Short story sales!


I've signed the contracts; I've even been paid! And while they won't be out for a while, it's still a personal Big Deal for me to announce two short story sales.

1) "Congress of Dragons" is forthcoming in the Fall issue of Megan Arkenberg's lovely journal, Mirror Dance. I always knew I would have to write a story featuring dragons one day. Because, dragons.

2) I am also very excited to announce the sale of "Between Sea and Shore" to GigaNotoSaurus. This story was difficult for me in a number of ways. It pushed me in new directions. It's the longest thing I've ever written (nearly 9000) words. I love it, but its very length made it hard to sell in the current short sci-fi/fantasy market. I am so thankful that a venue like GigaNotoSaurus, dedicated to longer fiction ("longer than a short story, and shorter than a novel") exists. It was also a pleasure, and eye-opening, to work through the editing/revision process with editor Rashida Smith.

These two stories mirror each other in interesting ways. They are the last of a series of stories I wrote which are thematically linked--fairy tales about transformation, identity, the quest for home and belonging.

I'll write more about those links later, after these tales are published. But I do think I've finally tapped out some of these themes--at least for now. It feels like I've exorcised something (if only temporarily). My most recent finished story is something completely different, and I hope to keep moving on--new themes, new structures, new styles and stories.

Comments

  1. ScientistMotherMay 26, 2014 at 4:06 PM

    Congrats! So exited ans happy for you

    ReplyDelete
  2. bean-writerMay 26, 2014 at 7:22 PM

    Thanks, ScientistMother! I didn't know you were still reading!

    ReplyDelete
  3. CloudMay 30, 2014 at 9:25 AM

    Congratulations! That's awesome.

    One of the business-y things I'm considering doing with the time freed up by my job switch is expanding Tungsten Hippo into actually publishing some shorts. It is still a bit of a pipe dream (but figuring out how epublishing works is one reason I decided to make an ebook out of my job search advice posts). If I decide to do it, I may come pestering you with questions about what sorts of terms would seem fair and enticing from an author's perspective.

    ReplyDelete
  4. bean-writerMay 30, 2014 at 12:21 PM

    Thanks, Cloud!

    Yes, would love to discuss e-publishing with you sometime. I signed on to be one of your beta-readers for your upcoming career advice ebook. I have to admit that e-publishing intimidates the heck out of me (I'm not good at all with graphic design/layout stuff) and as an author, I would like a publisher to take care of all that work!

    Hope you're enjoying some down time before your business ramps up!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Cath@VWXYNot?May 30, 2014 at 3:43 PM

    Congratulations! I can't wait to read them :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. bean-writerMay 30, 2014 at 8:05 PM

    Thanks, Cath! =)

    ReplyDelete

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