Summing up Camp NaNoWriMo July 2020.

As far as doing Camp NaNoWriMo July 2020 went, my goals were low. I’ve had quite a difficult relationship with being creative recently. I’ve pretty much completely moved my model to submitting stuff, rather than writing or creating new stories. However, I decided that I would like to try writing again during Camp Nano July.

GOALS:- Any of the following –
Write a total of 20,000 words.
Write a total of 20 different stories.
Write for 20 days.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 1.

1st story of day 1 written. 1,192 words (The Dream Police) so far & 1446 words (Viskar Says Koklyev). Total of 2638 words.

Dream Police was literally inspired from reading a tweet which said “Who are you, the dream police?” Viskar Says Koklyev was an idea where you could spend years working for a person who only ever said one word and you couldn’t understand them.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 2. 1139 words (This Reality Is Collapsing) & 975 words (Dear Transnational Death Tank Company). Total of 4752 words.

This Reality Is Collapsing was an idea about being in an awful situation & having to think laterally to get out of it. Dear Transnational Death Tank Company is one of my experiments with epistles which I learned about doing Cat Rambo’s flash fiction course. Those have really been proving fun and easy to write. If you can find the right subject, these almost write themselves.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 3. 1670 words. Total of 6422 words.

Praise The Lord, this is already out in submission so I don’t want to say too much about it. I know I enjoyed writing it. Maybe you’ll be able to enjoy reading it soon? Fingers crossed!

Camp Nano July 2020, day 4. 2112 words. Total of 8534 words.

The Dive, inspired by seeing the movie “Underwater”, which I thought was awful, and not remotely entertaining. It’s a mix of SF & horror. The style wasn’t easy to get right, I hope people like it when I start submitting it.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 5. 725 words. Total of 9259 words.

Quick summary of Camp so far. I’ve written 6 stories. Not all of them are shit. A few may be saleable. Some may need beta readers.

Todays story was The Wokklesok, inspired by a user on Kongregate called Wokklesok. I said “Hey, man. Can I use your nickname in a story?” and he said have at it. So I did.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 6. 2316 words. Total of 11575 words.

TITLE REDACTED, day 1. I was frightened to start writing this, it’s a scary subject. Also, I’m not sure anyone has ever written a short story about this subject, so I won’t be mentioning the title, or the subject.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 7. 3049 words. Total of 14624 words.

Day 2 of TITLE REDACTED. Finally got it finished!

Camp Nano July 2020, day 8. 0 words. Total of 14624 words. I’m putting this here now. Writing yesterdays story was quite stressful so I am taking today off. Yes, I could write later today, but I don’t want to so I’m not forcing it.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 9. 1067 words. Total of 15691 words.

War Driver, a short cyberpunk style piece. Just an experiment really.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 10. 2476 words. Total of 18167 words.

Rescue Mission, based on an image prompt.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 11. 604 words. Total of 18771 words. Yeah, a short one today. I don’t mind, I wrote something. It just didn’t work out much longer than I had hoped. Daily goal has been 500 words and we’re beyond that.

London By Data-tape (Sensorium Version). I hoped I could get more from this idea, but struggled to get much beyond the daily 500 word goal.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 12. 1724 words. Total of 20495 words. And that is my goal, reached. A total of 12 stories finished. I’ll decide tomorrow if I am going to keep writing or not. At least there’s no pressure now.

Todays story was We Came Back In Winter, also based on an image prompt. It’s not a great story but hopefully with some refining I can fix it.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 13. 1912 words. Total of 22407 words.

I Made A New Friend Today. Exactly what it sounds like, part sf, part horror.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 14. 1456 words. Total of 23863 words.

Snurgul The Knurgal, short, maybe too short. Might need more work.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 15. 818 words. Total of 24681 words.

Letters From The Phased Photonic Travel Company, another epistle. I like it, I think it works and is funny.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 16. 1483 words. Total of 26164 words.

Declaring Dependants, a story set in COVID times, not sure if it works.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 17. 0 words. Total of 26164 words. Declaring today a down day, to relax, smell the flowers & just chill. I’ve 2 titles I can work on, but not today.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 18 & 19. 0 words. Total of 26164 words. As I am starting a week-long writing course Monday, I’m going to declare no words for today & tomorrow right now. I’m fine, I could totally write now if I so wished. I’d rather save it all up for that week.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 20. 2592 words. Total of 28756 words.

