Blog | R.B. Wood - Writer Of Uncanny & Macabre Thrillers

July 18, 2016 No Comments

I’m barely back from Readercon and my plate is filled with literary goodness.

Besides the fifteen new books and seven new anthologies to read, I’ve been secretly working with a writerly friend as a coach to push me to get book two of The Arcana Chronicles moving. We have check-ins each week on progress and I will either publish as an Indie later this year or via a Small Press in 2017. That’s still to be determined.

As exciting as that bit of news is…there’s more.

13716176_297552443927942_6916373556403117621_n — Click me. You know you want to…

Along with book two, the Word Count Podcast and various writing exercises to help with my recovery, I’ve just been invited to participate with eleven other Fantasy authors in a Dark Fairytales Anthology. Couldn’t be more pleased to be involved in this deliciously evil little project. A big thanks to R. L Weeks for the invite.

I’ve already selected the Fairytale my story is based on–more on that at a later date. But because I’m so late to the party, I have a lot of work to do in a short period of time. So…the release party for this dark collection is in 2 months. It’s a Facebook online global event and you are all invited. In the meantime, I’ll figure out how to fit this in without losing pace with book two.

If I don’t, my writing coach will be all kinds of pissed off. And seeing her angry is something I’d wish on anyone!

A lot to do…busy is good.

Peace

Call out for Beta Readers

July 16, 2016 No Comments

I’ve finally (with the help and encouragement of some friends and my lovely wife) been working on the second book of The Arcana Chronicles Series. This is the follow up to Symon Bryson’s introductory adventure The Prodigal’s Foole published first with the now defunct Pfoxchase, then indy published with Amazon in 2012.

Knowing how busy everyone is, I wanted to reach out a bit early to solicit volunteers to be ‘beta readers’ for book two. I’m tentatively looking to send out a draft to the group in mid September 2016.

If you are interested, drop me a line via Facebook or e-mail (you can certainly comment here as well).

Space is limited–I’m looking for time-sensitive feedback and critique from a dozen or so committed readers/authors–so drop me a note today! I’ll be sending out details to the potential team in the next couple of days.

Thanks in advance!

Peace,

Readercon 27

July 8, 2016 No Comments

Note: I tend to separate various entries by timestamps. They are in reverse order, with the latest posting at the top. ALSO Note that it has taken me a couple of days to put this together. As my first time out in public for months post-strokes, the entire experience was…overwhelming to say the least.

Sunday 10 July

It’s over and I’ve driven home. The sadness that always follows the end of a Readercon will come tomorrow. For now…for RIGHT now, I’m exhausted. I will always go back to Readercon. Not because I have to. But because I’m drawn to it by some immeasurable force.

Magic! In! Spaaace! Chris Gerwel, Mikki Kendall, Matt Kressel, Sioban Krzywicki (leader), Bethany Powell- It was only during this panel that I heard about a controversy at Readercon this year. Mikki Kendall addresses it on her blog HERE. However, she was the consummate professional on this panel and–having not witnessed what had happened directly–never would have known about the issue. Mikki was her normal, witty and very funny self (even early on a Sunday morning). The Panel was a discussion of Magic and Sci Fi–a blending of two genres normally kept very separate.

It was the only panel/reading I attended on Sunday. I’d hit my limit and it was time to head home. Even as tired as I was, I had an enjoyable time. Knowing how well the Readercon folks eventually handled the crisis a few years ago, it’s my hope they will turn their eyes to fixing the lack of diversity brought into sharp relief this year. After all….a Con is supposed to be a fun experience for everyone.

Saturday 9 July 1:00 PM

To start the day, I had a conundrum. See, on the one hand I wanted to hear Jim Morrow read from his work in progress. On the other was a panel on the 200th anniversary of Frankenstein-on the panel was Jim’s wife Kathy and FB friend Theodora Goss. What to do? Well Glenn Skinner and I decided to split the difference. So I went to the reading, and he to the panel.

Reading: James Morrow-Jim read from his work in progress “Asylum of Dr. Caligari” which, if you will, is a literal translation of the events before the film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920) takes place. Jim’s story has art, intrigue, travel and fantastic set-pieces as well as a morality tale about what’s happened, and what yet may occur should we not heed the warnings of history. Marvelous stuff!

