Victoria Janssen's Blog, page 121

Short Fiction FAQ: Part Three

Question: What is a possible path to breaking in to invitation-only print anthologies, if I have already sold stories to magazines?I would first find out which publishers issue the sort of anthology that's suited to your stories, then look at the list of authors to see if you have any contacts: authors you know, friends of authors you know, authors who share an agent with you or one of your

Short Fiction FAQ - Part Two

Question: Is there a market for erotic flash fiction? Will agents and editors think I can't write novels if most of my sales are short fiction?There is not a huge paying market for flash fiction, but there are some markets. I would browse this page regularly.For publications that don't specifically mention accepting flash fiction or short-shorts, it rarely hurts to ask. The editor might need

Short Fiction FAQ - Part One

Establishing yourself as a writer of short fiction can pay a little money and, more importantly, establish a "track record" which can help in making valuable contacts among your fellow writers, editors, and agents. Short fiction also provides experience with writing to spec (answering calls for submissions), dealing with editors, reading contracts, locating reprint opportunities, and discovering

Writing is In the Mind

So much of writing is in the mind.Not just coming up with ideas and arranging words into sentences. To write novels, to keep up the sustained effort necessary, a psychological approach to writing is often required. For me, that is. I have to bully myself into it. Cajole. Nag. Reassure. I have to be all things to myself, just to survive putting between 85,000 and 100,000 words on paper in

Siegfried Sassoon, "The General"

The General'Good-morning; good-morning!' the General said When we met him last week on our way to the line. Now the soldiers he smiled at are most of 'em dead, And we're cursing his staff for incompetent swine. 'He's a cheery old card,' grunted Harry to Jack As they slogged up to Arras with rifle and pack. . . . . But he did for them both by his plan of attack. --Siegfried

Moonlight Mistress Excerpt - Worldbuilding

Moonlight Mistress is out December 2009 from Harlequin Spice. This scene takes place during World War One while Gabriel Meyer, a British soldier, is searching an abandoned village for German soldiers.#Both of the house's doors were shut tight, but not locked. Gabriel and Woods and Evans entered at the front door, Gabriel's pulse pounding like a drum, his boot heels even louder on the polished

Historic New York City

5th Avenue, New York City, 1900Hester Street, New York City, 1903Madison Square, New York City, 1908Photos courtesy of WikiMedia Commons.Another Snippet Saturday tomorrow - the theme is Worldbuilding.

Five Ways Of Thinking About A Writers' Conference

Five Ways Of Thinking About A Writers' Conference1. Do I have enough contacts with readers and other writers? Hint: The answer to this is always no.Can I afford the time and money to attend this conference?2. Budget - where is the conference located? Are there alternative ways to get there? How do those stack up against your budgets of a) time and b) money? How does the conference conflict

Vampire Books I Like - Science Fiction

I am not a huge fan of vampire romance, so my favorite vampire books are mostly from the science fiction and fantasy genres. Here are my top three science fiction choices.My all-time favorite vampire book is The Vampire Tapestry by Suzy McKee Charnas. Not only is it a wonderful work in itself - it consists of four separate stories of the same vampire, each from a different point of view - but

Love of LIFE, not just a tv detective show

I'm in mourning for Life, a television detective show starring Damian Lewis and Sarah Shahi. It went two seasons and has been cancelled.I heard a lot about it from friends before I actually saw it; I wanted to see it myself as soon as I learned it 1) starred British actor Damian Lewis and had 2) Damian Lewis playing a cop (Charlie Crews) who'd spent twelve years in prison for murders he didn't