Writing and Submission Update

As of today, I have two short stories which have made it out of slush piles and onto editors desks at pro markets. Even if they don't sell to the current markets, this is a certain amount of validation that yes, I can write a competent story. I've also got another story out that would be a reprint if I sell it.Having three things on the market is a record for me as I don't write a lot of short fiction and don't submit a lot of what I write. I've got more half-finished stories, story ideas, and stories needing major revision than I do finished products that I'm comfortable sending out the door. I really should be writing more short fiction, but novels have a way of jealously monopolizing my writing time.So it's goal time. In addition to finishing a draft of Act I of the novel Antonia's Fire this year, I'd like to revise my one remaining story that was workshopped at TNEO last summer and get it on the market, as well as complete a draft of two new short stories. I've got an idea file and several stories I've started, so it may be just a matter of picking a couple of those and trying to develop them into something with, you know, a plot? Then there's that pesky novella that still needs major work on the last third, but maybe I'll kick that down the road to 2011.Tentatively, not even looking at my story idea files, I think I might write a piece of historical fantasy regarding the Battle of Tippecanoe and something weird with elements determined by a story generator. I received these story elements a year ago and have only a few notes about what I might do with them.I'm about to get very busy with my college students starting back next week, so I might look back at these goals in another few months and die laughing, but at the moment, they seem doable.