In Medias Res

interview

2012-01-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

My Coyote Cal weird western "El Diablo de Paseo Grande" is one of 30 stories included in the new Arcane anthology. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview editor Nathan Shumate about Arcane and the work involved in bringing these tales to the masses. MJF: While Arcane itself is a new venture, you're no stranger to publishing. Tell us a little about your history with speculative fiction. NS

"Fool's Gold" - Episode 3

2012-01-17T06:00:00.000-08:00

3. Bear in Mind With a roar, the grizzly rose up on its hind legs and pawed the air, towering over the flames. Both eyes blazed an unearthly red, and its long claws flashed razor sharp. “What the—!” Cal’s coffee went splashing off to the side as he grabbed for his Colt six-gun. A shotgun muzzle dug in between his shoulder blades. “Leave it,” came a rough voice, and Cal’s hand froze. “Bring him

"Fool's Gold" - Episode 2

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

2. A Lesson Learned Dusk came quick to the Trail of Death, almost like a magician’s cape tossed over a glowing crystal ball. The rippling golden orb dissolved into the west with a bloody afterglow, and our heroes decided to make camp. “Bed down the horses, Yap,” Cal said. “I’ll fetch us some wood for the fire.” He ambled off into the dark. “What a way to end a rotten day,” Big Yap grumbled. “Not

"Fool's Gold" - Episode 1

2012-01-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

1. Trail of Death Noon came blazing hot, scorching anything stupid enough to be out in the open and blinding anybody dumb enough to glance upward. But the two riders on this dusty trail weren’t stupid or dumb. They were Coyote Cal and his trusty sidekick, Big Yap. “We muff be cwafey!” Yap gasped, hunkered down in his saddle as grimy rivulets streaked his wizened face and invaded his grizzly

covers

2012-01-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Nine of my scifaiku are featured in the latest issue of Digital Dragon, which you can read here, if you're so inclined. Topics range from overpopulation and the steampunk craze to time travel and bad indigestion, and there might even be a mosquito woman in there somewhere. "Just Leave" is included in the Frightmares flash fiction anthology, available here. My 500-word tale is just one of 129

EDF

2012-01-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

My first published tale of 2012 greeted the world @ Every Day Fiction this week, and you can read it here if you're so inclined. This was a fun one to write (at the expense of literary science fiction), and thanks to the round of edits, it's much better than the original version I submitted. That's one thing I really like about EDF — whether or not they end up accepting my work, their feedback

resolute

2012-01-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

Some said it couldn't be done, that we'd sacrifice quality for quantity. 52 short stories written and submitted in 52 weeks? Were we insane? Ray Bradbury once said, "If you can write one short story a week – doesn't matter what the quality is to start, but at least you're practicing. At the end of the year, you have 52 short stories, and I defy you to write 52 bad ones. Can't be done." But going

quasar

2011-12-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

Like any other writer who's been submitting his work for a while, I've received a plethora of rejection letters. But over the past two years, I've never gotten one like this: I can't accept Captain Quasar fics. I've gotten many of them from several different authors. My first thought: Maybe the editor didn't realize that I was the one sending him multiple Captain Quasar stories, hoping one would

crime pays

2011-12-18T06:05:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned before that I was a weird kid? While most boys my age were probably watching MTV or Alf, I used to listen to Golden Age radio shows, and I was into detective stories in a BIG way. No surprise then that I tried my teenage hand at a noirish novel. The private eye's name was Charlie Madison, and he had a very unique sense of humor—due to the plethora of typos I made as I banged away

persperistence

2011-12-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

When a story survives 14 rejections over 2 years to finally find a good home, I can't help but feel awash with relief. According to fellow writer Steve Ramey, perspiration + persistence = persperistence, and that's the formula necessary to succeed as writers. We can't give up on our stories, and we can't lose faith in ourselves, no matter how long it takes for our work to be published. I wrote

crowns

2011-12-04T06:01:00.000-08:00

Jennifer’s eyes reminded him of cheese. Something about the way they oozed cream while she argued her point, like they were liquefying and he had to quick find some tortilla chips while the stuff was fresh... My one and only stab at bizarro fiction is greeting the world again, thanks to the kind folks at Liquid Imagination. This story originally appeared at Linger Fiction which, alas, is no more.

homage

2011-11-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had a story to tell, and you knew it was inside you waiting to burst forth, but you were too afraid you wouldn't be able to do it justice? This stinkin' thinkin' hit me hard when I came up with the idea for "Soulless in His Sight." Who was I to think I could write an homage to Faulkner's As I Lay Dying and McCarthy's The Road with Diogenes (crossbow and hatchet instead of a lamp)

