James Dorr's Blog, page 68

Pulp Lit Tentatively Accepts Moons of Saturn as Reprint

It was a bit of a star-crossed submission.  “Moons of Saturn” was originally published in Algis Budrys’s TOMORROW in July 1993 as well as reprinted in THE TEARS OF ISIS.  Fast forward to this year and, following a second read, it had been rejected by PULP LITERATURE on January 7, though as sometimes will happen with an explanation that it just didn’t fit in with a particular issue.  In any event one doesn’t just send something right back again — except that I did, on June 20, having misread (or somehow skipped over) its previous trip on the story’s log!

So I did what one does in such situations:  the following day I sent an email with my apologies, asking that it be considered withdrawn.   And so life went on.  Except a bit over four months later an email came saying “Moons” had advanced to a second reading.

So you know what comes next.  Today an email arrived from Assistant Editor Genevieve Wynand:   Thank you for your submission.  I am pleased to offer you a tentative acceptance for ‘Moons of Satu[image error]rn’ to be published in 2020 (specific issue to be determined).  I thoroughly enjoyed your story and look forward to sharing it with our readers!

So . . . closure of a sort.   It’s not unknown that a story not right for one issue will fit exactly right for another.  But what, exactly, does a “tentative”acceptance mean?  So, roll with the motion, I sent a “thank you” email back but added the question of when we would know for sure.  And so it is thus far (the “tentative,” after all, may just mean pending signing a contract, which usually won’t come until at least a little while after).

As for the story, “Moons of Saturn,” here’s the description that had been asked for with the submission:  A man and a highly imaginative woman watch extensive TV coverage of the Voyager missions past Saturn while the woman grows progressively more ill.  More to be revealed here as it becomes known.

A Tale of Two Cats, or, Yesterday’s Writers Guild 3rd Sunday Write

Usually I don’t report on the Bloomington Writers Guild “Third Sunday Write” (though sometimes I do, cf. April 15, et al.); they either end up in ideas that translate into stories, in which case it might come up if/when one sells, or otherwise it’s just an exercise, good for me in crafting first-draft poetry or maybe an essay, but more a personal thing than anything worth sharing.  These are sessions in which a facilitator offers prompts or other bits of inspiration for the rest of us to craft into . . . well, something.  At worst still putting words on paper (last month’s, for instance, on ekphrastic writing based on Renoir’s painting “Luncheon of the Boating Party” produced scenes — from at least four of us, each more hilarious than the last — focusing in on a little lap dog fawned on by its mistress at the foreground table.  But you had to be there).

But occasionally it might spawn an essay that, if not usable in itself, might at least still be fun to share.  And so, yesterday afternoon, after some warmup exercises with lists, ca[image error]me this (based on the item “Cat Treats” on one for grocery shopping):

“Well, first there was Wednesday — the first that I think of — whose favorite plaything was her spider collection.  Black plastic spiders with rings attached for wearing on Halloween, but between that and eight legs lots of things for claws to catch, tossing the toy up into the air, it then falling crazily, bouncing who knows where, to pounce on again.

“There were the crickets, too, but these were live ones that came up from the basement, but the problem was they didn’t last long, generally going limp after the first or second toss.  So plastic was far superior for her.

“Wednesday has passed on by now though, possibly to a home in the sky where the crickets last longer, or even the spiders which would themselves lose legs eventually under the pressure of fangs and claws.

“The new cat, Triana, however is more of a practical cat.  She enjoys the crickets, but her trick is that when they’re no longer good for play she eats them.  Thus she will exerci[image error]se, building an appetite, but then instantly sate it.”

So the lesson may be that timed, instantaneous writing exercises are conducive to run-on sentences (the above is presented without being edited).  Or, for what it’s worth, two others at this session also presented essays at least in part concerning cats.

