Publishing – Page 7 – Writing Wrongs

Weekly writing check-in: the one with giving up the ghosts

Finished off the last bit of work for my classes (for now). Yay!

I started the last of the Ghost episodes (also for now–there might be a season two). This episode is challenging. It not only has its own story arc, but also the entire season story arc comes to a close in this story. Again, hats off to television writers. This. Is. Challenging. I’m calling this last episode Must Love Ghosts–tentatively (for now).

But it’s a lot of fun. As I mentioned earlier this week, Giving up the Ghosts is live. Plus, Ghost in the Coffee Machine is free and it includes a sample of Giving up the Ghosts. So, if you’re uncertain about Coffee & Ghosts, you can give it a no-risk sort of try.

Writing Work:

Calvino class: All done!
Writing ~ 3,600 words
Started Must Love Ghosts
Revising The Ghost Whisperer

Submissions:

The Perfect Canvas

Rejections:

The Perfect Canvas

Acceptances:

None

Publications:

Giving up the Ghosts is now live! And Ghost in the Coffee Machine is free to read.

If you want to learn more, see my post from a few days ago.

New release and a free read!

And … it’s here! The second episode in the Coffee & Ghosts series is live. Even better, the first episode is free.

Ghost in the Coffee Machine

Katy and her grandmother have always used coffee to catch ghosts. It pays the bills and keeps them in high-end beans. But after Katy’s grandmother dies, it’s as if she’s taken all the ghosts with her.

Until Katy discovers there’s a rival ghost hunter in town, one who uses tea–of all things–and one who has stolen all her clients. But when an epic infestation threatens, Katy can’t help but get involved. It will take all her wits–and some excellent Kona blend–to fight the ghost in the coffee machine.

Read for free!

Giving up the Ghosts

Katy Lindstrom has used coffee to catch ghosts since she was five years old–a handy skill in a town with an overabundance of spirits. Now Katy wants to make her newly-minted ghost-hunting business thrive. Never mind that her partner, Malcolm Armand, is her former rival, not to mention a bit … distracting.

When a routine ghost eradication ends in disaster, clues point to someone close to Malcolm. But something sinister lurks in Springside Township, something Katy’s never encountered in all her years of ghost hunting, and something that has her doubting all her skills.

It will take more than high-end beans and the perfect cup of coffee this time around. It will take trust and teamwork and possibly a sacrifice Katy’s not ready to make.

Read for free with Kindle Unlimited–or 99 cents!

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the banner week

So this past week? This was a banner week. I sold not one, but two stories to pro-paying markets, including one of my dream markets, Cicada. They bought reprint rights to Straying from the Path, which just goes to show that you can sell a story more than once, and do so at a good rate as well. One myth dispelled.

Plus, I finally found a home for The Life Expectancy of Fireflies! It’s a quirky, slightly disturbing story that’s received a lot of personal rejections along the lines of good story/not quite right for us/send us your next thing. This sort of response is gratifying if a little frustrating. But Fine Linen Magazine looks like a grand home for it.

I finished up the week with a rejection (because you can’t win them all) and with the final scenes for Gone Ghost. Last week? I like you very much.

Writing Work:

Calvino class: Finished reading If on a winter’s night a traveler, drafted my essay. Now all I need to do is post it and respond to the other essays. Almost there!
Writing ~ 3,000 words
Finished Gone Ghost

Submissions:

Knight in the Royal Arms

Rejections:

Knight in the Royal Arms

Acceptances:

The Life Expectancy of Fireflies
Straying from the Path

Publications:

None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with ghost writing

Well, I am staying on track with the ghost writing. And by ghost writing, I mean writing stories about ghosts (and coffee) and not writing a story for someone else to publish.

Here’s what I hope to do with all this ghost writing. I am structuring these stories as a serial. Each story will be a standalone piece (or so I hope) but also support an overall story arc.

In that way, it’s like a television series with episodes. You can jump in mid-season, but it’s probably more fun to catch all the shows from the beginning.

And I have a new-found respect for television writers. Because writing this way? Let’s just say it’s … challenging. So far in the series I have:

Ghost in the Coffee Machine
Giving up the Ghosts (cover to your left)
The Ghost Whisperer
Gone Ghost (currently in progress)

I even have the description for Giving Up the Ghosts ready to go:

Katy Lindstrom has used coffee to catch ghosts since she was five years old–a handy skill in a town with an overabundance of spirits. Now Katy wants to make her newly-minted ghost-hunting business thrive. Never mind that her partner, Malcolm Armand, is her former rival, not to mention a bit … distracting.

When a routine ghost eradication ends in disaster, clues point to someone close to Malcolm. But something sinister lurks in Springside Township, something Katy’s never encountered in all her years of ghost hunting, and something that has her doubting all her skills.

It will take more than high-end beans and the perfect cup of coffee this time around. It will take trust and teamwork and possibly a sacrifice Katy’s not ready to make.

Now that it’s out there, I guess I have to finish the series. Just another way to keep myself honest.

Writing Work:

Narrative Design class (almost done–story workshop week)
Calvino class
Writing ~ 4,740 words

Submissions:

None

Rejections:

Incriminating Evidence

Acceptances:

None

Publications:

None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with another sale

So … I sold a reprint this week to Evil Girlfriend Media, which is one of those inspired names, right up there with Mad Scientist Journal. I also discovered that the Kazka Press website is no longer online, so I will start looking for reprint markets for the stories I sold there as well.