"Hero for Hire"

2011-11-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

"If this doesn't have you in stitches, you may be made of stone…" – Maryam Piracha, Editor-in-Chief of The Missing Slate "Fowler handles his subject matter with wit and compassion. We feel sympathy for Darrell even as we laugh at him." – Jeff Chapman, writer/blogger/book reviewer "Hero for Hire" will always hold a special place in my heart. I sold it to A Fly in Amber in the fall of 2009, and

blogiversary

2011-11-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

Has it been two years already? In November of 2009, I took my first tentative steps into the blogosphere as an unpublished writer with one story scheduled to appear online the following January. I'd attended a writer's conference where blogging was encouraged as a way for writers to create a web presence and start building a following. They failed to mention what blogging really is:

"Tomorrow's Dawn" @ Daily Science Fiction

2011-11-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

They say you never see the one that kills you. But they might have been referring to weapons fire in an open battlefield, not a plasma charge on a crowded lunar tube. He sits facing me, and the way he's looking me right in the eye, I have a feeling this will be the end. With the close proximity, I'll see his green hand reach for it, concealed beneath his double-breasted, razor-sharp pressed suit

eBook

2011-10-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

I'm a sucker for pro-paying zines. As soon as one shows up on Duotrope, I've got a story in the works. So when Penumbra emerged a few months ago offering 5 cents/word, I sent them "Identity Thief" (3K). The editor responded four days later: Unfortunately your story doesn't quite fit; however, I really enjoyed it. Our parent company, Musa Publishing, is producing great short stories as standalone

"Power Chords" @ Fear and Trembling

2011-10-23T05:27:00.000-07:00

Emaciated by time, the hollow-eyed wraith at the cash register drew on his smoldering cigarette and released a ragged cough. "You play?" he croaked. I glanced up from the book of guitar chords, a dog-eared paperback with coffee-stained pages, but at forty-nine cents a real pawn shop bargain. "Yeah." "Bored with the standard crap? Those open chords and whatnot?" He spewed smoke like a dragon in

"I Am FanFare" @ MindFlights

2011-10-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

"It's been a long road, getting from there to here..." After two years, sixteen submissions and fifteen rejections, my story "I Am FanFare" is finally available for you to read here, thanks to the editors at MindFlights who have graciously offered it a good home. Originally entitled "Attack of the Killer Online Social Network," this story has seen its share of form letter rejections, short

hopalong

2011-10-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Alex Cavanaugh and the Pay it Forward Blogfest, today I have the distinct pleasure of sharing three writers' blogs that have impacted me in a positive way: 1. Aaron Polson: Short story maestro, indie author, and all-around cool guy, Aaron is a fellow teacher who somehow manages to carve out enough time to write and market a plethora of speculative fiction. Stop by and see what he's

"You Kill Me" @ Misfit Magazine

2011-10-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Looking at you now, it’s tough sometimes to see the person I fell in love with. Your eyes, once hazel with enough blue in them to capture my attention, pulsate blood-clotted, staring at me with a hunger different from what overcame us in the back of your Toyota 4Runner all those years ago. Your lips, soft and tender back then, crack like dry plaster, gaping at me from where I’ve got you

"A Creature Stirring" @ 10Flash Quarterly

2011-10-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

“Don’t leave me in here.” Alfred shut the closet door on his kid sister, blind to her trembling, deaf to her whispered pleas. “It’s too dark. Please, Alfie.” Alfred held the doorknob in place, resisting Lillie’s attempts to turn it from inside. “I won’t be a pest, I promise.” “You must be quiet,” he hissed, pressing his forehead against the cool semi-gloss. “Remember?” “But that was just a

print

2011-09-25T05:28:00.000-07:00

This will never get old. At long last, I received my contributor's copy of the Shelter of Daylight summer anthology. After surviving thirteen rejections over a year and a half, it's so good to finally see my story "Insight" published. And the fact that it's in PRINT just sweetens the deal. Maybe I shouldn't care so much, but seeing my work in print just seems more "real" than reading it online. I

micro

2011-09-18T07:34:00.000-07:00

Some of my much-shorter work has been feeling neglected lately as I've focused more on my short stories, so I'm going to highlight a few microfiction pieces and haiku that have recently seen the light of day. You're welcome to critique them as you feel led. In my creative writing classes, I encourage the jr. high students to share what worked, what didn't work, and what could be improved. It