Death Cache Trial, I’ve been watching a Belgian livestreamer on Twitch recently, he does geocaching, and it gave me several ideas. this also needs some work.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 21. 0 words. Total of 28756 words.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 22. 1386 words. Total of 30142 words.

The Blue Package, I’d been watching Upload this week and had a few ideas of my own about living in a virtual enviroment.

Camp Nano July 2020, day 23. 875 & 936 (1811) words. Total of 31953 words. And that is my 20 stories completed.

Dial Stuck On Summer – short, set in a simulation. Needs some work, & Field Motivator Unit 349 Joins The Townswomens Guild – Really needs a lot to fix it.

SUMMING UP:- Goal to write 20,000 words was achieved, and then some. Goal to write 20 stories was achieved, barely. Some of them aren’t great. You can really spot the ones I fought to crank out.

While I didn’t write for 20 days, I didn’t feel I had to. I got 2 of my 3 possible goals, which I was more than happy with. I’m nowhere near back to where I was, easily able to write at will, whenever I want, but it’s a lot easier than it was before. I’m calling that a win too.

I wrote a very difficult story I had been putting off doing. It will be going out to submission, probably in August. At least 16 of these 20 stories feel like they could sell to the right market, with minor tweaking.

I put the entire list bar TITLE REDACTED online, people are enjoying the sound of them. I’ll use August to prepare for the September Submission Event which might possibly be the final one. I am either shelving the project, or potentially taking the next step on my own, to try a year long challenge of submitting 1 story per day for 365 days.

I’m not confident of my health, with COVID. I am working like every day is my last. Get stuff done, get it subbed. Worry about dying later. It’s probably just paranoia, but I am honestly frightened.

I don’t want to sound down, but life is fucking scary right now. You never know if you’ll wake up tomorrow, so just live like you will. Stay healthy, friends!

So this was July 2020

I’ve made 215 new submissions. 189 rejections. 10 acceptances. 2 withdrawn, 0 not received.

SALES & ACCEPTANCES:-

36 Hours In The Space Force sold to B Cubed Press, Jan 20th 2020.
My Summer Holiday, By Billy Mesner (Aged 5) sold to Trouble Among the Stars, Jan 20th 2020.
Fillers accepted by Again, Hazardous Imaginings, Feb 20th, 2020.
Mushnik’s Guitar sold to Aphotic Realm, Feb 21st, 2020.
The Shaming sold to Tell-Tale Press; Nebu Carnvale, 28th Feb, 2020.
For The Duty sold to Space Force; Building A Legacy, 22nd Mar, 2020.
The Scars Of War sold to Chrome Baby, 13th Apr, 2020.
The Dionesian Wave (reprint) sold to Tell-Tale Press, 24th Apr, 2020.
The Passing Of Witchcraft sold to Satyr Central, 21st July, 2020.
Electric Feet, Manual Street sold to Kasma SF, 26th July, 2020.

There are currently 33 stories out in submission:-

PUBLISHED THIS YEAR:-

A Tooth Fairy Dreams… Aether And Ichor issue 5. Jan 1st, 2020.
It Takes A Dragon. Flash Fiction Magazine. Jan 12th, 2020.
My Summer Holiday, By Billy Mesner (Aged 5). Trouble Among The Stars issue 5. February 5th, 2020.
Super Fake. Future Syndicate II. February 6th, 2020.
Mushnik’s Guitar. Aphotic Realm Magazine #9, Interstellar. March 26th, 2020
(REPRINT) The Dionesian Wave. Tell-Tale Press. May 4th, 2020.
For The Duty. Space Force: Building The Legacy. May 19th, 2020.
The Shaming. The Starship Logs Vol 3: Nabu Carnevale. Tell-Tale Press. 1st June, 2020.
The Scars Of War. Chrome Baby (Bairn 93). 30th June, 2020.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME!