Engineering in Fantasy. Scott Andrews, Richard Butner, John Chu, Ken Liu, Fran Wilde (leader)- This is the kind of panel I would LOVE to see more of at Readercon. I think this subject could have easily been 5 or 6 different panels. Multiple engineers addressing “the machine” underlying all speculative fiction. From logistics and social engineering challenges, to the actual building of infrastructure, the panel (lead with a very sweet, iron hand of Fran Wilde from Tor) barely had enough time to scratch the surface.

Enjoyed a bit of lunch after with Glenn Skinner, Melissa King and Melanie Meadors from Ragnarok Publishing…

Reading: Allen Steele- It was good to see Allen. Not quite recovered from his surgery, but in good form. Like Jim’s passion with old movies, Allen has a similar feelings for the pulp stories of the 40’s and 50’s. Along with Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, there was a hero called Captain Future. Allen, with permission of the owners of the character, is rebooting Captain Future into a more 21st century type of story. From what I heard, this will be a marvelous set of books!

David Hartwell Memorial Panel. Robert Killheffer, Ellen Kushner, James Morrow, Sarah Smith, Gordon Van Gelder and many others.

It is safe to say that Readercon would not exist in its current form today if it weren’t for the late, great editor David G. Hartwell. Preferring to operate behind the scenes, one of the most generous men with his time in this speculative fiction industry passed earlier this year. My personal story of him goes from teasing him about his tie (he LOVED his ties) to a realization of who he was to a most brilliant discussion of Science fiction story telling. He spent over an hour with me. This panel–made up of some of the most influential people is Science Fiction in their own right, was funny, beautiful and touching. His favorite tie will be framed and memorialized in the book dealer room from next year onward. I encourage you to read about David–start with his Wiki page and go from there.

After this panel….I was done, emotionally for the day. I spent the next few hours with close friends discussing ways that my next book could be improved and discussing stories and writing in general.

Friday 8 July 11:50 PM

Exhausted. Need to put some notes together, but it is now obvious to me that I set a task upon myself that was a bit lofty. It looks as though I will need to finish these notes in the coming week.

Reading: Elizabeth Hand. I adore Liz Hand. I have read pretty much everything she has written and her Cass Neary series has one of the most deliciously flawed main characters I’ve ever gotten to know. She read from her upcoming forth book in the series. It’s funny–Liz does such a wonderful job with Cass’ voice, that’s what I hear now when I read them.

Harry Potter Goes to Grad School and Gets a Job. Jim Freund (leader), Max Gladstone, Josh Jasper, Ellen Kushner, E.J. Stevens. –The Concept of this panel was wonderful–what sort of jobs are available for wizards? We all know Hogwarts didn’t really prepare students for life after school (where was the ‘building a Time-turner class?’). But unfortunately, the topic meandered a bit and lost the focus.

Clockwork Phoenix 5 Group Reading. Mike Allen, C.S.E. Cooney, Carlos Hernandez, Keffy Kehrli, Barbara Krasnoff, Cameron Roberson, Sonya Taaffe, A.C. Wise- Ah. Now THIS was a real treat! I meet Mike and his wife Anita at Readercon years ago. Liked them then, love them both now. They are talented and genuine “salt of the earth” people. Brilliant, funny, talented and both have a darker side that is just tasty. I’ve picked up Mike’s latest short story collection (The Spider Tapestries) based on his work with the Clockwork Phoenix series of anthologies. That, and I like him. He had a few of the authors in the series participate in the reading. Was well handled and well done.

Stupendous Machines or Rat’s Nests: The Wonders of Cells and Why They Are Not Perfect but Just Good Enough. J.M. Sidorova- A Scientific presentation on the human body and a fascinating discussion of the ‘vampiric,’ ‘zombie-esque,’ and ‘immortal’ cells of the human body. A lovely talk on what is beautiful and the flaws of the human body.

Kaffeeklatsch. Elizabeth Hand-Ended the evening with Liz at a wonderful discussion with a group of us about her work and her life. Was so tired at this point, made a bit of a fan-boy of myself. Fortunately, Liz is rather gracious!

