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.
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No=108, Yes=8, Sub=135, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.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.
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No=108, Yes=8, Sub=137, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.
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No=108, Yes=8, Sub=140, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.
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No=111, Yes=8, Sub=141, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.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.
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No=113, Yes=8, Sub=143, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
May 13th, todays market – AGNI
Shoulder Surfers to AGNI.
No=116, Yes=8, Sub=152, Withdrawn=2, Not Received=0.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
raywriteswrongs 