Archive for the ‘Monsters’ Category
Another quick note for “The Writing Life” for the last day of April. This received this morning from Editor/Publisher Logan Uber (cf. March 19, 16), on a lead-up to publishing for a story originally submitted on February 8, a remarkably quick trip from submission, to acceptance, to contract, to entering the editing phase thus far.
Thank you for your patience as we work through all of the edits for “ONCE UPON A FUTURE TIME, VOLUME 4.” If you haven’t yet received a link to a Google Doc for your story don’t be alarmed we’ll have one to you shortly. On a different note, it’s getting close to time to remit payment for your story. Do you have a PayPal, Venmo, or similar account that we can use to send you your payment.
Additionally, please provide a brief author bio of no more than 250 words for inclusion in the book.
And so the information requested has gone back this afternoon. The story, a new one, “The Blue Man,” a far-future set variant on the Charles Perrault fairy tale “Bluebeard” — but with a different, and trickier, ending. This is for an anthology of fairy tales told with a science fiction bent. Or, quoting from the original call: There are as many tales as there are stars in the sky and now is your chance to share yours, once upon a future time.
To see for yourself, check these pages for more information as it becomes known.
Just a quick note for “The Writing Life.” Tuesday, March 19, the email received: I have attached the contract for your review and signature. Once we have received the signed copy we will proceed with the editing process. The story is “The Blue Man,” a variant on the fairy tale “Bluebeard,” accepted for ONCE UPON A FUTURE TIME, VOLUME 4 (see March 16, below). And so this afternoon, downloaded and signed, the contract whisked back to Editor/Publisher Logan Uber, with more to appear here as it becomes known.
This one’s a new tale, set in the far-future world of my novel-in-stories, TOMBS: A CHRONICLE OF LATTER-DAY TIMES OF EARTH. But it’s also a variant on a fairy tale, Charles Perrault’s “Bluebeard.”
The call: Return to a future full of mystery, magic, and malevolence. How can you tell friend from foe when faced with the cold darkness of outer space? The asteroid belt holds as much danger as the darkened woods, and the huntsman may be just another bounty hunter. The same warnings and concerns that were whispered over baby cradles and guarded by knights in shining armor can be found in the far reaches of space, but just a bit more . . . alien.
But not necessarily just outer space. The future is as expansive as the universe and full of untold stories. Rumors whispered in the dark of night and legends shared throughout the day. . . . There are as many tales as there are stars in the sky and now is your chance to share yours, once upon a future time.
Thus, ONCE UPON A FUTURE TIME, VOLUME 4, the fourth anthology installment based on fairy tales retold as science fiction. . . . upon a fairy or folk tale (Include title of the original tale after author name on the manuscript.) And on with details about unpublished stories only (no reprints allowed), lengths, formats, etc., but all seemed to be leading to one thus far unsold story by me, set in the universe of my TOMBS series (see also, e.g., “The Last Dance,” though in its case a reprint, lead tale in my new AVOID SEEING A MOUSE collection), a tale of two sisters and a chance to marry a reputedly wealthy but hideous man — in fact in his entirety colored blue. Of course, one can get used to just offbeat complexions. . . .
But what of that secret room, the one a bride-to-be has been given a key to, among many others, but told under no circumstances to open?
The word came Friday from Editor/Publisher Logan Uber: Thank you for submitting “The Blue Man” to ONCE UPON A FUTURE TIME, VOLUME 4. We enjoyed your story and would like to publish it in our anthology. After we hear from you we will send the contract for your review and signature. After receipt of your signed contract we will share a Google Doc for editing.
And thus, as we learn coming details together, perhaps we shall all find out for ourselves.
Ah, that time again has come, the Bloomington Writers Guild “Third Sunday Write” (cf. December 19, et al.), with four prompts supplied by moderator Shana Ritter, of which I chose the first. That is, perhaps because we’re just past a single-digit (and moments below zero) cold snap, in which I had to go out several days and — perhaps because of, perhaps not — am now at home resting, trying to shake off a bothersome cold, I went with the snowy one (almost all melted outside by now, though).
1. Under the Snow
Moles, voles, shrews, insects,
the cat treats them as equals —
a snack or a quick lunch —
as they create their own tunnel-world
underneath the snow.
It’s surprisingly warm there,
body heat building up
out of the wind,
but that gives them away too.
Tiny pores in the white
from partial melting
bring the air in —
vermin gotta breathe too, you know.
But it’s the bigger holes
that you watch out for,
signifying that larger subterranean creatures
feed on small beings also
and, should they rise,
breaking through the surface,
ice trolls enjoy people too!
Embark on a mesmerizing journey through the realms where reality intertwines with the surreal in “AVOID SEEING A MOUSE: AND OTHER TALES OF THE REAL AND SURREAL” by James Dorr.
