Saturday, March 17, 2012

A losing war...

It's been awhile since I've written anything on the blog so I figure to get updated somewhat.  My submission to Best Served Cold Vol 2 is getting ready to submit and I have a good feeling with it...not that it means it will most definatly be accepted but rather I feel it has a rather good chance.  "Cut Throat" is the name and anyone interested will have to wait until it's either accepted or turned down.  I thought about expanding it further into possibly a novel length story as I had to cut 5,000 words off the rough draft even though it was good material.

On Afghanistan...I'm sure everyone has heard the latest about Robert Bales, the accused in the shooting rampage in said country.  It's a sad development really in that we have to ask ourselves just what are we doing there anymore.  With Bin Laden dead, the mission is over and we need to bring the troops home.  I beleive they've done far and above of whats expected.  On this line of thinking, I wrote a peice for Shotgun Honey "Hells Express" and they accepted it.  I had plans to write another peice and went and wrote the rough draft...here's where it gets interesting.  The story deals with a soldier in Afghanistan who is contemplating going on a rampage and his reasons.  A week after the first draft the story broke about Bales and now I will shelve the story.  There's no point in trying to submit it to Shotgun Honey with the current events as real as they are.  It's sad but true the slogan that sometimes reality can be as interesting as myth holds true. 

Sunday, January 1, 2012

A new year...

Well it's the first day in the New Year and it feels fresh but old like yesterday had never ended.  Perhaps the hang over abuses the senses with a propensity for the urge to move forward.  Something similar like the passing of the 1990's whose passing was like a twinkle of dust falling off the edge of a comets trail.

Sounds good really but the fact is we as writers move forward and can only look back into the foggy memories of the past.  The case holds true with writing.  Even if one has been published numourous times, he or she stil has to move foreward and hope those nuggets of stories that are left behind find thier way to someones personal favorites on a book shelf.

Luckily I have had pretty good fortune lately and hope 2012 holds more fortune...meaning a better payout but who knows.  For the time being we will wait and write new chapters and hope the ghosts from the past finally find homes on paper.


Got a story titled "Red Mist" accepted here within Static Press' Anthology Ghost Stories-Western Style.  Loved the cover and was asked if there was to be a second vol to this anthology would I submit?  Of course it's hard to turn down a good challange.  We'll what transpires.

Another Static Movement Press Anthology.  I set out to get a story into this anthology and got it done.  The story is titled "Dead Run".

For the time being we'll press on as writers.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Book of the week...



Well, I missed doing this for the past couple of weeks and decided to write about this book of the week pick.  One of Vonneguts best even if off kilter a bit.  This book contains his own experience involved in the bombing of Dresden.

Occupy Wall Street...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/15/zuccotti-park-cleared-occupy-wall-street_n_1094313.html#liveblog?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%7C112562


I'm not one for politics but this provides an interesting insight into the OWS movement and possibly a story line.  I believe in freedom of speech and rights as stated in our Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  What we have here is an obvious infringement on both to gather and protest peacefully.  I don't know what living conditions are like, one can imagine, but if it's such a concern than the city should place police protection and sanitation needs in the area.  This is an example of the future of a police state which reminds me of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451 and Philip Jose Farmers Day World Breakup.  Are we headed for the same direction?  Obviously our political leaders are not listening and choose to use force to instill their agenda and continue to receive corporate campaign contributions.       

Sunday, October 30, 2011

Books I recommend...

Just a list of some books I recommend reading.  Some of the books are getting hard to find others not to hard. About every week I'll recommend a book ar two.



An ongoing series about a Roman Soldier condemned to wander the ages as a soldier until the Second Coming of Christ.  Originally began with Barry Sadler creating the idea and writing the first 22 installments until 1989 when he passed away.  The series has since been written by Tony Roberts who strives to maintain a balnce of history and warfare.  Just recently the Sadler books are being reprinted by Americana Books vol 2, God of Death, has been released.  Check out:  Barrysadler.com for ordering info.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Best Served Cold, An Eye For an Eye Anthology Vol 1

Been waiiting to see the cover on this magazine ever since I submitted  'Cold Hearts" and it got accepted into it.  When I get more information I will update the post.  Right now you can keep an eye out (no pun intended) here at: http://www.runewright.com/best_served_cold_v1.html for the latest ordering info.  While you're there check out thier other publications such as Penny Dreads or It Lives.  Excellent quality and a great read.


Sunday, October 16, 2011

Schedules: Plans to submit for 2012

Just a few rambling thoughts on whats coming up for 2012.  Below I've made up a 'wish list' of publications I plan on submitting to.  It's up to the gods of the writing world to decide if the stories and poems make it. 

