Chantal Boudreau's Blog, page 16
July 2, 2014
The Good Fight
Sometimes, good things can come from rejection. My last submission blitz has been less than successful (three acceptances so far … which is only 10% of total submissions with very few still pending, so little chance of improving that.) While wallowing in my bog of rejections, I mentioned I was looking for calls for submissions for charity anthologies, since I figured I’d have a better chance of giving the stories away. I was being facetious about that last part. I actually believe charity anthologies have a lot of merit, I’ve stated this fact on this blog in the past. I did mean the part about wanting to submit to charity anthologies which wasn’t lost on everyone.
Somebody saw my post and asked if I might have a story to submit to a charity anthology they were assembling. They were looking for speculative fiction stories about warriors – ones with purpose to the fights in their tales, ones that were meaningful in some way. She asked if I had a story like that.
Well I did. As far as I’m concerned, it’s one of the first “good” short stories I ever wrote, the first draft completed about sixteen years ago. Since then it has been rewritten several times, in part based on feedback from Marion Zimmer Bradley (I know – right?) and from the submissions editor of Beneath Ceaseless Skies … and the story is much better for it.
Now, finally, it is going to finally get the opportunity to be in print, for a cause that’s dear to my heart.
Maybe that’s the whole point to rejection. It gives us the chance to give things a second look and make things better. It provides us with the opportunity to find just the right fit for a story to give it more value. I’m sure hoping that’s the case with this one.
The anthology is set for release in August, and here is the blurb:
“Bellator”
Science Fiction and Fantasy, two genres that are both unlike and
inextricably entwined, stretching the imagination to the expansive
boundaries of time, space, and magic. These boundaries are often filled
with warriors and war, fights and causes worth fighting for, and that’s
what you’ll find in this anthology.
From fighting aliens in space to demons in a world of magic, you’ll
find many stories to suit your starship’s entertainment collection or
your favorite bard at the local tavern…or just your imagination here
and now. Sit back and enjoy twelve stories from authors both familiar
and new!
100% of the proceeds to be donated to the Wounded Warrior Project.
I hope many those I know will support the cause and get themselves a copy. I plan on picking one up, and I can’t wait to read it. I’m certain I’ll find it inspiring.
June 30, 2014
WWW Challenge Story #2: An Appetite for Trouble
Originally posted on horroraddicts.net:
An Appetite For Trouble by Chantal Boudreau
Beast: Monkey
Location: A Jungle Temple
Blessing: Candy Bar
Curse: Cannibals!
*~*Judging panel has not altered/edited this text.*~*
*~*Text is posted as sent by the author.*~*
An Appetite for Trouble
When Doctor Toyin Katabe, professor of anthropology, had been preparing for a journey to examine a potential find in the jungles of East Africa, the association awarding her the research funding had insisted she not go alone. It didn’t matter that she had originally come from that area and was familiar with the language and customs there. It also didn’t matter that she had been studying ancient cannibalistic civilizations since completing her masters three decades before. Despite the fact that she was perfectly healthy, far fitter than the average woman her age and stronger too, they had insisted she take a graduate student along with her, and preferably one who was both…
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June 27, 2014
HorrorAddicts.net #102, Wicked Women Writers Challenge
You are invited to listen and vote for your favourite!
Originally posted on horroraddicts.net:
Horror Addicts Episode# 102
Intro Music by: Cancer Killing Gemini
Co-Hosted by Rhonda Carpenter & Killion Slade
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http://traffic.libsyn.com/horroraddicts/HorrorAddicts102.mp3
123 days till Halloween!
wicked women writers challenge
tonia brown, mary go when, d.m. slate, photo finish, lindsey goddard, what happens in vegas, stephanie lenz, the grey girl, chantal boudreau, an appetite for trouble
To vote, send an email to horroraddicts@gmail.com
Subject line: WWW
Tell us who you think wrote the best story and why.
One lucky winner will win the HorrorAddicts.net PRIZE PACK!
http://traffic.libsyn.com/horroraddicts/HorrorAddicts102.mp3
Find all articles and interviews at: http://www.horroraddicts.net
Write in re: ideas, questions, opinions, horror cartoons, favorite movies, etc…
————————
h o s t e s s
Emerian Rich
s t a f f
David Watson, Dan Shaurette, Marc Vale, KBatz, Mimielle, Dawn Wood
Want to be a part of the HA staff? Email horroraddicts@gmail.com
Wicked Women Writers Challenge 2014
Originally posted on horroraddicts.net:
2014 Wicked Women Writer Challenge – Welcome to the 6th annual Wicked Women Writers Challenge
Hosted by HorrorAddicts.net
The audio for these stories will post by Saturday June 28th. The text versions will run June 29th-July 3rd. Subscribe to this blog so we can alert you with they post.
Beauty and
the Beast
Premise: There is something both fearsome and attractive in a wild thing, be it man or beast. From creature legends told around ancient campfires, to modern tales of King Kong and cryptozoology, critters have always captured our darkest imagination. Five finalists have created stories based on this premise and with challenges that were randomly selected. Each challenger received: 1. Location 2. Blessing – Helpful Item 3. Curse – An untimely disability 4. Beast
Your task as a listener is to listen to each story (or read it on the blog) and then vote for who you…
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June 24, 2014
Clout or Doubt
Originally posted on Guild Of Dreams:
by Chantal Boudreau
Power, or lack thereof, can decide where a story will carry a character, or even where a character will carry a story. All you have to do is think about a classic story and reverse the position of power of the protagonist to see what I’m talking about.