Jesus, Mary and Joseph. I look like death warmed over. Or an extra on "The Walking Dead." — Jesus, Mary and Joseph. I look like death warmed over. Or an extra on “The Walking Dead.”

Friday 8 July 3:00 PM

A discussion of the “Warm and fuzzy” dystopia of Harry Potter and similar YA fantasy works. From the program:

Cozy Dystopia. Gili Bar-Hillel, Bart Leib, Shariann Lewitt, Kenneth Schneyer (leader), Sabrina Vourvoulias. When we think of the world of Harry Potter, what comes to mind rst—the magic
and childish delights of Hogwarts, with its cozy dormitories and feasts and ying lessons, or its numerous, creeping dystopian elements (even discounting Voldemort!), from the enslaved house elves to Umbridge to the Dementors, which are, frankly, the tools of a fascist state? Can we make an argument that HP is actually more like a dystopia than a fantasy? Even if we’re half joking, there’s still an interesting discussion here: how do these two sides of the wizarding world play off each other, and how do they compare with other dystopian YA? Maybe we need a new subgenre: Cozy Dystopia.

Attended my first panel of Readercon this year. From the Program: Background and Believability- Danielle Friedman, Carlos Hernandez, Kathleen Jennings (moderator), Thomas Olde Heuvelt, Sarah Smith. When a reader calls a story “implausible,” what they often mean is “I’ve never experienced that” or “I’ve never known anyone like that person.” Writers creating their own wish-ful llment stories (e.g., wielding a shotgun to rescue a woman from zombies) may fail to connect with readers who don’t share those wishes (e.g., paci sts, women who want to rescue themselves, oppressed minorities who’ve been threatened by authority gures with guns). How do we bridge the believability gaps within ourselves to connect with stories stemming from experiences we’ve never had, and to write for readers whose ideas of possible and plausible don’t match up with our own?

The Second panel was on a subject I am very-much interested in. From the program:

Why Don’t Animals Use Magic?- Erik Amundsen, Suzy McKee Charnas, Lila Garrott, Theodora Goss, Ann Tonsor Zeddies. Rules-based magical systems draw on an alternate set of natural laws to develop a kind of technology: Dumbledore waving a wand and saying “Apparate” is no different in principle or practice from Scotty beaming you up. Animals also develop tools and take advantage of natural laws; why don’t they use magic? David Eddings simpli ed more abstract magic as “the will and the word”: the desire to do something, and a word to focus that desire. Animals have willpower and can make consistent sounds; why don’t they use magic? We’ll deconstruct the assumptions underlying this animal/human divide in Western fantasy ction, and explore ways of weaving magic so deeply into the fabric of the universe that animals can use it as easily as they use physics.

There was a lively debate about different “Magic Creatures” verses the breakdown of the world if animals could use magic like humans. My opinion on this is that animals would use magic for their basics: Food, shelter, sex. And who says cats haven’t already used magic on US to make sure we bring them into our warm, safe homes? Certainly would explain why Tina and I have five of them…

Thursday 7 July 11:00 PM

Reading: Livia Llewellyn- Livia read something different then a snippet from her upcoming novel for us. A bit of a story she wrote called “The Acid Test.” It will be included in Black Feathers, an anthology by Ellen Datlow due to be released in 2017 by Pegasus Books.

Reading: Scott Edelman– Scott reads a bit of “The Man Without the Blue Balloon and the Woman Who Had Smiles Only for Him.” Since he’d JUST gotten to the reveal when time was up, I told him he needed to read the rest to me before the con was over! Afterwards he and I spent time catching up and he showed me some photos from the Bram Stoke awards in Vegas earlier in the year.

Reading: Jim Kelly-Jim’s story that he read for us was picked up earlier in the day for the tenth anniversary issue of Clarkesworld. I wish I’d written the name down, but it was the story told in the first person by a 20 year old woman working in a bakery in a tourist area in the future…

Chatted with folks for a while more then headed up to crash.

Thursday 7 July 7:00 PM

Saw a few people come in–the familiarity of the faces negates any misgivings I had about attending this year. Mike and Anita Allen, Phil Merkel, Walt Williams (and his wife Margo and daughter Hannah), Yves Meynard, Scott Edelman, Liz Hand…so many others. Had dinner and hung out with Glenn Skinner who is usually the first person I seek out at the convention. He and I took a brief look at the program, decided on our evening’s events, and parted ways with a promise to catch up later. I choose to hear some readings.

