Any Silence Will Do

This is a lot coming from me but I would thoroughly enjoy a nanosecond of silence. I can't write without some kind of entertaining noise in the background, but the constant visits from the "intruders" is starting to be stressful. They supposedly got a new place to live. Yet they aren't living in it. How can they be? They're over here all the time. I'm at the stressing point where hair is about to be pulled out.

If you haven't already noticed, my mood is partying in purgatory. I think I'm on the verge of having one of those crisis that writers talk about. The kind you feel like you've worked so hard for so many years but will virtually have nothing to show for it. Technically, I have Ghost Stories to show for my hard work, but a successful blog is not enough. It's not the only thing I want to accomplish. I'm glad a couple hundred people enjoy reading it every day. Don't plan to shut it down any time soon. But it feels like a One-Hit-Wonder Blogger Style, you know? It's not like any of my other writing aspirations are mounting to anything.

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WIP Wednesday - Hell Week

I have one long list of why I chose not to write this week. However, I think I'll let you guys decide which one fits best.

For all of those who have expressed well wishes and sympathy concerning our little dog Roscoe, I thank you. And for those of you who are unaware of the outcome of the situation, our little guy is in doggy heaven now. He got worse over night and the vet strongly felt he wasn't going to recover. So, he was put to sleep. RIP Roscoe.

If having one dog ill wasn't bad enough, one of our other dogs, Buddy, is also not feeling 100%. Shortly after Roscoe, we noticed his ear was a bit swollen. We called the vet and she believed it was just an ear infection. We had some kind of creme she told us to keep using on it. However, today he is going to make an appearance in her office. She's going to sedate him and lance his ear. I'm sure he'll just enjoy that. $600 worth of vet bills in less than a week. I guess it could be worse.

Last week, I needed the use of my brand new printer. Pushed the power button and guess what happened? Nothing. Pushed it a couple of times. Nothing. I unplugged and plugged cords back in. Restarted my computer. Troubleshooted the hell out of the situation. The results.....absolutely nothing. I was forced to turn the situation over to my techie step-father. He was going to open it up and see what the problem was but realized it was still under warranty. Thus, a call was made to the lovely people at HP. They deduced the problem was mostly likely with the power supply. A new one is in route and should be here by today or tomorrow. I have a process. A process which works well with my wonky inspiration. A working printer is part of that process. When a link is broken in this chain, the diva side of me tends to surface. It's not pretty.

I saved the best for last. First day of Spring we get snow. Why did Mother Nature flip the wrong switch? Two days with nothing but snow. The high blizzard winds even knocked over one of our little cedar trees. The second tree to fall over since I moved to Oklahoma. I'm not having high hopes for the rather large pine sitting directly behind my section of the house. It mocks me. Keeps giving me the death waves. I don't like it.

This concludes my overview of Hell week. Pick a bad day and enjoy....

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Prayer for Puppy

We've had Roscoe for a few years now. My brother bought him from a breeder and we ended up taking care of him. We've lived through the days of him peeing and pooping on the floor, barking at anyone who walked through door, and the constant nagging to play all the time. Now is the moment of truth.

Last few days, Roscoe hasn't been feeling too good. We weren't sure what was wrong, but he wasn't moving around much and not eating a whole lot. We took him to the veterinarian today and the verdict is in. Somehow he managed to crush his vertebrae. No clue how he did it, but I guess it doesn't really matter. His condition is serious. The Vet pinched one of his back toes to see how much feeling he had. Pretty much none. Didn't move an inch.

She told my mom any other time she would refer us to the nearby animal hospital. So, he can have $2,000 worth of surgery. Even with that there are no guarantees his quality of life will improve and we don't have the money to pay for it. Right now, Roscoe is still at the vet's. They are putting him on steroids. We'll find out tomorrow if feeling returns to his back legs and make a decision from there.

In all seriousness, this dog is a momma's dog. He follows my mother around everywhere. He loves her more than anyone in this house despite the fact my step-dad and myself played with him more. My mom is trying to be brave but I'm sure she will be upset if she has to put him down. Pray for him to whatever God(s) you worship. Please and thank you.

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WIP Wednesday - Happy St. Patrick's Day

So, I haven't totally given up my naughty ways. Haven't exactly sat down and wrote anything. Although, I did spend the day getting organized yesterday. It's better than sitting on my tail and doing nothing.

I can't say I'm a big celebrator of St. Patrick's Day. I don't drink. No crazy drunk chick dancing on the bar moments for me. And somehow I leave the day with a ton of bruises on each arm. What's the point of wearing green if people are going to pinch me anyways? I swear anyone comes near me with their devilish fingers and they're gonna get it (a stern look and few harsh words. I'm not a psycho).

I hope you like the little St. Paddy's graphic I chose for this post. I'm so a closet South Park viewer (well I guess not anymore). Poor Kenny can't catch a break. If I were him, I would coat myself in lucky charms or look in to the nearest padded room.

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No Answer Policy

I don't understand magazines who have this policy to not notify writers unless it is an acceptance. Its like someone is telling you a story. The plot is building and building until reaching the climax. Then, nothing. They walk away and you never hear the end of the story.

I was browsing through all the listings on Duotrope and came across one of these markets. If your story doesn't get accepted, you never hear from them. You're left wondering if your submission was lost in cyberland or just wasn't good enough to make the cut. I prefer a form letter over nothing at all. Limbo can be more frustrating than rejections...

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WIP Wednesday - No News is Good News

I swear to God. I'm putting ink to paper. Forming words. Painting pretty literary pictures. You believe me, right? Right? *crickets* *crickets* *more crickets* Okay Okay. So, I lied. I've been sitting on my tail watching reruns of Supernatural. I'm so ashamed of myself. I have an idea. Though I doubt that means much since its stuck in my head and not on paper. I'm fooling myself with the post title.

Since I really don't have anything to report this week, I'll clue you in on a contest I learned about from Cate Gardner. She was nice enough to pass along details of the Campaign for Real Fear contest hosted by Christopher Fowler and Maura McHugh teaming up with Black Static magazine and Action Audio to her loyal zombie followers (I swear I tasted something funny in the Kool-aid at the last luncheon).

Each story can be no longer than 500 words. Deadline is April 16th. Ten stories will be published in Black Static Magazine and broadcast on Action Audio. For more contest details: http://campaignforrealfear.wordpress.com/.

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R.I.P. Charles B. Pierce

Charles B. Pierce was a film director, screenwriter, producer, set decorator, cinematographer and actor and was most known for directing The Legend of Boggy Creek who died on Friday at the age of 71. This man was quite near and dear to my hometown. He was once an advertising salesman on the Arkansas side of Texarkana. He also acted, directed and produced a little movie in 1970s called The Town that Dreaded Sundown. For those of you who don't know the importance of this movie, take a moment and think about the urban legends tied to lover lane spots. It is believed these legends are linked to the actual serial killer case that took place in my hometown of Texarkana.

In the 1940s, a man was stalking the local lovers lane spot. During a four month span, he killed like five people and his first two victims luckily survived the attack. People were terrified. Began bolting their doors at night. Texas Rangers even came in to the investigation. At the end of the day, the murders suddenly stopped, but the killer was never arrested. After a while, people began to breathe again. The Town that Dreaded Sundown brought the fear of those four months back to the surface. Made it fresh in everyone's mind again. However, the case still remains unsolved.

Today, the former lover lane spot was converted in to Spring Lake Park. I went there numerous times to play, have parties, fly kites, etc. They definitely turned the negative in to a very good positive even though some people are still trying to keep it tainted. Recently, the authorities searched the pond for guns that may have been dumped there.

Pierce will be missed. For more information on the Phantom murders - http://paranormalstories.blogspot.com/2005/01/lovers-lane.html

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National Grammar Day

Today is National Grammar Day hosted by GrammarGirl and the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar. This day is set aside for people like me to brush up on all the grammar rules. The ones I probably break without even realizing: dangling participles, ending sentences with prepositions, and split infinitives. I'm a total grammar slob.

