“The Secret Hollow” Officially Published!

My short story, “The Secret Hollow,” is officially published!

I received an email today from Casey Quinn, editor of the on-line magazine, Short Story Library, that the long-awaited anthology, The Library’s Best: Volume I, is now available on Amazon.

I immediately purchased a copy for my Grandmother, who doesn’t have access to the Internet; I know she’s going to be thrilled to see my story in print. Heck, I’m going to be thrilled to see my story in print!

I gave my story non gratis to the Short Story Library, so please consider purchasing a copy yourself to support the website and other fledgling authors.

 

“The Secret Hollow” May See Print

Hope ever springs eternal and so I have said “yes” to the following request (hopefully this one will actually make it to print):

Hello,

After some consideration, the Short Story Library magazine has decided to start publishing a print edition twice a year with the best writing published in the online magazine. After review of what we have published, your story “The Secret Hollow” has been selected!

When we published your story the first time, you granted us non exclusive online rights, in order for us to include your story we are asking for non exclusive print rights to publish in print your story. You will retain the right to your story at all times, you are only granting us the right to print your story, the copyright remains yours. At this time we cannot pay you for your writing but hope having the print publishing credit on your resume in addition to more exposure to your writing will be satisfactory.

We are planning on having the print edition ready to go by the beginning of 2009. We will be hiring an illustrator to help with the cover and fill out the magazine. In order for us to get started we ask that you respond by November 15th so that we have sufficient time to edit the stories, get the illustrations and have the book ready to go by the end of year. If we do not hear back by November 15th, we will assume we did not have your permission and will not include your writing in our collection.

Thanks for your interest in Short Story Library and hope to hear back from you soon, When you reply, please include a bio you would like to be included with your writing. Please keep the bio to less than 50 words.

Casey Quinn
Editor
Short Story Library
http://shortstory.us.com

So look for more news on this subject in early 2009.

 

Another Dream Bites the (Faerie) Dust

Alas, my poem “The Faerie Folk” will not be published after all {sigh}:

Wednesday October 15, 2008

Dear All,

It is with a heavy heart and a clear conscience that I write this letter. Since the inception of this project two years ago, I have embarked on a new career and returned to school. In the beginning, I could happily devote 12 hours a day to managing the manifestation of this publication, nowadays I am lucky if I can find 24 hours each week, which is not enough for a start up. With an impending increase in my course load and an internship on the horizon, the time for PAL to Go is decreasing.

We don’t want to string anyone along: it is not viable to publish People’s Art & Lit to Go and maintain the business’ other publishing projects. Since it is my name that appears at the bottom of most of the acceptance letters, I personally apologize for the broken promise to publish.

We encourage all of you to keep putting your work out there: if we would accept it, others will too.

Thank you.

Jane Thomas

–
Jane Knows Publishing
A Subsidiary of
Jane Knows Intellectual Property, Inc.

Well, that’s the way the faerie’s wings crumble.

 

“A Tear Drops” Is Rejected

This short poem, submitted to the Short Story Library, was also rejected on the 17th of August.  According to the editor, he “felt it was missing depth and I was a little confused at what exactly was happening within each stanza. The poem should tell a story and I felt that this poem was trying to paint a picture[,] but it was not really clear. I suggest adding more depth and descriptions around it to help clarify the sequences.”  If you would like to read this poem, click here.  Keep in mind that I did not submit the picture, which may (or may not) have made a difference in clearing up his “confusion.”

 

“The Faerie Folk” Is Rejected and Out the Door Again

The Short Story Library rejected this short poem on August 18th, although the editor thinks I “paint a great picture with your poetry[,] however[,] the style I don’t think would be a good fit for what we are publishing for poetry.”  Okay, rather awkwardly stated, but you get the gist.  While there are no style rules stated anywhere on their site, I wasn’t devastated because, as I had indicated earlier, this poem was actually requested by a printed publication and I immediately sent it off that very same day to “People’s Art and Literature to Go” of San Francisco.  I’ll let you know when it goes public.

