Courtesy of darkmarkets.com we have a new market called Mixer Publishing. http://mixerpublishing.com Their web site isn't up yet, but you can sign up for their newsletter. You will find all their guidelines at their submishmash account. http://mixerpublishing.submishmash.com/Submit
They're looking for shorts for both online and print editions. No word length is mentioned but pay is $25 to $100 for the genres of romance, horror, noir, and sci-fi. They're also looking for novels and novellas for Kindle, etc with a 50/50 split. They're also open to poetry and art work.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 30, 2011
Pulp Modern
Via David Cranmer we have word of a new genre zine. Pulp Modern will be a quarterly POD fiction journal. The editor is Alec Cizak, who is also the editor of the online zine "All Due Respect". http://www.all-due-respect.blogspot.com/
Pulp Modern is looking for short stories of 2000 to 5000 words in the genres of crime, mystery, horror, fantasy and westerns. Payment is an equal split of the gross profits for both writers and artists. The deadline is September 1 for the first issue. You can find all the details at http://pulp-modern.blogspot.com/
Pulp Modern is looking for short stories of 2000 to 5000 words in the genres of crime, mystery, horror, fantasy and westerns. Payment is an equal split of the gross profits for both writers and artists. The deadline is September 1 for the first issue. You can find all the details at http://pulp-modern.blogspot.com/
Words of Wisdom from Kevin Burton Smith
I was going through my saved emails yesterday and ran across this post to the SMFS list from Kevin Burton Smith back in 2008. Kevin is the editor of The Thrilling Detective web site http://www.thrillingdetective.com (A must read for mystery and PI fans. As a matter of fact, the June issue is up.) Kevin gives us some great advice on how to write a PI story.
"My gripe with the typical P.I. in his office beginning is not that it's not effective (it can be), but it's been done so often and rarely gives us any info we couldn't just as easily pick up later.I understand the appeal. It's a good way to get your footing before plunging into the story, a nice, safe formal starting place.
And yes, even now, some writers can make it work every time. Robert Parker's Spenser's openings are a case in point: often it's just him and a doughnut, having a battle of wits while observing the Boston weather and changing cityscape, waiting for a customer, and they're some of the best in the biz.But too many writers just retread where everyone else has gone before. And usually better.
So, if it doesn't add to the story, or feature some distinctive or fresh bit of business, why bother?Cut to the chase and start with a stakeout or a door being kicked in or whatever, and fill us in on what we need to know as we need to know it.
In fact, in a short story, we don't even need to know everything. Or show everything. Sometimes a brief "telling" is more engaging than a lengthy "showing." (The "show not tell" rule is generally a good one, but don't think there aren't exceptions).
Sometimes formal, linear storytelling can be amazing effective (THE GREAT ESCAPE is still one of my all-time favourite examples of that) but a P.I. mystery or a crime story -- where much is necessarily unknown until the very end -- doesn't have to follow such a strict formal pattern.
And going to the extremes, would PULP FICTION or MEMENTO or even Kubrick's early masterpiece THE KILLING have worked as well told in straight linear fashion?Nope.So don't be afraid to muck around a little. Handled well, a few scenes, told clearly out of sequence, can be amazingly effective.
Fire up your literary DeLoreans. Just make sure you've got enough gas in the tank to make it home..."
"My gripe with the typical P.I. in his office beginning is not that it's not effective (it can be), but it's been done so often and rarely gives us any info we couldn't just as easily pick up later.I understand the appeal. It's a good way to get your footing before plunging into the story, a nice, safe formal starting place.
And yes, even now, some writers can make it work every time. Robert Parker's Spenser's openings are a case in point: often it's just him and a doughnut, having a battle of wits while observing the Boston weather and changing cityscape, waiting for a customer, and they're some of the best in the biz.But too many writers just retread where everyone else has gone before. And usually better.
So, if it doesn't add to the story, or feature some distinctive or fresh bit of business, why bother?Cut to the chase and start with a stakeout or a door being kicked in or whatever, and fill us in on what we need to know as we need to know it.
In fact, in a short story, we don't even need to know everything. Or show everything. Sometimes a brief "telling" is more engaging than a lengthy "showing." (The "show not tell" rule is generally a good one, but don't think there aren't exceptions).
Sometimes formal, linear storytelling can be amazing effective (THE GREAT ESCAPE is still one of my all-time favourite examples of that) but a P.I. mystery or a crime story -- where much is necessarily unknown until the very end -- doesn't have to follow such a strict formal pattern.
And going to the extremes, would PULP FICTION or MEMENTO or even Kubrick's early masterpiece THE KILLING have worked as well told in straight linear fashion?Nope.So don't be afraid to muck around a little. Handled well, a few scenes, told clearly out of sequence, can be amazingly effective.
Fire up your literary DeLoreans. Just make sure you've got enough gas in the tank to make it home..."
Sunday, May 29, 2011
CrimeFactory
Issue #6 of Crimefactory has hit the virtual streets with familiar names like Eric Beetner, Nigel Bird and Jed Ayres. http://www.crimefactoryzine.com/main/Home.html
And editor, Keith Rawson has some comments about submissions over at Crime Factory's Day Labor blog http://cfdaylabor.blogspot.com/
And editor, Keith Rawson has some comments about submissions over at Crime Factory's Day Labor blog http://cfdaylabor.blogspot.com/
Saturday, May 28, 2011
E-pubbing Questions Around the Web
Last weekend, Michael Bracken had a post on his blog called "Show Me The Money" http://crimefictionwriter.blogspot.com/2011/05/show-me-money.html where he asked how other short story writers were doing selling shorts on Kindle.
This week he's back with a breakdown of his sales since he started epubbing his own work. Interesting reading and a very real look at those who aren't at the top of the Kindle heap. http://crimefictionwriter.blogspot.com/2011/05/kindle-reality.html
Another writer who's diving into epubbing is Chuck Wendig who talks about it here http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/05/25/confessions-of-a-self-published-penmonkey/ One thing that Chuck talks about that few others do, is pricing your books.
And Allan Guthrie has a blog called Criminal-e where he does interviews with a variety of self-pubbed authors from short story writers to novelists. In the interviews there's always a few questions about the business of self-pubbing your work as an ebook. http://criminal-e.blogspot.com/
It's a confusing time for both writers and publishers and only by asking questions and listening to answers can we judge what is best for us.
