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Monday, January 25, 2021

2021 Words for the Year, January Highlights and #365gratitude

 





WORDS FOR THE YEAR

It may seem a little late to post this, but I prayed and reflected on my word for the year several times.
In the past, I chose a phrase. 
In 2019, it was: Small Steps.
In 2020, it was: Creative Confidence.
In 2021, it is three different words from three different places: Healing, Choice, and Invitation
Healing is the word that came to me in prayer.
Choice it the word that resonated with me in a journal entry at the end of the year.
Invitation is a word given to me by someone who heard my current journey, and it resonates with me.
So, my "phrase" is: I have an invitation and a choice to experience healing and to help others heal.

Several years ago, if someone asked me if I could have a superpower, I would have had a tough time choosing between flight and superspeed.
Now, I would love to have the power to heal, both myself and the world around me, one person at a time.

I think it's possible to offer words of healing.

This brings me to:

GRATITUDE CHALLENGES PAST AND PRESENT


Does anyone remember my #101daysgratitude challenge? 
No, that's okay. I forgot a lot of days of it, too, at least on social media. 
I did keep a list and I'll share that near the end of this post, because it gets long...


Even if I didn't complete the challenge on social media, the sentiment was still the same throughout: to fight back against crumminess by seeking beauty, joy, and gratitude.



That's why I joined the #365gratitude challenge when I saw it mentioned on Patricia Josephine's blog. I joined six days late, but hey, I did join and I added in a few extra "things". :)
So far, I am thankful for:
  1. The IWSG writing community
  2. Dads who teach daughters how to change the oil in their cars (my dad and my husband)
  3. Headphones (I have big gamer headphones that block out sound and help me hear students better on Zoom)
  4. Tutoring
  5. Delight in simple things, like family conversations and laughter
  6. Chocolate Chip Cookies
  7. Birthday Cake
  8. Reusable water bottles
  9. Scissors (would you want to live life without scissors? I wouldn't)
  10. Cobra Kai (yes, I like it, call me 80s)
  11. The Expanse (yes, I like this one, too)
  12. The Mandalorian (more, please, someday)
  13. Traitor's Game by Jennifer Nielsen
  14. Spares by Carol Riggs 
  15. Having a student who is reading LoTR for our tutoring sessions (his choice!)
  16. Word Power (see above)
  17. Rev. MLK, Jr. He had word power and an exceptional voice.
  18. Advocacy (see Chrys Fey's guest post and A Fighting Chance)
  19. Travel Memoirs (see Liesbet Collaert's book celebration post for Plunge)
  20. Fantasy fiction
  21. Science fiction 
  22. Romantic Suspense (Notables: Chrys Fey and Jemi Fraser)
  23. Romance (all right, I am reading romance, but don't tell my mom, even if the author I mention is clean enough for her) Ellen Jacobsen (who also writes fun, cozy mysteries)
  24. Getting a poem published! Read "Winter's End" at The Skinny Poetry Journal. 
  25. Daughter #1 (firstborn, I don't have favorites) whose birthday is today. She's 22. I'm amazed by her: compassion, advocacy, work ethic, engineering brain mixed with her love of theater and literature, joy, laughter, love, dancing spirit, love of being outdoors - ice climbing, rock climbing, and skiing, and authentic faith.

Have you had enough gratitude yet? Has it overwhelmed the toughness of life right now? No? 

Well, I have more...Mwahaha. 

This the mostly complete list from my #101daysgratitude challenge. Note: there are more than 101 items listed, but some are repeats. I'm not always creative with my thanksgiving.

101 Days Gratitude Challenge Recap

From September 23, 2020 through January 1, 2021

1. Keep Writing with Fey: Sparks to Defeat Writer’s Block, Depression, and Burnout by Chrys Fey.

2. My writing days that felt good.

3. Rain. The day I mentioned this, it was near the end of the wildfires, and the rain dampened many fires and cleansed the air.