Bastard Space will be released in Wordland 8 2020 (DTBC).
Summer At Camp Long Drop will be released in Ghostlight, 2020. (estimated before August 15th 2020, DTBC)
Detecting Rogue Time Travellers (Practical Exam) will be released in On Time, 2020. (DTBC)
36 Hours In The Space Force will be released in Tales From The Space Force, 2020. (DTBC)
The Passing Of Witchcraft will be released at Satyr Central. (DTBC)
Electric Feet, Manual Street will be released at Kasma SF in Oct 2020. (DTBC)

When I get more solid dates on the date to be confirmeds, I’ll announce them.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:-

All the dates I had for publication have now passed. Due to the pandemic, people have other priorities. Ghostlight are hoping they will go to print in the next 2 weeks.

The release date for On Time has also passed, we were set for June 27th but that’s been and gone. Having recently checked with them, sadly they were delayed but I’m told we’re close to go time.

I’ve been paid by the good folks from Wordland 8, which hopefully means they too are not far off their release date. I know I was asked for my address, so my contributor copy should be on its way soon.

Kasma SF have given me a provisional date of October for my publication there. I’m looking forward to working with Alex.

The last 2 stories out from the January Submission Challenge were withdrawn. There are also still 2 stories outstanding from the original September Challenge! One of those is going to be on hold a while longer, thanks to COVID issues.

Tuck & Roll in Automobilia is still on-going, at this point, I expect death before publication.

Fillers won’t be appearing in Again, Hazardous Imaginings. I was asked to do a full rewrite which I wasn’t prepared to do, especially after being told “yours is the best thus far and the most fitting for the anthology’s theme.

So this was June 2020

I’ve made 194 new submissions. 169 rejections. 8 acceptances. 2 withdrawn, 0 not received.

SALES & ACCEPTANCES:-

36 Hours In The Space Force sold to B Cubed Press, Jan 20th 2020.
My Summer Holiday, By Billy Mesner (Aged 5) sold to Trouble Among the Stars, Jan 20th 2020.
Fillers accepted by Again, Hazardous Imaginings, Feb 20th, 2020.
Mushnik’s Guitar sold to Aphotic Realm, Feb 21st, 2020.
The Shaming sold to Tell-Tale Press; Nebu Carnvale, 28th Feb, 2020.
For The Duty sold to Space Force; Building A Legacy, 22nd Mar, 2020.
The Scars Of War sold to Chrome Baby, 13th Apr, 2020.
The Dionesian Wave (reprint) sold to Tell-Tale Press, 24th Apr, 2020.

There are currently 34 stories out in submission:-

PUBLISHED THIS YEAR:-

A Tooth Fairy Dreams… Aether And Ichor issue 5. Jan 1st, 2020.
It Takes A Dragon. Flash Fiction Magazine. Jan 12th, 2020.
My Summer Holiday, By Billy Mesner (Aged 5). Trouble Among The Stars issue 5. February 5th, 2020.
Super Fake. Future Syndicate II. February 6th, 2020.
Mushnik’s Guitar. Aphotic Realm Magazine #9, Interstellar. March 26th, 2020
(REPRINT) The Dionesian Wave. Tell-Tale Press. May 4th, 2020.
For The Duty. Space Force: Building The Legacy. May 19th, 2020.
The Shaming. The Starship Logs Vol 3: Nabu Carnevale. Tell-Tale Press. 1st June, 2020.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME!

The Scars Of War will be published at Chrome Baby, 30th June, 2020 or 1st July, 2020.
Bastard Space will be released in Wordland 8 3rd July, 2020.
Summer At Camp Long Drop will be released in Ghostlight, 2020. (DTBC)
Detecting Rogue Time Travellers (Practical Exam) will be released in On Time, 2020. (DTBC)
36 Hours In The Space Force will be released in Tales From The Space Force, 2020. (DTBC)

When I get more solid dates on the date to be confirmeds, I’ll announce them.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:-

Some of the dates I had for publication have now passed. Due to the pandemic, people have other priorities. Ghostlight did send me an email, but I stupidly deleted it before I had a chance to take the updated info off it. If I get any specific updates, I’ll announce them here & on my Twitter feed.

The release date for On Time appears to have been bounced, we were all set for June 27th but that’s been and gone. Having recently checked with them, sadly they were delayed but I’m told we’re close to go time.