This week he's back with a breakdown of his sales since he started epubbing his own work. Interesting reading and a very real look at those who aren't at the top of the Kindle heap. http://crimefictionwriter.blogspot.com/2011/05/kindle-reality.html
Another writer who's diving into epubbing is Chuck Wendig who talks about it here http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2011/05/25/confessions-of-a-self-published-penmonkey/ One thing that Chuck talks about that few others do, is pricing your books.
And Allan Guthrie has a blog called Criminal-e where he does interviews with a variety of self-pubbed authors from short story writers to novelists. In the interviews there's always a few questions about the business of self-pubbing your work as an ebook. http://criminal-e.blogspot.com/
It's a confusing time for both writers and publishers and only by asking questions and listening to answers can we judge what is best for us.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Dean Koontz Q&A
Via Hellnotes http://hellnotes.com I found this Q&A with author, Dean Koontz http://www.deankoontz.com/writing-qa/
Market News
Thrillers Killers 'n Chillers has closed to submissions until July 1.
Bete Noire http://www.betenoiremagazine.com will be opening for subs for their Summer issue on June 1 to June 30. Pay is $10 per story. There's also an anthology call for "In Poe's Shadow" that opens on July 1 to July 31 for stories of 2000 to 4000 words inspired by Poe's work. You can find the details at http://www.betenoiremagazine.com/anthologyguidelines.htm Pay is a penny a word.
Anthropomorphic Dreams Publishing has a call for their third "Human Furry Fiction Anthology". The submission period is June 1 to July 17 for stories about anthropomorphic animal characters with the sub theme of romance. 2000 to 10,000 words. Pay is 1/4cent a word. They also accept short stories for podcasts. You can find all the details here http://www.anthrodreams.com/about
And finally, we have the James White Award. This is a no-fee contest for new writers (no professionals). They're looking for sci-fi stories up to 6000 words with a January 31, 2012 deadline. The prize is 200pounds plus publication in Interzone Magazine. Details at http://www.jameswhiteaward.com/rules
Bete Noire http://www.betenoiremagazine.com will be opening for subs for their Summer issue on June 1 to June 30. Pay is $10 per story. There's also an anthology call for "In Poe's Shadow" that opens on July 1 to July 31 for stories of 2000 to 4000 words inspired by Poe's work. You can find the details at http://www.betenoiremagazine.com/anthologyguidelines.htm Pay is a penny a word.
Anthropomorphic Dreams Publishing has a call for their third "Human Furry Fiction Anthology". The submission period is June 1 to July 17 for stories about anthropomorphic animal characters with the sub theme of romance. 2000 to 10,000 words. Pay is 1/4cent a word. They also accept short stories for podcasts. You can find all the details here http://www.anthrodreams.com/about
And finally, we have the James White Award. This is a no-fee contest for new writers (no professionals). They're looking for sci-fi stories up to 6000 words with a January 31, 2012 deadline. The prize is 200pounds plus publication in Interzone Magazine. Details at http://www.jameswhiteaward.com/rules
In Other Genres
Nancy Jane Moore has some interesting thoughts on the grim worlds that writers seem to be creating more of these days. http://blog.bookviewcafe.com/2011/05/26/is-the-real-truth-always-grim/
While it's not often stated, there are certain expectations of what women writers should be writing, both in the minds of editors and readers. I love Stina Leicht's take on the subject. http://aidanmoher.com/blog/2011/05/articles/guest-post-stina-leicht-on-writing-urban-fantasy-without-vampires-detectives-and-tramp-stamped-chicks
I stopped by BookLife Now this morning and discovered an excellent interview with Western writer Cotton Smith. http://booklifenow.com/2011/05/to-never-give-up-cotton-smith-on-writing-the-west/
There's also a look at the Western anthology, "A Fistful of Legends" http://booklifenow.com/2011/04/in-constant-conflict-a-fistful-of-legends
BookLife has 50 entries in their "Writing the West" series which you can find at this link http://booklifenow.com/category/writing-the-west/ You'll find interviews with Jory Sherman, Mike Blakely, and Robert J. Randisi, just to name a few.
While it's not often stated, there are certain expectations of what women writers should be writing, both in the minds of editors and readers. I love Stina Leicht's take on the subject. http://aidanmoher.com/blog/2011/05/articles/guest-post-stina-leicht-on-writing-urban-fantasy-without-vampires-detectives-and-tramp-stamped-chicks
I stopped by BookLife Now this morning and discovered an excellent interview with Western writer Cotton Smith. http://booklifenow.com/2011/05/to-never-give-up-cotton-smith-on-writing-the-west/
There's also a look at the Western anthology, "A Fistful of Legends" http://booklifenow.com/2011/04/in-constant-conflict-a-fistful-of-legends
BookLife has 50 entries in their "Writing the West" series which you can find at this link http://booklifenow.com/category/writing-the-west/ You'll find interviews with Jory Sherman, Mike Blakely, and Robert J. Randisi, just to name a few.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Some Wednesday Linkage
Gareth Powell has listed 5 pieces of writing advice that every writer should take to heart. Some of the advice, we should already know, but it never hurts to be reminded. http://www.garethlpowell.com/creative-writing-lecture
From Brian Lindenmuth we have the return of The Bullet Awards, this time with a blog of its own. Each month Geoff Eighinger, former editor of "Crooked", and a panel of judges will review short stories and post their selections. They're asking that all you readers out there send links to stories that they might have missed so they can be entered for consideration. You can check out the details here http://thebulletawards.blogspot.com
And be sure to stop by Spinetinger today and tomorrow to check out the reviews of all the stories in the anthology, "On Dangerous Ground: Stories of Western Noir" edited by Ed Gorman, Dave Zeltserman and Martin H. Greenberg. Here's the link http://www.spinetinglermag.com/tag/on-dangerous-ground-stories-of-western-noir/
From Brian Lindenmuth we have the return of The Bullet Awards, this time with a blog of its own. Each month Geoff Eighinger, former editor of "Crooked", and a panel of judges will review short stories and post their selections. They're asking that all you readers out there send links to stories that they might have missed so they can be entered for consideration. You can check out the details here http://thebulletawards.blogspot.com
And be sure to stop by Spinetinger today and tomorrow to check out the reviews of all the stories in the anthology, "On Dangerous Ground: Stories of Western Noir" edited by Ed Gorman, Dave Zeltserman and Martin H. Greenberg. Here's the link http://www.spinetinglermag.com/tag/on-dangerous-ground-stories-of-western-noir/
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Max Brand
I finished reading "The Wolf Strain" by Max Brand over the weekend. Not a novel, but three, of what were referred to as short novels during the pulp days. All in 215 pages. Back in the twenties and thirties when these stories were written authors were allowed to let their stories be what they needed to be. Today we call these stories novelettes or novellas and we'd be pulling our hair out trying to find a market for them.
