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Short story sale

1/29/2019

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I'm happy to report another short story sale. This time to Black Cat Mystery Magazine published by Wildside Press.

My story is called Mud Season. It's about two elderly sisters who take an annual trip together to escape the anniversary of a dark event in their past. This time they are off to Londonderry, VT where they've made reservations at a maple syrup farm. Although the syrup may run sweet, their time away puts them in a rather sticky situation.

Black Cat Mystery Magazine is available in print and kindle editions. And also from Wildside Press.
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Story sale and ...

12/18/2018

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I took a break from writing and designing to make some Christmas cookies. Fair warning, I am not a baker of any sort and this was my first attempt at decorating cookies. I found the idea from here.

I guess my latest short story sale put me in the mood. The Christmas Spirit is a very short, about 600 word, story sold to That's Life! a weekly Australian magazine.

Very happy to end the writing year with this sale. And thanks to my good friend Rosemary Hayes for sending me a copy of the magazine.
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​Happy Holidays to everyone!

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Quote from Stephen King

3/17/2018

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​". . . a short story is like a quick kiss in the dark from a stranger.”
-Stephen King
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K.M. Weiland on scenes as images

3/9/2018

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Having trouble writing a scene? "Stop thinking about the scene and start seeing it." Says K.M. Weiland in her podcast, Helping Writers Become Authors.

This episode struck home for me because I am a visual reader in that I need to see the scene play out in my head. So it only makes sense that I'm a visual writer. Yet how often do we forget to add color, and smell, and texture to a scene....the very details that bring it to life.

She goes on to say, "It has been my observation that the reason many writers get hung up on the outlining process is because they’re too focused on the words. They’re creating a list of scenes that is nothing but words (e.g., Larry went to town; Maya broke her leg). When they stop thinking of the outline as a scene list and instead start using it as a brainstorming exercise in which they vividly envision their scenes, everything changes."

You can listen to the podcast or read the full article at the link below.

Don't Write Scenes - Write Images, K.M. Weiland, Helping Writers Become Authors Podcast
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Inspired by Joe Hill

3/8/2018

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Love, love , love this mini interview with bestselling author Joe Hill where he talks about writing a loose first draft long hand, how he learned best by close reading, marking up the pages as he went. And how one time when he was struggling he typed 2 pages a day of Elmore Leonard's work, and was able to find his way back to his own voice.

This podcast is no longer running but you can still listen to the archives.

Podcast: The Ten Minute Writer's Workshop: Joe Hill
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The Summer Mask

1/24/2018

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... I met you in the summer when the butterflies began to dance. ...

A haunting tale of a wounded veteran and the artist commissioned to sculpt him a new face. Beautifully written with a slow building, seamless twist. I listened to the story on the Nightmare Magazine podcast, narrated by the always excellent Stefan Rudnicki.

The Summer Mask by Karen Lowachee appeared in the Nov 2017 issue of Nightmare Magazine.
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Winged Folk Only

1/14/2018

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... "You can't come on the voyage," the Ululu sneered, folding his wings in a very cross manner. "Winged folk only." ...

A mouse wants to fly with the avian crowd but he doesn't have wings. A short tale with a timely theme. I appreciate the creative way the author addresses discrimination.

Daily Science Fiction is one of my favorite places for a good, quick read.

Winged Folk Only by Mary E. Lowd appears in Daily Science Fiction.
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Cemetery Christmas

1/14/2018

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... I come this close to giving the cemetery a miss. ...

​A woman visiting the graves of her parents on Christmas Eve, hears another woman talking into her cell phone, sobbing. Reluctant to go to her sister's house where she is expected, she surprises herself by approaching the woman.

An intriguing opening for a Christmas story and one that will take you to unexpected places. Though there were moments of things being too coincidental, the urgency and poignancy of the story made that easy to shove aside.

I loved the setting, the awkwardness, the raw emotions that brought it all to life.

Cemetery Christmas by Linda McCullough Moore appeared in the Nov/Dec 2017 issue of The Saturday Evening Post.
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    Where I scribble notes on favorite short stories, podcasts, books, and writing.

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