Something Old, Something New

God...I've become that writer who only blogs when he has something to promote. It would be far too easy to blame it on our delayed flight last night and 2 AM bedtime, but I digress. I'll have a bit about our trip to post later, but in the meantime you can read some stories, if you're so inclined.

In the first issue of Basement Stories, you can read "Dancing Lessons", a reprint from last year's Triangulation: Dark Glass. This story only saw the light of day in print, so enjoy it while it's free, eh?

And from the vault of something new and weird, I bring you "Climbing" from issue #7 of the recently resurrected Arkham Tales. It's one of my favorite pieces. (You'll have to shell out $1.99 for the download, but Arkham Tales is always worth it.)

I'll write something profound once I'm more lucid. Okay...I'll try to write something profound.

Waiting for the Lion

Loaded with linkage today, folks.

So the most-magnificent Jodi Lee made my inbox happy with a home for "Tiny Fingers". The accepted-then-released story from the first run of Arkham Tales will appear in Jodi's forthcoming Ante Mortem. I know Natalie L. Sin will be among the TOC, so a big Huzzah! there.

(I don't know that I've squeezed more links into a single paragraph before...)

Robert Swartwood's novelette "Through the Guts of a Beggar" is available with nifty download options. You know you want to read it. (I do)

I'm trying to focus on edits this week...some for me ("Traveling Through the Dark" and a rewrite of "Keeper of the Dead"--I changed POV from 1st to 3rd and made the ending nasty), some for Strange Publications (Barry Napier's The Final Study of Cooper M. Reid). I also have some reading to do...but I won't let that particular cat slip out of the bag just yet.

Speaking of cats...it's almost the end of March; I wonder where that lion is hiding. Here kitty, kitty, kitty...

This is Why You Sign a Contract

I've "lost" a few publications in the past, mostly to venues that disappeared before my story could see the light (Grim Graffiti, Our Shadows Speak II, Arkham Tales*). Grim Graffiti vanished without a trace, the editor of OSS II dropped a note on his blog, and Arkham Tales is back.

Last summer, I blogged about an acceptance, and the magazine's TOC is now listed at their website. Behold: my name is not on the list.

So am I angry? Yeah, a little. With myself, too.

This is why you sign a contract, folks. I guess I assumed the line "This one is a yes from us. Payment would be £10. How does that sound?" meant they would print my story. I guess I was wrong. (At least no one's proven I'm not...I queried the mag two weeks ago and they have yet to respond).

So I'm bummed. But smarter. I don't expect every little FTL mag to have contracts. I don't feel so bad about losing a FTL publication.

But this particular magazine (I don't want to be a sour-puss and toss their name around, get it?) is cool. I was stoked. Now I'm just sour.

Where'd I leave that sugar...

*And the resurrected Arkham Tales accepted a story yesterday, more later. So, whoot!

Things Ruinous, Things Unexpected

If you haven't heard already, the magnificent Arkham Tales #5 is out, but dead on arrival. This will be their last issue. My short story, "Little Fingers", scheduled for a future issue, is now an orphan. But don't weep for her. Weep for good, weird fiction. Arkham Tales always provided a solid read. Head over and download the whole archive if you haven't already.

I dove editor-first into Loathsome, Dark, and Deep this weekend. I like it. The challenge...finding a publisher/agent for a weird, steampunkish romp through the Pacific Northwest in the 1880s, haunted by selfish men and monsters. Le sigh. Gonna be a damn good book, though. (so says the author bent on self-promotion...ha!)

The Chiefs rescued me from my post-Arkham Tales blues a little, thanks to an improbable victory (in overtime no less) over the reigning champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Maybe you can allow over 400 yards passing and win...

Okay, not a strategy to try again.

Finally, The Boris Karloff Blogathon starts today, and I have a little tribute up at my Classic Monsters blog. Check it out if you have a chance. Karloff was the consummate professional, and a real inspiration to just keep working...good things will happen. Yes, NaNoWriMos, that little bit was for you. *winks*

Um...Duh, What?

This should keep out the hooligans:

TV Review

I figure this is based on those silly "readability" tests, you know "count a block of 100 words, count the number of syllables, count the number of sentences, find the correct spot on the graph" blah blah blah. I'm going to work on my multi-syllabic vocabulary to see if I can amp things up to post-grad. Heh.

I found the link on Musings of an Aussie Writer (Brenton Tomlinson's blog).

Speaking of post-grad, have I mentioned Arkham Tales yet? (no, you didn't miss the connection...there wasn't one) I finished reading the first issue. Great stuff for weird dark fiction fans (and it's free). Let's just say after reading "Pickman's Progeny" I don't want to ever ride the subway again (let alone make out on the subway). I might not want any more hamburgers, either (re: "Animal Rights").

Thanks to everybody who made yesterday's discussion lively and informational. I learned something anyone.

Addendum: You can check the "readability" of any site by punching in the URL at the blog readability test above. Fun.

Monday Ramble, Donnie Darko, Arkham Tales

Focus is such a fleeting thing on Monday morning...here's my attempt to clean out some of the stew inside my head.

I watched Donnie Darko this weekend. The moniker "cult movie" usually makes me flinch, and it has for quite a few years with Darko. Well, I found it at the public library on Friday, and since I can't beat "free", I watched it.

Wow. Sad, poignant, well paced. Amazing music. Weird. I wish I knew a kid like Donnie in high school. I wish I had watched this one sooner. Most of all, I wish I could write like that. If you like weird, dark, pseudo-science fantasy, see it. Now.

___

Arkham Tales #1 is out--free to download: http://www.arkhamtales.com/

Did I mention I can't beat "free"? Neither can you, dear reader--and you won't be sorry. The editorial alone gave me chills, mostly because Mr. Shumate (the editor) echoed some of my own reasons for writing.

The layout is very professional, and what I've read thus far chilling ("The House on the Hill of Stars" Jeffery Scott Sims is wonderful). The final story, a gut-munching bit of flash entitled "Until Death, I Eat" by Scott Bastedo, offers a powerful final shot.

___

Speaking of final shots, I'm nearing mine for NaNoWriMo. Sitting at 42K after this weekend, but I can't say it's a pretty 42K.

Have a fantastic week, dear readers.

Little Stories, Everywhere

Earlier today, I received this fun email from our choir director at school:

"Does anyone know of someone here within the last several decades who taught piano to students in this town or especially at this school? This could be someone alive or deceased."

Our accompanist quit earlier this year, leaving the choir without someone to play the piano...would he really enlist the aid of the undead? Man, story ideas are everywhere.

In other news, I just received word that "Little Fingers" will appear in Arkham Tales. This is one of my many stories inspired in part by a piece on NPR...like I said, story ideas are everywhere.

Now to try and get some sleep...no nightmares about piano teachers, please...