A Little Ice, a Lot of Awareness & Links

When I originally posted this, I couldn't put my dad's Ice Bucket Challenge video here, but he put it on YouTube, so here it is!

If you're not aware, my dad was diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, better known as Lou Gherig's Disease) a little less than two years ago. A lot of people have never heard of it, though I can kind of let them know what it is by saying, "You know, it's what Stephen Hawking has." But Stephen Hawking is a rare case. Most people only live two years after diagnosis. My dad will be one of those who makes it beyond two years.

When I first heard about the Ice Bucket Challenge, I was miffed. As far as I knew, people were dumping ice over their heads instead of donating. It seemed to me to be a frivolous thing, not something that would do any good. Then the posts started popping up about "slacktivism," as in folks spreading the word about things via social media without doing anything real to fix those issues. Things like changing your photo on Facebook for a cause, private messages about "where you like it," etc. Whether those things bring necessary attention to the issues they're trying to expose is a question I can't answer. I can't say I've learned anything new from one of them.

I even posted a rant on my Facebook page saying to dump ice water over your head without donating or at least passing along some sort of information about ALS or a link to donate to wasn't worthwhile. I commented on someone else's rant that I was coming around to it, as long as folks were actually donating, but that I most certainly wouldn't be dumping ice water over my head.

But when I saw this challenge spreading like wildfire and, even better, millions of dollars worth of donations pouring in, I realized that this was a positive thing. That my self-righteous judgments were better reserved. And that it wasn't my business in the first place to decry what others were doing.

Even moreso, I saw how excited my dad got about it when he came across it. Not only was he excited about it and emailing out videos he found, but he took the challenge himself today at work, as I mentioned above. And he challenged me, one of my cousins, and the CEO of Hewlett Packard, my dad's current (though not for much longer, as it is becoming more and more of a struggle for him to work) place of business.

My dad has said from the beginning that he believes they'll find a cure. That he'll be a long-term survivor. He has been nothing but positive, even as the disease eats away at him. This challenge has given him a little bit of renewed hope, some positive energy over what is an incredibly negative disease. One that destroys every part of your body except for your mind, which it leaves perfectly intact within a frail, destroyed body.

Before I knew anything about this Ice Bucket Challenge, I had signed my family up for the Denver Walk, put on by the ALS Association. I'll have a little video for you guys next week for the Ice Bucket Challenge (hopefully). In the meantime, I'm going to break the rules and challenge you all before I've officially done it. Obviously, I will be donating money, as well, and I'll still be participating in the walk, just as I did last year. Here's part of my team from last year on the cover of the handbook! (We won the costume contest):

I know, it's not a great pic of a pic, so here's an actual photo of our team:

Even if you don't take on the challenge, even if you don't donate, pause before ranting about how useless it is. It's brought at least one person hope, and I doubt he's the only one. Bringing awareness to something like ALS can't be bad. Can it get annoying when it becomes over the top? Yes. But it will also be short lived. So I've decided that instead of insulting it, I'll embrace it. Just for a little while. And I'll enjoy the fact that maybe a few more people are aware of ALS, possibly even of what it actually is, and that just that much more funding went to the ALS Association this year to continue funding research into a cure, support and care of those suffering from ALS, and awareness. And I'll try to remember not to be so critical of the next big thing to sweep across social media.

If anyone is interested in donating to the ALS Association, you can GO HERE to donate. If you're interested in supporting our team, we're Dad's Defiant Defenders, and your money will go to the same place, but we'll get credit toward our team's goal of $1500. For that, you can GO HERE to donate. And if you happen to do the Ice Bucket Challenge, I'd love for you to drop me a note and let me know you did it. I know Livia has already done it!

Now for some links:

Accepting Submissions:

Purple Sun Press is accepting fantasy short stories. 1000-7500 words. These will be gathered into a compilation. Deadline September 30. Pays $.01/word.

Cherry Castle Publishing is looking for poetry submissions for an anthology honoring Nelson Mandela. Submit up to five. Open ended. Payment is one contributor's copy. They're also taking fiction/non-fiction manuscripts and poetry manuscripts. Reading period ends September 30.

Cleis Press has an anthology call out for Warlords & Warriors: Gay Erotic Romance & Adventure. Pays $60 and contributor copies. 3000-6000 words. Deadline September 15.

Kill Your Darlings accepts original writing during the month of September. Pay varies depending upon type of submission: lead feature commentary, commentary, fiction, or reviews.

Pink Narcissus Press is accepting submissions for their anthology (Gender) Queered Space. 2000-10,000 words. They are interested in underrepresented characters in sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. $50 token payment.