Thursday 7 July 3:40 PM

“The Gathering” continues. Like myself, I bump into a few folks who are getting to know the new digs. Since I’ve been attending Readercon, it has (up until this year) been held at the Marriott in Burlington, Massachusetts. This year, the Marriott in Quincy is our hosting hotel. I have a room on the 8th floor with a nice, if distant view of the Harbor Islands.

Wednesday 6 July 7:00 PM

There are a few things that make me feel alive, beyond the whole breathing thing I mean.

The touch of my wife. The laughter of my children. A good story. Writing.

Readercon.

I know this is starting off rather dramatic. But I shouldn’t be at Readercon this year. See, last November I should have died.

Twice.

The story is long and boring and I’ve gotten to the point where I can tell it with a few amusing asides and gripping pauses. I even throw in a pirate occasionally just to spice things up a little.

Blackadder as a Pirate. I thought the concept was gold.

But the bottom line is this: from hospital bed, through rehab and radiation….I was determined to hit many milestones during my recovery. Attendance at my favorite con is…was…one of those milestones.

Now that I have you all weeping, ready to rent your garments in grief over the bizarre story I never quite told you, it’s time to put my big-boy pants on and write about the readings, the panels, and the people that bring me back year after year.

Pre-gaming Readercon 27

July 6, 2016 No Comments

This will be my seventh Readercon.

All my followers (both of you) will know that last fall I had a series of unfortunate events that continued through the death of my dad in March, my cancer diagnosis, and subsequent radiation treatment (NO gorram superpower, by the way. What a gyp!).

“What does this have to do with Readercon Pre-gaming?” the two of you may be asking yourselves. To which I would reply “How did you two get out of the locked basement?”

Or, to provide a less disturbing answer: “Everything.”

See, I wasn’t going to go to Readercon this year. Yes, I adore the conference (if you need proof, see here. And here. Aaaaand here, here, and finally, here) and this year it’s even closer to my house than ever,

IMG_0651-2 — Yes. I’ve kept the badges. Don’t judge.

Part of the cognitive damage that occurred last fail was caused by a cluster of strokes. Physically there has been only a slight impact. But there have been some subtle personality changes, not the least of which has to do with a dislike of crowds. And guess what a ‘Con consists of?

My Neurologist and other medical type professionals have encouraged me to go. My wife is encouraging me to go. They all said it would be good for me.

So. I’m going. I am excited to see friends. I’m interested in a lot of the panels they have in store for us. I’m going to get a lot of writing done. I’ll do my semi-streaming blog, as usual. So I’ll need to pack the Mac and the iPad.

Perhaps I should go get a new hat, too. See y’all in Quincy.

The #WordCountPodcast episode 58 OPEN for SUBMISSIONS!

July 4, 2016 No Comments

DEADLINE EXTENDED to 22JULY!

Ah, the hazy, lazy days of Summer in the Northern Hemisphere!

On this, the American Independence Day (or “Amexit” as I’m now calling it), I thought we would do something a bit different for the show this time around.

Foregoing our normal “Three Word” theme format, I thought I’d provide the first sentence of your story to be completed by your fine selves:

“I was enjoying the summer holiday when…”

Oooooh! What happens next! That, dear sinners, is up to you!

The submission guidelines are below, but first–and for those unfamiliar with the show…

The Word Count Podcast is truly one of my joys. I direct, produce, write and host the show—and also come up with the various themes our writers—The “Word Count Irregulars”—use to create unique and brilliant stories.

All for the listener and lovers of great storytelling.

There are no endorsements…no paid stories. It’s all done for the love of the written word. And downloads are always free. Always.

The only thing I ask is a little help via social media (use the hashtag #wordcountpodcast) to point folks at the show.

To start listening go to either my Libsyn Page or to iTunes:

LIBSYN

iTUNES

There are Fifty Seven shows available right now!

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 58 – “I was enjoying the summer holiday when…”

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY as they have recently CHANGED)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by ~~Friday 15 July 2016~~ Friday 22 July 2016 by MIDNIGHT Eastern time.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original story based on the opening line “I was enjoying the summer holiday when…”

Do NOT exceed SEVEN minutes.