In the spirit of the day, I've put together a little grammar quiz. I'm sure I'm not the only one in the universe who has been grammar procrastinating. There are only five questions, all multiple choice. Leave a comment with your answers. (below are the answers to the Write Anything quiz).

1. You do not always use "a" before consonants.

a) Yes (Correct) (3 pts)
b) No (2 pts)
c) I don't know (1pt)

2. The subject and verb must agree.

a) Yes (correct) (3pts)
b) No (2pts)
c) I don't know (1pt)

3. Is this sentence correct: At six years old, my mom taught me to cook.

a) Yes (2pts)
b) No (correct) (3pts)
c) I don't know (1pt)

4.You should always split infinitives.

a) Yes (2pts)
b) No (correct) (3pts)
c) I don't know (1pt)

5. Choose the correct pronouns to fill in the blanks: There is a strong bond between __ and __.

a) he/I (2pts)
b) him/me (correct) (3pts)
c) I don't know (1pt)

15pts - You're a grammar whiz. Give yourself a pat on the back and a little treat.
10pts to 14pts - You did well, but could have done better. Never settle for okay.
9pts or less - Has your head been stuck in a hole? Start cracking open those grammar books. Don't have any? Buy some.

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WIP Wednesday - Bad News

I had planned on going in to some detail of my next horror satire project. But I received some bad news.

I opened my inbox to find an email from a representative of BlogBurst, the online company I was waiting for a nice size monetary reward from. This money would have gone towards my new computer. The email was in regards to a clerical error. Turns out I wasn't qualified for the reward they notified me about. But to remedy the situation, they are still going to send me $50.

I swear when I saw that email, I nearly started crying. I knew it wouldn't be an error in my favor. Truth is I've been a member of the website for going on three years. Never had a problem with them before. A mistake is a mistake. They could have said, "Sorry we screwed up and you're not getting anything at all."

I have to be honest. I'm a bit broken up about it. I was so close to having a brand new computer. Something I could rely on. No more computer problems or down times where I'm waiting for weeks not being able to do anything. I'll wallow about it for a few days and move on. It's not like its the first time the rug has been ripped out from under me. Just hoped something would go good in my life without any strings.

Don't take this as me giving up. I'm going to keep saving and hopefully I'll be able to afford one sooner rather than later.

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Awards No More

A couple of weeks ago, I reported on the Bloody Blogger Awards. It was strictly limited to horror blogs. I took the step to offer up Ghost Stories as a possible nominee. Received confirmation of its inclusion. Was a bit prepared for the voting to begin this month. Unfortunately, they have been canceled.

Visit Jim Cozzoli's website for complete details. There was some kind of dispute. This led to Jim realizing it just wasn't worth it. I guess I commend the guy for recognizing what is really important and stopping something from getting out of hand. On my end, it's no big deal. Keep moving forward.

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Baby Jessica's Replacement

I swear my luck is trapped in a well somewhere. It'll be on the news and everything. Though the tragedy in Chile trumps everything right now for good reason.

In the last few days, I have received two rejections. One from Shock Totem and the other courtesy of Pandora's Nightmare: Horror Unleashed. The second one was kind of expected. Been trying to go cold turkey on the whole procrastination addiction thing but hasn't been working too well. *Note to self - find support group. Then, I also have this problem where it sounds good in my head but doesn't translate on to paper. Add the two together and you get a big mess.

Of course the writing bad luck has poured in to personal. My brother and his girlfriend have been spending a lot of quality time here as of late. That usually means they want something. This translate to "We've been kicked out yet again and need some place to live". And they are not afraid to use the baby card either. Claimed the girlfriend was pregnant last time which she wasn't and is now making the same claims. Their definition of time is much different from ours. The scale is one week equals three months. Of course, my mom is a big softy and will eventually let them back in. It wouldn't be a big deal if they were at least trying to support themselves. Gotta love moochers.

And to round out the weekend, the laptop I want has become a bit too rich for my blood. While I'm waiting for the money that is owed to me, I've been on laptop watch, making sure it's still in stock and I can still afford it. It was still in my price range until a few days ago when it jumped up $50. I've searched other electronic retail stores. The ones who have it in stock put a nice hefty price tag on it. One I can't afford. Unless a miracle happens, I think I'll be looking for a different one which stinks. I really like this one and it has all the features I could ever dream of in my first new computer. I just knew it was too good to be true.

Excuse me while I go wallow....

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Blah Blah Blah

Thank you for your recent submission to Shock Totem.

Sadly, we regret to inform you that we are declining acceptance at this time. Good luck in placing this submission elsewhere.

Sincerely,
The Shock Totem Team

http://www.shocktotem.com

I swear I should do some kind of collage using all the rejection letters I've received and then sacrifice them by fire to the Gods. Maybe I can squeeze a little good luck out of it.

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The Clicks

A couple of weeks ago, I shared one of my wonderful rejections with the forum members of Absolute Write. One of their responses got me thinking. How many magazines/ezines favor one or more writers over all others?

How many times have you read issues of a magazine you plan to submit to and find they publish work by the same writers? Is it because they produce better stories/poems? Or is there a sense of favoritism? This isn't a new issue among workplaces. One of the processes of writing is submitting you work to one or more editors. It is because of their expertise and/or opinion that deems your story/poem right for their publication. So, is writing exempt from favoritism?

I never thought I would ever knowingly be involved with such a thing. That was before I was updating my website. I noticed something quite interesting while reorganizing my publication credits. The first time I received a taste of publishing gold was in 2005. Most of what I achieved during that year was centered around the writing friends I had made. I had stories win small writing website contests judged by them. My first publication was accepted by a ezine run by one of them. Several of my first credits came from them. Is it because they knew me and was willing to publish my work over a writer they hadn't heard of? Is it because my writing was better than some of the submissions they received? I can honestly say probably not.

I don't know if my small success in 2005 had anything to do with favoritism. I may never know. Do you think favoritism exists among the writing world?

Courtesy of Write Anything

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WIP Wednesday - Silver Room

I've seen other writers participating in this and decided to join in the fun. Lord knows I'm always a work in progress.

Currently, I've only been working on one story. The deadline is Monday and I'm only a few thousand words in. I'm hoping to have it finished by Friday. Leaving Saturday, Sunday and even Monday for edits. I've known about this for a month. Had expectations I would "plan ahead". Apparently, I fooled myself once again.

The theme is Pandora's Box. If anyone knows anything about Pandora, it was a jar not a box but whatever. I decided to implement the seven deadly sins, matching them with folklore creatures. Since I've been hearing so much about the infamous Amber Room as of late, I tossed that in the story as well, changing Amber to Silver. My main worry is the storyline becoming too confusing with all the characters. There are eight in total: seven sins plus one hope.

What do you think? Too many?

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Pulling Out my Hair

For the umpteenth time, I'm having computer problems. We've discussed the situation and it's hell bent on boycotting me. I cringe everytime we have a spat because that means I'm without it for weeks. I love having a techie in the family. However, he's so busy with everything else which usually leaves me in the lurch. I go through withdrawals. Curl up in a ball in a corner, rocking back and forth. It's not a pretty sight.

I've decided to buy a new computer. I've never owned a brand new one before much less spent this much money in one setting. So, I'm a little freaking out. I did my homework. Found a laptop I like. I read reviews (all glowing). I made sure all the features fit my needs (and they do and then some). I even read a few articles about what features a laptop should have to satisfy a writer's needs (and it does). I have just enough money to buy it and it's a good investment. God is throwing me a bone here and yet I still feel anxious.

Someone please talk me off the ledge!!

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The Bloody Bloggers Awards

The League of Tana Tea Drinkers supports all things horror. Currently, they are looking for nominees for the 2010 Bloody Bloggers Awards. You can't exactly nominate yourself or anyone else. Only members of the LOTTD can recommend nominees. However, to be consider for recommendation, you can email John Conzzoli with your blog information, link and categories (your blog can appear in more than one) you wish to be nominated in.

