A Quick Update

Firstly - for brownie points, when you submit to Dark Pages Volume 1, can you please use 12pnt font, preferably Arial and double space. I also like an extra return between paragraphs - white space is a readers friend.

I currently have 42 stories still to read. This is bolstered by over a dozen new stories every week and I expect this to be doubled, if not tripled as we approach the end of  November.

The vast majority of stories are very well told with unique settings, plots and premises. Many also have excellent characters. If I chose all the stories I liked, we'd be releasing Dark Pages volumes 1 through 5 early next year! Unfortunately my mandate is to only edit for volume 1 and I've been given parameters with which to work within to achieve that.

As I work through your submissions, I pass on the story names to Blade Red Press who kindly send out the bad news for me about once a week. I try and keep on top of the reading so the notices go out in fairly big batches to give everyone a chance to submit something else if they so chose (and quite a few of you have). I don't keep track of who has sent anything in so I don't pre-judge anything if you've had one unfortunate email so far.

I am currently sitting on a quite a number of stories I want to look at again before making any final choices for a second round of reading. I'm hoping to let everyone know how they have fared, and/or if I'd like to hang onto the piece for a while longer as soon as possible after the close of submissions.

Trust me, I'm a writer, I know how frustrating it can be waiting on a response. I promise not to keep you in suspense for too long.

Keep the subs coming.

Swept Away

A few weeks ago, I was notified about a writing prompt to be used in the weekly CafeDoom flash fiction competition. I wrote something for it but never submitted.

Then the submission period opened for 52 Stitches 2010, but I was in the middle of the Dark Pages Volume 1 anthology submission period with no real time to work on something new and yet with an almost physical need to submit something to Stitches. The online publication Aaron Polson put together over 2009 has been quite brilliant and I figured it would be a nice credit to have on my bio to have another piece in 2010.

The only thing I had was the CafeDoom inspired piece. With a little bit of revision during a quiet period one afternoon, I figured it was as good as I was going to get - I sent it in a couple of days after the submission call opened. It's called 'Swept Away' (I seem to have a bias towards a water-based setting with Stitches - 2009 had my story take place on a game fishing boat, this one is on a yacht).

Today I received an acceptance email - woot!

One piece per author to be released each week over 2010. And I'm going to be included in the ToC. Again!

Sweet.

Still Reading

Not a lot to report here. I'm still madly reading submissions although I'm giving that a break for a day or two to recharge the batteries - my respect and admiration for editors of big annual anthologies has gone through the roof. Can you imagine how many subs the judges for something like the Writers of the Future contest must go through! My eyes hurt just thinking about it (and it makes me realise just how big an achievement Jason Fischer accomplished).

Still, I'm working through your submissions. Can I take this opportunity to once more thank everyone for considering us a worthy place to host your work. Because I've had so many, I'm in the enviable but hard situation where I can accept only the cream of the crop. There's only a few weeks left to get your submission in so if you want to get into what I believe will be an exceptional ToC and the inaugural edition of this anthology, you'd better get your skates on.

In other news, I got my hair cut today, which isn't the news, but while I was wandering past the bookshop, I noticed the last book in Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series has finally made the shelves - naturally, it is now sitting on my shelf as well. It is huge! Now I need discipline to not start reading it before I've got this antho whipped into shape and then read and review the three books I still need to finish for HorrorScope. Oh - and then done the first round of edits on Inner Voice...why did I buy it again?

At this rate I might not write at all next year, I'll be too busy reading!

Lastly, I'm putting together a "Rules to submit by" as I go through the process of putting Dark Pages together. Without pointing any fingers I'll put together all the do's and don'ts, what worked and what didn't, how I came to decisions, etc, etc.

I intend to let you all into the process I went through so you all can hopefully gain some insight into the way one editor went about things.

For not a lot to report, this post has gone on way too long already.

For all those out there going through NaNo this year, I wave my pom-poms at you and wish you continued inspiration and lots of wordage.

Type cheerleaders into Google and see how hard it is to find an appropriate picture!

p.s. This guy is no relation to me...

Come & Gone But Life Goes On

It was Halloween over the weekend. My daughter dressed up as Morticia and the club had a good party during the evening.

I sat in a chair and tried to suffer in silence.

My knees are shot and my back is killing me. I seriously need to think about giving all this sport malarkey away. Yes, some people are playing who are older than me - good for them, but when my knees scream blue murder all week because of a few hours of standing in the sun, then somethings not quite how it should be.

I can see a visit to a knee specialist in the not too distant future...twice!

As a result, I've not been on the Net all weekend, apart from the sending of one email Saturday night, which meant I opened my email program of choice - which also allowed a couple of rejections to find their way home :c(

These also happen to be my two favourite short stories - very disappointing. One has already gone back out, but the second has now been knocked back six times, the last three with very encouraging remarks--but still not a yes. I'm half tempted to just publish it here because I want it out there, but before I do something rash I'll let it sit for now.