4. My favorite fantasy book to movie cast: The Hobbit with Martin Freeman as Bilbo. 

5. A fantasy quote I love which I think relates to life and writing: “It does not do to leave a dragon out of your calculations if you live near him,” Gandalf in The Hobbit by Tolkien.

6. The #fantasychallengeseptember on Instagram in which I “met” several wonderful authors.

7. Books in general, from small to large, from baby books to books for academics, and all of the books in-between.

8. Reading parents.

9. Reading children.

10. Reading.

11. Books that can be read again and again.

12. National Daughter’s Day and my two daughters. They light up my life with their conversations, their compassion, their humor, their hugs, and their love for each other. Even in their struggles, they impress me.

13. Writing. 

14. Fun story ideas.

15. My talented cover artist for Liftoff. Carrie Butler.

16. My encouraging editor Chrys Fey.

17. Seventeen awesome encouragers who helped with my book release.

18. Furry family members.

19. Cattitude from our purring furry family member who comforts us when we don’t feel well and reads over my shoulder.

20. New book covers.

21. Two superwomen sister-in-laws.

22. Prayers.

23. Morning moments.

24. My Eeyore mug.

25. Frames of leaves and trees for the sky.

26. World-building for fantasy and science fiction.

27. Daughters walking arm in arm.

28. A plentitude of pens.

29. Hour-long phone conversations with my daughters. Their voices feel like a sound hug.

30. Encouragers.

31. A finished book, written this year, edited this year, published this year.

32. Our back deck.

33. Tea, rest, and writing time.

34. World Mental Health Day.

35. Faith.

36. Family.

37. Walks.

38. Rain and sunshine.

39. Books.

40. Tea or coffee.

41. Writing, journaling, and fun pens.

42. Thanksgiving, gratitude, and self-care challenges.

43. A sense of travel from a coffee mug which represents a trip I took a few years ago. 

44. A sense of travel by seeing familiar places with fresh eyes. 

45. Pumpkins.

46. Candles.

47. The International Day of Failure.

48. Over a dozen books I haven’t finished. I choose to see these as either growth, or possibilities.

49. Speaking through social anxiety.

50. Thinking about my “perfect” book recipe: flawed heroes, world-building, action, friends/family, fantastical creatures/aliens, references, high stakes, a hint of romance, hope on the horizon or outright faith.

51. Creative Colloquy.

52. Free Writer’s Workshop classes from Creative Colloquy.

53. A free class by Jack Cameron on “Outlining by the Seat of your Pants.”

54. Technology.

55. My favorite characters in my books.

56. Character names.

57. Seeing a former student get some of her work published in a graphic novel.

58. Great first lines.

59. The IG writing community.

60. All the 2020 humor memes. We needed them. I needed them. Thank you, meme-makers.

61. The growth I’ve experienced as a mom, letting go of my college-age daughters, and having them come back to conversations and family time.

62. I have bad days, I have good days, and I keep on walking.

63. Fitbit’s achievement badges.

64. “one word after another word is power.” Margaret Atwoood.

65. Updates from my cover artist.

66. Grocery store runs with my husband.

67. Family conversations by speaker phone – the new fireside chat.

68. A really awesome sermon from Pastor Peter Churness on the in-depth meanings in John 7 and the Feast of Tabernacles (and all of his John sermons). 

69. Short hellos at the grocery store.

70. A discussion of the history of my name with a barista who knew history about the city of Tyre. (Even though my parents made up my name creatively, it actually is the same as a historical name.)

71. The interior design for my novella Liftoff.

72. My pets reminding me to destress. Example: my cat taking time to shred a paper bag. 

73. Tutoring awesome students via Zoom.

74. Coffee with friends – Christian sisters I can get real with and laugh with.

75. Inspirational memes.

76. A new desk.

77. A new chair.

78. Early reviews for Liftoff. So wonderful and encouraging!

79. Finishing items on my checklist and rewarding myself for doing it.

80. Rain jackets that work.

81. Writing encouragement.

82. My writing critique group of super encouragers.

83. Seeing the work of a former student in print.

84. Sun breaks and the knowledge that no matter how dark things seem, the sun is just waiting to break through the clouds, like how the light of Jesus is always shining even when we can’t see it. I was reminded of this by a praying friend one morning.

