"On the Tip", to be Appear in Lockdown Sci-Fi #7

Today, I signed a (renewed) contract to publish my comic sci-fi story, "On the Tip" in "Lockdown Sci-Fi #7" by Black Hare Press. Originally accepted in 2020, the free anthology was delayed, but will finally be reprinted later this year.  

The story was first originally published in 2019's "Blaze", by Clarendon House Publishing. 

It was first written in 2012, or earlier, long before I started submitting stories (and poems) for publication.

Your Wednesday Limerick: Liz Bennett Limerick

Liz. Bennett, a poor English beauty,
Despised Mr. Darcy as snooty.
These opinions unfair,
Were improved. Now they share
Extra sugar whenever they brew tea.

REAP: Horror Micro-Fiction Anthology by Black Hare Press Announced

A new flash-fiction story to be published--possibly two.

In a Facebook group exclusive to contributors to indie publisher, Black Hare Press, the admin announced a writing contest inviting writer-members to comment with an original microfiction story (200 words or fewer) inspired by an image prompt depicting a zombie touching a field of brains, with the selected winner to receive a custom T-shirt.

After a week, winners were announced, and I learned that my story, "Meatless Unlife Aftertaste Diet" had placed in the Top Five (third). The BHP editors further announced that they had decided to compile all the entries into an anthology.

So yay! My work will be another anthology!

The same, latter announcement mentioned that space remained for about ten additional stories and that anyone could submit, whether or not they had already previously submitted. And so, over the next few days, I brainstormed a second story. 

Then, last night, unclear on the submission instructions (and frankly, in a rush to get to bed, already late), I posted this finished story also as a comment. Today, I kept browsing for any replies or feedback until finally, this afternoon, I read a note from a group admin/editor advising that I was supposed to have emailed any new submissions to darkdrabbles@blackharepress.com, per instructions on a separate post. So, I deleted my text and followed these proper instructions.

The proper instructions require omitting identifying information from the submission document and providing it exclusively within the submission email. This protocol allows volunteer readers to judge anonymized submissions impartially. Having posted the text and title online, it may even be disqualified before it can be rejected. We'll see. 

[Update: my second story, “The Mimicry Mutation “ has also been accepted.]

Whatever happens, it's a victory to have finished and submitted yet another story. I hope this is an indication that my writing pace is recovering.

P.S. The first image was shared with contributors by BHP for promotional use; the second was generated by Bing Image Creator (AI).

My First Western, A Flash Fiction Contest Entry

I just finished my first classic Western story (not counting poems, "The Ballad of VanKeith". "Jack and Jim") in time to submit it to "SADDLEBAG DISPATCHES MAGAZINE" for a flash fiction contest, eligible for their "Mustang Award".

Irrespective of whether I land in the top three submissions (each of which becomes eligible for publication in the magazine), I'm thrilled to have finished a new story after struggling lately over longer forms. It's also the first new thing I've submitted in quite a while.

As time permits (I'll be traveling soon) I can now return to completing a much longer Western story I had begun writing before setting it aside for the sake of this competition. 

 

Poem, "On Her Deathbed, Aunty Rose" Published on Spillwords

My humorous poem, "On Her Deathbed, Aunty Rose" will be reprinted on Spillwords, effective February 26, 2024, at this link: https://spillwords.com/on-her-deathbed-aunty-rose/

(Image above generated by AI)

RAVENS to be Reprinted in "A Tree Full of Crows"

My love poem, "Ravens", styled as a screenplay depicting a romance between two ravens, was first published in the now-defunct, Dastaan World Magazine, back in 2018. After a very respectful discussion, Editor Mandy Chandler has accepted it unchanged for publication in the imminent* anthology, "A Tree Full of Crows", by Fairy Wren Publishing.

