It’s always a wonderful day when I can announce a sale. Which is what I’m doing now, of course–hurray! But this sale is something a little different.
See, I’ve sold a story to Liminal Tales, which is going to be read aloud during a theater event in the UK. I won’t be doing the reading (unfortunately it’s a bit of a commute from Ohio to the UK), but an actor will read the little story aloud for me. I’m hoping to get a link to the reading, so I can experience the final product. If you want a bit more about the venue, let me link you to the Liminal Tales site, where they have their various social media links, as well. Maybe you’ll want to follow them on Instagram? Or visit their Patreon page?
I’m not sure when my story will be read (neither are they, honestly–it all depends on all the other stories, etc., etc.) but you can be assured I’ll let you know when the story is read. And of course, if I’m given a public link to the reading, I’ll include that here, too!
Until then, I’m watching the strong winds blow away the gorgeously warm spring weather, and usher back in a freezing cold snap. Such is spring. At least I have good tea.
Today is the publication day for Issue 62 of Luna Station Quarterly, which includes my Southern Gothic fantasy, The Family Ghosts, along with 20 other amazing stories! I only got my copy today, so I’m still reading the issue myself, but…wow. These are some wonderful, and hopeful stories, and I’m sure you’ll find something in this issue you’ll like, even if it’s not mine (although I do hope you like mine, too).
So what’s the story behind this story? Let me tell you:
Over on the Codex Writers’ Group, there is a “contest” that runs annually. Many, many of my short fiction sales have come from stories generated by this contest, and this was one of these stories. The prompt I used for this one included a list of words, and you had to include at least 3 of the words in the story (for the record, the words I chose were “genteel,” “rhinestone,” and “veranda.” I’m not sure if they’re all still in there, other than “veranda,” which is right at the opening.). Another word was “pluviophile,” which I had to look up. It’s someone who likes the rain, and thus, the rain came into the story, too. And finally, another prompt mentioned ghosts, and now my story was off and running.
The contest word count limit is a tight 750, which really makes one question the usefulness of every single word. But somehow I stumbled onto this Southern Gothic voice and vibe and simply had to write this. In 750 words. I did, and while my fellow contestants praised the voice, clearly the story wasn’t “there” yet.
So I lengthened it. First to 1,000 words, then 1200, followed by just over 2,000 words. By then I thought I’d killed the magic that made the story pop. The voice was being swamped by the influx of all the structure, but that structure wasn’t Southern Gothic, so it jarred. The story, and my eyes on it, needed a rest.
I let it sit for something like 6 months, and only then came back for another edit. And just like that, I saw the story for what it was, where it sagged and where it shone. I saw where I wanted it to go, too. So I edited it to this version of 3,000 words — such a profligate amount of words after that 750-word start! — and lo and behold, it sold.
And just to be clear, when I wrote this, I was living in Florida. Those rains, that heat, and all that atmosphere was around me all the time. I think it shows. I know I can’t read The Family Ghosts without reliving the details and recalling so many other things about living in the land of live oaks and Spanish moss. I hope it gives you a strong sense of that place, along with a healthy dose of hope, there near the ending.
I’ve made a sale to a market I’ve long wished to be published by, and therefore I’m extremely happy to announce that my story The Family Ghosts will appear in the June edition of Luna Station Quarterly! The story is a Southern Gothic fantasy that I wrote while living in Florida, and I truly love it, and am so happy to see it finding such a perfect home.
I’m even happier to say that another author I know will be appearing in the same issue with me. Louise Hughes will also be in this issue, and I encourage you to read her work both in the issue, and in other places as well, since I love her stories very much. Sharing a Table of Contents with your fellow writer friends and acquaintances is such fun, and even nicer when it’s someone who’s writing is as wonderful as Louise’s.
