Acoustic Words

Other interesting sites
A link to the WebRings home where you can explore the Web Writers' Ring, the !Illinois Directory!, the Creative Writers Anonymous Webring, and the Central and Northern Illinois Webring.
A handful of places that promised me a decent listing if I would link to them, and a link to vote for this site at CrossDaily. Please consider voting -- it won't obligate you for anything, and you can come right back here.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Red Rocks Canyon outside of Las Vegas, NV

SHAMELESS BEGGING

For the time being, I'm offering my works for free to all visitors. I really, really want to communicate with the world! However, I do accept donations. If you've enjoyed reading my works, and believe them to be something you would have been willing to buy in a bookstore, then please consider dropping a few dollars into my hat. Clicking on the following button will allow you to donate whatever you feel is fair. (If you're stuck on an amount, may I suggest $5 U.S.?)

WELCOME TO MY WORLD!

I began writing short stories, novels, and poems several years ago. So far, I've enjoyed only limited publication. While I'm waiting for widespread recognition, I'd like to share them with others and get comments and reactions on them.

So please come on in. I hope you enjoy what you read here. And if you do, please leave a note in my guestbook, and tell a friend!

Thank you!

Three of my short stories ("Of Dogs and Consequences", "I'll Be There" and "Letters from Lupus") and one of my poems ("October Ride") are available in print as part of Facets of Friendship, an anthology by the Creative Writers group. For more information, or to purchase your copy, see the Facets of Friendship links on the "About the Author" page.

Thank you!

MOST RECENT UPDATE:

March 17. 2009

No, I haven't forgotten about this site; I've just been overwhelmed with other projects, from my paying job (would that this were it!) to house remodeling to...well, life in general. But I still appreciate everyone who visits.

My Facebook and MySpace sites are gone. I just didn't have time to keep them up, so I dropped out of them. If you were a friend there, thanks.

I'm working on converting all my files here from Word documents to Web-based documents. That way you won't have to download them to your computer to read them. It may take a while; so far I've converted the poems and I'm working my way up to the novels. Bear with me, and meanwhile, remember that downloading a Word document from here is harmless.

October 12, 2008

I'm building a new website. Freewebs is a very good provider, but I have a friend who runs his own provider, so I'm going with him. It may take me a while to set up the new site, so for now this is still my primary site. When I get the new one ready for visitors, its address will simply be http://www.acousticwords.com. Right now, if you go there, it will just direct you back here; eventually, this site will only have a link to the new site. But for the near future, you may still read verything here.

August 31, 2008

This is not so much an update as a comment preceding updates.

First of all, I've been working sporadically on the screenplay for our church. It's called "Winged", and that's about all I think I want to mention right now. I downloaded a screenplay template from the BBC website (never mind why I went to the BBC site for it -- it's a long story that really wouldn't interest you), and I've been getting used to using it. So while I probably won't be finishing it for some time, I do intend to post it eventually.

Meanwhile, I had an acquaintance from several years ago look at the first few chapters of "The Eros Variations", as "payment in kind" for looking at his manuscript. His comments, while painful, rang true. I will be revising extensively in the near future. Thanks to Jim Boswell for his honesty and help; he's thinking of putting some or all of his novel on the web -- when he does, I'll put up a link to it.

And, yes, I will put "Where's The Ark?" on here one of these days!

I've been enjoying seeing where my visitors are from on the map, below. Please leave a "pin" to show where you're from. You don't have to leave a name if you don't want to.

Once again, I've changed my template. Tell me what you think of it below:

After a burst of creativity in my blog, I got sidetracked. I'm not really that much of a blogger, anyway. I'll add when I can, but it will be extremely sporadic.

We finished the performances of "Where's the Ark?", and I think they went pretty well. Maybe I'll post it here sometime, even if I didn't write as much of it as I did "Legacy". (See that play and my Christmas play here.)

The agent whom I queried about "The Eros Variations" finally responded. As I suspected, she was dealing with personal upheavals and a major influx of queries. Unfortunately, she chose not to represent my manuscript. So I guess I start the search process yet again.

Meanwhile, I've finally posted the first chapter of "Starfire". It took me a while to get it the way I wanted it; I'm hoping the rest of the novel goes a little more quickly. Please check it out.

I'm also starting a new novel that I'm calling "Seeking Jenny". I've finished the first chapter of that novel and have posted it. Stop by and take a look at it, too.

