‘Under the Knife’ Available Now!

There’s no time for a second opinion! We must order now!

My life has been a whirlwind of work, work and more work. The job has been hard but rewarding, and the writing has been tough.

But there have been some developments for on the writing. I wrote a few good tales and am working on another two. I’d like to finish the month with three flash pieces. I foresee a writing break for half the month of June.

But there’s one really important tidbit. At long last, it’s finally out. Under the Knife from Cruentus Libri Press is finally out. Click on the picture to order!

Also available for Kindle.

PR Slingshot Effect?

I’m in a possibly curious position.

Here’s what’s going on. A few months back, I mentioned my work being accepted for a couple of anthologies. Due to a few events, Under the Knife and War is Hell will not be released for a while. Although frustrating, there’s nothing I can do but wait it out and continue to write. However, thanks to the Bolthole Writers’ Fair, I’ve gotten four submissions into various publishers, and more are on their way at all times.

It suddenly occurred to me that given the time frame, it could be a blessing or a total curse. It’s certainly possible that anywhere from two to six stories (maybe more) bearing my name could suddenly “explode” onto the scene mid-summer.

If it does occur, it’s neither how I intended nor wanted to. I was hoping to have a gradual build up of my name. Like every other month, a new story comes out. “Oh James, the author of that previous story you liked, just pushed out something new.”

And in terms of sales, I doubt it’s beneficial. Books cost a small amount and take a while to be used. So other books I wrote might be “drowned out” by the onslaught. But on the bright side, it’s not impossible to take the sudden interest in my name and use the momentum towards something bigger and better. But I don’t know what.

If summer sees a spike in new traffic, I’ll have to be ready.

Heads Up

Some of my followers may have gotten a heads up about a post called “Feminine Independence and Revenge?” It’s not available because I wanted to put it up and easily bounce ideas and thoughts off of a few friends, then revert it to a draft stage. It’s a piece detailing a lot of anthropological and economic thought, correlated to the Drunken Ultimatum and dating stereotypes. It is not a rant or anger piece.

If you received an email about it, I apologize. When I posted, I forgot about the alerts that sometimes go out to followers. It was a work in progress that needed more input to improve.

To quote Matthew McConaughey from an awesome if totally crazy movie, “Better be late and be right than be first and be wrong… boy!”

What’s Kickin’

If I tickled her cheek, do you think she’d pour the coffee on her face?

The Bolthole Writers’ Fair is still ongoing. I’ve spent more time writing for submissions, searching for publishers and pushing out emails to keep people motivated.

This is the ‘rut’ phase of the fair. I think the first weekend is always the hardest to get through. Maybe you spent the first work week actually getting into the habit. Then the weekend comes and anything related to work, which includes writing.

Even I screwed up and forgot to send an email yesterday. I quickly sent one today and created a draft of one for tomorrow. But I still have 22 more days to push the guys to keep writing.

I got back the first wave of interview questions from two publishers. I have to review them and fire back more specialized questions to keep the conversation flowing and get a little more juice out of them before I write the articles. I intend to write the articles with a few journalistic practices: photos of the people, a few key phrases picked out and make big so people get curious enough to read.

Well, progress is progress. A lot of my points with the BWF have been guidelines. Guys were encouraged to write short stories and flash fiction. Some, perhaps half, have decided to focus more on their novels. As long as they’re writing, I’m pleased.

I’ll close with the speech I gave on the first day of the BWF. I rather liked it…

The best speeches are short and sweet, and stay focused on what’s important. With that in mind… what do you write for?

Friends? Family? Gratification from strangers? C’mon, at this point there is only one person you’re writing and you know who that person is. Not enough strangers read your work. Your friends are busy writing as well. And there’s no way your writing earns you enough to support your family. At least not yet.

In the words of Jules Renard, “Writing is the only profession where no one considers you ridiculous if you earn no money.”

Between now and success, there is a time where writing is about you. When it’s about the conversation your mind has with a blank page. That moment where you spin yarns and create worlds, there’s a tiny act of godhood in every sentence.

There’s no shame in writing for yourself. Because it’s the world that should be fortunate enough to read your work.

The Bolthole Writers’ Fair

Keurig coffee just does not count. It really doesn’t. But now that I’ve had real coffee, I’m making an announcement for all you fellow writer-type people. Drum roll please…

What’s it about? Every year, novice writers tell themselves that this is the year they’ll be focusing more on their writing career. And like a New Year’s Resolution, they cling to it for about a week until the job, kids and friends drag them back into the abyss of a “normal life.”

The horror.

Simply put, it’s a challenge to help get yourself out there. For the never-been-published, this is the chance to try. For those who want to expand their meager bibliography, this is definitely for you. This is not really for people who intend to write for self gratification or to fill Amazon with self-published yarns, but those who want to be published by their peers.

The BWF starts on May 1st. Rules are pretty basic:

1) Take 10 to 15 minutes a day to browse the internet for announcements of new submission windows. If you find any, share them on the Bolthole.

2) Pick a publisher you want from the list and write. Write 1,000 new words a day, focusing on flash fiction or short stories. Thus you should pump out roughly 5 to 6 new short stories before the month’s up.

3) You can proof during the fair, but it doesn’t count towards your 1,000 words a day. If there’s time, you should leave proofing until after May.

4) Don’t submit crap. This is not a race or NaNoWriMo. Finish your drafts, then proof and submit according to the publisher guidelines after the BWF. If the due date is during May, prioritize it, but don’t fall behind on doing your new 1,000 words a day.

