"Floaters" receives an Honorable Mention, Writers of the Future Contest (2nd Quarter, 2011)

I just received an email saying my story, "Floaters," received an honorable mention in the Writers of the Future Contest (2nd Quarter, 2011).  While this means the story isn't getting published (yet), this is pretty prestigious as rejections go (and gives me something nice to add to my cover letter when I fire the story out again).

And this is what's going to drive me nuts:  Immediately after sending it out to the contest, I redid the ending and cut a few hundred words, slimming the story down (this is a pretty clear sign I should have held off).  I don't know if the new and improved version would have earned me more than an honorable mention (which I'm still fairly pleased about).  Serves me right for my impatience.

With any luck, I'll be ineligible for the contest soon.  You're only considered a "new" writer if you have fewer than three pro/semi-pro level publications, and I already have two (or one, depending on how many copies of Loco-Thology get printed), and I'm waiting to hear about a third story.

RLR

"Leave the Stone" to be published by frontiertales.com

I've just learned that my historical fiction/western piece, "Leave the Stone," will be published by Frontier Tales (frontiertales.com).  I'll provide a direct link once it's published.

I'd written the story as sort of an experiment, and I was pleased with the result.  While historical fiction isn't my normal thing, I've always had an interest in history (history major as an undergrad, did three years of Ph.D. coursework in American history).  And there's not as much of a leap from writing sci-fi/fantasy to historical fiction as there is jumping from sci-fi to contemporary literary fiction.  You're still looking to write a solid short story, but rather than an invented world, you set your story in the world as it once was.  I quite enjoyed the experience (and it beat the heck out of writing the non-fiction history I produced as a grad student).

I'm glad that there's a site like Frontier Tales available.  It is VERY tough to get westerns published.

-RLR

"Blessed are the Sowers" coming July 28th

I've been told my story, "Blessed are the Sowers," is scheduled to be published by Daily Science Fiction Thursday, July 28th.  I'd estimated my publication date to be a little sooner than that, so I'd sent an email to Daily Sci-Fi asking about the date.  I'm always a little nervous (being a "nobody" at the moment) to email a publisher, but they got back to me quickly.

Also, I'm waiting to hear back about a couple of contests I've entered, so hopefully some more good news soon.

RLR