Before each "novel" there's a bit of history supplied which added to my enjoyment. Max Brand's real name was Frederick Faust and he was a regular contributor to "Western Story Magazine". Due to the Depression, in 1933 Faust's publisher cut his payment from five cents to four per word. In 1934 Faust agent pre-sold 200,000 words to their competitor under the Max Brand byline. His stories were published in "Star Westerns" which helped to establish this magazine as one of the top Western magazines of its day.
Funny to think that one author could make such a difference to a publication. Publishers tend to forget that while writers need an outlet for their stories, their publications wouldn't exist without the writers. What's really frustrating is that, for the most part, short story writers are being paid less now, then during the Depression. (sigh)
Oh yeah, and if you get a chance to read some Max Brand, don't hesitate. They're a fun read with a great combination of Western and Crime fiction.
Before each "novel" there's a bit of history supplied which added to my enjoyment. Max Brand's real name was Frederick Faust and he was a regular contributor to "Western Story Magazine". Due to the Depression, in 1933 Faust's publisher cut his payment from five cents to four per word. In 1934 Faust agent pre-sold 200,000 words to their competitor under the Max Brand byline. His stories were published in "Star Westerns" which helped to establish this magazine as one of the top Western magazines of its day.
Funny to think that one author could make such a difference to a publication. Publishers tend to forget that while writers need an outlet for their stories, their publications wouldn't exist without the writers. What's really frustrating is that, for the most part, short story writers are being paid less now, then during the Depression. (sigh)
Oh yeah, and if you get a chance to read some Max Brand, don't hesitate. They're a fun read with a great combination of Western and Crime fiction.
Monday, May 23, 2011
Markets
"Tales of Old" is looking for historical fiction for podcasts. Shorts of 1000 to 4500 words, pay is 1.5cents per word. Various genres so long as the history is accurate. http://www.talesofold.org/submission-guidelines
"Persimmon Tree" publishes twice a year and is looking for work from women over 60. Shorts and non-fiction under 3500 words, short takes of 250 - 500 words, poetry and artwork. This is a non-paying market. http://www.persimmontree.org/submissions.php
Melange Books is a royalty paying ebook publisher. They publish in every genre including erotica. They're looking for novels of 40,000 to 100,000 words and shorts of 6,000 to 29,900 to be published individually. There's also 6 anthology calls with various word counts, deadlines, and themes. And there's a call for specific short reads of 8,000 to 15,000 words. http://www.melange-books.com/subs.html
"Boys of Summer" is a YA anthology call for stories about self-assured gay male teens in the summer. No graphic sex. Story length is 2500 to 10,000 words with a November 1 deadline. Pay is $100 to $250. You'll find the details at http://mroctober.livejournal.com/396228.html
"Persimmon Tree" publishes twice a year and is looking for work from women over 60. Shorts and non-fiction under 3500 words, short takes of 250 - 500 words, poetry and artwork. This is a non-paying market. http://www.persimmontree.org/submissions.php
Melange Books is a royalty paying ebook publisher. They publish in every genre including erotica. They're looking for novels of 40,000 to 100,000 words and shorts of 6,000 to 29,900 to be published individually. There's also 6 anthology calls with various word counts, deadlines, and themes. And there's a call for specific short reads of 8,000 to 15,000 words. http://www.melange-books.com/subs.html
"Boys of Summer" is a YA anthology call for stories about self-assured gay male teens in the summer. No graphic sex. Story length is 2500 to 10,000 words with a November 1 deadline. Pay is $100 to $250. You'll find the details at http://mroctober.livejournal.com/396228.html
Zine News
The DF_Underground zine has closed its doors and vanished the site.
Has anyone heard anything from Bryon Q about Demolition? It's been two months since the announcement that they were coming back and there's still no sign of life on the site.
And there's an interview with editor, Tara Laskowski, of SmokeLong Quarterly here http://jacquelinevickauthor.blogspot.com/2011/05/interview-with-smokelong-quarterlys.html
Has anyone heard anything from Bryon Q about Demolition? It's been two months since the announcement that they were coming back and there's still no sign of life on the site.
And there's an interview with editor, Tara Laskowski, of SmokeLong Quarterly here http://jacquelinevickauthor.blogspot.com/2011/05/interview-with-smokelong-quarterlys.html
Rejection
Michael Bracken sent me this link to an article, by Greg Herren, about rejection http://www.lambdaliterary.org/features/05/19/rejection-part-of-the-game/ This is a site for LBGT writers, so if you're easily offended....
The same day that Michael sent me that link I found this link to a beautiful post about rejection by Theodora Goss called "Finding the Joy". http://theodoragoss.com/2011/05/18/finding-the-joy/
Sometimes it's good to remind ourselves that rejection isn't personal, only a matter of editor's tastes and needs.
The same day that Michael sent me that link I found this link to a beautiful post about rejection by Theodora Goss called "Finding the Joy". http://theodoragoss.com/2011/05/18/finding-the-joy/
Sometimes it's good to remind ourselves that rejection isn't personal, only a matter of editor's tastes and needs.
I'm Back!
