Notes from a Dead World

Luke Keioskie writes:

Hey gang (and anyone else reading this).  Great to see you guys blogging away and writing as well.  Graham and Jo’s forays into the short fiction world are inspiring – I’ve just read the latest issue of Wet Ink and there’s some awesome short stuff being published out there (a great story by Pierz Newton-John called COMRADE VASILII GOES TO WAR blew my mind) which makes me want to finish my novel even more, so I can put down some ideas rattling around in my head.  Jo, Graham – you should publish your short pieces in the FICTION category on the site, give everyone a read.  I’ve stuck one of my own up there as a bit of a taste.

Not much else to report, I’m afraid, except I’m in the finishing throes of my novel at the moment so I spend more time in Dead New York City then the real world.  That’s okay.  They have better hot dogs.

Anyone see they’re doing another retreat at Joondoburri?  It’s Hachette this time, and it’s adult fiction not speculative.  Anyone got a ’straight’ work up their sleeve?  I’m entering, but truth be told I’d just love another week off…

Fiona and Terry, well done on submitting.  It feels like a friendly race between us all, and I for one can’t wait to see everyone’s books on my shelves.  You can count on me for some royalties. 

Anyway, keep writing Orbiteers, and keep fighting the good fight.

Undead Rule OK

Happy Zombie Shuffle day to all, specially Luke and Jeremy!

http://www.theage.com.au/national/zombie-town-day-of-the-living-dead-descends-on-city-politely-20080614-2qno.html

Sounds like some of Luke’s necro mates might have been in the crowd? 

Janette

Re: The Last Gasp

Hi Gang. I’m trying to move this onto the blog and away from email. I trust by now you all have your RSS feeds working. If not, you’ll never know I said that.

So far as we know at this stage, Fiona is the only one to have sent her MS back to Orbit with Terry close behind (is it there yet Tel?). How is everyone else doing? I dotted my last T yesterday and I have it all ready to post to Bernadette tomorrow when I drive out to the post office.

Obviously I have the advantage of not having a day job but I’m sure we all want the whole group to finish these books and get them published. So let’s have a progress roll-call. It might push the work back up your priority stack if you have to keep telling the rest of us where you’re up to.

So sound off everybody.

Graham.

In case anyone is interested in voting for yours truly…

You can do so at Niteblade, where they’re hosting a poll for the favourite short stories and poems they’ve published so far. Top five go into a print anthology.

My contribution is ‘Demons and Gin’ (short story). No pressure, I’m just engaging in rare and fumbling self promotion here.

Jo A

Be Still My Beating Heart

If you’ve been reading my blog (see right) you’ll know that, all fired up by a pep-talk that Marianne gave me at the retreat, I have started sending short stories off to publications around the globe. Well today I heard back from the first of those and they have accepted my story!

It’s called ‘Skyball’ and it is going to appear in a spec fic e-zine called Bewildering Stories – possibly in January ‘09.

Now, Bewildering Stories doesn’t pay for fiction, so I’m a little conflicted about this. I had always thought that being published in a mag that doesn’t actually pay you is tantamount to saying, ‘My stuff is worthless, I’m only in it for the ego trip.’ However, the guys at the retreat beat me around the head most soundly when I suggested this, telling me about ‘kudos’ and ‘writing credits’ and such like. They also said real, paying customers tend to read the free mags to pick up stories for their anthologies. So that’s why I submitted. I must also say I was very relieved and impressed by the thorough editorial going-over that I got from the mag before they’d let me in.

On the whole, then, I’m counting this as a win.

And, since I am, it is officially my first win. Yes, this is the very first story of mine that has ever been accepted for publication.

At last, I am a published fiction author!

Graham.

Happy Monthaversary

Hi all you Orbiteers and supporters out there in blogland, today is our one month anniversary and I’m wondering, how’s the writing going???

Aside from moving house I’m busily reading all the books I’m supposed to be and craftily avoiding actually doing any writing (mwahahahahah, my cunning plan is working…)

I can’t believe this time last month I was savouring good wine, good food and great company and just at the beginning of a marvellous experience. It’s the classic time travel experience – time is a human construct so in my existential universe it’s really only a couple of days ago. I’ve just finished reading Brasyl (what a mind trip!) and while I have always loved the concept of the multiverse, I figure I’m too much of a solipsist to really, truly believe in a universe I didn’t create. Isn’t that a fundamental part of the human experience? Or is that just me?

Anywho my loves, miss you all and wishing you all brilliant writing and inspiration and time and energy and good badminton.

xxx Janette