Jennifer Brozek's Blog, page 80

Juggling Chainsaws

This is one of those weeks where I feel like I'm juggling chainsaws. I have so much coming in and going out that it is hard to keep the balls in the air. This week alone I have:

• Publishing TEoP
• Due date for DAW anthology stories (Complication: 4 authors dropped out in the 10 days, needed to find pinch hitters.)
• Due date for Beast Within 2 anthology stories
• Follow up with interns
• Follow up on contract #1
• Follow up on contract #2
• Follow up on contract #3
• Pays the bills work

It doesn't seem like a lot but it is. Especially the DAW anthology with scrambling for good tier 1 (personal classification) authors who can get me what I need in a timely manner. TEoP needs more time because all new stories. Three new authors.

There's more on the plate for next week including stories and an RPG supplement I need to finish writing. Can't talk about most of it. But it's there. Then little things like people wanting to talk to me about stuff going on with Apex. Or to talk anthologies. Or writing. Or whatever else. Then there are the things I'm putting off because I just don't have time.

It's taken me two days to write this far into this post. "I would blog about that if I had time."

I have an hour between now and a phone call. I think I'm going to work on one of the stories I have due.

This post seems calm. The poster is not nearly so calm. Juggling chainsaws and hoping I don't get cut.

2011 The Edge of Propinquity Teaser

I have your teasers right here:

Grants Pass and Close Encounters of the Urban Kind

Grants Pass made the Dymocks Southland - Top 10 Bestselling Australian Titles.

Also, LOLLO by Martin Livings from Close Encounters of the Urban Kind made it onto Horrorscope's 2010 recommended list.

It is always nice to see kudos to me, my projects and to authors in my projects.

Stoker Time of Year

If you read CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE URBAN KIND and loved it and are a member of the HWA, please consider recommending it for the Stoker's award for best anthology. I don't mind going head to head against DARK FAITH.

Title of Work: CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE URBAN KIND
Editor: Jennifer Brozek
Publisher: Apex Publications
Month of Publication: April
Category: Anthology

If you are a member of the HWA and would like a review copy, I can send you a PDF copy of the book for your consideration. Just email me at gaaneden AT gmail DOT com.

Thanks!

What Have I Completed This Year?

Writing and editing-wise, I think I have done a lot. Sometimes, looking back and taking stock is exactly what a freelancer needs to do to see just how much they have accomplished in a single year.

Anthologies (3)
• Close Encounters of the Urban Kind – Released April 2010
• Beauty Has Her Way – Released December 2010
• Human Tales – Turned in

Solo Works (5)
• Dice & Deadlines – Monthly column
• Shanghai Vampocalypse – Released September 2010 (RPG)
• Covert Ops – Turned in (RPG)
• In a Gilded Light – Released in February 2010 (Horror collection)
• The Little Finance Book That Could – Released in April 2010 (Non-fiction)

Co-Authored/Edited (4)
• The Ross-Allen Letters – Colonial Gothic Novella, RPG, written with Dylan Birtolo
• Maschine Zeit – RPG, contributor/editor
• Forsaken Chronicler's Guide #1 – RPG, editor
• Year 5 of The Edge of Propinquity

Short Fiction Sold (Original) (9)
• The Prince of Artemis V, Crossed Genres Issue 15 - Crossed Genres, January 2010
• The Cost of Job Security, Masters of Horror anthology - Triskaideka Books, March 2010
• Snipe Hunting, Apex Digest April 2010 - Apex Publications, April 2010
• Eulogy for Muffin, APEXOLOGY:Horror anthology - Apex Publications, August 2010
• Family Duty, Issue 20 - M-Brane SF, September 2010 (print publication to occur in M-Brane SF Quarterly #1, October 2010)
• Swallow It All, Rigor Amortis anthology - Absolute XPress, October 2010
• Seven Little Words, The Little Death of Crossed Genres Issue 1 - Crossed Genres, October 2010
• The Priest, the Man, the Gun, Tales of the Talisman magazine, volume 7, issue 2 - Hadrosaur Productions, Autumn 2011
• Iron Achilles Heel, New Heroes Rising - Stone Skin Press, TBA 2011

Short Fiction Sold (Reprint) (3)
• The Prince of Artemis V, Stalking the Wild Hare anthology - Walkabout Publishing, August 2010
• A Bite to Remember, The Zombie Feed - Apex Publications, September 2010
• Honoring the Dead, Night-Mantled: The Best of Wily Writers, Volume 1 anthology - Wily Writers, December 2010

Not bad for one year, eh? This doesn't include all of the stuff I've contracted but not yet finished. When I look back on it, I am pretty damn pleased with myself. Here are some more metrics:

• Stories submitted: 27 (goal: 15) = 10 acceptances, 13 rejections, 4 unknown.
• New stories written: 10 (goal: 12)
• RPG projects: 7 (goal: 6)
• Books read: 50 (goal: 50)

You know what's funny? I can't tell if I'm missing anything.

New Cover: Beauty Has Her Way

Teaser image. Click for a larger version.