There are 13:

• Best All-Around Horror Blog (includes blogs that cover a range of horror-related topics)
• Best Horror Sub-Genre Blog (includes genre-specific blogs like slasher, gore, zombie, etc)
• Best Horror Author Blog (includes blogs written by authors)
• Best Horror Art Blog (includes graphic designers/artists of horror, and coverage of horror-centric illustration and photography)
• Best Spooky Blog (includes blogs with a Halloween-centric or paranormal (ghost/folklore) scope)
• Best Queer Horror Blog (includes blogs with a homosexual-centric approach to covering horror)
• Best Classic Horror Blog (includes blogs covering classic horror up to 1970)
• Best Horror Comics Blog (includes blogs that are horror comic-centric in their coverage)
• Best Feminine Perspective In Horror Blog (includes blogs with a female-centric approach in their coverage of horror)
• Best Sounds of Horror Blog (includes blogs that focus on covering the music and sounds of horror)
• Best Horror Podcast Blog (includes blogs which primarily podcast their horror coverage)
• Best Monsterkid Blog (includes bloggers who express their horror passion through their experiences, and who are not necessarily movie-centric. This category also includes blogs that focus on memorabilia and toys related to horror).

Nominations will continue until the end of February. Voting by email will begin in March. For more information: http://www.zomboscloset.com/zombos_closet_of_horror_b/2010/02/the-bloody-bloggers.html

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Supernatural

It's no secret. I'm total Supernatural fanatic. Thus totally upset we have to wait SIX weeks for a new episode. We had to wait like two months thanks to Christmas and New Years and now another six weeks thanks to the Winter Olympics. They so love to tease us. If we are going to have to wait at least they left us with something that was hard to stomach....literally. After watching "My Bloody Valentine" I was seriously considering becoming a vegetarian.

One thing I love about Supernatural is they don't portray mythical creatures and legends like a lot of TV shows and movies do. In their world, vampires can walk in the sunlight without bursting in to flames. Dead man's blood is poisonous and they can only be killed by beheading. Salt and holy water is pretty much the best defense against anything. This fact is why I loved their spin on Famine in Thursday's episode. You hear the word and think people starving. They took it and put it in reverse. Though I have to say the ending was quite sad. I still think the gateway to hell located in Wyoming is going to play a factor in the big Final showdown.

Supernatural will be airing their 100th episode in April. I've heard not many TV shows make it to the 100th episode. So, this is a milestone for them. As for season 6, Jared and Jensen have supposedly both signed on for it but CW and the show's writers/producers are still in negotiations. There should be an official announcement made sometime this month. *fingers crossed* I know show creator Eric Kripke keeps wanting to bid it farewell. Why can't it be like ER? Supernatural is gaining more fame each season. If the ratings/viewers start to drop then end it.

BTW, if you're on Twitter and not following @mishacollins, you should be. The guy is too cool for Twitter. So hilarious!

EDIT: The announcement was made and we are privileged enough to get another season of Dean and Sam. WooHoo!!!

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New Skin

I am not a football fan. Did not watch the SuperBowl yesterday but hear New Orleans won. Congrats guys!

I'm thinking about changing the blog template. The little flaming purple dudes are starting to give me a headache. I have a few possible replacements in mind. As soon as I clear up the comment issue over at Ghost Stories, I'll make a decision.

Decisions...decisions...decisions... Any more and my head will explode...

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Double Shot of Rejection

Heard back from Tweet the Meat concerning the two submissions I sent a week ago. And it's a no on both counts. I actually had high hopes for one, but I guess that's what I get for having expectations. The "Good but not good enough" rejections are a bit frustrating and form letters are worse (though I understand the reason for them). I think I'm going to put off submitting to them again. Work on other stories. Anyways, here is my form letter to add to the pile:

Thanks for your submissions to Tweet the Meat!

We will not be using any of your submissions this week. We apologize for this form letter, but the sheer volume of submissions makes a personal response to each one impossible.

We would like to encourage you to submit again.

2-6 theme: Zombies

Secret theme: Free Will

2-13 theme: Were____ (wolves, bears, chihuahuas)

Secret theme: Hunters

2-20 theme: Open


Thanks again for your continued support.

http://www.twitter.com/tweetthemeat

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Horror Plot Cliches

In the wonderful world of horror, it's easy to creep in to many done-to-death plots. I'm sure this is a problem with any genre but especially horror. It's becoming increasingly harder to develop that original idea. One that no one has ever thought of. At this point, a lot of writers are trying to put a new spin to an old idea. Below are a few done-to-death plots:

1. Main character gets eaten/dies in the end - How many times have you gone on this scary roller coaster ride with a main character just to have him die in the end. It's frustrating and sometimes insulting to a reader. No body wants to see the hero die.

2. Experiments go terribly wrong - this one was highlighted in books such as Frankenstein and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. But why does the experiment have to go wrong. Can't it be a success for once? Playing God always comes with some kind of consequence. So, maybe the scientist should just drop the experiments.

3. Character ignores warnings - Most often it's the girl telling the guy not to do something and he does it anyways. On occasion, it's the other way around. Doing something you're not suppose to will lead to trouble. So why do it? The one second of adrenaline rush is not worth the chaos later.

4. Let's split up - This may sound like a good idea especially if there is only one killer on the rampage. Supposedly increases the odds of survival. The problem is the killer will probably know the surroundings better than the characters. It's their hunting grounds. Isolation is never good. Safe in numbers.

5. Vampires, werewolves, zombies, etc - When it comes to these creatures, some authors write as if the rules are set in stone. For example, vampires are often portrayed as handsome/beautiful, seductive, drinks blood, and can only be killed by stake in the heart or decapitation. Truth is there are a lot of folklore about vampires and most don't follow these rules. It's sometimes hard to change the mainstream perception of such popular mythical creatures, but writers don't stop trying.

This purpose of this article isn't to force you away from cliches. You have to recognize them in order to spin them in your favor. Which cliche are you guilty of writing about?

Courtesy of Write Anything

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Editor Wars

Yesterday, I was using the spare time I didn't have to thumb through my bookmarks, checking out any blogs I had saved. Totally realized almost every blog I use to stalk has either been neglected or disappeared all together. I probably would have tossed my blogging tendencies long ago if Ghost Stories wasn't doing so well. Yesterday, I visited Janrae Franks' blog, one I haven't read in a while, and discovered something interesting.

A couple of years ago, one of my short stories was published in N.V.H. Magazine. It was fairly new and I fully understood the possible risks. Soon after, editors David "Iron Dave" Byron and Steven Marshall parted ways. It was quite a public, nasty split via Myspace and I was one of the unfortunate authors put in the middle of it...well sort of. To be perfectly fair, Steven acted more professionally than David. I believe I still have the Myspace messages to prove it. However, I'm not posting any of them. After all the chaos died down, Steven established SNM Magazine which has quite flourished and David's online ventures have changed quite often. I think at one point it was New Voices of Fiction. Then I think it was about films, NVH Books and now NVF Horror Cafe. David is pretty much listed under the BEWARE list (see J.A. Aarntzen's encounter) for some authors.

Janrae posted an email he sent her a few weeks ago asking for money. Apparently, he traveled to Edinburgh for a seminar and lost his wallet with all his money, credit cards, etc. He can't use a phone but yet managed to obtain internet privileges. And is asking for someone to send him $2K. Seriously, who does that? If indeed he is having such problems, I'm sorry for his bad predicament. But I'm not buying it. He's actions are a bit too sketchy for me. What do you think?

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Racking Them Up

In past years, my policy was to send one submission out and wait to hear back before sending anything else out. I don't particularly know why. I guess worrying about one story was better than twenty. Currently, "Sealed With Anguish" is still in limbo with Shock Totem. I also sent out "Stalker" and "Body Valentine" to Tweet the Meat, should hear from them before the week is over.