Local Hero Press is putting together an anthology under FakeEditor (you can look it up on Twitter.) It is entitled Who is Ebony Boneshaft? 3000-5000 words. Open for submissions between September 1 and 30th. Will pay in royalties.

The Puritan is accepting submissions. They take interviews, essays, reviews, fiction, and poems. Pay varies by type of submission, between $15 and $50. Deadline September 25.

Contests:

The Coalition of Texans With Disabilities is holding the Pen 2 Paper Contest. Deadline is September 22. Four categories: fiction & drama, non-fiction, poetry, comics/graphic narrative. All entries must have a main character with a disability or a theme dealing with disability.

Blog Stuff:

Alex J. Cavanaugh has announced his next blogfest, the Underrated Treasures Blogfest. It will take place September 22. Post about an obscure treasure, like a band you love that no one else seems to know about. Or a movie.

Other:

Barnes & Noble has a Discover Great New Writers Contest. They recognize one in fiction, one in non-fiction. Prize is $10,000 and promotion by B&N. This is for titles yet to be published, but no less than three months from coming out. Deadline September 25.

Any of these of interest to you? Anything to share? Have you done the ice bucket challenge? Know anyone who has? What causes are near and dear to your heart?

May you find your Muse.

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday - Goofy Asides & Links

For this week's photos, I figured I would post some random goofy pics I've snapped with my phone recently. I've previously posted a couple of these, but I was cleaning out my cell phone, so you get them again. (Disclaimer: I was not driving when I took ANY of these photos. I was stopped at lights for the three taken from my car.)

Sounds...tasty? (It says Colon Orchards)

On a bench in front of a restaurant in Estes Park

If you can read this, UR2CLOZ

They really take employment seriously here (Hospital Property)

No, thanks? (Teste the Sunshine)

Works for me!

Look for it in a town near you.

Hungry?

A good rule of thumb!

Now for some links! Bearing in mind that I am not personally recommending these, nor have I researched them. I pass along what I find. Always do your due diligence before submitting.

Accepting Submissions:

Unsolicited Press is about to end their reading period for their autumn issue of The Fictioneer, their literary magazine. Fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, op-eds, interviews, and art. Deadline is August 1. Pays in royalties.

Chicken Soup for the Soul is looking at putting together a collection of Christmas stories. 1200 words or less. Deadline August 30. Pays $200 per story.

Tacitus Publishing is seeking short fiction stories for their anthology, It's a Grimm Life. They want a modern look at the Grimm Fairy Tales. 1500-5000 words. Deadline August 31. Pays $.01/word and a contributor e-copy.

Less Than Three Press has a call out for their anthology, Lovely, Dark and Deep. Dangerous tales set in the forest. 10,000-20,000 words. Deadline August 31. Pays $200, plus contributor e-copies and print copies.

Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing wants your funny Halloween stories for their Funny Halloween anthology. 2000-10,000 words. Deadline August 31. Pay unknown. They are also taking submissions for their Hope and Love Charity Anthology (LGBTQ protag - deadline August 1) and Cogs in Time 2 (steampunk - deadline August 10).

Cleis Press has a call out for their gay erotica anthology, Cowboy Up. 2000-5000 words. Deadline August 1. Pays $50, plus 2 contributor copies.

Michael Matheson is editing This Patchwork Flesh, an anthology of LGBT western horror. 90% Canadian, but all are welcome to submit. <8k words. Deadline August 31. Pays $.05/word.

Photography:

Call for possible cover photos. You can submit up to 10 photos for the cover of Vine Leaves Literary Journal. If your piece is accepted, you will be paid 50 Euros.

Contests:

Writer's Digest and The Guide to Literary Agents Blog is holding their Dear Lucky Agent Contest. This is for Middle Grade fiction (this time around--the genre/niche changes each time). Submit 150-200 words of your unpublished book. Deadline July 30. Top 3 winners get a critique from Peter Knapp, literary agent, plus a one-year subscription to Writersmarket.com.

STOP READING HERE, GARY!

Blog Stuff:

Beth Fred, Lexa Cain, and Medeia Sharif are hosting the International Potluck Blogfest on August 12. You are asked to post a cover to a book you love and food associated with it.

Anything of interest here? Anything to share? Publishing news? Have you seen any funny signs or other items?

May you find your Muse.

The Labyrinth Wall Monster Party

To celebrate the release of Emilyann Girdner's The Labyrinth Wall, she's hosting The Labyrinth Wall Monster Party, where we each post a little about our labyrinth monster of choice, visit the other monster hunters, and tell you a little about The Labyrinth Wall.

So climb through the doorway my friends, and join us in the labyrinth, where you'll find creatures of all shapes, sizes, and capabilities.