I'm finally back on Blogger! I was shut out for several days, couldn't post, couldn't comment, and was even thinking about moving the blog somewhere else. I finally found out that the problem was my cookies! I've baked cookies, eaten cookies, even donated cookies to the PTA bake sales but never in my life have I deleted cookies, until yesterday. On the google forum board someone who was having the same problem said to delete your cookies to get in. It took me several hours to figure out where to delete those damn cookies, but I finally found it and, well, here I am!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
The Attic Story Cupboard
Yesterday I stopped by The Abbott Gran Old Tyme Medicine Show blog and this post captured my attention. http://abbottgran.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/latches/ The post is about an exhibit of suitcases found in the attic of the Willard Asylum, a state mental hospital in New York state. I clicked on one of the links http://www.suitcaseexhibit.org/indexhasflash.html and was transported into a world of pictures that just broke my heart.
The site contains pictures of the suitcases and fills you in on some of the patient's lives. Many of them lived most of their adult lives inside that building and never got to unpack their suitcases and have their belongings to keep them company. The suitcases are filled with the remnants of unlived lives and as a writer I just wanted to sit here and write their stories.
Old pictures are a great source of inspiration for writers but so, too, are old suitcases, trunks, and boxes that you might find in your own attics or storage lockers. Imagine finding an old truck with a yellowed wedding dress, dried flowers, and a torn wedding invitation. Or perhaps a tuxedo, a dozen passports and a gun. You can let your imagination create the items or take a trip to the flea market or an auction and pick up one of those dollar boxes of odds and ends and see where they take you.
The site contains pictures of the suitcases and fills you in on some of the patient's lives. Many of them lived most of their adult lives inside that building and never got to unpack their suitcases and have their belongings to keep them company. The suitcases are filled with the remnants of unlived lives and as a writer I just wanted to sit here and write their stories.
Old pictures are a great source of inspiration for writers but so, too, are old suitcases, trunks, and boxes that you might find in your own attics or storage lockers. Imagine finding an old truck with a yellowed wedding dress, dried flowers, and a torn wedding invitation. Or perhaps a tuxedo, a dozen passports and a gun. You can let your imagination create the items or take a trip to the flea market or an auction and pick up one of those dollar boxes of odds and ends and see where they take you.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Gun Play
If you're never quite sure what type of gun to put in your character's hands you might want to stop by the Criminal Brief blog today and tomorrow. They are featuring two posts by David Dean that will help clear up the mystery for you. http://criminalbrief.com
A Few Links
For you newbie mystery writers we have a link to a post about writing short mystery fiction from Warren Bull and Nancy Pickard http://writerswhokill.blogspot.com/2011/05/warren-and-nancy-pickard-discuss-short.html
If you were wondering where I was on Monday (what? you didn't miss me?) I did a guest post for Patti Abbott for her "How I Came to Write This Story" series. You can find it here http://pattinase.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-i-came-to-write-this-story-sandra.html If you click on the label at the bottom of the posts you'll find a great many more posts by short story writers like Chris Holm, Steve Weedle and Matthew C. Funk, to name just a few.
And editor, Bart Leib, stopped by the blog and left a link to a post explaining his reasoning behind the anthology call for "Fat Girl in a Strange Land". You can read it here http://subvertthespace.com/bartleib/2011/05/12/fat-girl-in-a-strange-land-why-this-theme-for-an-anthology/ Finding out what the editor is looking for makes for a better submission.
If you were wondering where I was on Monday (what? you didn't miss me?) I did a guest post for Patti Abbott for her "How I Came to Write This Story" series. You can find it here http://pattinase.blogspot.com/2011/05/how-i-came-to-write-this-story-sandra.html If you click on the label at the bottom of the posts you'll find a great many more posts by short story writers like Chris Holm, Steve Weedle and Matthew C. Funk, to name just a few.
And editor, Bart Leib, stopped by the blog and left a link to a post explaining his reasoning behind the anthology call for "Fat Girl in a Strange Land". You can read it here http://subvertthespace.com/bartleib/2011/05/12/fat-girl-in-a-strange-land-why-this-theme-for-an-anthology/ Finding out what the editor is looking for makes for a better submission.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Charity Anthology Available
Editor, TJ McIntyre, has put together a charity anthology called "Southern Fried Weirdness: Reconstruction". All profits will be donated to the American Red Cross to aid the disaster relief efforts in the aftermath of the tornadoes that hit Alabama. You can find the Table of Contents, along with a link to purchase here http://southernweirdo.wordpress.com/2011/05/14/now-available-at-smashwords/
Unraveling a Story
So, I'm writing along, really getting into the swing of the story when I suddenly realized that I had "put a gun on the mantel" in the form of a character in one of the opening scenes. It's a great scene that I don't want to cut from the story because it shows so much about my protag, but to not continue this confrontation between the characters seems like cheating the reader and would leave loose threads in the story.
I'm not sure exactly how to fit this character into the unfolding drama but I know that it needs to be there because it's important to the story. Has this ever happened to you? You know, when a minor, chance meeting, character suddenly needs to become a bigger part of your story.
I'm not sure exactly how to fit this character into the unfolding drama but I know that it needs to be there because it's important to the story. Has this ever happened to you? You know, when a minor, chance meeting, character suddenly needs to become a bigger part of your story.
Anthology Review
With a hat tip to David Cranmer we have a review of Frank Bill's new collection, "Crimes in Southern Indiana: Stories" over at Publishers Weekly. How cool is that!?! http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-0-374-53288-8
And if you're looking for some anthologies/collections in the sci-fi/fantasy genre head on over to the Bibliophile Stalker where Charles Tan has listed 166 of them as a meme. http://charles-tan.blogspot.com/2011/05/sf-short-story-collection-meme.html
And if you're looking for some anthologies/collections in the sci-fi/fantasy genre head on over to the Bibliophile Stalker where Charles Tan has listed 166 of them as a meme. http://charles-tan.blogspot.com/2011/05/sf-short-story-collection-meme.html
Saturday, May 14, 2011
First Thrills
For those of you thinking of purchasing the anthology, "First Thrills", edited by Lee Child you can get a peek inside the pages here http://www.thebigthrill.org/2011/05/first-thrills-high-octane-stories-from-the-hottest-thriller-authors-now-available
At the link you find a link to two free stories. The first, "The Thief" by Gregg Hurwitz and the other is "Children's Day" by Kelli Stanley. You'll also find links to several reviews so you can get a feel for what's in the anthology.
