As of January 1, I am a published author! Of course, it’s only a short story, and the publisher is only the slightly ghoulish e-zine, Midnight Times. But I’m finally official. Yeah!
Cheering online seems slightly childish (even to me), but getting a short story published was one of last year’s goals, and there’s a definite satisfaction in checking it off. From what I’ve discovered about the fiction market, every little step counts. The Midnight Times, as an initial stepping stone, is OK (vampires and all) in my book.
What is my story about? Clearly, you will need to read it yourself. But by way of a teaser:
The story is called Leviathan’s Fishhook. It has a Dragon. And of course, it’s bittersweet. With amateurish pride, I’ll welcome any comments you have on the story, even if it’s just to say, That was the best short story I’ve read this entire year… ;)
So, go read Leviathan’s Fishhook (it’s free).
Thursday, January 05, 2006
Bittersweet Short Story
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6 comments:
I read this back when the Bird and the Baby was still alive and I liked it then, but it seems to have improved with age (or editing - though it doesn't seem like there were too many changes...)
Reading it made me think about my favorite stories involving dragons, and though I've recommended it once, I'll do so again: buy and consume this book, in particular the following stories - The Fellowship of the Dragon, Silver or Gold, Troll Bridge, and Nine Threads of Gold. If you don't think it was worth it, I'll refund your money. ;)
Ariel,
I liked it. Not that I've read lots of stories about dragon-slayers, but this one's hero is more introspective than I expected.
I'm curious about setting and diction, though. I know it's fantasy, so it's perhaps not kosher to wonder such things, but what is your sense of what its place looks like? (Example: Tolkien didn't set Middle Earth in England, but he envisioned a place with an English feel to it. The problem may just be my own: I kept seeing the world of Beowulf as I read, and so words like "gladiatorial" would clash with those images.
Anyway. I liked it. Congratulations.
john b. wrote: I kept seeing the world of Beowulf as I read, and so words like "gladiatorial" would clash with those images.
That's interesting john. I had a different reaction. To me, it felt like a pseudo-modern fantasy setting. Mostly medieval in appearance, but grittier than Tolkien, more real-world, less high fantasy. Anyway, thanks for bringing it up, it was fun to think about.
Great, Gymbrall has forced me to add another book to my to-be-acquired list. Lindsay will be thrilled. ;)
John B., thanks for the question. Funny that you should mention the word "gladatorial." I remember debating whether to use that particular adjective. I am a fan of Beowulf, but I didn't really aim for an old English setting. Rather, I was after something more generally fantastic, as in Ursula Leguin's Earthsea Trilogy. Actually, gymbrall's "pseudo-modern fantasy" label isn't bad. I wanted a certain grittiness.
Having said that, the Roman connotation is still one I would have preferred to avoid for clarity's sake. Oops. :)
Dude, when you told me to read a dragon story, I went ugh, but I read it and I liked it. Lots. Good job and congrats!! (Yes, any pub in the fiction market is to be heartily yahooed.)
Woah! Your blog has attracted Jesuit notice. How cool! And I enjoyed your story, especially the mist. I spent a significant amount of time in a very foggy place (a mile from the beach would know all about it) and its a potent personal icon. I especially love what it does to sound.
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