What you may not know is that there are tales that have been buried, an addendum to the myth of the Minotaur. Each victim killed in the labyrinth was brought back from the dead to assist the Minotaur and hamper the next person foolish enough to try their hand. Sporting horns wherever they'd been wounded, these monsters scattered throughout the labyrinth, never discovering the way out, even in death.

Dinerius was one of these monsters. He had been gored through the chest, his head squashed like a ripe melon against the labyrinth wall. When he returned, the horns grew from his sternum, front and back, and only one eye could see from his ruined head. Out of the damaged side grew an additional horn, adorned with symbols and indecipherable writing.

Dinerius was a formidable opponent, having been a strong warrior in life. Skilled in swordplay, he often used this weapon instead of the horns, though they certainly made him look quite fearsome.

When the Minotaur was slain, Dinerius was unaccounted for. He may yet roam the world, looking for his next victim.

That's my monster contribution for the Monster Party! Now let me tell you a little about Emilyann Girdner's The Labyrinth Wall.

The Labyrinth Wall
Obsidian Series, Book 1
Young Adult Fantasy Novel
By Emilyann Girdner
Editors: Nicole Zoltack and James Allen, Sr.

This is the tale of a young woman who discovers that although labyrinth walls confine her and her enemies try to repress her, the power of hope can set her free…

Free Amazon Download (New Year Special!)
Availability:

Ebook: Now on Amazon

Paperback: Delays on physical copies, look for them later in January through Barnes & Noble and Amazon

Readers have said:

"A fascinating tale of adventure, danger and self discovery. You will not want to put this one down as you are drawn into the quest for something as unknown and distant as a reoccurring, puzzling and incomprehensible dream."

"The Author created a very in depth world that left me even more curious about it."

“Full of exciting situations, humor, and a good look at the human psyche of a labyrinth prisoner, this book pulls you in, and doesn't let you go until the very end.” ~ Desert Rose Reviews

Excerpt:

(Read other excerpts at my fellow participants' blogs)

We sit together in silence and pretend like its three weeks ago before my world changed. Extracting the chalk from my box, I spend a few moments sketching on the wall. Creativity often helps me sort out my thoughts. The entire space is covered in my depictions but more always manage to fit. My arm dances in different directions, drawing what feels natural. Not allowing my mind to plan anything seems to extract the best results.

My sketch depicts a person slouched over in tears. With the creation of lines around and above her, the figure becomes enclosed in a cage.

“Guess that’s how I feel.” I look over at Blue sadly. It didn’t take away the aching in me, but the drawing did help me figure out my emotions: that I’m trapped like a prisoner. A prisoner of the bounds set by the Creators and those I’ve brought on myself. After tucking the chalk back in the box, I close its lid.

The Labyrinth Wall Arcade Game: can you help Araina escape the labyrinth?

 

To subscribe for more updates, play games, and grab goodies (some are FREE), visit www.thelabyrinthwall.com!

Don’t forget to hop around to all the participating sites and show some comment love…

The Labyrinth Wall Party Sites and post dates:

1.	Rachel Morgan (1/2/13)	2.	Julie Flanders (1/2/13)
3.	Books & Tales	4.	Desert Rose Reviews (1/3/13)
5.	sarit	6.	The Warrior Muse (1/6/13)
7.	Heather Holden (1/5/13)	8.	Fiction and Film (1/5/13)
9.	Cynthia Shepp (1/2/13)	10.	Laugh Quotes

More updates on Facebook:

What monster do you think lurks within the confines of the labyrinth? What do you think of all this cool stuff Emilyann shared? Intrigued by the cover and excerpt? Interested in reading more? Check out the other participants!

May you find your Muse

Cutlass Cover Reveal & Links

In lieu of [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday, I'd like to present Ashley Nixon's Cutlass cover!

Publication Date: April 23, 2014

Category: Young Adult

Genre: Fantasy

Notorious pirate Barren Reed has one thing on his mind: Revenge against the man who killed his father. So kidnapping his enemy's fiancé seems a perfect plan…until he actually does it. 



Larkin Lee is more than a pretty face and fiancé to a powerful man. Her fierce personality is enough to make any pirate want to push her overboard. 



But when the King of the Orient comes to Barren with a task—to find the Bloodstone, a powerful gem thought only to exist in legend, Barren sees another opportunity to destroy his enemy. Together, Barren, Larkin and a crew of pirates set off to find the stone, only to discover it caused the death of Barren’s own mother and Larkin’s, too. As his strongest allies turn into his greatest enemies, and the life of the girl he kidnapped becomes more important than he ever dreamed, Barren’s quest for revenge becomes a fight to save the Orient.