BOULD Anthology ToC Preview, to Publish Wednesday November 20

The word is out.  Late yesterday the email came from Editor Jake Devlin that the BOULD AWARD ANTHOLOGY (for “Bizarre, Outrageous, Unfettered, Limitless, Daring” — cf. below, November 8) is expected to be out on Wednesday next week, November 20.  With this came a list of stories, with word counts — as I recall, the limit was set at 3000 words, but with a premium for short and sweet — as reproduced below.  And, as the quote continues:  I’m even more happy to announce that there are double the number of stories that were in the 2018 edition, and we’ve already received several entries for the 2020 edition.  I’d encourage any of you who might want to submit more stories to think “short” stories; I’d love to see more “flash fiction,” maybe 1,000 words or less.  You’ll find an email address at the bottom of the BouldAwards web site* to get the submission requirements via auto-reply.

Then one thing more — two really — my stories in these are “In the Octopus’s Garden,” collected as well in my book THE TEARS OF ISIS (for info on which, click its picture in the center column), and the as yet uncollected “Mr. Happy Head.”  For both of which, here’s the table of contents:

Bitch and Chips – Maddi Davidson – 1060 words

A Walk In The Park – Francis Hicks – 490

A Man Without His Word – Lise de Nil – 1848

Honor Amongst the Rigid – Wil A. Emerson – 2980

Clarity – Francis Hicks – 720

In the Octopus’s Garden – James Dorr – 2400

Take Nothing For Granite – John Clark – 1170

When I Think About – Gary R. Hoffman – 450

Teacher’s Pets – Kat Fast – 1990

Teagan’s Special Sand Castle – Jake Devlin – 1300

Note Found Near Scattered Human Skeletal Remains – Jack Ewing – 1840

Oh Henry – Wil A. Emerson – 2990

Bait – Eve Fisher – 2700

Zero-Sum – Cheri Vause – 1500

Chemo Queen – Tom Barlow – 2970

The Sadist – Jimmy Summers – 750

In A Town Mostly Forgotten – John Clark – 2060

The Purloined Pickled Peppers – Herschel Cozine – 2400

Eggboy and the Drunk – Lise de Nil – 2990

The Price You Pay – William A. Rush IV – 1850

Henry The Butler – Francis Hicks – 500

The Mystery of the Missing Albino – Steve Shrott – 2800

A Shifting Plan – Elizabeth Zelvin – 2500

Input From A Serial Killer – John Furutani – 2570

Confession of a Serial Killer – Jake Devlin – 500

The Cat – Robert Petyo – 2100

Deer Juj – David Hagerty – 850

The Society – KM Rockwood – 2200

Something Wacky This Way Comes – Karen Phillips – 2000

Pinning Ceremony – John Clark – 2670

Drip-Dry and Wrinkle-Free – Lesley A. Diehl – 2440

Mr. Happy Head – James Dorr – 2700

Preincarnation – Eve Fisher – 1000

To Die a Free Man: The Story of Joseph Bowers – KM Rockwood – 2790

The Suicide Bureau – Robert Petyo – 1700

The Silkie – Elizabeth Zelvin – 2900

Meeting on the Funicular – Kaye George – 735

Cold Snap – Maddi Davidson – 640

Euthanasia – Karen Duxbury – 260

An Apocalyptic Micro Short Story – Jake Devlin – 20

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* Link to appear here with info for ordering on November 20.

He Knows . . . A Quick Acceptance, Plus Contract for New Scary Snippets!

Talk about quick!  We may recall SCARY SNIPPETS:  HALLOWEEN EDITION, the flash fiction book of lots of stories — 100 or more — each of 500 words or fewer (see November 11, October 30, et al.).  Well, they’re at it again, this time for the Winter Holiday season (Thanksgiving to New Year’s, say, and even a few up to 600 words, but we know we mean Christmas), with SCARY SNIPPETS:  CHRISTMAS EDITION.  And, one of my dirty little secrets, I often write Christmas stories myself though they’re hard to sell — strictly seasonal interest plus for some reason people expect [image error]them to be jolly.  I don’t do “jolly.”  But, well, anyway I went to the Trunk of Unused Christmas Fiction and extracted one titled “He Knows When You’re Awake” and whisked it right off only two days ago.

