Personal Journal 2That fucking Brian and his smart-ass ideas. Ok so the plan worked in getting the others here, but now the powers out. It was delayed a good bit, but I think that's because the shock wave from the blast shorted out a few wires in the line. There may be some shrapnel in the side of one of the boxes outside of here or something. I dunno, but whatever it has us in a world of shit right now.This Freddie dude use to work for an electric company around here, so any knowledge he has is going to come in handy with this one. The generators that we're going to have to access are underground, because if they were conveniently located in a safe spot where no one would have any problems getting to them something Really bad could happen. The plan that I've come up with is kinda simple I think. I want to re-wire some of the exercise equipment to power the store. It's not that big of a task, it's just very time consuming. I had to first get all of the bikes positioned in key parts of the store, then I had to take off all of the base coverings to access the wiring, and then I had to try and not electrocute myself.While the others were off securing some of the more vulnerable spots, like the electric door and gates, Brian stayed back and watched my back. That last run in with the type three's kinda got me to think a little different about the guy. He's actually kinda funny. He was telling me stories of his wife, Brandi I think, and some of the get togethers they would have. All together, he has three children, two that are hers and one that they have together. I gotta give it to the guy, if I was in that kinda family position I would have lost my head a long time ago. Anyway, he helped a little with some of the lifting of the bikes that made the day go a little bit faster. Once we were done with the bikes, we made out a routine that would make even Richard Simmons happy. We're going to ride the bikes for about three people at a time rotating ever hour or so. This will build up enough voltage to power the freezers, electric gates, and some of the cooling systems. It's not perfect, but it's what we've got for now.Right now I've gotta head over to meet with Brian Freddie and Kiser to make a plan on getting the main generators back on. Hopefully God won't feel the need to flush the proverbial toilet while we're getting this one together. Next time someone passes the collection plate to me I'm taking the cash for extra insurance, cause this crap has gotta be covered somewhere. I'll have to check with state farm or all state later for shitty timing insurance.
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I love when thing go Boom! The plan that Brian came up with worked like a charm. We loaded the charger up with a ton of propane and aerosol cans and sent it into the abyss of walking douches out front. Cujo and Will popped a couple of rounds into her and that was it for at least a few of them. The other people that were in the rig came barreling through making speed bumps out of the anything else that was in there way and almost leveling the store as well. Mastaff, Freddie and Kizer are there names. Ok side note here. Parents stop doing drugs, cause this is what can happen to your kids, they'll make dumb names for themselves. Anyway two of the guys are fairly large and look as they could hold their own in a tussle, bu the other one is kinda small; I guess you could say wirey. None of that matters though all that matters is that we're safe for now and we have a few more minds that can help if things go…..You've Gotta Be Fuckin Shittin Me!!! The Power's Out!!!! Shit!
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She's Dead. Theresa is gone. Regardless of all of the things that we did to keep this place safe, they got her and I couldn't save her. I swear I never wanted this to happen, not to any of us. I don't know how to feel not at all. I know I've said some things to her and about her that weren't great and were sometimes rude, but for it to end like this. Why?After the video stronghold thing was set up everyone met to chill out and get there mind of things for a while. I honestly had my mind set on hanging with them, but when I reached for a less that "manly" drink, at least to some, Brian made a few wise ass comments that I didn't feel where that funny. I went off by myself to get some sleep instead of putting him in his place once and for all. I don't know this kid from Adam, yet for some reason I don't some much care for him. I guess he's just doing his best to stay alive like the rest of us, but I dunno it's just weird. Anyway on my way back I went ahead, grabbed a gun from the back, and stocked up on some clips just in case. That thing with Terry shook me up a bit, and I didn't wanna be caught off guard if the shit hits again. After that I made my way over to the middle of the arts section with my sleeping bag and dug in for the night.Screams were all I heard, from everywhere. It startled me obviously because when I left everyone was laughing and playing around. I made my way back to electronics, when I saw it. Theresa on the ground being……EATEN. I don't know how they got in, but there were so many of them that I froze. I was scared outta my mind. April and Will bolted past me without a second glance, and Cujo was nowhere in sight. I was about to head out myself when I saw Brian on the ground. One of those things had grabbed him and was about to make his night over really quick. I didn't have time to think about it only act. I ran over and kicked the thing as hard as I could in the head. I tried to take it off, but it didn't happen I had to pop one in its head just to make sure though. Cujo had left his piece while he was pussing out so I tossed mine to Brian and grab the other one so we could lay waste to the place. I'd say there were a good nine or so of those things coming full steam at us and let me tell you a bullet to the face will drop them just the same. I think I got a good half of them but there's no way to tell since it was dark and bullets were everywhere. Once we were done there was no real communication between Brian and I, we kinda silently thanked each other and called it even. Theresa got one between her eyes just to be safe and we tossed her off the roof for better measure.So now here we are. We've designated shifts for watch to make sure that attack doesn't get repeated later on. We've also had a new development with some other people. Cujo's country upbringing finally came in handy. He for some odd reason is like a c.b. radio guru or whatever and got some signal on a rig down the road from here. Three or four people are trapped and have been looking for help for a good while now. Fun part is, they aren't being given a passing glance. They've been fairly quiet and the type three's keep walking by them. Lucky fucks. Brian has some plan that he's gonna try to put into motion involving a Dodge Charger, propane tanks, and Cujo with a gun. This is gonna end so bad. We'll see how that goes, and if I'm not rotisserie I'll fill the blanks in later.
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Once again we're fucked. Ok so I know I'm not the smartest person in the world, but by no means in this place am I the dumbest. The Dude Brian I was talking about that Terry has now died for. Well he came up with this wonderful idea to make a "stronghold" IN THE FUCKING ELECTRONICS SECTION. I don't get it. What could I have done that was so bad that I wind up with these schmucks.Anyway back to Terry. Not much longer after he was bitten he started to take ill. He turned different colors and began to vomit, amongst other things, profusely. We tried to clean off his wounds as best as possible but it seemed like nothing would work. About two days ago he finally died from complications. Well we thought he died. We were thinking about tossing his body off the roof, because I for one don't feel like sleeping with someones dead grandpa looking over my shoulder. Well once again Dog boy Cujo and america's hero Brian objected. Brian was yapping about him being saved by Terry and not wanting to turn on him like that blah, blah, blah, blah. I swear it's like being on Maury with all these emotions. Well to appease those two we decided to lock the corpse away in one of the unused sections of the store.While the others were tending to the t.v.s and garbage I saw April walking towards the garage because she heard something. Well since the only thing in there was Terry's body I got a little nervous. I made my way towards the others to let them know what was up and told April to stay til I got back. Well guess who didn't listen. While she decides to go Joan of Ark and all amazon alone she almost gets her face bitten off. I see her runnin her pancake ass off towards me and she almost knocks me out. I look behind her and I see Terry moaning and walking even though was just carried his lifeless body out. I was trying to push her off of me so I could atleast fight when I see Terrys head pop like a water ballon. I turn and see Brian standing somewhat shaky with a gun in his hand. Even though I could have managed if April had gotten off of me I thanked Brian for his effort. After that Cujo went stupid and started tossing Burning Bottles of beer off the roof and almost catches dumbass on fire. Humanities savior Brian once again came to the rescue because if he doesn't I guess we're all screwed. Whatever.Since then I've kinda been to myself. I don't care much to socialize on normal situations because I don't really trust people. I can't say that this experience is really making matters any better. Everytime I try and add any insight into the situation either Brian, Will, or April butt in. Cujo is sulking cause he lost his best friend, and Theresa is just stupid and useless. I'm trying to come around somewhat, but it's hard for me to deal and trust people. Well, I have to do something, because right now we're all that's left. Will mentioned something about a drinking game or something that I was about to go to, but the second I reached for a Bacardi Brian started talkin trash. Fuck that guy. Well I'm off to bed. Hopefully there will be a tomorrow.By the way would someone tell me what the fuck a "Stronghold" is.