 

Me Against Three (Draft #2)

ME AGAINST THREE

DOG1:  She’s home! She’s home! I can’t believe it, she came back; I thought she’d left forever.
DOG3:  Oh, joy; oh, happiness! It’s been hours!
DOG2:  It’s been days!
DOG3:  It’s been months, years!
DOG2:  It’s been forever! I thought we’d been abandoned. Pet me! Pet me!
DOG3:  No, pet me first, me first!
DOG1:  Pick me up and give me a kiss. I can hardly stand it! Wait a minute, what’s in those bags? Must be something for me. I own everything that comes into this house!
DOG2:  Look how high I can jump!
DOG1:  I can jump higher than that; look!
DOG3:  You two are so pathetic; you have to roll over and beg for a tummy rub, like this.
DOG2:  But I smell chicken! Chicken; I love chicken!
DOG1:  Chicken is the best; gimme, gimme, gimme some chicken.
DOG3:  There’s no way she’s going to give you that chicken, you losers, the way you’re acting. You two are brats.
ME:      Quiet. Quiet! I said QUIET! You’re going to give me a migraine if this keeps up. As soon as I put these groceries away, I have some special treats. So shut up!
DOG1:  Did she say treat?
DOG2:  She said treat!
DOG3:  You two are so easy.
DOG2:  I’m panting so hard, I think I’m having a heart attack; what’s taking her so long?
DOG1:  Let’s jump! That always gets her attention and makes her work fast.
DOG2:  Yes, lets!
ME:      Knock it off. Now, everybody sit. Sit. I said SIT! Okay, everyone gets a new chewy bone with…BACON…inside! Quiet! QUIET! Now, sit. I said SIT! Here’s yours, and yours, and yours. Now, disappear for a while and give me a break!
[The quiet sound of crunching and munching drifts from various parts of the house.]
DOG3:  HERE you are in the kitchen! I haven’t seen you in five minutes! I thought you left and weren’t coming back…again.
ME:      Where’s your bone?
DOG3:  Bone? What bone? You have bones? I want one!
ME:      You had better go find it before someone else does.
DOG3:  You’re talking crazy, but I love you anyway. Rub my tummy?
ME:      You’re a nut. Okay, I’ll rub your tummy.
DOG2:  [Running into the kitchen like he's sliding into third base]
I heard something outside. Out. Now. Now! Must. Go. Out. Side. NOW!
DOG3:   I heard it, too. Definitely, something’s out there; thanks for the tummy rub. Race you to the door!
DOG1:  If you two are going, I’m going too!
ME:       I guess you need to go outside.
DOG2:  AROOHOOHOO!
ME:      What is this, the releasing of the hounds?
DOG2:  Out of my way, this is WAAAARRRRR!
DOG3:  Got your back, little buddy. Far right corner, enemy in sight!
DOG1:  Men! All they want to do is fight. It’s too hot out here; I’m going back in the house; you coming?
ME:      Try to keep in down to a roar, guys. Come on girl, it’s too hot out here for me.
DOG2:  I see you, you rat bastard! I’ll get you this time.
DOG4:  Not afore Yi teers yoors face off, yous disgustink Yorkie!
DOG2:  Racial slurs! That’s done it now, you dim witted Chihuahua! As soon as I get through this fence, you are one big Yorkie turd! And so’s your girlfriend, Bell!
DOG3:  Um, we don’t beat up girls, Teddie; we’ll just have to beat him up twice.
DOG2:  That’s right!
DOG4:  At yeast Yi gots a girlsfrien; mebe Yi mik yoor leetle seester mine girlsfren, too!
DOG2:  You had better watch out what you say about my sister, you goon!
DOG4:  Yi’ma so ascared…not!
DOG2:  I’m so mad; I’m going to bite these irises the same way I’m going to bite your throat and shake you to death like the rat vermin you are!
DOG4:  Yi’ma so impressedead…not!
DOG2:  I’ll dig under this fence and pop out your ugly eyes!
DOG4:  You wouldn’t actually do that, would you? Yi meana, yousa beeda not!
