Open Submissions for Journeys of Wonder

I'm taking a quick break from the Common Core State Standards series to share an opportunity from Fuzzbom Publishing.

Submissions are open for Volume 4 in the Journeys of Wonder, adult speculative fiction series.

Go HERE for the submissions specifics.

Journeys of Wonder, Volumes 1-3 are each available in Kindle version on Amazon for 99 cents. Whoo-hoo. Just click on the covers in the sidebar to cyber pop to Amazon.

Check out our stories and add your own to the next volume.

Happy Submitting.

The Long and Short Story of It

At the beginning of 2012, I decided to mix it up a bit in my writer's journey. I've been on the 

draft

revise-revise-revise

query

revise-revise-revise

query again

revise-revise-revise 

hamster wheel with manuscripts for a few years now. 

I've faithfully gone to conferences, latched onto amazing critique partners, blogged, and been a reading fiend to polish my skills. All my energies were focused on novels until...

Last January when I sold my first short story, a paranormal Hansel and Gretel extension called The Shimmer in the Woods that will be released any minute from Cliffhanger Books. Ironically I wrote it in an "I wonder if I can pull off a short story," moment. 

What followed was a year of writing and working with whip cracking editors on three more short stories that have seen the light of day in the Journeys of Wonder anthology series (check out the sidebar).

Had I become a traitor to my manuscripts?

Not at all.

My short story work has honed and sharpened multiple aspects of my craft by forcing me to:

• Create a compelling story arc in a compacted space
• Develop characters that matter right off the bat
• Drop right into the middle of high stakes
• Agonize over word choice to get maximum bang for my buck
• World build in the blink of an eye
• Add immediacy to every beat
• Write in present tense instead of my beloved past tense

I've taken these mad short story skills and applied them to my existing manuscripts. It's been a great ride revisiting my darlings with a fresh set of eyes and making them the better for it.

What have you done to shake up your writing pattern?

If you want a brilliant "how to" on short story writing, run don't walk to get a copy of:
Ron Carlson Writes a Story

Journeys of Wonder: Volume 2 - Has Landed!

I'm super crazy excited to announce the release of our second volume of genre fiction short stories.

So super crazy in fact that I'm doing a giveaway of two print copies of Journeys of Wonder: Volume 1. Just leave a comment telling me your favorite genre of fiction and your email. 

I will snag an innocent bystander to draw two names from my Empire Strikes Back baseball cap and arrange for teleportation of your prize.

JOURNEYS of WONDER: VOLUME 2

An Anthology of Genre Fiction

Journeys of Wonder: Volume 2 – the second anthology in a series of genre fiction. Quick on the heels of Volume 1 this new volume brings back some favorite authors and introduces a couple of new ones.

Featured in this volume are five incredible tales – each of which will leave you in wonder and amazement.

1. CAL by Lisa Gail Green: A young man challenges his father after falling in love with a cybernetic life form.

2. The Terrible, Perfect Duet by Trysta A. Bissett: Cicadas, insomnia, and high school. What could possibly be more horrifying?

3. Helios by Leslie S. Rose: As humanity flees the wrath of Earth's dying Sun, a daughter's quest to claim her birthright jeopardizes the chance to escape.

4. Encrypted by Ian Kezsbom: Spies. Codes. Murder. A thriller about a man on the run – hiding a secret that others would kill for.

5. Lighting the Sacred Way by S. P. Sipal: Set during the time of the Roman Empire, a woman tries to vanquish the evil spirit residing within her. One that arrived on the day her husband was murdered.

On sale only at Amazon.com! $.99 for a limited time or free through the Amazon Prime lending library!

Visit us at: www.journeysofwonder.com

The Backworlds Series by M. Pax

Have I got a treat for you! The second book in M.Pax's THE BACKWORLDS series is here.

Calling all sci-fi fans especially Browncoats (Firefly loyalists, of which I am one) and Star Wars nuts (Guilty as charged). This is a series for you. The main character Craze is from the same delicious mold as Captain Malcolm Reynolds and Han Solo. Need I say more? Indulge in M.Pax's universe.