So begins the blurb for my latest book, officially published and listed on Amazon as of today. In paperback form it’s available for $12.99, an ultra-low price in view of today’s post-inflation standards. It is, to be sure, a shortish collection with just twelve stories (by contrast, my 2013 Stoker® nominated THE TEARS OF ISIS had seventeen plus a poem), but with a purposeful hoped-for effect of piling skewed images, one atop another, inviting readers to see the whole as one prolonged vision — a kaleidoscope of dream reaching toward madness.
Or, quoting the blurb further: From the enigmatic landscapes of ancient Memphis to the mysterious dreams that blur the lines between waking and slumber, Dorr weaves a tapestry of stories that defy conventional boundaries.
Delve into the secrets of an otherworldly love, the apocalyptic visions that haunt the corners of our minds, and the strange encounters that shape the destiny of characters on the brink of revelation.
Dorr’s prose, rich with symbolism and mysticism, invites readers to explore the intricate dance between the tangible and the fantastical. In this collection, the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and the surreal whispers the hidden truths of existence.
“AVOID SEEING A MOUSE” beckons you to step into a world where dreams and reality converge, inviting you to question what you thought you knew about the nature of the universe.
And thus it goes. It can be found on Amazon for additional information, or — hopefully — ordering, by pressing here. And that isn’t all, there’s even a sample story offered through the publisher, Alien Buddha Press, which can be found here.
And one more item: If you should read AVOID SEEING A MOUSE and find it worthwhile, please consider reviewing it — even if only a single sentence on why you enjoyed or didn’t enjoy it — and posting it on sites like Amazon and Goodreads, along with your own blog and any other place you think appropriate. Or just tell your friends. With so much available on the internet, it’s the personal touch like that that’s the lifeblood of writers, helping a work stand out through the confusion.
Just a quick note that AVOID SEEING A MOUSE, AND OTHER TALES OF THE REAL AND SURREAL, is still expected out Monday, January 8, and has garnered three reviews on Goodreads thus far. But there’s still time left to get a review copy for yourself, if you’re so inclined.
Avoid WHAT?, you may ask. For an official blurb (actually a condensed version of the original pitch to the publisher, a “trimmed down” synopsis as one might say) see post for January 1, just below. And what then, you say — after reading it for yourself, of course? Well there’s no obligation, but if inclined to look at a copy and, if the spirit moves, write an honest review for posting on Goodreads, Amazon, etc. — as well as any personal blurbs, spreading the word to friends, and the like — there are still some PDF copies available over the weekend. Just email a request (including the words “Free Mouse” in the Subject line) to edgarc@rocketmailcom, including your email, and I’ll send one right out.
And reviews don’t have to be written right away either. A few days, or even weeks later is fine — the sites still will be open. (And for some examples, the ones already on Goodreads can be found now by clicking the book’s picture in the center column.)
And a new trimmed-down blurb written last night, for a Horror Writers Association announcement to come. Or at least one may hope (you send in the information, they decide when — and if — to use it). But one must try, yes?
So the book itself, AVOID SEEING A MOUSE AND OTHER TALES OF THE REAL AND SURREAL, is expected out in exactly a week, January 8, if things go as expected. Look for it on Amazon then! Not that I’m not going to plug it here too when the moment comes, and may I remind: There’s still time to ask for a PDF pre-publication copy (cf. December 26, way down at the bottom), hopefully with an eye to writing an honest review — but no obligation. I just want to see the collection read! Although better, of course, would be to buy a paperback copy.
And then, if you like it, perhaps still write a review?
AVOID SEEING A MOUSE is a relatively short collection as such things go — twelve stories combining to just under 40,000 words. But with lots of variety in it, I think. For the “trimmed down” synopsis: AVOID SEEING A MOUSE AND OTHER TALES OF THE REAL AND SURREAL offers twelve stories set in times from the mid-part of the previous century to a heat- and pollution-baked far-future Earth, but all in worlds a bit askew from what we might be used to. A city-wide celebration with only the dead invited, an anti-Communist who collects bottles, a twisted take on the ’80s Voyager space probes to Saturn, and a title tale of a 1999 pre-New Year’s Memphis where Y2K fears combine with an ancient Egyptian curse, and more, conspire to blur the lines that separate waking from dreams.
And for me as well, the whole thing was a surprise. I hadn’t expected to write/compile a new book in 2023, but a chance “manuscripts wanted” announcement for a shorter-than-usual collection tempted me to try to put one together — just as an exercise, if for no other reason — and I sent it in. So it was rejected, but then a second publisher’s Facebook post spurred some minor tweaks and a re-sending there, and . . . Bingo! A rapid acceptance (see November 21, et al.) — proof sheets and edits wrapping around the Thanksgiving holiday — covers and pre-publication copies. . . .
