Upcoming Appearances, Do 1 Thing, Short Stories, & Links

Why, hello! It's Monday.

I recently confirmed some upcoming appearances I'll be making, so I thought I'd share! Plus, I have a question for you. But first, here's a picture of the awesome care pack, partially from Do 1 Thing, Nicole from The Madlab Post sent after the Mni Wicon Blogathon. Did you guys know there's a Native March on Washington set to occur March 10? Not only is DAPL an ongoing issue for Standing Rock, but the constant apathy and violation of Native rights is at stake.

As far as appearances, I'll be a showcase author at Pikes Peak Library's Mountain of Authors for the first time! I've worked this event as a representative of two different writer's groups (Pikes Peak Pen Women and Pikes Peak Writers) in the past, but this is the first time I've had the opportunity to be a featured author there. I'll have a signing table, and will get the chance to stand up to introduce myself and my books. It's a free event, so if you're local check out my "Appearances" tab for more details. I'd love to see you there!

I've also been confirmed as faculty at Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2017. I'll be on a panel about why you should write short stories, as well as presenting a standalone workshop on the business of short stories. You have to be a paid attendee of the conference to attend.

Both of the above are in April.

In addition, I will be presenting a 2-hour workshop on short stories for Colorado Springs Fiction Writer's Group in August. Half will be dedicated to the writing of short stories, with the second half involving the business side of things. This event is also free.

I've also received a fourth invitation to be a panelist at an event in mid-summer, but that's the only information I'll give out until I have more concrete information.

Question Mark by OCAL, clker.com

My question related to the above is what do you want to know about short stories? Not only will your answer to this question help me hone more workshops in the future, but I can do posts about it on here, as well.

I was interviewed at Writing From the Peak. Check it out!

Finally, how about some links? I'm sorely behind, aren't I? My blogging has been iffy at best lately, but I'm working on getting back to my usual schedule. Please bear in mind that I'm passing these along, not endorsing them. Always do your own due diligence before submitting.

Accepting Submissions:

Flame Tree Publishing is open for submissions of short stories for the following themed anthologies: Lost Worlds, Supernatural Horror, Time Travel, and Heroic Fantasy. 2000 to 4000 words. Pays $.06/word. Deadline February 28.

Galileo Books is open for short stories for science fiction art, essays, prose, and comics. Current theme is Games. 250 to 500 words. SFWA qualified paying market. Deadline March 1.

Radiant Crown Publishing is open for submissions of dieselpunk short stories, novelettes, and novellas for their anthology Gaslandia. Pay varies by type. Pays $.01/word. Deadline March 1.

Splickety Love is open for submissions of short stories themed toward historical romance. 300 to 1000 words. Pays $.02/word. Deadline March 10.

The Cincinnati Review is open for submissions of prose. Up to 40 double-spaced pages. Pays $25/page. Deadline March 15.

Freeze Frame Fiction is open for submissions of flash fiction for their 4th Quarter issue. 1000 words or less. Pays $10/piece. Deadline March 15.

Arsenika is open for submissions of poetry and flash fiction. Up to 1000 words. Pays $.01/word. Deadline March 15.

Contests:

Reflex Fiction holds an international competition for great flash fiction. 180 to 360 words. Free entry. Cash prizes. Deadline February 28.

Of Interest:

Susan Spann did a guest post for Writers in the Storm on takedown notices entitled Pirates Beware: How to Prepare and Use a DMCA Takedown Notice. It seems there's a need for this more and more these days.

What do you want to know about short stories? What would you expect at a short story workshop? What would you be disappointed was missing? Any of these links of interest? Anything to share? How are you doing with submissions?

May you find your Muse.

Author Meet and Greet Update & Links

I'd love to be able to post something of consequence right now, to put out an informative post, or to even post fun horror stuff since this is usually my favorite time of year, but the election and just plain PEOPLE have me so depressed right now that I sit here staring at this blank screen and can't think of anything I want to talk about. I'm thankful it's not impacting my fiction writing, but it's just not happening for me on here.

So instead I'm going to post about the fun Author Meet and Greet I was part of this weekend. Because I had a great weekend until I went on social media tonight, so I'm just going to back up and pretend this evening didn't happen.

A local small press put on a signing event Saturday, and I was invited to be a part of it as one of two horror authors! It was held in a local art gallery, so we were surrounded by paintings and other forms of visual art, which is a great setting. There was wine, there were goodies, and there was a talented group of local authors. Friend and fellow horror author DeAnna Knippling shared the table with me, so we had some fun decorations.

The sign is new. My husband got up early and made it for me that day. Isn't he awesome? He even dropped by and said hi about partway through, and to see if I needed lunch or anything else.

I had four of my titles there, and I sold out of two of them! Not to say I had a big inventory of them or anything, but it was still exciting. Especially as my biggest fear going in that morning was that I would sell a big goose egg, thus letting down the friends running the event. I imagine it helped that it's the month of October. You know, formerly my favorite month. It's the month some folks who don't otherwise touch horror check it out. Even bigger than selling out, I sold to strangers! We authors try to support each other by buying books, but strangers, people who were not writers, they bought my books! Meep!

Now I have to decide whether I'll go through the work of selling my books at MileHiCon at the end of the month. It involves getting sales tax licenses for state and the city of Denver, and I only have two of my books. While I might be able to get my books in time for MHC that I sold out of, I'm not willing to pay expedited shipping to ensure it. So I need to decide this week, and to determine whether it's worth trying to get at least the one book shipped out now. SO MANY DECISIONS!