Shards of the Minds Eye…….Best Served Cold Vol 2.……June 15, 2012. Can be finished last but looks like it might end up finishing first. I wrote this story 15 years ago but was vastly different in concept. Originally the story was written with a three part novella premise in mind. I had finished two of the novellas and almost a third but the story went nowhere but in rambling mode. Another idea was to publish the trio via Kindle but I went ahead and decided against it and shelved the concept before the idea of adding zombies had a better appeal to strengthen the storyline. The concept of zombies is an interesting one but with all the B level movies and vast numbers of novels and short stories flooding the market on the subject I had to add other realistic elements which will be discussed later. Also the title might change but have to find a better suited one.   Also I like Rune Wright and its one reason I'm going to submit this story here. Its a small press but it's an incredible publication and one of my personal favorites.

Borders…..Shotgun Honey….November, 2011 or 2012. Need to take my time with this one to assure publication. I’ve been shot down in flames multiple times with this publication and rightfully so. Believe me writing a 700 word complete story from start to ending is about as difficult as writing a novel. There are times I should just write a novel, it would be a hellava lot easier. This one deals with a pair of German Shepards and a home invasion and how quickly the tables turn.


Steam Punk storyline…………Penny Dreads Vol 2.…January 15. Have to submit this story sometime before the end of December and hopefully it gets accepted. I’ve been slowly writing this one since May/June and most of it is written but I’ve yet to come up with any proper title.  Also I'm rewriting the geographical location of the story itself.  Originally had the setting in New Mexico but decided to place it in Africa.  I think this will keep in time with the pulps of old.



Border Noir Story…………Vao Publishing….Feb 1, 2012. Least in priority. I would want to write a story for this one but time is short and I have no real plausible ideas. I’ve gone through all the slush piles in my drawers and boxes and found a few stories that could be salvaged but would need a serious rework for any chance.  The story idea is of revenge and a couple of DEA agents on a drug bust.

Jornada del Muerto (Dead Man's Journey)…..Dead Rush Anthology/Wicked East…..Feb 28th, 2012. Found this anthology online and just had to submit to it. Its got a cool cover and represents what goes on in a writers mind. I’ve got a working draft in progress and several pages already written. This story looks to flow pretty good so we’ll see where it goes. 
 

Hero’s Bullet………Fresh Ground Coffee anthology………Aug 2012. This one is for a flash fiction anthology. Flash fiction is normally about 500 words to 1500 words. Hero’s Bullet was originally submitted to Shotgun Honey but was rejected. I found plausible merit to salvage it and rewrite it in third person instead of first with added material to make it coherent. Getting rejected is nothing new and is an acceptable way to better ones writing skill and story making. There are stories that constantly get rejected but eventually find homes. When I wrote “Cold Hearts” it was rejected by Dirty Noir. I believed it would’ve made it there at first but after reviewing the story I saw why. It had too much to fit in under a thousand words. I rewrote and expanded it and Rune Wright took it for their Best Served Cold Anthology Vol 1.


Diesel Punk………Twit publishing…….April, 30 2012. An interesting idea formed about a couple years ago and I started some notes on ideas and directions for a short story involving the Battle of Stalingrad and a serial killer.

Sci-Fi Storyline............Tales of the Talisman..........July 1, 2012.  Not sure on what to submit here.  I do have several rough drafts of storys but would need serious rework. The idea is there and I would like to submit here but we will see what happens.

Recent cover image or website screenshot.

Humanity's End........Spectacle 2012 End of the World Anthology.  Due on or by Decedmber 1st 2011.  I hammered out a 3000 word short story for this project and currently in the rewrite stages.  I estimate the story will average about 2500 words.  The idea of writing an end of the world themed story is fun.  This one is about nuclear war and the last thirty minutes or so of humanity's exsistance and what they will be doing if the end was near. 

Science Fiction Trails............2012.  I was not going to submit anything here again for lack of ideas but, as always, an idea hit me and I decided to write a follow up story to 'End of Trails' with the main character Bill Benslow hired to save a scientists nephew from the hands of wanted outlaws.  The outlaws are holding the nephew for ransom and the price?....we'll have to wait and see how the story shapes up.  Right now about 3000 words written. 

Dead Run......Static Movement Press........Undead Space Anthology.  I have to quit looking around but ran across this anthology and it fits perfectly with one of my rough drafts about zombies in space.  I wrote the original with a Philip K Dick style of twist at the end. 


Finally...well we'll see what happens.  I got the opening for a short story/novella and an outline handed over to me after I asked for it.  I can't say who or what the story is about at this time but it might be something or amount to nothing but a writing exercise.  I pounded out six pages of rough draft already upon receiving it but I have to research a few things.  Stay tuned...


Poetry…….

The Raleigh Review and the Atlantic……2012. I’ve been wanting to get my foot in the door with these magazines. With the Atlantic I was rejected eight times and have the rejection slips somewhere around here. I’ve been working on a handful of pieces which I believe out weigh all the other materials I sent in to them years ago. I believe I have a real shot at getting in.

Novels.......

Curently reworking the hardboiled detective stories set in Albuquerque from first person to third.  I beleive this will give the story a greater depth.