SNOW (or, How I learned to like the beard and other notes)
Posted by mcummings
Those of you in climes that are more used to a winter where the temperatures are low and the snow high may find this funny, but here in Virginia we usually don't have much snow. Heck, a half inch or so can send half the state into a panic, clear the shelves of the essentials - bread, milk, fritos and beer - and pretty much guarantee a day off.
Today, we are in the midst of our third unusual storm - we currently have a good six or more inches out there, and its supposed to keep coming down until tomorrow morning with a final estimate of near a foot. I, the idiot that I am, went out to get gas and some groceries, which quickly turned into some gas and whatever I could get at a WaWa. Its kind of reminiscent of a Stephen King novel out there - maybe The Stand, or once I got back home, The Shining.
So why the beard loving? Because after being outside for twenty minutes, my face wasn't that cold. Not even when I got in the car, looked in the mirror, and saw that I had icicles attached to my beard - damned thing had insulated my face. Mind you, I still want to shave it, and I can only do that if I publish or finish writing a novel (its a pride thing, and you know us guys and our pride).
Hope you all are having as nice a day!
wow, that was a fast rejection
Posted by mcummings
A few weeks ago, John Scalzi raised some fuss over on his blog about how the Big Three (F&SF, Asimov's, and Analog) still only accept paper submissions to their magazines. At the time, I noted how much I like ClarkesWorld submission system. They have the most fabulous automated queue that you can check on to see the progress of your story. Magazines like F&SF warn that it can be up to eight weeks turn around between when they receive your story and when you might get a response, so when I sent Dark Lord Rising there last Tuesday, I hardly expected a response waiting when I got home today.
Yeah, the form letter's nice (although it stirs a memory - I think I got the same letter from them a decade ago when I tried sending short stories out, before my long dry spell), and yeah, its a rejection. This one actually hit me a little, and I'm not sure why. Every successful author can tell you about the trunkful of rejection letters they received before their first break, and while my ego is high about the quality of the story itself, it isn't high enough to think I'm better than the other old hands. On the plus side, despite not accepting electronic submissions, and granted it may have been just a perfect timing thing, but it only took a week and a half to get a response - not too shabby.
If only it had been a yes.
So, I'm back to looking for markets for it. I've seen a few I could try, so its mostly a matter of settling on one and playing the wait game again. I guess it can't all be furiously fabulous wordsmithing all the time 
(What? Why yes, I do have other stories I'm working on, plus I've begun hand drafting Rust finally. 
)
BEARD!
Posted by mcummings
BEARD!!!
Feels like its been a while since I posted anything (and if the proportion of russian spam comments to feedstat followers is any indication, I've lost some readers and gained some spamming popularity). Sadly, there isn't much to report in the life and times of moi. I got a rejection from BrainHarvest, so I'm browsing for a market for a 750 word story (small market). I'm touching up Button Pusher to send out this week, and I still have that novel project rolling around in my head. While not always a flood, writing is going pretty well these days, so I'm not complaining. I'm working on the philosophy that if you write enough and then follow through on pushing it out, eventually you'll hit the right stride that results in publishing. Then other people will get to see the stories that rumble around inside your brain and feel a little more secure that no matter how messed up they think the universe is, you think its even worse.
Or something like that.
Only other thing I have to say to that is "BEARD!"
And the valve is loosened
Posted by mcummings
Not too long ago I lamented that I was having a hard time finding my muse.
Yeah, found her, went on a date, talked things out, and now I can't get her to shut up.
Today I wrote a new short story ("Pushing Buttons"), and on the way home I dictated another one (was thinking "the Lorax," but was am now afraid of copyright issues with that...anyone?). Both are going to need a revision or two (heck, the second one isn't even typed yet), but I hope to get these out in the next week or so (I have magazines in mind). Two stories, one day. Granted, not a lot of work on the novel today, but still, I feel so awesome right now. And sleepy. OK, mostly sleepy.
I also wanted to give a quick shout out to everyone who took the time to respond, read, and the respond again to Dark Lord Rising. The feedback was overall positive, and it felt great to get an ego stroke or two
Night all!
Some notes on today
Posted by mcummings
Today, I'm enjoying the after affects of percocets. Yesterday I had two wisdom teeth removed, and surprisingly, the surgery itself was painless and completely mellow. I still had visions of huge drill bits being aimed for my mouth while syringes tipped with massive needles aimed for my gums. Reality was much more mellow and agreeable. There were no drills involved, and the layering of anesthetics was done in such a way that by the time there was a need for needles, I couldn't feel them anyway.
Granted, less than an hour after leaving the dentist it all wore off and I was in aching pain, but at the time, at the time it was all good.
Today, "trapped" at home (ie, avoiding making long term commitments behind the wheel of a car while my pain killers do their thing), I have two things to say thank you for. First, we discovered this morning that UPS had left a delivery near our door on Saturday, before the rain. Luckily it survived untouched, and so a thank you goes out to Tor and Graeme's 'I hate Mondays' contest, as this morning I unwrapped my copy of Halo: Evolutions: Essential Tales of the Halo Universe. Normally not a big fan of fiction based off of movies and games, I was intrigued by this one since it features a story by Tobias Buckell, "Dirt." I'm looking forward to digging into this collection, so a thank you to Graeme and Tor for letting me do it on the cheap
Speaking of short stories (I'm not sure why this post is rambling so much, but in my head there's a logic to it), my story Dark Lord Rising didn't make it into Clarkesworld. Not surprising (12 issues a year, with only 2 stories per issue, 1 of which is by an established author), and I'm not disappointed in the least, but it was worth trying. That and their submission process is the best out there. Today I wrote up a cover letter, packaged it an envelope, and sent it off to Fantasy & Science Fiction. It'll be 8 weeks before I hear back, plenty of time to pick another market to try it in if they don't accept it (plus, it'll come back just in time for my birthday!). I'm nervous about sending a story out there, but oddly prepared for rejection with my chin up. What struck me today, though, is that since that first burst the first few days of the new year, I haven't accomplished much in the way of writing, something I'd like to amend sooner rather than later.
That very thought was still in my head - maybe I need to write some more short stories while Rust rattles around in my head - when the mail came, and out fell the March copy of Asimov's. Why is that significant? Because as far as I know, I don't have a subscription, although the label at the bottom says my subscription is good through Feb of 2011. So to some caring, unknown person out there - thank you! Not sure if this was intended as a fun read or a kick in the pants, but I think you've done both