*update: it became available on Kindle as of April 3, 2024: https://www.amazon.com/Tree-Full-Crows-Anthology-ebook/dp/B0CZHJSJP3

I stipulate "unchanged" because she had asked for, and naturally preferred, works that were about or at least included crows. Both works I had to offer were about ravens, not crows. However, unlike the poem, above, my drabble, "An Unkindness of Ravens", originally published in Bloodsong Books' "Curses and Cauldrons" anthology, could easily be tweaked. Instances of "Raven" were easily swapped with "Crow", and the drabble was renamed "A Murder of Crows".

I'm proud of both works. This will be an anthology worth reading and owning.

"Princess Barbie and the Troll Baby" to Appear in Lockdown Fantasy #6

Forget Snow White. Forget Sleeping Beauty. The most beautiful princess in the world who ever lived was Princess Barbie.

My comic horror fairy tale, "Princess Barbie and the Troll Baby" will appear in this free anthology by Black Hare Press.  See link below:

This news was first announced here in 2020, while the pandemic was in full bloom and before other projects and priorities bumped it to the wayside. The original contract had long since elapsed before BHP finally returned its attention to the series in the Fall of 2022. If there are no cancellations and the momentum continues, my works are expected to appear in 12 of the 30 total books planned for this series.

COMING 26TH MARCH!

https://books2read.com/lockdown-fantasy-6

FEATURING:

Differing Points of View by Susan Cornford

Henkie's Fiddle by Vonnie Winslow Crist

Porcelain Perfection by Kimberly Rei

Princess Barbie and the Troll Baby by Shawn M. Klimek

Shrieks in the Snow, Shrieks in the Night by Patrick Winters

The Grand Game by Christopher T. Dabrowski

The Kelpie by Paul Benkendorfer

The Solstice Road Trip by Meera Dandekar

The Sphinx and the Pegacorn by L.T. Emery

Their World is Ending by Sam Amenn

Waiting For Heaven by Ximena Escobar

Weep by D.M. Burdett

Nineteen Five-Star Global Ratings for Hungry Thing

If you want to do something really nice for an indie author, besides buying their book, review their book. 

During the year following its publication in late December 2019, sixteen kind-hearted readers (chiefly fellow indie authors) left five-star reviews for Hungry Thing.  During 2020, it gained one more review; and another in 2021, totalling 18 five-star ratings including 15 reviews. Thanks to poor marketing and, perhaps the fact that it is not available as an e-book, there it has more or less languished, until today.

Today, February 15th, 2024, it received its 19th 5-star rating.

• #1,688 in Epic Poetry (Books)
• #9,268 in Magical Realism
• #18,889 in Dark Fantasy

I have some idea of who may have left the rating. A few weeks back, a neighbor of mine shared that he'd spotted the book at our local library, and had already ordered his own copy from Amazon. He then asked whether I would be willing to autograph it, once it arrived. Naturally, I agreed. Since we are neighbors, I did him one better: I dropped off an autographed copy from my private supply.

This morning, he passed me on his way to work and stopped to enthuse that he'd enjoyed the book, that he'd already read it three times because it was "very deep", and that he'd even left an Amazon review. Wow!

I looked hopefully for the review but found a rating instead. ...

UPDATE: The review showed up after a short delay! 

To all of you who have ever left ratings or reviews for an indie author, thank you! Five stars!⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Creative Writing News for Early February 2024

 

During a protracted rewrite of my science-fiction story, Holly Has a Hunch, I composed a thousand-word prologue that loosely inspired the AI image above. It was meant as backstory, to assist me in drawing the main story to a sound and logical conclusion. The "backstory" is entertaining, but I have yet to finish the main story.

Last week, I woke up having dreamed up a pretty solid Western story, worth developing for waking readers, though it naturally needed some revisions. While driving for hours and hours across The Republic of Korea this past weekend with my wife, I worked out the needed changes and finished composing the whole plot to my satisfaction. Now, I just need to write it.

I haven't written a lot, lately: one new poem, and one new drabble, both of which were submitted to exactly one publisher each, and both rejected. 

