Things are progressing well for Martinus Publishing. The formatting for The Curse of Selwood is almost complete, and we might just see the book release at the end of the year, ahead of schedule. Preparations have also begun on the 2nd edition of West of the Warlock, which will include a new foreword as well as the original Dwarf at High Noon short story. Now readers will be able to read the complete origins of this Fantasy Western series in one convenient volume.
Work on the Temporal Element has come to a crawl, as the past week has seen no new submissions. There were quite a few directly after the 1st of December, though most of them weren't what this anthology needed. There are still several stories waiting on revisions, and several authors who have said they intend to submit but haven't done so yet. I'm confident that enough stories will come through by the new deadline of January 31, 2013, though it would be nice to see more variety right now. Time travel stories aren't that hard to write, are they?
Cold weather has stymied my non-writing projects, so work on Unforsaken is commencing again. The 4th book in the West of the Warlock series is about half written now, and based on what else preoccupies my time, it could be several months before the finished draft is on hand. Whether the book will go to Martinus Publishing or venture forth into the larger marketplace, I cannot say yet. It would be nice to find a larger press to handle the release, though it is difficult to find that right editor at the right time. I guess I've gotten to the point where I'm sick of having the door shut in my face time and time again.
I can sympathize, with far too much of what you express here. I opened submissions for a flash fiction anthology, and have been surprised that so few submissions have come through. Is December a bad time? I'm glad progress is going so well otherwise, and like the idea of including the original "Dwarf" story of your new edition for the first book. If I self-publish my current WIP, I've already planned on Tolkienesque appendix extras like that. If I get a publisher, I will make them do it, too.
ReplyDeleteI think most publishers are eager to get such extras these days. It only enhances the work.
DeleteI just posted to Critique Circle the link to your submissions page for The Temporal Element. Hopefully that will generate some additional traffic.
ReplyDeleteAs for myself, I do find time travel stories difficult, because they often need to mirror or subvert an accurate historical event, and history was never my forte. Fantasy is more my thing.
I'm pleased to hear Martinus Publishing is shaping up. As for your stories, I know the feeling all too well.
Still planning on sending something for you to consider. Chances are high it'll come squeaking in just as the deadline door slams shut!
ReplyDeleteI'm still planning on sending something for you to consider for the time travel anthology. Chances are it'll come squeaking in just as the deadline door slams shut, though!
ReplyDeleteYou said most of the recent submissions are not what the anthology needs. Any insight on what you'd like to see?
Actually, one thing I could really use more of are adventure stories. Think 50's pulp magazine stories, stuff that can be intelligent, but also fun and entertaining.
DeleteOne thing I've seen quite a bit of, and had to pass on, are "preachy" stories. There's nothing wrong with a good moral to a story, but too many have been coming in as thinly veiled attacks on some aspect of modern society that people want to deride.
I've also seen a lot of "dark" stories, and on balance I'm getting close to a full load on that type. There's only so much room for suicides and tales of gore.
If a story is well written, entertianing, and utilizes Time Travel as a key plot device, then odds are it will make it into the anthology.
Oh, and I could use more stories where there is an actual "time machine" used. So many writers are trying to be "original" by utilizing metaphysical or magical time travel that it's getting to be very unoriginal.