I've added a game spot on the "Essays and Other Stuff" page (I figured a game qualifies as "Other Stuff"). Right now, it's "Skywire". I'll change games periodically.

My latest big addition to this site is a page of "Forums", which I'm calling "Acoustic Discussions" (clever, huh?). Here you can discuss my novels, short stories, plays, poems, and essays, or start some other topic. (I mean, isn't the whole world just dying to discuss my work?) I will be monitoring the forums on a regular basis and will try to reply to any questions there in a timely fashion. I will also be deleting any obscene postings or spam, so be warned.

I took a quick look at some of the links I have here, and they're no longer operative. I don't have time to correct them right now, but I will as soon as I can.

Finally, please seriously consider donating something. I would love to be able to upgrade this site. And anything I receive beyond that I can use in my continuing search for an agent/publisher. Thanks!

Site Purpose

Okay, I'll admit it - I have purely selfish motives. I want people to read my work. Right now I have only a tiny fraction published, and while it would be wonderful if I could support myself that way, the chances of that happening are slim. Not that my stuff is bad, mind you -- it's just the realities of the publishing industry that there's a lot more supply than demand.

So, rather than not being read at all, I'd rather give it away for free.

For now, at least.

Content

For the most part, content on these pages is rated G or PG, although an occasional PG-13 (or even, in the case of "The Eros Variations", an R) might show up. I'll try to warn you in advance when language or other "adult" content appears.

Navigation

To begin, click on the appropriate general heading in the list to the upper left. You'll be carried to a page describing the readings and offered further choices.

Communicating

If you want to share your comments with me personally, send them to acousticwords1252@msn.com. I'll try to reply to any questions there in a timely fashion.

You're also welcome to sign my guestbook and leave any comments you want there. (I will be going through regularly and deleting any spam. Just so you know.)

And I have a blog. You can comment there, too.

Finally, you can also comment and question in Acoustic Discussions, my Forums.

Warning

Please enjoy what you find here, but remember - the content within is solely my property. I will take whatever legal steps are necessary to protect that property.

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LINKS

Stephen M. Larson | Create Your Badge

OTHER INTERESTING SITES

ARTISTIC NETWORK

Artistic Network - Creative Arts

"The Artistic Network is a site that was developed specifically for the purpose of exposing the talent of creative artists and the modern-day Renaissance Man. Anyone dealing with creative arts, from individuals to organizations, can add themselves to the arts directory."

CREATIVE WRITERS ONLINE

This is a community for aspiring writers of all ages and skill levels. You can post your own material on one of the multiple message boards, and comment on someone else's material. This is a semi-private site, which means that you can visit and read to your heart's content, but to post anything you have to apply for membership. (This is to keep out known troublemakers.) Management at CW is usually very good about responding to a membership application within a week at most. (I can say that with confidence, as I'm principle manager there for the time being. I didn't start the site, I just inherited the position!)

PretendGeniusPress

London, New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington D.C.

A unique publishing company, featuring the works of some of my online Creative Writers acquaintances, including Sean Brijbasi (see below for his personal website), Dean Strom, J. Tyler Blue, and others.

WGLT

When I was in college, I worked at this radio station (see my bio at About the Author). At the time it played primarily classical music with some late night rock; now it's "News, Blues and All That Jazz". Drop in and listen for a while!

Truth 103

This is a local Christian station. Most Christian stations in our area play adult contemporary (Point of Grace) and pop (Michael W. Smith), and while I like those sounds, I prefer something a little harder. Truth 103 plays more rock (Mute Math, Sanctus Real, Disciple) and hip-hop (although I'm not much of a fan of hip-hop, so I can't give you examples). They went on the air September 21, 2004, and have begun to amass a decent audience, both locally and world-wide via their streaming audio at their website. Take a listen.

A few of my literary friends:

Christine de Pavilly -- author and musician	Catherine Edmunds -- novelist and poet	Sean Brijbasi -- author and pretend genius	Stephen Moran -- author and fool to himself
Tamara Imes -- author and survivor	Raewyn Alexander -- author and editor (also here)

Michael W. Hull, Guitarist

One of my closest friends, Mike is a classical guitarist and teacher. His site features advice on guitar playing and on performing in general, as well as a schedule of his upcoming performances and links to other guitar sites. He's planning on releasing his first CD next spring -- I'll keep you updated on its release.

WEBRINGS TO WHICH I BELONG

SEARCH ENGINES AND OTHER TOOLS

Link Master

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