I’ve still got 2 stories left to hear back from the January Submission Challenge. There are also still 3 stories outstanding from the original September Challenge! To be honest there, one of those is probably getting pulled from submission.

Tuck & Roll in Automobilia is still on-going.

Fillers won’t be appearing in Again, Hazardous Imaginings. I was asked to do a full rewrite which I wasn’t prepared to do, especially after being told “yours is the best thus far and the most fitting for the anthology’s theme.”

Sadly I can’t check any of my email archives because the PC they were on has died, so until I can get data off that drive, it’s anyone’s guess when the TBC’s come out.

Yes, I’ve made no sales for a while. I am hoping things will turn around soon. While there are still things to be published, it’d be nice to snag a few more sales before this year is over. I know we’re only just over half way through, but it’ll be done before you know it.

Wish me luck for Camp NaNo July!

So I made a decision…

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, this won’t be news to you. I’m doing Camp NaNo July 2020.

I’ve set quite a low goal of either 20,000 words or 20 complete stories over 500 words.

I did a quick riffle through my stuff by the PC and have come up with 20 things I’d be happy writing. I’ve also had a brief look through my partially written stories, my incompletes and my works in progress. Lots of things to write there.

Hopefully I can find the motivation to get that done.

So I’m doing a writing course…

Yesterday I took the plunge, and decided to invest back into myself. I put my money where my mouth was, and paid for a course on Flash Fiction writing, from Cat Rambo’s School For Wayward Writers.

HONEST FEEDBACK SECTION. THE FOLLOWING VIEWS ARE MINE, ALONE.

Day one wasn’t great, nothing I didn’t already know. No exercises I felt I had to do which were going to offer me anything new. Not a huge issue as I hadn’t paid an insane amount of money to do the course.

Today was day two of me working my way through. Did two exercises and both resulted in good, relaxed writing of 521 and 512 word flash pieces. Both felt easy to do, they weren’t forced, they grew in an organic way and both had  a solid ending. I am normally awful at endings, ask anyone who has bought or read my stuff.

I haven’t been in a good place, creatively, for quite a few months now. It’s been a dark old time, that much I can tell you. So much doubt, negativity and massive indifference to the craft in general. It’s probably why I struggled yesterday.

Then I started listening to what Cat had said on day 1. They don’t all have to be good, just get the words down. It’s not about putting massive pressure on yourself to write a saleable story. Ray Bradbury said it best – You have to write the garbage.

I don’t know how long this course will take me, I’m going at my own pace. I want writing to feel nice again, to make me feel good, mentally. That will take time, so I’m taking mine.

I just wanted someone to know I’m not in that deep dark hole any more, and it feels okay.

I’ll finish with one final thought. Black Lives Matter.

Random creations using writing tools

So I was experimenting with some online storytelling tools. What follows are the results. Basically you selected a bunch of dictionaries or authors to select words from & you had to make something from them.

Here’s the first one, it used several odd sources.

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Monsters have bitterly blackened the heart of the empty gun. The false queen of family nuclear now keep the dark from different velvet. Griffins have landed inside people and have said, “family infest them, for a different impressive Space Academy about us.”

Lilith sickens us, lying, talking, have the caged colony walled for treasure than to kick inevitable heavens, the other dawn.

People will kiss rats that the fairy tale sealed; endemic with thundering.

Mastermind defiled, destroyed, always imprison him. Family be so wrong, mine for love. They cause little de-evolution and wise women care over despicably. Intruders die, give us lovers sour deplorable end. Some also want super-earths. Be holy, enemies be wild. Drunken loves slap some lives, becoming cold, dreaded is new, different house.

Help me for him.

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This one just used an SF Database.

Spacerabbits have cold ray guns, mules tear travelers tempting interspecies centipedes. Preternatural telepath tesseracts journey, endemic. Dawn vanishes, radio waves monitor horrors. Rangers dig desolated artifact wounding behemoths.

Cyborgs lurk, grunting mischievous telepathy. Ellipsoid boat, out of phase, desecrates tractor beams. Jovian methane fire, smothering outer space, powerful fractious fingers forced situations. Tachyon transports tear energy fields. Space piracy; behemoth pigmen betray deathlike maliciousness.

