Another quarter for WotF

I submitted a new story for the Fourth quarter of Writer's of the Future.

For those of you who may not know what that is, it's a contest, four times a year, been going nigh onto 28 years.
Yes, their quarters are not the same as everyone else's :)

More info here:  http://www.writersofthefuture.com


A week or more ago I started feeling not so sure about this story. A couple of days ago I realized why I was unsure of this story all of a sudden. 

I've never done so much reconstructing on a story before. It's an older one that I decided to resubmit since they allow you to do that.  I set out for a trim and ended up with a complete shampoo-color, conditioning, cut and styling with hair extensions. 


I'm afraid I created a Frankenstein monster even though in this case I haven't added any bits from other stories so it's more like a clay figure. I cut some off, added bits of new clay, scrapped more off, reformed some parts, added more clay, moved parts around. So I end up with something with three shades of clay and even though certain parts look more like they are suppose to I'm not really sure about how it fits together or the whole effect. 

The forehead and horn of the unicorn--there's no unicorn in my story--look great, maybe even award winning but the flank and the tail, well I tried. You know what it's suppose to be but beyond that I can't say. 

But on the good side, with the final go over I found few nitpicks, which may not mean much, and it seems to be mostly seamless, now. I found a couple of places that were not seamless but I fixed those. 

But it is still my writing when all is said and done.

I changed the title when I decided to make it a whole new story.

Good News Bad News on the Reading Front

Just thought I would share what to me is Good News and Bad News on the reading front.

I finally checked out Lisa Shearin's web site. http://www.lisashearin.comHer Raine Benares has come to an end.  That part is Bad News. It was very well done, an exciting world and a great hero. But the Good News is that she has started a new series. A Urban Fantasy The SPI Files.  The Bad News is that won't be done until next year, which means it won't be published a few months after that--maybe the year after?.  Seems like she is going slower on this one.  Oh she may also be doing a spin off of the Benares universe. I may know which character she might use. And I want to say it's a world I would like to write in.

Some so so News.
Checked out Margaret Ronald's blog. A while back she came out with a "Wild Hunt" series. Great stuff even though darker than usual even for UF. I've been trying to find out if she is doing any other brooks. Over a period of months it sounded like she was revising a book but when I went backwards through her blogs to try to find it, I found nothing that would indicate she was. She's doing great with short stories, probably not but it almost sounds like she is selling every third story she sends out. Which is one reason I seem to have a bit of writing envy with her. The second reason is who she is selling too. Most of the markets I am trying at. But I will at least check out whatever book she puts out next...if she does. 
Checked out Margaret Ronald's blog. A while back she came out with a "Wild Hunt" series. Great stuff even though darker than usual even for UF. I've been trying to find out if she is doing any other brooks. Over a period of months it sounded like she was revising a book but when I went backwards through her blogs to try to find it, I found nothing that would indicate she was. She's doing great with short stories, probably not but it almost sounds like she is selling every third story she sends out. Which is one reason I seem to have a bit of writing envy with her. The second reason is who she is selling too. Most of the markets I am trying at. But I will at least check out whatever book she puts out next...if she does. 



There might be a PS to this since I need to check out laura anne gilman's site and C. E. Murphy's Gilman has evidently ended another great series so I need to see what she is planning next. 

Update Sept 9

First an update on what I wanted to do last weekend. Got my Q4 story sent to some critters--got two back already--but only managed to get two to three hand written stories typed to the computer. I played around too much. I have finished that third story.


Was ready to send out my next story to F&SF but I blew it. No brown envelopes...I knew that and just plain forgot to get more. Which reminds me I forget again today but I have time to get some during the week.

That means I skipped two weeks. I had a run of ten to twelve weeks in a row. Oh, Well, this story needed further work anyway so a delay of one week was good.

Started two stories at work. I couldn't make up my mind if I wanted a SF or Fantasy next so I started one of each. The Fantasy is a bit different, the MC is a leprechaun and he is dealing with gnomes. What gnomes again!!???  Well, hmmm yes. That one music video I've seen three or four times at the gym must have imprinted on me----more than likely it's my wife's gnomes. She sells them. Tried to find a pic on her Esty site but she doesn't have any up at the moment. Anyway,  I think I could make the fantasy into a novel but when would I work on it. I'm already seriously working on two and sort of, kinda of working on two more plus a number of stories.


Found a couple more mini stories on paper I need to type up some time.


Rats, I know there were two other things I wanted to say but can't think of them right now.

I have reached 110 stories in this Group. The ones I'm sending out trying to get published. Some are general fiction, two are westerns--there's a third one I need to revise. If I can do two more I could sell all five in a set online. I do have an idea for a second tale with my first one and I could come up with one for the second....hmmm come to think of it I might be able to come up with a second one with that third story. When though.  :)

That wasn't what I wanted to say so more than likely there will be a PS.

Not that PS but as I posted this post I saw I had four readers already for the previous post on "Blue Home". Wow, that was in 23 minutes. Some of my posts don't have four readers in four days.

Speaking of that I'm praying for four more followers. Oh, I prayed for the HM on that story...now if God would bless me with at least a Finalist with my current story at WotF.

Added PS to this one too.
When I can, I think I will add 200 or so words to Blue Home and send it to EscapePod, they still want flash even though their new guidelines does not have a minimum, with a notation that a shorter version was published.

"The Blue Of Home"....Nice placing

Not a huge or even big win but I'll take it.   :)

To misquote a movie line straight to the sun and the right,  No, no, I mean all the way down to the bottom.  Won't take no time at all to read all six.


Blue Home


I can see why the first place got First but not the third place story...it seems on the same level as the three HMs. Oh well, I'm not the editor and/or judge.

And I'm working on a story for their regular contest--about half way through the first revision. It's about Time.  Deadline 28th of this month. 

Not sure what to do with it now.

Eventually I'll place it on my web site.
Actually, I have a longer version in mind...200 some words. I know a couple markets who want less than 500 words but I'm not sure if it would be considered the same story though.

When I can, I think I will add those 200 words to Blue Home and send it to EscapePod, they still want flash even though their new guidelines does not have a minimum, with a notation that a shorter version was published.