Tuesday 30 December 2008

Another year over...

Without doubt 2008 for me has been the year of the short story. After a five year hiatus away from writing (I never gave up but didn't actually achieve much more than a rough draft of a novel in that period - life stuff) I began writing shorts again in the middle of 2007 and started submitting them at the end of that year (with no success). I began 2008 expecting to write about five or six shorts (ahem!) and until my first acceptance of the year on 15th January (okay, I didn't have to wait long) I was all set for rejection after rejection.

Here's why 2008 belongs to the short story: (listed in the order they were written)


Published/Accepted: (24)

The Shoes, the Giant & the Wizard of... -accepted by Strange Worlds of Lunacy 15th Jan - Published
In the Dumpster King's Zip Code - accepted by Macabre Cadaver 27th Oct - Published
Dead Bolt - accepted by Twisted Dreams 23rd April - Published
Bob's Spares & Repairs - accepted by Help anthology 1st April - Published
Bob's Spares & Repairs - 2nd acceptance by Twisted Tongue 9th Nov
Dead Parachutes - accepted by Bloody October anthology 10th May - Published
When the Cloak Falls - accepted by Dead Souls 29th May
The Graveyard of Dead Vehicles - accepted by WolfSongs anthology 16th August - Published
Flying Dutchmen - accepted by Space & Time 30th October
Burying Sam - accepted by Every Day Fiction 27th May - Published
The Dreadful Guise of Red Berries - accepted by Allegory 1st Sept - Published
Lonesome Pine - accepted by Northern Haunts 3rd July
Through the Warped Eye of Death - accepted by Sand 20th June - Published (twice - mag and antho)
Cold Coffee Cups & Curious Things - accepted by Malpractice on 7th August
The Flat-Packed Golfer - accepted by Stymie 7th September - Published
Hand Scratched Note - accepted by Postscripts 23rd August
Uncle Eric's Leather Bound Tale - accepted by Arkham Tales 10th September
Nobody Smiling - accepted by 52 Stitches 2nd November
The Restoration of Purple Curtains & Other Things - accepted by Northern Haunts 22nd Aug
Trench Foot - accepted by Fantasy Magazine 26th November
The Hollow Framework of the Cotton Man - accepted by Postscripts 17th October
Bug Eyed - accepted by Necrotic Tissue 11th October
The Forest of Sepia Children - accepted by Three Crow Press 3rd December - Published
The Marionette Manipulator & the Headless Bride - accepted by 52 stitches 20th Nov

Currently out on Submission: (24)


Frog & the Mail-Order Bride - 4th submission to Hotel Guignol (since August)
The Collectors - 1st submission to Doorways (since February)
Yee-Haw! - 1st submission to OMG! anthology (since February)
The Old Hubert Place - 3rd submission to Aoife's Kiss (since June)
Listing Ships - 5th submission to Alien Skin (since December)
Dwelling - 4th submission to Ideomancer (since December)
The Moth Brigade - 4th submission to Interzone (since May)
Vicious Vanity - 4th submission to Inclinations (since June)
PlasticineCoffins.com - 2nd submission (withdrew from 1st place) to Murky Depths (since Nov)
Treading the Regolith - received 'Honorable Mention' in Return to Luna contest - 2nd submission to The New Yorker (since August)
Sand Sculptures - 5th submission to Big Pulp (since December)
Gasoline - 2nd submission to Susurrus (since June)
Sneakers on Asphalt - 5th Submission to Sand (since December)
Manipulating Paper Birds - 7th submission to Grave Tales (since December)
Chasing Alice out of Wonderland - 4th submission to Three Lobed Burning Eye (since December) A Strange Artifical Light - 5th submission to Renard's Menagerie (since October)
Glass Coffins - 3rd Submission to Electric Spec (since December)
Curious Robot - 2nd submission to Apex (since October)
Cyclone of Painted Shells - 4th submission to Futurismic (since November)
Strange Tooth - 4th submission to Jabberwocky (since December)
Rosalind Red Stands in the Snow - honorable mention from 'Allegory' - 3rd submission to Flash Fiction Online (since December)
Leviathan's Moving Theatre - 3rd submission to Every Day Fiction (from December)
Events at the Wigwam Rock Diner, Nevada - 2nd submission to Cemetery Dance (since November)
Skimming Pebbles across an Intergalactic Ocean - 1st submission to Federations (since today)


Retired: (7)

Yellow-Field Phobia - wrote for Sam's Dot Drabble Contest
Dead Marigolds - 3 submissions
Zombie - 1 submission - didn't feel it was working, killed it. :)
Rats - 3 submissions - decided it was pants.
Selling Happiness - 150 worder/1 submission - editor's reply 'very cute' - death by cuteness.
Beneath a Hungry Sky - 1 submission - decided it was pants.
The Coffee Fairy - written for Weird Tales contest - decided it was beyond pants.