Ashley asked us to share a pirate joke with the release, so here's mine (from piratejokes.net):

Question: What's a pirate's favorite Christmas carol?
Answer: We Three Kings of Orient Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

You can find Ashley at:

Goodreads

Goodreads(book page)

Website

Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Tumblr

Ashley is giving away two $25 Amazon gift cards. One via the Rafflecopter drawing you'll find at the bottom of this post, the other on her Facebook page (find the link above).

Now for some links!

Accepting Submissions:

The Cafe Irreal is a quarterly webzine looking for flash fiction. Irreal is the genre, meaning a fantastical fiction that isn't focused on realistic characters or situations, or even on satisfying endings. Up to 2000 words. Pays $.01 per word, with a $2 minimum. Winter deadline is January 1, for publication February 1.

Dark Oak is closing submissions for Big Bad 2 - An Anthology of Evil, Volume 2, on January 1. Short story, 3000-9000 words. Royalty payment. They want your baddest bad guy stories.

Mega Thump Publishing is accepting short stories for a horror/sci-fi hybrid anthology: What Has Two Heads, Ten Eyes, and Terrifying Table Manners? Deadline January 1. Pays $20 and a contributor copy. They want scary horror/sci-fi in the fashion of Alien, Event Horizon, and Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Chicken Soup for the Soul has several calls coming to a close soon. My Guardian Angel - December 31, The Cat Did What? - January 5, The Dog Did What? - January 5, Reboot Your Life - January 30. Non-fiction poems and stories up to 1200 words. Pays $200 upon publication. 

Cecile's Writers Magazine is open for submissions year-round. They seek authors with intercultural voices (see the link for an explanation of this). They accept flash fiction, short stories, novel excerpts, personal essays, and memoirs. I didn't find mention of payment, so you'll want to look into that.

Essence Magazine is looking for stories. Must send proposals first, not actual stories. Payment is not mentioned. See link for descriptions of types of articles.

Drunk Monkeys will open for submissions on January 1 (they closed down during the holidays). They accept short stories, poetry, TV recaps, interviews, art, comics, photographs, videos, and essays. Unsure of pay.

Contests:

Human Echoes Podcast is holding a flash fiction contest. 1000 words at most. Talk about aliens and what would have happened if they'd come around way, way back in the day. Deadline is Christmas Day. Prize is $10 and your story produced in podcast form.

Blog Hops:

This is more of a Book Club than a Blog Hop, but M.L. Swift is holding The Progressive Book Club 2014 the third Wednesday of each month. Choose a book and post a review/discussion on it. That's it! Of course, you'll also want to hop around and visit the other readers.

L.G. Keltner is holding her Endings Blogfest to celebrate her second blogging anniversary. January 9. Post about an ending...to a book, a movie. Or talk about how you end stories. Make it mean what you'd like to and post an ending.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Anything you're interested in here? Anything to share? Any good publication news (rejections count! It means you're out there submitting!) How do you like Ashley's cover? Any good pirate jokes to share?

May you find your Muse.

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday - I Von' to Suck Your Blood & Links

I took the kids to Bent's Old Fort, a trade fort set up in south-eastern Colorado in the 1800's. I got some photos of the fort and the area around it, but I felt like sharing the leeches with you...so I did! Of course, the original burned down and this is a re-vamp, but it was made from measurements a man had taken before, so they tried to rebuild the fort as lose to the original as possible. In one little cabinet in one little room on the second floor, there was a lovely container marked "LEECHES." You've gotta' be able to cleanse the humors and whatnot.

Before we get to the links, I'd like to thank E.J. Wesley and Roland Yeomans for e-books I won recently. Can't wait to read them! From E.J. I got a copy of the "Death by Drive-in" anthology. From Roland, I got "Her Bones Are in the Badlands."

Now for some links. (Please bear in mind that I am not personally vetting any of the following. I find information and pass it along. Always due your due diligence and research a possible publication or contest before submitting.)

Accepting Submissions:

An open audition is being held for travel writers by Great Escape Publishing and International Living. No experience necessary.

Match Books is taking submissions for their Fantasy Anthology: Urban Legends. They're looking for kick-ass female protagonists. Deadline December 6, short stories. Pay unknown.

The Head & The Hand Press is accepting submissions for multiple publications. For Asteroid Belt Almanac, they're looking for short fiction, narrative non-fiction, and visual art. Pay unknown. Deadline December 13. The Breadbox Chapbook Series is open to literary fiction and non-fiction essays of a certain length. Ongoing. They also take manuscript submissions.

Contest:

Spark is holding a contest with the theme "Winter." Either poetry or prose. $500 1st place prize, one for each category. No entry fee. Deadline is midnight, December 2.

