Even with a few fans backing you, sometimes breaking out seems impossible from the inside.
Sometimes, no news is good news. But at other times no news is no news. February has been one of those other times, when there’s been nothing to blog about, good or bad. It made for an R&R that was free of distraction, a much needed break from Afghanistan that ended way too soon.
I’m picking fictigristle up right where I left it… me in the heat of trench warfare, 2 out of 3 to SFWA Pro. While I don’t have any substantial news from the slushpiles, today I did do something that may provide the break I need. I entered the East India Press Short Story Contest.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who read my blog about David Farland’s Daily Kick and decided to follow it. His new publishing company is awarding 1,000 dollars and a chance to get your novel published, with digital age enhancements. Winning a thousand dollars for a story 2,500 word or less almost feels criminal… pro pay is 5 cents a word while this contest is offering at a minimum 40 cents a word. Whaaat?!
But it’s not just the payday that’s got my fingers crossed like I’ve never crossed them. You guys all know I just finished my first novel. And here East India Press is coming out of nowhere at the perfect time with the perfect opportunity to publish my baby and give it artwork and its own custom soundtrack. Whaaat?!
Normally, I don’t post about the places I’ve yet to receive notice from. This blog would be bloody with all the rejection letters and who wants to read a litany of “no’s” all the time? This time is different. I put a lot of thought, effort, care, time and will into this contest. Unlike most stories that I write as I get a notion, this time I wrote with the contest specifically in mind. I wanna win so bad! So I’m putting my intentions and desires into the universe, along with my optimism, where you guys can read my good thoughts and amplify them with your own.
Sure, it sounds hippy… the power of positive thinking and all. But I write spec fiction, I live in “what ifs”… so what if it works? Besides, these are the war stories of a writer in the trenches… and every good war story needs an epic climax. This could be it. The start of a career as a novelist or a mouthful of dust and ashes? Stay tuned to see.
fictigristle 