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Alright, where do I begin? Ummmmm…..my name is Max Caullings and I'm 16 year old. Some of my friends call me Mighty Max from some old cartoon, and I'm from South Saint Paul Minnesota. I'm an only child and there aren't many other kids around her to play or hangout with, so I usually wind up getting into something around the house that gets mom pissy. I guess I'm writing this because some odd things have been going on around town in the last two weeks or so I can't remember anymore. I started seeing a couple of blogs posts on the internet around a week or so after things started getting weird up this way. One of the funny things is that the posts were coming from different areas of the country. Ummmm……..there were a few posts in North Carolina and another one I think in New York. All of the posts were about some infection of disease that had hit areas that lead to people attacking and killing each other lol. At first I got a little scared because I was thinking that there might have been some type of terrorist attack. Some friends and I were thinking that maybe some more…… what are they called…..afgans, no, ummmmm…..Muslims that's it Muslims had attacked the states and were releasing gasses or something and messing people up. Well after a day or so the posts were removed and at the bottom of the pages it said, "Removed by the user," or, "violation of terms and services." Either way I stopped seeing those specific posts and noticed not many chat rooms were talking about it either. After another day or so I figured it was some random hoax that someone was playing on MySpace. Maybe someone decided to get a couple of e-mail addresses, make different accounts with different names, and start some net story. Anywho I think a few nights ago I noticed my mom and some of her work friend talking about some outbreak in a city down below us. Some of her friends were saying that they knew this was gonna happen sooner or later cause people were getting careless at The Center for Disease Contracts or something, I just call them the CDC. My mom was saying that they were overreacting and to keep a level head. She always knows how to calm situations down when people start to get ahead of themselves. This really itches.Anyway, they started to argue alittle bit about how no one in the government is gonna come save them when the shit hits the fan, whatever that means, and that maybe they deserved it for being so careless. I'm not sure what happened next cause at that same time my dad came in a busted me for eaves dropping. he wasn't to mad which surprised me, but he sent me to my room and grounded me for the night. I wish I knew what else was said, because I heard doors slamming and then the other ladies left. I guess my mom was kinda upset because she didn't come in and yell at me like she usually does when I do stupid stuff. The rest of the night was normal I guess, I went to sleep and tried to get everything off of my mind and not worry. Now this brings me to yesterday. My head doesn't feel good. Sometime around one in the afternoon I heard a loud noise from behind the house. I went outside to see what was going on and I saw one of our neighbors wandering through moms garden. She Loves that freaking thing more than dad and I. Well, maybe not, but sometimes it feels like that sometimes. Anyways, i got over to him to see if he was ok (he was moving around like he was drunk or somthing) when I noticed he was bleeding a little bit. I called his name, ummmmm what was it Mr………Walsh. Yeah Walsh, at least I think so anyway. But yeah, I called out to him and he didn't respond. I called him few more times and told him that if momma catches him she's gonna get both of us. He still didn't seem to understand me so I went over to him to grab his shirt. Right when I did he turned around really fast and jumped on me lol. When he jumped I moved back at the last second and he wound up grabbing a hold of my leg. My stomach hurts. I was fighting him of, or at least trying to when he bit me. THAT FUCKER BIT ME!!! I usualy dont swer but hurt. Right ater he bit me I got over to a shovel and slapped him in the head. I may not be the biggest kid around, but I gave it everything I had. I thought I had killed him at first, because he didn't move anymore. I didn't care, I just ran in the house as fas as I could. I guess I didn't hurt him to bad because when I looked back for him after clenin the bit he was gon. I hope his wife has fun dealing with that kinda crap lol. I didn't tell my family about the bit cause they'd have found some way to…………what? Now I went to sleep and woke up today ……………………………………….. Then when wake up tis moning it was red and ful of pus. Really naty stuf. It's also been brning and iching alt. my head has been hrtin an it getin tough and tough to ink. I also got this werd taste in my mouth tat wont go away lol. I don think I'm to sck or nothin cause I still hungy. ……………. Momma I think I ned to eat somthin then il feel beter. Momma will get me somethin and mak me better……momma…………….
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The 11 posts that have made today are all apart of a story being written by myself and my friend Brian. In a sense it's a zombie survival thriller. it takes place with Brian and myself as the main characters, who are leaving behind their daily journals for any surviors to read. please leave comments and let me know what you think. As well you will want to read Brian's part od the story to get the full idea.thanksMattBrians posts http://www.myspace.com/undead_chroniclesRead more…
Three days off and things are no better. Terry is sick as shit with no signs of getting better. I mean I kinda guess we all know what's happening, but no one wants to say anything. These….whatever they are, people I guess, attack and bite. They aren't or at least don't seem to have much of a cognitive reasoning like normal people. Not so much to call it mental retardation or some type of brain damage so much as they just react. They seem to move on basic instincts of move, eat, and continue. That's the part that gets me. There is some type of brain activity going on; it just seems to be incredibly simple and brutal. I'll be the first to say it on here I guess. Terry is next. There's no way to be sure how exactly this started, but I can make a good bet that whatever it is it's communicable through the blood stream.I've broken down the differences of humans into three stages, or types. This information is based on the little contact and information that I've been able to gather throughout this crisis. I guess to save time I'll call the seemingly final stage type three humans. Type one humans are the everyday normal ones. Basically you, I, and anyone capable of everyday thinking and functioning on a "normal" level. Type two humans are the ones that have been "infected" such as Terry. They seem to display and incredible loss in their immune system and bowel control. It's as if their body's age and decay with every passing moment. I'll have to watch Terry a little more to see the exact process that he's going through and what develops, but right now on the second day, the effects of this bite seem to grow throughout the body.Now we come to type three humans. This is the final stage of the infection, where all but the vital movements and thought have been reduced to barbaric tendencies. They seem to move in somewhat staggering steps, that I can only imagine is because of the loss of some movement control in the process of mutation. They seem to still desire the need and want to feed on whatever they can, yet they DO NOT attack each other. This shows that somewhere within their minds lies enough activity to discern the difference between types's one and two and type three. This could be some sort of viral telepathy that is communicating on a level that cannot be seen such as the way ants and other insects communicate. It could also be that there is no communication except for visual cues that the differing types give off. Whatever that reasoning is, there is some brain activity on some incredible level that allows even the mindless to continue with basic tasks after the rest of the body has seemingly died.I'm not sure what all of this information says or even if it's accurate. I'll have to monitor the others and see if they bring any useful information to the table. I highly doubt that any of those people will be able to help me much on any level much less an intellectual one. With Terry incapacitated Will and April seem to be the ones that will try take the lead of this group. Will was the one that shoot the T3 that was coming at Brian and since then he's been the one that most of the others go to with questions. I don't know a lot about April but she seems to have her head on fairly well. She's a little older than the rest of us except for Terry and Cujo, but I think she was a supervisor or something. I may be wrong but even though she's still highly scared after what's happened she seems to have this aura of strength around her. Cujo is still in shock over what happened to Terry (they seem to be pretty close), and the others I don't know too well. Brian seems like an alright guy but he seems a little overwhelmed with what alls going on kinda the same as Theresa. I tried to talk to them a bit to see what they were both about. We got into a conversation about the state of the world and if this is some foretold, "Only the strong will survive," mess. Theresa seems to believe this is some biblical prophecy that the Mayans or someone predicted centuries ago. Either way I dropped one of my trusty English quotes on me and the seemed to buy it fairly well. Something about not losing sight of the soul yada yada and that appeased them for now.Whatever. I definitely don't see any of these people leading me through Toys R Us much less saving my life from dead people. Ah well, we'll see what happens but for now I'll hold this info to myself. It may seem self-fish but when the bullets start flying I don't want anyone coming towards me and popping off shots. There will be a need for people that can think on their feet and hold some meaningful purpose in life, and I plan to be one of those people. And besides, there's no reason to scare everyone into thinking tat the dead would be coming back for them. Hell I'm scared from that thought.
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THE FUCKING INTERNET. That's about all that's left now. Everything and most everyone is gone. And now I'm typing on the internet because that's all that's left everything that I held close. Wait, let me back up. My name is Matt Mills. I am, was, an employee of Pass and Seymour Legrand.I just finished my first semester of school at Rowan Cabarrus Community College, with straight A's I might add, and have…fuck….had the best girl friend ever. I'm not sure exactly when it started, but I know when it hit home. A few days ago, I was hangin out as I do best after a slow day of work, when the TV started goin crazy. News channels coming on with blaring sirens. Emergency networks sounding alarms as if Armageddon was comin right this second. I'm not too big into watchin the news, since all it ever shows is negative bullshit. Someone robbing someone, someone killing someone, or some war breaking out. I try to keep myself at peace most of the time, so I keep stuff like that out of my way. Well this time I should have watched a little bit closer.At some point once I got all the clutter out of my head I got the gist of what was going on. There had been mass murders taking place the likes that had never been done. Vicious Attacks! No one was shooting anyone really, just attacking and….biting them to death. Who Bites? It was as if someone brought every dumb movie to life. I checked the internet as much as I could to see what was going on. Nothing was being said in depth about the situation, actually some of the shatter started to die out a few hours later. I figured it was some mental asylum chaos that had been taken care of. Wrong!A few hours after the EBS stopped sounding I figured I'd head up to Wal-mart to do my shopping. I'd gotten paid today so I figured I might as well treat myself to some goodies. Dear God! That was the only thought in my mind when I saw it. Hundreds of people in the parking lots fighting and running. They were moving very odd like. I mean, some of them were kinda dragging around like they were limping while others were moving fairly normal. Then Boom, one of the people slammed into my jeep. Like I don't have enough scratches in it he started clawing at my door. I always lock my doors, so I figured that wouldn't be an issue. Wrong again. One of them grabbed the handles while others climbed on my hood and roof. That was that. I gunned it as hard as I could taking a few of them with me. I got to the entrance after running a few people over (I'm sorry but I wasn't gonna wait and see what happened) and ran my ass inside. Some of the crazy ones got inside but were beat back out with brooms and bats and whatever else people could find. I guess I was mistaken for one of them, because I was caught in the chin with a broom.Once the gates were down and everyone agreed that I wasn't a threat, we began to settle in and see what was going on. No one as I could tell knew a thing. I'm not surprised actually; judging by the looks and names of these folks counting was probably an issue. One guys name was Cujo. Fucking Cujo. Anyway, as soon as things seemed normal again we heard some engine revving in the parking lot. This guy named Terry came running saying that we needed to come help. Ha. I'm sitting my black ass right here. I know how this shit goes. And I was right this time. While I was telling Terry to forget this dude, he gets bit. Tough break as far as I'm concerned. I told them to just leave the doors shut because someone was liable to get hurt, and look at him now. Bless his soul though, because that bite looks bad.So now, here's what we have. Crazy people biting and fighting for no odd reason. A guy bleeding to death and turning odd colors on the floor. Some other guy who doesn't look fit to tie his shoes name after a Dog. A couple of chicks (enough said). And a dude named Brian that may have just cost us all our lives. And of course, The Fucking Internet.