Zizek Press is holding an ongoing contest for fiction and non-fiction, as well as a Bad Fiction Contest with the deadline December 10. Cash prizes.

Harper's Bazaar is holding a short story competition. Their theme is "Spring," and the deadline is December 13. The winner will get to choose an antique book and spend a week on a private island.

Blog Hops:

M.J. Joachim and Tina Downey have put together The Holiday Food Drive Blogfest. November 18-20 blog about a local food bank or charity to bring attention to them. Donate or do something to help them and let your fellow hoppers know what you did.

Julie Flanders and Lexa Cain are holding the Dream Destination Blog Hop December 5-8. Just post about where you would travel if you could go anywhere in the world.

Any of these of interest to you? Anything to share? Ever shared a pond with leeches (I have)?

May you find your Muse.

Resurrection Blogfest II: Scaring Myself

Today is Mina's Resurrection Blogfest II, wherein we resurrect one of our posts from the last year and share it with all you lovely people a second time.

I went back and forth on what to re-post, and finally ended up with something that seemed to fit the badge image. Note: I did edit it to remove a mention of a blog hop I had coming up, but did not edit the body of the post itself at all.

Originally posted on December 17, this is...

SCARING MYSELF


Do you ever get so lost in your fantasy world that you freak yourself out?

I do.

When I was a teenager, my family loaded up in the Pickle Mobile (our 8-seater Dodge van), all seven of us, and we took a road trip from Colorado Springs to California, then up the Pacific Coast Highway to Oregon.

The Pacific Coast Highway is gorgeous, at least the parts I remember (it's been awhile, other than just a stretch in Oregon).  However, at night it's dark, and much of it is enclosed by trees.  Small, privately owned businesses used to line it (can't speak for now), and their empty black eyes stared at us, reflecting our headlights before absorbing them and going dark once again.

Flickr, Axel Hartmann 

We believed in driving through the night, and the hour was late enough that there was no one else on the road for long stretches.  The isolation closed in on us as the younger kids fell asleep, leaving only my parents and I awake.  The van was massive, and the empty spaces surrounding my sleeping siblings yawned behind me.  A car came up behind us, matching our speed, never altering from the pace we set.

I began to spin a tale of who might be in that car behind us, and what they planned for us when they got us to just the right spot.

At first, my parents laughed.  Gosh, wasn't I funny?  But at some point the laughter stopped, and silence reigned in the front seats of the van.  My dad's foot pressed down on the gas in an unconscious gesture of unease.  My mom's hand clutched the door handle.

And in the back, all alone in that yawning darkness, I began to believe my own tall tale.  A sensation of electric unease worked its way up my spine, and I wanted desperately to undo my seatbelt and crawl up into the space between my parents.

It should be noted that the vehicle behind us kept up with the speed, even when my dad accelerated.

There were no open gas stations, no 24 hour restaurants.  Even private residences were darkened, closed up.  There was no one that would know if something unimaginable were to occur on that mostly deserted stretch of highway.

Then the car turned off, and we all chuckled uneasily.  Phew, escaped that homicidal maniac.

The thing is, we all knew there was no psycho behind us.  But the setting was right, and I was so intent on my story that our reptile brains kicked in and took us into fight or flight mode.

I do this all the time.  Especially when I'm writing horror, or when the lights are out and there's a sound in my bedroom I don't recognize.  When my husband is out of town, and I'm all alone in bed, I run through every possible scenario as I try to drift off to sleep.  I run through what I'll do if the alarm goes off.  I terrify myself thinking that someone may have entered the house when I was out with the kids, and they're just waiting for my breathing to relax before they creep out of my closet.  I fear that someone can take my babies out of their rooms without my hearing it.

Flickr, Luc Viatour © GFDL, www.lucnix.be

Hubby just got back from a business trip to Australia, and the week was a rough one.  There was not one night I got a full night's sleep, due to various crazy things happening.  Two nights ago, the power went out for an hour and a half, starting at half past midnight.  Go check a moon calendar to see how much moon there was out there...I think a sliver that night!  As I crept through the house to get to the one place I knew we had a working flashlight, I first looked out the front door to be sure it wasn't just my house that had lost power.  After all, I read and watch horror/thrillers all the time.  I know what happens when they're coming for you.  THEY SHUT OFF YOUR POWER!

After I saw that our entire neighborhood was pitch black, I needed reassurance that someone HAD power.  After all, I live near NORAD, and an EMP isn't out of the question, right?  Would that violate the stone walls of Cheyenne Mountain?  I don't know.

Happily, up on one of the burned hills stood a lit up Christmas tree.  Someone had power!