sale

2011-09-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

Rome wasn't built in a day. We all know that. I mean, it's kind of obvious, right? I've been sharing my successes and frustrations with you enough by now for you to know that I don't give up easily. I don't expect my fiction to be accepted the same day I submit it (although that did happen once). By now, I've grown accustomed to the waiting: the submissions, the rejections, the revisions, the

terror

2011-09-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

Standing in the living room of my one-bedroom condo, staring at the TV. Watching as a second plane exploded on impact, crumpling into a skyscraper. Unable to comprehend what I was seeing. Had the news on every morning as I got ready for work. Figured a 5th grade teacher should know what's going on in the world before greeting his class. Eyes burning with tears at those extinguished lives. No idea

"Captain Quasar" @ Ray Gun Revival

2011-09-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Have I told you how long I've wanted to get into Ray Gun Revival? How about: ever since I first heard about the zine, back in '09! But try as I might, I haven't had just the right story for them. Until Captain Quasar, that is. He made his first appearance @ Every Day Fiction back in August of 2010, and since then, I've written three more adventures with him and Hank (the very hairy biped) in

"Scuttle" @ Liquid Imagination

2011-09-02T08:11:00.000-07:00

This has been a good week for reprints. "Scuttle", which originally appeared @ Everyday Weirdness back in March of 2010 (my 2nd published short story at the time), is included in Liquid Imagination's Issue 10. You can read it here, if you're so inclined. For those of you keeping track, this is my second publication with Liquid Imagination. ("Grandpa's Bluetooth" was included in Issue 9.) After

"Suburban Legend" @ 6 Tales

2011-08-31T18:07:00.000-07:00

A reprint of my flash-sized tale about an urban legend gone wrong is up today at 6 Tales, and you can read it here (Tale Four) if you're so inclined. Editor Doug Macgowan had this to say: "I did not see that ending coming. Very well done." As a rule, I try to steer clear of the twist finale, but this one called for it. I wouldn't say it's O. Henryish or anything, but it was a lot of fun to write

king

2011-08-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

How does he do it? The guy writes a novel over 1,000 pages long, and somehow he's able to hook my interest in every scene. It's got to be that "line by line" tension Donald Maass is always talking about and telling me my novels lack. (Unless those are just form letters he sends everybody, in which case I won't take it personally.) Gizmo the Talking Kindle and I are currently reading Under the

TA

2011-08-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello. My name is Milo . . . and I'm a Trekkie. While I've never attended a single Trek convention, I still count myself among the faithful, having watched every episode of both the original series and The Next Generation multiple times. (And as you all know, James T. Kirk was the inspiration for Captain Bartholomew Quasar!) Big thanks go to Ellie Garratt for organizing today's "Star Trek As We

Write1Sub1: Come for the Challenge, Stay for the Community

2011-08-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time, Ray Bradbury was a struggling young writer in love with the craft. He wrote a short story every week, polished it up, and submitted it to a magazine. Rejection letters flooded in, mainly due to his prolific number of submissions: the more you write, the more responses you get. There were also acceptances along the way, and they inspired Bradbury to keep doing what he loved:

unplugged

2011-08-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

"Mackerel sky never runs dry!" -- Nana Fowler A week without WiFi. No laptop. No cellphone service. Spending every day swimming, kayaking, reading, and writing. Christmas comes only once a year, and so does my annual trip to Maine to visit my grandmother and get away from it all. Staying at our family's "camp" (a two bedroom cottage) on Sebec Lake is literally a gift from God. I'm so at

"Insight" in Shelter of Daylight

2011-08-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

After surviving 13 rejections from various markets (5 of them fairly positive), I'm pleased to announce that my story "Insight" has been published in the latest Shelter of Daylight anthology. That's right: it's in PRINT! I should receive my contributor's copy via snail mail soon, and when I do, I'll be sure to post a photographic excerpt. This tale's been with me for a while -- since my junior

Captain Quasar 2?

2011-07-31T06:00:00.000-07:00

Received word from Ray Gun Revival that Captain Quasar may return to fight another day—as long as I address a few editorial concerns. For those of you unfamiliar with the character, Quasar first appeared @ Every Day Fiction in August of last year, and you can read his misadventure here. This time around, he and Hank the very hairy biped are up against overwhelming odds yet again. The title of

reality

2011-07-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

No word yet on when "Tomorrow's Dawn" will appear at Daily Science Fiction, but I did sign my contract and compose a short bio. They also gave me the opportunity to share a little about how I came up with the story. The following comments will appear beneath "Tomorrow's Dawn" once it's published: I enjoy serving jury duty as much as the next guy. Last summer, during a lunch break from the

two years and counting

2011-07-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Time passes faster the older we get. Some experts attribute it to our spending so much of our daily lives on autopilot, always looking ahead to the next thing instead of living in the moment. Maybe they're full of crap. All I know is, the last two years have really flown by for me. On July 13, 2009, I submitted my first short story for publication: "Just Beneath the Surface" to Strange Horizons.