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I posted a production still image of one of the main characters on this page yesterday. The front pages of the website is up at www.EarthSquadron.com. Today, we have even more good news, one of the action figures is 90% done. Please visit the website and let me know what you think.
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The dream of blacks making science fiction as a concept has been in the minds of many of us since we were all children watching science fiction movies and television shows such as Buck Rogers, Star Wars, Battle Star Galactic and Star Trek. Most of us have however, found that the characters that are ethnic, as a general rule most often have been relegated to secondary roles, sidekicks, stereotypes, sex objects, dope heads, not in the show at all or my favorite the first to die in the show. We however, feel it is only right to present science fiction with a different face, one that is not filled with the normal negative representation of ethnic characters. We think that it is essential for characters of all colors and creeds should be represented positively and fairly. The Digital Brothers Company is made up of individuals directly involved in a multimedia, web design, computer technology, graphic design, animation, photography and advertising. With this background coupled with talented writers, we decided to start making our own short films after seeing disappointment after disappointment in our representation in present science fiction shows. Eventually we hope to do a major feature when the opportunity presents itself. With this said we hope that you will enjoy our shows and ask that you spread the word and support us in our endeavors. As I write this, we have set the things in motion to create our first science fiction project. The story was written back in 2002 and is set to become a comic book, movie, action figure set and video game. Wish us luck and check back for more info on the project as it develops. I think what pushed me over the edges was that my 7 year old son and I were watching tv together and he asked me "Why are all the bad guys black people? " I tried my best to explain things to him as best I could. But I was ashamed that the situation was so dire that a then 1st grader could see it. So given that. I decided that since there were not enough positive images out there for him then I would create them for him. www.EarthSquadron.com
I want to ask for your support on BlackScienceFictionSociety.com’s first independent movie, Earth Squadron. It’s a tale of what happens when Earth’s unwanted become its only hope. This project is sponsored by our parent company www.TheDigitalBrothers.com please check out the blog on TheDigitalBrothers BSFS page to find out more about it. We are trying to raise $10,000 to finance the 30 minute video movie so please donate $20 or more what you can, no amount will be turned away.
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Lots of good stuff about what's happening in the minority publishing world.Come visit the blog and post a comment. Make it a favorite. Also, tell your friends about it.http://writersofcolorblogtour.blogspot.com/Read more…
IT’S A MIRACLE! IT’S A DRIFTER! IT’S … TEMPTATIONS MAN!The 1960s marked the birth of two of the comics industry’s first black superheroes: The Black Panther in 1966, and The Falcon in 1969. However, another African-American superhero came to life in 1969. He didn’t appear in the comics. He didn’t even have a name. He existed only in the lyrics of “I Can’t Get Next to You,” a hit song sung by the Temptations.If “Temptations Man” were an actual superhero, he would have a pretty impressive array of powers at his command. Check it out:“I can turn a gray sky blue. I can make it rain, whenever I wanted to.”This is weather manipulation, a power similar to that of Storm of the X-Men.“I can build a castle from a single grain of sand.”This is matter manipulation. Temptations Man can change not only the size of an object, but also its shape.“I can make a ship sail on dry land.”Looks like levitation here, similar to the power of the Jedi Knights in Star Wars.“I can fly like a bird in the sky.”So can about half the superheroes that were ever dreamed up, but flying is still not a bad power to have.“I can turn a river into a raging fire.”More matter manipulation … this time, transmuting substances from one form to another. Heavy-duty stuff here.“I can live forever if I so desired.”This could be immortality, invulnerability – or both.“I can turn back the hands of time, you better believe I can.”Now we’re getting into some really serious superpowers. The manipulation of time is something even Superman can’t do, although the Man of Steel does have the ability to time-travel – or at least he could many years ago, when I stopped reading comics.“I can make the seasons change, just by waving my hand.”This is similar to the weather-changing power, although in this case it seems more like the ability to raise and lower ambient temperature.“I can change anything from old to new.”Reversing the effects of wear, erosion and age … a hero with this power could put Botox out of business.Sadly, for all the powers he possesses, Temptations Man “can’t get next to” the woman he desires. But he sure could do just about anything else he wanted. Anyone trying to come up with a new superhero or super-team ought to give this old song a listen.
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Dressed in breeches and sandals, Joie rode through the forest of his ancestors. The illuminae filtered through the trees, sketching filigrees in the mulch below.The warrior was tall, with reddish brown skin, almond eyes and high cheekbones. Jet black hair hung loosely about his shoulders. Silver and turquoise rings dangled from his ears and wrists.Joie was half asleep, his muscular thighs loosely gripping the mare’s flanks, for she knew the way to their favorite stream better than he did. They reached the brook and he dismounted, kneeled and splashed water upon his face and neck, finally cupping a pool in his hands to drink.“Joseph…” He glanced around, instantly wary. The forest was teaming with supernatural life -- and not all of it friendly.Among the most dangerous were Wood Sprites -- forest succubae that took the form of human women to capture men. Their victims slowly starved to death, losing all grasp of time as they languished in their captor’s embrace.A mahogany shaded woman emerged from the grove of trees to his right. She had a wide nose, full lips and was dressed in a thigh length garment made entirely of overlapping feather. Her kinky hair was braided atop her head. Gold ornaments hung from her ears, neck and arms.She had the voluptuous body of a young girl. But her large dark eyes held knowledge no girl could ever possess, and she had all the earmarks of a preternatural creature -- though friend or enemy, Joie couldn’t tell.He decided not to stay and find out. In one fluid motion the warrior rose, and leaped on to his horse.IMMORTAL Copyright 2007 Valjeanne Jeffers-Thompson all rights reserved.I'm having so much fun, I skipped past the 15 page limit to one of my favorite passages. As always please feel free to leave comments and critiques (smile).
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“What time is it?”The top left knob of her console blinked. “The time is 7:00 am,” a pert, female voice replied.Seven o’clock! I’d better hustle! Karla gulped down her coffee, and hurried back into the bedroom to dress.Tehotep watched the tall, slender woman thumb through her closet. He wasn’t invisible, only dim. As long as he stayed in the shadows, she couldn’t see him. But noise couldn’t be cloaked by magic.The Indigo woman tossed a red knit, shirt and jeans on the bed, slipped off her pajamas and walked into the bathroom. As she stepped into the shower, the nozzle automatically clicked on, spraying her body with water. He followed, standing just beyond the doorway …Copyright 2007 Valjeanne Jeffers-Thompson all rights reserved
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Over two hours and I really enjoyed it. Good rewrite of the Stark history . . . killer suit . . . I don't even know why Gweneth Paltrow did this movie . . . Terrance Howard is ready for his suit and his close-up . . . Jeff Bridges as a baldy - not bad! There were a few holes in the early storyline, but not so egregious as to ruin the motion picture experience.Can't wait for Hancock!
