Rejections - WHAT? - And Things Accomplished

I was pretty busy through the months of October and November, I did one blog-hop, and wrote two short stories and sent them off, and also I entered a lot of writing contests.

One thing I have to admit is I hate waiting on anything that I've sent out. I don't like wondering if it will be taken or rejected. Any more I'm not exactly biting my fingers. I've stopped doing that a while ago. But even when you have writing credits which include published books, you can still be rejected.

I wrote a short story for Penumbra, it was to be steampunk. Unfortunately I just couldn't fit into a short story what I felt it needed. I used a few scenes from my third book to try and write this, but it was rejected. But the rejection was nice. They said they wouldn't mind seeing something else from me. Believe me, when they say this, you want to get something to them in the near future, so that they don't forget you. I intend to, but I don't think it will be a short story. I'd like to try my mystery novel--when I get that finished I don't know.

I also entered a few writing contests. There was one that took your first chapter and it would be considered by a publisher, if you won, they would give your whole mss a read through--and after that who knows?

I wasn't exactly sure about this one. Several people had entered, they were all different. I was actually surprised at those that were chosen... but I won't go there. I find myself rather dismayed at what catches the eyes of those who are the gate keepers.

But out of the three things I sent out over the past few months I did get one thing published. This was my "The Spy Who Bit Me" short story which I sent to Dark Moon Press. I actually was on a blog hop at the time and caught the request from the editor on facebook, and she asked if anyone could write a vampire story and send it to her quickly, I knew that I had something in my rejected files.

"The Spy Who Bit Me" was written at least 10 years ago and sent off to everyplace that took vampire fiction. It was rejected each time. When I began working on it for Dark Moon, I could see why. My beginning was too slow. I needed to get to the meat of the action right away. I cut the length of the original to about half. There were a lot of scenes I had to get to the very kernel of the action and jack things up. I believe my editor's eye had been sharpened in the last decade. It's a good thing to know, I guess.

I was sent the proofs earlier this week, and I went through them and sent my approval of them and this is going to be out in time for Christmas. In fact I think they are going to print beginning of this next week--if I read correctly. I will give a link to Amazon when it comes out on this blog's side bar... if anyone is interested. The cover looks like this.

Right now I'm working on a novelette, and I want to send it off to Dark Moon Press which only takes horror. I'd begun writing as a horror fiction writer--because back then vampire fiction was under that heading. Now we have to get all fancy and give it some other names like Paranormal Romance or Urban Fantasy. I write under Urban Fantasy, when it isn't horror. I enjoy writing fantasy.

I have a story in me that feels longer than a short story could be, yet not quite novel length. So I'll see where this takes me. I've just begun it, I have some scenes already fleshed out. The climax is also done. All I have to do is get new characters into place, and that's what I will busy myself with this winter. I'm hoping to get it written by mid-January.

So, what have you been up to? Let us know. Any news? Any writing working out for you?