NaNo has begun for many of you and I wish you nothing but great success and clacking keys for the next 30 days (actually, 28 days now).

I'm still reading submissions for Dark Pages Volume 1. My current goal is to get my unread list below 50 and keep it there. Currently it sits at 49 but I get new subs every couple of days which sends it over again. A concerted effort later today should get me closer to something I can manage. I have been amazed at the different plots, settings, and scenarios people have come up with and the manner in which they have presented them.

I'm sure I'll regret saying this, but I'd love to see some very tight and very well presented shorter stories. I've had a lot so far but there has always been something missing. I want to see something with a beginning, middle and end, and the sharpest of hooks. Mix it with imagery I can see when I close my eyes, and tastes and sounds that are both tantalising and disturbing to the palette. Aim for 2K or less, the closer to flash (1K) you can get the better - but make it sing!

I'm doing my best to work through the reading so you still have time to submit something new before the deadline (30th Nov), but don't just cycle through the stories that have been rejected elsewhere. The first thing you sent me should have been your best, but if we've said no to that, then is there a point in sending me something you don't consider as good as the first thing you sent in? You have just under four weeks. Write me something new and exciting, get some feedback, polish it, and send it to me. Make my eyes weep!

I look forward to reading your submissions soon.

The Hard Part

As Laura revealed in her comments on the last post, I knocked back her submission into the Dark Pages Anthology. I don't expect this to put her off though - there's still a month until subs close.

I began on this antho as a slush reader only, but took on more and more reading and eventually was asked to take over and do all the reading and choosing so as to provide the anthology with some independence from the owner(s) of Blade Red Press. Don't get me wrong, Blade Red Press are more than happy to do a first sift through the submissions for me, but I'd like to see it all so I now read everything.

On taking over this role, I have been amazed and, at first, delighted, to see so many familiar names submitting.

Then I read two stories by known names in the industry which set the standard for me. I don't think we've yet sent out any acceptance emails, but I doubt I'm going to find a dozen stories better than these so they'll probably be included. The point is, that these two are the only two I've got in my probably yes file. I have a growing number in my possibles file. I keep just a few in a third level file for backups (just in case).

Thank you but no thank you notes will go out as quick as I can get them sent - please feel free to submit another piece.

But the hard bit is because I've come to know so many of those who have submitted. I don't play favourites. When I read, I skip over the name and where it's from and just read the story. I like to think I have the ability to firmly wear a simple readers hat while doing this. I overlook grammar errors and mentally substitute letters and words for the occasional typo. I've even continued to read when the formatting has been completely botched and changed halfway through the manuscript. If the story doesn't have anything to draw me in, and it doesn't need to be a lot, then I stop reading (this has happened only once so far). If I get to the end and I'm not pulling a face of wonderment or puzzlement, or smiling as if I and the author know a secret but no one else does, then the story would be very lucky to make the third level folder.

So when I read something I'm not instantly happy to place in my possible file, and then see that it's by someone I know and consider a friend, I have a twinge of regret pass through me. It is a regret that I can't place the piece in this anthology and it is a regret that I know they'll be getting a rejection email.

I'm coming to terms with this - not that I really had a choice. With the number of subs from people I know, I needed to grow an extra thick skin pretty quickly. That's one thing I've learned in this process - editors who have writer friends, need a thicker skin just being a writer alone.

The saving grace in all this is the knowledge that those writers out there I call my friends are professional in their attitude and behaviour. They are knowledgeable in how the industry works and know that there are never enough slots in an anthology for the editor to publish everything he or she would like. With all this knowledge and with every set back, every writer I know strives that little bit harder to improve their craft in order to gain an acceptance the next time out.

I know those of you who have submitted to the antho and haven't been successful, or to those of you who are intending to submit and may not gain entrance - I know you are aware that the decisions made here are nothing personal and we, the team putting this product together, all wish you the best of luck, and the speediest of time frames, in finding a home for your work.

Now, having said all that - get back to work and send me your very best work. I'm looking forward to reading it, with a smile on my face...

The Announcement

And so the time has come...

As guessed by some and alluded to by others, I'm editing an anthology, but not just any anthology.

Here is the official announcement over at Blade Red Press

Yes - Dark Pages Volume 1 is to be edited by me with help from the resources of Blade Red Press and more technical input from my guru of all things, Pharo.

This is why I've had no time to write, read other people's work, read books for review, or anything else lately - I've been reading submissions--lots and lots of submissions.

The process has been quite interesting, and very eye-opening, with a little head shaking in the mix, and a lot of pleasant surprises thrown in.