At the link you find a link to two free stories. The first, "The Thief" by Gregg Hurwitz and the other is "Children's Day" by Kelli Stanley. You'll also find links to several reviews so you can get a feel for what's in the anthology.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Anthology Call
I expect the "PC police" will be in an uproar over this anthology call from "Crossed Genres". I'll admit I was a bit put off by the title at first but the idea grew on me and I thought this could be a fun anthology. I have to admit that "Abercrombie Station" by Jack Vance flickered through my mind adding a bit of possibility to the idea.
Anyhoo, the anthology is called "Fat Girl in a Strange Land". They're looking for short stories of 2000 to 6000 words in the sci-fi/fantasy genres. You must have a fat female protagonist adventuring into places she's never been before. Pay is $10 and the deadline is September 30 with publication in 2012. You can find all the details at http://crossedgenres.com/titles/fat-girl-in-a-strange-land/
Anyhoo, the anthology is called "Fat Girl in a Strange Land". They're looking for short stories of 2000 to 6000 words in the sci-fi/fantasy genres. You must have a fat female protagonist adventuring into places she's never been before. Pay is $10 and the deadline is September 30 with publication in 2012. You can find all the details at http://crossedgenres.com/titles/fat-girl-in-a-strange-land/
Shotgun Honey
Well, I'm not holding my breath, but it looks like we're back!! I guess Shotgun Honey didn't like going offline with their blogger address, they've moved. http://shotgunhoney.netidev.com I'll make the change on the sidebar.
UPDATE: Shotgun Honey's url
UPDATE: Shotgun Honey's url
Thursday, May 12, 2011
On Writing
I love finding definitions of noir and this one from Rob Lopresti takes the idea of a noir story down to the bare bones. And it hits on a vital truth, not just about noir but about life, we're all striving for something more, but sometimes it's just out of our grasp.
"The protagonist needs to aspire to something, preferably something I can sympathize with. Has it ever struck you that the essence of noir is the American dream? A nobody, hungering for success, tries to lift himself up by his own bootstraps. Maybe he does it by robbing a bank or killing his sweetheart’s husband, but he wants to achieve, just like everyone in this country is supposed to. He gets squashed like a bug, but dammit, he’s trying."
For the rest of Rob's essay on what hooks him as a reader go here http://criminalbrief.com/?p=16756 It's a great look at what a writer can do to make his story stand out from the crowd.
"The protagonist needs to aspire to something, preferably something I can sympathize with. Has it ever struck you that the essence of noir is the American dream? A nobody, hungering for success, tries to lift himself up by his own bootstraps. Maybe he does it by robbing a bank or killing his sweetheart’s husband, but he wants to achieve, just like everyone in this country is supposed to. He gets squashed like a bug, but dammit, he’s trying."
For the rest of Rob's essay on what hooks him as a reader go here http://criminalbrief.com/?p=16756 It's a great look at what a writer can do to make his story stand out from the crowd.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Market Day
So, in the course of clicking around the 'net I found some markets that are looking for subs from all you fine folks out there.
Over at Angie's Desk you'll find her monthly list of anthology calls. http://angiesdesk.blogspot.com/2011/05/anthology-markets.html These are mostly fantasy and erotic but you never know what will strike your creative self.
At the Essential Writers site I ran across a call for children's and YA novels from a new press called Mythmaker Publications. EW has an interview with the owners and links to their site here http://essentialwriters.com/mythmaker-publications-interview-10665.htm
And at the Femministas blog http://femministas.blogspot.com I found a call for the anthology, "With This Ring, I Bleed" from Rain Storm Press http://www.rainstormpress.com At their site I found calls for, "Whacked! An Anthology of Murder" and "Nailed: An Erotic Death Anthology" They're all looking for stories of 3000 to 7000 words, the first with an August 20 deadline. These are all non-paying except for copies. But hey, they're new crime markets. Be sure to click around the Femministas site as there's all kinds of markets that will be of interest for those who write articles from a female perspective and short story markets for everyone.
At Write Jobs I ran across an interesting call from Circlet Press for gay erotica fairy tales. Pay is $25 for 3500 to 7500 words. You can find the details and a link to Circlet Press here http://write-jobs.blogspot.com/2011/05/paying-market-modern-gay-er0tic-fairy.html
And finally from Paul Brazill we have Oomska an arts and pop culture magazine that's looking for reviewers and artists. This is a new non-paying market http://www.oomska.co.uk/?page_id=1655 This market will be of interest to UK writers especially.
Over at Angie's Desk you'll find her monthly list of anthology calls. http://angiesdesk.blogspot.com/2011/05/anthology-markets.html These are mostly fantasy and erotic but you never know what will strike your creative self.
At the Essential Writers site I ran across a call for children's and YA novels from a new press called Mythmaker Publications. EW has an interview with the owners and links to their site here http://essentialwriters.com/mythmaker-publications-interview-10665.htm
And at the Femministas blog http://femministas.blogspot.com I found a call for the anthology, "With This Ring, I Bleed" from Rain Storm Press http://www.rainstormpress.com At their site I found calls for, "Whacked! An Anthology of Murder" and "Nailed: An Erotic Death Anthology" They're all looking for stories of 3000 to 7000 words, the first with an August 20 deadline. These are all non-paying except for copies. But hey, they're new crime markets. Be sure to click around the Femministas site as there's all kinds of markets that will be of interest for those who write articles from a female perspective and short story markets for everyone.
At Write Jobs I ran across an interesting call from Circlet Press for gay erotica fairy tales. Pay is $25 for 3500 to 7500 words. You can find the details and a link to Circlet Press here http://write-jobs.blogspot.com/2011/05/paying-market-modern-gay-er0tic-fairy.html
And finally from Paul Brazill we have Oomska an arts and pop culture magazine that's looking for reviewers and artists. This is a new non-paying market http://www.oomska.co.uk/?page_id=1655 This market will be of interest to UK writers especially.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Zine News
Spinetingler has closed to submissions until further notice. But there's new fiction and plenty of reviews and crime fiction news so drop on by http://www.spinetinglermag.com/
And Macabre Cadaver has shuttered their doors.
And Macabre Cadaver has shuttered their doors.