12 tales

2011-07-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Do you like scary stories? Have you checked out Arcane magazine yet? I just finished reading issue #1, and I couldn't put it down. I'm hoping that you'll also support this great new zine, so here's a brief rundown of their twelve "Penny Dreadfuls for the 21st Century" just to pique your interest... 1. "Hazards" by Justin Pollock: A good Samaritan sees more than he ever could have expected late

scifaiku

2011-07-06T08:15:00.000-07:00

Today at Write1Sub1, we're honored to welcome the editor of Scifaikuest, Teri Santitoro, for a brief interview. Be sure to check it out. Thanks to fellow writers Deborah Walker and Simon Kewin, I became aware of Scifaikuest a few months back, and I've since been unable to stop myself from writing sci-fi flavored haiku. Out of maybe thirty-odd poems I've submitted this year, a dozen will be

"The Second Option" in Bards and Sages

2011-07-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

Do you judge books by their covers? How about magazines? If so, please don't let this odd little elf and warty troll sway you from purchasing the latest issue of Bards and Sages Quarterly. Personally, the only elf I happen to like is Legolas and the only troll would have to be of the cave variety, but I'm going to focus instead on what you'll find inside: my story "The Second Option" (a Mercer

renovation

2011-06-26T06:01:00.000-07:00

I received an email this past week from Port Iris Magazine editor Casey Seda announcing the release of their latest issue in addition to a site revamp with some very cool new features. My story "Leap Day" about a young woman with a time bubble in her living room (What's a time bubble? I'm glad you asked. You'll have to read it and find out!) is now available online via this link. Two additions

"Reverie" @ The Gloaming Magazine

2011-06-19T06:01:00.000-07:00

"In Reverie, a young man in a far-flung future must choose between the known safety of alien enslavement and un-known fate of freedom." —Angela Roberts, Editor Here's how it opens: Every night the dream is the same—implanted into our subconscious as we sleep, fertile soil for it to take root and grow. In the Dreamscape, the nexus of our collective mind's eye, our Protectors guide us, teaching us

tirade

2011-06-12T06:01:00.000-07:00

There are some things about being a writer that I just hate. Pardon me while I vent. 1. FEAR This is the worst, and I despise myself when I let it get to me. Sometimes I come up with a cool idea for a story, but then I'm too scared to write it, afraid I won't do it justice. Forget my track record, how many times I've forced myself to get ideas down on paper and, after a half-dozen revisions or so

"Grandpa's Bluetooth" @ Liquid Imagination

2011-06-04T06:00:00.000-07:00

Visiting Grandpa is never easy, especially when he gets a new hearing aid that receives a whole lot more than it should. You can read "Grandpa's Bluetooth" here, if you're so inclined. This was my Write1Sub1 from week #6, and it's a story that started out as a tweet-sized tale and evolved into something far beyond 140 characters. Cool thing about Liquid Imagination : with almost every story

story sale

2011-05-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

I received some good news last week from The Gloaming Magazine. They're buying my story "Reverie" which has survived nine rejections over the past ten months. This tale was originally part of a much longer work I finished last year, but I decided it was two distinct stories to be submitted as such. Glad I separated them at the hip! Of the nine prior rejections, I received six form letters and

like a virgin

2011-05-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

In PRINT for the very first time: "Captain Quasar and the 'If Only' Elixir of Opsanus Tau Prime." This little tale made its debut on the Every Day Fiction website back in August and has somehow managed to remain one of the top stories ever since. It also placed third during this year's Preditors and Editors Readers' Poll, but I still don't know who nominated it. (Thank you, whoever you may be!)