Now I have a challenge for you all - submissions for the anthology close at the end of November. I know many of you are doing NaNo, but I'm looking to blow away all the other dark anthologies out there by presenting some of the very best short fiction ever to come out of an independent small press. I want the Blade Red Press Dark Pages Volumes to be on everyone's 'to buy' list every year because the first one was killer. I want future invited editors of the anthology (if I don't get invited back), to have an extremely difficult job to top Volume 1! I want it all - insert maniacal laugh here ;c)

But I can't do that without you.

What do I want, and what have I learned so far?

As announced at Blade Red Press, there has been over 150 submissions already. The vast majority have made my life difficult in choosing whether to keep them for a second reading or pass on them. I want my life made more difficult in this regard. I want more excellent submissions.

Dark Pages is about dark fiction but this is not a horror-only anthology. I'm not interested in torture porn or blood and guts for blood and guts sake. I'm not interested in traditional tropes, but feel free to send me vampires, werewolves or voodoo if you and your entire critique group believe it to be the best thing ever written. In short - read the guidelines and stick to them as if the life of your piece depended on it - because it does. Depending on the length of the final stories chosen, Dark Pages could contain between 9-15 stories. That's less than 10% of the submissions I've received so far! With a month still to go, I'm expecting the final mark to be less than 5% of overall submissions - make yours brilliant! Stray from the guidelines and you'll be cut very quickly with no further correspondence to be entered into other than a standard rejection. I know this is harsh. As a writer, I know you all deserve more. I know you all deserve at least some comment as to why I didn't accept it or at least hold onto it for a second reading. The short answer is time and resources - we have bugger all of either. Many that don't make the cut are good enough to be published, but don't make it here because there are so many here that are outstanding - send me only your very best.

Okay - enough of the tough talk. Blade Red is paying well for the honour of using your work in this first anthology. Go check out the market pages like Duotrope or Ralan - not many antho's come out offering $25 and a copy as payment. Competition will be tough and will only get tougher as the deadline approaches. I have set my sights high on this, and expect to create a quality anthology with exceptional content as the end product.

Specifics:

To this point (he says with over 50 unread subs waiting for him), I have not seen enough dark fantasy or sci-fi submissions. Dark urban, western, war, yellow school buses or other not so obvious settings. Shorter is better. I will take two excellent short pieces over one excellent long piece (probably). Female authors - I don't have enough subs from the women of disturbia - in the end, gender will not decide if you get in, only the quality of the work will, but I'd like the opportunity to be able to include a wide selection of authors so please submit.

Finally - this is not an Australian anthology. There is not a set number of spots for any nationality. If I end up accepting stories from a dozen different countries and Australia isn't part of that, I'll be disappointed, but so be it.

Now - get writing, edit it to within an inch of its life, gain external feedback, check the guidelines, polish and submit! (not to me - send them here)

I'm counting on you!

It's Coming

The announcement that is...very soon. Within a day or two...or three...well, hopefully sometime this week.

That is all

:c)

Sore

I've been a little 'in dispose' over the last day and a bit. While it's true I don't normally blog on the weekend, this past weekend has made it almost impossible.

I played cricket on Saturday and batted for an extended length of time. My body is now paying the price for what my head thought it could do. A sharp reminder that I'm on the wrong side of forty to be attempting such things.

Still, it's been a while since I've made some decent runs so, although painful, it has been enjoyable.

For anyone interested: I play for ATCO CC and you can follow our exploits over at http://www.atcocc.cjb.net/ (skip past the ad to find the site). To see where the teams are in the greater scheme of things, you can check out the association website.

On the writing side of things - an announcement is imminent...

Yellow Mama

If you haven't read it yet - do so now.

Among all the gooey goodness, you will find stories from a few people you know:

Natalie L. Sin

Scott Wilson

Cindy Rosmus (of course)

L. R. Bonehill

& Me!

Out of 16 stories I know over 25% of the accepted submitters! Is it a small world or do writers of similar ilk, and at a similar mile-marker on that journey of discovery through the craft (how purple is that!), just seem to drift into each others company?

But apart from you knowing a quarter of the ToC, you should read this issue (and every issue) because it's just chock full of stories which will make you think. They may also make you keep the light on at night but whatever floats your boat! ;c)

In other news - I found an hour or so to myself yesterday and had an idea for a new story. The beginning is outlined and some research has already been done so that the logic works - it's a ghost story but I still like it to be as believable as possible. I'm sitting on the middle at the moment, letting some things ferment before deciding in which direction to go - and I have no ending at the moment. I need some sort of direction so I can shape the middle. Hopefully it comes but if not, the half baked idea has been entered into my ideas file along with the outline, the research and some websites of interest.

Some slush reading for Aurealis has arrived so I've got more of that to do as well.

Lastly, I'd like to write some flash fiction. Everything I think about and work on at the moment is long. I've written two pieces in the last six months or so that are 1000 words or less. I'd like to do a little more so I may just start turning my hand to the CafeDoom weekly challenge and see if I can hit on something I like. It's not like I have anything else on....