85. Friendship.

86. The right to vote and make my own choices, based on research and not what everyone is saying. 

87. The way my daughters care for each other.

88. DIY kitchen parts coming together: new cabinets, new countertops.

89. Saturday morning Bible Study sisters, great study time, and Zoom.

90. “I am the Light of the World.” John 8:12

91. One Hope Church.

92. Day of book release signing at a coffee shop with five people. Perfect for me. 😊

93. A clean desk.

94. Mini-celebrations.

95. Book release day.

96. Veterans Day and all the Veterans who have worked so hard for freedom.

97. Encouragement from the blogging community.

98. A lazy Saturday.

99. Online resources at One Hope Church.

100. My blog book tour and all the wonderful bloggers who helped with my book release.

101. Writing friends in the South Sound Writers’ Community built up by EC Murray.

102. Re-shelving my books and creating a more celebratory shelf for my books.

103. Self-care.

104. Mammograms for self-care.

105. My mother-in-law is a cancer survivor-warrior woman.

106. Short story publications.

107. Creative essay publications.

108. Poetry publications.

109. Glimmers of light, messages in a bottle from Creative Colloquy authors.

110. Game night.

111. Advent.

112. Dressember. Raising funds to fight human trafficking.

113. Remembering a childhood friend. The memories are good. The loss of her life by suicide was hard. I am thankful for her life lived, and getting to know her as a friend.

114. Dinner with two beautiful Christian sisters who lift me up with their love, grace, and wisdom.

115. Writing craft books.

116. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert.

117. Writing poetry.

118. Writing a few songs.

119. The Mandalorian show.

120. Walking to the corner coffee shop with my daughter.

121. My mom’s creativity.

122. My dad’s steadfast kindness.

123. A text from a friend about how her daughter loves my new book so much she was trying to avoid her homework so she could finish it. 

124. Friends asking me to sign their books. I feel a little overwhelmed when this happens, but it’s good.

125. Physical therapy for my Achilles tendonitis.

126. Heat and ice.

127. Stretching.

128. Pressure points.

129. Daughters home for Christmas.

130. Wreaths.

131. Naps.

132. Christmas lights.

133. Christmas trees.

134. Unexpected and random acts of kindness.

135. Nativity scenes.

136. Playing the drums.

137. Listening to Christmas music played on our piano.

138. Christmas cookies.

139. Pastors.

140. Questions.

141. God.

142. Uniqueness.

143. Wrapping presents with my husband.

144. Game night, Catan style.

145. Klaus, a Christmas movie.

146. Water.

147. The armor of God: belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, helmet of salvation, shoes fitted for the gospel of peace, shield of faith, sword of the Spirit. 

148. Choice.

149. Praise.

150. Healing.

151. Renewal.

152. Christmas cards and Christmas letters.

153. Discovery.

154. The birth of a great-nephew named Rowan.

155. The abundance of family.

156. Sugar cookies for Christmas.

157. Espresso.

158. Tea.

159. A dragon teapot.

160. Hugs.

161. More hugs.

162. Hugs every day from my daughters.

163. Two new books.

164. A new planner.

165. Pizza two days after Christmas.

166. Squats and plies. Yep, I’m thankful for them.

167. Walks, slow but steadily regaining strength a quarter mile at a time.

168. Hugs from my dad and mom.

169. Dog cuddles.

170. Cat nose boops.

171. Driving on errands in the car, talking, laughing, moments together.

172. Planning.

173. Idea brainstorming.

174. Big ideas and small ideas.

175. When it doesn’t rain after several days of it.

176. Finally seeing the Christmas “star” conjunction of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars in the night sky, on one clear night.

177. Family footsteps.

178. A stamp.

179. A calendar.

180. Business cards.

181. A reminder from a friend.


So, what are your highlights so far? 

