Wednesday's Writing Update

Today is another episode of Wednesday's Writing Update. I really should create a picture for these things. *laughs*

First off, I received a rejection on Sunday for "Changeling." They enjoyed the story and encouraged me to submit again. I'm not too beat up over this rejection. For one, I was expecting it. For two, I wasn't completely certain I wanted my story to win in the first place. I'd rather edit and polish it up and submit it to a magazine. I hope to get back to it later this month, next month, or in December.

Now, I'm back to three submissions out there in submission world. I should know about "Soul Survivor" with Abandoned Towers by December 1. I should know about "Defying Gravity" for Pill Hill Press's Fire & Ice anthology by the end of December, early January. And, "Eat Your Heart Out" is still with Dark Discoveries. I submitted that story back on January 15, so I'm hoping eventually to hear back from them.

I do have more stories I plan to submit, though. I'm about a third finished with "Fallen," my paranormal romance short story that I plan to submit to All Romance eBooks' Just One Bite contest. Here is where I need a bit of help. I am not much of a paranormal romance writer, emphasis on the romance part. If someone writes paranormal romance or reads it and would like to help me with my story by reading over it when I'm finished and letting me know what I think, please let me know. My talented and wonderful critique partner, Aubrie, will be reading it, but I would like a bit more feedback, since I want to make this story good enough to get into the top 32.

After I finish "Fallen," I want to write my fantasy assasins story "Lady Death."

Also, Aubrie mentioned a Halloween short story contest. At first, I could think of nothing. Then, everything I considered was way too cliche. Now, I've decided to rework my story "Wishes" into a Halloween theme and send that. I hope to edit "Wishes" and possibly "Magna's Plea" for Pill Hill Press's Shadows & Light II anthology this weekend.

Best case scenario, I have all four of these stories ready or almost ready to go by the end of this weekend. Wish me luck.

Yesterday, I made my hotel reservations for the James River Writers Conference in October. I'm getting a bit nervous about it. I've lived a very sheltered life, and I'm doing a lot of first things on this trip, such as attending my first conference (not just writers' conference), making hotel reservations (I'm more of a go and get a room gal), and everything else about it pretty much. I'm thankful other Valley Writer members are attending, so I can pal around with them for the conference.

I also need to really get on my edits of The Phoenix Prophetess and Virtuoso. I want to have The Phoenix Prophetess mostly edited by the end of September and Virtuoso edited by the end of October. For Virtuoso, I plan to submit it to Wyvern Publications' novel contest. For The Phoenix Prophetess, I'd like to begin testing the waters with it and agents before the end of the year. It is also the book I plan to pitch at the James River Writers Conference.

Next month, I will be planning Sarah's Nightmare, my horror/thriller novel. I'm getting excited about NaNoWriMo 2010 and writing that book, so I'm trying to get all my short stories out of the way this month (for the most part), so they don't distract me from my new novel come November.

Oh, I got paid yesterday by Pill Hill Press for "Freak Show," which will appear in their Bloody Carnival anthology. Yay! I got a whole $4.50 for it, which isn't bad for a 1800-word story. I can't wait to buy a copy of it.

Oh, and don't forget to buy Once Upon a December Nightmare. If you are like me, you'll want something scary to read around Halloween, and this is a perfect book for it. And, if you do read it, please review. It helps authors and their books.