James Dorr's Blog, page 110
January 5, 2018
Matches Up on Grievous Angel — First Publication for 2018
“Matches,” short, sweet, and by SFWA/HWA guidelines paid at a professional rate to boot, has just appeared on GRIEVOUS ANGEL, a part of the UK’s URBAN FANTASIST site. As for what it’s about, let’s let Editor Charles [image error]Christian describe it: It’s the start of a new year, a time when many of us start new jobs or pursue new ambitions — but what if you are a wannabe superhero with no special powers. In this absurdist fantasy story Matches, James S. Dorr considers what happens when your dream is snuffed out like a candle (in the wind).
So here’s my welcome to 2018 in a manner of speaking, one that I’ll hope will be followed by many more stories and poems as the months progress, some reprints, some — like this one — to be published for the first time. To read it, press here.


January 4, 2018
Phobos, Dark Call of Sea Received; First Royalty Check for 2018
It was a long time coming, originally set for March or April last year, then “officially” published around July, but PHOBOS 4 has at last arrived (cf. July 11, February 24, et al.) — and is listed now on Amazon as well! PHOBOS publishes themed magazines and the subject for this one is “Deep Black Sea” with my [image error]story in it, a Lovecraftian romp titled “The Dark Call of the Sea” about a musician and his artist sister and how a beach vacation at Innsmouth may not have been wise, the last in the contents. Other stories concern such items as killer mermaids in the koi pond, cyborgs in lifeboats, and impolite pirates, and all in all PHOBOS 4 seems a pretty good read so far. For more, one can press here.
In other news, 2018’s first royalty check came in the mail Wednesday and, not for the first time, the real winner was the U.S. Post Office which sold the stamp. As is my custom, neither publisher nor book will be mentioned to avoid embarrassment on both sides, but suffice to say when it’s for one story in an anthology amounts are likely to be small anyway. Nevertheless, money is money and, no matter how little, the fact that there’s any is an endorsement.


January 2, 2018
Cat’s Breakfast Also on P and E Poll, Votes Needed Before January 14
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*Should the Third Flatiron name seem familiar, by the way, they are also publishers of the upcoming MONSTROSITIES, among others, which has just accepted my story “Got Them Wash Day Blues” (cf. December 28).


January 1, 2018
For New Years Day, 13 Short Christmas Horror Films to Exit the Old Year
So it’s still the Christmas Season, isn’t it (cf. number 10, “12 Days of Christmas: A Tale of Avian Misery,” and one of my favorites)? So herewith, to while the minutes of an otherwise very cold late New Years [image error]Day, at least where I live and not a time to be going outside, welcome “13 Short Horror Films to Exorcise Holiday Mirth and Cheer” by Marni Molina, courtesy of DEARDARKLING.COM. Viewing times range from 1:49 to 16:01 minutes.
To sample, press here — but think twice before sharing these with the kiddies (this means you too, Triana)!
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December 30, 2017
TO ALL A VERY, VERY HAPPY 2018
Hyperion & Theia Arrives for 2017 Saturnalian Close
The full title is HYPERION & THEIA VOLUME ONE: SATURNALIA and my planetoid in this particular poke (hey, it’s the end of the year, okay?) is a very long poem that begins the volume, “Dreaming Saturn” (cf. December 3, et al.). The volume itself can be checked out by pressing here and it’s sort of a weird one, to celebrate (to quote from their web page) the ancient Roman [image error]festival of Saturn in December, which was a period of general merrymaking and was the predecessor of Christmas. Or to go to the guidelines back about a year ago: A time of revelry and reversal, Saturnalia represents the breakdown of what has been deemed the natural order. Hyperion and Theia’s inaugural volume wants stories and poetry that runs the gamut of genres and turns expectations on their heads. Submit a fantastical murder-mystery set in the biggest carnival in Atlantis. Wow us with a sweeping romance in space where gods and goddesses serve their creations after a bloody war.
And now, to close out the old year (well almost, but today is the last postal day since tomorrow’s a Sunday), the print copy is here!
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December 28, 2017
Washday Blues Picked for Monstrosities Antho
“Panic and a head full of snot are not a match made in heaven.” That was the first line; that was the challenge. Years ago, to write a story using that first line, which was just wacky enough that I did write that story, the tale of a laundry policeman with allergies vs. a giant soiled clothes monster titled “Got Them Wash Day Blues.” Not surprisingly, it was taking some time to find a market.
But then came the call, from Juliana Rew of Third Flatiron Publishing, buyers not that long ago of my “Dead Girls, Dying Girls” for their Kurt Vonnegut CAT’S BREAKFAST tribute anthology (cf. [image error]July 11, June 15, et al.) among others and known sometimes for an eccentric sense of humor, a new anthology set for spring to be called MONSTROSITIES. Things that are just too big or that don’t scale. Whether it’s the new shopping mall down the street, kaiju attacking Tokyo, flawed utopian ideas, the supposed ultimate weapon, or somebody who’s way too big for his britches, we all have had to deal with humongous blunders. Get it off your chest–share with us your favorite monstrosities. Hmmmm. . . .
And so yesterday afternoon came the email. We definitely want “Got Them Washday Blues.” Let us know if still available and we’ll get back with a contract in January.
More to be revealed here as it becomes known.


December 27, 2017
Lure Part of Bloody Disgusting 10 Best Foreign Horror
So as December fades into the new year, Daniel Kurland and BLOODY-DISGUSTING.COM have offered this interesting list: “The 10 Best Foreign Horror Films of 2017.” And the neat thing is, I’ve already seen and even reviewed one (Hi there, Indiana University Cinema!), Poland’s THE LURE, for which see below for April 25. It’s fourth on the list for what that’s worth — the films are[image error]n’t overtly stated to be arranged from best to worst, or vice versa — sandwiched between Portugal with THE FOREST OF LOST SOULS and Mexico’s anthology movie MEXICO BARBARO II. Last on the list is the Mexican/French WE ARE THE FLESH while the feature begins with Turkey’s THE HOUSEWIFE, with the remaining entries VERONICA (Mexico), COLD HELL (Germany), SALVATION (Spain), and DANUR: I CAN SEE GHOSTS and BADOET (both from Indonesia). To see for oneself, with a photo (the one shown here, above, is from MEXICO BARBARO II) and a brief description for each, press here.


December 26, 2017
Misfit Stories Vol. 1 Nominee for Preditors and Editors Antho
Word has come from Bards and Sages Publishing’s Julie Ann Dawson that THE SOCIETY OF MISFIT STORIES PRESENTS. . . VOLUME ONE (see December 9, October 16, et al.) has been nominated for Best Anthology in the 2017 Preditors and Editors Reader’s Poll. Lead story in the volume happens to be by me, winning its spot as best of [image error]its year in THE SOCIETY OF MISFIT STORIES’ own poll, a fantasy mystery originally published in ALFRED HITCHCOCKS MYSTERY MAGAZINE titled “By Force and Against the King’s Peace.” And so, if you voted for me or not, you can now vote for the entire anthology by pressing here. (But beware if you do. The announcement cautions that [u]nfortunately, the voting process is a little cumbersome. Make sure to confirm your email address after voting so that the vote counts. The good news is that you only need to confirm your address the first time.)
Also, if you’d like to know more about THE SOCIETY OF MISFIT STORIES itself (or even possibly buy a copy of Volume 1 — just scroll on down the page until you come to a link), press here.


December 24, 2017
TRIANA’S CHRISTMAS CHEER
(Courtesy of “15+ Dogs and Cats That Destroyed Christmas” by Viktorija G. on BOREDPANDA.COM, for more of which press here. Triana especially likes #14.)