As this is a podcast, I need to receive a file of YOU, a friend or multiple friends reading (singing or otherwise performing) your work. MP3 FORMAT ONLY, and please attach your MP3 file to an e-mail or contact me for a Dropbox link.

Your submission MUST also contain the following:

Your pen name
Your latest bio (DO NOT ASSUME I HAVE YOUR LATEST)
Links to your website(s) – Include your personal site, Facebook Fanpage etc.
Your Twitter handle (if you have one)
A photo of you I can use for the show notes
At the end of your recording, please add “This is <state your name> author of <state your work(s)> and you’re listening to The Word Count Podcast”
Permission to use your recording in the podcast.
PLEASE Make sure you have included ALL ARTIFACTS I have asked for. Do not assume I can “Get your picture from the internet” or can “Pull your bio from your web page.”

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by ~~15 July 2016~~ Friday 22 July 2016 . You can also e-mail me with questions beforehand. I do reserve the right NOT to post your submission, but will communicate that to you should it be the case. I add the ‘Explicit’ tag to the ‘cast, so if your story uses adult themes or language that’s ok—but it should be necessary for the story.

Peace

Deliciously Dark–My review of Gutted: Beautiful Horror Stories

June 27, 2016 No Comments

Gutted: Beautiful Horror Stories

Publisher: Crystal Lake Publishing

Anthology Edited by:

Doug Murano and D. Alexander Ward

Forward by:

Richard Chizmar

Rating: 5 out of 5 Skulls

I keep reading that “the Horror genre is dead.” Obvious pun aside, Gutted:Beautiful Horror Stories deliciously drives a stake in that theory. One of the best anthologies I’ve read in a while. I would be remiss if I didn’t first give credit to editors Doug Murano and D. Alexander Ward for another superbly crafted collection of stories (as an aside, check out Shadows Over Main Street, their Lovecraftian anthology).

The stories within do exactly what true horror should–tear at the soul. From Stephanie M. Wytovich’s opening poem that sets the tone for the entire work, to Brian Kirk’s tale of abduction and parental love; through Mercedes M. Yardley’s extreme love story and Richard Thomas’ “Repent…”

Look. It’s simple. Every story in this anthology is horrifyingly gorgeous. Other reviews break down a story by story commentary, check those out if that’s what you need. For me, Gutted was a few hours of reading enjoyment followed by days of emotion, reflection and a dark desire to read more of the same. I picked up the paperback version because Caitlin Hackett’s cover and Luke Spooner’s interior art are a stunning compliment to the works within.

If you like dark, then pick up a copy. But be warned…these stories will haunt your dreams well after the reading is done. And that’s just as Horror should be.

Check it out on Amazon.

The #WordCountPodcast episode 57 OPEN for SUBMISSIONS!

May 9, 2016 No Comments

What’s this strange itching sensation?

No, it’s not some sort of new medical malady nor is it the result of an illicit bit of naughtiness.

It’s the itch to kick off another Word Count Podcast!

Let’s get straight to the three word theme,then. Contain your excitement!

The 3-word theme:

Pirate, Island, Rat

You must construct a story using all three words. Anyone can write, read and record a submission! Not that anyone EVER reads past the theme. I mean, RB always writes the same thing, right? there is never anything past the theme worth reading.

Wibble, Wibble! Queen Elizabeth wears frilly knickers! I am the very image of a modern Major General!

Anyway.

The submission guidelines are below, but first–and for those unfamiliar with the show…

All for the listener and lovers of great storytelling.

There are no endorsements…no paid stories. It’s all done for the love of the written word. And downloads are always free. Always.

The only thing I ask is a little help via social media (use the hashtag #wordcountpodcast) to point folks at the show.

To start listening go to either my Libsyn Page or to iTunes:

LIBSYN

iTUNES

There are Fifty Six shows available right now!

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 57 – “Pirate, Island, Rat“

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY as they have recently CHANGED)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by SUNDAY 22 May 2016 by MIDNIGHT Eastern time.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original story based on the three words: “Pirate, Island, Rat”

Do NOT exceed SEVEN minutes.

