Aaron Polson's Blog, page 72

WIP Wednesday...so tired

The first "official" day of school went down yesterday.

I talk too much on day one. Blah, blah, blah, expectations...blah, blah, blah, syllabus...so tired. I will eventually catch the swing of things again, but until I do the project (aka Loathsome) will have to move into the slow lane.

I did surpass 40K...actually I'm at 41K (huzzah!). So here's today's snippet:

I hurried a few steps to catch up with [Curt:]. "I met a man before leaving—actually before I even came to St. Helens. A man named Pe

In Praise of the Gatekeepers

Ah, the Gatekeepers, those individuals that by talent, luck, money, or some other mystical power are the arbiters of what the public reads, sees, or listens to. They keep the standards high enough, and artists (writers, dramatists, actors, musicians) must hone their craft to a fine edge. The Gatekeepers cut through slush like, well, slush. They find the jewels glittering amongst the garbage.

I know editors have sent some of my garbage hurtling back my way. Thanks.

After hundreds (really hundr

Olive Lemon, Revealed!

Have you ever put together a jigsaw puzzle without knowing the picture? If so, you'll have a pretty good approximation of the surreal trip through Olive Lemon's world. Catherine J. Gardner's imagery manages to be strange and impossible and at the same time very, very real. This is Gardner's quirky, dark fantasy in high form, and spoilers be damned, the ending will grab you by the metaphoric throat.

Order your own copy, now.

Night School

He starts his work with an ax, smashing the safety glass until all that hangs from the black filaments are fragments that sparkle red beneath the lighted exit sign. He enters the room and pushes the desks together. With a little effort, the bookcase falls with a heavy thump and scattering of paperbacks, echoing in the hall. He pauses and listens, but surely no one else could be in the building.

He pries the name tag from the door, feels the rough, raised letters, and laughs silently at the sound

WIP Wednesday: The Poetry Edition

Why the poetry edition? Well, Vicious Verses and Reanimated Rhymes: Zany Zombie Poetry for the Undead Head edited by A.P. Fuchs has just been released by Coscom Entertainment, and yes, I wrote a little ode to the undead for the collection. Buy a copy and read "Former Vocations" along with other fine examples of Z-poetry.

As far as Loathsome goes...well, I had big plans. I was going to beat 40K this week. I came close, teetering just on the full side of 38K. Not bad considering Owen's injury and b

Now My Fingernails Can Grow Back

Just as I don't blog about rejection much anymore, I usually don't write about acceptances. But, there are always exceptions.


I received word yesterday from R. Scott McCoy that "The Distillery" was accepted for Necrotic Tissue (#10, April 2010). Whew. I subbed that bad boy on the first day possible (July 1st) and nibbled my poor digits to bloody nubs ever since receiving the "short list" notification. Necrotic Tissue has become a very competitive market--I landed my first sale with them back in A

With a Nod to Johnny Cash

Today's post is about writing horror. Not a how to; there are folks out there much more horrific and talented than me to make that happen. This is about writing the dark things and being okay.

I don't usually blog about rejections anymore. A waste of time, really, 'cause we all know they happen. But two I've received in the last month really crawled under my skin and laid eggs. Each was for a different story, but both mentioned bad things happened for "no reason". One rejection came from a very p

Lemon Olive Oil: Perfect for Catherine J. Gardner's New Chapbook

That's right, Catherine J. Gardner has a sweet little book available from Bucket o' Guts Press for only $6 U.S. I enjoy Cate's work (which has recently appeared in Fantasy Magazine and slated for Space and Time & PostScripts...yeah, that's right), and you should too.
Go to Bucket o' Guts website to order.
While you're waiting for your chapbook to arrive via post, you may want a snack. (Well, I'm usually hungry) I bring you a recipe for Lemon Olive Oil, which goes wonderfully on a crisp salad:

Lemo

Happy Birthday Owen! (with free stuff for everyone)

Owen turns six today, broken parts and all. Happy birthday, buddy.

In the interest of pruning my overloaded bookshelves, I've started a rolling list of books I'll gladly "give" away for the cost of mailing them. Check it out here.

Finally, I have a story at Flashes in the Dark today. "Communion" isn't pleasant. I took one rejection from a paying market that made me feel dirty for writing it (more on this topic Monday) before sending it the FTL Flashes. The idea sparked from the old Time Magazine c

War is...

September, 1944. Somewhere in France. A lone M4A1 Sherman clanks into a clearing, the turret and pushed above a heavy morning mist. On the side of the tank, painted in awkward white letters, "Beezle's Boys" stands out against the olive drab hull.

"We're lost, I tell ya," grumbles the gunner.

"Go stuff yourself," the driver mutters. "The rest of the platoon was just here."

The commander chances a peek out of the top hatch, and he doesn't like what he finds. The ground is red, as red as clean sheets