Going' Old School this Six Sentence Sunday

Yup, the title says it all. This tidbit is from Sorcerer's Carnival, published as one of the contributed stories in the Bloody Carnival Anthology published by Pill Hill Press September 2010. Okay, here it goes...

"Barabin heard the chitter of shadows. Unable to control himself, he looked into the vanity mirror. Behind his reflection they stood. Staring with empty eyes and pained faces. All of them. How they fit, he didn’t know."

Bloody Carnival Anthology: Sorcerer's Carnival

Sorcerer Barabin, trapped for centuries, is working to gain the power to free himself from his dimensional prison...and he's only got two more souls to go. A fun evening at the carnival turns dark and dangerous for Lilia and James when they find out they're Barabin's final selections.

If you'd like to find out more about participating in Six Sentence Sunday or to check out the other participating authors, go to Six Sentence Sunday's blog, here.

Keepin' on Keepin'

Just wanted to drop in some various updates. Let's see...

I switched up my header menu a bit. Now that I'm dedicating more of my time to novel writing versus short stories, I've deleted my Completed Works section and replaced it with a Free Reads section. However, you can also access free material if you check out my Published Works section where several of my works appear in free e-magazines.

I uploaded a new free read titled Maka's Quest through Smashwords. I'm sure some of you remember it. It's my Native American inspired SF story. Please feel free to download it and --hopefully-- enjoy. Let me know what you think either here or in the review section on Smashwords.
Pill Hill Press' anthology, Bloody Carnival, is out with my contributed story Sorcerer's Carnival. Sorcerer Barabin, trapped for centuries, is working to gain the power to free himself from his dimensional prison...and he's only got two more souls to go. A fun evening at the carnival turns dark and dangerous for Lilia and James when they find out they're Barabin's final selection.

My Publisher (heehee...that's still neat to say) has their October releases up and it includes an awesome SF up, Borealis: A Space Anthology, which includes great SF writers, PI Barrington, J. Morgan, and Gail Delaney. Head over to Desert Breeze Publishing and check it out if you have a moment.

What's next...oh, I'm fighting off the need to chew my nails away from nervousness. My first book in the Telomere Trilogy, Revelations of Tomorrow, is still in submission review. I'm not sure what happens to time...but slows when you've got a big submission out. And now that I'm not actively submitting shorts, it's the only submission my anal brain has to focus on. Ah! The joys of authorship!

Good writing all!

Sorcerer's Carnival Finds a Home

I just heard that Pill Hill Press accepted Sorcerer's Carnival for their Bloody Carnival Anthology!
There's such a sense of accomplishment when a story finds just the right home. Pill Hill Press is one of my favorite places to work with. It's hard not to be happy with a writer/editor relationship when the editors are so efficient and nice.

Sorcerer's Carnival holds a little special place for me because the idea actually sparked from my eldest son, Parkour Boy.

"Mom, what if your characters get stuck an a hell carnival some wacko sorcerer created?"

And off my creative little muse went...along with creepy big nightmares. (I'm the perfect horror audience member as I'll scream full volume at anything.)

The end result was Sorcerer's Carnival. Sorcerer Barabin, trapped for centuries, is working to gain the power to free himself from his dimensional prison...and he's only got two more souls to go. A fun evening at the carnival turns dark and dangerous for Lilia and James when they find out they're Barabin's final selections.

The submission period is open until filled, so I'll let you know when they set a publication date. I'll also keep you posted on the progress of the anthology as I get news.

Good writing all!

Four Horseman Now Available on Kindle

Great news!

The Four Horseman: An Anthology of Conquest, War, Famine, and Death is now available on Kindle: here.

My story, Judgment, is included in this awesome anthology. I hope you take a moment to pick up a copy (either hard, soft, or electronic). For the other formats, just check out my Published Works section up at the top.

And if you want to find other great anthologies and novels of the speculative fiction variety, check out Pill Hill Press.

365 Days of Fantastic Fiction Cover

Yay! Pill Hill Press just posted their cover for the anthology, Daily Flash: 365 Days of Fantastic Fiction. I must say it is very awesome and I'm excited to be included. (I know, total duh statement)

Isn't it beautiful, wonderful, creative...okay, okay, no more descriptors. Promise.

Night Visitor , my contributed story, is about Nora, who wakes to a very unwelcome guest. As you've probably guessed - if you haven't read my previous acceptance post - 365 Days of Fantastic Fiction will have 365 flash fiction stories. They ranges from creepy to scary to just plain weird. All the wonderful colors of that Speculative Fiction rainbow.

If you want to look into some of the other authors and stories to be contributed, check out Pill Hill Press' forum here: Call for Submissions. I'll let you all know when it's available at Amazon, which should be around November/December.

Good writing all!

Flash Fiction Accepted

My flash fiction, Night Visitor, has been accepted into Pill Hill Press' Daily Flash anthology. They're estimating a publication date of December 2010.

I'm so excited. The story was conceived in my nightmares. Literally, a weeks worth of the same nightmare, sometimes twice a night. Trust me after a couple days my husband and kids had had enough my blood curdling screams at 2 and 3 in the morning.

The dream frightened me so much, that for months I was afraid it'd come back. Then it took another couple months to build up the courage to write it down. Oddly - or not so much really - it was the writing of the story that helped me overcome my fear.

I'll keep you updated on the progress of this publication.

Good writing all!

Four Horseman Anthology Update

Yay! I'm so excited, as shown by previous exclamation point. Yesterday morning I received the first pass of edits by my - clears throat - editor (that felt really cool to write by the way..sorry, geek moment over).

Jessy Roberts, Pill Hill's editor, had some fantastic revision ideas that streamlined and focused the story in a way I couldn't imagine. I know that a lot of people get hurt feelings when someone critiques their writing. I don't. Mainly because when they critique it, it means they were paying attention. And, it means they aren't sugar coating you with brown-nosing or because they fear hurting your feelings.

This morning she sent me the cover art with permission to post it here. Now, just fair warning, this will be posted again when the book is on Amazon. I don't know if I'll be allowed to post the illustration for my actual story, but I'll let you know.

(enter drum roll)...

Eek! Okay, I lied. Another geek moment on its way. This cover is so awesome! I can't wait to have it in my book collection. I can't wait to read the other stories.

In general, I just can't wait!

I wrote my first story in 2nd grade. I remember, because I entered the story into McDonald's writing contest and won the kitchen toy. This kitchen toy was the first plastic version (whereas the previous were metal and would rust and wear down). Needless to say, I was the envy of the neighborhood until that richer, blond-ponytail girl's dad from down the street bought her one with an extra set of dishes.

From that first story came the seed of my passion for writing. After 2nd grade the traditional writer's inhibition kicked in and my work became personal and private. But, with that 2nd grade win another seed was planted. It didn't flourish until 2008. This was the need to have strangers read my work.

They don't have to like it. Heck they can hate it. But they'll have read words I strung together to create substance where there was once only thoughts and visions. I've been published online and it was exciting. But, I didn't realize the difference this would mean to me. This book will always be in existence, somewhere.

Even if just in someones attic.

Good writing all!