Your submission MUST also contain the following:

Your pen name
Your latest bio (DO NOT ASSUME I HAVE YOUR LATEST)
Links to your website(s) – Include your personal site, Facebook Fanpage etc.
Your Twitter handle (if you have one)
A photo of you I can use for the show notes
At the end of your recording, please add “This is <state your name> author of <state your work(s)> and you’re listening to The Word Count Podcast”
Permission to use your recording in the podcast.
PLEASE Make sure you have included ALL ARTIFACTS I have asked for. Do not assume I can “Get your picture from the internet” or can “Pull your bio from your web page.”

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 22 May 2016. You can also e-mail me with questions beforehand. I do reserve the right NOT to post your submission, but will communicate that to you should it be the case. I add the ‘Explicit’ tag to the ‘cast, so if your story uses adult themes or language that’s ok—but it should be necessary for the story.

Wibble, wibble.

Peace

Just for the record, #fuckcancer

April 4, 2016 No Comments

Cancer Sucks. Here are two kissing bunnies to make up for it.

It’s been an exhausting few months so let me try and bring all you folks up to speed.

After the pulmonary embolism and mini-strokes back in November, I’ve been slowly recovering. The brain is a marvelous tool (go ahead, make the joke) and I have been relearning many things as well as reconnecting neurons damaged by the little brain-bastards.

One of the things that happened during that whole emergency room/ICU scene was I had a PET scan for possible cancer (originally the doctors thought I had a mass in my right lung which they were sure was cancer and were equally sure that’s what had caused all my problems).

They were wrong. The “mass” was just a blood clot that was reabsorbed by the body.

However, my thyroid lit up during the scan.

Since this was the least of my problems at the time, this little factoid was put on the shelf temporarily.

I’d made enough progress to have the anomaly finally looked at—turned out to be a 1.7 cm carcinoma embedded in the thyroid. I spoke to an endocrine expert and a thyroid surgeon and we all agreed that the mass couldn’t just be removed—the entire thyroid should come out to be on the safe side.

This past Friday, I had that done. Too bad I couldn’t collect frequent flyer miles for my hospital stays.

Although I’ll be on a synthetic thyroid hormone the rest of my life, the good news is it looks like they got everything…AND the lymph nodes in the area were clear.

The support I’ve gotten from everyone has been overwhelming. From kind words, notes, and cards from friends and family (not to mention a small GoFundMe campaign that was successful in every way—thank you all again) —to the most amazing care I’ve received by the dozen or so doctors working my case.

So why am I telling you all this? Because, honestly, I feel amazingly blessed. The love of an amazing woman (yes, wife….that’s YOU), the prayers, the notes of support, the comedy. They all added (and continue to add) to my recovery.

I survived. I expect to thrive. After all, it took four separate cancers to take my dad down a few weeks ago and he was nearly 90. I think he would be disappointed if I checked out early.

I’m recovering. I have things to do. Life has complete new meaning for me—probably the meaning it should have had all a long.

Better late than never.

Love to you all,

The Word Count Podcast Episode 56 OPEN for SUBMISSIONS!

March 29, 2016 1 Comment

A little disclaimer before releasing the theme for episode 56 of the Word Count Podcast.

This Friday (April 1^st appropriately enough) I will be going into hospital for surgery. Because all the health entertainment of the past six months that I’ve been through obviously didn’t test me enough, I now have to go and get my thyroid ripped out. You know…because cancer.

#fuckcancer, by the way.

So…with additional medical nonsense going on, why am I soliciting stories for the next show?

For two simple reasons.

One, I EXPECT TO SURVIVE this. Period. Anything else will just piss me off. Second, there is a possibility I could lose my vocal chords as a part of this. I’m determined that THAT won’t happen either.

So. Plan for greatness. And the authors who write for the Word Count Podcast epitomize greatness. For me, my own mindset, and the listeners, I therefore declare it time for a new show. And I’ve picked rather positive words for a change.

The 3-word theme:

Cat, Flower and Dawn

You must construct a story using all three words. Anyone can write, read and record a submission! The submission guidelines are below, but first–and for those unfamiliar with the show…

All for the listener and lovers of great storytelling.

