Once More unto the Breach, Dear Friends

No, unto isn't a typo...I went with the original Shakespearean verse...

I just shipped off "The Demon Hustle" to The Book of Tentacles. Tendrils crossed.

Two new rejections for The Last Days of the Springdale Saints...rejected queries, I should say. The second one, although a form letter, struck at the very heart of my concern as a new writer. I've seen these lines before:

"the only way we can make a living is by selling books to the large and medium-sized New York publishers, and selling books by new writers to big publishers is becoming more difficult"

So what is one to do, if he/she happens to be a new writer? I'm playing the short story game (and generally enjoying the heck out of it). Do I keep slugging away until all of the joy is scraped from the bone? I want to enjoy writing--like I did when plugging away at "The Demon Hustle" or "Fresh Produce" (a 1,500 word piece I wrote in one day last weekend...that never seems to happen anymore).

I still have queries in the ether...plenty for short pieces, and a few for the novel, but I don't see the economy turning around enough that those "large and medium-sized New York publishers" are going to feel like taking risks. What about the small publisher route...is it safe? Any ideas?

Oh well...once more into the breach!

They Keep Yanking Me Back In...

I promised myself one failed attempt at The Book of Tentacles would be it. One story with tentacles, and I'd walk away. If I made it, great, if not, the world would still turn. I made my failed attempt, time to walk...

So I'm walking down the hallway yesterday and I spot this fantastic t-shirt--something straight out of Lovecraft, tentacles whipping everywhere. That's it, I think, the tentacles are on a t-shirt. Boom. Story idea. I cracked out half of my first draft last night while listening to Sticky Fingers from the Rolling Stones. I love that album, and it fits the story perfectly...smoky bars, Harley Davidson motorcycles, Dem--er--you have the idea. I hope to finish the first draft tonight.

I tried to walk away...but the damn things wrapped around my neck and...

At least I'm having fun writing this story.