Sunday, May 8, 2011
3rd Annual Watery Grave Invitational
It's that time of year again. For the third year in a row, The Drowning Machine presents "The Watery Grave Invitational". All you have to do is send Naomi a link to one of your online stories published this past year to get your name tossed in the hat. If you're chosen you get to write a story for the contest. And there's cash prizes! Naomi also posts the links to your stories at The Drowning Machine blog so you'll have a wider audience for your work, it's a win-win, even if you're not chosen to participate in the contest. For all the details go to http://drowningmachine.blogspot.com/2011/05/3rd-lap-time-for-watery-grave.html
Stephen King - On Writing Shorts
The Atlantic is featuring a new Stephen King short story, "Herman Wouk is Still Alive", this month in its online issue. They also have an interview with King where he talks about the process of writing and what he considers the state of short stories. Quite an interesting read which you can find here. http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/04/stephen-king-on-the-creative-process-the-state-of-fiction-and-more/237023/
You'll find the link to the short story there also.
You'll find the link to the short story there also.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Dan O'Shea's Flash Challenge
Last week Daniel O'Shea issued a flash challenge to write a story that involved rain. For every entry in the challenge he's going to donate $5 to the Red Cross Tornado Relief fund. Here's my entry. You can find links to the rest of the stories here http://danielboshea.wordpress.com
LIGHTNING DANCE
By Sandra Seamans
For the third night in a row, just as she was nodding off to sleep, the sky rumbled. The thunderstorm shaking the old house down to its very core, waking the monster. Lightning split the black clouds and rain descended like an advancing army. Amy huddled in her bed, blankets pulled tight against her chin, tears just a drop away.
With the first night of the storms he’d tiptoed softly into her room. Amy’s bed creaked a startled warning. Too late. She tried to slap him away but the monster just laughed. He pounded her slender body deep into the Cinderella sheets, plundering her innocence, while the thunder stole her screams. When he was finished his voice whispered in her ear, “It’s just a nightmare, sweetheart, go back to sleep.”
In the morning light the blood on her nightie unraveled his lie and Amy knew the monster was real. Tears filled her eyes as she watched the sun fairies dance through the gap in her curtains and she heard their voices chanting, “Embrace the storm, hug the wind, hold tight the lightning, and dance.” But she didn’t understand.
On the second night as the thunder roared and the army of raindrops pounded on her window panes she closed her eyes tight and chanted, “Embrace the storm, hug the wind, hold tight the lightning, and dance.” Over and over she repeated the fairy chant but still the monster came, his lying whispers trying to convince her it was only a nightmare. Hatred filled the space in her heart where love had once lived.
Huddled in her bed, dreading the coming storm, Amy saw a moonbeam split the clouds and smiled as the fairies rode the beam of light into her room. She started to chant, “Embrace the storm, hug the wind, hold tight the lightning, and dance.” The fairies giggled and took her hands, pulling her from the bed.
Amy listened to the storm, feeling the rhythm, hearing the music of the wind and the rain drumming against the house. Her body swayed with the magic of the storm. She tingled with the light of a thousand fairies swirling in the air around her. As lightning strobed the night sky she began to dance. Round and around the room she spun, eyes closed, her arms flung wide, reaching into the heart of the storm until she was wrapped in its power.
She didn’t see the monster, but she felt his evil fill her room when he opened the door. Amy allowed the churning wind she’d created to lift her from the floor. Amy swirled with the power of a tornado, felt the wind and rain pound her body and when the lightening sheared into the room, she grabbed hold and danced as fast as she could.
Amy woke to the giggle of sun fairies, her room twinkling with tiny rainbows dancing on the walls, reflections from the raindrops clinging to the tree branches that filled the room. She wiggled out from under her covers and climbed through the branches toward the open door.
A dark shadow trapped under the heavy limbs of the tree caught Amy’s eye and she stopped to stare at the still form. She shivered. Had she really danced with the storm last night? Had she really killed the monster?
A throb of pain made her wince and she looked at her hand. The palm was charred black. Amy giggled. “Sleep tight, Daddy,” she whispered. “It’s just a nightmare.”
LIGHTNING DANCE
By Sandra Seamans
For the third night in a row, just as she was nodding off to sleep, the sky rumbled. The thunderstorm shaking the old house down to its very core, waking the monster. Lightning split the black clouds and rain descended like an advancing army. Amy huddled in her bed, blankets pulled tight against her chin, tears just a drop away.
With the first night of the storms he’d tiptoed softly into her room. Amy’s bed creaked a startled warning. Too late. She tried to slap him away but the monster just laughed. He pounded her slender body deep into the Cinderella sheets, plundering her innocence, while the thunder stole her screams. When he was finished his voice whispered in her ear, “It’s just a nightmare, sweetheart, go back to sleep.”
In the morning light the blood on her nightie unraveled his lie and Amy knew the monster was real. Tears filled her eyes as she watched the sun fairies dance through the gap in her curtains and she heard their voices chanting, “Embrace the storm, hug the wind, hold tight the lightning, and dance.” But she didn’t understand.
On the second night as the thunder roared and the army of raindrops pounded on her window panes she closed her eyes tight and chanted, “Embrace the storm, hug the wind, hold tight the lightning, and dance.” Over and over she repeated the fairy chant but still the monster came, his lying whispers trying to convince her it was only a nightmare. Hatred filled the space in her heart where love had once lived.
Huddled in her bed, dreading the coming storm, Amy saw a moonbeam split the clouds and smiled as the fairies rode the beam of light into her room. She started to chant, “Embrace the storm, hug the wind, hold tight the lightning, and dance.” The fairies giggled and took her hands, pulling her from the bed.
Amy listened to the storm, feeling the rhythm, hearing the music of the wind and the rain drumming against the house. Her body swayed with the magic of the storm. She tingled with the light of a thousand fairies swirling in the air around her. As lightning strobed the night sky she began to dance. Round and around the room she spun, eyes closed, her arms flung wide, reaching into the heart of the storm until she was wrapped in its power.
She didn’t see the monster, but she felt his evil fill her room when he opened the door. Amy allowed the churning wind she’d created to lift her from the floor. Amy swirled with the power of a tornado, felt the wind and rain pound her body and when the lightening sheared into the room, she grabbed hold and danced as fast as she could.
