The email notification pinged softly on my phone as we crossed the North Carolina border. "Your story 'Shakti' is one of the finalists…." “That’s great,” said my Laddie when I read the message aloud. I shrugged and turned back to the cornfields beyond the window, surrendering to the creative malaise that consumed me all that... Continue Reading →
Success in Failure: or, an Oddly Empowering Rejection
At the end of 2016, I submitted a short story for a science fiction anthology. If you’ve kept up with my ramblings, you’ll know that the short story format presents huge challenges to me. But I thought this particular effort turned out well. Ambitious in its narrative scope, the story packed a lot of complexity... Continue Reading →
Recent Reads: “Inquisitor”, by Anela Deen
Rather than endure the theater crowds flocking to see Star Trek: Beyond this weekend, I chose to stay in with another science fiction adventure I’ve been following: Insurrection, by fellow indie author and book blogger Anela Deen of Amid the Imaginary. She’s shared ARCs of her short story serial with me over the past few months... Continue Reading →
Recent Reads: Subversive, by A. Deen
It's been a long time since I stayed up too late reading, but last night found me feverishly turning pages well after moonrise...not of a novel, but a short story. Anela, the indie author champion behind Amid The Imaginary, contacted me earlier this week and offered me her Insurrection serial in exchange for my honest review. After my recent challenges... Continue Reading →