DOG2:  Yeah, we would and we’re gonna! Hey, Mickey, get over here and help me. What the heck are you doing?
DOG3:  I was just watering the rosebush. The flowers smell so nice.
DOG2:  Help me dig!
DOG3:  Um, we’re not supposed to do that.
ME:      [Clapping hands.]
All right boys, I think the neighborhood has heard enough, get your butts in here. You’re looking mighty pleased there, Teddie. Did you win this battle in the Teddie/Taco war? Thought so.
[Everyone settles down to listen to some music and chew on bones while I fire up the laptop.]
DOG1:   Hold this bone for me while I chew it.
[Smacks gushy chewed up end of bone against the naked part of my arm.]
DOG1:  I SAID, hold this bone for me while I chew it.
[Smacks gushy chewed up end of bone against the naked part of my arm - again.]
ME:      Yuck! Quit hitting me with that. It’s disgusting.
DOG1:  I don’t think you understand who is in charge here. It is your JOB to hold this bone for me while I chew it.
[Smacks gushy chewed up end of bone against the naked part of my arm - again.]
ME:      You are never visiting Grandma’s house again; she spoils you rotten and teaches you the most DISgusting habits. Okay, I’ll hold it for a little while, like two minutes.
DOG3:  Whine, whine. Look at me. See my big, sad eyes. See how nicely I’m sitting here looking RIGHT AT YOU! Whine, whine.
ME:      Mickey, what do you want? You just went outside.
DOG3:  Outside? Yes! See my ears go up? Oops, get those ears down. I mean, no. See my big, sad eyes looking at the bone in your hand? I don’t have a bone, poor, poor me.
ME:      You want a bone? What did you do with the one I gave you?
DOG3:  Who cares? I want the one that is already all nice and gushy on the end. I want THAT bone! Whimper, whimper. See the intense look of longing in my eyes?
ME:      When Mindy gets bored with this one, you can have it; okay?
DOG3:  Well, then, I’ll just sit here and stare pointedly at her and the bone until someone gives up and gives it to me, it that’s all right with you.
DOG2:  [Jumps on my left breast with two front legs.]
Hey!
ME:      Ow!
DOG2:  [Jumps on my right breast with two front legs.]
Hey!
ME:      Ouch! Quit that, it hurts.
DOG2:  [Lands on my whole chest with all four legs.]
I said, Hey!
ME:       What the hell do you want!
DOG2:  I need to go out. Now!
[Licks my nose.]
ME:       You were just outside.
DOG2:  No I wasn’t. I haven’t been out all day. I probably haven’t been out in a week. And you better let me out now, because I’m about to have an EMERGENCY!!
[Licks my nose twice.]
DOG3:  Now that you mention it, I think I’m about to have an emergency, too. I only watered the rosebush earlier.
DOG2:  Let us out!
DOG3:  Let us out!
ME:       This is never going to end, is it? All right, let’s go.
DOG2:  AROOHOOHOO! Out of my way, this is WAAAARRRRR!
DOG3:  Got your back, little buddy. Far right corner, enemy in sight!
ME:       Halt! If I can hear you, that means you’re not taking care of business!
[Mulch goes flying as miscreants screech to a halt.]
DOG2:  Spoilsport.
DOG3:  She has a point.
DOG2:  I’m taking the far left corner; no peeking. I don’t like anybody to watch.
DOG3:  No problemo, little buddy; I’ll take the left side yard and check to see if those kids are out while I’m there. See if they have any treats.
[Much scuffing of mulch and leaves; boys approach the screen door as if they accomplished something important, like landing on the moon.]
ME:       You two are impossible, look at the mud on your back feet. You’re not Terriers, you’re holy terrors! Get in the house. And could you try to leave SOME of the backyard IN the backyard; just a thought.

[STILL TO BE CONTINUED]

©2008
Faerie♥Kat
All Rights Reserved