Do you think we can create a tidal wave of thanksgiving and gratitude so huge that it changes the way we live? Do you think it could change the world? 

Let's do it. 


In my writing life, I've been seeing my word themes show up for my characters. This isn't a conscious decision, it just happens. My main character from Liftoff is faced with a choice and is granted some healing in Labyrinth, book 2 of The Rayatana Series. If you're interested in where she starts her journey, check out the first book's landing page HERE.

Also, if you are interested in getting a free story/poem each month, along with news about my writing and upcoming projects, see my monthly newsletter here. If it looks interesting, sign up! :)




Monday, January 18, 2021

In Celebration of Plunge: A Tumultuous Travel Memoir by Liesbet Collaert

 


Book Blurb Plunge

Tropical waters turn tumultuous in this travel memoir as a free-spirited woman jumps headfirst into a sailing adventure with a new man and his two dogs.

Join Liesbet as she faces a decision that sends her into a whirlwind of love, loss, and living in the moment. When she swaps life as she knows it for an uncertain future on a sailboat, she succumbs to seasickness and a growing desire to be alone.

Guided by impulsiveness and the joys of an alternative lifestyle, she must navigate personal storms, trouble with US immigration, adverse weather conditions, and doubts about her newfound love.

Does Liesbet find happiness? Will the dogs outlast the man? Or is this just another reality check on a dream to live at sea?



Links to Purchase Plunge

Amazon global: www.amzn.com/B08NHP3NHC

Amazon UK: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08NHP3NHC/

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/55848458-plunge-one-woman-s-pursuit-of-a-life-less-ordinary

 Plunge in the US: click www.amazon.com/dp/B08NHP3NHC/

 Plunge in Canada: click www.amazon.ca/Plunge-Womans-Pursuit-Life-Ordinary-ebook/dp/B08NHP3NHC/ 

 Plunge in the UK: click www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08NHP3NHC/ 

 Plunge in Germany: click www.amazon.de/dp/B08NHP3NHC/ 

Plunge in Australia: click www.amazon.com.au/Plunge-Womans-Pursuit-Life-Ordinary-ebook/dp/B08NHP3NHC

 Plunge in Belgium and the Netherlands: click www.amazon.nl/Plunge-Womans-Pursuit-Ordinary-English-ebook/dp/B08NHP3NHC 


 


Liesbet Collaert is a bilingual freelance writer, translator, editor, and photographer from Belgium who has been writing and traveling her entire life. Her work is published internationally in anthologies and magazines, including Cruising World, Blue Water Sailing, Ocean Navigator, Eldridge Tide and Pilot Book, Islands, Yachting World, Sailing Today, All At Sea, Caribbean Compass, and Zeilen. She also created walking tours for Marigot and Philipsburg in St. Martin.

The author has been interviewed about her alternative lifestyle by Multihull Sailor, Modern Day Nomads, Ocean Navigator, The Wayward Home, The Professional Hobo, and Grey Globetrotters among others. She contributed to extensive cruising surveys for All At Sea and Caribbean Compass and became an assistant-editor for Caribbean Compass in January 2019.

Liesbet loves animals, nature, and the promise of adventure. A nomad since 2003, she calls herself a world citizen and currently lives “on the road” in North America with her husband and rescue dog. Find her stories and photos at www.itsirie.com and www.roamingabout.com. Plunge is her first book.


Monday, January 11, 2021

An Advocate for Victims and Survivors: Guest Author Chrys Fey and The Story Behind A Fighting Chance

 

Welcome! Today, I have a guest author at my blog. Chrys Fey, the author of The Disaster Crimes Series, and the Write with Fey books, is here to discuss a serious aspect of her romantic suspense series. 

 

Tyrean Asked: Why are a lot of your characters survivors of domestic violence/abuse or advocates for victims of abuse?

 

Chrys Fey’s Answer: It’s not something I consciously do. It’s automatic. So many of my characters (published and unpublished) have a history dealing with some kind of abuse, and I think it’s because I can relate to that.