method writing

2011-05-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

This picture sums it up for me. The sign represents any number of reasons to stop spending so much of my time writing, editing, revising, researching, submitting, and resubmitting. We all have those "reasons," don't we? They're always lurking nearby, trying to get us to quit doing what we love. But the bullet holes represent what I like to call my "shotgun method" to getting work published: have

pulp

2011-05-08T06:01:00.000-07:00

According to my friend the Internet, "pulp fiction" (when it's not referring to a Tarantino film) is described as "fiction dealing with lurid or sensational subjects" and "escapist entertainment." Authors such as Dashiell Hammett, Robert Heinein, and H.P. Lovecraft started their careers as pulp writers and went on to make names for themselves. I'm hoping to follow in their footsteps with recent

reprint accepted

2011-05-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

Wolf Althuis at Abandoned Towers informed me today that they're accepting a reprint of my story "Hero for Hire" for the online version of their magazine. This tale was my first-ever published work way back in January of 2010 at A Fly in Amber, so it's obviously had a well-ensconced place in my heart. But the Abandoned Towers crew didn't take it as-was… 1. There are way too many asides in

Z is for Zombie

2011-04-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at The Zombie Feed. Here’s what they like to see: "The Zombie Feed has opened to submissions of zombie novellas and novels. (Novella = 15,000-40,000 words; Novel = 40,001-80,000 words) What do we want? Fast-paced zombie apocalypse fiction!

Y is for Yesteryear

2011-04-29T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at Yesteryear Fiction. Here’s what they prefer: "Anything fantasy. Sword, sorcery, myths, folktales, wizards, gold, elves, dwarves, vampires, dungeon crawl drama, dragons, Tolkien-esque fiction, the supernatural, weird tales, ancient

X is for Xenith

2011-04-28T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at Xenith. Here’s what they like to see: "We accept most forms and genres of writing: poetry, fiction, flash fiction, plays, creative nonfiction, graphic novels, comics and comic scripts, unsent letters, experimental, sci-fi, literary

W is for Writers

2011-04-27T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at this prestigious quarterly writing contest: Writers of the Future. Here’s what they look for: "All types of science fiction, fantasy and dark fantasy are welcome. No entry fee is required, and all rights in the story remain the property

V is for Vestal

2011-04-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at another paying fiction market: Vestal Review. Here’s what they look for: "Vestal Review is a magazine for flash fiction. We realize that there are different definitions of what a flash story is and all of them have merit. In our

U is for Untied

2011-04-25T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at another paying fiction market: Untied Shoelaces of the Mind. Here’s what the editor would like to see: "I want the writing we publish to be so good and the stories so unique that we can showcase our Issues for years to come, while we

story sale

2011-04-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

I received some good news last week from the editors at Liquid Imagination : they're going to publish "Grandpa's Bluetooth" in their next issue. This was my Write1Sub1 story for week #6, and I'm glad to see it find a good home after just one rejection. Here's how it opens: They take me to Seven Oaks Nursing Home because I’m the only one he’ll talk to. They say he’s got dementia and it’s not the

T is for TOR

2011-04-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at another SFWA-qualifying market: Tor.com. Here’s what they prefer: "Tor.com welcomes original short SF and fantasy, broadly defined. We’re particularly interested in stories under 12,000 words, although we’ve made exceptions in the past

S is for Strange

2011-04-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at another SFWA-qualifying market: Strange Horizons. Here’s what they look for: “We want good speculative fiction. If your story doesn't have a clear fantasy or science fiction element, or at least strong speculative-fiction sensibilities,

R is for Redstone

2011-04-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at another pro-paying market: Redstone Science Fiction. They keep their writers’ guidelines to the point: “We publish science fiction, anything from post-cyberpunk to new space opera. We do not want supernatural horror, urban or heroic

Q is for Queen

2011-04-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at another pro-paying market: Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine. Here’s what they prefer: “Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine welcomes submissions from both new and established writers. We publish every kind of mystery short story: the

P is for Pedestal

2011-04-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at another SFWA-qualifying market: The Pedestal Magazine. Here’s what they prefer: “Generally, we are receptive to high-quality literary and genre fiction of all sorts, including traditional and experimental works. Please read the fiction in

O is for Orson

2011-04-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at another giant in the F & SF community: Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show. "We are looking for stories of any length in the genres of science fiction and fantasy. 'Science fiction' includes hard sf, sf adventure, alternate

just keep writing

2011-04-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

We interrupt your regularly scheduled "A to Z" broadcast to bring you this special update: Short stories currently making the rounds: 28 Stories held for consideration: 1 with Abandoned Towers, 1 with Flag Ship, 1 with Andromeda Spaceways W1S1 short stories yet to be published: 14 W1S1 microfiction/haiku yet to be published: 19 Pre-W1S1 short stories yet to be published: 12 Reprints waiting

N is for Nature

2011-04-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at Nature Futures. Here are their writers' guidelines: "Futures is a venue for very short stories or ‘vignettes’ of between 850 and 950 words. The subject is typically near-future, hard SF, although this can be interpreted liberally. In

M is for Misfit

2011-04-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at Misfit Magazine. They keep their writers' guidelines simple and to the point: "Currently accepting flash fiction pieces with a minimum of 500 words, maximum of 1000 words in any genre. All fiction must be previously unpublished material."