And a happy all-but-unexpected New Year!
Set for a January 8 release, AVOID SEEING A MOUSE AND OTHER TALES OF THE REAL AND SURREAL (cf. December 14, November 26, et al.) has already received one review on Goodreads. This from fellow writer (and artist) Marge Simon, in part:
. . . This collection doesn’t disappoint. I was glad to find several stories from his Tombs collection. One, loosely based on the Pied Piper, another about the time when ghouls almost died off, which left the populus of a certain planet in dire straits. . . . In another tale, meet a girl named Ipanema, a beauty from Tombs, who witnesses the death of all the lower animals. The collection is packed with juicy stories, all highly entertaining. The title story is last, and possibly the most fascinating fun. “Avoid Seeing A Mouse” set in contemporary times, is an adventure that begins in a magnificent exhibit of ancient Egypt. It prompts a young man’s dreams of the goddess Sekhmet. A mouse is spotted early on, but why should he avoid seeing it? You’ll need to read the book to find out what happens next. Trust me, you’ll never find a story like this one anywhere. The collection is highly recommended, it’s a keeper!
Other stories include zombies, ghouls, and, yes, vampires (at least by repute), along with Egyptian and more recent history, myths, space probes and Saturn. . . . And destructive animals. But what’s your opinion? That is, while I understand AVOID SEEING A MOUSE will be available in print only, I’d like to offer prospective readers, in return for considering writing an honest review, a free pre-publication PDF copy now. Call it a post-holiday gift, if you will. In other words, if other things intervene or if after reading it you think it isn’t worth reviewing, that would be okay — there’s no obligation.
The thing is, what I really want to do is get people to read it, then if they like it spread the word to friends. To generate buzz. And if you’re moved to write and post a review on Amazon, Goodreads, etc. as well, that would be super! And of course, if you’d then like a paperback copy to keep — or perhaps even share as gifts yourselves — I understand the Amazon price in January, according to publisher The Alien Buddha Press, will be $12.99.
But for now, for a free PDF copy of AVOID SEEING A MOUSE AND OTHER TALES OF THE REAL AND SURREAL just send me an email to edgarc@rocketmail.com with “Mouse” in the subject line.
Alien Buddha Press is now accepting submissions across all genres, for poetry chapbooks, novellas, short story collections, nonfiction books, and more. That had been the call, with a note that shorter works — those that, after formatting, might be published in 150 pages or fewer — were preferred. So in mid November I responded and. . . .
Came the reply, from Alien Buddha’s Red Focks, I am enjoying your collection, and would be happy to work with you. . . . Attached is our standard publishing contract. The book: AVOID SEEING A MOUSE, AND OTHER TALES OF THE REAL AND SURREAL (see November 26, 10). And things have been moving rapidly since with, as of now, AVOID SEEING A MOUSE scheduled to be officially published on January 8 2024 with, as I understand, a hard copy price of $12.99.
So this week I’ve received pre-publication copies of the paperback edition — just in time for Christmas gifts should they so be desired! And the book looks quite nice. In general, it is a short collection at just south of 40,000 words (cf. first paragraph above, the note in the call for shorter manuscripts, the reason I’d sent it there in the first place) — i.e., if it were an equivalent single narrative, just on the side of a long novella as opposed to a short novel — though with the actual book as a whole still coming in at about 200 pages. That is, Alien Buddha sometimes prints text with relatively wide vertical spacing, which makes it easy to read, but if more condensed it would probably have come in at comfortably under 150 pages.
Which means, to my credit (ahem!), that Publisher/Editor Focks apparently liked what he saw enough not to mind the “extra length.”
Another one of these quicker than quick publications, THE MONSTER WITHIN: TALES OF A TORTURED MIND (see November 1, October 27) arrived today, granted with extra fast shipping. Or at least so said Amazon. Also, says Amazon, the release date for both electronic and print editions is Halloween, October 31 (see again, that last post here, the okaying of the proof November 1 — how’s that for stretching it!).
But let’s not quibble. A little fudging, sure, but the thing is it’s physically here, my story a reprint originally published in FEDORA III (Wildside Press, 2004), “The Right Man,” in number five spot in a contents list of nineteen stories, the majority relatively short (the entire anthology comes in at just under 200 pages). Or to quote the blurb:
WARNING! Do not read this alone at night.
The stories contained in this anthology bothered test readers deep in places no one wants to go. It revealed the darkest of desires, the depths of depravity that no one wants to talk about but that do exist in the very real world. Which is exactly what we put a call out for.
Keep something warm and fuzzy handy. But, also, if you are disturbed, triggered or upset in any way, please reach out, talk to someone. Some of these stories can bring up some painful emotions.
Be that as it may, to see for yourself and perhaps to order, it can be found here.
jamesdorrwriter 