Growing up, I experienced sibling/domestic abuse, as a child and through to my teen years. I never knew it had a name. I didn’t even know to call it sibling abuse until a couple of years ago when I learned this term and realized, holy shit, that’s what I experienced. I had also witnessed child-to-parent abuse, meaning the child (in this case a grown adult) abuses a parent. All of those things impacted me heavily. Still do.

I never discussed it, never understood that for all those years after, even while removed from the person in question, that I was going through PTSD. Knowing that it’s possible, that you can have PSTD from any level of abuse, I can look back and pinpoint moments when my PTSD was aggravated—the fear I had whenever I heard a loud truck outside my apartment or saw a note stuck to my front door.

I am drawn to characters who are survivors, as I am a survivor, although they may have gone through different things. I want to write about these heroines of steel. I want to live through them and feel their strength.

In my life, I also want to be an advocate for those who have or are experiencing abuse, so that’s why my characters stand up for victims of all kinds, as that’s my goal, too.

I will always write about these characters. Maybe not for every single story, but for a lot of them. It’s my calling.

 


Pages: 154

Genre: Romantic-Suspense

Heat Rating: Hot

 

BLURB:

*A FIGHTING CHANCE is Book 6 in the Disaster Crimes series, but it’s a spin-off featuring a new couple, so it can be read as a standalone.*

Thorn has loved Amanda from afar, giving her whatever she needs as a survivor of abuse—space, protection, and stability. He yearns to give her more, though, to share his feelings, kiss her, love her, but he's worried the truth will frighten her away.

And Amanda is afraid. She’s scared of her attraction for Thorn. Most of all, she’s terrified of her ex-boyfriend, who is lurking nearby where no one can find him. When she grows closer to Thorn, Damon retaliates, jeopardizing their happy ending.

Up against an abusive ex and Mother Nature, do Thorn and Amanda have a fighting chance?

 

Book Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes

 

EXCERPT:

Amanda looked up from the current list of up-to-date payments for classes. A movement outside the glass storefront caught her eye. She tilted her head to see a man coming up the sidewalk from the side where the picnic bench sat. Through the vertical blinds, she glimpsed a square face—a short, rugged beard and long, dark hair pulled into a man bun. Her breath fled from her lungs. Her body went from icy cold to flaming hot in the span of a millisecond. She dropped to the floor and slid under the counter, beneath the ledge where they put their purses and cell phones.

“What—” Beth peeked at the windows. Then she snapped her fingers at April and pointed at the stools.

April jumped into action. She pushed the stools in so they blocked Amanda. The bell attached to the door jingled as April removed the jacket she wore and draped it across the stools, creating a curtain to shield Amanda.

From a crack, Amanda watched Beth move to stand in front of the twins, who were in their walkers playing peacefully. “I’m sorry, but we’re going to be closing.”

“I don’t give a shit. I’m here for Amanda.”

The sound of Damon’s voice had her heart beating even harder. That voice had haunted her nightmares, had come back to life in her memories.

Beth cocked her head to the side. “Who? There’s no one by that name here.”

“Don’t bullshit me. I know she works here.”

His voice was closer now.

 

 

***FREE FOR A LIMITED TIME***

THE DISASTER CURSE

 


 

Book Links: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iTunes

Author’s Note: I wrote The Disaster Curse to answer a few lingering questions readers may have after reading A Fighting Chance, and to tie the whole series together with a neat, shiny, perfect little bow. Plus, there was one disaster that I hadn’t written about yet. *wink*

 




The Disaster Crimes Series:

*The Crime Before the Storm (prequel)

Hurricane Crimes (novella, #1)

Seismic Crimes (#2)

Lightning Crimes (free short, #2.5)

Tsunami Crimes (#3)

Flaming Crimes (#4)

Frozen Crimes (#5)

A Fighting Chance (spin-off, #6)

The Disaster Curse (short story, #7)

*Free exclusive story to newsletter subscribers.

 

 

***LAUNCHING A WEBSITE***




TheFightingChance.org is a website dedicated to domestic violence and sexual assault awareness. Inspired by the Disaster Crimes series.