There are no endorsements…no paid stories. It’s all done for the love of the written word. And downloads are always free. Always.

The only thing I ask is a little help via social media (use the hashtag #wordcountpodcast) to point folks at the show.

To start listening go to either my Libsyn Page or to iTunes:

LIBSYN

iTUNES

There are Fifty Five shows available right now!

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 56 – “Cat. Flower. Dawn.”

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY as they have recently CHANGED)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by SATURDAY 16 April 2016 by MIDNIGHT Eastern time.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original story based on the three words: ” Cat. Flower. Dawn.”

Do NOT exceed SEVEN minutes.

Your submission MUST also contain the following:

Your pen name
Your latest bio (DO NOT ASSUME I HAVE YOUR LATEST)
Links to your website(s) – Include your personal site, Facebook Fanpage etc.
Your Twitter handle (if you have one)
A photo of you I can use for the show notes
At the end of your recording, please add “This is <state your name> author of <state your work(s)> and you’re listening to The Word Count Podcast”
Permission to use your recording in the podcast.
PLEASE Make sure you have included ALL ARTIFACTS I have asked for. Do not assume I can “Get your picture from the internet” or can “Pull your bio from your web page.”

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 16 April 2016. You can also e-mail me with questions beforehand. I do reserve the right NOT to post your submission, but will communicate that to you should it be the case. I add the ‘Explicit’ tag to the ‘cast, so if your story uses adult themes or language that’s ok—but it should be necessary for the story.

Peace

The Word Count Podcast Episode 55 – OPEN for SUBMISSIONS!

February 29, 2016 No Comments

With 54 episodes in the can and Spring nearly here, the itch to create is already awakening from its winter slumber.

What does that mean? I have no idea–so lets move along…

The #wordcountpodcast provides YOU the listener with free original stories by brilliant authors–the ‘peeps’ I euphemistically call the Word Count Irregulars.

Over 300 stories, over 80 authors. And we are still going! Now it’s time to open up episode 55 for submissions!

A new three-word prompt is on tap for this show:

DOG, WHEELCHAIR, ADDICTION

You must construct a story using all three words. Anyone can write, read and record a submission! The submission guidelines are below, but first–and for those unfamiliar with the show…

All for the listener and lovers of great storytelling.

There are no endorsements…no paid stories. It’s all done for the love of the written word. And downloads are always free. Always.

The only thing I ask is a little help via social media to point folks at the show.

To start listening go to either my Libsyn Page or to iTunes:

LIBSYN

iTUNES

There are Fifty Four shows available right now!

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 55 – “Dog, wheelchair, addiction.”

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY as they have recently CHANGED)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by FRIDAY 11 March 2016 by MIDNIGHT Eastern time.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original story based on the three words: “Dog, wheelchair, addiction.“

Do NOT exceed SEVEN minutes.

Your submission MUST also contain the following:

Your pen name
Your latest bio (DO NOT ASSUME I HAVE YOUR LATEST)
Links to your website(s) – Include your personal site, Facebook Fanpage etc.
Your Twitter handle (if you have one)
A photo of you I can use for the show notes
At the end of your recording, please add “This is <state your name> author of <state your work(s)> and you’re listening to The Word Count Podcast”
Permission to use your recording in the podcast.
PLEASE Make sure you have included ALL ARTIFACTS I have asked for. Do not assume I can “Get your picture from the internet” or can “Pull your bio from your web page.”

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 11 March 2016. You can also e-mail me with questions beforehand. I do reserve the right NOT to post your submission, but will communicate that to you should it be the case. I add the ‘Explicit’ tag to the ‘cast, so if your story uses adult themes or language that’s ok—but it should be necessary for the story.

Peace

The Word Count Podcast Episode 54 – Open for Submissions!

February 4, 2016 No Comments

I’m so amazingly excited.

The last few episodes of the #wordcountpodcast have been downloaded more than all the previous episodes…53 shows and well over 100,00 downloads at this point.

Free original stories by brilliant authors–seems to be taking hold. I’d love the show to go viral! And your help in promoting the show via social media has been a huge help.

But we’d be nothing without our authors–the ‘peeps’ I euphemistically call the Word Count Irregulars.

