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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Supernatural Colorado - New story order

Whew! Spent an exhausting Sunday putting Supernatural Colorado together. Luckily, we were overcast and rainy, so it was easy to sit at the computer without longing to be outside.

I'm still awaiting a couple of revisions and bios from authors. For the most part, it's done.
On Wednesday, it will be off to the publisher.

The story order did change. Not much, but a little. Mostly due to lengths and time periods. More on this anthology as it gets closer to publication.

Final story order.



Shadows of Deceased Ghosts : David Boop      
Wicker Children : Lynn Donovan  
The Other Cemetery : Frank Luke   
Grubstake : Guy Anthony DeMarco   
Cave of Sorrows : Carol Hightshoe  
Montague Plistiblick’s Snipe Hunt : Quincy Allen  
Abandoned: Kessie Carroll 
Thank you, Thad : Susan MacDonald   
Guardian : J. A. Campbell   
Into the Home : Darla Upchurch 
Tracking Old Moses : Sam Knight 
Catharsis at Steamboat Springs :  Chris Barker  
Rainmaker : Becky Kyle  
Entity : Todd Nelson 
Pookie the Pooka : R. Joseph Maas  
Find of a Lifetime : Dana Bell  
The Vengeance of Felipe Espinosa : Pamela Nihiser  
The Rocky Flats Fiasco : Peter Wacks  

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Supernatural Colorado story order (Tentative)

This week has been spent finishing up edits for Supernatural Colorado. Wasn't quite as challenging as I thought it was going to be. I edited four stories over the weekend and one on Tuesday evening. Now I'm waiting for the edits to come back in as well as bios from my authors.

Here's the list of stories, authors and the 'critter' they wrote about. 

Supernatural Colorado Story Order (Tentative)
 
Shadows of Deceased Ghosts : David Boop - Indian God
Wicker Children : Lynn Donovan - Vampire
The Other Cemetery : Frank Luke - Fairies
Guardian : J. A. Campbell - Unicorn
Grubstake : Guy Anthony DeMarco -Zombies, sort of
Cave of Sorrows : Carol Hightshoe - Indian ghost
Montague Plistiblick’s Snipe Hunt : Quincy Allen - Werewolf
Pookie the Pooka: R. Joseph Maas - Pooka
Rainmaker : Becky Kyle - Rainmaker
Thank you, Thad : Susan MacDonald - Mummy
Into the Home : Darla Upchurch - Tommyknocker
Tracking Old Moses : James Sams - Bear
Catharsis at Steamboat Springs :  Chris Barker - Yeti
Abandoned: Kessie Carroll - Alien
Entity : Todd Nelson - Ted Bundy
Find of a Lifetime : Dana Bell - Merpeople
The Vengeance of Felipe Espinosa : Pamela Nihiser - Headless Horseman
The Rocky Flats Fiasco : Peter Wacks - Rubber Duckie
 
Sunday I'll be putting together the final version and sending off to my publisher, Written World Communications. 

Then, on to my next anthology editing project.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Deadline...

Late last week I heard back from Written World Communications. They liked the sample stories I sent for Supernatural Colorado and wanted to see the completed anthology ASAP. Great news for all concerned. Problem is, I haven't quite finished editing yet.

So, I managed to get four stories back over the weekend and next weekend, I will finish the final four. Then I await the return of all revised submissions, so I can get the anthology put together and off to the publisher.

Deadline. The end of this month.

When I finish that one, I'm off to complete my next, even as I'm beginning to come up with an idea for next year's editing project. Nope. No hints as yet, but I've already had an author pitch an idea, and he didn't even know he was pitching. Told him to write the story and submit it.

Just goes to show, you never know when an editor is going to like your idea or what the outcome will be.


Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Happy Editor

Wednesday evening, I got a request from an editor for a story. Luckily, I had a great idea, spent four days writing and revising, before I sent it off to her on Sunday evening. The tale was over 10,000 words.

Whoa! Wait a minute...how'd you do that?

Simple. Practice. Years and years of practice.

I'm a bit startled to discover that I write faster than many pro writers. I guess all that time I spent writing fanfiction, and then posting it online, paid off.

What was the fanfiction? Practice!

All I did was take everything I learned about writing in other people's universes and applied it my original work.

Hey, it worked. And I have one very happy editor.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

AnomalyCon post report

March 28th-30th was AnomalyCon, out local Steampunk convention. I was one of the participating authors in attendance along with running an author table in artist alley.

Friday my first panel, after a long day at work, was Writing from an Animal's Perspective, along with Julie Campbell. We shared out collective experience and how to write from a nonhuman view before having those who attended write a short piece about how their animal would react to encountering a strange object. They all did very well.

My second panel was called Rite Reading, or How to do a Reading. I had two people attend and they both told me they got a great deal out of it.

Saturday I ran two writing workshops. A few people showed up and got to practice composing short peices.

Sunday I ran another workshop, which only one person showed up for. We ended up talking about the differences between secular SF/F/H and Christian Speculative. I heard later through a third party he really enjoyed it.

Not everything that happens at a Con is about what panels you're on. I ran into an old friend who had just launched his first graphic novel. He also got two chances to write short stories for anthologies, including one I'm editing. I also caught up with authors who currently have stories submitted to me and all were very understanding about why I'm behind due to life stuff.

I might also have an opportunity to appear at the Myths and Legends Con in August. I have already dropped an email to the author wrangler.

I also sold three copies of Winter Awakening and one copy of All About Eve.

One different thing I did, I gave away dragons made from pipe cleaners to all the children. I learned later the parents were very grateful. I will be doing the give away at future cons as well.

All in all - a wonderful con and I can't wait to attend again next year.