Amy woke to the giggle of sun fairies, her room twinkling with tiny rainbows dancing on the walls, reflections from the raindrops clinging to the tree branches that filled the room. She wiggled out from under her covers and climbed through the branches toward the open door.
A dark shadow trapped under the heavy limbs of the tree caught Amy’s eye and she stopped to stare at the still form. She shivered. Had she really danced with the storm last night? Had she really killed the monster?
A throb of pain made her wince and she looked at her hand. The palm was charred black. Amy giggled. “Sleep tight, Daddy,” she whispered. “It’s just a nightmare.”
Friday, May 6, 2011
The Roadside Story Cupboard
Writers can find story ideas in some of the strangest places because their minds are always working, questioning, wondering about the people and things they see. Driving to town for groceries yesterday I saw a toilet, yes, a toilet with the tank and all, sitting by the side of the road in front a tree stump with a no trespassing sign on it. Go ahead, laugh, I did.
But then my mind took flight. What if there was a naked woman sitting on the toilet? Out in the middle of nowhere? What was she doing there? Where were her clothes? Then I remembered the story about the neighbor who hired a hooker and kept her naked and chained in his garage for a week.
That lady got loose and went to the house down the road and asked for help, which is another story all in itself :) But what if she'd been killed and placed on that toilet as roadside art? And of course, the toilet doesn't need to be a toilet, it could be a bathtub or even a kitchen sink.
I love seeing things by the side of the road and spinning out theories. A purple running jacket turned into the story of a woman running from an abusive husband. A red Elmo hanging from an electric wire became the story of a kidnapped child. A cardboard box by the side of the road, contained a head or a hand, depending on the size of the box. And if not body parts, a found treasure that somebody wants back. Sneakers, high heels, underwear, a pair of jeans, a mattress, even a carpet sweeper are all things I've seen by the side of the road and created stories for. Not always ones that found their way to publication but they're little bits and pieces that sometimes find their way into other stories.
So the next time you're cruising down the road, take note of the garbage that litters the scenery and let your mind travel its own road.
ADDENDUM: If you haven't stopped by the Murderati blog today, you should. Stephen Jay Schwartz's post "Five Story Fall" is about writing the things you see and how they can affect you. http://www.murderati.com/blog/2011/5/6/five-story-fall.html
But then my mind took flight. What if there was a naked woman sitting on the toilet? Out in the middle of nowhere? What was she doing there? Where were her clothes? Then I remembered the story about the neighbor who hired a hooker and kept her naked and chained in his garage for a week.
That lady got loose and went to the house down the road and asked for help, which is another story all in itself :) But what if she'd been killed and placed on that toilet as roadside art? And of course, the toilet doesn't need to be a toilet, it could be a bathtub or even a kitchen sink.
I love seeing things by the side of the road and spinning out theories. A purple running jacket turned into the story of a woman running from an abusive husband. A red Elmo hanging from an electric wire became the story of a kidnapped child. A cardboard box by the side of the road, contained a head or a hand, depending on the size of the box. And if not body parts, a found treasure that somebody wants back. Sneakers, high heels, underwear, a pair of jeans, a mattress, even a carpet sweeper are all things I've seen by the side of the road and created stories for. Not always ones that found their way to publication but they're little bits and pieces that sometimes find their way into other stories.
So the next time you're cruising down the road, take note of the garbage that litters the scenery and let your mind travel its own road.
ADDENDUM: If you haven't stopped by the Murderati blog today, you should. Stephen Jay Schwartz's post "Five Story Fall" is about writing the things you see and how they can affect you. http://www.murderati.com/blog/2011/5/6/five-story-fall.html
Thursday, May 5, 2011
The Short of It
Elizabeth A. White has an essay up over at Criminal Elements about short stories. http://www.criminalelement.com/blogs/2011/05/short-stories-fewer-words-more-work
Last week I posted about gaming and stories and lo and behold there's a new anthology coming called "LA Noire" based on a game of the same name. Talk about your coincidences. http://www.criminalelement.com/blogs/2011/05/pistol-envy-la-noire-and-forgotten-dicks
Over at Ink Punks, Adam Israel has an interesting look at switching from short story writing to novel writing. This one hit home for me. http://www.inkpunks.com/2011/05/03/pushing-the-boulder-making-the-leap-from-short-story-to-novel/#content
David Cranmer has one of his 7 Question interviews up at the Gutter Books blog. This week he interviews "Flash Fiction Offensive" editor, David Barber. http://gutterbooksnewsandevents.blogspot.com/2011/05/7-questions-david-barber.html
And speaking of flash, Jim Harrington of the Six Questions For...blog has a list of flash critique groups up over at Flash Fiction Chronicles http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/flash-fiction-critique-groups and do stop by Jim's regular blog where you can find interviews with editors of hundreds of zines, both print and online. http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/
And for UK writers we have "The Pygmy Giant" a site that publishes non-fiction, flash fiction and poetry. http://thepygmygiant.com/ Hat tip to Paul Brazill for the link.
Last week I posted about gaming and stories and lo and behold there's a new anthology coming called "LA Noire" based on a game of the same name. Talk about your coincidences. http://www.criminalelement.com/blogs/2011/05/pistol-envy-la-noire-and-forgotten-dicks
Over at Ink Punks, Adam Israel has an interesting look at switching from short story writing to novel writing. This one hit home for me. http://www.inkpunks.com/2011/05/03/pushing-the-boulder-making-the-leap-from-short-story-to-novel/#content
David Cranmer has one of his 7 Question interviews up at the Gutter Books blog. This week he interviews "Flash Fiction Offensive" editor, David Barber. http://gutterbooksnewsandevents.blogspot.com/2011/05/7-questions-david-barber.html
And speaking of flash, Jim Harrington of the Six Questions For...blog has a list of flash critique groups up over at Flash Fiction Chronicles http://www.everydayfiction.com/flashfictionblog/flash-fiction-critique-groups and do stop by Jim's regular blog where you can find interviews with editors of hundreds of zines, both print and online. http://sixquestionsfor.blogspot.com/
And for UK writers we have "The Pygmy Giant" a site that publishes non-fiction, flash fiction and poetry. http://thepygmygiant.com/ Hat tip to Paul Brazill for the link.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Erotica Anthology Calls
Doing a search for anthologies aways brings up a few erotica calls. While I don't write in this particular genre, I know many of you do and quite successfully.