There is a much larger full wraparound cover image of Beauty Has Her Way here.

Beauty Has Her Way… Even if she has to get down and dirty to do it!
Edited by Jennifer Brozek

Yesterday
Sacrifices to the Moon by Paul D. Batteiger
Dunkle Froline by Ramsey Lundock
Tears of Blood by Joshua Palmatier
I, Theodora by Maurice Broaddus
Vengeance is Mine by Kenneth Mark Hoover

Today
The Moko-Jumbie Girl by Chuck Wendig
Someone Else to Play With by Pete Kempshall
Daggers in Her Garters by Ed Greenwood
Men Do Nothing by Philomena Hill
Witch Fire by Erik Scott de Bie
Becoming by David A. Hill Jr.

Tomorrow
Ride the Rebel Wind by Amanda Gannon
A Well-Embroidered Heart by Keffy R. M. Kehril
The Runner by KV Taylor
Trapped Star by Ann Wilkes
Her Eyes On by Kay T. Holt and Bart R. Leib

Discretion

As a person with a public face (author), with a small measure of authority (editor), and a reason for people to contact me (books), I've come to realize that when I get contact emails, a bit of discretion is required on my part.

Fan mail is awesome but posting it makes you seem like you're bragging and maybe that person didn't want the world to know they think you're the bees' knees. Critiquing and criticizing email needs to be treated with care because, basically, no one wins a fight on the internet. Not really. Everyone's rep gets burned in some way.

And then there are the emails that ask for advice or ask questions. These emails need to be treated with respect because, for the most part, the email writer has identified with the work you did and is emotionally invested in your answers and advice. No matter how weird or crazy or unexpected the email, the questions or the advice requested is, it is a bad idea to post such emails on the internet.

I've received another such email about the GRANTS PASS anthology. I have to admit the emails I get about this book are the most interesting by far (in both a good and bad sense) and I have to restrain myself from posting what I receive because people would not believe it otherwise. If GRANTS PASS had been a more popular anthology, I would consider putting up a FAQ (No, I don't think the world is going to come to an end. No, I don't have any special information. Yes, Grants Pass is a real town in Oregon. And so on.) but it isn't, so, I guess I will just keep answering these emails as best I can.

The sincere concern in this most recent email wondering about the economic viability of Grants Pass, and whether or not it can remain a viable place should the worst occur, made me realize that my "little anthology that wouldn't give up" really is emotionally affecting some of the people who read it and that is daunting, terrifying and thrilling all at the same time.

As such, I need to take care and respect when answering all emails—no matter how strange they seem to me at the time. Yes, the more I think about it, discretion is one of the author's best friends.

Short Story Sale!

I can finally announce that I sold my short story, "Iron Achilles Heel" to Stone Skin Press for their anthology series, The New Hero.

"Iron Achilles Heel" is the second story I sold in my weird west Mowry series. There are a lot of fabulous authors also to be published in these anthologies like Matt Forbeck, Ed Greenwood, and Monte Cook.

The Edge of Propinquity - Issue 60

Issue 60: December 2010

Welcome to the Edge of Propinquity. Issue 60 is now published. Here ends year five for the Edge of Propinquity. With, three of our authors (Rick, Nick and Seanan) are moving on to bigger and better things. Next year, we will start with four brand new universe authors with returning author Ivan Ewert and new authors Peter M. Ball, Alina Pete and Kaolin Fire.

In this last month of 2010, at the end of the year, we have a race for life, Mother Nature at her most vengeful, an opportunity lost and regained, the end of a noble man, and a willing death of the self.

Four Visitors - Tesseract, Part Three - by Rick Silva AKA shaharazad
Solstice - Autumn, Part Six - by Ivan Ewert AKA ivan23
Mnemosyne - New Birth - by Nick Bergeron
Sparrow Hill Road - Thunder Road - by Seanan McGuire AKA seanan_mcguire
Guest Author - Avenging Earth by David W. Landrum

Have you ever looked over the edge and seen something looking back at you?

Sincerely,
Jennifer Brozek
Editor, The Edge of Propinquity
http://www.edgeofpropinquity.net/default.asp

"In the Wild" Pictures Make an Awesome Gift

Tis the season for gift giving. Several times in the past week, people have asked me what they could get me and the best thing I can think of is this: Nothing would make me happier than for you to buy one of my books and ask me to sign it for you. For those of you who are far away, nothing would make me happier for you to buy one of my books and send me a picture of you with it. (Email to my gaaneden at gmail account or post and send me the link.)

I'm putting together an "In the Wild" gallery on my website and on my Facebook account. I've got a bunch of great pictures but I would love to see more. So, your best gift for me is a book for yourself and a picture for me.

What are my books? Well, here's a link to my Amazon page.

And here is a link to my DriveThruRPG page.

And one for Apex.

Another one and two for Dark Quest Books.

Yes. I'm serious. Buy yourself a gift of one of my books and that is gift enough for me.

PS: You can always send me pictures of my books and you. Not just for the holidays.