The biggest thing that happened to me over the summer was thought I finished writing my first novel. Well, not really a full-length novel, but what is called a novella. My story is currently at 31,578 words, but I am still making a few tweaks to it. It may get a little bigger, but not by much. To me a perfect idea is only perfect as long as filler/fluff is not added to it and I don't want to sacrifice my story just to make it bigger. I have sent it to a publisher and I am being told to wait 3 to 6 months for a reply on whether they will take it or not. It would be easier to sell if it were longer, but oh well...
I will tell you more about my novel...er...novella after it gets picked up (or rejected).
In other writing news, my relationship with James Ward Kirk Publishing has brought more wonderment into my life. In previous posts I mentioned that my story "The Horror at Engle Farm" had won the Editor's Choice Award in the BARNYARD HORROR anthology and my story "The Twilight of Men's Lives" also won another Editor's Choice Award for INDIANA CRIME REVIEW 2013, both by JWK Fiction. Well, it seems that both of these stories are now included in JWK FICTION BEST OF HORROR 2013, which is out now in Kindle and Paperback form.
This anthology features a lot of up and coming great talent. Besides my humble efforts, I find the work of Chantal Noordeloos, Paula Ashe, and James Dorr to be very literate and exciting. Paula Ashe's story "Bereft" is the most creepy story that I have read in ages. So, besides tooting my horn, you should pick this up to have a sampling of horror writing from the best new talent of today. Remember, this is a 'Best of' collection so there is no fluff here. Every story should keep you fairly enthralled.
On another note, I have always found James Ward Kirk Fiction to be honest and striving to improve constantly. They pay off in cash or contributor copies when they can and are trying their best to build up towards being a pro-paying publisher. So support the 'Indy Horror' publisher and get this mighty tome of horror now!
Here it is on Amazon for Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/JWK-Fiction-Best-Horror-2013-ebook/dp/B00MFOGJR2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407601556&sr=8-1&keywords=jwk+fiction
Here it is on Amazon for a paperback copy: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0692269398/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dpd_uxK5tb1MNDQFM
The wonders never cease...I sent a short autobiographical nonfiction piece to an online magazine called FIVE2ONE and I only just recently discovered that they have printed copies of their online magazine available for purchase. I went ahead and bought one and was pleased to see my piece alongside a lot of creative poetry and short stories. FIVE2ONE is about creative writing and not horror. As I continue to write, I am a little afraid of being pigeonholed as one type of writer or another so I am glad to see this piece in print.
You can read my autobiographical piece here for free online:
http://five2onemag.onimpression.com/search/label/H.D.H.C
Or if paper is your thing, get the print copy here:
http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/602928?__r=439389
On other writing fronts, I still write for music magazines as time permits. The next issue of Mike Stax's wonderful magazine UGLY THINGS will feature an article on the L.A. punk band SCREAMERS by Jon Savage (author of England's Dreaming) and will be accompanied by photos from my archive. So none of my writing there, but still proud to mention my involvement with that. I did write an introduction for a book to be released soon by Dawn Wirth (famous L.A. punk photographer) about THE WEIRDOS. If you don't know the WEIRDOS, they are probably Los Angeles' most important punk band from the first wave of punk. I am honored that Dawn asked me to write an introduction piece for her book. Lastly, I wrote a couple of record reviews for David Ball's FAILSAFE magazine from England. I hear it is out now and I can't wait to get a copy. If you appreciate scholarly journalism on punk, you can't do much better than FAILSAFE magazine.
More next month! See you in September!
