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.

PPWC 2016 Wrap Up - All the Firsts

I'm back!

Pikes Peak Writers Conference 2016 is a wrap! I had several firsts (first time as PPWC faculty, first time being a participating author in a book signing), missed a couple opportunities (I was supposed to have a critique and present my query to an editor, both of which ended up not happening because I was working during the times I would have done them), and had an overall exhausting, but wonderful experience.

I had the opportunity to meet Jeff Lindsay, Joe R. Lansdale, Rachel Caine, Wendy Corsi Staub, Johnny Worthen, Steve Saffel, and a slew of fantastic creative folks.

I taught a workshop on short stories, and was on a panel with my fellow Ladies of Darkness, DeAnna Knippling, MB Partlow, and Susan Mitchell. Both had good attendance, and lots of questions and positive feedback, which felt phenomenal!

I also participated in the faculty book signing, where I signed copies of The Deep Dark Woods. I sold all but two of the books I'd consigned, which I'm really happy with.

The next week will still be busy, but not with the level of stress and pressure I had the last few weeks. I'm looking forward to getting back into my blog and jumping around to visit everyone I've missed in the last month!

How have things been for you for the last month? Anything exciting or interesting to share? How did your first book signing go? Every met any of the folks I mentioned above?

May you find your Muse.

Photo #1: With Jeff Lindsay, photo by Deb
Photo #2: Charise and I with Wendy Corsi Staub, photo from Charise's camera
Photo #3: Me presenting on short stories, photo by Becky
Photo #4: The horror panel, photo by Kameron
Photo #5: Me at the book signing with the last three copies remaining, photo by Michelle

It's Hell Month! & Questions for Short Story Authors

If you've ever planned a large scale event (and by large scale, I mean between 350 and 400 people attending a three to four day event, so definitely not the largest, but a good size) you will probably know what I mean when I say I'm officially a week into Hell Month on the planning stages of Pikes Peak Writers Conference. This is when things get crazy busy. I spent most of my weekend working on conference stuff (and a portion of it trying really hard not to slam my head into a hard surface or stab anyone.)

Why am I telling you this? Because my posts may be spotty for the next month. They might not, but there's a good chance I will at least not be posting Mondays, at the very least. PPWC is April 15-17, officially, but come Wednesday, the 13th I'm at the venue hotel non-stop, day and night. I get home Sunday and pass out on the sofa. The only time all year I can pass out cold on the sofa, no matter what else is going on around me. Okay, if I run a high fever, I can probably do that, too, but that's it. I'm not a napper.

I will disappear entirely the week of conference.

The next three weeks will be exhausting, exhilarating, exciting, and frustrating (I just looked it up, and there was no "E" word for frustrating, so now I've broken my streak.)

In addition to my admin and treasurer duties for Pikes Peak Writers and the conference, I'm trying to do a final edit on a manuscript and write a query letter so I can pitch (sort of--we call it Query 1-on-1, and you actually hand the editor or agent of your choice your query letter, then they critique your query letter, ask you questions, and hopefully say "send it." A rather relaxed way to pitch, comparatively), put together a workshop on short stories I'll be presenting on Sunday of conference, meet up with fellow panelists to plan for a horror panel I'm on Friday, and, you know, work the day job and take care of the family. Have I mentioned the kids are home for spring break this week?

Gasp, gasp, huff, huff. Puffffff.

Questions for Short Story Authors:

I'm hoping to get a couple examples of the cover letters some of you send when submitting short stories, so I can show a variety of samples to folks. (If you're willing, please email me! It's the name of this blog--including The--at Gmail.com.) I don't pretend that my way is the perfect way of submitting, so I'd like to show a few different letters.

What are the best tips you've discovered concerning writing and submitting short stories? Is there one quote that says it all for you? Or an epiphany you had? (I will be attributing tips to the giver.) What's the one tip you would give someone new to short story writing?

Thank you in advance for any responses!

I'll see you in one piece at the end of April! (Even though I'll probably see you in pieces before then...)

What are you up to for the next month? Do you have a recurring crazy busy time during the year? How do you cope when things get insane?

May you find your Muse.

Sleepy Cat, clker.com, Jonny Banglecock
Psycho White Background, clker.com, Kat Wilson
Me Worry, clker.com, OCAL
Confused Panda, clker.com, Kelly