Musical Pencil

How do you know when you are ready to write that novel? I tried the Nanowrimo thing - and it won - I lost. I just couldn't force myself to continue with something I didn't feel was coming together well. I do want to write a novel, but I fear I have a lot more writing practice I need to do before I'm able to write a top-quality novel. For this reason, I've decided to pour my heart into writing short stories and when I sell at least six stories to pro markets - then, maybe, yes - I will feel I have the skills needed to write a DECENT novel. I hear others say - "Look at Meyers - she didn't garner six short stories at pro-rates prior to her success." And you know what? Those people are correct...but Meyers didn't write a polished novel...I think even she would admit that. What Meyers did was write a story that people love and that is great for her - it is wonderful to see folks enjoying literature and eager to buy books the day they come out. Plus, most...

Update on the submission status: I now have seven pending submissions. One submission received an acceptance in a couple of hours - woohoo. That was to Weirdyear - I adore ES Wynn :) The other submissions, well, I'll just cross my fingers about them and keep you updated. I've been playing with a wide variety of styles, as always, and this week the challenge was to write bizarro fiction. We'll see how that one goes. I must admit I had fun writing that way. What does that say about me? haha - as if you ever doubted. The Legendary's new issue has just been born and is LIVE. Thank you Katy Moore. I share TOC with many great writers such as: Jeanne Holtzman, Randall Brown, and Kyle Hemmings. They wrote fiction. My contribution was three cynical little poems. I hope you enjoy: The Legendary

What  a nice surprise. I didn't realize a poem accepted by Calliope Nerve had been posted. I took a gander and there is was...actually posted on the 14th. woohoo! so...here's the link: Owling by the way - I submitted three things tonight and already received an acceptance on one story sent to Weirdyear. Tomorrow - I plan to submit a couple more poems and stories.

I just checked my stats on Duotrope - my submission stats. Brace yourself. This is NOT good. I am down to ONE pending submission and that is to a pro-market with 0% acceptance ratio on Duotrope and listed as being extremely sluggish. We're talking - writers receive their rejections a year or so after submitting their work. My story has currently been littering their slush pile for about three months already. There is no excuse for having only ONE submission pending at this stage of the game. I know better. That's why I'm publicly scolding myself. Good news, I did receive an acceptance today for a story I submitted two days ago AND my acceptance ratio on duotrope has climbed to 32%, which is pretty decent for an amateur like me. Now, if I could just pull myself out of this amateur status and send some more stories and poems off pronto- I'll feel as if I'm really getting somewhere. Off to write something better than the last thing I wrote, hopefully. One ...

If you are looking for a collection of short stories and a few poems, written by a variety of fine authors with corresponding original art - consider purchasing Static Movement's Print Special #2 - put out by Liquid Imagination Press. Also, I hear Lulu is running a 20% off sale - so check it out. It is a top-notch anthology, thoroughly edited, and of a high quality. You won't be disappointed. Static Movement Print Special No. 2

There's a little something new up at LitSnacks - it's a tiny piece of fiction with a spoonful of sugar. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks so much, Dan Tricarico, editor of Litsnacks. Free Space

Gud/Crossed Genres is promoting a way for writers to use their work as a tool to help raise funds to financially assist Haiti at this critical time during recovery from a recent earthquake. Here is the link that explains everything in detail :  Haiti This week some writer friends and I were engaging in a friendly writing competition and our prompt was to write a "Twilight Zone" sort of story with opening and closing narration, but NOT use "Twilight Zone" - call it something else. Since this is not a story I will be marketing and yet one I feel is entertaining - I am posting it as my contribution to the Haiti campaign sponsored by GUD/Crossed Genres. I hope you enjoy it. Java Joy   Opening Narration Two multi-lane highways of thought move in opposite directions toward reality or dream. Our minds transport us along these tracks of wakefulness and slumber where we glimpse the blurry landscape on both banks of this mental interstate as we pass others mov...