Samhain Publishing has two calls up with September 1 deadlines. Both seek novella length fiction of 25,000 to 30,000 words. This is a royalty paying market http://www.samhainpublishing.com/special-calls/ The first call is for Superhero Romance and the second is for Summer Olympic Romance. for the second stories must be set in London during the 2012 Summer Olympics.
The second call is for "Hotel Erotica". http://hoteleroticabook.com/2011/04/22/call-for-submissions-hotel-erotica-anthology These stories must be set in a hotel. The deadline is July 1 for stories of 1500 to 4000 words. The pay is $50 plus 2 copies.
Samhain Publishing has two calls up with September 1 deadlines. Both seek novella length fiction of 25,000 to 30,000 words. This is a royalty paying market http://www.samhainpublishing.com/special-calls/ The first call is for Superhero Romance and the second is for Summer Olympic Romance. for the second stories must be set in London during the 2012 Summer Olympics.
The second call is for "Hotel Erotica". http://hoteleroticabook.com/2011/04/22/call-for-submissions-hotel-erotica-anthology These stories must be set in a hotel. The deadline is July 1 for stories of 1500 to 4000 words. The pay is $50 plus 2 copies.
Gothic.net
I ran across an interesting site called, Gothic.net, this morning. http://www.gothic.net/ There's lots of interesting articles and news posts for crime and horror writers. If you click on fiction you'll find short fiction by authors like Christa Faust.
When you click on profession http://www.gothic.net/category/culture/professional/ you'll find a treasure trove of markets and market news. They have several new anthology calls listed so drop on by and have a look. I'll be putting this link in the markets section.
When you click on profession http://www.gothic.net/category/culture/professional/ you'll find a treasure trove of markets and market news. They have several new anthology calls listed so drop on by and have a look. I'll be putting this link in the markets section.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Anthology Call
"Machine of Death" volume 2 is open for submissions until July 15. They're looking for shorts of 1500 to 7000 words with a shared premise - a machine can use a blood test to tell you how you're going to die - sometimes vaguely, but always accurately. The pay is $200. You'll find a long page full of the types of stories they're looking for here http://machineofdeath.net/mod2
Bidding Farewell
Yesterday, while the world was celebrating the death of a terrorist, our neighbor died in a car accident. We just found out late this morning. The world will remember bin Laden forever but only her family and friends will remember Martha. She was only forty-eight years old.
I know that bin Laden and his ilk will continue to creep into many a thriller novel and I hope that one day Martha will find her way into one of my short stories. Her life deserved to be more. RIP little girl.
I know that bin Laden and his ilk will continue to creep into many a thriller novel and I hope that one day Martha will find her way into one of my short stories. Her life deserved to be more. RIP little girl.
Monday, May 2, 2011
Monday Musing
I was listening to "Ancient Aliens" on the History channel this morning when I had one of those "ah-ha" moments which still has me chuckling.
One of the narrators made the comment that people were just beginning to write, so why wouldn't they write down what they'd witnessed. In other words, if they said they saw flying ships, we should believe them. Now, I'm assuming here, but I suspect that men were the first writers and living in a world of men I know how their stories tend to exaggerate what happened. You know, why get in a fight with one man, when three will make you look bigger, stronger, smarter?
That's when my "ah-ha" moment struck and I could finally see the difference in gender writing. Men tend to allow their characters to get bigger and tougher than they need to be, while female writers stay small and on point. Our writing reflects our place in the world. A woman's world is smaller, more maternal. Will we fight for what we love? Of course, but we will probably be outwitting only one person instead going the Walker route of kicking the asses of multiple antagonists.
It's a small difference but it's there. I think women tend to write from where they live, while men are still playing explorer and expanding the boundaries of their worlds. Just some thoughts on a rainy Monday morning.
One of the narrators made the comment that people were just beginning to write, so why wouldn't they write down what they'd witnessed. In other words, if they said they saw flying ships, we should believe them. Now, I'm assuming here, but I suspect that men were the first writers and living in a world of men I know how their stories tend to exaggerate what happened. You know, why get in a fight with one man, when three will make you look bigger, stronger, smarter?
That's when my "ah-ha" moment struck and I could finally see the difference in gender writing. Men tend to allow their characters to get bigger and tougher than they need to be, while female writers stay small and on point. Our writing reflects our place in the world. A woman's world is smaller, more maternal. Will we fight for what we love? Of course, but we will probably be outwitting only one person instead going the Walker route of kicking the asses of multiple antagonists.
It's a small difference but it's there. I think women tend to write from where they live, while men are still playing explorer and expanding the boundaries of their worlds. Just some thoughts on a rainy Monday morning.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Anthology Call
"Femme Fatales" is looking for shorts that combine mystery and erotica featuring lesbian and bi-sexual identified women. Stories should be between 3000 and 10,000 words. Payment is $25 to $75 and you must query first. Deadline is June 30. You can find all the details at http://upstart-crow.livejournal.com/442166.html There was a note in the guidelines that the stories don't have to be sexually explicit so long as there is romance in the story.
Spinetingler Snoopy Dancing
The Spinetingler Award winners will be announced throughout the day today, so drop on over and check out their winners. http://www.spinetinglermag.com/
I'll link to the full list of winners when it's posted later today. Congrats to all the winners and nominees!!
I'll link to the full list of winners when it's posted later today. Congrats to all the winners and nominees!!
Now Open
Well, it's the first of the month and Duotrope has listed 36 markets that opened for subs today. Among those are Beat to a Pulp, CrimeSpree and Crossed Genres.
Crossed Genres' theme for the month of May is "Heroes and Heroines"
Also open is the "Future Lovecraft" anthology from Innsmouth Free Press that I mentioned last month.
You can find all the market listings at http://www.duotrope.com/recentupdates.aspx
Crossed Genres' theme for the month of May is "Heroes and Heroines"
Also open is the "Future Lovecraft" anthology from Innsmouth Free Press that I mentioned last month.
You can find all the market listings at http://www.duotrope.com/recentupdates.aspx
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