Black widow whistles, forget psychokinetic temperatures. Shatters super-earths, followers windmill, vanishing unmindfully. Frozen polymers piloted ghostly clone army revealed, laser rifle target caught friends with warlocks. Ethereal howl protecting, hallucinates, screamed decay, time traveled consciousness.

Worlds collapse, seal psychokinetic subspace. Irascible shroud.

Hyperspheres yowls.

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It’s certainly quite surreal, more a stream of conciousness than anything.

I thought it was worth sharing though.

This month, novel thoughts

I made the choice not to try #Pitmad with the novel this month. It really needs a proper full run through for grammar at the bare minimum. I’d still quite like to put the balloon race back in as a bit of a distraction from the main plot, it might make for a good bit of drama at its natural conclusion during year 5.

I’m still not sure about Mama Swan, as cool as she is, the plot doesn’t really need or can’t justify another character and their plot arc. While it will be fairly easy to include the various aspects leading up to, including & after the balloon race, it’s still quite a lot of work to find the right sections to insert it into.

If I can get that done before September, it’s possible I’ll try to pitch it again then.

So this was May 2020

I’ve made 176 new submissions. 139 rejections. 8 acceptances. 2 withdrawn, 0 not received.

SALES & ACCEPTANCES:-

36 Hours In The Space Force sold to B Cubed Press, Jan 20th 2020.
My Summer Holiday, By Billy Mesner (Aged 5) sold to Trouble Among the Stars, Jan 20th 2020.
Fillers accepted by Again, Hazardous Imaginings, Feb 20th, 2020.
Mushnik’s Guitar sold to Aphotic Realm, Feb 21st, 2020.
The Shaming sold to Tell-Tale Press; Nebu Carnvale, 28th Feb, 2020.
For The Duty sold to Space Force; Building A Legacy, 22nd Mar, 2020.
The Scars Of War sold to Chrome Baby, 13th Apr, 2020.
The Dionesian Wave (reprint) sold to Tell-Tale Press, 24th Apr, 2020.

There are currently 46 stories out in submission:-

Due to the fact screengrabs off the laptop are clearly crap, I probably won’t keep doing them.

PUBLISHED THIS YEAR:-

A Tooth Fairy Dreams… Aether And Ichor issue 5. Jan 1st, 2020.
It Takes A Dragon. Flash Fiction Magazine. Jan 12th, 2020.
My Summer Holiday, By Billy Mesner (Aged 5). Trouble Among The Stars issue 5. February 5th, 2020.
Super Fake. Future Syndicate II. February 6th, 2020.
Mushnik’s Guitar. Aphotic Realm Magazine #9, Interstellar. March 26th, 2020
(REPRINT) The Dionesian Wave. Tell-Tale Press. May 4th, 2020.
For The Duty. Space Force: Building The Legacy. May 19th, 2020.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME!

The Scars Of War will be published at Chrome Baby, 2020. (DTBC)
Summer At Camp Long Drop will be released in Ghostlight, 2020. (DTBC)
Bastard Space will be released in Wordland 8 2020. (DTBC)
The Shaming will be released in Tell-Tale Press; Nebu Carnvale, June 1st, 2020.
Detecting Rogue Time Travellers (Practical Exam) will be released in On Time, June 27th, 2020. (TBC)
36 Hours In The Space Force will be released in Tales From The Space Force 2020. (DTBC)

When I get more solid dates on the date to be confirmeds, I’ll announce them.

ANY OTHER BUSINESS:-

Some of the dates I had for publication have now passed. Due to the pandemic, people have other priorities. Ghostlight did send me an email, but I stupidly deleted it before I had a chance to take the updated info off it. If I get any specific updates, I’ll announce them here & on my Twitter feed.

I haven’t got an exact date on Scars Of War but Chrome Baby were hopeful it’d be during May. It looks like that now got bumped to June.

I’ve still got 3 stories left to hear back from the January Submission Challenge. There are also still 3 stories outstanding from the original September Challenge!

Tuck & Roll in Automobilia is still on-going.

Fillers won’t be appearing in Again, Hazardous Imaginings. I was asked to do a full rewrite which I wasn’t prepared to do, especially after being told “yours is the best thus far and the most fitting for the anthology’s theme.”