Okay, not terrorists then.  Not unless they had it out for my little suburban neighborhood.

My flashlight only reached so far; it was just a tiny one.  I shivered my way through the house, hunting down candles and a lighter.  The darkness seemed to be alive, constantly moving and changing in my peripheral vision.  We have a big open area with vaulted ceilings, and the open space around me was somehow creepier than when I was in the regular layout of the living room.  I couldn't see or feel what was above me or around me.  I began to imagine more than just shadows coming up on me.  The hair on my neck stood up.  A shiver worked its way up my spine.  My heart pounded.  My throat filled with the sands of the Sahara.

Did I mention I was watching American Horror Story when the power went out?  I don't find the show at all scary while watching it, but apparently a power outage was just the thing to add a slight edge to its frightfulness.  A man in a freaky leather sex suit would blend in perfectly in the shadows.  And what about creepy mutant babies?  What about all the things NOT in American Horror Story?  Things with tentacles, gaping maws, razor sharp teeth, talons.  What about that dude waiting in my closet?  The monster under the bed?

Once I had candles lit, things were much improved.  A warm glow surrounded me, and I could see the entire room, though the hallway was all the blacker for the light around me.  As long as I kept it in view and had my back to the wall, I was fine.

Flickr, Brenda Starr

Except for the silence.  When they say silence is deafening, they're right.  I kept feeling the need to pop my ears, because the silence was a pressure against them.  All the things that make electronic noise and mask the creaks are gone.  No snoring refrigerator.  No buzzing television set.  No humming machinery.  Silence.  Deep and awful.  And out of that silence arose sound after sound, creak after creak.  It was windy out, and somewhere the air whistled and whispered in vague and terrifying ways.  Branches scratched along the side of the house.  The back porch shifted, and it was so black outside that, even sitting in a darkened room, I could not make out whether there was something out there.

Scary.

One of the endless nights before that, as I lay in bed with the lights out, I made the mistake of dangling a foot off the bed.  I was perfectly fine until a single thought crossed my mind.  You know that thought you get when your foot is exposed from beneath the covers.  I could almost feel something reaching for me, scuttling about under my bed, saliva trailing down its chin as it prepared to yank me under into its hellish lair.

Of course, I yanked my foot back under the covers, but the darkness had won.  It had filtered into my brain, taking root while I was otherwise occupied.  A scuffing sound became a grotesque creature crawling toward me along the carpeting.  That clicking was someone, or something, at my window.  What was that in the corner?  Was that pressure on the bed?  Was something in here with me?

I'd been working on a zombie tale involving children during the day, and my daughter, all of five itty bitty years old, burst into my room around 3 in the morning.  At first, she didn't say anything, just exploded through the door and shuffled over to the side of the bed, her hair in disarray, her outline the only thing visible to me.  Thank goodness she didn't groan at me.

Just as in the van all those years ago, I knew none of this was real, that not a single one of these fears would come to life.  I knew my daughter was no zombie, that there was nothing under my bed.  There was no one in my closet (hell, I'd checked).  That didn't stop the thoughts from occurring to me, flitting through my head until I latched onto them.

The funny thing is that when my hubby is here, I don't wake him up if I hear a noise; I investigate it myself.  I've always been that way, even as a teenager.  I guess there's something comforting in knowing there's someone around to hear you scream?  Someone that can do something about it?  That's all I can think of for the sudden fear that grips me when he's gone.

Not to say I don't freak myself out plenty when he's here.  I do.  Sometimes it's just a bit amplified when there's no other adult in the house.

So, yeah, I've got an active imagination, but I know I'm not the only one.

Right??

Do you have an overactive imagination?  Do you freak yourself out sometimes?  Any notable examples you'd like to share?  

May you find your Muse.

WEP Blogfest Entry - Haunting

This is my entry for this month's WEP Blogfest (Write...Edit...Publish), run by Denise Covey. I wanted to aim a little more for Halloween, so I'm posting it late this evening instead of as part of my usual [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday. After all, it's more fun to read this kind of story at night, and the theme is Haunting.

No critique necessary. I just threw this together to have a little Halloween fun. :) 1040 words.

***
The Tourist

The sound of his own breaths puffed into his ears. He needed to calm down, but he always got so excited when he was out sightseeing.

Leaves rattled above him, their yellowed flesh dry and withering in the autumn night. Those that had fallen to the ground already skittered across the pavement like nails raking down the inside of a coffin. The smell of wood smoke reached his nose, a hearty fall scent.

He knelt at the base of the tree, hidden amongst the evergreen bushes that managed to always smell like cat urine. His trench coat kept them from scraping at his skin, along with the leather gloves and knit mask he wore.  He was toasty, all bundled up, only his eyes watering at the brisk air around him.