L is for Lightspeed

2011-04-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we're taking a look at Lightspeed. Here's what they're interested in seeing: "All types of science fiction are welcome, from near-future, sociological soft sf, to far-future, star-spanning hard sf, and anything and everything in between. No subject should

K is for Kaleidotrope

2011-04-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, we take a look at Kaleidotrope. Here's what they like to see: "Kaleidotrope tends heavily towards the speculative — towards science fiction, fantasy and horror — but we like an eclectic mix and are therefore always eager to read interesting work that falls

J is for Journal

2011-04-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Got bugs? Today, we've got The Journal of Unlikely Entomology under the magnifying glass. Here's what they're currently looking for: "Beautifully-written fiction, characters that grab us by the throats and refuse to let go until their stories have been told,

I is for Interzone

2011-04-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, our focus is the UK Sci-Fi magazine, Interzone. Their writers' guidelines keep it simple: "We are always open to submissions of new science fiction and fantasy short stories of up to about 10,000 words in length. It is strongly recommended that you study

story sale

2011-04-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

Four months into Write1Sub1, and I've sold my first short story! Don't get me wrong; it's been awesome seeing my microfiction and haiku published this year, and I'm grateful for the W1S1 pressure that's kept me writing. But I've also been writing/submitting a new short story every week, and not one of them has gotten more than a warm rejection, if even that. I've felt that my 2011 stories are

H is for Harrow

2011-04-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. The Harrow Press publishes POD anthologies, and currently: "MORTIS OPERANDI is looking for stories that revolve around the investigation of a crime and in which the supernatural plays a central role. While we’re expecting a fair share of murders, we strongly

G is for GUD

2011-04-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular Here's an intriguing market I've been trying to get into: GUD (Greatest Uncommon Denominator) Magazine: "Our dictionary defines literature thus: written works, esp. those valued for form and style. And that is what we are looking for—form and style, though be sure

F is for Fantasy

2011-04-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular Another one of the Big Guns in F & SF publications, Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazine, posts the following in their writers' guidelines: "We have no formula for fiction. We are looking for stories that will appeal to science fiction and fantasy readers. The SF

E is for Electric

2011-04-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular Here's another fine online magazine that appeals to readers and writers of speculative fiction. According to Electric Spec's submission guidelines: "We consider any story between 250 and 7000 words with speculative fiction elements. We prefer science fiction,

D is for Daily

2011-04-05T06:00:00.001-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Looking for another high-paying F & SF magazine? Here's what Daily Science Fiction would like to see from you: "Daily Science Fiction (DSF) is a market accepting speculative fiction stories from 100 to 10,000 words in length. By this we mean science fiction,

C is for Clarkesworld

2011-04-04T06:00:00.001-07:00

For the month of April, all of my "A to Z" posts are directly related to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Here's another one of the Big Guns in the Fantasy and Sci-Fi community, Clarkesworld Magazine. What do they look for? "Science fiction need not be "hard" SF, but rigor is appreciated. Fantasy can be folkloric, medieval, contemporary, surreal, etc. Horror can be

B is for Bards

2011-04-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

For the month of April, each of my "A to Z" posts will relate directly to my writing: the markets where I submit my work, in particular. Today, I'm featuring Bards and Sages Quarterly, who recently bought my story "The Second Option" (another Mercer tale) for their July issue. (Yahoo!) "Bards and Sages Quarterly features original fiction, art, book reviews, interviews, book announcements, and

A is for Asimov's

2011-04-01T06:00:00.000-07:00

Since Write1Sub1 isn't enough to keep me busy already (Hardy har har!), I've decided to accept Alex J. Cavanaugh & Company's "A to Z Blogging Challenge" this month. Along with 1,000+ other bloggers, I'll be posting something special every day starting with a different letter of the alphabet. For those of you just stopping by, welcome to "In Medias Res." My name is Milo James Fowler, and this is