The sequel to The Backworlds is now available. Craze and his friends continue their adventures in Stopover at the Backworlds’ Edge. See what role chocolate plays in the galaxy this time. 

   The interstellar portal opens, bringing in a ship that should no longer exist. A battleship spoiling for a fight, yet the war with Earth ended two generations ago. The vessel drops off a Water-breather, a type of Backworlder thought to be extinct. She claims one of Craze’s friends is a traitor who summoned the enemy to Pardeep Station. A betrayal worse than his father’s, if Craze lives to worry about it. 

Available for all ereaders from:

Amazon / Amazon UK / B&N / Smashwords

iTunes and Kobo will be available shortly.

If you haven’t read The Backworlds yet, it’s available as a free read from many outlets. See HERE for links. [http://mpaxauthor.com/the-backworlds-series/backworlds-the/]

 

Inspiring the words M. Pax writes, Mary spends her summers as a star guide at Pine Mountain Observatory in stunning Central Oregon where she lives with the husband unit and two loving cats. She write science fiction mostly and has a slight obsession with Jane Austen. Mary blogs at http://www.mpaxauthor.com/blog/

In other news:

FREE FREE FREE

The Kindle version of JOURNEYS OF WONDER, Volume 1, is available for free download until Tuesday, July 24th at midnight from Amazon.

I'll Take Potpourri for Twenty, Alex

Greetings from Las Vegas, land of buffets and broken dreams. I've played my favorite slot machine, Lord of the Rings, and had a steak. Once I hit the outlet mall for some serious discount shopping, my Vegas triad of delight will be complete.

photo credit

I want to share a super opportunity with you. Daisy Carter, from the Fresh as a Daisy blog, is hosting a pitch contest with Tricia Lawrence of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency on 6/29. 

Details right HERE

Daisy's contest is now closed.

And now the clapping while jumping up and down moment of the week...

The Journeys of Wonder anthology 

is out in print version right  HERE

In fact, I'm over at the Journeys of Wonder blog doing a guest post on editing. Pop on over.

In closing, I have two words...

VEGAS BABY!

photo credit 

Journeys of Wonder

Guess what? Guess what? Guess what?

The day I've dreamed of has come true. I have a story out in the world. In Journeys of Wonder, I am honored to share creative space with a talented team of writers and eagle-eyed editors, Lisa Gail Green, Ian Kezsbom, Sarah Lynn, and Deborah Pasachoff.

This anthology project gives our beloved genre fiction a bridge on which to travel from our imaginations to yours.

JOURNEYS of WONDER

A new Anthology of Genre Fiction

Journeys of Wonder is a new anthology of genre fiction. We've assembled three talented writers to bring you five chilling tales that are guaranteed to keep you up at night - or at least make you turn on the lights.

Featured in Volume 1, June 2012:
1. The Door by Ian Kezsbom: Six people are stuck in a room with no memory of how they got there while a fear of the unknown keeps them from opening the only exit they have.
2. Blackout by Lisa Gail Green: A terrifying tale of a young woman whose memory is shattered and a creepy neighbor who is not all that he seems.
3. Infinity by Ian Kezsbom: Two brothers, forced to travel through time to save the world from an unspeakable evil, have little idea of what they have actually gotten themselves into.
4. Eye of the Wolf by Lisa Gail Green: A young girl struggles against the power of the full moon as she tries to hide her deadly secret from her family.
5. Afterdeath by Leslie S. Rose: In a future where our journey beyond death is no longer a mystery, the promise of eternal love waits, unless you break the rules.

On sale only at Amazon.com now! $.99 or free through the Amazon Prime lending library!

Visit us at: www.journeysofwonder.com

We'd love to hear your thoughts on our stories, so we've included forums on our website to spark a creative conversation. We are forever in your debt for helping us spread the word about Journeys of Wonder.

Long live genre fiction!