New Story Set in the Dark Expanse Galaxy

My new story, 'Betrayal Clear as Kanzai Glass', set in the RPG Dark Expanse galaxy went live today.

This is my third story set in the shared world, Dark Expanse. it's intriguing to write a story set in a shared world. It sets a framework, of course, all stories must be consistent with the other published stories and with the RPG world. But there's an awful lot of freedom too, plus you can get to riff off the ideas of the other authors.


This story features the Kanzai who are semi-aquatic slug-like telepaths. I researched terrestrial sea-slugs as a basis for their biology. Did you know that slugs and snail undergo a 180 degree rotation of their internal organs? We just don't know if this gives Earth bound slugs the telepathic powers of their alien cousins.

Poem in Eternal Haunted Summer

My poem, Hekate's Daughers is up in the Summer Solstice edition of Eternal Haunted Summer. This is fast becomming one of my favourite venues. There's some lovely work here.

Story Sale to Airship Shape and Bristol Fashion

I've sold my story, 'The Lesser Men Have No Language' to the  steampunk Airship Shape and Bristol Fashion anthology published by Wizard's Tower and the BristolCon Foundation.  

Featuring:

• Pod people
• Ferns
• A Mythical Island 
• Victorian Morality

I'm very pleased because this gives me the perfect excuse to attend this year's BristolCon. Who else is going?  Let's form a posse. 

2013 storySouth Million Writers Award

For a writer I have a shockingly bad memory. What were the best stories published online in 2012?

Because the 2013 storySouth Million Writers Award is open to nominations.  This award is open to any story over 1000 words first published online in an editor selected publication. Anyone can nominate.

My story, 'Drink Deep and Long the Circean Poison published in ARC is eligible. And I loved Helena Bell's 'Robot.' 


I'd like more recommendations, (oh and do self-nominate). What you got?

Science Fiction Flash Venue

Another post, another Kickstarter. What is going on? There are so many fascinating Kickstarters about that I can hardly keep up.

This one is for Gigantic World's, calling for science fiction flash (under 1200 words).

And, and they've secured an unpublished Philip K. Dick story. Who was only one of my favourite authors--ever.

So, very exciting.

You can support the Kickstarter here.

And the venue is already open to submissions here.
deadline 1st August 2013, up to three subs and pay ?

Cyborg Anthology Kickstarter

I've got a few kickstarters to share with you this week. I do hope you haven't seen them all. This one is from Neil Clarke, the editor of Clarkesworld.

This is a kickstarter for an anthology of short stories with a cyborg theme. Already Neil has a snagged stories from some great writer:

• Elizabeth Bear
• Helena Bell
• Tobias S. Buckell
• Yoon Ha Lee
• Ken Liu
• Robert Reed
• E. Catherine Tobler
• Genevieve Valentine
• E. Lily Yu

And there'll be an open call for for at least a quarter of the places in the anthology. Kickstarter is here.

Book Trailer for Seers Anthology

TRAILER: SEERS: TEN TALES OF CLAIRVOYANCE

Ten mysterious, exciting, thought-provoking and funny stories by ten authors: Tracie McBride, Jack Nicholls, April Grey, Douglas Kolacki, Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar, Frederick Langridge, Rayne Hall, Jeff Hargett, Carole Ann Moleti, Deborah Walker. Edited by Rayne Hall.

The book is available in ebook format from 

Amazon 

Barnes&Noble  

Smashwords 

Kobo 

and other online retailers.

Coffee Kickstarter Open for Reprint Business

Three kickstarters have caught my eye this month. Here the first one:

Coffee: Decaffeinated Tales of the Fantastic edited by Alex Shvartsman. Alex is looking for coffee and tea related stories.

Coffee is currently open to reprint stories submission guidelines here.
And if the Kickstarter is succesful the anthology will open to original stories. The Kickstarter is here. 

 

Coffee House in Pakistan 1900

7 Ways to Find Short Stories Markets

Once you've written a short story, you may want to get it published. You'll need to find venues: print and online magazines, anthologies and competitions. 

Tip: Don't post your story on your blog. Most venues will consider the story to be published,  and you will only be able to sell the story as a reprint. A story posted on a password protected site (like a critique site) is not usually considered published. 

How to find Story Markets

Online Databases and Lists of Story Markets
The Submission Grinder has an interface that allows you to search for venues. You specify genre, payment level and other criteria. You can also track your submissions on the site and see what responses other writers have received. Ralan is a also a good list for science fiction, fantasy, horror and humour venues.(Duotrope is also a submissions site, but since 2013, this site charges fees.)  

Publisher's and Editor's websites
The magazine listed on submission sites may receive a lot of submissions. Read publishers' websites, like  Prime Books, to find upcoming anthologies that might not appear on these online submission sites. Find the anthology editor's blog and see if they're issuing an open call (open to everyone). Follow editors through social media to find out about semi-public call. 


Writer's Websites
Some writers list open venues and horror anthologies. Patsy Collins regularly posts open competition calls on her blog.


Writer's Bibliographies
Find interesting venues by reading a writer's bibliography. Often time I'll come across a market I haven't seen before. If the market isn't familiar to you, google it to find out more. 


Let the Editor Come to You
Make sure that its easy for an editor to contact you. Editors read writers' blogs and may want to invite you to an anthology or request a reprint from you.

It's Not What you Know; It's Who you Know
Many of my writing friends believe that networking is very important. Being sociable, attending conferences and events can lead to you hearing about closed invitation-only anthologies and other opportunities. 

I hope that helps. Is there anything I've missed? How do you find short story markets?

Interview with SFF Short Story Editors

I enjoyed this interview extract over at Inkpunks, talking to some high profile short story editors. I found it very encouraging. 

Check out what John Joseph Adams, Ellen Datlow, James Patrick Kelly, Mike Resnick, Stanley Schmidt, and Gordon Van Gelder have to say about the state of submissions. 

Still Not Reached My One Million

Just done a bit of totting up. I've written 875 thousand words in the last five years. Virtually all in short stories. Sadly, I'm not getting any faster. I've been 200 thousand words a year since year one.


But I'm feeling quite pleased. What about you? Do you keep a record. When I reach my first million I am expecting big things.

New Story in the Dark Expanse Galaxy

I am pleased to announce that 'The Twins Shine Over Emperor's World' has been published in the rpg online game world of Dark Expanse.

This story was a lot of fun to write, as the back story was the Saurian race evolved from a species very much like our Earth evolved dinosaurs. And I decided to do a story about space pirates. Yes. Space pirate dinosaurs.

As usual, with my aliens, I looked for Earth bound inspiration. There's nothing as strange as has already evolved.

I became fascinated by the hollow bones of dinosaurs (much like the hollow bones of our current dinosaurs: birds) and developed an explanation of the Saurian custom of throat singing using the imagined physiology of an alien race.

Throw in some pirate skulduggery, and a few plot twist and turns. I hope you enjoy.

New Poem up at Mirror Dance

My poem 'Trouble in Golem Town' has just been published in Mirror Dance. This has reminded my that I haven't done any poetry either writing or subbing for ages. Shame on me. 

Double shame because writing poetry feeds into my short stories. Writing poetry exercises certain muscles in the noggin that I don't exercise when writing prose. Also, several of my stories started life as a poem and I know that this is the case for other writers and poets too.  So poetry = good.