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I can divide my life as a writer into six stages, stretching over a period of close to 40 years.STAGE ONEDuring the 1970s, I wrote short stories for small-press magazines put out by fans of the science fiction and fantasy genres. Those genres always fascinated me, and there is something about them that causes an inordinate proportion of their readers to believe they can write, as well as read, “sf and f.” I was one of them, and I had stories published in magazines that paid in copies, and sometimes fractions of a cent per word. One of them famously paid one-tenth of a cent per word, meaning you had to write 10 words to make a penny! Writing for the “zines” was a good way of honing the craft, getting feedback and establishing the beginnings of a readership.From the beginning, my stories were based on African history, mythology and folklore, as opposed to the usual Celtic, Arthurian and Scandinavian underpinnings of most of modern fantasy, from Tolkein to Rowling. This stage culminated in 1979, when four of my stories were included in anthologies from major publishers in the United States. Most of them were about a larger-than-life black hero named Imaro.STAGE TWOThis was a short, but very productive, period. It lasted from 1980 to 1985. During that time, I made the progression from short stories to novels. When I was writing stories, it was almost inevitable that ultimately, I would write a novel. But I hesitated, because a novel seemed like such a huge, daunting proposition when it was a challenge to write at a shorter length. Finally, I took the plunge, basically stitching my first novel together from some of my short stories about Imaro. Three Imaro novels were published by DAW Books between 1981 and 1985. I also continued to get stories into anthologies. I wrote a fourth Imaro novel, and had started a fifth one, when the roof fell in.I learned a hard lesson then: it’s one thing to get published; marketing is something else altogether. Although my novels received kind words from the critics, and created some dedicated fans, they did not sell well. And so DAW declined to publish the fourth novel in the series, and no one else would, either. That brought Stage Two to a crashing halt.STAGE THREEThe lack of commercial success of my novels was depressing, and the experience of being dumped by my publisher might have derailed me completely. But by then, I was in a new stage, which lasted from the mid-1980s until the beginning of this decade. This was a period of diversification, during which I tried my hand at many different kinds of writing. I wrote several screenplays, two of which were produced, but were so awful I’m not going to name them. I will only say that the movies weren’t porn. I didn’t really take to screenwriting anyway, because it tends to be “writing by committee,” and I prefer to be a “committee of one.” I also had two radio plays produced by the CBC, which is the Canadian counterpart to the British BBC and the American PBS.For eleven years, I wrote a weekly political-opinion column in a local daily newspaper, and a collection of those columns was published in 1999. I also wrote two books on Nova Scotia’s African-Canadian history, and was one of four authors included in a fourth. During that time, I supported myself first by teaching in a community college, and then as a copy editor for the newspaper, before ultimately becoming the paper’s editorial writer. But at the back of my mind, I wanted to write novels again.STAGE FOURAnd that led to the next stage, in which I embarked on the writing of a multi-volume epic African-oriented fantasy saga called Abengoni, which is Tolkienian in scope, if not subject matter. I had earlier tried to get a publisher interested enough to pay me to write this one gigantic story that needs four books to be told, but while I got encouragement, I couldn’t get a commitment. So I had to do it the hard way: write all four books in my time away from the job, then try to get them published. These books took on a life of their own, and became a world into which I went when the news of the world, with which I had to deal on the job, became too depressing. My guess was that this stage would take up the rest of my writing life.STAGE FIVEThis stage came as a surprise, and it was really a rollercoaster ride. By the summer of 2003, I had written the first of the Abengoni novels and was three-quarters of the way through the second. I had also put my stories about a Black Amazon warrior named Dossouye together into a single volume, but couldn’t get a publisher interested. However, two Dossouye stories appeared in Sheree Thomas’s Dark Matter anthologies, so that gave me hope. But I thought it was going to be a long, hard road before I ever got another novel published. I never thought about trying to bring the Imaro novels out again, because one segment in them was too close to the Rwanda genocide – the novels were written more than 10 years before the Rwanda tragedy, but I still felt uncomfortable with that segment.In July of 2003, I received an e-mail from a young Australian named Benjamin Szumzkyj. Ben was an Imaro fan, and wanted to see the entire series in print. He told me about Night Shade, a small press based in the northwestern United States, which had published a great deal of sf and fantasy by authors I knew. I was about to tell Ben that I couldn’t do it because of the Rwanda problem, when it hit me that I could replace the Rwanda-like segment with something else. I contacted Night Shade, and they were enthusiastic about bringing Imaro back into print – the first three novels, plus the two unpublished ones. The first one came out in 2006, and the second one last year.Then disaster struck again. In August of last year, Night Shade Books pulled the plug on the Imaro series, after publishing only two of the five books. The reason? Poor sales again. I felt like I was in a time warp, or worse. At least DAW published three of the Imaro novels. Night Shade only managed two. I wished Night Shade would have stuck it out. But I couldn’t demand that they continue to lose money on my books. That was the bottom line, which they expressed with what I believe to be genuine regret.I could have quit then, and I don’t think anyone would have blamed me for doing so. But I had received a lot of encouragement from the people who had bought the books, and I decided to try to find another way to get all the Imaro novels published – a way that would bypass certain bookstores and distributors, which seemed to be a barrier between the books and the audience that theoretically is out there. Little did I know that another stage was waiting.STAGE SIXA while before Night Shade gave me the bad news last year, Brother Uraeus – now a member of this group – approached me with the idea of publishing my Dossouye collection via print-on-demand. Already working for a publisher, he aspired to set up his own print-on-demand imprint. The Dossouye book would be a great start for that imprint, which came to be known as Sword & Soul Media. I take full credit for coming up with that name, by the way. And I thought print-on-demand would be a good way to get more of my work to the reader, since Night Shade was only going to do one Imaro novel a year, which meant that the fifth one wouldn’t have been out until 2010.So, this project was already underway when the bomb dropped. At that point, I asked Uraeus what he thought about the idea of publishing the three remaining Imaro novels through Sword & Soul. His response was – well, enthusiastic would be a mild word to describe it. I’m enthusiastic too, because the novels will be coming out faster – hopefully by the end of this year, with covers by Mshindo Kuumba, the magnificent artist who did the Dossouye cover. My goal is to make all my books – including another Dossouye novel, an Imaro short-story collection and the full Abengoni series – available for the people who want to read them, however many or few such people may be. Naturally, I’m hoping for many.I don’t know whether there’s another stage in my writing life coming down the pike, but I’m sure feeling good about this one.Now, you’re probably wondering why I put so much of my business in the street like this. I would have to say it’s a lengthy and roundabout way of presenting a message, which is: If you have stories you need to tell, tell them. Don’t quit unless you get to the point where you really don’t feel like telling them anymore. To paraphrase one of Satchel Paige’s old sayings: Keep looking ahead. You may be gaining on something.
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Sword & Sorceress 23We are happy to announce that Sword & Sorceress 22 sold well enough that we get to do another volume. Norilana Books will be publishing Sword & Sorceress 23 later this year.If you wish to submit a story to the anthology, please follow the Guidelines below.GuidelinesStories should be the type generally referred to as "sword and sorcery" and must have a strong female protagonist whom the reader will care about. See Sword & Sorceress 22 (or 1-20) for examples. We do not want stories with explicit sex, gratuitous violence, or profanity. We are NOT a market for poetry. We are willing to consider stories set in modern times, but we won't buy more than one or two of those for the anthology.No simultaneous submissions. With regard to multiple submissions, do not submit more than one story at a time. If we've rejected your first one, you may send another as long as it's before the deadline.If you have not sold to MZB, please read "What is a Short Story?" and "Why Did my Story Get Rejected?" before submitting to us.Reading period: Saturday, April 19 to Friday, May 16, 2008. Stories received before or after this period will be deleted unread.Response time is expected to follow MZB's traditional standards: you should hear within a week if we're holding your story for the final line-up or rejecting it.Deadline: May 16, 2008.Length: up to 9,000 words, with preference given to shorter stories. The longer a story is, the better it has to be.Formatting and Submission:Format with one-inch margins on all four sides of page.Please do not use a header or footer.Your name, full mailing address, and email address must be in the upper left corner, single spaced.Skip two lines, center the text, then put the title, with your name (or byline) on the next line. We're not going to be as rigid as MZB was about pen names, but we expect them to be reasonable, rather than cute.The rest of the manuscript should be single-spaced, with the first line of each paragraph indented 1/2 inch.If you need to indicate a break, put "#" on a line by itself, centered.Do not underline; use italics instead. Do not use bold face.Word count will be determined by our word processor; that way it will be the same for everyone.Save your document as an .rtf file (rich text format or interchange format, depending on what your computer calls it). E-mail as it as an attachment to . The subject line should be "SS23–your last name–story title" (e.g.: SS23-Bradley-Dark Intruder) -- we don't want submissions caught in our spam filter.Rights purchased: first rights.Payment: 5 cents per word as an advance against a pro rata share of royalties and foreign or other sales.http://mzbworks.home.att.net/s23.htmPOLITICAL FICTION: Call for Short StoriesDeadline extended to May 12th! We are accepting submissions for POLITICAL FICTION: Short Stories set in the World of Politics! A book of short stories to be published by Don Ron Books! Politics, whether by character, setting, or plot, must be central to the story; otherwise we want a range of styles & genres, set anywhere from the election trail to small town city halls to the White House, involving characters from US senators to mayoral aides to school board elected officials, etc. No language restrictions. Foreign political stories okay. We are NOT looking for political rants, but character driven stories. Political Fiction will be available at