If Bilbo Baggins had been an influential, confident and heroic hobbit member of the nobility instead of a humble ordinary member of the shire with little influence to speak of, think of how that would have changed his story. He probably wouldn’t have been selected to play the role of “thief,” too important for such a lowly and suspect role. Had he gone along, he would have had enough political clout and wealth to travel with the dwarves well-guarded and unimpeded. More than likely, he may have decided to keep his nose out of the entire affair for diplomatic…
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June 13, 2014
Friday the 13th – Update #2
I’m starting to think I’m meant to stick with my semi-pro/amateur writer status after this last blitz. It has been almost entirely unsuccessful. One firm yes so far and royalty-based only. I had a couple of “maybe”s, but one did not pan out because the kick-starter campaign, while meeting its goal amount, failed to reach its stretch goal and the other turned into “we’ll put it in the next anthology in this series” offer…which I guess does count as a yes in a way. Otherwise it has been a stream of “no”s, most arriving in form letters or with feedback leaning heavily on the negative.
Have I lost my mojo along with my muse? It’s possible. I don’t think I’ve written anything to my satisfaction since that ill-fated April. I can still connect with characters I created back in the day, so my Fervor series continues to be going okay, but nothing new has had the same magic. As a lifelong dabbler, I’m starting to think the time has come to figure out the next thing to delve into – maybe something a little less overly popular this time. Perhaps I’ll move into non-fiction. Or something completely different.
On a lighter note, I finally got the ebook version of the last novel in my trilogy up on Amazon (the paperback version has been there for a while.) Now I need to set up links and tabs and put a plethora of other things in place, as well as fix a few typos/formatting issues in the first two that readers reported before embarking on promotional efforts. I plan on doing a first issue freebie offer, when everything is ready.
I also will be posting a surprise as soon as I have permission to make the announcement, a happy outcome in an annual event. At least that much has made me smile.
And lastly, I sent Victims of Circumstance, Masters & Renegades #4, off to the publisher. I’m looking forward to seeing that one in print. It is a fun, but at times very dark, romp involving some of my favourite characters and while it does involve a few standard fantasy tropes, it dishes them out in a highly unusual way.
Happy Friday the 13th…
May 29, 2014
Perking Things Up
Originally posted on Guild Of Dreams:
by Chantal Boudreau
I, like many writers, am a lover of coffee. I drink coffee every day, try to get my hands on the best coffee possible for my price range, and I have a cubicle shelf cover dedicated to coffee quotes and cartoons, known as “the coffee wall”. Considering how important coffee is to me, it makes sense that I include it in my writing from time to time, right?
In my recent FOODFIC post, “Flavouring Fantasy,” I discussed the idea of using mundane things like food and drink to enhance fantasy fiction, taking world-building to another level. The same exercise can be applied to most genres, even those not related to speculative fiction.
And while coffee is a mundane thing, it is still something I happen to be passionate about. They say you’re supposed to write about what you know, and I know coffee. Here are…
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May 19, 2014
Blitz Follow-Up #1
Sorry for my absence, but as you know, life happens.
The response to my latest submission blitz so far has been a little disappointing, but I guess I ought to expect that when many of the markets I chose to submit to this April were a tougher sell. To date I have only one firm acceptance, with my story Velveteen, and one “possibly…maybe” which you’ll be able to read more about here. I still have many submissions I’m still waiting on, so my luck could turn, but I’m not going to get my hopes too high.
Meanwhile, I’m waiting to hear if I’m going to make it into the Wicked Women Writers finals this year. They chose to limit the finalists to 5 in 2014, so I’m not guaranteed that my audio story will be aired in the contest. If not, I’ll have to find something else to do with it. No point in wasting all that effort.
And lastly, there’s a blog tour going on involving a fantasy anthology to which I contributed (see picture). You can find the schedule for that here.
More news later…
May 5, 2014
Here is my interview with Chantal Boudreau
Originally posted on authorsinterviews:
Name – Chantal Boudreau
Age – 42
Where are you from – I was born in Toronto but lived most of my life in Nova Scotia
A little about your self `ie your education Family life etc – I am a Certified Managerial Accountant with the provincial government (Health and Wellness) I have an MBA as well as a BA in English. I am married with two children (daughter – 12 – Gwyneth, son – 8 – Etienne, he has autism). I have two siblings who live in Calgary and my parents live in France.
Fiona: Tell us your latest news?
My latest news is the appearance of my zombie tale “One Lonely Night” in the May December Publications charity anthology “Let’s Scare Cancer to Death.” Postscripts to Darkness also announced my inclusion as a contributor in Volume 5 of their anthologies, which they are aiming to release this summer.
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May 3, 2014
A Mother of an Idea
Originally posted on Guild Of Dreams:
In honour of Mother’s Day, I decided to delve into the topic of mothers…parents in general, actually… in fantasy settings. I addressed the manner in which the parents of adolescent protagonists are often kept out of the storyline in my blog post
“Parents – They Get in the Way of Good Fiction”
but this is about what happens when a writer reaches that point in a longer running series where they deem it necessary for characters who have been romantically involved to finally start having children of their own.
From what I’ve seen, this is very dangerous territory in which to tread, especially if a writer aims to preserve realism within their fantasy. More than one series has effectively “jumped the shark” by adding children to the mix. You have to consider how children will affect the plot before adding them. Continuing on as if nothing has changed never works…
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