Ugh. Start the week with an earthquake. Finish with this. Not the way I like my Virginia summers to go.
Book 28 -- Redemption in Indigo by Karen Lord( Read review )
Book 29 -- The Lost Dogs: Michael Vick's Dogs and Their Tale of Rescue and Redemption by Jim Gorant( Read review )
Book 25 -- Delivering Happiness: A Path to Profits, Passion, and Purpose by Tony Hsieh( Read review )
Book 21 -- Delirium by Lauren Oliver( Read review )
Book 22 -- Liquid Jade: The Story of Tea from East to West by Beatrice Hohenegger( Read review )
Book 23 -- The Devil's Alphabet by Daryl Gregory ( Read review )
Book 18 -- The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth: Popularity, Quirk Theory, and Why Outsiders Thrive After High School by Alexandra Robbins( Read review )
Book 19 -- Whedonistas: A Celebration of the Worlds of Joss Whedon by the Women Who Love Them edited by Lynn M. Thomas and Deborah Stanish( Read review )
A Quiet Shelter There Anthology Update
Where we are: Some stories accepted for this but still room for more. Keep the subs coming!
The good: Stories and poems that move me--to tears, to laughter, to both, even to anger. Stories that manage to combine edge with sentiment and avoid the extremes of ick and sappy. Stories that are so well crafted, I can read with pleasure, never defaulting to that annoying "editor inside." Stories that celebrate pets and service animals--whether Earth-like or not. Stories that fit the bill AND manage to work in the speculative element.
The not so: Stories that are anti-pet (yeah, wrap your head around that one cuz I can't). Stories in which the animals are not central enough. Essays masquerading as stories. Stories that are too edgy or adult (the nice part of that is these will work in someone else's book because they are good stories, just not right for this particular project). Stories that rely on sentiment with very little else to back it up. Stories that I lose interest in before I finish reading (maybe lack of plot, predictable plot, plot I don't get, wooden dialogue, whatever). Stories that promote poor pet stewardship (as defined by most shelters)--hey, this benefits and will be sold in shelters, that definitely impacts what we're looking for.
I haven't seen very many stories that aren't well crafted, which is awesome. I may not connect with every story that comes in, but that doesn't mean anything is wrong with those I turn down. Most have a true love and respect for animals, and that's wonderful to see. I do wonder at some folk's ability to read the guidelines. But that's another matter. Also, small point (but every little bit helps when submitting to markets): don't misspell my name if you want me to start favorably on your sub (it's petty, perhaps, to let that annoy me, but a misspelling sets a tone that is purely reaction on my part, not something I can take back, but definitely something that could have been prevented by a double-check of the guidelines page).
What I'd like to see more of: I haven't seen much in the way of stories that use myth, fable, legend, fairy tale as the jumping-off point. If there's not an animal already, insert one and give us a different view of a well known tale. The animals don't have to be dogs and cats, but there does have to be some bond with the human (or God or monster or whatever). Also, the story can be from the animal's viewpoint. In fact, that pretty much knocks it right there into fantasy so you don't have to work real hard to get the speculative element in your story. Keep the sci fi, steampunk, general speculative, high fantasy coming. Give me some space opera, some urban fantasy, or can you do horror without making it too splattery? Poems don't have to be speculative. Just make sure they pack some emotional wallop and send them in.
Deadline is August 31st. Keep the subs coming!
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