bookstores across the country & online. Stories cannot exceed 7,500 words; there is no lower word limit. Unpublished and unknown writers welcome. Previously published stories okay with proof that youhave permission to republish. One submission per author. Fiction only; no poetry.Please send stories to:By email: thepoliticalfiction@yahoo.comthepoliticalfiction (at) yahoo.comOr by post:Don Ron BooksPolitical FictionP.O. Box 39861Philadelphia , PA 19106Print your address, phone number, and email on each submission. Please enclose a brief bio that details your affiliation (if any) with politics. Stories will be recycled, not returned. We look forward to reading your stuff!Authors whose submissions are selected will be expected to work with the editors to fine tune their stories. There is no fee for submission. Selected authors will receive 2 copies of the book, but will not be otherwise paid. Don Ron Books reserves the right to publish the story in subsequent reprints of the book; authors otherwise retain the rights to their works. For questions please contact: thepoliticalfiction@yahoo.comDon Ron Books is a new publishing company based in Philadelphia. Their first book, Philly Fiction, a collection of short stories set in Philadelphia, has won critical acclaim, and is available in bookstores and online at amazon.com and bn.com. Philly Fiction 2 is forthcoming in the fall 2007. Political Fictionwill be their third book Deadline: May 12, 2007.Faerie Nation Mag is accepting submissions for their fall issue. It's an in-print mag described as "an interfaith, interdisciplinary, intertwining of newly evolving DNA. Flash fiction, knitting, social change, mysticism, you name it. Diverse! For example, past issues have included sex talk by Annie Sprinkle, herbalism by Susun Weed, musings by Oberon Zell, artwork by Paul B. Rucker, and articles by yours truly. Whoohoo! Ships to eight countries! Sliding scale cost. For more info, go to [http://www.outlawbunny.com/]www.outlawbunny.comDon't submit a story jsut b/c it has a Faerie as a character. That is not what they look for.They want any topic or persepctive as long as it is edgy and authentic.It is also a place with ads for SF/F/H.However, if you like more structure - - I want to give Fey-touched souls lotsa ways to express what's important to them - - here are some issues you might write about:* Who is the Faerie Queen to YOU? And Oberon? She has many faces. Which does she show in your own wild heart? Who is Oberon? He has countless aspects, like any healthy guy. Write about Him, Her, or both.* Write about the green Fey Earth, environmental magic & mystical love of Gaia. (Don't ask me what I mean by those topics. Make it whatever they seem to you in your earthy, mineral filled bones.)* Fashion Faeries: Okay, if it isn't fun, it isn't Fey! Nowhere is that more obvious then when it comes to dolling 'n' duding up. Write about glitter, glam, and magical style, whether it's your hair, nails, clothes, tattoos, jewelry, or . . .* Wandering & Wondering: the freethinker is a wanderer. Whether the terrain is the uncharted territory of your own mind or new life adventures, you go where mystery calls. In paradox, you always have a home: both within your heart and with the Faerie Queen and King.Every mystical vagabond has a unique journey. Nevertheless, after your gadabout, it's important to share about it with folks who understand in their own way. For example, what has life taught you recently? Or perhaps something amusing happened today? Did you read a great book? Wanna review a film? In other words, I'm suggesting yet another way to write whatever you want!! Hee, hee. The point of Faerie Nation's mag is to be inclusive of DIFFERENT people's visions of LIFE and MAGIC and SEX and . . . because there is always something juicy going on between your ears. We are all fabulous creative thinkers.* The trouble with being Fey - - troubleshooting the mystic life: The magazine is a celebration of spiritual diversity. However, to have fun, we also need to feel safe. So let's share solutions to problems that many of us confront. For example, how do we get by without our friends all thinking we are nuts? If you're the sort of Fey-touched spirit who likes their mysticism wild, on the edge, and totally out there, what do you do to stay safe, sane, and psychically whole? What does it mean to be a mixed-blood human, both human and Fey?Don't feel you have to approach the above topics only with straight prose. Try ritual, fiction, or . . .How to SubmitSubmit your work in the body of an email. Do not use fancy formatting or programs. Just do it plain old email style. If you want a word italicized in the final copy, make the word all CAPS. Send to ade.conway@gmail.com .Include this exact sentence: "Please credit [name, professional or religious title if you want] as the author of this piece." If you want to be anonymous, fill in the blank with "anonymous."If you want a contributor's bio in the mag, precede the bio with these words: "This is the bio:" After the bio, please write "end of bio" or your automatically generated signature or other comments addressed privately to us could end up in the magazine for all to see. Bio must be no more than a short paragraph, two-three sentences.Include your real name, email addy, snail mail address, and phone number. They will not be published unless you include them in your bio.We consider one piece per author at a time. We do not consider submissions that are simultaneously being submitted elsewhere.Teens can submit (with written parental permission if under 18).Do not send us your only copy: We do not return submissions.Deadlines and MiscellanyOur deadlines for submissions are: May 1 for the Fall issue, September 3 for the Spring issue, and February 9 for the Summer issue. However these deadlines are subject to change, so please check in with us if you are hoping to be in a specific issue.In return for your article, you receive a free copy of the mag and one-time ad space. Don't send the ad with your submission: If we accept your piece, we'll contact you about the ad.We send a letter of acceptance or rejection within six months of receipt of a submission..Articles might be edited for clarity, length, and inclusiveness. Poems will not. Rites will not, except for their prose sections, such as instructions.http://www.outlawbunny.com/FNMsubmissions.html*****************************************The 77th Annual Writer's Digest Writing Competition is now open for submissions. Top prize is $3000 and a trip to New York to meet with four editors or agents. There are ten categories for both fiction and nonfiction. The entry fee is $15 and the deadline to enter is May 15, 2008. All the details are online at https://www.writersdigest.com/contests/annual/77th/============================Anthology Seeks SubmissionsherStory Narratives, anthology celebrating empowerment of women, looking for stories“herStory Narratives: Stories From Outstanding Women” is a collection of stories by women, discussing their professions, passions and what empowers them. Women of all ages and ethnicities are encouraged to participate.Work is especially welcome from new and emerging writers. Essays and short stories should be no longer than 3,000 words. Contributions should have the contributor’s name on each page.Deadline: May 31, 2008.Electronic Mail: send your work to herstorynarratives@yahoo.com. Attachments should be titled with your name and e-mail subject should read “herStory Narratives.”Snail Mail:Lisa DanielsherStory NarrativesP.O. Box 614Elk Grove , CA 95759-0614Please include a brief bio, a headshot (if available) and mailing address.Contributors will receive a copy of the book.JUNECall For Submissions: Ghosts In The MachinePhoenix Imprints Presents is now accepting art and literary submissions for its new anthology:Ghosts In The Machine, edited by Aitch Jae Esse of Phoenix Imprints Presents, will be an original collection of short stories focused specifically on the supernatural as relates to technology, most particularly with the Internet/Computers but other areas of technology will certainly be considered.Literary submissions should be less than 7000 words and, while authors are encouraged to ‘push the envelope’ with their submissions, excessive sexuality and violence are acceptable only to the degree that they serve the overall story. Successful submissions will be those stories that tell a genuinely scary, original tale with memorable characters and story arcs. If you have questions about submissions, policies, etc., please email the address below.Submission Deadline: June 1st, 2008Anticipated Publication Fourth Quarter, 2008, First Quarter 2009Submission Details: 1000-7000 wordsAuthors’ Recompense: $20 per story accepted, publication credit and contributors’ copyArtwork Sought: Original Cover Art as well as interior illustrations, recompense negotiated based upon submissions.Authors may submit their literary artwork to the email address below. Please place the following in the subject line: “Ghosts In The Machine: Literary Submission”. Acceptable formats include MSWord (DOC) and Rich Text Format (RTF). Please be certain to include your contact information including Name, Address, Email Address, Telephone and any other relevant contact information.Artists may submit their artistic submissions to the email address below. Please place the following in the subject line: “Ghosts In The Machine: Artist Submission”. Please make sure to include all photographs of work in TIFF, JPG or BMP formats. Other formats may be acceptable if arranged in advance. Please be certain to include your contact information including Name, Address, Email Address, Telephone and any other relevant contact information.Contact Information: AitchJaeEsse@Hotmail.comhttp://community.livejournal.com/specficmarkets/Dante's Heart offers a biannual, online venue for established and new writers and artists to share creative work that explores how myth and fairy tale define and are defined by the human experience(s).We want to celebrate the shock, wonder, bewilderment, suffering, and enchantment of myth, of the fantastic; we want to hear about rivers running with wine and ghosts jumping the Mississippi on motorcycles. We're concerned with the neglect of myth, with the blindness of a culture determined by myths it hasn't thought about; we demand (beg, entreat, scream) that myths be thought about, made and remade, handled with a delicate & angry/sad/ desperate/joyous exuberance.Dante's Heart has no investment in being either traditional or avant-garde, in genre or trans-genre, academic or popular; our whole commitment is to discovery, to surprise or be surprised.Dante's Heart is an online venue looking for creative work that explores how myth and fairy tale define and are defined by the human experience(s). We want to celebrate the shock, wonder, bewilderment, suffering, and enchantment ofmyth, of the fantastic; we want to hear about rivers running with wine and ghosts jumping the Mississippi on motorcycles. We're concerned with the neglect of myth, with the blindness of a culture determined by myths it hasn't thought about; we demand (beg, entreat, scream) that myths be thought about, made and remade, handled with a delicate & angry/sad/ desperate/joyous exuberance.CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:WOLVES and WOLF FOLKLOREDante’s Heart: A Journal of Myth, Fairytale, Folklore, and Fantasy is calling for submissions of art, poetry, fiction, essays, or lyrics that explore the folklore of the wolf and the contradictions of the wolf as character, figure, and symbol in contemporary culture whether in the U.S. or around the world. Whether the subject is Little Red Riding Hood or the decimation of the Arctic or Fenris chained by the gods, send your best unpublished work to editors@dantesheart.com.We are especially interested in finding out where we are, here at the near start of the 21st century, in looking at wolves as potent, alarming, or attractive creatures. What does the wolf mean