Sypha Nadon on 21/3/2006 at 05:18
I found out last week that a short story of mine I submitted is going to be included in an anthology edited by one of my all-time favorite writers, Dennis Cooper. Because it's an indie publisher and a lot of other people are in it, I won't be getting paid that much, but still, it's a start. I should be getting a contract to sign soon, which I'm also excited about. I always thought my first step would be a story in some crummy fanzine no one's heard of, but this is an actual book that'll most likely be sold in major bookstores... so, yeah, I'm pumped. I don't think I'll be raking in anywhere near as much cash that Dan Brown gets anytime in the immediate future, but a stepping stone is a stepping stone.;) At the very least, it'll be something to refer to when I submit stuff elsewhere.
Funny thing is, one of my New Years resolutions this year was to finally get something of mine published!
Fafhrd on 21/3/2006 at 05:36
wow, I'm actually impressed. Serious congrats on that. Almost makes me want to send some of my stuff out into the big bad world where it will no doubt promptly be eviscerated and left for dead in the SASE I include with my submission.
What's the title of the Anthology? And what's your story about?
theBlackman on 21/3/2006 at 05:38
:thumb: :thumb:
A hard road to travel. Good for you. I know the feeling. I worked with an artist (Author: Jane Chamberlin, Dustin Leer ISBN: 0965398706 /  Paperback Publisher: Tinkachew Press (
www.bookfinder4u.co.uk/book_search_4/Leer.html)
Tinkachew Press, 1996 Saloons of San Francisco, by Jane Chamberlin, Capra Press, 1982 ...) to get two books published and it is a relief when you finally connect.
Keep up the writing, and one of these days when you reach the status of S. King, we all can say, "I knowed 'em when..."
Strangeblue on 21/3/2006 at 06:26
Whoohoo! Congrats, Sypha!
(feels damned good, doesn't it?)
Scots Taffer on 21/3/2006 at 06:34
I look forward to reading "Today I got on a bus" and "The Magick Bookstore Worker".
Sypha Nadon on 21/3/2006 at 07:02
Apropos, Scots... the story I submitted is actually a fictionalized account of a bookstore employee's existential angst at dealing with idiotic customers. I'm not really into the whole "just write what you know" thing (which to me seems like it can be a limiting philosophy) but for this time I wanted to deal with something I know with a bit of authority. Anyway, it's called "Kali Yuga", and the name of the anthology is "Userlands". I don't have a picture of the cover at the moment but I will say it's black and it depicts a weird tarantula-like creature. Ah, two of my favorite things, the color black and creepy-crawlies.:ebil:
Actually, I'm hoping this will give me a bit of a kick in the ass, as ever since I started working full-time two years ago my writing output has dwindled. Partly it may be because everyday, I see so many books fail... it's discouraging. You know, we get so many of those "straight to mass-market paperbacks", cheap-o genre books with cheesy covers that almost no one buys. When they don't sell, the publisher just tells us to strip the covers and throw the books away. I have to do this sometimes, and it always makes me sad. Maybe there's a book heaven or something where someone will read them...
What is encouraging is another author liking my stuff. I mean, I've always thought myself as a decent writer, and my material usually went over quite well in writing class in college, and my blog and Lovecraft-orientated website gets me a lot of positive comments, but sometimes I wondered if maybe people were just being nice to me out of friendship or whatever. This makes me feel a bit more legit, but to be honest, I'd do it anyway, negative criticism or not (hell, negative criticism certainly didn't deter me from continuing to make music!);)
Enchantermon on 21/3/2006 at 12:32
Congrats, Sypha! :thumb:
You're right, it's a step in the right direction, albeit a small step. Keep it up!
Fig455 on 21/3/2006 at 12:38
Congrats!!! I have never been lucky enough to get any of my work published. good job, and bestof luck! :thumb:
Goblin on 21/3/2006 at 12:55
All jokes aside, well done mang!
Gestalt on 21/3/2006 at 14:24
Congratulations!
I've made a resolution to get rejected by at least one magazine or anthology this year, but I haven't come up with anything worth sending yet.