And the word just came back, along with a contract:  CONGRATULATIONS!  Your Story — He Knows When You’re Awake — Has been ACCEPTED into the Scary Snippets Winter Holiday (I freaking like that) edition!  Thank you also for thinking ahead and sending your bio; you’re on the ball this holiday season Mr. Dorr!  Thank you!  Here is your contract; sent in either docx or pdf for your convenience, you only need to return one.

So, just for the record, the contract does say “SCARY SNIPPETS:  CHRISTMAS EDITION,” but what’s in a name?  The contract is signed and went back today, with more to come as it becomes known.

Black Infinity Strikes Again, New “Invited” Acceptance

A quick, quick note.  While I’m still reading — and enjoying — my authors copy of BLACK INFINITY 5 (see November 6, et al.) I also received a note from Editor Tom English inviting me to send something early to the not quite yet open for submissions BLACK INFINITY 6.  Theme for the issue: “Insidious Insects.”  And as it just happens I do have a story [image error]I’m rather fond of, originally published in CHIZINE for July-September 2003 and reprinted in THE TEARS OF ISIS, a tale of insect infestations . . . and possible alien action in a sort of surrealistic way (to quote myself from the pitch I sent with it), called “Waxworms.”  And one with flying saucers to boot!

So — long story short — I sent it in and yesterday evening received the reply:  I enjoyed reading “Waxworms” and would like to publish it in BLACK INFINITY:  Insidious Insects (issue #6), adding that I should expect a contract a bit after Christmas.  And thus, you’ve read it here first!

Space Opera Libretti Cover, Back Cover Announced

It had originally been planned for late summer but there were delays.  Such often happens.  But SPACE OPERA [image error]LIBRETTI (cf. November 2, February 11, et al.) Editors Jennifer Lee Rossman and Brian McNett plugged on and, now in the homestretch, another milestone has been passed.  The cover and back cover have been designed and can now be revealed.

For those who’ve forgotten, this is the anthology for (quoting the guidelines) [d]ramatic, large-scale stories of the distant future, focused on optimism and inclusion and blowing things up.  Weird mashups.  Actual arias.  Fat ladies singing on funeral pyres.  Watery tarts distributing swords optional.  Play fast and loose.  No holds barred as long as it’s a tasteful [image error]treatment written with respect.  Stories were to be from 2500 to 7000 words, mostly original but with a few “outstanding” reprints.  Thus my own entry, “The Needle Heat Gun,” is one of the latter, originally published in NIGHT LIGHTS (Geremid Press, 2016), with the tale it tells one of two brave spacemen, though only one can be the hero, and equally heroic music badly performed.

But all this should be available soon as publication time draws nigh, with more to be reported here as it becomes known.

Scary Snippets Now Available in Paperback Too, Plus Cover Reveal

The question came up, can SCARY SNIPPETS, the book of short horror for Halloween of stories of no more than 500 words apiece (see October 30, et al), now be obtained in hard copy as well?  Or, to quote Amazon’s blurb:  Trick or treat.  Bloody feet  A hundred souls for ghosts to eat.  Nothing screams Halloween more than horror.  And nothing can [image error]be more horrific than scary stories.  Here in this collection, we’ve gathered together over a hundred micro sized pieces of terror.  From all around the world we’ve put together an anthology that will make you hungry for more.

So I gave it a check and the answer is yes, at least according to Amazon’s site, as well as Kindle which we knew before.  My tale in this is one is called “Silent Scream,” of why one must make as little noise as possible RIGHT NOW.  And as a bonus, we now have a picture of the cover as well as, with an extra click at the site, a table of contents and a few sample stories, all of which may be found by pressing here.

Now It Can Be Told: Two Stories Accepted for BOULD Anthology

And here’s a tip:  try thinking like a comedian; some of their takes on ideas/events/people/things can often inspire/trigger your own weird, wild, BOULD creativity.  Some of my personal favorites are Steven Wright, the deadpan American comedian; Milton Jones, a Brit; and the “Scenes We’d Like to See” segments of a BBC show called “Mock the Week,” all available on YouTube.  (Just a suggestion.  If nothing else, you might have a good laugh or two . . . or ten.)