"Breathe" @ Golden Visions Magazine

2011-03-31T17:43:00.000-07:00

Do good things come to those who wait? Apparently so -- at least for my story "Breathe." This little speculative tale was rejected a total of eight times (and only twice favorably) before it reached the editors of Golden Visions Magazine where, after just a slight rewrite (500 words or so added), they accepted it with open arms. This story has had a fairly long shelf life, I must admit. I

soundtracks

2011-03-28T17:38:00.000-07:00

I can't write without music. Every story I write lately has a song to call its own. For "El Diablo de Paseo Grande", it was "Silent Hills" by Lanterna. For "Dahlia's Feast", it was "Quutamo" by Apocalyptica. (And if you don't think Finnish cellists can rock, check out this video of their live performance. Okay, so maybe they're a little weird, but the music itself is nothing short of complete

first and last

2011-03-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

Well now, I guess there's a first time for everything. Editor KV Taylor from The Red Penny Papers was kind enough to conduct a virtual mini-interview with yours truly last week, and it went online today. You can read it here, should you be so inclined. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: working with Ms. Taylor was one of the best writer/editor experiences I've had as of yet, and I wish

networking

2011-03-17T17:07:00.000-07:00

Am I a writer or an author? I was setting up my new Facebook page this week (check it out here, but only if you're curious) and I had some difficulty deciding between the two. Should I be "Milo James Fowler - AUTHOR" or "Milo James Fowler - WRITER"? I guess I've always considered myself to be a writer, even before I had any of my work published. And now that I've sold some stories, I'm obviously

author, publish thyself

2011-03-10T06:00:00.000-08:00

Like every other participant in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest, I thought I had a chance. So when my pitch didn't even make it past the first round, I was disheartened—but I knew I wasn't alone. Hundreds of other hopeful writers hadn't made the cut either. I stumbled across one in particular who'd tweeted something to this effect: "My ABNA entry didn't make it. Guess I'll have to

pros

2011-03-05T06:47:00.000-08:00

Have I been going about this the wrong way? I was looking over my spreadsheet the other day in which I've diligently kept track of every short story submission/sale since the summer of 2009 (when I started this Journey into the Published Land), and I noticed something. After all of my stories have made the rounds through the pro-paying market circuit (Asimov's, Fantasy & Science Fiction, Apex,

"Coyote Cal" @ The Red Penny Papers

2011-03-01T09:55:00.000-08:00

"I love it when a plan comes together."– Hannibal (A-Team) For my weird western hero Coyote Cal and his loyal sidekick Big Yap, the plan has taken about twenty years to get to this point. But at long last, they're making their world debut today, and if you're so inclined, you can read their first published adventure here. Back in the early '90's amidst Desert Storm and grunge music, when I

"Doppelgänger Mine" @ Fried Fiction

2011-02-24T07:38:00.000-08:00

The second installment of my doppelgänger serial ("Stranger in the Night") is up at Fried Fiction today, and if you're so inclined, you can read it here. Uploading my own work is a little weird—almost like self-publishing it on a blog—but the website's easy to navigate, and I look forward to adding more episodes in the weeks to come. Fried Fiction is a unique venue: the editor, David Peters,

so close + story sale

2011-02-19T08:22:00.000-08:00

In honor of this month’s hearts and roses in abundance, I give you my tweet-sized tale “Writer’s Block”, courtesy of Seedpod. You could probably read it five or six times without blinking—not that you’d care to. This week, my Write1Sub1 story “Starlight” was held for consideration by Shimmer, and while I tried not to get my hopes up about this one, I’m afraid I did anyway. I’ve been submitting to

processing

2011-02-10T16:43:00.000-08:00

A recent post over at Write1Sub1 ("Pantsing, Plotting, and Heinlein's Rules for Writing") has gotten me thinking about my writing process. No, not the graphical organizer I use with my students, although it's a good one and steers them toward better grades on their essays. What I'm pondering is, "How do I write?" I remember being 100% pantser as a kid, churning out hundreds of pages about Coyote

"Leap Day" @ Port Iris Magazine

2011-02-03T16:28:00.000-08:00

Wow. This has been a red-letter week! After a delay or two and a handful of rewrites, my story "Leap Day" greets the world today in Port Iris Magazine. Thanks to Editor Casey Seda, this story is stronger than the version I originally submitted last fall: it's tighter, more consistent, and the ending is much better than before. While repeat revisions are never a whole lot of fun, this diamond in

"Mo's" @ Residential Aliens

2011-02-02T16:46:00.000-08:00

It's been a long, winding road for old Mo, but this little story is finally seeing the light of day. Back in October, I shared the journey "Mo's" had taken since I was in college, surviving multiple rejections over the past year or so until the day it was, at long last, accepted for publication. Residential Aliens bought "Mo's" twenty-four hours after I submitted it, and I've been patiently