 

 

***GIVEAWAY***


Prizes: Hurricane Crimes (Disaster Crimes 1) and Seismic Crimes (Disaster Crimes 2) eBooks (mobi or epub), Hurricane Crimes Playing Cards, Girl Boss Sign, and a Volcanic Blast Scented Candle

Link: https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a92670/

 

 



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Chrys Fey is author of the Disaster Crimes Series, a unique concept that blends disasters, crimes, and romance. She runs the Insecure Writer’s Support Group Book Club on Goodreads and edits for Dancing Lemur Press. https://www.chrysfey.com

Author Links:

 Newsletter / Website / Facebook Group /Blog / BookBub

Instagram / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon

 

 Thank you, Chrys, for your advocacy and your excellent writing! 


 

 


Wednesday, January 6, 2021

January 2021 IWSG: Book Problems, Winners of the IWSG Anthology, and the Upcoming IWSG Twitter Pitch

Created by Alex J. Cavanaugh, The IWSG blog hop gives writers a place to vent, to ask questions, and to encourage each other every month. The website and the newsletter hav loads of helpful information, and the social media pages are a place writers can connect. 

OPTIONAL QUESTION:
Being a writer, when you're reading someone else's work, what stops you from finishing a book/throws you out of the story/frustrates you the most about other people's books?

First, I have to say, minor grammar errors don't usually turn me away. I understand the 95% editing standard. It makes sense to me. I own and read grammar guides. I have a college grammar class under my belt, taught by a professor who wrote several English grammar books. I still make lots of mistakes. Typos happen. I don't like turning down the invite of a magical world of bookishness based on a handful of grammar errors.

It usually takes at least three of the following items to turn me away from a book:

BOOK TURN-OFFS


1. A LOT of foul language. I grew up in a swearing household. You name it, I said it before I turned six, with one exception ending in "uck" - the only word my mom didn't allow so therefore it was the only word I knew was a swear word until teachers started correcting me. 
One might think this would make me shrug at swear words in books, but instead, I really don't like it if the author decides to throw in swear words more than a few dozen times in a novel. 

2. On the other hand, dialogue that doesn't make sense in the context of the story really bugs me. I know it's hard to keep out our modern words, but "okay" came into usage in 1840. If you're writing 16th century historical fiction, please keep it out. Unless, of course, a time traveler introduces the word.

3. Real world settings gone wrong. We have the internet and google maps. While I'm okay with a few things being different (the world changes constantly and small business change), please be careful with distances and travel times. 

However, I do enjoy watching movies and poking at all the hilarious bits about Seattle. I mean, Meg Ryan walks around downtown in Sleepless in Seattle and visits places that are many miles apart. Maybe she took the terrible public transit system? (For more tips about writing for Washington State, go to this page.)

4. While I've read plenty of excellent action scenes by people who have never been in a fight, or been in a martial arts class, or boxed, or fenced, or done many activities due to disabilities or health issues, I get annoyed when a writer doesn't seem to understand the reality of gravity on Earth.
Even if a writer has never held a fencing blade, or taken a martial arts class, or done anything like that, a writer can think through the actions. If a character is super-powered, super-strong, etc., that's fine with me. A writer can walk/draw/visualize the scene in slow-motion, like an actor preparing for a stage-fight. A writer can also watch some fight scenes in martial arts movies. Yes, the fiction movie landscape includes plenty of badly done fight scenes, but watching a dozen movies and one or two Youtube lessons in the activity/action, a basic understanding can be created. 
And, please, writers, don't let your character walk away unscathed unless they have a super-healing ability or other reason that they can have their head banged against pavement without a concussion.

5. Not always, but sometimes, what gets to me is: improperly formatted dialogue and paragraphing. I don't know why this drives me nuts, but it does. I've made some mistakes here, by dropping quote marks at the end of dialogue sections accidentally, so yes, I get we're all human. If a writer doesn't create a new paragraph for each new speaker, I start to get annoyed. 

