Tin Castles & Cheap Cigars, aka The Degeneration of an Idea

Now that's a long blog title, I'm expecting Blogger to object (or LJ if you're reading my ramblings there) to it and if you're reading it now, I'm guessing they didn't. Anyhow...

I'm currently in the first flush of an idea for a short story (that my mind is trying to convince me could be novella length, but which we both know will end up scraping 2,000 words at most) and as per usual, I'm convinced this one is going to be great. That's nothing new. Here is how stories usually pan out for me.

Spark of an idea
Me: Ooh, interesting.

Idea begins to build
Me: This is going to be fan'frickin'tastic. Fantasy & Science Fiction here we come.

Open up blank page in Word
Me: I'm in love with you first paragraph

Several hours later
Me: First paragraph you suck

Some more hours later
Me: Idea you are plain old ordinary and why is there a garden gnomerunning around the plot.

Everything rewritten, rewritten and rewritten some more
Me: I'd send it to F&SF but my ink is low and I'd have to go to the Post Office and well, you know that idea was not as great as the one I just thought of.Now that story, I will send.
At this point I should add that I have submitted to Fantasy & Science Fiction once (story now retired) and sometimes the glow doesn't wear off until several editors have shooed me away.




King of my castle.. by ~Rowiel on deviantART

NaNoWriMo Prompt Words:

Tin Castle
Cheap Cigars
Chorus of Devils
Rooftops
Pathology
Playing Poker
Deja-Vu
Knee Caps
Scrap Metal

Two Days In

The Preditors & Editors Poll is up, so if you have time head over there and vote for your favourite author / anthology / short story / magazine of 2008. And if your favourite story etc of the year isn't listed, you can add it. How cool is that.

I added Aaron Polson's 'Reciprocity' to the Sci-Fi/Fantasy nominations (apparently it will take an hour or so to appear on the nomination list) - if you loved the story as much as I did then go vote for him. Actually, go vote for him anyway because if he comes in last he might kill me. :)

I'm still convinced 2009 is going to be a scary year. January 1st hated me. My printer refused to print out 'Cyclone of Painted Shells' so that I could send it out to Fantasy & Science Fiction - I won in the end. :) Then when I went searching for an envelope for an SAE, one of the knobs on my storage drawers fell off and while I'm trying to reattach it (mumbling that 2009 hated me), the entire front of the drawer fell off. Then I was making a stupendous roast dinner and my Mum rushes in from the garden to say a helicopter looked as if it was out of control and it was above our house. When I got outside it was gone - but hey, I believe it was there.

Wrote my first short story of the year today - Golden Age of the Pumpkin Heads - and kind of got submission happy and sent it out already. I really do need to learn a little Stephen-King-patience.

Enter the Labryinth

Pay rate up to 20¢ a word.

Words guaranteed to catch the attention of a starving writer (even if it's only because she has banned chocolate from the house until the 24th December - like that's going to last).

Labyrinth's Door are looking for adventure/fantasy/science fiction stories for children aged between 8 and 14. Word count 3,500 - 5,000 words and you have to query before sending the story.

The perfect excuse not to work on the second draft of Theatre.

Seeking Flash Fantasy

Mirror Dance have put out a call for Flash Fantasy stories as they are hoping to make their winter issue mainly flash.

Here is a blurb from their website:

Mirror Dance is a free online magazine of Fantasy in all its forms. We are especially interested in publishing stories of political intrigue and settings that aren't commonly seen in the genre, but all sub-genres will be considered. We are not accepting submissions of science fiction or horror, but dark fantasy will be considered.

There's no payment for online submissions, but your story may be chosen for the 'Best of...' Anthology and for that you get $10.