Friday, November 23, 2012

Bully at 101 Fiction



101 Fiction publishes micro fiction that must be 101 words long, consisting of a one word title and one hundred word story.” They are currently open to submissions in the following genres: science fiction, fantasy, horror and surreal. Read guidelines here.

My story, Bully is featured today.

Big shout out to editor, John Xero. Thanks!

Friday Reading Recommendation: Listerature at Little Fiction


This week I highly recommend you invest some time to read Little Fiction’s Listerature, Vol. 1. In the past, I’ve read stories presented in the form of a list, but this is the first time I’ve ever seen them put into a collection. I gotta say, they are impressive. Writers explore everything from to-do lists to bucket lists and anything in between. My favorite is the creepy and amazing That Song The Police Sing by Kristy Logan and Helen Sedgwick. You can download the entire issue for free.

Little Fiction is currently seeking submission for Listerature, Vol. 2 as well as their monthly online issues. Read guidelines here.

If you like what you read, and you can track them down, please make sure you let editor, Troy Palmer, and the featured writers know.

Enjoy!

Monday, November 19, 2012

The Housekeeper at The 5-2 Crime Poetry Weekly


Excited to report my crime poem, The Housekeeper, is the poem of the day on The 5-2: Crime Poetry Weekly. Editor, Gerald So, publishes one new crime/thriller poem every week.

They also include an audio version of each author’s work. My poem is read by the talented, Deshant Paul.

Submissions are currently open. Per the guidelines, “Holiday deadline – November 30, 2012. I'm seeking poems to run the weeks of December 24, 2012 and December 31, 2012. The poems can involve Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve, New Year's Day, or any holidays around the same time. Aside from the themes and deadline, the usual guidelines apply. I am accepting regular submissions at the same time.” Read more here.

Many thanks to Gerald So.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Friday Reading Recommendations (November 16th): 2 Featured Writers


Cherry Lollipops by Michael A. Kechula, published at Flashes in the Dark. This story is the reason I always hang up on wrong number calls. Plus it has vampires and an insane asylum. What’s not to like about that?


Notes on the Body and The Party by Melissa Reddish, published at Scissors and Spackle. Wow. Fine, fine writing. Talk about taking life’s mundane moments— a pimple of the nose— and creating a brilliant character study. Loved every word.

If you like what you read, and you can track them down, please make sure you let these talented writers know.

Enjoy!

Friday, November 9, 2012

Friday Reading Recommendations (11/9): 3 Featured Writers

Twelve Steampunk Sonnets by Roz Kaveney, published at Tor. These beautifully-crafted sonnets blew my mind. You better believe I was inspired to create my own.

An Otherwise Quiet Planet by Erin Entrada Kelly, published at the author’s blog. This is a delightfully lighthearted story about weirdo neighbors. Funny thing: sometimes we’re the weirdo neighbor.

The World in Rubber, Soft and Malleable by Aaron Polson, published at A Fly in Amber. This is a quietly creeping tale of adolescence and loss. It was published a few years back, but I only recently stumbled upon it. I also did not know Aaron lost his wife earlier this year. He’s confronting the pain as we writers often do, through the written word. Read his genuinely honest outpourings on his website. My heart goes out to him and his children.

If you like what you read, please make sure you let these talented writers know.

Enjoy!

Monday, November 5, 2012

Rejection and Acceptance Letter Etiquette: An Update

About three weeks ago I posted a query to writers and editors alike: Should a writer respond back to acceptance and/or rejection letters? You can read the original post here.

I had never read any articles about it nor had I ever discussed it with fellow writers. I felt it was a subject that needed to be addressed.

An issue that arose regarding my post was there needed to be a distinction between writers having work accepted for an online publication versus print. Correspondence with an editor for a print publication won’t end with the acceptance letter. There are contracts to sign, galley proofs to review, royalty negotiations, etc. In general, and this is my personal experience, online pub acceptances are more akin to “handshake” agreements, based on writer guideline rights, and require less follow-up.


As most of the responses I received were on my Facebook post, I thought I’d share these opinions here at the blog as well.