Sadly I can’t check any of my email archives because the PC they were on has died, so until I can get data off that drive, it’s anyone’s guess when the TBC’s come out.

May Submission Challenge Stats post

Hello writer friends! As I have just sent out the last sub for this month, I thought I’d get on with updating you what went where and how the month went in general.

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May 1st, todays market – Kanstellation (themed)

The Haunting Of An Occult Detective to Occult Detective Magazine,
The Lanyards to Weird Tales,
Major McCain to F&SF
& Spirit Animal to Nature; Futures.

No=108, Yes=8, Sub=135, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

No, I did NOT sub to todays market, as I had nothing on the theme. Yes, I did sub to Nature early, I’ve got a horror market lined up for myself on that day. Yes, I have also subbed to F&SF early. I know how fast they turn around & will subbing numerous pieces to them across this month.

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May 2nd, todays market – Abyss & Apex

A couple of apologies first. Compelling & Andromeda Spaceways aren’t open. I thought they were. Sorry about that. Effected me too as it brought me down from 3 subs to 2.

The Healer to Abyss & Apex, Egg Witch to Women of the Woods.

No=108, Yes=8, Sub=137, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 3rd, todays market – F&SF

As I’ve not had a rejection back from F&SF yet, I couldn’t sub there today.

Some publishing news from me. I’m going to be in The Best of CafeLit 9 anthology with my story 2 Tickets To The End Of The World. I’m not sure exactly when this will be coming out, but I’ll make sure a link is available when I get one.

Shake-down to Clarkesworld,
Top Field Tanks to Shoreline of Infinity
& The War Machines to Cossmass Infinities.

No=108, Yes=8, Sub=140, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 4th, todays market – Clarkesworld

No from Space & Time on Hyperboy; Trinity &
No from Midnight In The Pentagram on You Have Summoned a Demon.
The Children’s Waterfall to Interzone.
No from Clarkesworld on Shake-down.

No=111, Yes=8, Sub=141, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

Just the 1 story going out today, and not todays market either, because I didn’t want to be waiting until 4pm to sub. I’ll sub to SH tomorrow, as I can do it right away.

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May 5th, todays market – Strange Horizons

My 1st publication of this month, which was also the sale of my 1st reprint! The Dionesian Wave.

Please Hold to Strange Horizons &
Stray Kids Come Back to The Centropic Oracle.
No from Bards & Sages Quarterly on My Kingdom,
& from The Society of Misfit Stories on Death In Tunnel 3.

No=113, Yes=8, Sub=143, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 6th, todays market – Interzone

I guess I am going to have to own my mistake. I haven’t got a market to sub to today, it’s my own fault for trying to get so much out on days 1 and 2. While I could have pulled another of the markets from later down the challenge it’s only fair I admit I fucked up & overdid it it at the start.

It’s been a day of no subs for this guy. No rejections either, but I’ll confirm my stats at or after midnight my time.
No subs, no rejections.

No=113, Yes=8, Sub=143, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 7th, todays market – Daily Science Fiction

Nobody is perfect, not even the creator of the challenge themself! After my epic screw up yesterday leaving me no market to sub to, I got back on the horse, which ran off when I fell from it so I had to chase the little shit.

The Angels Kiss to Daily Science Fiction.

No=113, Yes=8, Sub=144, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 8th, todays market – 3 Lobed Burning Eye

Overground to 3 Lobed Burning Eye.

No=113, Yes=8, Sub=145, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 9th, todays market – Vestal Review

Todays market (Vestal Review) is not open for general subs.

At this point, I’m guessing Charlie Finlay is busier than normal. Would normally have heard back from him by now.
A Day For Flying to Allegory.

No=113, Yes=8, Sub=146, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 10th, todays market – The Arcanist

No from Escape Pod Flash Contest on Cinema Show.
The Next Best King to The Arcanist.

No=114, Yes=8, Sub=147, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 11th, todays market – Asimov’s

No from Interzone on The Children’s Waterfall.
The Assistance Centre to Asimov’s
& The Ripples Of Time to Interzone.