Today, I start work on my Pandora's Box themed story. Don't have a title for it yet but have an idea of what to write. I did all my research a few weeks ago and hoping to have it finished before the week is over. That is if the big bad procrastination monster doesn't stomp on me first.

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Bookplates

Bookplates or ex libris (from the library of) date back to the fifteenth century. They are typically a small decorative label pasted on the inside front cover of a book to indicate the owner. The earliest known examples began in Germany and soon spread throughout the world. Only the wealthiest people could afford personal libraries and thus owned these elaborate labels. Confessions of a Bookplate Junkie ventures in the many different designs created over the years. Today, their use has quite differed.

Bookplates have become a useful tool for promotional reasons. They also provide a much easier and cheaper way to own your favorite author’s autograph. Recently, Anne Rice gave away three autographed bookplates just for signing up for her newsletter. I signed up and now a proud owner of Anne Rice’s signature.

Designing your own is fairly easy as well. Websites such as Microsoft Word, Martha Stewart, HP Printer, and Avery Label all offer templates that are easy to manipulate. However, if you’re looking make one from scratch, try Elsa Neal’s “How to Create Your Own Bookplate” article at The Blood-Red Pencil or Chérie De Sues “This Book Belongs to: Making a bookplate” courtesy of the Examiner.com. Both provide adequate steps for creating your own bookplate.

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The Great Outdoors

Here are a couple pics of our great outdoors as of now:

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Winter Weather Alert

Four to nine inches of snow and an inch of ice is predicted for my fair area. Everyone is prepared for the worst. It may be overkill but after what happened a couple of years ago, overly prepared is better than nothing at all. At least we won't be freezing our asses off like last time if by chance the power goes out.

Frankly, I remember those days I got all excited seeing it snow here in the country. We usually don't get a lot in the winter. Now, I can do without it. I remember seeing an ad on Craigslist. A guy was giving away free snow after the blizzard we had on Christmas. If only it were that easy.

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Shock Totem Flash Contest

I submitted my short story "Sealed With Anguish" to Shock Totem yesterday. Now, I have the usual confidence and butterflies swirling around in to some kind of grotesque nerves milkshake. But I'm hoping to glance over it and continue as if I never put myself out there like that.

Anyways, Shock Totem has also begun their monthly flash fiction contests. The 1st Saturday of every month a prompt is posted. Writers have a week to write and submit a story. Then voting begins. Only those who participate can vote and you have to read and provide feedback on every entry. Not a total bad thing helping each other out. Winners get to choose a prize from a list. Sounds pretty cool. Check out their website for complete rules: http://shocktotem.nice-board.com/random-whatever-f16/the-official-shock-totem-flash-contest-rules-t2978.htm.

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Beam Me in to a Better Life

I've felt like crap all weekend. Between sneezes and bouts of sleepiness, I managed to do a little research for a new story. Pill Hill Press has a few upcoming anthologies. I have my eye on Pandora's Nightmare: Horror Unleashed and A Whodunit Halloween. Had so much fun researching Pandora's Box (or rather jar), antique silver boxes and a few mythical creatures. Now if only I can get the strength and will to combine them all in to a story.

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Has Your Year Started Right?

When one year ends and another begins, there is this sense of wanting change. The good intentions are there but sometimes the will is not. I started 2009 with the intentions of pushing myself to write more. In some ways I succeeded and others I did not. I did write more but not everyday for the entire year. Some of what I wrote has yet to be finished.

Recognizing the failures should help you succeeded in the end only if you’re willing to be proactive. I have found myself trying so many different techniques to boost my productivity, trying to determine which are best for me. The search is far from being over. A few days ago, I created a list of markets I want to submit to this year. Something I have never done before though some more experienced writers have suggested in doing so. I’m also considering starting a writing journal. Journaling has never been much of a friend to me in the past but willing to give it a try one more time.

The time of excuses has come to pass. Action is all that is left. You can always put simple tasks off until tomorrow but someday there won’t be a tomorrow. What will you have to show for your life then? So, I ask you. Has your year started right? Resolutions or not, have you embarked on succeeding where you failed in years past? If not, today is as good of a day to start.

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Preditors & Editors Poll in Full Motion

Every year, Preditors & Editors has a poll (http://www.critters.org/predpoll) to determine the best or rather the "most popular" story, book, editor, magazine, website, etc. I get that this is important to some for notoriety and PR purposes, but I see it as a popularity contest. You can pretty much nominate anyone in the writing field and if that person or website is blessed to get enough votes, whether their work is the best or not, they get bragging rights for the year and the title that looks good on the website or resume. Perhaps it's just me, but I'd rather have someone present me an award rather than wait around for two weeks to see how unpopular I am.

I'm trying to start out the year right. I made my list of markets that I want to submit to. I have a feeling I may chicken out and not submit to them all but hopefully, I'll give myself the kick-in-the-pants that I need and submit to most of them. I also ordered Northern Haunts and issues of Shock Totem, Necrotic Tissue (preorder), Cemetery Dance, Grave Tales and Shroud. Trying to get a taste of what's out there.

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2010 Anti-Resolutions

Today is officially the last day of the year 2009. Some people are pulling out the party hats, hanging streamers and balloons, and maybe setting up some fireworks. Of course, I can't leave out the resolutions. I always make a few for the year and rarely ever keep them. So, I'm joining in the fun (as I hope you will to) and flipping the switch. Here are my anti-resolutions for the year 2010:

• I will not fall in to the pit of social peer pressure or rejoice in the fad of jumping off of bridges for the sport of it.


• I will not hire a man name Frankie Knuckles to retrieve the money my brother borrowed and refused to pay back.


• I will not reconsider hiring Frankie Knuckles every time my brother talks his way back in to our house after being too lazy to live with yet another one of his friends.


• I will not toss my 100 + book collection out the window to free up shelf space for my Precious Moments shrine.


• I will not purchase a baseball bat via the internet to teach some people the vital lesson of noise pollution.


• I will not stalk every yard sale in the city in an effort to find the prize object which will bring the annoyance and aggravation of a ghost moocher to my home just to have something personal to blog about.


• I will not indulge in the simple mindedness of our neighbors who are banking on our dachshund impregnating theirs for their monetary pleasure.


• I will not develop a marketing plan to sell our nine feet of snow to those few who have never seen a flake of it.


• I will not indulge in tweeting every nanosecond of my new desk chairs existence for the mere fact he's just not that in to me and is here against his will.


• I will not contemplate world domination just to prove to the Brain how four seasons of partnership with Pinky hurt his chances for success.

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Year 2009 Review

2009 is coming to a fast close. Time to review my yearly progress. I have to say I did better than I thought I would.

Challenges: This year I participated in several writing/reading challenges.

Page-a-Day - this was a goal/challenge I set out to complete this year. The goal was to write a page-a-day everyday (except for one allotted day of rest) for the entire year. I recorded each day I wrote and it all added up to 159 days, a little over half a year. I guess that's better than nothing but will shoot for a full year in 2010.

AbDWriMo - February marked the month long Nano-like writing challenge for the website Authors By Design. The goal was to write 15,000 words in 28 days. I ended the month with 14,288.

Read 12 Books in 2009 - the purpose was to read 12 books cover to cover in the year 2009, signed up in February, and mine ended with 13 thanks to a book review I was asked to write (my reading list).

NaNoEdMo - With March came National Novel Editing Month. I finished surpassing the 50 hour requirement. Managed to edit four (finishing three) short stories: The Not Known, The List, Love and Lost, and A Tale of Two Sisters.

2nd AbDWriMo - this challenge was much like the first except half of it was writing and the other was editing. I wrote 14,605 words for the first half and didn't complete the editing portion. The site went down around this time and felt it didn't really matter, although it should have.

Website - Before Nano began, I updated my website. There are several features I haven't added yet but got the ball rolling in October.