to us today, and what do past stories or art about wolves mean to us today? How in our current folklore do we use, fear, celebrate, or learn from wolves?Work submitted will be considered for publication in either a supplemental issue or a full special issue of Dante’s Heart in Fall 2008.Submissions are due June 15, 2008.Other Things of InterestFor inspiration or just for the excitement of it, see also the discussion of wolf folklore on our bloghttp://www.dantesheart.com/WolfCFP.htmlSUBMISSIONSSend all submissions to editors@dantesheart.com. Reply to submissions takes 8-10 weeks. Multiple submissions are ok. Please no simultaneous submissions or previously published work. Dante's Heart obtains 1st North American serial rights. All rights revert to the author upon publication.Please also check:Guidelines for the Dante's Heart Fall 2008 Poetry ContestCall for submissions for a special issue on Wolves and Wolf FolkloreHere are our general guidelines:FICTION & THEATREShort stories, short-shorts and flash fiction are welcome, as are dramatic scenes and short plays. We prefer work under 4,000 words. We are interested in but do not limit submissions to retellings of fairy tales or myths, mythopoeic writing with exquisite prose, ghost tales, magical realism or literary enchantment, fantasy, as well as “mainstream” fiction concerned with myth or with the fantastic.POETRYNo boundaries. We are especially interested in brief and minimalist work, however.ARTDigital submissions only, but not just looking for “digital art.” We are open to varied forms and media, including photography. We are especially interested in work that illustrates, revisits, or peers into a classical or prevalent myth, fairy tale, or fantastic narrative.FLASH/MIXED MEDIAWe would love to see more mixed media/interactive media work that invites reader/viewer participation using Flash or other technologies. Take a look at The Cobweb Forest and Dreaming Methods for examples of what has us inspired.REVIEWSCheck our Reviews page for a list of books for which we are currently soliciting reviews, or query to suggest a review. Reviews should be no longer than 600 words.CALL FOR REVIEWSDante's Heart is calling for reviews of books, art, and film on an ongoing basis. Please contact us at editors@dantesheart.com with suggestions for a review; we are very open to your ideas.Here is a shortlist of works we would especially like to see reviewed; we will be updating this list frequently, so please check back. This list is meant to be suggestive, not restrictive.Except in rare cases, reviews should be no longer than 600 words.BooksBrooks, Max. World War ZClarke, Susanna. Jonathan Strange & Mr. NorrellGaiman, Neil. Fragile ThingsLawhead, Stephen R. Hood; ScarletMcCarthy, William Bernard. Cinderella in AmericaOverstreet, Jeffrey. Auralia's ColorsWolfe, Gene. Pirate FreedomMarvel Comics. The Dark TowerFilmPan's LabyrinthStardustEnchantedThe Golden CompassOnlineStock, Lisa, and Connie Toebe. The Cobweb Foresthttp://www.dantesheart.com/PoetryContest.htmlNARRATIVE PRIZEhttp://www.narrativemagazine.com/shared/prize.phpThe $4,000 Narrative Prize will be awarded annually for the best short story, novel excerpt, poem, or work of literary nonfiction published by a new or emerging writer in Narrative.The deadline for entries for each year’s award is June 15.The winner is announced each September, and the prize is awarded in October.Notices of the award, citing the winner’s name and the title and genre of the winning piece, will be placed in prominent literary periodicals. Each winner will also be cited in an ongoing listing in Narrative. The prize will be given to the best work published each year in Narrative by a new or emerging writer, as judged by the magazine’s editors. In some years, the prize may be divided between winners, when more than one work merits the award.All submissions are carefully considered for publication. To submit your work for the Narrative Prize, please see the submission form below or visit our Submission Guidelines page.Submissions by new and emerging writers are eligible for the prize, and we accept submissions year-round. For further information, please read our Submission Guidelines.Submission GuidelinesWe welcome submissions of previously unpublished manuscripts of all lengths, ranging from short short stories to complete book-length works. Narrative regularly publishes fiction, poetry, and nonfiction, including stories, novels, novel excerpts, novellas, personal essays, humor, sketches, memoirs, literary biographies, commentary, reportage, interviews, and features of interest to readers who take pleasure in storytelling and imaginative prose. For poetry submissions, Narrative is open to all forms and genres. We look for quality and originality of language and content. We do not accept translations. If you are interested in sending your work for consideration, please read the following guidelines carefully. You may wish to print out this page so that you can refer to it as you submit your manuscript.Submissions may be sent to us at any time, year-round. We accept multiple submissions, since we feel that it’s unreasonable to expect writers to give a magazine an exclusive look at a work unless the magazine can respond within two to three weeks. We want writers to have every possible opportunity for success,so we’re willing to risk losing a story we want when someone at another magazine may have done their reading before we have, and in that case we’ll be sorry to lose the piece but happy for the writer. Our response time varies from four to twelve weeks, with the slowest times usually being August/September andDecember/January.Except during our open-submission periods, we require a reading fee for submission, as follows:—a $20 reading fee for short short stories of 750 to 2,000 words.—a $10 reading fee for up to five poems in a single submission.—a $10 reading fee for short audio (MP3) submissions of poetry. Audio poetry submissions may be up to five minutes in length.—a $10 reading fee for short audio (MP3) submissions of prose, for our TELL ME A STORY category (see description below). Audio prose submissions may be up to five minutes in length.—a $20 reading fee for a single manuscript (fiction or nonfiction) of 2,000 to 10,000 words in length.—a $20 reading fee for novellas and book-length works.All submissions, with a reading fee, from new or emerging writers are eligible for the $4,000 Narrative Prize, awarded annually.For all accepted manuscripts of 750 to 2,000 words we pay between $150 and $350 on publication. For all accepted manuscripts of 2,000 to 10,000 words, we pay $350 to $1,000 on publication. For all book-length works accepted for serialization, we pay a minimum of $1,000 to $5,000 on publication and may offermore, depending on the length and nature of the work. For more information on our program of serializations, please click here. For each accepted poem and for each short audio piece, we pay a minimum of $50, on publication.Contributors are asked to include a brief biographical note with their submissions.We accept only online submissions: Please read the following instructions in full and/or print out the instructions before making an online submission:1) Online submissions should be formatted as follows: Fiction and nonfiction should be double-spaced, with 12-point type, at least one-inch margins, and sequentially numbered pages. Poetry should be single-spaced, with 12-point type, at least one-inch margins, and sequentially numbered pages. The author’s name, address, telephone number, and email address should be typed at the top of the first page.2) Save your document in one of the following formats: .doc, .pdf, or .rtf.To read instructions for putting a document in Microsoft Word Rich Text Format (.rtf), or any other word-processing program using .rtf, please click here.3) Before sending us your document, read the details below and fill in the appropriate form fields.SHORT SHORT STORY manuscripts must be between three and five pages in length, and no less than 750 and no more than 2,000 words.MANUSCRIPTS OF UP TO 10,000 WORDS can include short stories, essays, and other complete short works of nonfiction, and excerpts from longer works of fiction and nonfiction.NOVELLAS AND OTHER LONG WORKS THAT ARE LESS THAN BOOK LENGTH may run between10,000 and 40,000 words. For works of this length, please submit the first 10,000 words with a synposis. (Based on our reading of the first 10,000 words, we will ask to see the complete manuscript if we think the work is suitable for Narrative.)COMPLETE BOOK-LENGTH WORKS. For consideration for serialization, please send the first chapter and a one-page synopsis of the book. (Based on our reading of the first chapter and synopsis, we will ask to see the complete book manuscript if we think the book is suitable for serialization in Narrative. We acceptsubmissions of completed, previously unpublished books. For further information on our program of serializations, please click here.)POETRY SUBMISSIONS may contain up to five poems. Your submission should give a strong sense of your style and range. We accept submissions of all poetic forms and genres but do not accept translations.AUDIO POETRY SUBMISSIONS must be in MP3 format and may be up to five minutes long.TELL ME A STORY audio prose submissions may be fiction or nonfiction but should take a storytelling form. Audio prose submissions must be in MP3 format and may be up to five minutes long.Pandora's Box Special Project; Dark Eden PressSomewhere in the world sits the infamous relic which is Pandora's Box. A vessel containing all the evil of the world and one magical gift - hope. Somehow it has been opened for a brief moment. It may be opened by one of the characters or someone else simply opened it by mistake. The fact remains, evil personified now trolls across Earth.The Task – Write a 30K+ word romance revolving around the evil/s that escaped the box. You must include the prop of the box as well.Genre - paranormal romance (may be very light or very heavy elements)Plot - an evil or evils have escaped from Pandora's Box and must be returned in some form or fashion. You may use any evil including sins, diseases, famous or infamous murderers, etc...Ending - must be HEA or HEA for now.Heat Level - any (mainstream or erotica BUT erotica must focus on the plot)Time Period - anyProp that must be included - the box*Note – The evil may be the antagonist, or protagonist.These should be well-crafted stories with excellent characters and contain an integral use of the plot as stated above.Submissions must be in by June 1, 2008.Please address all questions or submissions tosubmissionsATdarkedenpress.comDark Distortions is a print anthology (approximately 500+ pages in length) that covers novellas, short stories, flashes and poetry. Each edition of Dark Distortions will cover different themes that explore the darkest regions of the mind. Our main objective is to create "treasures boxes", where a reader can pick up an edition and read different kinds of dark fiction or poetry in many different styles. Volume 1 began rather general, where we were only looking for stories with a "distorted view". With DD II, we plan on upping the stakes, adding the theme "magic rites". DD II is opening for submissions January 1st, 2008.Submissions Window: Dark Distortions, volume IIThe submission window for Dark Distortions II will begin January 1st, 2008 and end June 30th, 2008 or until filled.What We WantWe want strongly-written, well-composed and consistent novellas, novelettes, short stories, flash fiction or poetry that are dark in nature and show a distinctively “distorted” sensibility.For Dark Distortions II, we also want elements that include some form of “magic rite” (Voodoo, Kabbalah, Wiccan, Judeo-Christian or altogether made up). This doesn't mean that these magic rites have to tell a supernatural story. There could be a crime that takes place before, during or after a rite, or maybe the rite is a crime itself. It doesn't matter