Life Inside the Crystal Ball

Months (and months and months) ago, I promised to do a proper post on Seers: Ten Tales of Clairvoyance, the short story collection edited by Rayne Hall. This is the one that contains my second published story, The Watcher.

Rayne Hall collected ten short stories penned by ten writers, including yours truly. Each story deals with some aspect of clairvoyance.

We've all heard about (or maybe even visited) those who peer into crystal balls. My story, The Watcher, takes the reader inside the crystal ball itself and shows one day in Sadie's life. Sadie knows nothing of our world. Hers changes each time Seer Shinta Makmur reads a female's fortune. And sometimes those fortunes turn bad.

Other stories include:

• Beware of Tuesdays by Frederick Langridge
• A Good Trade by Tracie McBride
• The Vision by April Grey
• The Tale of the Aggrieved Astrologer by Jack Nicholls
• Dance With the Devil by Carole Ann Moleti
• Senstory by Mohanalakshmi Rajakumar
• Ezra's Prophecy by Deborah Walker
• I Could Have Heard You From Across the Street by Douglas Kolacki
• Prophetess by Rayne Hall

While I enjoyed the entire collection, there are a few in there that beg to be read. Nearly eight months later, some of these tales are still vivid in my mind. At my age, that's saying something.

On an unrelated note... While I'll not make a full post about it, I will mention that on Wednesday, February 12th, this little blog of mine turns two years old. Cake and ice cream will be served during the Sponge Bob Squarepants show.  My, my, our babies grow up so fast, don't they?

It's Available! And It's PROOF!

I posted about it on Facebook first, and then on Google+. Then I went and tweeted about it. I saved the blog post for last.  I didn't really know how to word my little announcement.

Proof that it's possible!

You see, it was a magical moment, seeing my name on Amazon for the very first time. But then, it should be magical, right? It's an anthology of magic stories. And mine followed Barnabas searching ever so desperately for his magic.

But there must have been real magic at play. Nothing else explains how my story found itself rubbing shoulders with those written by some highly skilled and talented authors.

I achieved something that not all writers achieve. I'm obviously thrilled. But I'm also humbled because there are so many worthy writers who haven't yet been published.

And to that crowd of deserving writers still reaching for the dream I say this:

Don't you dare stop reaching!

Some get lucky right out of the gate. Others struggle years before finding success. And for a few, the accomplishment comes posthumously.

And I can hear some asking, "So which is this? An announcement or a pep talk?" I honestly don't think the two can be separate. Yes, I'm announcing that the anthology containing my short story is available. And that is proof the goal is attainable. So Do Not Give Up!

My story is called "Barnabas" and appears in Spells: Ten Tales of Magic. It's currently available on:
Amazon
Amazon UK
Smashwords

New Ground

I broke a lot of new ground in April.  I came out of the closet and called myself a writer!  Of course, I qualified it with amateur, but I publicly declared that I write and intend to do something with it.  It's a profession of faith, a commitment, new ground.

No longer shall I write in the closet.  I'll write out in the open and not be ashamed.  No longer will I be Jeff, the guy who writes.  From this moment forward, I shall stand with my back straight, look people in the eye and say, "Hello, my name is Jeff, and I'm a writer."

And I've taken the first step by submitting my "Cathryn's Bay" short story to the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future competition.  Big step for me.  Definitely new ground.  But I figured, hey, why not?  It's just sitting around gathering pixel dust.  And that's what writers do.  They submit their writing.  To competitions, magazines, agents, editors.  They write.  And writers write to be read.

I'm also working on a short story called "Barnabas" that I plan to submit for a magic stories anthology.  I've been working on it for the past couple weeks.  I've never submitted anything for publication before.  So this too is new ground. 

And I'm even considering writing another short story to submit to John Hartness' Big Bad Anthology.  I have a few ideas, but haven't fleshed out the plot for that one yet.  It's worth a look if you're interested.

Of course, I also broke new ground in April by completing my very first book, The Bonding.  A few fine folks have offered to alpha read it for me.  I'm giddy with anticipation.  It's kind of like sending your newborn off to see a pediatrician and waiting for the prognosis.

I completed my first full-novel critique for another writer this month and am in the midst of a second one.  I work hard at giving critiques and feedback.  I take it seriously because the people who wrote the books take it seriously.  Fair is fair.

And I made a commitment.  A scary commitment.  Don't ask me why.  I'm a guy.  I'm supposed to be afraid of commitment.  Several members of the Yahoo Fantasy Writing Group are doing their own little private May NaNoWriMo challenge.  You know the deal, right?  50,000 (new and original) words written toward a novel within a month.  I agreed to participate.  My internal editor works overtime.  I want to learn how to send him on vacation while I draft.  This should help.  Again, new ground.

Wish me luck.  New ground is often soft.  I don't want to get stuck or sink or become mired in this new ground.  I want to cultivate it, fertilize it, and watch things grow from it.

So, are you that person who writes?  Or are you a writer?