Winter Solstice Ramblings

2013 has been a great year.

I hadn't planned on this blog post being a writing year retrospective but it should be quick and painless for all involved, and even quicker and painless-er for those who aren’t.

Big news of the year was placing as a finalist in the 4th Quarter Writers of the Future Contest. Sadly, the news came by phone last Monday that I had not placed in the top three of the eight finalists. Even so, making it to those final eight places was an honor. Knowing that my story was read by the final four judges, celebrated authors I've read myself, is both humbling and a little scary. (Now you know what scares a horror author!) Overall, a very validating experience that my writing continues to improve. My hearty and heartfelt congratulations to the three winners this quarter, Megan E. O'Keefe, Oleg Kazantsev, and C. Stuart Hardwick. And good luck in the final round against the winners from the previous three quarters, Megan! Knock 'em dead!

This year saw one of my favorite stories, "Beginning of Days," reprinted in the Apocalypse Special Edition of Morpheus Tales.

Martinus Publishing printed my time travel story, "The Long View," in their anthology, The Temporal Element.

"House Hunters" found a home in Use Enough Gun from the Monster Hunter series of anthologies unleashed by Miles Boothe and EmbyPress.

Karen Henderson kindly printed "The Dew of Heaven, Like Ashes" in her Tomorrow anthology from Kayelle Press.

And the year would not have been complete without some steampunk zombie goodness like you'll find in "Calcaneus Bishop and the Legend of the Sraavanya Sutra," which Ron Leming included in the Confederacy of Steam vs. Zombies anthology which he edited for Marion Margaret Press.

Several other stories sold as well but announcements for those will have to wait until 2014. A slow year for writing in some ways but a busy one in other ways just the same. Zulu Time, my zombiesque serial at JukePop Serials is nine chapters strong and on target to wrap up toward the end of next year. Pop over and check it out. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

So that's my retrospective on 2013 as a writing year. Solid. I'm very pleased. 

Before I go, I'd like to direct you fine folks back to Christmas 2012. If you're dying for some Christmas horror you might want to take a peek at "Jolly and Old" at the Kazka Press website and also "Of Faith and Fallow" at the Lovecraft eZine.  

As always, I'd love to hear from you. 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.