What do you get for participating? Well, you craft a few new short stories and will have publishers you can submit against. We’ll also be hosting a short series of interviews of various small print editors and publishers to help you pick out what they’re looking for. You can also sign up to receive a daily boot up the ass email to help you stay focused.

So sign up at the Bolthole today! Just become a member and leave your email.

Never Get Comfortable

I started to write some bit about “what it means to be a writer”, prefacing the idea with it being my current philosophy on it. Then I realized, “Who am I kidding?” I don’t feel accomplished enough to claim that yet. I don’t even feel like a writer.

It’s easy to think about your precious successes, but what about your failures? People always try to say something about not letting the past bug you. Or that it’ll tear you down. But trying to get published is reality’s way of reasserting Murphy’s Law.

Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.

-Murphy’s Law

The most common thing I am told is that my story does not quite fill their needs or isn’t quite what they’re looking for. Many rejections go on to remind me that they receive hundreds of stories despite a very limited number of slots.

A fresh reminder that Murphy’s Law is in effect can make the unseen obstacles incredibly clear. You could have a phenomenal story that is well polished, with grammar and spelling that are sharp, good characters, great plot and memorable prose. And despite these confidence inspiring aspects:

1. The general theme of the story might not quite fit what the publisher is looking for.
2. Someone else happened to have a similar idea and got their story in first.
3. The anthology has to be cancelled (it happens.)
4. Your story is sharp but you forgot to check the manuscript requirements, so you get rejected on a technicality.
5. A number of better known and better followed writers submit stories, and their reputation allows them stronger consideration.
6. The slush readers have a mixed collective reaction to your story.
7. Your story is the 13th best for an anthology of no more than 12. Unfortunately, those dozen authors get their acceptance contracts in.
8. A trait of the story goes against the maturity rating (ie too much blood.)
9. Your story is good but fails to stand out among 3,000 others they receive.
10. The publisher changes their mind, rejects all stories and continues to only use work produced by their in-house writers. They welcome your submissions but really have no plans to publish them.

Every possibility of rejection is a sobering reminder of the challenge. And little by little, I can’t help but feel some of the cynicism I’ve detected from reader the blogs of established writers. You or I might have a few dozen rejections, but they could very well have hundreds.

And professional writers can even seem to jealously guard the keys to the kingdom. The shining new author from nowhere can be a threat to what they want to do and what they’re already doing. I’ve spoken before about the benefits of writers cooperating. But there are bottlenecks where competition is inevitable.

Yes. During submissions, you are competing. Though unseen, you are fighting dozens, hundreds, even thousands of other writers who are just trying to get one more notch on their Amazon publishing list. It’s hard. It’s rough. And I don’t think anyone can get to the top unchanged.

You’re pushing your way through mobs of little recognized or unknown writers who have varying degrees of talent.

You’re being pitted against medium-weight authors who have dozens of stories in various anthologies or even novels.

And afterwards are the big names. Names who have cult followings. Authors who have important publishing houses on their cell phones. Writers whose work is being fought over in Hollywood, or will be once they’re gone.

And there’s only one real constant.

Nobody likes competition, especially when everyone is a dark horse.

 

The Guilt of Mr. Freeze

Mr. Wayne? Mr. Wayne, are you awake?

There you go. I apologize. I know your need for secrets, but we are alone here. You needn’t worry.

In case you’re wondering, I did not remove your mask, even though I could have. Truth be told, I figured you were Batman the night of my attack on Wayne Enterprises’ Science Exhibit. I apologize for that as well. I needed that cryogenic module for my research. There isn’t another like it on this side of the planet.

Anyway, during the Exhibit, I had taken some of the footage from the security cameras, and ran it over and over again. And I realized that it was when Mr. Wayne seemed to disappear that Batman sprung out of nowhere. The height, the build. I could still be wrong even now. But I just… I just had that feeling. A notion, irrational as it sounds coming from a man of science like myself.

It’s dangerous for me to suppose that’s who you are, to be so illogical.

But I’m counting on it.

Because I respect you.

There is… no one, in this city, that I respect more than you. Perhaps no one still alive on this Earth, that I respect more. I know you remember me. Dr. Victor Fries. It was your backing that allowed me and my wife to make advances in our research. Your generous grants helped our research jump light years ahead. You never rushed us but never ignored us either. You were patient. You took the time to read and understand our papers, investing more than just money into it.

Even the day I told you that we were moving to Gothcorp, you understood and held no malice. You smiled that winning smile, shook my hand and promised that if we ever wanted to come back, just call. “I trust you to always do the right thing,” you told me.

I let you down and I’m… I’m so-s-sorry for that.

I know by now, you know what happened to Nora. My wife. And since then… since then it only made me respect you more.

We’ve both lost… or are losing, our families. And I understand you in a way few people ever will. I know that you fight crime so that no one suffers like you did. That no one loses their parents like you did yours.

So I know that you understand me. Maybe there’s a side of you that cannot help but classify me as yet another piece of filth like the mafia enforcers or thugs you thrash. And to lose the respect you had for me cuts in a way almost as bad as the thought of losing Nora.

I will not hurt you, Mr. Wayne. I will never kill you, nor will I ever speak of your secret. But I can’t let you stop me either. And if you were in my shoes, I know you’d do the same. You’d do anything to save your father and mother.

Nora is waiting. I trust you can get out on your own…