No=115, Yes=8, Sub=149, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 12th, todays market – Every Day Fiction

No from Fireside on Mission 334; Mannequin World.
The Suicide Drive to Every Day Fiction
& I Hide Behind Cardboard Cliffs And Polystyrene Rocks to We’re the Weird Aliens.

No=116, Yes=8, Sub=151, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

When/if we run next time (I’m not sure either way right now), Every Day Fiction WILL NOT be used as a market by me. Their contract is incredibly shitty & I hadn’t noticed until I actually read the damn thing. If you personally wish to sub there, I won’t stop you, but I’d advise otherwise after this time around. $3 for a story & nothing for a possible anthology later royally sucks a donkey cock thru several straws.

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May 13th, todays market – AGNI

Shoulder Surfers to AGNI.

No=116, Yes=8, Sub=152, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 14th, todays market – Beneath Ceaseless Skies

A Selection Of Fools Grails to Beneath Ceaseless Skies.
No from Hypnos Magazine on The Border.
No from F&SF on Major McCain.

No=118, Yes=8, Sub=153, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

I’ve got quite a lot due back any day now, hopeful some of those will be sales. I’m still not sure about the fate of the next possible challenge. Recently I’ve been looking into trying a writing course so it MIGHT get put off to allow me time to do that. I’ll keep you in the loop, obviously.

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May 15th, todays market – Cast Of Wonders (Banned books week)

Hot Dust to F&SF,
What You Can Do With A Non-trademarked Nut-spread to Clarkesworld.

No=118, Yes=8, Sub=155, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

Still no sales for me yet, but I live in hope. And a house, because hope don’t keep you warm & dry.

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May 16th, todays market – Sirius Science Fiction

Empty Chest to Drabblecast.
No from Clarkesworld on What You Can Do With A Non-trademarked Nut-spread.

No=119, Yes=8, Sub=156, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

I had to skip todays market as I still have a story outstanding there right now, couldn’t jump to tomorrows market either as that doesn’t open until then, hence going to Drabblecast today.

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May 17th, todays market – Ordinary Mortals Anthology

Hyperboy; Trinity to Rogue Blades Ordinary Mortals Anthology.
No from The Centropic Oracle on Stray Kids Come Back,
from Interzone on The Ripples Of Time
& from Augur on Fair King, Fell Low.

No=122, Yes=8, Sub=157, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 18th, todays market – The Drabblecast

Playing For Time to Interzone.

No=122, Yes=8, Sub=158, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

Subbing here because I can, & I’d already done Drabblecast a few days ago. I’m getting a bit nervous waiting on Sirius SF to get back to me. If I’ve heard nothing by the end of the week, I’ll have to risk a simultaneous sub to them. If could do with Abyss & Apex giving me an update too, TBH.

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May 19th, todays market – Electric Spec

Into The Labyrinth to Electric Spec.
No from Dark Moon Digest on Ghost Tour.

No=123, Yes=8, Sub=159, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.
Space Force: Building The Legacy (Featuring my story “For The Duty”) released today.

I’ve got an idea I’m fairly enthused to write about today (for a change), something which kept me awake for several hours, tossing the scenarios over in my mind.

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May 20th, todays market – Metaphorosis

Pen Pals From The Abyss to Metaphorosis.
No from Three-Lobed Burning Eye on Overground.

No=124, Yes=8, Sub=160, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

I’ve got a couple of outlines I’ve plotted out for stories I’m going to write. I’ve already started one but now I’ve got all my ideas out of my head & in some sort of order down on paper, it looks way more viable.

Fairly quick rejection here, only 8 days. I’m pleased to report I wrote my first good story in almost a month today, 2600(ish) words for a sub tomorrow. It felt fairly easy.

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May 21st, todays market – Flash Fiction Online

We Lived In OmniPark! to Tales From OmniPark
& Remembering Little Betty to Flash Fiction Online.
No from F&SF on Hot Dust.

No=125, Yes=8, Sub=162, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0

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May 22nd, todays market – (Hybrid Ink) Future//Tense: Sex

The Sex Lives Of Robots to Future//Tense: Sex
& The Magician to F&SF.
No from Interzone on Playing For Time
& No from Metaphorosis on Pen Pals From The Abyss.
No from Tales From OmniPark on We Lived In OmniPark!