NaBloPoMo - This challenge coincided with Nano. Post to your blog everyday for the entire month for a chance to win a prize. I set up my first Nano blog, Sinister Tales, and posted excerpts from my writing project everyday. Didn't win anything but still felt I accomplished something.

NaNoWriMo - This was the last challenge of the year and considered the biggest. 50K in 30 days. Completed with 53,736, especially proud of that.

Submissions/Rejections/Withdrawals/Contests: Not as many as I should have had

- I submitted three short shorts to Tweet the Meat. All ended in rejection. I also submitted to their contest and lost.

- Submitted a short story The Boy in the Book to Authors By Design Twisted Fairytale contest. Also didn't win.

- Submitted Blood Diary in December 2008 to Pseudopod and received a rejection in February.

- Withdrew Phantom House from a project Janrae Frank started Things are Not What They Seem Anthology after two years in limbo. I waited through all the ups and downs with this project but ultimately felt my little story wasn't getting anywhere.

- Submitted Sealed With Anguish to Fear and Trembling Mag. Ended in rejection.

-This acceptance was received last year but I received the finish project and my first writing "pay check" in January for Phantom House and Dark Sunset in the Authors By Design anthology.

I think I had a semi-productive writing year. All the challenges kept me writing/reading but didn't do as well when I was on my own. Along with the lack of submissions, I'm hoping to improve for 2010. Finish updating my website. Make out a list of magazines/ezines/anthologies/contests I want to submit to. Edit the pile of short stories I have laying around. Really get my stuff out there. Hopefully when December 2010 comes around, I will have more to show for it.

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The Ghosts of Lone Jack - Review

Spinning Moon Press, April 2009
Paperback, 255 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-9800369-0-9
Tweens 12 and up
Author Interview - Coming Soon
Ordering Information:
Amazon.com | Time Bandit Books

What do you get when you mix a piece of American history, ghosts and children? The Ghosts of Lone Jack By: Lance Lee Noel.

Jared Milhouse spends what seems like a quiet summer at his grandfather’s farm in Lone Jack, Missouri. A chance encounter with a female spirit during the tail end of a baseball game changes his life forever. With the aid of his acquired new friends of the Crossroads Club, his dad, grandfather, two town eccentrics and a couple of amateur ghost hunters, he explores the story of one of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War and looks for the key to release the town from a decades old curse.

The Battle of Lone Jack was a very real conflict that took place on August 16, 1862. This being one of the most appealing aspects of this story. Another being the actual battlefield is reportedly haunted: phantom campfires, smells, voices and apparitions of Union/Rebel soldiers. I admire the author’s intentions with this novel. Use a real piece of history within a fictional plot as a teaching tool for kids. I liked the story premise. The protagonist, Jared, is a character kids can relate to. I think one of the major problems I had with it was the story structure. It could be a lot tighter than it is. It starts off a little slow. The descriptions are a little hit or miss at times. Slows the pacing of the story. When some of the characters go in to details about the battle, the regional dialect tends to get lost at times. I want to hear the story but have it sound like it’s actually coming from that character and not a historian.

Another problem is all the point of view transitions. The big action scene towards the end is all over the place. Definitely on the verge of confusion. One or two point of views would have been better than like five. Then there were the rookie mistakes: spelling, grammar, scene blocking, etc. All of which should have been taken care of during the editing phase. I think if the author took a bit more time with editing he could have made it so much better. The Battle of Lone Jack is a story worth telling but how you tell it is just as important, especially in this case as some of the proceeds are being donated to the Lone Jack Civil War Battlefield, Museum & Soldier’s Cemetery.

All in all, this is a book worth the purchase. Perhaps not written in the best of the author’s ability. But one kids will enjoy for the fruits of a ghost story and a history lesson blended together for their entertainment.

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I'm Back...I think

So, I took the month off for National Novel Writing Month...sort of. I posted my write-ups via Write Anything. But let's face it. Four blogs is one too many especially when you're trying to keep up with the daily 1,667 word goal with the use of pen and paper. So here's the month in review:

Wrote. Wrote. Wrote. Slept an hour or two. Wrote some more. Pulled out a few handfuls of hair. Wrote again. Thought about tossing something out the window, leaned towards the novel. Wrote. Called off the "sacrificing computer" ceremony. Ultimately finished out the month with 53,736 words. Another successful Nano to add my belt.

Now in to December, I have a bit of good news and bad news. I'll hit you with the bad news first. My cat Garfield, the little monster...I mean angel of my life for the last seven or eight years, died early morning on December 1st. He had been sick for the last month or so. Didn't want him to die but I'm glad he isn't suffering anymore. Rest in Peace, old friend...


Now on to the good news. Despite saying they were going to stay for only a week, my brother and his girlfriend are moving out of our house several months after the fact. Finally, peace and quiet. Though I doubt it will last long. They'll screw up or run out of money and be back here sooner or later. There's always a reason. However, I'm going to enjoy the quiet for as long as I can.

Next, the wet news. Yes, I said wet. Early this morning, I had the pleasure of walking in on a little "spill" in the kitchen. I'm not exactly sure what happened but a leak was sprung in the kitchen. I stepped ankle deep in the pond rapidly forming on the tile. And one of our mats tried to make a break for it. Of course, I had to notify the warden of the situation and he was moved to a secure location for the time being. The water turned off under the sink and the pond sucked dry. Crisis adverted until it could be properly evaluated. I'll keep you updated when more details become available.

Last but most exciting, I'm hosting a contest at my other blog Ghost Stories. Offer up your opinion and you will be in the running for a $25 Amazon Gift Certificate! Check out the details.

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Give Thanks

Today, citizens of the United States celebrate a day to be thankful for everything you have in your life. Thanksgiving was historically a religious observation where the pilgrims gave thanks to God for surviving a brutal winter, a harvest festival that expanded three days. Our modern day celebrations are compared to this meal held in 1921. Although it’s not the first official Thanksgiving in this country.

A similar harvest festival took place in 1619 at the Virginia Colony and some say it dates further back to 1565 when 600 Spanish settlers held a mass of Thanksgiving after arriving safely to St. Augustine, Florida. However, it wasn’t a harvest festival and thus, some refuse to acknowledge it as the first Thanksgiving in the New World. President Abraham Lincoln declared the final Thursday in November as a national day of thanksgiving about 200 years after the Plymouth celebration. However, it was not made an official national holiday until 1941 by Congress.

In the United States, many people will be participating the tradition of eat Turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing. For those of you who are not celebrating Thanksgiving, you could always take this time to give thanks. There is always something to be thankful of: family, friends, a great writing career and a wonderful life in general. It doesn’t exactly have to be a national holiday for you to show how appreciative you are. What are some things you’re thankful for?

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Sinister Tales

Was it the ghosts? Or perhaps Simon found an entrance after all. Either way the noise rendered me frozen. No sound proceeded it at first. Then furniture tumbled over, sending a candle in a glass container rolling in to the hallway. The evidence mounted in Simon’s favor. Another crashing sound. Why was he in a spare bedroom? If the book was anywhere it was in Aunt Lilian’s room. He had been in this house numerous times. He should know which room was which. In effort to identify the intruder, I slowly sulked to their location.

Avoided spots I know creaked with age. Articles of clothing flew in to the hallway followed by a few mumbles. As I approached the doorway, I listened for the familiar identification. A sample of their voice. A familiar saying. Something. The person remained eerily quiet as they tore the room apart. I had to see who it was. Leaning towards the entrance, I gradually peered through. The man’s back was to me but I knew it wasn’t Simon. This man appeared inches taller and was wearing an onyx suit. Simon had blue jeans on. Not many people in this town opts for a suit, especially in this heat. Who could the man be? I looked on as he dumped the contents of drawers on to the flower. He sifted through the stuff with his foot. Disappointed, he pulled out another drawer and repeated the process.