how you approach these elements, we just want to see them in the story or piece.Micro-fiction should be no longer than 100 words. Flash fiction should be between 100 words and 1k. Short stories should be from 1k to 8k words. Novelettes should be 8k to 20k. And novellas should be about 20k to 50k approximate words.Poetry can be any length, though we're not looking for epic pieces. Nothing Homeresque in length, please.We're also very stingy about manuscripts that do not follow our general guidelines (found below). For general guidelines and more information, see below. Your manuscript should also look like our EXAMPLE PDF in Rich Text, Open Office or Word programs.Where To Submit:Send stories to scotopia@gmail.com with the subject bar reading in all caps: SUBDARKDIS2_TITLE_. (Of course the "title" here is the title of your story.)http://www.scotopiapress.com/submissions.htmSet Your Sights on the Moon!National Space Society AnnouncesRETURN TO LUNA: A Short Story Science Fiction ContestThe National Space Society (NSS) and Hadley Rille Books announce the RETURN TO LUNA Short Story Contest.SCENARIO: You're returning from a hike in the Moon's Apennine Mountains, following the ancient trail of bootprints back to the settlement. For three days your suit has protected you on your journey through the lunar wilderness, a hike unlike any on Earth. You've scaled mountains, traversed craters, repelled down massive boulders. And now you've crested the last hill and the valley spreads out before you. The colony's sprawling complex awaits. You're almost home.WE ARE LOOKING FOR: Science Fiction stories that show the adventure of lunar settlement. We want to feel the romance of life there, the wonder of the lunar frontier, of its magnificent desolation. We prefer near future (50 to 150 years from now), realistic stories about human lunar settlement. We want good characterization and well-written, tight prose. We want to feel what it's like to live on the Moon.We will be accepting submissions for stories that deal with humanity's return to, and colonization of the Moon. Winning stories will be selected later this year by a panel of award-winning authors and editors, and will be included in the print anthology RETURN TO LUNA. Winners will also receive complimentary full-year memberships to the National Space Society, including a subscription to the award-winning magazine, Ad Astra, and a chance for their story to be featured in a review in an upcoming issue of the magazine. Visit www.nss.org or www.hadleyrillebooks.com for updates. Read below for story guidelines and rules.RETURN TO LUNA -- STORY GUIDELINESPlease read entire guidelines before submitting to ensure your story fits the requirements!REQUIREMENTS:* Previously unpublished stories only -- no reprints.* No simultaneous submissions (that is, don't send your story to us and to other publishers at the same time).* Multiple submissions are okay (you may send us more than one story).* Set entirely on the Moon.* Realistic stories showing very possible futures.* No gratuitous sex or excess violence or anything beyond mild language (these stories will be read by space enthusiasts of all ages).* Science Fiction (no fantasy, horror or other genres).* No aliens or faster than light travel.LENGTH: 2000 to 6000 words.ENTRY FEE: None.PRIZES: All winning stories will be published in the anthology RETURN TO LUNA with a potential readership of thousands; the book will be submitted to well-known science fiction editors to consider each of the stories for inclusion in their "best of the year" anthologies, and the book will be sent out for review. All winning authors will receive free membership to the NATIONAL SPACE SOCIETY for one year. GRAND PRIZE WINNER will also have a review of his or her winning short story featured in NSS's magazine AD ASTRA, and on the NSS and Hadley Rille Books websites.ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS ONLY: Send as an attachment to an email message with subject line "NSS CONTEST" to subs@hadleyrillebooks.com. Microsoft Word .doc file is preferred, or .rtf is okay (please contact us if you need to make arrangements for another format). Please virus scan your document before sending. Story will be stripped of author name and assigned a number before forwarded to the jurors. You will receive a confirmation email back from us. (If you do not receive a confirmation email then that means we did not receive your story.)FORMAT: We prefer the standard manuscript format as shown here: http://www.speculations.com/format.html, except that we prefer single-spaced rather than double-spaced. Please don't do any fancy formatting such as right-justifying, etc. -- leave that to us. Please don't hit Enter (or Return) at the end of each line. Let your word processor wrap the text.SUBMISSION PERIOD: From now through June 15, 2008.SOME IDEAS:* How have we set about establishing a lunar base, and then a colony?* What are living conditions like?* What is the lunar wilderness like? What kind of exploring to settlers do?* What are the buildings like and how do people get around the lunar surface?* What kinds of transportation do they use to travel to and from the Moon?* What kind of society lives there? What are the challenges to human social structures?* Are lunar colonies self-sufficient or do they depend on Earth?* What kind of industries exist and how do the colonists make use of lunar resources?* Does the colony resemble Las Vegas or is it more like a science outpost?* Will there be settlements on the far side -- a radio telescope array, perhaps?* Is the colony located near one of the poles where miners extract ice from the permanently shadowed areas?* Why have we established a colony on the Moon?JUDGING: Winning stories will be selected by our jury of authors and editors, including Michael A. Burstein, Tom Dupree, Jude-Marie Green, Jay Lake, Geoffrey A. Landis, Christopher McKitterick, Eric T. Reynolds, Lawrence M. Schoen, Allen Steele, Ian Randal Strock.RESULTS: We expect to announce winners by late summer 2008.ABOUT THE BOOK: This anthology will be professionally published in either trade paperback, hardcover, or both. We expect to publish the book late 2008.About the National Space SocietyThe National Space Society (NSS) is an independent, grassroots organization dedicated to the creation of a spacefaring civilization. Founded in 1974, NSS is widely acknowledged as the preeminent citizen's voice on space. NSS counts thousands of members and more than 50 chapters in the United States and around the world. The society also publishes Ad Astra magazine, an award-winning periodical chronicling the most important developments in space. For more information about NSS, visit www.nss.org.About Hadley Rille BooksHadley Rille Books was founded in 2005 by Eric T. Reynolds to publish Science Fiction with an emphasis on space, archaeology, climate and other science-related topics, with a goal to bring a new sense of adventure of the Universe to the reader. Hadley Rille Books publishes well-known writers as well as new and emerging voices. For more information, visit www.hadleyrillebooks.com.http://www.nss.org/news/releases/pr20080229.htmlJULYCheerios® is searching for the next great children's book author. It could be you!http://www.spoonfulsofstoriescontest.com/Just enter your original children's book story by July 15, 2008. See contest rules below.Meet Shellie Braeuner. Her story, The Great Dog Wash, won the Grand Prize in the 2007 Cheerios® Spoonfuls of Stories Children's Book Contest. She won $5,000 from Cheerios®, and will have her book published by Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing.You can see her book come to life on www.spoonfulsofstories.com.AUGUSTLace and Blade is accepting submissions for its second anthology of "elegant, sensual, romantic fantasy, emphasizing sharp verbal repartee as much as sharp pointed weapons, rapier rather than broadsword." Editor Deborah J. Ross is interested in "characters - both men and women - with vibrant personalities, complex, dashing, and very sexy. I'm particularly interested in stories that have magic and action, but in which conflict is resolved not by violence but by insight, creativity, and compassion. I'd love to see "win-win" endings, sense-of-wonder, plot twists and turnabout. Alternate sexuality is welcome; eroticism a definite plus; exotic, non-Western European settings also encouraged. Please read the first volume to see what I'm looking for." The deadline for submissions is August 1, 2008. There are no minimum or maximum lengths, though Ross says longer stories must be "extraordinary." Ross will pay a 2 cents a word advance against royalties. The book will be released Valentine's Day, 2009. Complete guidelines are available at http://www.norilana.com/norilana-lb-guidelines.htmRIGHTS PURCHASED: First English Language Rights and non-exclusive electronic rights. The anthology will be published by Norilana Books in a trade paperback edition on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2009, to be followed by an electronic edition to be produced later.PAYMENT: $0.02 a word on acceptance, as an advance against a pro rata share of royalties and foreign or other sales (per word, not per story), plus a contributor copy.WORD LENGTH: No maximum, although longer stories must be extraordinary.READING PERIOD begins April 1, 2008. Please do not submit your stories before then.DEADLINE: August 1, 2008HOW TO SUBMIT / FORMATTING: You may e-mail your story as .rtf attachment or mail a hard copy with SASE and a CD containing an .rtf file. Do not send a .docx file as I cannot open them! If e-mailing, please format without headers or footers, 12 point Courier, italics instead of underlining, and put your full name, mailing address and email address on the upper left corner of the first page. I will determine final word count according to my standard formatting.The subject line of your e-mail should say "Submission: Story Title, last name of author." The story file itself should have your full name, address, e-mail address, title of story, and number of words. We are open to new writers and seasoned veterans alike.EDITORIAL ADDRESS:Deborah J. Ross14775 Virginia AvenueBoulder Creek CA 95006We look forward to reading your most inspired work.SEPTEMBERFairy Tale Review is an annual literary journal devoted to contemporary fairy tales. The journal hopes to provide an elegant and innovative venue for both established and emerging authors of poetry and prose. Fairy Tale Review is not devoted to any particular school of writing, but rather to fairy tales as an inspiring art form.www.fairytalereview.comPlease note that our next submission period is April 15, 2008 - September 15, 2008. We will be accepting submissions ONLINE during that time, via a Submission Manager, accessible at that time from our website. We look forward to reading your work!Remember, the reading period for the Aquamarine Issue runs from April 15 through September 15, 2008.http://www.fairytalereview.blogspot.com/http://www.fairytalereview.com/Fairy Tale Review is a co-publication of The University of Alabama Press.For recent news please visit www.fairytalereview.blogspot.comFairy Tale Review will have a table in the AWP bookfair. If you're planning to attend AWP, please stop by and take a look at the Violet Issue, Pilot (Johann the Carousel Horse) by Johannes Goransson, and The Changeling, by Joy Williams. You'll have a chance to meet Kate Bernheimer, Editor, and Assistant Editors Christopher Hellwig and Andy Johnson. We'd love to talk to you about our journal, the next issues, and fairy tales.Check out the guidelines at: http://www.sorceroussignals.com/Guidelines.htmlSorcerous Signals is a quarterly Fantasy electronic magazine.Each issue we hope to "print" short stories, poetry and flash fiction that meets the following guidelines:My primary guideline is simple:Write a good Fantasy story.What I am NOT looking for - erotica / slash / or other such stories.Although well written love scenes that are IMPORTANT to the story