« January 2006 | Main | March 2006 »
February 23, 2006
New at DKA: "To Name a Star" by Keesa Renee DuPre
DKA is closing out February’s issue with a beautiful story by Keesa Renee DuPre.
“To Name a Star” is a tender tale about a baby star who falls to Earth and is taken in by a childless couple.
Don’t miss this one.
Tease:
We name the things we love the most. Do we hope by this action to claim them as ours?
Enjoy!
Posted by Selena at 08:14 AM | Comments (0)
February 21, 2006
Column’s Up: "Choosing a Softer Answer"
My latest column, “Choosing a Softer Answer,” is up. You can check it out here.
Posted by Selena at 08:33 PM | Comments (0)
February 20, 2006
DKA Contest a Go!
Remember that contest idea that was being bounced around a couple posts ago?
Well, it’s a go.
Click over to DKA to check out the official announcement.
Thanks.
Posted by Selena at 03:59 PM | Comments (0)
February 18, 2006
New at DKA: “He Is” by Amy M. Smith
DKA's February issue continues with a poem by Amy M. Smith called “He Is.”
This poem is a wonderful melding of the speculative and the spiritual.
Teaser:
"Myths and legend intrigue us all, but there is Someone more amazing than any created fantasy."
Click on over to DKA and check it out.
Posted by Selena at 07:24 PM | Comments (0)
February 16, 2006
Oh, how I love a YES!
Flashshots accepted my little story. It’s called “Questing Without Caution.” I’ll let you know when it is published. It may be a little while since it won’t even be scheduled until the end of February.
Is it wrong that I wrote and submitted it mostly to promote DKA in the bio that goes with it?
Oh, well. Their guidelines list that sort of thing as a reason to submit, since they don’t pay. So, I figure it was fair game.
I should also say that I got the idea of writing a story that included a dragon, a knight, and an angel from R.L. Copple who mentioned that he was working on such a story. (Thanks, Rick!) I’m sure that is where the similarity between our stories ends.
It’s tough to write a story of less than 100 words, especially when you’re trying to squeeze in a dragon, a knight, and an angel.
It was fun though!
Posted by Selena at 04:04 PM | Comments (0)
New at DKA: “Design for Freedom” by Jenny Schwartz
DKA’s February issue continues with a science fiction story: “Design for Freedom” by Jenny Schwartz.
I’m so happy to be publishing some science fiction. It seems like there is never enough good scifi around. At least not for my tastes.
This is my kind of story – full of science and sociology and tough choices.
Here's a blurb about it:
"Designer bodies are a lifetime investment. Once a person's talents and abilities could be selected for before birth, it became obvious that a baby's future earnings could be confidently predicted. Therefore, why not invest in that future? Genetic design is the new enabler of wealth creation. But what about the souls that inhabit those designer bodies?"
Click on over to DKA and check it out.
Posted by Selena at 07:55 AM | Comments (0)
February 15, 2006
Yummy Discovery
Today I discovered Starbuck’s Caramel Apple Cider. It’s delicious.
My diet and my budget would probably be better off if I hadn’t discovered said yummy treat. But it’s too late now. I am hooked.
Posted by Selena at 07:15 PM | Comments (0)
February 09, 2006
More Writing Done
I actually managed to get in some more writing today. Not much, just a couple hours between processing DKA submissions and mopping up a minor flood in the basement.
At least I got a new column written and submitted. That, along with some work on the book, makes for a good writing day.
Gotta sign off now though and get some sleep.
Posted by Selena at 10:27 PM | Comments (0)
Today’s Tally
I actually got some writing done today. Yee-haw.
So far, I have worked on Water-Born for about an hour and wrote another 710 words on it. I want to get the book up to 80,000 words. I’m now about 22,000 words away from that goal. (That seems far until I remember that 55,000 words in a little over two weeks that was back in November.)
The proposal for my first book (Vatral) is still out. The publisher has had it since the end of September, but their response time is six months so I’ve got a little longer to wait and wonder and hope.
I also have a bit of flash fiction pending. I hope to hear from that market in the next few weeks.
But fretting about pending subs is not writing. So I try to just let them be out there and focus on the next thing.
Water-Born is one “next thing.” The other is a bit of micro-fiction I’m working on with Flashshots in mind. Not that they would necessarily accept it of course, but they might. Writing a story in 100 words or less is tough! But a good exercise, I think.
Also on today’s agenda is editing. This morning I proofed an upcoming story for DKA. It’s a lovely piece – gentle and beautiful and kind. There are not enough of those kinds of stories around these days, at least not for my tastes. I can hardly wait for it to be published. Publishing is almost as exciting for me as it is for the authors.
Posted by Selena at 10:10 AM | Comments (0)
February 08, 2006
Great Review for SR at Tangent!
The Sword Review just got a GREAT review from Tangent online!
Check it out here.
Congratulations to all the authors.
[Yes, I am still anxiously awaiting DKA’s next review. Here’s hoping.]
Posted by Selena at 07:50 AM | Comments (0)
Column Up: "Saying Yes"/Must Write Now
My latest column, “Saying Yes,” is up at The Sword Review.
Check it out here.
I guess that means I better get to work on my next column.
Actually, I need to get back to writing in general. I have been spending a lot of time on other things – some important, some not. But I am trying to clear my schedule of the “not” and get back to what is important.
Posted by Selena at 07:41 AM | Comments (0)
February 05, 2006
The First Rule of Flying
At the end of “Serenity”, Mal says the first rule of flying is love. That if you don’t love your ship, “she’ll shake you off just as sure as a turn in the worlds.”
I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately.
Can you excel at something you don’t love? Can you belong somewhere that you don’t love? Does it make sense to spend most of your time in a place you don’t love?
All good questions. And I think I know the answer. But I may be wrong.
So I’m still thinking and praying, contemplating a leap of faith.
But, don't get me wrong...I'm not contemplating leaving my husband or family - I love them plenty. It's not that sort of change I'm considering.
I'm just thinking of re-ordering my priorities to spend less time on stuff that doesn't matter and more time on stuff that does.
Posted by Selena at 08:00 PM | Comments (2)
February 03, 2006
New at DKA: “Death Dance’ by Rebecca Shelley
The February issue has begun over at DKA. Our first offering of the month is “Death Dance” by Rebecca Shelley.
Click on over to DKA and check it out.
Blurb:
“In The Bible it says that John the Beloved will tarry on the earth until Christ comes again. But where is he? What has he been doing for the last two thousand years? Can he be found in our own time still healing the sick and casting out devils, a valiant champion of Christ fighting a lone battle against evil?”
Posted by Selena at 07:26 PM | Comments (1)
February 01, 2006
A Better Day
The praying thing worked. So, thank you to everyone who helped out.
It was a better day today even though I’m still exhausted and cranky. (Insomnia paid me a visit last night. Grrr.)
I realized something today: It is nearly impossible to hate someone once you get to know them. It’s easier to hate people when they are abstractions, acquaintances that you’ve only heard of or seen in passing. But once you’ve connected with someone, gotten to know them even just a little, it’s hard not to feel some compassion for them.
Somehow I had forgotten that basic truth.
Posted by Selena at 07:27 PM | Comments (0)