I’ll be back here giving you the “behind the story” bit once the publication is out. Until then, I hope springtime is treating you nicely (or fall, if you’re in the southern hemisphere). If the weather is a bit janky, don’t forget to read a book! There are some really good ones coming out soon, and tons more available now. Let me give you a small hint: I’m reading a review copy of The Lighthouse at the End of the World by J.R. Dawson, and it’s really good. Such lyrical prose, and two main characters who I emphathize with so very much. Also, Wearing the Lion by John Wiswell will be out soon, and is simply amazing! If you’re unwilling to wait, how about The Tainted Cup, by Robert Jackson Bennett? It’s a fantasy detective mystery with the wildest worldbuilding!
Friday was Publication Day for my little flash story, “Meditation for Mars” in the fifth issue of Inner Worlds Magazine. (That second link takes you to the editor’s letter which introduces the issue, and I think it’s well worth a read, too. It also gives you links to all the other stories, so go ahead and dive in!)
What’s the story behind this story? I was mentoring a newer SFF writer, and mentioned to them the Weekend Warrior challenge that goes on in the Codex Writers’ Group. They were interested, so I mimicked the prompt-based contest by writing up a few open prompts and giving us both a full month to write a story. This story was what came of it.
As is usual for me, I mashed together two prompts: “Someone isn’t coming home” and the one where you open a nearby book to a certain page and use that line as your prompt. The line I read was, “I lose the pattern of my calm breathing.”
I wanted to lean into the SF side of SFF for this one. Over the past several years, I’ve been communicating off and on with a few other writer friends about wanting, or not wanting, to leave Earth and settle on Mars. The other two would go in a heartbeat, if only they could. Only I would not–or at least, not eagerly. I’d miss the outdoors too much, and the safety of free air. But if I had to go, I think I’d be a lot like this unnamed person, seeking grounding (and solitude) in meditation.
If given that same choice to leave or not, what would your choice be? Go, or not go? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments, if you’d like to engage.
And now we get to the “travel” portion of this post. The reason this post isn’t on Friday is that Friday was a travel day for me. My family in Ohio celebrated Christmas over the weekend, so I flew north to partake in all the festivities, totally immersing myself in that fun. We decorated all the cookies–there were a LOT, but nowhere near as many as in my youth, thank goodness!–exchanged gifts, talked and laughed and cried with people we hadn’t seen for months, and ate until we were full, then ate a wee bit more. I returned on Monday, exhausted yet happy, and fell into bed. Whew!
Just some of the cookies we decorated!
And now, it’s time for my gentle reminder that, if you enjoyed my or any other story you read at Inner Worlds, please consider dropping a few pennies their way, so that Inner Worlds can continue to bring similarly lovely fiction to readers. Thank you.
I hope the remaining days of this December and this year are filled with peace and happiness for you and yours. Happy Holidays to you all, and happy reading.
Yes, there’s good news to share: I’ve signed the contract, so now I can shout it out that I’ve sold a story to Inner Worlds. The issue is expected to come out on November 30th, when you’ll be able to read my story, “A Meditation for Mars,” and the other wonderful stories in this issue of the magazine dedicated to writings about our inner lives.
I encourage you to click the link above and read the previously published stories–they’re lovely and wonderful. I’m so happy that one of my stories will soon be published amongst such fine company. And of course, I’ll post here with a link to my story (and this edition as a whole, too!) once it’s available.
Tomorrow is February 29th, Leap Day. I’m happy to have the “extra” day to get stuff done, but honestly? I’m not “leaping for joy.” There is simply too much to get done to accomplish it all during one 24-hour day. And I’m guessing most of you have a similar situation.
And yet, I’m feeling the need to mark the “occasion” of the arrival of the once-every-four-years day of February 29th. Nothing huge, just something slightly out of the ordinary. I’d considered a nice meal, a walk in a more distant park, a purchase of something small,… but none of these seemed right. And then it hit me. I can write postcards tomorrow and mail them to family members!
Postcards are falling out of favor (despite the popularity of Postcrossing), and while I used to send them a lot to family, now…not so much. So tomorrow, I’ll write and send a few postcards to folks who I’ve not written actual postal mail to in…oh, a long, long while!