may be considered on a story-by-storybasis.1) Stories should be no longer than 10,000 words.However, tell the story - if it takes more than 10,000 words to tell the story properly so be it.Just try to cut it down if possible - but remember the story is the important part.2) I will accept reprints as long as it has been at least 1 year since the story was previously published, rightshave reverted back and you tell me where it previously appeared.3) Please keep the graphic gore down to a minimum (only what's needed for the story).4) Please keep the obscene language to a bare minimum (again, only what's needed for the story).5) Humor similar to what has appeared in the "Chicks in Chain Mail"; series of Anthologies will also beconsidered.6) Simultaneous Submissions will be considered IF:a) You tell me up frontb) You inform me immediately if the story has been accepted elsewhereIf I have too many occurrences of finding out a story was accepted somewhere else when I contact an authorto tell them I would like to accept their story for Sorcerous Signals - I will no longer accept simultaneoussubmissions.7) Please do not send multiple submissions. I will only print one piece by a particular author in a single issue.I am partial to Sword and Sorcery style Fantasy stories,but will consider anything that fits into the fantasy genre.All stories received will be considered first for Sorcerous Signals and also for The Lorelei Signal.Please do not submit to both e-zines.FORMATTING:If you have a Fantasy story you think meets the theme of this magazine then send it to me via email in plaintext as part of the message body. Even though I have decent anti virus software on my computer - if you sendme an attachment you are risking me deleting your email unread. I will not respond to emails deleted for failingto properly follow the guidelines.Your work should be as professional as you can make it, as if you were presenting it to a professionalmagazine for publication.Do not indent.Please single space with a double space between paragraphs and use _to indicate italics_.RESPONSE TIMES:I plan on waiting until the end of each of the reading periods before reading the stories that have come in. So ifyou submit early in that period you will have to wait a few weeks before I start on the submissions.Each submission should also receive an acknowledge email within a few days of it being received by the editor.Response times will depend on the number of submissions being received, my personal time schedule as wellas any writing deadline's I may have. However, I do hope to keep response times down to less than 2 months.I will make every effort to respond to each story with something other than a form letter.RIGHTS:Author's grant to Sorcerous Signals one-time rights to publish in electronic format.We request 6 months exclusivity, after which they are free to market the story elsewhere.Authors are also encouraged to post a short excerpt on their own website with a link to Sorcerous SignalsPlease note if you are not sending a reprint this does constitute first electronic (and 1st serial rights) for yourstory if it is accepted.Sorcerous Signals also requests non-exclusive print anthology rights for possible inclusion in an end of yearAnthology issue.If an author's story is selected for this anthology they will receive $10.00.If an author's story is not selected for the Anthology covering the year their story appeared, Sorcerous Signalsno longer has any claim to the anthology rights without the permission of the author.SUBMISSION:Please provide the following information in a "cover letter" at the beginning of your submission:Your name (pen name if desired) / e-mail address and web-site if you have one.Also let us know if you are open to receiving feedback from readers. If so we will provide a link to your emailaddress with your story. If not specifically stated we will assume you do not want the feedback link. Please titleyour email as SORCEROUS SUBMISSION: (the title of your story)Something to be aware of, stories used in magazines such as this, are a matter personal taste.While I may not accept your story for the magazine, it does not constitute a personal rejection of you -- onlythat your story may not have met my personal vision for the zine.REVIEWS:Sorcerous Signals is also looking for reviews of Fantasy.Please title your email as SORCEROUS REVIEW: (the title of the story you are reviewing).There is no payment or donation button for reviews.Reviews may be submitted outside the normal reading periods.PAYMENT:We're trying an experiment. Each story will contain a PayPal donation button, so readers can show theirappreciation to the author. Money received through this method will be split 60/40 between the author (60%)and the magazine (40%). Authors will be paid at the end of the quarter in which their story appeared. As issueswill remain archived for a period of one year after publication, authors will again be paid when the story isremoved from the archive if it generates any new revenue.Authors will receive an initial advance of $5.00 for stories and $2.00 for poems and flash (<1000 wds) fictionpieces within 30 days of receipt of signed contract.I am hoping to publish an anthology at the end of the year which will feature the best stories from each issue.A poll will be set up to allow readers to vote for their favorite stories each issue. The fan favorites will be theones selected for the anthology along with some picks from the editor.Authors will be paid $10.00 for the rights to print their stories in the anthology.Payment will be made at the time the anthology is prepared for printing.All payments will be made through PayPal.ARTWORK:We are also looking for artwork that fits the theme of the magazine.Payment will be made the same way as the stories - with links for reader appreciation donations to be splitbetween the magazines and the artist.Any artwork used in the anthology will be paid the same $10.00 fee.Please send samples of your work to the editor (yes, I will accept these as attachments).If I like your samples you will be offered the chance to do an illustration for an upcoming story.READING PERIODS:Sorcerous Signals is currently a quarterly magazine scheduled for publication during the following months:February / May / August & NovemberOur reading periods will beFeb 15th - Mar 15thMay 15th - June 15thAug 15th - Sept 15thNov 15th - Dec 15thMarch
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Hey Sistas y BrothasI know we all about Black Sci Fi up in here, but that means we got big brains and open hearts. Just wanted to hip you all to a list of API spec fiction books in honor of API heritage month.one loveLisa Marie===================The CARL BRANDON SOCIETY recently recommended the following speculative fiction books for Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month:Ted Chiang STORIES OF YOUR LIFE AND OTHERS: A collection of stories from one of American speculative fiction's most precise and beautiful writers.Sesshu Foster ATOMIK AZTEX: An Aztec prince or a Los Angeles meatpacker? The protagonist travels back and forth between two alternative realities, never sure which is real.Hiromi Goto HOPEFUL MONSTERS: Wonderful stories by the author of The Kappa Child.Kazuo Ishiguro NEVER LET ME GO: In a dystopian England, three children discover that they are clones produced to provide organs to the sick.Larissa Lai SALT FISH GIRL: Science fiction set in a dystopian near future in which corporate enclaves house lucky employees, leaving most of humanity to deal with increasingly strange ecological developments.Amirthi Mohanraj (illustrated by Kat Beyer) THE POET'S JOURNEY: A young poet sets out into the wide world on a journey to find poetry; with the help of a few magical creatures, she finds more than she ever expected.Haruki Murakami HARDBOILED WONDERLAND AND THE END OF THE WORLD: Mad experiments with the unleashed potential of the dreaming brain.Vandana Singh OF LOVE AND OTHER MONSTERS: The main character wakes up from a fire and doesn't know who he is, but can sense and manipulate the minds of others. He is not alone in this ability. Singh takes us on a metamind ride.Shaun Tan THE ARRIVAL: A wordless graphic novel about immigration and displacement.Bryan Thao Worra ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EYE: Speculative poems that take us from the secret wars of the CIA in Laos to the secret edges of the human soul and the universe.The Carl Brandon Society is dedicated to addressing the representation of people of color in the fantastical genres such as science fiction, fantasy and horror. They aim to foster dialogue about issues of race, ethnicity and culture, raise awareness both inside and outside the fantastical fiction communities, promote inclusivity in publication/production, and celebrate the accomplishments of people of color in science fiction, fantasy and horror.
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After two weekends of writers' conferences I'm off to the NY Comic Con with my husband and brother this coming weekend. I must be a glutton for punishment. I'm not attending on Friday because my brother will not be a slacker like his older sister and take a day off from work. I tried to convince him that it was the professional only day (until 3pm) and it might not be so overwhelming. No can do - that guy is super-responsible.So it's Saturday - ugh. I hope the crowds don't make me get 'the vapors'.
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Time for some shameless self-promotion. But then, is there any other kind of self-promotion?I’ll get right down to it. A new novel by me is now available. Its title is Dossouye, and it is being published by Sword & Soul Media, through www.lulu.com. That’s right … print-on-demand. I’ll tell you the reason I went that route in a minute.The novel is based on several stories I’ve had published over the years about a black woman warrior named Dossouye. Her adventures take place in an alternate-world Africa that is not the same as the setting I developed for my other major character, Imaro. Dossouye’s tales appeared in several anthologies, including Amazons!, Sword and Sorceress and Dark Matter. I revised those stories so they would fit together as a narrative whole, and added a new novella.As for why the book is coming out via print-on-demand … on two separate occasions, separated by a time span of more than 20 years, my Imaro novels were published in the conventional manner: publisher pays advance, publisher prints books, publisher ties to sell enough books to make back the advance and other costs, and maybe pay author royalties. That paradigm didn’t work for me with DAW Books from 1981 to 1985, nor with Night Shade Books in 2006 and 2007. Both publishers discontinued the Imaro series because sales were not good.Before Night Shade pulled the plug after publishing revised versions of my first two Imaro novels (DAW managed to put out three; there are five books in all), I connected with a young man named Brother Uraeus. He works for a publisher, and aspired to establish his own print-on-demand imprint. He wondered whether I’d be interested in collecting the Dossouye stories into a single volume, to be published via print-on-demand.The idea sounded good to me. That way, both Imaro and Dossouye would be out at the same time.While we were putting this project together, I got the bad news from Night Shade. That was a setback, but it also made me all the more determined to make the Dossouye novel the best it could be. Uraeus was just as determined, as he went about designing and formatting the book. For the cover art, he enlisted the services of Mshindo Kuumba, a renowned artist and illustrator. Mshindo’s work completed the Dossouye package, and I’m proud of all aspects of the book.In the immediate future, I intend to publish the rest of my Imaro novels with Sword & Soul. For now, Dossouye takes center stage. She’s ready for you, and I hope y’all are ready for her.
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