6. Too much description. This is a matter of personal taste, but I'm more of a fan of The Hobbit than The Lord of the Rings for this reason.

7. Also, similes are beautiful when they are used to emphasize a certain point, a symbol, or an important piece of character description. Similes in every paragraph or on every page distract me from the book. I start wondering about things like "the shiny highlights in her hair were like the luscious waxy apples under the local grocery store's fluorescent lights." What? I haven't read that in anyone's book, but I did read a novel in which a simile showed up in every paragraph, and some of them were that bad. It started making me laugh every time I read one. 
 
8. A lengthy introduction in which nothing of note happens. Introductions that last more than eight chapters without an inciting incident/call to action are just too long for me. 

Oh, and just in case you're wondering, I've seen all of these faux pas in traditionally published books as well as indie-published books. Even the professional gatekeepers make mistakes. 

What bugs you in books?


IWSG ANTHOLOGY WINNERS

First, as one of the admins who has the honor of pre-reading all of the entries, I can say the entries this year were strong examples of good writing. We had a lot of entries to read, and they were all good science fiction stories. If you sent in an entry and it didn't make it in, I can say there are three reasons:
1. Somehow, the story didn't fit the specific theme or genre parameters we set. 
2. The story didn't fit the parameters of our partner publisher.
3. The judges chose the best of the best, and there were many really good entries.

So, if you submitted and didn't make it, send those stories onward to another short story market. There are many, many short story markets out there. As a short story writer, sometimes it takes me ten or more tries to get a story published. My current average submission ratio to publication is 5:1, but it used to be higher.

So, if you won, wow! Congratulations!



Dark Matter: Artificial

An Insecure Writer’s Support Group Anthology

 

Discover dark matter’s secrets…

 

What is an AI’s true role? Will bumbling siblings find their way home from deep space? Dark matter is judging us—are we worthy of existence? Would you step through a portal into another reality? Can the discoverer of dark matter uncover its secrets?

 

Ten authors explore dark matter, unraveling its secrets and revealing its mysterious nature. Featuring the talents of Stephanie Espinoza Villamor, C.D. Gallant-King, Tara Tyler, Mark Alpert, Olga Goldin, Steph Wolmarans, Charles Kowalski, Kim Mannix, Elizabeth Mueller, and Deniz Bevan.

 

Hand-picked by a panel of agents, authors, and editors, these ten tales will take readers on a journey across time and space. Prepare for ignition!

 

 

Founded by author Alex J. Cavanaugh, the Insecure Writer’s Support Group offers support for writers and authors alike. It provides an online database; articles; monthly blog posting; Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram groups; #IWSGPit, and a newsletter. https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/

 

Release date: May 4, 2021

Print ISBN 9781939844828 $14.95

EBook ISBN 9781939844835 $4.99

Science Fiction: Collections & Anthologies (FIC028040) / Space Exploration (FIC028130) / Genetic Engineering (FIC028110)

186 pages

 

 

Artificial - Stephanie Espinoza Villamor https://stephanieespinoza.com/

Space Folds and Broomsticks - C.D. Gallant-King  http://www.cdgallantking.ca/

Rift – Kim Mannix  https://makesmesodigress.com/

The Utten Mission – Steph Wolmarans  https://www.teasighcreate.com/

Sentient – Tara Tyler  https://taratylertalks.blogspot.com/

One to Another – Deniz Bevan http://thegirdleofmelian.blogspot.com/

Resident Alien - Charles Kowalski  https://charleskowalski.com/

Nano Pursuit – Olga Godim  https://olgagodim.wordpress.com

Resurgence – Elizabeth Mueller  http://www.elizabethmueller.com/

Vera’s Last Voyage – Mark Alpert  http://www.markalpert.com/



NEXT UP, WE HAVE THE #IWSGPIT COMING UP ON JANUARY 20!



SEE THIS PAGE FOR DETAILS AT THE IWSG WEBSITE!


BTW - I am planning a belated post about my #101daysgratitude challenge I took on at the end of 2020, and how I plan to do the #365gratitude challenge in my next post.