A lot of people stopped by and chatted, and even when they didn't buy a book, it was nice. All in all, I'd say it was a successful event, but I'm not the one who has to do the bookkeeping on it. If it was, in fact, successful, they'll hopefully be doing it again with other authors, but I don't know how soon that will be. Organizing events is stressful, and nothing teaches you that like doing it!

Now for some links. Bear in mind that I'm not endorsing these, merely passing them along. Always do your own due diligence before submitting.

Accepting Submissions:

Ellipsis, a Westminster College literary journal, is open for their annual publication. Poetry, short fiction, creative non-fiction, drama, and art. Pays $10-$50. Deadline November 1 for most categories.

Belmont Story Review is open for fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction. No word limit mentioned. Pays a cash honorarium. Deadline November 1.

Mofo Pubs is open for submissions to their anthology Wanderlust. Sexually explicit literary erotica. 1000-5000 words. Pays $.01/word. Deadline November 3.

Lamplight is open for submissions. Dark literary fiction. Up to 7000 words. Pays $.03/word up to $150. Current deadline November 15.

The Lorelei Signal is open for fantasy short fiction. Up to 10,000 words. Pays between $2 and $7.50. Current deadline November 15.

Contests:

Don't forget the Insecure Writer's Support Group 2016 Anthology Contest. 3000-6000 words. Fantasy with the theme "hero lost." Pays in royalties. You will be published in an e-anthology. Deadline November 1.

New York Encounter is holding a poetry contest. Theme: Reality has never betrayed me. Cash prizes up to $300. Deadline November 1.

For Fun:

It's always good to find new scary books. Here's a list of 40 Scariest Books of the Last 200 Years by Sarah Mangiola on The Lineup.

How was your weekend? Bought any good books lately? Read any books in the last month or so you'd recommend? Are you ready for Halloween? Any of these links of interest? Anything to share?

May you find your Muse.

IWSG - It's Beta Time, Signing, & Links

Before we jump into the Insecure Writer's Support Group, a little news. I'll be participating in a local author meet and greet this coming Saturday, October 8, 11-2, at Cottonwood Center for the Arts.

It's free to attend! Wine, treats, trivia, and lots of books for sale for Christmas gifts. I hope to see some local familiar faces there. I'll be selling/signing copies of Once Upon a Scream, The Deep Dark Woods, Through Clouded Eyes, and Bloodbond Magazine.

I'll also be a panelist at MileHiCon in Denver the last weekend of October. More on that soon. I got my schedule last night, but I'm not sure if I'm allowed to share it yet.

#

Now onto IWSG. This is the brainchild of Alex J. Cavanaugh, created to give writers a place to air their insecurities. Join up and share! All are welcome.

This month's co-hosts are Beverly Stowe McClure, Megan Morgan, Viola Fury, Madeline Mora-Summonte, Angela Wooldridge, and Susan Gourley!

Stop by and say hey and thanks for all their hard work.

The optional question of the month is "When do you know your story is ready?" Not sure I have a good answer for that one. I tend to think you just know. On the flipside of that, it's probably never 100% ready. Once you have done your big edits and are just nitpicking at it, it's ready. You will never find every issue, and you could easily spend forever on one story.

Speaking of which, my insecurity this month is that I've just sent my novel out to several beta readers. Waiting to see what they think. I should know by November, and launch into another round of edits then. Nerve wracking!

#

My short story submission stats for the month of September are:

17 submissions
14 rejections
1 anthology invite
1 short listing
12 currently on submission

Busy month! The longest a story in this batch has been out is 130 days. The longest I've ever had a story out is 293 days.

#

Now for some links. Bear in mind I'm not endorsing any of these, merely passing them along. Always do your own due diligence before submitting to a publication.

Accepting Submissions:

Splickety Havok is taking submissions for the Literary Mutations issue, due out in January. 300-1000 words. Pays $.02/word. Take a literary classic and twist it. Deadline October 28.

Chicken Soup for the Soul is looking for pieces for the theme Inspiration for Teachers. 1200 words or less. Pays $200. Deadline October 30.

HorrorAddicts.net is seeking stories for Clockwork Wonderland, a clockpunk Alice in Wonderland themed horror anthology. 2000-5000 words. Pays $10. Deadline October 31. Personal note: I do endorse this publisher. I've worked with them, and they were wonderful to deal with. 

Level Best Books and Dames of Detection are seeking stories by and about law enforcement for the anthology Busted: Arresting Stories From the Beat. Up to 5000 words. Pay is not listed. Deadline October 31.

Tacitus Publishing is open for horror set in space for the anthology Shattered Space. 1500-5000 words. Pays $.01/word. Deadline October 31.

A Murder of Storytellers wants your speculative fiction story about people's gods for The Book of Blasphemous Words. Up to 10,000 words. Pays $15. Deadline October 31.

Whortleberry Press is asking for flash fiction of 500 words or less for Forty Flashes. Fantasy and science fiction. Pays $6. Deadline October 31.

The Literary Hatchet seeks dark fiction, poetry, essays, art, photography, and more. 1000-6000 words. Pays $1-$10. Deadline for the next issue November 1.

The First Line's next first line (and final for this go around) is: "In the six years I spent tracking David Addley, it never occured to me that he didn't exist." Write a short piece with this first line. 300-5000 words. Pays $5-$50. Deadline November 1.

Blog Hops:

Juneta Key is hosting the October Storytime Blog Hop. Post a speculative fiction story on October 27.

What are your insecurities? How do you know when your story is finished? Any of these links of interest? Anything to share?

May you find your Muse.