The man refused to turn in my direction. What was he looking for? The book? If only he would show his face. I could toss something. Cause some kind of noise and get his attention. However, that would bring attention to my own location. Where were the ghosts when I needed them? I wouldn’t have to wait long. A door from below slammed shut, echoing throughout the house. The man twisted in my direction. My eyes grew wide. It was the last person I ever expected to see.

To be continued...

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Vocabulary for Charity

I know I’ve written concerning this before, but it’s something you can’t say enough about. National Novel Writing Month can be a stressful time. If you need something sort of fun to do and learn while donating charity, FreeRice.com is the website to visit.

American computer programmer John Breen set up FreeRice in October 2007. In March 2009, he donated it to the UN World Food Program. The premise is simple. You play a word definition game in order to help donate rice to the United Nations World Food Program. Your food donations are paid for by sponsors.

Here's how you play:

• You’re given a word and four definition choices.
• If you pick the right one, you donate 10 grains of rice and get a harder word. Three right answers in a row moves you up a vocabulary level.
• If you get it wrong, you drop a vocabulary level and get an easier word. Plus you’ll get a second chance to get it right later on.
• There are 60 vocabulary levels in all and according to the site and several subjects to choose from including math, science, and geography.

Here’s a chance to improve your vocabulary skills for your Nano novel or other projects and help feed the hunger. What is the highest vocabulary level you reached? My best is 35.

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What's Your Nano?

Last year, I decided to create a personal goal for myself. The minimum daily word count is 1,667 words (when it is all broke down). I set a goal to meet that minimum everyday in November. When I crossed the 50,000 word finish line, I also achieved what I set out to do.

This time around I wanted to up the stakes. I'm still meeting the minimum but I also created my first Nano blog called Sinister Tales. The purpose was to post excerpts everyday in November. It goes along with the theme of my Nano project. I also signed up for National Blog Posting Month. This technically takes place during every month in the year but November counts the most. I saw it as an extra incentive.

Instead of doing a series of short stories, which is what I have been doing every Nano since 2007, I am writing journal entries in my main character's voice. She's a wealthy city girl who lost her high paying job. Then, her life of luxury was the next to go. She learns her aunt has died and left the house to her only niece. The girl remembers visiting her aunt as a little girl and knows the house is haunted. She decides to use this opportunity to capitalize on the situation but doesn't get what she was bargaining for. Below is the excerpt from Day 4:

"Maybe they all have. Maybe it was all one big conspiracy. It would certainly explain Simon's demeanor. Would explain a lot of things. Was the answer that simple though?

Simon was my only link to anything. I asked him if he could help clean up the place. Maybe get the screws out of the windows. He hesitated at first. Maintained the smile with obvious discomfort. He didn't want to answer the question. I assured him he didn't have to. He wasn't bound to my every need. The offer seemed to heighten his confliction. He wanted to leave but something was keeping him here. I told him if he had more pressing matters to please go and take care of it.

He stammered. Said he didn't have any appointments for the day. Offered to stay and help me in any way. His smile faded. He turned and walked to his truck. Simon pulled out a tool box and walked past me. he avoided eye contact. It was like he was blaming me for keeping him here. He took out all the screws from every window. Never argued. Didn't say much of anything. After completing one task, just asked for another.

It was like he was afraid to be idle in the house for any period of time. The more he was willing to do the faster the house would be clean and smelling better. Plus it was stuff I didn't have to do. So, I stood back and let him.

I watched as he tackled one project after another. He tried ever so hard to play it cool, but he wasn't fooling me. I know he'd rather be anywhere than in this house. I wanted to force him to drop everything and go. I didn't want to be there by myself but I couldn't make him stay. It broke my heart observing his bravery. I tried to focus on the cleaning but found it difficult. The dust and mold all made me want to vomit.

By dusk, every surface had been disinfected. Dishes washed. Refrigerator cleared of spoiled food. Sheets washed. Floors swept, mopped or vacuumed. Our hard work transformed the house in to something livable. It didn't even look like the same place. I felt quite proud of myself I did domestic work. First time in like...ever. So much accomplished with no interruptions...of any kind. The time had come.

Simon had to go back to town. I was left with the decision on whether or not I would follow. I now had a house to sleep in. We had no strange occurrences all day. Could I survive a night here...alone? I had my car. I could take comfort in that. If anything happens, I could just leave. No big deal. I had food. All the utilities were still connected. I needed to save as much money as I could. No reason not to stay. Well...there was one. But nothing happened all day. There's a chance nothing would happen tonight either.

I wasn't exactly feeling completely sure about my decision. However, I was willing to take the chance. Simon, trying to hide it, was happy to leave. I gazed at his departure. I was left to face whatever the night held for me...alone."

What personal goals have you set for yourself? What is your Nano project?

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VMAs

Did you see the VMAs? I have to admit I'm not one who just loves to watch award shows but every now and then I scope one out. The Michael Jackson tribute was great. Loved Madonna's speech at the beginning. I guess it wouldn't be a tribute without one Jackson participating. Glad it was Janet. Great performances by Pink and Lady Gaga. I have to say I like her music but Lady Gaga's choice of wardrobe is a little much for me.

I still can't believe Kanye West ruined Taylor Swift's VMA moment. How much of a jerk do you have to be to jump on stage and do that? I mean fine. You like Beyonce more than Taylor. Doesn't mean you should snatch the microphone from Taylor and make a fool of yourself telling everyone that. Don't like the guy and never will.

I'm just glad Beyonce did the classy thing and let Taylor make her acceptance speech.

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Revamping My Site

Looking at my website, I decided it was time to make some improvements. It's simple but it looks a bit bare. I realized just how much it needed revising when I reread my bio. Not only are there typos but WriterBuddy shut down years ago and I'm no longer in a critique group much less running one.

I checked out some author websites for ideas. I'll be not only rewriting my bio but adding an author pic. I'm also going to add a few more pages: Nano, interviews, links, WIP, News & Announcements. Hopefully when I finish, it'll look a bit more professional.

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Rejection x 2

Andrea,

Thanks for your submissions to Tweet the Meat!
We will not be using any of your submissions this week. They were both good, especially the first one, but we've published a glut of cannibalism-themed stories lately.

We would like to encourage you to submit again.

Theme for 8/29 submission period: Fetish (Use your imagination)

(This week's secret tip: During our 8/22 submission period, we are also going to accept one or two stories with the theme of "Leather")


Theme for 9/5 submission period: Freak Show

Theme for 9/12 submission period: War

Thanks again for your continued support.

http://www.twitter.com/tweetthemeat

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Submission

Submitted a couple short shorts to Tweet the Meat. Will know in a week or so if any were accepted. *fingers crossed*

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History Saturday

Did ya know that Mary Surratt was the first female in the United States to be executed? In 1865, she was arrested and charged for conspiracy and with aiding the assassins and assisting their escape. Who was she accused of conspiring against? President Abraham Lincoln.

After her husband died, Mary moved with her two kids, Anna and John Jr., to Washington D.C. Her Surrattsville Tavern was being rented to a man named John Lloyd. To make extra money she began renting space in her Washington D. C. residence as well. During the Civil War, John Jr. became a confederate spy and messenger. He met John Wilkes Booth who became a regular at the Surratt boardinghouse.

Some believe Mary knew about the kidnapping but not the assassination plot about President Lincoln. As many reported conspirators came and go in her home, it's possible that through Booth's charm she turned a blind eye. Some women are willing to ignore a man's faults despite it all, but I have to say I have much sympathy for her. She was looking for some affection especially since her husband, some believe, may have turned her into a prostitute at one point. Booth provided that for her whether or not he cared for her or not.

She was arrested on April 17th. She was tried along with seven other men but claimed her innocence the whole time. The jury voted for the death penalty but also recommended mercy considering her age and sex. The recommendation was to give her life in prison, but in the end she was sentenced to death by hanging.

