For long time readers, you know I’ve been writing fiction for a while now. The big problem has been one of commitment (on my part) – I’ll have spurts of creativity, but then real life will intervene, work will interfere, and before you know it, I’m in a slump.
One of my long term goals has always been to see my fiction (both long format and short) published. I don’t want to make more of this than it is – it’s one short story, and there are many more out there – but the March issue of New Myths will have my short story, “Io Asunder.”
This story took a long, arduous path to publication, all of it behind the scenes. I learned a lot during the struggle to make this a salable story, lessons I hope to apply to other stories. That’s not to say there’s a formula to getting published (if there is, I don’t know of anyone that’s found it), but I think I finally grok what the difference between stories I write that get a dismissive grunt, and the stories that get nibbles.
I’ll post more info as it becomes available. I realize this is old news to twitter and facebook followers, but it was a big deal to me 🙂
Congratulations! That is wonderful news! I wouldn’t downplay it, either. Celebrate! It took 14 years of trying for me to sell my first story. When I finally did it, I was more elated than the day I got my pilot’s license. It is a Big Deal!
Thanks 🙂 Most of my downplay is a reaction to sharing the news with my kids – “Are you famous now?” was a tie with “So you have a book being published?” (they know I have many trunked novels). Also, still dealing with the actual act of sharing with others what I’ve been working on, which may be one of the hardest parts in the process sometimes.