No=128, Yes=8, Sub=164, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0

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May 23rd, todays market – The Future Fire

Hot Dust to Clarkesworld
& The Sleeping Season to The Future Fire.
No from Sci Phi Journal on And The Lord taketh Away.
No from Daily Science Fiction on The Angels Kiss.

No=130, Yes=8, Sub=166, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 24th, todays market – Not One Of Us

No from The Overcast on The Passing Of Witchcraft.
Nightwing Fucks Shit Up to Not One of Us.
No from Clarkesworld on Hot Dust.

No=132, Yes=8, Sub=167, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 25th, todays market – Chrome Baby

I’ve lost track of what day it is.

No from Rogue Blades Entertainment on Hyperboy; Trinity.
They Who Dare to Chrome Baby
& Lost Souls to Daily Science Fiction.
No from F&SF on The Magician.

No=133, Yes=8, Sub=169, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 26th, todays market – Cosmic Roots & Eldritch Shores

At this point, I am resigned to no sales this month. I suppose 3 for 3 was too much to ask for.
Cosmic Roots & Eldritch Shores is closed.
The Man Who Looked After The Sea to Mythaxis
& Fairytales, And Lies to F&SF.

No=134, Yes=8, Sub=171, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 27th, todays market – Nature; Futures

Got a contributor copy of my latest anthology appearance in the post today. FREE BOOKS ROCK!

Running With Scissors to The No Sleep Podcast.

No=134, Yes=8, Sub=172, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

26 pieces currently still out in this event.
3 from January. 3 from last September.
Total of 47 pieces still out in subs.

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May 28th, todays market – Amazing Stories

No from Beneath Ceaseless Skies on A Selection Of Fools Grails.
And The Lord Taketh Away to Amazing Stories.

No=135, Yes=8, Sub=173, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

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May 29th, todays market – Bards & Sages Quarterly

Grandmothers Shoes to Bards & Sages Quarterly.

No=135, Yes=8, Sub=174, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

I also got a hold from Mythaxis. It’s nice they are so quick, certainly feels good to have another story beyond 1st readers. I don’t want to speak too soon but it looks like my story won’t appear at Chrome Baby this month after all. I’d expected it to go up today, but there’s a poem up instead.

As I’ve already had something out this month, I’m fine with it getting bumped.

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May 30th, todays market – The Dark Magazine

Jesus, that was a task and a half! I got everything working then the laptop reset for an update which took 2 fucking hrs to do, then I couldn’t get it to load back up, some issue with the settings. Anyway, that took another hour (mail won’t load or work now) so I’ve had to sub through Hotmail. I now can’t check my regular email.

No from F&SF on Fairytales, And Lies.
Just A Small Slice Of Life to The Dark Magazine.
No from Mythaxis on The Man Who Looked After The Sea
& from Heroic Fantasy Quarterly on Exactly The Wrong Shade Of Green.

No=138, Yes=8, Sub=175, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

After another hour tinkering, I’ve got Thunderbird installed, I now have email.

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May 31st, todays market – Shoreline of Infinity

Hot Dust to Interzone.
No from The Dark Magazine on Just A Small Slice Of Life.

No=139, Yes=8, Sub=176, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.

I wanted to sub to Clarkesworld today, but I royally screwed up & somehow managed to send them the last story they’d rejected. There’s no way to remove a story from subs on their system, so I’ll have to wait for that to be rejected again.

I’ll list this as my last sub for the month, there’s still what’s left of today for an acceptance to arrive.

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41 submissions made.
31 rejections received.
0 acceptances.
27 May challenge pieces still out.
1 dead PC.

I’ll be honest, this hasn’t been a great month, even with new stories coming out. I thought I might make at least 1 sale before the month ended, but it appears that isn’t going to happen. I got nice comments from Mythaxis who I’ll be subbing to again.

I don’t know when or if this challenge will run again. If it does, possibly July, but that’s subject to change.
Normally by the end of each challenge I know for sure when I want to go again, right now I feel a bit defeated. That might change if some sales start coming in.

We’ll see, I guess?

Just a quick update

My PC finally died, after 14 years. Fotrunately I invested in a laptop last year, so I’m still online.

Obviously it’ll take me time to migrate fully onto this sytem, please bear with me while that takes place.