In writing news, I’m hard at work on my next novel, tentatively titled “Crow Girl.” (Yes, I know, my working titles aren’t the most glorious things. But they suffice until I get a draft done and I can title them something more appealing and evocative.) I’m also working on a few short stories here and there, and have some ideas percolating for longer stories–maybe a novella? Novelette? But I can’t start planning on any of that until I complete a first draft of Crow Girl, since I can’t seem to work on 2 long works in the same stages of writing at the same time.
Publication wise, I’ve recently sold a book review to NewMyths (yay!), and will link to it once it goes live. I haven’t been given a publication date for it yet, so it might be a while, or it might be next week. It’s my first published book review, so I’m pretty happy about it.
In reading, I recently finished Travis Baldree’s 2nd novel, Bookshops and Bonedust. It was, of course, a pure delight. A follow-up prequel to his 1st book (Legends and Lattes), B&B follows as a young Viv begins the adventuring days she departs from in L&L to start her coffee shop. And we discover that even early on, Viv wasn’t all “fight and doom,” but a bit of a reader, and a burgeoning foodie–which plays perfectly into her later occupation. I won’t spoil the book, but simply suggest that if you haven’t already done so, you should go read this pair of books if you’re looking for a simple, pleasurable read.
So, how about you? Anything special planned for Leap Day? Any good books you’ve read lately?
Happy Lunar New Year, and thus, Happy Spring–or near enough. You can see the daylight lengthening, winter’s cold grip lessening degree by degree, as the seasons cycle through the ancient change from winter to spring. Usually it’s a slow roll, but sometimes it comes really fast! Whichever it is for you, we all know that spring is on the way, drawing nearer each day. This is the Year of the Dragon, and the USPS has some great dragon stamps commemorating it:
I have publication news: the long-delayed99 Fleeting Fantasies is now available for pre-order in both ebook and paperback formats! My short tale, Two Letters Crossing Paths Through the FairyMail is included in the anthology, which is chock-full of amazing short reads by some equally amazing authors, so you’ll definitely want to check this one out if you or someone you know likes warm-hearted flash fiction. The release date is February 15–only five days from now! And in the future, a Kickstarter will fund a hardcover and a (faux) leather-bound edition, too! I’ll be sure to announce here when the Kickstarter goes live.
And did I say “a podcast?” I did! I did indeed.
Shining Moon: A Speculative Fiction Podcast, hosted by Deborah L. Davitt, recently released Episode 28: Cozy Fantasy and Hopepunk. This episode features three writers: John Wiswell, Susan Kaye Quinn, and yours truly–me!–as we discuss these sub-genres of fantasy, what they are, why we write them, and where we think they may be going in the future. It runs about an hour, and if you enjoy this one, there are currently 27 other episodes (and counting!) on a variety of SFFH topics to listen to. This was my first ever podcast, but Deborah and my fellow guests were amazing and made me feel very warmly welcomed.
Coincidently, one of the stories I discussed on the podcast is … Two Letters Crossing Paths Through the FairyMail. I didn’t have the release date when we recorded, so this is some superb synchronicity.
My flash story, “Your Guide to the Four Blends of Penumbral Faeryland Tea, in Order of Their Particular Usage” is the first story in the August issue of Penumbric Speculative Fiction Magazine. (You can go directly to this story here, but I urge you to read the other stories and poems, and to admire the artwork, of the entire issue.)
Yes, I did say flash fiction. And yes, before you can say it, that title is nearly as long as the story itself! In case you’re keeping track, it’s the longest title of any story I’ve written to date. “The Anchor, Lebkuchen, Family, Not Necessarily in That Order” comes in second, while “Never Underestimate a Good Spell, or Your Sister” squeaks in at third longest.
A little more about this story? First off, I was hoping that by the time it was published, the story might no longer be relevant. Unfortunately that isn’t the case. Maybe someday…
Secondly, the story came about because of a flash fiction writing contest. I chose the title “Four Blends of Tea and Their Particular Provenance,” which I later changed to better reflect the story I’d written. And what better title for me, a tea lover, than this? What better story to write than a darkly pessimistic fantasy involving tea tasting notes?
I hope you enjoy my story, and the rest of the August issue of Penumbric. As for me, I’m going to celebrate with a lovely cup of tea.
Everyday Magic | M. E. Garber
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