writing update
Back in mid-September, I started to get back into the writing habit after over a year of not writing much fiction at all. I'm paying more attention to open calls, and I've actually been asked to sub to a couple of "invitation-only" anthologies as well. I'm concentrating on shorter work for the time being, getting my sea-legs under me as the saying goes. I may try to post more about process here and figuring out what I'm doing and why, but for now, here's what's going on.
Recently Completed
* "Shapes and Stones," Length: app. 36k. SF novella. Sent off to Crossed Genres' open call for their upcoming "Winter Well" anthology of stories about older female characters.
Works In Progress
* "Chasing Satellites," 1st Draft completed, app. 6.5k. SF short. Intended for invitation-only call from Bryan Thomas Schmidt for his "Beyond The Sun" anthology of space colonization stories ( which recently completed a Kickstarter campaign). Out to beta-readers; looking to cut between 1 and 2k in second draft.
* "Your Ghost Passing By," (tentative title), 1st draft currently 1.75k and progressing (goal: 6 to 12k). Intended for the open call for Steve Berman's "Suffered From The Night: Queering Bram Stoker's Dracula" anthology.
* "Thumbsucker," app 2.5k. This is an older story of mine that I'm in the process of revising after constructive feedback from a rejection. Back from critique group and ready for rewriting.
* "Silver Bullets For A Little Angel," a one-act play of mine (never produced) that I'm reworking as a short story aimed at Steve Berman's "Bad Seed" anthology about evil children. This one may or may not come together in time for the deadline.
Works In "Limbo"
* "Ambergrin Hall," my long-stalled mystery novel, which I know paragraphs wishes I would hurry up and finish. It really needs just a few more chapters. I have been considering taking certain parts of the book (the prologue, for one) and sending them out as shorts/novellas. I'd value input from my writer friends on the value vs. pitfalls of sending out "novel excerpts."
* "Christmas Ghosts," my YA Christmas story, also long-stalled.
Upcoming
* A story intended for Steve Berman's open call for "Thy Dark Eye Glances: Queering Poe" anthology. goal: 6 to 10k
* A story intended for Crossed Genre's open call for "Oomph," stories about super-heroes with extremely limited abilities. Goal: 3 to 6k, tentative title "Almost Hero."
Non-fiction
* Ongoing book reviewing for ICARUS magazine.
Recently Completed
* "Shapes and Stones," Length: app. 36k. SF novella. Sent off to Crossed Genres' open call for their upcoming "Winter Well" anthology of stories about older female characters.
Works In Progress
* "Chasing Satellites," 1st Draft completed, app. 6.5k. SF short. Intended for invitation-only call from Bryan Thomas Schmidt for his "Beyond The Sun" anthology of space colonization stories ( which recently completed a Kickstarter campaign). Out to beta-readers; looking to cut between 1 and 2k in second draft.
* "Your Ghost Passing By," (tentative title), 1st draft currently 1.75k and progressing (goal: 6 to 12k). Intended for the open call for Steve Berman's "Suffered From The Night: Queering Bram Stoker's Dracula" anthology.
* "Thumbsucker," app 2.5k. This is an older story of mine that I'm in the process of revising after constructive feedback from a rejection. Back from critique group and ready for rewriting.
* "Silver Bullets For A Little Angel," a one-act play of mine (never produced) that I'm reworking as a short story aimed at Steve Berman's "Bad Seed" anthology about evil children. This one may or may not come together in time for the deadline.
Works In "Limbo"
* "Ambergrin Hall," my long-stalled mystery novel, which I know paragraphs wishes I would hurry up and finish. It really needs just a few more chapters. I have been considering taking certain parts of the book (the prologue, for one) and sending them out as shorts/novellas. I'd value input from my writer friends on the value vs. pitfalls of sending out "novel excerpts."
* "Christmas Ghosts," my YA Christmas story, also long-stalled.
Upcoming
* A story intended for Steve Berman's open call for "Thy Dark Eye Glances: Queering Poe" anthology. goal: 6 to 10k
* A story intended for Crossed Genre's open call for "Oomph," stories about super-heroes with extremely limited abilities. Goal: 3 to 6k, tentative title "Almost Hero."
Non-fiction
* Ongoing book reviewing for ICARUS magazine.