My End of the Year Post

Here we are again. Another year gone, and that time when we all evaluate what we've accomplished.

I took a look at my post from a year ago and it only depressed me. The year of 2008 wasn't my best writing-wise. I'm still waiting for ROMEO'S KISS to appear in Wildside Press's Cat Tales. I only sold one story -- THE MASK OF DESLOW MANSION to The Edge of Propinquity. But I did finish rewriting my novel and after an exhausting research venture, started sending the poor thing out to agents. No bites as of yet, but some nice rejections have crossed my desk. I did manage to consistently post on this blog, and I've made a lot of new writer friends which have helped me grow (as good friends do).

So, what are my plans, resolutions as it were, for 2009? Well, faithful reader, I will tell you. I'm going to continue to push my novel on every agent until one either signs me, or they band together and hire someone to stop me. I'm going to continue writing as best I can. I don't know right now if 2009 will belong to short stories, novels, or just my own wailing on this blog. I plan on reading more, writing more, praying more, laughing more, and loving more. What else better is there to do?

Now, as I leave you until the breaking of the new year, I thought I would show you the best thing I've received in 2008 (which is also what has caused my writing to diminish at such a rate).

Meet Olivia Ann. That's big brother Aiden (the best thing I received in 2007) doing all the kissing.

Not Much a Goin'

Not much happening here right now.

I'm still waiting to hear back from eight agents. If I don't get any hits then I have another ten to fifteen lined up for the next round.

I just sent my story A WHITE ROOM & TIME to the anthology Clockwork Phoenix 2. I can't seem to find a response time listed for that publication, but it's supposed to be out around July 2009, so I guess I'll know sometime before then.

I'm working on another short story, one that's been rolling around in my warped little noodle for some time. I don't know how long it'll be, yet--I'm only 1,000 words in--but I'm feeling good about the flow. It's a first person POV, which is hard for me. THE BARN was the only other first person POV that I've written that I felt was worth anything. I won't tell you what it's about, but my working title is THE SHALLOW GRAVE.

Not that original. I'll try to come up with something better when it's done.

You Think YOU Had to Wait a Long Time

I received a letter today from the editor of Outer Darkness magazine, Dennis Kirk, that my story, LOVE, OBSESSION & THE DEEP FREEZE, is still going to appear in issue 37.

Now, as writers we all know how hard it is to send out a story, wait months upon months only to get a form rejection. But it makes the acceptances all the more sweet, does it not? Then comes the agonizing time between acceptance and publication. That time period where you cut a path walking back and forth to the mailbox, or you click on an ezine's homepage so many times a day that surly you should win a door prize.

L, O & THE DF has already been published in Midnight Times, but that doesn't mean I'm any less pumped to see it in print again. So, for those of you that think YOU have trudged a long road between acceptance and publication, let me give you a little back ground information.

I submitted L, O & THE DF to Outer Darkness Magazine on 12/06/2004. It was accepted 12/19/2005, and will be appearing in OD sometime in the spring of 2009.

Is four years the record? Oh, I highly doubt it, but it has to be up there somewhere close.

On a side note I would like to say that I am in no way angry or begrudge Dennis Kirk for the long wait. Life has a way of stepping in front of our writing duties and when it does we have no choice but to yield. He has had a full plate, and I think he did right by taking care of Life's tasks instead of the magazine. I'm glad to see that he's able to press on.

Ouch!

It came Friday in the mail. My first letter from an agent.

I'd love to tell you all that the letter was full of praise for my novel along with an offer for representation, but alas, that would be a lie.

It was a rejection . . . a form letter at that.

I knew rejections were coming. Lord knows I've racked up enough of them with my short story submissions. I thought my skin was thick, but man did it hurt to read. I'm still a bit sore.

I have a few more queries floating around out there, but this agent was my top choice. Maybe that's why it hurts so much. I was hoping to at least send in a partial manuscript before being rejected.

It's terribly overwhelming. I now see why writers jump on the first agent (good or bad) that gives them a yes. I mean, how do you know if you REALLY match with an agent or not. Not very many have blogs to follow and a surprising number don't even have websites.

Don't mind me. The pity party is just about over.

I was going to work on fixing a short story I've had tucked away, and I have another one begging to be typed out, but I'm afraid both will have to wait. With the two diaper-dwarves haunting this house, finding time to do writerly-things has become very limited. I need to do a bit more searching. See if any agents (and their limited info) reach out and grab me . . . figuratively, of course.

Cat Tales

Wildside Press's anthology CAT TALES #1 is now in stock.

My story ROMEO'S KISS is not in this book, but will hopefully be in #2. If you recall from earlier posts there is a chance that if the sales for #1 are low then there will be no #2. So pick up your copy today.

If you like cats and you like speculative fiction then you'll love this book. Here is the TOC:

NOT ANOTHER BLACK CAT STORY, by Geoffrey Maloney
SCOUT, by Mary A. Turzillo
AMERICAN CURLS, by Nancy Springer
THE CATS OF ULTHAR, by H.P. Lovecraft
KREATIVITY FOR KATS, by Fritz Leiber
NON-EXISTENT CATS, by Tony Richards
ANGELIQUE'S, by Sandra Beswetherick
THREE HAIKU, by Mark Budman
THE CAT, by Charles Baudelaire
BLACK PUMPS & A SKANKY TOM, by Pat Edsen
DRAGON DREAMS, by Shereen Vedam
CAT CALL, by K.D. Wentworth
A CHRISTMAS CAROL, by Jack Williamson
THE EYES OF RA, by Jim C. Hines

CREEPER SHADOWS, by Fred Chappell