Conversely, two pieces both written more than a year ago have been accepted for publication by non-paying publishers. I'm glad for some news in a positive direction, however meager.

The latest acceptance is a reprint of my humorous poem, "On Her Deathbed, Aunty Rose", first published by Dastaan World Magazine. It will be published next on "Spillwords". I'll share a link when it becomes available.

General Creative Writing Updates - January 2024

Publishing news:

A crow-themed anthology by Fairywren Publishing, "Tree Full of Crows", will feature a reprint of my drabble, "Murder of Crows" (first published in Zoey Xolton's "Cauldrons & Curses"). I signed the contract, today. I've already had a look at the proof draft, and it looks excellent.

The 42 Stories Anthology, by Bam Writes, is set to finally be published later this year. It has taken several years (eventful ones for the editor) to compile this unique anthology of 1,764, 42-word stories in every genre plus on the craft of writing.

This long-delayed anthology, Nightmare With a Twist, by Penned in the City (and Barrio Blues Press) which includes my horror story, "Birthday Desserts", is projected to be published immediately following a final copy edit, next week.

 

 

 

 

 Submission News: 

• I haven't submitted much anywhere, recently, but before 2023 ended, I managed to submit two pieces: an updated draft of my science fiction story, "The Trophy" and my latest, science fiction poem, "Mercury is a Hellscape" to separate publishers. Only one response, so far. A form rejection.

Writing News:

• I wrote and submitted to Black Hare Press a Dark Moments drabble for the first time in over a year, I think.  The first draft was too reliant on clever dialogue to allow space for clever descriptions (100 words fills up fast), so I did a second draft. I'm more hopeful about it.

• I've been writing and pondering improved endings for two full-length stories, never published: Undying Peace and Holly Has a Hunch. For the past few days, mostly the latter, which features a novel concept for introducing a contemporary human to extraterrestrials outside our solar system. I've developed some sophisticated backstory and answers to the question, "What do (the aliens) want with (Holly)", but need to focus now on a tight plot so that the reader doesn't choke on exposition. No deadline, apart from my ambition to include this story in my own collection, before the year is out.

Readership news:

• A college professor friend shared with me that one of my horror stories (not sure which one) was on the reading syllabus for her creative writing class. I told her my comedy stories are even better, and sent her my most popular example, to consider sharing.

• A neighbor here in South Korea informed me that they located my book in the air base library, and subsequently ordered their own, hardcover copy, which they hope I will soon autograph for them.

• A writer friend made my day (a few weeks ago) by commenting on Facebook that her favorite story in the anthology, "Dragon Bone Soup", was my humorous fantasy short story, "Genuine Troll-Leather Luggage." Because it reminded her to "think outside the box," she said.

AI-generated Artwork

This is an AI-generated image, resulting from a prompt on Bing's Image Creator. Allow me just a few paragraphs about the hot topic, before I move on. Microsoft does not permit images generated via its browser app to be used for commercial purposes, but I happen to like this particular image, and, besides using it to brighten this post, am currently using it for the face of my Apple Watch. It reminds me of my days playing "Blasers & Beasties". (Search this blog for more about B&B)

I do not advocate using cheap and expedient AI-generated art as a substitute for original human artwork in commercial publishing, and personally, I'll never do it. However, I'm not convinced it's always reprehensible. If it were, then all computer-modeled shapes, characters, and effects sold as original artwork deserve our scorn.

As a former college art major and one-time, award-winning illustrator, such snobbery sometimes comes easily to me. But until persuaded otherwise, within certain boundaries, I think an AI and a computer are just two more tools in an evolving kit available to artists. The boundaries I mean? Well-established artists with truly distinctive styles (and not yet in the public domain) deserve control over whether their artwork is used to train AIs. And when and if they permit it, every time their name or style is used as a generative prompt, they deserve to be compensated.

The controversy is new and my opinions may yet evolve on their own. I welcome your opinions.