Craziness and Writing

I've gotten behind on my blogs. Combination of being in mourning after losing Sammy and discovering my father is not doing well at all. Put on top of that the holidays, which is not always a happy time for everyone, my crazy work schedule, trying to get the house ready to sell and the tail end of a divorce, and well, sometimes things just don't get done.

On the upside, I'm writing again. I have an hour lunch and I've been taking my laptop and working on a one of many novels. I'm pleases with the progress I'm making and am looking forward to seeing how the story unfolds. I do have a basic plot but characters have this bad habit of taking the writer down a path not expected. That's okay because it does make for a better story.

Different Dragons II which I edited has been released. It's the second and last collection of dragon stories set in places not normally done in traditional fantasy. If you enjoyed the first anthology, you'll love the second.

I have a convention in January I'm planning on attending and a writing conference in February. More on those later.

For those of you running around with Christmas shopping and planning family get gatherings, cherish your loved ones. There will come a day when there will be missing members. Let them know how much you love them. 

Reading Submissions

This week I have been working on reading submissions for Supernatural Colorado. I managed to read ten, do a one line synopsis of what the story was about, word count and a quick first impression editing note. After Christmas I will be re-reading everything, making more in depth edits and then returning them to the authors for approval or further revision.

There many wonderful stories in this anthology from both Colorado and out of state authors, even one from a writer in Sweden. Of course, they all have to be placed somewhere in the state, and the writers did a great job of blending in locations in their tales.

Also, received an email from publisher, WolfSinger, that my next book, God's Gift is on the list to be published next year. Yeah!

Over the weekend...

Last Saturday I attended a reading of six fellow authors. They met at a local bookstore and read either Steampunk, Christmas or a combination of the two themes. The stories were entertaining and diverse, just like the writers themselves.

One author brought her dog who would put in whines and yips and loved to bark when the audience clapped. The canine also modeled goggles and a fetching cloak.

All in all, it was a wonderful way to spend a blustery weekend afternoon. 

Current Published List

For those who are curious, here's my publishing list, to date. Many of available either from Amazon or the Publisher

1. Novel

A. Winter Awakening
WolfSinger Publications

2. Edited

B. Of Fur and Fire
Behemoth & several poems
DreamZion Publishing
 
C. Time Traveling Coffers
Danger Said the Dragon
WolfSinger Publications

3. Anthologies

D. All About Eve
The Cat's Creation Tale
WolfSinger Publications

E. FTST#4: Space Horrors
Chosen One
Flying Pen Press

F. Throw Down Your Dead - An Anthology of Western Horror
No Trespassing
Sonar 4 Publications - Publisher closed their doors - Out of Pring

G. Frost Bitten Fantasies
The Storm
Dreamzion Publishing

H. Zombified - An Anthology of all things Zombie
Mighty Fine
Sky Warrior Boosk - ebook only

I. A Taste of Armageddon
Legacy
WolfSinger Publications

J. Women of the Living Dead - A Zombie Anthology
Mandie's Zombies
Open Casket Press

K. Tales of the Talisman (Magazine)
Welcomed Cast Outs  (Poem)
Rhysling Nominee
Hadrosaur Productions

L. FTST#6 : Space Battles
Isis
Flying Pen Press

M. Earth's End - An Apocalyptic Anthology
Smothered
Open Casket Press

N. Strange Summer Mysteries - A day at the Beach
Drip, Drip, Drip
Whortleberry Press

O. Tales of the Talisman (Magazine)
Tumbling Tumbleweeds
Hadrosaur Productions

P. The Undead that Saved Christmas
Bast's Christmas Presents
Rainstorm Press

Q. 31 More Nights of Halloween
Shadow
Rainstorm Press

R. Strange Halloween
Oasis
Whortleberry Press

S. Gunslingers and Ghost Stories
The Ruins
Science Fiction Trails

T. Strange Christmas
Best Gift
Whortleberry Press

I have several other stories accepted but they haven't been released yet.
 


 

Gleeful Rewrites

One thing I've learned, if an editor likes a story well enough to ask for a total or partial rewrite, the writer should happily oblige and resubmit the piece. It's paid off in the past for me several times and I suspect many times in the future as well.

Stories that have been published by my doing so:

'Isis' in SFST#6 Space Battles, Flying Pen Press. I've gotten an invite for another anthology with the same editor - this one with several big name SF writers who will be contributing.

'Oasis'  in Strange Halloween, Whortleberry Press- not to mention a wonderful personal note from the editor for my creativity in finding a new angle for a vampire story. She also asked for a rewrite on a Christmas story currently submitted.