Say what?

So it was part of a call for the annual BOULD Awards competition, which actually does award smallish prizes as well as publication in an annual anthology.  The anthology, not surprisingly, would be titled BOULD AWARDS 2019 SHORT STORY ANTHOLOGY.  And the reading period was about a year long.

BOULD, by the way, stands for “Bizarre, Outrageous, Unfettered, Limitless, Daring” and, despite the above, does not necessarily have to be comic.  Up to three stories could be submitted, of 3000 words or [image error]less apiece, with the judging based on character, plot, writing style (“voice”), creativity and DARING/boldness/audacity (“pushing the envelope” or going beyond it).  So why not, thought I, and I sent in two on January 9, and then more or less forgot about it.

AND NOW IT CAN BE TOLD, word having been sent by Editor Jake Devlin Monday, November 4, with a request to wait on announcing it until the 8th (though due to an over-zealous spam filter, not actually received till yesterday, November 7):  both stories have been accepted for publication in the 2019 BOULD Awards Anthology, which will be published in early December 2019 or perhaps before.  Though no word yet about the money prizes, which range from $10 to $50 for the four top places, perhaps to be revealed to me later (or maybe the judges, while liking my work, didn’t like it that much).  But acceptances — in this case both for reprints — are still acceptances, yes?  More here as it becomes known.

And the stories themselves?  The first is “In the Octopus’s Garden,” originally published in 69 FLAVORS OF PARANOIA for March-April 1999 and also lead story in my 2013 collection, THE TEARS OF ISIS; the second “Mr. Happy Head” from WICKED MYSTIC for Spring 1996 (as yet uncollected).

November Spoken Word First Wednesday: Poets, Performances, and Ernie Pyle

Last night brought a little bit different mix at the First Wednesday Bloomington Writers Guild Spoken Word Series at Bear’s Place (cf. October 3, et al.).  The session began with poet Roger Pfingston with locally-based poems, primarily from his latest chapbook, WHAT’S GIVEN,

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Ernie Pyle, as remembered on the IU campus (IDS Photo)

followed by poet/performer and sometime teacher of theatrical magic Tom Hastings with dramatic readings of works by several poets and even a rope trick, emphasizing that a stage magician’s patter is at least as important as the trick itself.  Then third was WFHB radio writer and performer Richard Fish reading selections from Indiana University journalism graduate and war correspondent Ernie Pyle’s columns from World War II as an interesting — and in places touching — change of pace, while musical interludes were provided by guitarist and singer Gabriel Harley.

This was followed by six “Open Mic” readers (a seventh, Joan Hawkins, relinquished her spot to Gabriel Harley for two final songs), of which I was third with another in the “Casket Girls” series, “Flightless Rats,” of New Orleans vampiress Aimée’s encounter with a religious man with a slightly odd take on the Noah’s Ark story.

C’est Arrivé! (or, Speaking of Ghost Ships. . .)

Yes, it has come, the “Derelicts” edition of BLACK INFINITY (cf. October 28, et. al) arrived in my mailbox this afternoon, and a big book it is at just over two hundred 9 x 7 1/2 inch magazine-sized pages.  And it’s a handsome book as well, from its opening Carl Sagan quotation (There is a wide yawning black infinity.  In every direction the extension is endless, the sensation of depth is overwhelming.  And the darkness is immortal.) through fifteen stories, a poem, an editorial, and several additional departments and features.  My part in this, a potpourri of contemporary tales and revisitings of older masterworks, is the second to last of the stories, “Ghost Ship” (that is, which we met again in the post just below), directly following a reprint of “Mystery of the Derelict,” first published in 1907 by William Hope Hodgson!

So what can be said.  I recommend it.  It wasn’t quite in time as it happens for Halloween, which only made the anticipation keener, but now with it in my hands I look forward to a lot of good reading — beginning tonight!