Over 300 stories, over 80 authors. And we are still going! And it’s time to open up episode 54 for submissions!

So I think for this next show. we’ll return to out three word prompt:

CHOCOLATE, THORNS, LUST

You must construct a story using all three words. Anyone can write, read and record a submission! The submission guidelines are below, but first–and for those unfamiliar with the show…

All for the listener and lovers of great storytelling.

There are no endorsements…no paid stories. It’s all done for the love of the written word. And downloads are always free. Always.

The only thing I ask is a little help via social media to point folks at the show.

To start listening go to either my Libsyn Page or to iTunes:

LIBSYN

iTUNES

There are Fifty Three shows available right now!

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 54 – “Chocolate, thorns, lust,”

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY as they have recently CHANGED)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by FRIDAY 19 February 2016 by MIDNIGHT Eastern time.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original story based on the three words: “Chocolate, thorns, lust “

Do NOT exceed SEVEN minutes.

Your submission MUST also contain the following:

Your pen name
Your latest bio (DO NOT ASSUME I HAVE YOUR LATEST)
Links to your website(s) – Include your personal site, Facebook Fanpage etc.
Your Twitter handle (if you have one)
A photo of you I can use for the show notes
At the end of your recording, please add “This is <state your name> author of <state your work(s)> and you’re listening to The Word Count Podcast”
Permission to use your recording in the podcast.
PLEASE Make sure you have included ALL ARTIFACTS I have asked for. Do not assume I can “Get your picture from the internet” or can “Pull your bio from your web page.”

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 19 February 2016. You can also e-mail me with questions beforehand. I do reserve the right NOT to post your submission, but will communicate that to you should it be the case. I add the ‘Explicit’ tag to the ‘cast, so if your story uses adult themes or language that’s ok—but it should be necessary for the story.

Peace

The Word Count Podcast Episode 53 – OPEN for SUBMISSIONS!

January 16, 2016 No Comments

Wow.

2016 has started on a very sour note! From the deaths of Natalie Cole and Motörhead front man Lemmy Kilmister to David Bowie and Alan Rickman’s passing.

So I thought I’d ask for a story based on a different sort of theme for the next show

Celebrity Death, a Fan’s Perspective

I want stories from a fan’s perspective—dealing with the death of a favorite celebrity. Could be a musician or an actor. Perhaps a famous author. It can take place in present day or in the past.

A unique challenge for those I lovingly call “The Word Count Irregulars.”

In the meantime, for those unfamiliar with the show…

All for the listener and lovers of great storytelling.

There are no endorsements…no paid stories. It’s all done for the love of the written word. And downloads are always free. Always.

The only thing I ask is a little help via social media to point folks at the show.

To start listening go to either my Libsyn Page or to iTunes:

LIBSYN

iTUNES

There are Fifty Two shows available right now!

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 53 – “Celebrity Death, a Fan’s Perspective”

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY as they have recently CHANGED)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by FRIDAY 29 January 2016 by MIDNIGHT Eastern time.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original story based on a theme of “Celebrity Death, a Fan’s Perspective.”

Do NOT exceed SEVEN minutes.

As this is a podcast, I need to receive a file of YOU, a friend or multiple friends reading (singing or otherwise performing) your work. MP3 FORMAT ONLY, and please attach your MP3 file to an e-mail or contact me for a Dropbox link.

Your submission MUST also contain the following:

Your pen name
Your latest bio (DO NOT ASSUME I HAVE YOUR LATEST)
Links to your website(s) – Include your personal site, Facebook Fanpage etc.
Your Twitter handle (if you have one)
A photo of you I can use for the show notes
At the end of your recording, please add “This is <state your name> author of <state your work(s)> and you’re listening to The Word Count Podcast”
Permission to use your recording in the podcast.
PLEASE Make sure you have included ALL ARTIFACTS I have asked for. Do not assume I can “Get your picture from the internet” or can “Pull your bio from your web page.”

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 29 January 2016. You can also e-mail me with questions beforehand. I do reserve the right NOT to post your submission, but will communicate that to you should it be the case. I add the ‘Explicit’ tag to the ‘cast, so if your story uses adult themes or language that’s ok—but it should be necessary for the story.

Peace

Newsletter