"For a Handful of Crowns" @ Linger Fiction

2011-01-31T19:02:00.000-08:00

I won't be forgetting last Thursday anytime soon. Receiving more than one rejection letter in a day, that's par for the course. My record is three (the Monday after New Year's). But to receive more than one acceptance in a single day? Forget about it! Yet that's exactly what happened last week. I sold my short story "Fool's Gold" (another Coyote Cal tale of the weird, wild west) to Pulp Empire

print

2011-01-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

“There’s nothing like the first time.” – Katy Perry This fall, my story “Insight” will greet the world in Shelter of Daylight, a biannual SF/F anthology. I got the word Sunday from editor Tyree Campbell, and it was enough to put me on cloud ten for the rest of the day. Who am I kidding? I’m still stoked. This will be my first story in PRINT! “Insight” won first place in a college competition over

not alone

2011-01-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

“Wherever they's a fight so hungry people can eat, I'll be there. Wherever they's a cop beatin' up a guy, I'll be there... I'll be in the way guys yell when they're mad an'—I'll be in the way kids laugh when they're hungry and they know supper's ready. An' when our folk eat the stuff they raise an' live in the houses they build—why, I'll be there.” – Tom Joad, The Grapes of Wrath One of the best

rhythmic breathing

2011-01-14T18:04:00.000-08:00

What a difference a week makes. Last Friday, I was dealing with some major stress juggling rewrites, resubmissions, and revising my Write1Sub1 weekly story. This time around, I've managed to minimize distractions by focusing on finishing my W1S1 project(s) first. No rewrites for magazines, no resubmissions of rejected stories, no social networking until I finish that blasted first draft. Sunday:

ack!

2011-01-08T09:43:00.000-08:00

Write1Sub1 is a great idea in theory. In practice ... it’s been one heck of a week. I started out strong, modifying the “Doppelganger” tale I wrote last October to work as a serial for Fried Fiction. I submitted it last Saturday, and for a few hours thought it would count as my weekly W1S1 story. But then I got to talking with myself. “Self,” I said, “isn’t that a bit on the wimpy end of the

"One More Tuesday" in Allegory

2011-01-01T07:11:00.000-08:00

Good things come in two's? I reckon so. After seeing "Soul Smuggler" published yesterday, closing out 2010 on a positive note, I woke up to welcome 2011 with another short story appearing online. Happy New Year! "One More Tuesday" has a little history behind it. I wrote the original version ("Tuesdays") over ten years ago, and it won second place in a college competition. Not bad, considering.

"Soul Smuggler" in Flash Me Magazine

2010-12-31T06:43:00.000-08:00

The first of my four "coyote" stories greets the world today in Flash Me Magazine's 30th (and maybe last) issue. Click here to dowload the PDF copy for FREE. It will be available until April 1. Originally intended to be a sci-fi, fantasy, and horror issue, #30 leans more toward the fantasy end of the speculative fiction spectrum. My story is in good company, sharing space with fantastic tales by

stats

2010-12-23T11:21:00.000-08:00

Everybody else is doing it, so why shouldn’t I? There are quite a few reasons. For one thing, I like to accentuate the positive, and counting rejection notices isn’t a whole lot of fun. But thankfully, I’ve got a nifty spreadsheet that organizes everything for me, so here’s my year of writing in review: • Total number of short stories written this year: 14 • Total number of short stories

just another tuesday

2010-12-14T16:08:00.000-08:00

Sometimes there's a fine line between “three strikes, you're out” and “the third time's the charm.” I've submitted a few stories to Allegory over the past year, two of which have each garnered an honorable mention, not quite making the cut. About a month ago, I received word from the editors that my story "One More Tuesday" had been held for voting. It would either be published in the January

worth the wait

2010-12-08T07:33:00.000-08:00

It looks like my new character Mercer will greet the world this month. I don’t know if that’s such a good thing. He definitely gives new meaning to the term “anti-hero.” Back in May, I submitted “Soul Smuggler” to Flash Me Magazine. A month later, Jennifer Dawson responded with a warm rejection, telling me my story needed “a bit more work” before it would be ready for publication. She included

man with a mission

2010-12-05T07:56:00.000-08:00

What does it take to be a finalist in the Writers of the Future Contest? Writer Stephen V. Ramey would know; his story made it to the final round of judging, out of thousands of submissions, earlier this year. Arguably, any finalist's entry is caliber-worthy of pro-paying markets. I first discovered Steve's work in A Fly in Amber, and "The Last Liverbeast" was a tale to remember. I've been