Publications and reading and travel
A bit of a hodge-podge catch-up post here.
I've been slowly catching up on my book reviews here (see past several posts) and my short story reviews over on 365shortstories. Got a few more on each to fill in (some book reviews from 2014 as well as the current year, and a small handful of story reviews still to go), but progress is progress!
Tomorrow (Monday, 4/27) I leave for a fast business trip to Atlanta. Fly Monday, teach Tues-Weds, fly home Thurs. In honor of nephew Jared, who is still in the hospital recovering from his scoliosis surgery (but who could be coming home in the next day or two, pain management and bowel movement willing), I am going to spend the flights and hotel restaurant dinners this week reading Ready Player One. He's only been after me to read it for about a year now.
Yesterday was one of two National Readathon Days, the object being to read as many books as possible in 24 hours. I was going to read as many short stories as possible, but then woke up with a headache and ended up sleeping the whole day away, finally rolling out of bed around dinner time. So instead, I've dedicated myself to reading 24 short stories today, around performing various pre-trip chores like laundry and packing and checking in online. At this posting, I'm up to 3 read so far. Since I started at noon, and the idea is 24 stories in 24 hours, I'm on track so far! Reviews, of course, at the aforementioned 365 Short Stories livejournal community.
I'm not sure as I write this what I've posted about regarding recent sales of my own short stories. Back in 2013, I managed to get three stories published (varying pay-rates, none of them "professional"). My goal in 2014 was to double that, and thanks to a very heavy and long-lasting onset of my lifelong depression, I didn't even come close, although I did manage to publish that anthology of stories in which I've been Tuckerized, and included one of my own stories in there. In 2015, I've sold three stories already:
Finally: a few weeks back I hosted a living room concert by my friend Barry Mangione (he of The Dalliance and also of the fun interactive online collaborative songwriting show Barry On The Spot), which actually turned into a living room concert by Barry and myself. Video of the three songs we performed can be found on Youtube, but I'm going to embed one of them here (if I can remember how): our original song "Someday." (The video includes a lot of pre-song banter, so feel free to skip to the 2:00 minute mark where the song actually starts.)
I've been slowly catching up on my book reviews here (see past several posts) and my short story reviews over on 365shortstories. Got a few more on each to fill in (some book reviews from 2014 as well as the current year, and a small handful of story reviews still to go), but progress is progress!
Tomorrow (Monday, 4/27) I leave for a fast business trip to Atlanta. Fly Monday, teach Tues-Weds, fly home Thurs. In honor of nephew Jared, who is still in the hospital recovering from his scoliosis surgery (but who could be coming home in the next day or two, pain management and bowel movement willing), I am going to spend the flights and hotel restaurant dinners this week reading Ready Player One. He's only been after me to read it for about a year now.
Yesterday was one of two National Readathon Days, the object being to read as many books as possible in 24 hours. I was going to read as many short stories as possible, but then woke up with a headache and ended up sleeping the whole day away, finally rolling out of bed around dinner time. So instead, I've dedicated myself to reading 24 short stories today, around performing various pre-trip chores like laundry and packing and checking in online. At this posting, I'm up to 3 read so far. Since I started at noon, and the idea is 24 stories in 24 hours, I'm on track so far! Reviews, of course, at the aforementioned 365 Short Stories livejournal community.
I'm not sure as I write this what I've posted about regarding recent sales of my own short stories. Back in 2013, I managed to get three stories published (varying pay-rates, none of them "professional"). My goal in 2014 was to double that, and thanks to a very heavy and long-lasting onset of my lifelong depression, I didn't even come close, although I did manage to publish that anthology of stories in which I've been Tuckerized, and included one of my own stories in there. In 2015, I've sold three stories already:
- "Stress Cracks," a sci-fi sports story about downhill figure skating, will appear in GALACTIC GAMES, coming from Baen in August 2016 (timed to coincide with the Rio de Janiero Olympic Games), edited by Bryan Thomas Schmidt. It's my first "professional pay-rate" story (6 cents per word!) and the first anthology I'm in that will actually be available on shelves in stores like Barnes & Noble without you having to special order it!
- "And All Their Tearful Words Will Turn Back Into Steam" will appear in the summer issue of SHROUD magazine, a quarterly horror e-magazine. Not a pro-rate sale, but I'm very excited that this one has finally found a loving home!
- I can't tell you the name of the third story I've sold nor the venue I've sold it to, until the publisher gives me the okay, which likely will not be until mid-May when the contracts are officially signed. Also not a pro-rate sale, but a wonderful home for this particular fantasy tale.
Finally: a few weeks back I hosted a living room concert by my friend Barry Mangione (he of The Dalliance and also of the fun interactive online collaborative songwriting show Barry On The Spot), which actually turned into a living room concert by Barry and myself. Video of the three songs we performed can be found on Youtube, but I'm going to embed one of them here (if I can remember how): our original song "Someday." (The video includes a lot of pre-song banter, so feel free to skip to the 2:00 minute mark where the song actually starts.)
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