As the day approached, it is said that her daughter Anna went to the White House and spoke with the first daughter, pleading for her mom's life. However, she was told nothing could be done. On July 7, 1865, Mary Surratt along with the seven men was executed. She pleaded her innocence up to the very last second. She is buried in the Mount Olivet Cemetery in Washington D.C. Her son John Jr. was also tried as a conspirator but resulted in a hung jury. He was eventually let go.

There are claims that she haunts the two locations: Mary Surratt's boarding house (which is now Wok 'n' Roll Restaurant) and the Surrattsville Tavern. To learn more about Mary Surratt visit the Abraham Lincoln Research Site.

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Reading Too Much

Even though I’ve been writing for years, I’m still fairly new to the publishing side of the field. What frustrates me the most is all the advice. The line between what’s right and wrong are blurred most of the time. I often feel confused. The latest confusion is reading too much.

Writers tell you to read when you are first starting out. You can learn so much from those who have succeeded in writing: techniques, approaches, etc. I read an article by Noelle Sterne in The Writer about not reading too much while your writing. I can understand the point of that. You don’t want to become too envious or start writing in their style. You strive for originality. My question is: When are you suppose to read?

I write horror. Developing an original idea in this genre is very difficult. So much has already been done. Reading is kind of crucial in this case. However, if you’re someone who is constantly producing material, when do you fit in reading time? When you need inspiration for a scene? Is there really a such thing as reading too much? If so, do you think reading deprivation is crucial in finding our own voice?

Repost via Write Anything

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Back to School

There's this scene at the beginning of You've Got Mail where Tom Hanks character emails Meg Ryan's about Autumn. That he would go out and send her a bouquet of sharpened pencils if he could. Every year in August, I feel like doing the same. All the stores have the Back to School sales. I just feel like going on a big shopping spree.

Counting down the days til the season premiere of Supernatural, Sept. 10th! Can't wait to see how they defeat Lucifer....that's IF they do. I certainly hope they do....

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Didn’t Win :(

Page-a-Day WC – 1,233 words

The results of the Authors By Design Horror Contest have been posted and my little story didn’t win. Oh well. The winning story will be published on the AbD blog.

I’m over 10,000 words in to the AbDWriMo with four days left. Totally going to make the goal.

Also found out that my step-grandpa passed out, threw up and had a mini stroke on Monday. The latest update reveal no change. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers please.

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AbDWriMo

Still haven’t heard about my submission to the Authors By Design Horror Contest. It ended last week. Don’t know when they will make the announcement. Unless there was a lack of submissions, I don’t think I’ll win much less place. Wrote my story in a hurry and edited it even more so in a hurry. Wasn’t totally satisfied with it when I sent it in but didn’t have time to mess with it anymore. Oh well.

I’m currently participating in the latest Authors By Design Writing Month except this time it’s part writing part editing. Took a vote it was split. So, we’re doing both. We’re currently six days in to it and I’m not anywhere near where I should be. Feel a bit bad about that especially since Nano is just around the corner, but at least I’m trying.

We’ll see……

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The Debate Begins

Soft vs. Hard lead pencils

I don’t use regular pencils anymore. I made the switch to mechanical ones a long time ago. However, during my school days, I always preferred soft lead pencils. They were easier to sharpen. I didn’t have to stand at the pencil sharpener forever watching the pencil get shorter and shorter as the point breaking off after each round. That was so annoying. Problem is soft lead pencils were always harder to find. Totally sucked.

Which do you prefer?

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A Lot Going On

So, I’ve had plenty to be occupied with lately. My step-uncle moved out in to his own apartment. Mom and step-dad didn’t waste any time turning his former room in to a guest room. Then they painted the living room with a cross between tan and peach with a sort of bronze accent wall. Doesn’t look all that bad. The next room they were going to tackle was the room my brother use to occupy. It is now to be my step-dad’s computer room.

Of course, they can’t do much of anything until my brother and his girlfriend leave. They are staying with us for supposedly a week because they don’t have any place else to go or rather her aunt doesn’t want them in her house while she is away. Anyways, they’re here and I’d be really surprised if they don’t stay beyond a week. My brother got a job today. So, that should help move things along. He never really had a problem getting a job. It was the him staying motivated to keep it that was the problem.

On top of all of this, I’m still fighting with my dad via email. I hate that he acts like he has always respected wishes and how I’m feeling. He’s pretty much done the opposite. For example, there is this Lifetime movie called Prayers for Bobby. It has Sigourney Weaver in it. She plays this mom who is very religious. Her son one day tells her he is gay. She tries to fix him and keeps telling him that its a sin and all that. At one point in the movie, he had moved out and she sent him a sweater for his birthday I think. Along with the sweater were pamphlets about how being gay is a sin. My dad would do that and has done something similar. Last Christmas, along with a few other gifts, he sent me an article out of a magazine about forgiveness: when, how, etc. He was trying to send a very clear message which I did so also. I read the article, highlighted a few passages that helped prove my point, and sent it back. That’s the kind of stuff he does all the time.

Deep down I still have hope we can find equal ground.

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WTF?!

I started doing blog carnivals on Ghost Stories a few months back. In every edition, there is at least one spam submission. It’s no big deal. I just expect it. In the latest, a link was submitted supposedly for TinyUrl which is a site I use often for Twitter. However, the following remarks were added with it:

"DON'T THINK YOU CAN HIDE UNDER YOUR NEW NAME TEDDY WU? SHAME ON YOU! DON'T YOU HAVE LOYALTY TO YOUR OWN PARENTS? HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE YOU CHEATED? BO PANG LU SUAK!!!!!!!!!!!! HELPING THE CHINA GIRLS WITH YOUR FAKE DOCUMENTS???????? HOW MANY FAKE CERTIFICATES HAVE YOU ISSUED AND CON PEOPLE??????????? HOW MANY WBG MEMBERS HAVE YOU CHEATED??????? ALAN IS STILL WAITING FOR HIS MONEY!!!!!!!!! I WOULD LIKE PEOPLE WHO HAS BEEN CON BY TEDDY WU TO COME FORWARD AND FIGHT AGAINST THIS CON MAN TO PUT A STOP TO HIS DIRTY CHARACTER DON'T YOU HAVE THE BALLS TO FACE UP TO THE PEOPLE YOU CON???????? I AM STILL WAITING FOR MY MONEY S$400 YOU OWE ME 3 YEARS AGO????? DO YOU THINK YOU CAN TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO BE RICH WHEN YOU CAN’T EVEN HELP YOURSELF????? HA! HA! HA!!!!!!! DO YOU THINK YOU CAN TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO BE RICH WHEN YOU DON’T KNOW HOW TO EARN EVEN 1 CENT???? TEDDY WU JUN YU aka ANDREW POH KENG ANN YOU ARE A SWINDLE AND CON MAN NO NEED TO GO INTO HIDING! NO GUTS TO SHOW YOUR FACE? WHERE IS THE $400 YOU OWE ME 3 YEARS AGO? YOUR WEBSITE ARE ALL LIES! IF YOU ARE EARNING SO MUCH AS WHAT IS STATED IN YOUR WEBSITE WHY CAN'T YOU PAY EVEN 1 CENT TO ME? IT IS ABOUT TIME YOU PAY UP I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE AFTER YOU IRAS WILL CATCH UP ON YOU TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! VIEWERS BEWARE OF TEDDY WU JUN YU aka ANDREW POH KENG ANN HE IS A SWINDLER AND CON MAN I AM HIS TESTIMONIAL NO NEED TO LIE AND BOAST HOW MUCH YOU EARN IN YOUR WEBSITE DARE YOU TO BOAST IT TO IRAS!!!!!!!!! SHOW PROVED THAT YOU HAVE TRAIN AND MANAGE A TEAM OF PROFESSIONAL REALTORS? WHO ARE THEY??? WHERE ARE THEY???????? I AM AT GOBAL REAL ESTATE EVERY DAY WAITING FOR YOU TEDDY WU BUT NEVER SEE YOU THERE!!!!!! GLOBAL CLAIMED THAT YOU ARE NEVER AT THEIR PREMISES????? TONY NG & ASSIOCIATES FROM GLOBAL IS LOOKING FOR YOU TOO???? TONY NG & ASSIOCIATES FROM GLOBAL SAID THAT YOU NEVER RETURN HIS PHONE CALL AND CANNOT CONTACT YOU???? THE MD FROM GLOBAL IS LOOKING FOR YOU TOO???? WHAT SORT OF TRAINING ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT???????? CHINA GIRLS????????????? HELPING THEM WITH FAKE DOCUMENTS USING THE COMPANY NAME AS A FOREFRONT??????????????????? WHAT ELSE???????? EXPLAIN YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHOW YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!!! VIEWERS BEWARE OF TEDDY WU JUN YU aka ANDREW POH KENG ANN WILL KEEP YOUR PRODUCT & MONEY TEDDY WU JUN YU aka ANDREW POH KENG ANN IS A SWINDLER AND CON MAN THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO ME, TEDDY WU OWES ME $400 AND I HAVE & AM STILL CHASING AFTER HIM FOR THE MONEY HE CON OUT OF ME I AM HIS TESTIMONIAL!!!!!!!!!!"

