Follow the Butterflies

Earlier this week I received my contributor's copy of Emerald Tales which includes my story Empty Box Motel, and a story by KC Shaw, Cult of the Butterflies (which is fantastical sci-fi brilliance), and a very pretty well-put together magazine it is. If you haven't written anything yet for the magazine, I urge you to do so. Their 'Masks or Appearances can be Deceiving' deadline is October 1st.

On another note, they have a second Follow the Butterflies issue out today - a science fiction, fantasy and horror edition - and it includes a little something by a certain Mercedes M. Yardley.

Bulls, Butterflies and Chimpanzees

Okay, which Aquarian did it, fess up... Chester Zoo evacuated as Chimpanzees escape.* I am officially setting up an altar to my Crystal Bull.

Prepare for a squee moment...

Diana Lyles has accepted my dark fantasy story, Empty Box Motel, for issue one of Emerald Tales. It's a themed issue - Follow the butterflies. If you haven't already done so, check out their submission guidelines. The themes for the next two issues are, 'Masks or Appearances can be deceiving', and 'Winter Solstice'. Plus, they have a very nice pay rate. Sending special thanks to Kate Shaw who mentioned the mag on her blog and had me clicking all the way to Ralan. Plus, she got into the issue too (of course she did). Double squee.

Is squee unproffesional?

*This comment will only make sense if a) you're mad, or b) you read my previous post.

Blah, Blah, Blah, Blah, June

Sales: 4 (sort of) - 3 were sales, and one was a FTL reprint, but I'm counting it (especially as so many wonderful people read it).
Publications: 3 (Necrotic Tissue, Sand & Flashes in the Dark)
Approx Word Count: (note to self - where's my calculator) 3066 words ahem! Excuse imminent
Total Word Count 2009: 122,961 words
Stories out in submission land: No comment
WIP: The Drawing of Dolls - 11,611 words (not counted in months count), The Horrifiques - 1045 words.

One flash story - Playing Card Walls - and one short story - Empty Box Motel - this month. I completed a rewrite of my first MG, 'Lucy Baxter and the Evil Emporium' and then upon finishing decided I hated it. There was no stomping on the manuscript only a hurricane enducing sigh. I then settled down (again) to work on my YA, The Horrifiques, only for Lucy Baxter to persuade me ,with a new title and an even darker, creepier slant, she would work well as a YA/novella, so I'm currently 11,611 words into that. We still don't know if we're YA, horror novella, or weird-unpublishable time waster, and Lucy insists her name is really Claudia.


In other news, check out Stuart Neville's fantastic competition to win a signed copy of his debut novel, The Twelve along with a limited edition signed copy of his short story collection, The Six. I'm in.