Awaiting Editing: (5)

The Sulphorous Clouds of Lucifer Matches - 1 submission in May (inspired my as yet to be written 'The Moth Maker' novel).
Distress Signal - 2 submissions - haven't decided if I'm retiring or rewriting.
Carnage on Squash Street - 3 subs - I think it needs to be longer.
Lazarus Jones Carnival of Corpses - 4 subs - out for critique
Conveyor Belt - 1 sub (feel it needs more clarification)


2008 was supposed to be the year of the Children's Novel (I failed). I finished 'The Poisoned Apple' subbed it to about 20 agents, received 5 requests for partials and 3 for fulls; and it is now in the process of being critiqued by several blog readers (thank you), and will be reworked in Feb/March 2009. I also completed the first draft of 'Strange Bones' which was the 2nd book in the Poisoned Apple series, but which will now probably merge with book one.

I completed my first NaNoWriMo novel (at a little over 50,000 words) 'Theatre of Curious Acts' and I am currently working on the second draft. Oh, and I also completed two awful, awful, scar-your-kids-for-life picture books (but we don't talk about those).

So what do I want from 2009 (apart from an agent, a publishing deal, a size 10 waist and a lottery win) - less short stories, one completed 'Theatre of Curious Acts', a fixed 'The Poisoned Apple' and a 'Moth Maker' to start with. Oh, and a partridge in a pear tree. ;)

Have a good 2009 people.

16 comments:

Jamie Eyberg said...

I can probably get you the partridge but you will have to supply your own pear tree. Fantastic year Cate! I hope someday to be as inspired as you are.

Katey said...

Sign me up for the partridge in a pear tree, too!

You're a wonder, Cate. All those stories, and every one I've read has been inspired/inspiring. I don't know how you do it, but I'd love to learn some day. I guess we don't break out the champagne 'til tomorrow, but here's to an even more excellent 2009 for you. (And an agent, a publishing deal, and completed novels, as per your request!)

K.C. Shaw said...

I am awed, truly. You had a fantastic year for sure. Next year will be even better!

I'd like a size 10 waist too. I'd forgotten waists came in that small a size. :)

Aaron Polson said...

Cheers, Cate. A very fine 2008. Can you teach a course on how to write cool story titles. I'd read 'em all by title alone.

Fox Lee said...

Good grief, that's like if every story I sent out got accepted. Rock on!

Jodi Lee (Morrighan) said...

You're my hero, Cate. I shall worship you from afar... and drool on your stories, when I get my hands on 'em. ;)

And hey, did you send a proposal in to Lachesis for the kids book??

Anonymous said...

Holy crap what a list! Amazing! May 2009 bring you even more success!

Kimbra Kasch said...

I'd be happy with Seven Lords a Leaping ;-)

So many accomplishments in 2008 for you. I hope 2009 is everything you're hoping for.

Happy New Year!!!

Cate Gardner said...

Thanks everyone, we're all going to have a fantastic 2009 I can feel it in my creaking bones. :)

Jodi - I didn't submit TPA as it needs work and I plan to make it twice as long. I'm always behind.

Tuonela said...

Just getting started, aren't you Cate? Congrats on a great year, may 2009 be even more rewarding.

Cate Gardner said...

Right back at you, Ian.

Mary said...

Such a productive and successful year! Your submission to request ratio for TPA is very, very strong. Here’s to 2009! :)

Patrick Rutigliano said...

Egads! Well done Cate! May we all rock so hard in 2009.

Cate Gardner said...

Thanks Mary & Patrick

Jodi Lee (Morrighan) said...

Cate - get working! Subs close in 12 weeks! Ahhhh!

Okay, a little overboard with the ! but it gets the point across. ;) I think Louise is closing for subs around the same time as I am, which is the end of February. So, there's time, but not much. Type, girl, type!

Cate Gardner said...

Jodi, AGH!!!!!! :)