ACCEPTANCES:
“I usually respond to acceptances, just to say thank you and to let them know that I am still interested because I find a lot of acceptance notices request confirmation of this.” - Chantal Boudreau (Writer)

“I respond to most with a thank you, looking forward to publication, etc, or with requested information.” - Erin Cole (Writer)

“I always respond to an acceptance with a thank you.” – Thomas Pluck (Writer)

“I usually send off a ‘thank you’ for acceptances...” – Chris Allinotte (Writer)

“It is extremely important to reply to every acceptance. The editor has liked your work. You really need to let them know you have read their acceptance letter. To not respond is in very poor taste, and grounds for an editor to never accept anything else from the writer. We editors want a response when we accept your work. If we don't get that response, however short ("Thank you!" etc.) then we are left feeling you couldn't care less.” - Scathe Meic Beorh (Editor of The Bradburyesque Quarterly)

“As an editor, I don't expect a reply to anything other than a revision request. That said, I think the whole editorial staff at Every Day Fiction does one of your "butt chair wiggles" when we hear back from writers (accepted or rejected) thanking us for the time we put into our responses. As a writer, I always respond positively to both acceptances and rejections. It might just be a little drop of good karma, but every drop helps."
- J. C. Towler (Writer and editor at Every Day Fiction)

“Editors are inundated with mail, and unless they’ve written something that warrants a reply, etiquette demands I stay quiet. If it’s a book, the acceptance leads to a steady flow of mail, understandably.” - Rumjhum Biswas (Writer)

I do, always, reply to acceptance letters. Usually it’s just a little note that expresses my happiness at the acceptance and anticipation about working with them/seeing my work in their pages/whatever. My reasoning is a) I want to establish a relationship with that editor since I'll be working with them, and also for potential future projects b) sometimes letters don’t say when publication is expected, I like to get an estimate at least c) it seems like the right thing to do. As an editor I appreciate it when the writer responds to an acceptance letter because it helps make them real to me, rather than just some nebulous form around a pen name. Also, since we’ll be working on edits and stuff together, it’s nice to get started in a friendly-type way.” - Rhonda Parrish (Writer and editor of Niteblade Magazine)


REJECTIONS:
“I hardly ever respond to rejections. The rare time I do, it is in response to useful feedback provided with the rejection (they get a thank you to let them know I appreciate their time and consideration) and in one case I responded because one publisher sent me a rejection notice more than a year after I had submitted a short story.” - Chantal Boudreau (Writer)

Editor rejected story but gave feedback on why. I responded to ask, if I changed the story in that way, would she like to see it again. Only done this one once, though she responded that yes, she did want to see the next draft.” John Wiswell (Writer)

“I never respond, unless like you, they have taken the time to give me valuable feedback.” - Erin Cole (Writer)

“I have responded to a few rejections when they had nice things to say but it wasn’t a good fit for them. I do not see a downside to being pleasant and professional. It is an investment which costs nothing.” – Thomas Pluck (Writer)

“... like you, if the rejection comes with helpful notes of any kind, I thank them for that too. Beyond that - no. The editors have sent out their letters and are now on to building the book/issue/etc, and most likely don’t want extra correspondence at that point.” – Chris Allinotte (Writer)

Replying to rejections? Sometimes, if the editor has said something important. I have noted this through the years: query letters for short stories get them published far quick than without them. This is because the editor is developing a relationship with you as an actual person.” - Scathe Meic Beorh (Editor of The Bradburyesque Quarterly)

“Book rejections, if a form rejection, does not require a response."
- Rumjhum Biswas (Writer)

“I always respond to rejection letters with a hand written note thanking them for their time and consideration in regards my story. I also include a $2.50 Visa gift card with a note saying ‘this cuppa Joe is on me.’ And at a convention a woman walked up to my booth handed me her card and asked if I knew who she was, when I told her no, she reminded me that I sent her a thank you note for a rejection letter. She bought two of my books and said she wasn’t surprised to see me doing well. This is not what I thought would happen when I sent those thank you notes, there was no ulterior motive. I sent them because I wanted to say thank you.” – Crystal Connor (Writer)

“As a writer I never reply to rejection letters for reasons that are probably obvious. (As an editor) I never expect or want replies to rejection letters though, even to personal rejection letters. There’s nothing wrong with them (so long as they aren’t arrogant or argumentative) but they aren’t necessary either.” - Rhonda Parrish (Writer and editor of Niteblade Magazine)

*

In his memoir ‘A Simple Act of Gratitude’ author John Kralik writes about how sending ‘thank-you’ notes changed his life. Based on the responses above, maybe it’s time I made this very same change.

Thank you to all the writers and editors who took the time to share their views.

-Angel

Friday, November 2, 2012

Friday Reading Recommendations: 3 Featured Writers

Thought I’d take a moment to share links to some recent favorite reads of mine. These stories are intense and do not disappoint.

Judith of the Lions by R.S. Bohn, published at Three-Lobe Burning Eye. This beautifully apocalyptic story is truly haunting and tears at the heart.

7 Seconds by Erin Cole, published at All Due Respect. You are going to love how Erin captures so much gritty action in a second by second portrait of terror.

Thirsty? by Jennifer Ripley, published at Every Day Fiction. It’s a nasty little zombie tale that’s stomach-churning yet satisfying on the palate.

If you like what you read, make sure you let these talented writers know.

Enjoy!