Before him stood a quaint little house on the outskirts of downtown, its Victorian-style roots apparent. A rounded tower ran up the east side of the building, the light on in the uppermost window. Though the curtains were pulled, The Curator seemed not to know they were see-through, at least to a point. He watched as her shadow moved about in the room. She wasn't doing anything dirty, no. This was her office. His many sightseeing trips this month had shown him that.

Three voluptuous pumpkins stood on her front porch, battery-powered candles flickering within. They were carved into cutesy shapes, no gruesome maws for this gal. One was a cat, its little triangle nose flocked by thin strips of missing orange. One was a cartoon character, obviously carved with some sort of blueprint. The third was just a happy cliched little pumpkin face with elementary shapes forming the triangular eyes, circular mouth and slim rectangular nose.

He set his gaze back on that uppermost window, though, waiting until that light would go out and the next one burn into the night. Lucky for him, it was only a matter of minutes. Right on schedule. Keeping steady hours was an important aspect of a tourist destination.

As the first light died, he pulled his leather briefcase closer to his leg. As he often found happening, almost without his will, his right hand slid inside, pressing deeper into its depths to feel the materials the bag hid. The leather of his gloves slid smoothly over the metal of the blades, the polished surface of the hilts. Next to these larger blades, he inventoried, by sensation, the small cloth pouch that held his surgical instruments, then the firm roll of tape, scissors, a tie, a cord from an old phone, rough rope, a hammer, a screwdriver, and more. He knew the items in this bag better than the back of his own hand, more than the sight of his eyes in a mirror, more than his own hair-covered toes.

He liked to have options.

A deep exhalation left his body, and he felt his entire being relax. The lights had progressed in her usual bedtime routine, finally ending up in another top floor window. The bedroom. The room he'd been waiting for all evening. This was the last stop on the tour.

He stood, brushed off the leaves and grass that had gathered on his coat, and stepped from beneath the tree. To anyone who might see him, he would simply look like any professional walking home from work a bit later than usual. This proximity to downtown meant plenty of businesses and restaurants were within walking distance. A nicely dressed man with a briefcase wouldn't raise an alarm.

As he waited, watching for that final light to disappear, he grew increasingly excited. Already he could hear the sounds she would make. It was always fun to try to predict whether they'd be a screamer or a whimperer. Some simply passed out, ruining all his fun. Most combined screams with whimpers, shrieks with sobs. 

His hand tightened on the bag's handle, his muscle memory filling in the sensation of a scalpel cutting through human skin, scissors cutting with that wonderful crisp snip so reminiscent of the sound his mother's scissors had made as she helped them to glide across fabric of various thicknesses. He delighted in the smells, even the tastes, all sensations rich and warm.

The light snicked out. He stepped into the street, started to cross it, his gaze fixed upon the now darkened window.

He was fairly certain she'd be a screamer.

Just as he neared the center of the street, lights washed over him. He turned his head, saw a car coming his way, picked up his pace. Hopping up onto the sidewalk, he started to walk in the direction the car was coming from, not wanting to be seen in front of this house. Remembered. The car would pass quickly and he'd be able to double back easily.

But the car didn't pass. It slowed then pulled to the curb, rolling past him to come to a stop in front of the very house he was visiting.

Shit.

He continued to walk until he reached a corner, where he turned left, moving quickly out of sight. He pressed himself against the house on the corner, peeked around, and watched as a man got out of the car, shut the door, and proceeded up the steps, past the still flickering jack-o-lanterns.

Unaware that someone watched in horror, the stranger knocked on the door. A moment later, it opened, so quickly that she must have been waiting.

The house swallowed this interloper up as The Tourist watched. Disappointment colored his emotions. He sank to the ground, bag at his side, the slight sound of metal tinkling against metal inside it.

But disappointment couldn't last. No, he always had a backup in case a sightseeing destination was closed. A good tourist is always prepared.

The Tourist picked up the pace as he crossed yet another street, heading for a destination just two short blocks up the way. There'd still be a light on there for another half an hour. That Curator stayed open a bit later. He'd always liked that one motel's slogan. His sightseeing destinations always kept a light on for him so he'd know they were waiting.

He could already hear it. This one was surely a whimperer.

© Shannon Lawrence, The Warrior Muse

***

Happy Halloween! And thanks for the fun theme, Denise.

May you find your Muse.

IWSG & Links

It's that time again! First Wednesday of the month means Insecure Writer's Support Group (or I Was Seeking Gary in some circles...Hi, Gary!).

The IWSG is a support group for writers, run by Alex J. Cavanaugh. Check out the new website at the link above!