Apparently, Teddy Wu pissed off someone and they thought to share it with me. Seriously, how do you respond to something like that?

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Horror Contest

I know I’ve been absent for a while and no I don’t have a good excuse for it. So, allow me to get to where I am today. My writing home Authors By Design is working to get back in to the active role once more. AbD has a blog now. It’s taking the place of our newsletter. We have new private critique groups forming and a short story contest beginning on July 1st.

I’m working to get a critique group going for horror writers only. I was a little hesitant taking the lead on this as I’ve moderated a similar group for children/YA writers and it didn’t go too well. I’m giving this a second chance. Hopefully, everything will turn out alright.

As for the short story contest, here are the details:

Authors By Design Horror Contest

A Twisted Fairytale

Dear AbD members,

We are pleased to announce our first contest for the year 2009. The contest’s theme is A Twisted Fairytale. You may choose any fairytale you like and twist it into a horror story; stories must be 1000 to 1500 words.

Contest will be open to AbD members only. New members that will register for the contest must have at least 3 posts in the forums.
Prizes:

• 40$ Amazon.com gift certificate or 40$ cash into a PayPal account (author's choice)
• A handmade breast cancer awareness bag with office goods (donated by Lynne Chandler)
• Winning story will be posted in The Authors By Design Blog

Submissions open July 1st and close July 31st

Send your submissions to abdblog @ gmail. com (no spaces) along with your forum username.

Membership to the site is free and there are plenty of forums and active threads to fulfill the three post requirement. This is a good writing community to join. I’ve known a lot of the admins, moderators and members for like seven years.

If you’re not a member and have questions, feel free to ask me. If I don’t know the answer, I’ll find someone who does.

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When Do You Surrender?

Page-a-Day WC -
Repost via Write Anything

Two years ago, I learned of a writing friend’s acceptance to a horror anthology, a market which was still accepting submissions. I had a story that fit in the theme. So, I submitted it and of course, the waiting began. A writer headed up the project and posted updates on it’s progress. Everything, in my experience, seemed pretty standard. Unfortunately, the progress began to slow down mainly due to the writer’s health issues.

A few months later, life was all good again. A couple of people were brought in to help with the anthology responsibilities. All signs pointed to this book being published. I, however, had yet to receive word whether or not my story would be in it. I remained patient. Months after this new surge of activity, updates pretty much ceased or rather I never saw any. I talked to my writer friend and sent follow-up emails which suggested the project was still in the works. A few days ago, about two years after submitting, I officially withdrew my story from consideration.

Writing is a process. You submit and wait. Most guidelines list the market’s average waiting period. If you’re involved in a similar situation like mine, do you wait for two years before waving the white flag or withdraw sooner or wait it out for the official word? What amount of time do you consider is too long to wait? Does it matter if you know writers also involved in it?

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Another Rejection

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I received word yesterday from Fear and Trembling Mag concerning the short story "Sealed With Anguish" I submitted. The decision was a no:

June 8, 2009

Sent via email to: sthrnwriter21@aol.com

Greetings:

Thank you for your submission of "Sealed With Anguish" to Fear and Trembling. We regret to inform you that we cannot use your submission at this time.

This response to you is automatically generated. However, it has been and continues to be our practice to share with our contributors parts of the discussion about their works that might help clarify our decision. What follows is/are excerpted from the editorial team's discussion. Each team member's remarks are separated by a row of asterisks. Also, following the last excerpt, there may be additional comments from the team member processing this correspondence.

Specific remarks about your submission:

*****

Eh. Didn't grab me at the beginning, nor did the random paragraphs in the middle or at the end -- just not feeling this one.

*****

I sort of liked it, but it really drifted off in the middle.

*****

This correspondence was processed by: Scott M. Sandridge

(*Returning to automatic correspondence*)

Again, thank you for your submission and your interest in Fear and Trembling. Keep in mind that the remarks and comments above are the opinions of the editorial team. Other readers may disagree.

Sincerely,

(Electronic Transmission -- Automatically Generated on behalf of)

The Fear and Trembling Editorial Team
Editor, Fear and Trembling

I like that they tell you why your submission is being rejected. Although I kind of wish they were a little more elaborate with the comments. Oh well. Will have to re-examine it and move on to the next.

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Write Anything on Twitter

Page-a-Day WC - 165 words

Write Anything is now on Twitter. Come stalk....I mean follow us! http://www.twitter.com/wawriters

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Strange Dream

Page-a-Day WC - 180 words

Last night I had this strange dream. Most I don't remember but my brain is fixated on this one. It starts out with me and a friend at the tail end of a keger. You know when most of the partiers are either passed out or on their way to it. So, I have a drink in my hand, laughing hysterically about something when this woman who looks like a young Holly Hunter comes up to me.

I don't know how I managed to piss her off but I did. She pounced on top of me. Some how I got a letter opener or a knife and just started stabbing her over and over and over. She rolled off of me on to her back but she didn't die. She morphed in to the blob thing, basically a maroon Flubber. Then scooted under a chair.

A few minutes later, the blob appeared again and morphed back in to the Holly Hunter double and tried to kill me again. This time I set her on fire but it still didn't kill her. While all of this is going on, I didn't react to it like a normal person. I wasn't freaked out or didn't even seem drunk. I acted as if it was an everyday thing. Anyways, she morphed back in to the blob and crawled away. I woke up after that.

I swear to you. I did not have Jell-O before going to bed last night.

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Horror Markets

Anthologies are excellent markets for short story writers. Here are a few anthology markets looking for horror stories.

2012AD Anthology – This is an apocalypse themed anthology. Your stories must be based on the ancient Mayan prediction of the world ending on December 21st, 2012. Payment: 1-4.9 US cents per word. Deadline: June 18th, 2009

The Blackness Within Anthology – This one is also themed. Your stories must encompass all stages of Moccus’s reappearance from infancy to death (his middle age and near-future) and how his influence spread throughout the world. Payment: under 1 US cent per word. Deadline: When filled.

Heavy Metal Horror Anthology – Heavy metal is the theme. Your story must contain this element in some way. The rest is up to you. Payment: under 1 US cent per word. Deadline: July 15th, 2009.

Shadows of the Emerald City Anthology – Many love the story of the Wizard of Oz. This is your chance to put your own horror twist to it. Your stories have to be based on the world of Oz. Payment: under 1 US cent per word. Deadline: July 31st, 2009.

Side Show 2: Tales of the Big Top and the Bizarre – For this anthology, they are looking for stories about side shows, carnivals, circuses, fairs, freak shows, and traveling shows. Payment: under 1 US cent per word. Deadline: When filled.

Repost from Write Anything

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