The Writing Life

I haven’t done a lot of original writing in the past few months. I’ve mostly edited my hopeful novel (still a work in progress) and continued revisions of “Shadow of Nosferatu”. I love Shadow and hope to get it published somewhere, someday. It’s got a cub reporter, vampires, and Nazis. Who could ask for anything more? If anyone wants to beta read it, just let me know. I’ve joined a local writers group (with actual published authors) and got some useful feedback on the first 1,000 words. I was talking about it in an online “writers lounge” and an editor I’d had passing words with asked to see the opening. He also gave me some good advice. He also said he’d love to ask for more, but he’s mired in editing two books at the moment. But words like that give me hope that I’m not just spitting into the wind. Also having 35 pieces (and counting) accepted for publication doesn’t hurt.

Speaking of…

I have 3 stories coming out so far in 2024. A very short piece, “The Session” (1600 words), will come out this month in TPT (Text, Power, Telling) magazine’s winter issue. It’s an online only wellness magazine. Their focus is healing from abuse. “The Session” is semi-autobiographical, based on my session with a counselor when I came face to face with my own sexual abuse as a child. It was a difficult piece to write and even more difficult to share. I’ve gotten better about saying it out loud to others when necessary. I’m also in a wonderful online support group.

In May, Black Sheep magazine will run my story “Worlds Away” (2600 words). It’s just a little story I dashed off one night while thinking about the possibilities of a multiverse. Apparently the Webb telescope has followed up on some of Hawking’s experiments and determined that an infinite number of universes is possible. The recent MCU installment, “Dr. Strange and the Multiverse of Madness” also takes off on it. I didn’t think my story was all that special, but Black Sheep snapped it up as soon as I sent it around. 

Later this year “The Stick Men” (2790 words) will be out in From the Yonder 5. I’ve reworked the story a number of times trying to get it just right. It’s a very dark horror piece that came from a story my Mom told me. She said she saw the stick men when she was a girl. She was adamant it was real and said she was going to write about it. I don’t think she ever did, since I couldn’t find anything about it in her things after she died. It’s a pity. I would love to have had that as a reference for the story. I’m not sure exactly when From the Yonder will be out, but FTY3 and FTY4 came out in successive Junes, so I’m guessing June 2024. 

I’ll post links when the stories come out.

Cheers.