I kept up in my classes, but I’m finding it difficult to balance two craft-heavy classes with writing new words. But I knew this month would be a difficult one for new words anyway, what with dance competitions and camping trips and who knows what. And as everyone knows, it’s the who knows what that’s particularly time-consuming. So, it’s working out. I’m enjoying the classes, revising some work, and sending out some as well.

Oh, and I sold a couple of things in there too. See? It all works out.

Writing Work:

Description class
Narrative Design class

Submissions:

Gretel and Hansel
Keeping Time (reprint market)

Rejections:

Gretel and Hansel

Acceptances:

A Measure of Sorrow to Evil Girlfriend Media.

Publications:

None

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the selfie from the end of the world

So we recovered from camping in enough time to attend the Starpower dance competition. One of these days, I’ll have a weekend with nothing scheduled. I’m looking forward to that.

I have managed to keep up in my classes (more or less). Even better, I have something in each category below this week. I’m so excited about the anthology. I had so much fun with that story (although I’m fairly certain you can’t call it a happy story–it is the end of the world after all). I’m also excited to have another vignette in Vine Leaves Literary Journal.

Writing Work:

Description class
Narrative Design class

Submissions:

A Measure of Sorrow (reprint market)

Rejections:

A Measure of Sorrow

Acceptances:

In a Manner of Speaking to Mad Scientist Journal for the Selfies from the End of the World anthology

Publications:

Steps to Goodbye in Vine Leaves Literary Journal, Issue #14

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the 99 cent sale

The YA Spring Fling continues this week, so if you haven’t had a chance to enter, head on over. Lots of books, lots and lots of books.

I’m continuing with both of my classes (I should probably go post my homework), managed a little writing, a little outlining, a little ghost research. Plus I sent a new story out into the world.

Also, if you want to grab Now and Later for 99 cents on Kindle, it’ll be that way for a week.

Writing Work:

Writing work ~ 2,300 words
Description class
Narrative Design class

Submissions:

In a Manner of Speaking

Rejections:

Abandonment Issues

Acceptances:

None

Publications:

None, but the Goodreads giveaway is still going on! Enter to win a print copy of Now and Later.

Or … grab the Kindle version for 99 cents. One week only!

Goodreads Book Giveaway

Now and Later

by Charity Tahmaseb

Giveaway ends April 02, 2015.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

YA Spring Fling Blog Hop with H.S. Stone

The YA Spring Fling is still going strong and there’s plenty of time to enter the giveaway. Want to know what you might win? Well, keep reading to learn a little more about one of the authors, H.S. Stone.

What’s your favorite thing about spring?

The fact that it’s not winter anymore! Cold weather and I don’t get along very well.

What’s the best thing about being a writer?

I love coming up with new story ideas. I’ve been inspired by dreams, books that I read, or just from taking a walk. Whenever a good idea hits me, I write it down in a notebook. As a result, I can’t wait to finish my current manuscript because there are so many new ideas beckoning me!

What’s the worst thing about being a writer?

For me, the revision process is the most painful part of creating a book. After the first draft, I’ll go over my manuscript several times before sending it to an editor, and by then, I’m usually sick of reading my story.

Tell us more about your books.

I write young adult speculative fiction. About half of my books can be classified as dystopian or post-apocalyptic, while the remaining ones fall in the realm of science fiction or fantasy.

Coffee or Tea?

Coffee, but I also like tea. I like coffee-flavored anything: ice cream, cake, candy, etc.

Plotter or Pantser?

I used to be a plotter, but now I’m somewhere in between. I start out each story by writing an outline, and while I try to follow it when I write the first draft, the characters invariably lead me in a different direction. I then revise the outline to match and continue with the draft, iterating when needed until I’ve completed the story.

Are there any books involved in the YA Spring Fling that you’re secretly lusting after?

Oh yes, there are several! But since I’m secretly lusting after them, I won’t reveal which ones. I think there are lots of great books being offered, and I’m grateful to be part of it.

What are your top tips for surviving a bad review?

Remember that everyone has an opinion, and even the best books aren’t for everyone. Re-read your positive reviews to remind yourself that there are readers who enjoyed what you wrote.

What are your top tips for surviving a zombie apocalypse?

Zombieland provided some very useful tips, so I’ll refer to that list: http://www.zombielandrules.com/.

Remember the double tap.

Where can readers find your books?

You can find a full list of my books from my website with links to the retailers that carry them:

H.S. Stone’s books

Weekly writing check-in: the one with the YA Spring Fling

So, yes, the YA Spring Fling started on Friday. There are lots of books, not just contemporary YA, but fantasy, sci-fi, horror. Have a favorite genre? You can probably find it in this giveaway.

In other news, I started another class this week. Why? Because I’m crazy. Well, yes, I am, but that’s not why. Way back at the start of the year, I signed up for the Description class at the Loft Literary Center. Then the Narrative Design class came along, and I decided to start that as well.

And things are just a little bit crazy, what with Girl Scouts and dance competitions and the like. But I know that: