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.

13 Lives of Alice, Watership Sideways

I bring good news and bad news. If you want to own a copy of "13 Lives of Alice", you'll need to act fast. Black Hare Press plans to delist it (make it unavailable) after December 31, 2023. It includes 13 stories about the contemporary adventures of a grown-up version of Alice (of Wonderland fame). My contribution, "Watership Sideways" is chapter 7.

The silver lining is that a selection of these individual stories (or perhaps all) will be reissued by BHP during 2024 as "short reads", available for individual purchase. I have signed a contract this week agreeing to this repackaging. I hope more people are encouraged to read the story this way.

Until 2023 ends, you should be able to use this link to buy your own copy of marvelous this book: (https://books2read.com/13-lives-of-alice)

Poetica #15: "With Only Rocks for Tools"

Poetica # 15 is now available here! (https://www.clarendonhousebooks.com/anthologies)

My poem, "With Only Rocks for Tools" is in this volume, alongside the poems of many of my writer friends.

After I had submitted this poem, I realized it should have been named "Only Rocks for Tools". The word "With" is superfluous, but, although in every subsequent mention of the poem, either in emails or on the "Inner Circle Writers' Group" Facebook page, I used the shorter title, I never outright instructed (begged) the editor to change it before it was published. Oh, well.

I hope you get to read the poem and enjoy it.