots with her hair done, not a tinge of gray nor a hair out of place.
I could see her standing in a darkened courtyard and telling her future boyfriend - "You like me, Professor Mounier. You like me a lot."  The professor blushed not knowing how to respond to the woman who stood on tiptoe before him, reading his hidden thoughts.  Portia had mercy upon him and sauntered off into the night not waiting for an answer.
I could see her whole life before me. So I wrote her down.  The first attempt was a short story.  This wasn't quite right.  But I'm getting closer.