It’s been a busy week. Owing to a shocking confluence of free time and abundant energy, I’ve been writing much more than usual. I’ve even entered some contests, which I don’t often do because I never seem to win anything, but right now I’m feeling optimistic and the creative juices are flowing, so what the hell.

Here’s the week’s tally.

Rejections

None! Well, I didn’t get a grant at work, but in terms of creative writing, no rejections.

Publications

No stories, but my first ever visual submission “Marriage” came out in Riggwelter Issue 12. Check it out!

Acceptances 

My dark sci-fi drabble “Propolis” was accepted by Trembling with Fear.

A quirky story “The Girl in Jake’s Red Hoodie” was accepted for publication in Ghost Parachute. This is one of those rare, magical stories that seem to come out almost perfect in the first draft, title and all. It was accepted swiftly by the first market I’d sent it to.  (Another one of this enchanted ilk is “Her Hips Do Lie”,  which appeared in Jellyfish Review in March and is one of my favorites.)

Submissions

Wrote a new micro and entered the 53-word story competition (July theme: UFOs) in a fun three-way submission pact with two Twitter buddies.

Wrote and submitted a new drabble to 101 Fiction (September theme: werewolves and other werethings).

Wrote and submitted a new story to The Molotov Cocktail “Flash Beast” contest. It’s a strong piece; I’m quite proud of it and even if it doesn’t place in the comp, I’m pretty sure I will be able to publish it someplace great. I don’t know if other people who write speculative fiction have the same experience, but I feel that the veneer of implausibility characteristic of the genre acts as a protective buffer: it removes me from the raw and the deep and the uncomfortable just enough that I am able to tap into these feelings. I cannot do the same in the context of creative nonfiction or even realistic literary fiction, because I feel far too exposed and the defensive mechanisms kick in.

I submitted a gory  1,500-word horror/humor story. The combination of length (too long for flash; too short for many short-story zines) and genre (horror plus humor) made it it challenging to contemplate a possible home for this piece. I submitted it to a dream market of mine that likes quirky. (Must. Not. Jinx it.)

Entered To Hull and Back humorous short story competition. Aside from hosting the comp, Chris Fielden’s website is a goldmine of short-story resources.

Plans 

I have my eye on Drabbledark II (Aug 6-8), A Punk Rock Future (deadline Aug 15) , Robot Dinosaur (Aug 1-15), and Apparition Lit flash (Aug 1-15, theme: parasite). I know it’s unrealistic that I will enter them all because  I need to create new material for each, but I am pretty sure about Drabbledark II and one of the other three.

Gravy

My first ever author interview! It’s by Exoplanet Magazine, following the publication of “Cryobliss“.