What's my insecurity today? Well, I'm sort of in a quandary and I'd love some feedback.

Several months ago, I had a short story accepted into a magazine. We hammered out some details, but I didn't sign a contract yet. I was told I would get edits and a contract in September.

Instead, I received an email from the editor sent out to everyone who had a piece accepted into the magazine saying she thought there was a good chance our stories would not be published, as the owner of this magazine and others had gone bankrupt. She said she was resigning as editor, and recommended that those who could should start submitting our work elsewhere.

My dilemma is multi-fold: 1. I like the umbrella group this magazine is under, 2. I haven't heard from anyone other than the now ex-editor and don't know anyone else who was accepted to see if they've found anything out, 3. I am wary of shopping my story elsewhere just to find out everything is fine. I have no idea who to contact to check on any of these details.

The good thing is that I hadn't signed any sort of contract, though I had accepted placement of my story in writing (my acceptance email). So...WWYD? I'm inclined to shop some other things around for now and see if anything new develops, but I like this story, and I hate to have it moldering for another year because my publication date doesn't go down when it's supposed to.

So far, I've not had the best experiences with fiction publication, and I'm trying not to get discouraged by it.

This entry was longer than my usual IWSG posts, so I'm going to skip [M]WW and jump straight into the links for this week.

Accepting Submissions:

Whitefish Review is accepting submissions for their "Hunger" issue through November 1. Pays $10 per printed page, with a maximum of $50.

Written Backwards is producing an anthology entitled Chiral Mad 2. Viral invite only (consider this your viral invite). Deadline around November 1. Pays pro-payment ($.05 per word). Psychological horror. All profits go to charity after writer payment and payment of publication costs.

Room Magazine, a women's magazine, is seeking submissions. Pays between $50 and $250 for various length pieces. Deadline October 31.


Match Books is putting out two anthology calls right now. One for urban fantasy (deadline December 6), one for romance (deadline November 1). Payment unknown. They also accept novel submissions.

Blog Challenge/fest:

Jane Ann McLachlan's October Memoir and Backstory Blog Challenge has started, but I think you can still sign up.

Denise Covey at Write...Edit...Publish has a monthly blogfest with a different theme each month. This month, the theme is "haunting," to be posted October 30. Sign up now to participate!

Anything of interest to report? Any acceptances or publishing news? WWYD in my current situation? Had anything like that happen to you? Any of these publications interest you? How about the blog hops?

May you find your Muse.

[Mostly] Wordless Wednesday - Estes Park Elk & Links

It's [Mostly] Wordless Wednesday and, as promised, elk!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by for Jeremy's book tour and Mina's cover reveal! I'll be visiting you all back, but I have my final clinical then both written and skills final directly after, so I'm in crazy study mode. Wish me luck! If I pass my finals, all I have left is state boards in the next month or two.

Now for some links.

Note: I am not vetting these publications, personally. I find the information and pass it on, but I have not researched it. Please do your own research before submitting anything in order to insure the publication is valid and has no complaints against them.

Accepting Submissions:

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine is open for submissions, seeking both new and previously published authors. They take all kinds of mysteries, and pay .05 and .08 cents per word. Lengths can be anywhere from minute mysteries (250 words) to novellas. Short stories seem to be the general format, though.

Fantastic Frontiers is open for submissions year-round. They're looking for science fiction and fantasy short stories, serials, comics, videos, voice recordings, and other media. Pay varies per format. Fiction pays .03 cents per word.

Horrified Press has a call for submissions for their anthology Tales of the Undead - Hell Whore, Volume III. Write about ladies of the night. Deadline is September 10. 1000-6000 words. Pays in royalties. Seeking dark fairy tales, bizarre, horror, surrealism, dark science fiction, etc.

Writing Tomorrow is taking submissions of fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, novel excerpts, and artwork. Pays $50-100 for fiction/nonfiction, and $25 for flash and poetry. Open submissions; no deadline.

Contests:

The Fountain is holding an essay contest. They want to know about your motto for life. Open worldwide. 1500 to 2500 words. First place gets $1500, with cash prizes for 2nd, 3rd and 2 honorable mentions, as well.

Planetory Stories is launching a contest. Winners will be published and receive five cents per word. (I'm unclear on how this differs from simply taking submissions...). Flash fiction.

Blog Hops:

Madeleine, of Scribble and Edit, is running a blogfest to celebrate her third blogaversary. The Novel Films II Blogfest will be on September 2, 3 and 4, though you can choose just one day of those three. Each day has a different theme having to do with films/TV adaptations of books.

Anything here interest you? Got anything to share? Any publishing news?

May you find your Muse.