Halloween.

It’s October 1 as of this writing and those of you who follow the Word Count Podcast know that it is time.  Time for the fourth annual Halloween Special show!

I love this time of year—especially in New England where I live.  And the Halloween shows are always a special treat.  Therefore, I’m opening up submissions for episode 43 early to get those creative juices flowing and to perhaps get more than the usual number of submissions!

As a special treat, I’ve already invited my Urban Fantasy/Dark Fantasy/Horror compatriots from my new blogsite Graveyard Writers to participate this year!

But fear not, dear sinners.  We are also calling for open submissions as well.  The guidelines are below, but the theme for this very spooky special is “Graveyard” and most incorporate the following three words:

Cloak.  Knife.  Blood.

A little about the show:

I put together the podcast to feature writers (new and “old hands,” famous and just starting) as a way to get YOUR writing out there.  The show is simple: based on a prompt; you create an original short story and then record yourself reading it.

That’s it. No ads, no hard sell.  Just a podcast with great stories. I rely on the contributing writers and fans to promote the hell out of it and we are over 31,000 downloads at this point.

Why do I do it?  It’s a hobby.  And I’ve been meeting wonderful authors through the show.  It’s all about networking and friendships.

Listen to past shows HERE or you can download/subscribe via iTunes.

Easy, fun and you’ll pick up a few more fans. So…now you’ll be needing the guidelines.

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 43

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by FRIDAY 24 OCTOBER 2014 at MIDNIGHT Eastern time.

 THE DETAILS: The work must be an original work based on the key words:

“Cloak. Knife. Blood.”

And must also involve a graveyard in some way.

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
• 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.

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 24 OCTOBER 2014. 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.

This time, there will be NO LIMIT to the number of stories we’ll be accepting.  Get writing and recording!

Peace

Reviewer note: I received an ARC from Ms. Baylee.

Having read some of Eden Baylee’s other works in the erotic genre; I am used to her superb storytelling and masterful character development. “Stranger at Sunset” removes Ms. Baylee from her comfort zone as this is her first thriller—and I call it that because the work is a masterful suspense-building piece. Beginning with a voyeuristic experience, the stage is set for the coming together of characters at a Jamaican resort post hurricane damage where lies, secrets, sexual tension and intrigue.

Ms. Baylee breathes life into a bevy of well thought-out characters embossed with character traits we all have. From our deepest insecurities, to our relationships with friends and potential lovers, the tapestry of traits and flaws are woven into a suspenseful plot that builds intensity to the surprising climax.

The details of Jamaica and the resort are flawlessly woven into a tale with such realism I felt I was there experiencing the dinners and privates conversations. Ms. Baylee’s marvelous tendency to write strong and deeply passionate female leads is realized in the perfectly human (and brilliant) heroine Kate Hampton.

With each new release, Ms. Baylee’s craft improves—and this foray outside her normal genre is a shining example of a well written and well-crafted story. Brava!

I am also VERY happy to announce that Ms. Baylee will be my guest on the upcoming episode 42 of The Word Count Podcast!  Stay tuned!

Peace

SATURDAY 12 July 6:10 PM

The day starts off a little bittersweet to be honest.  My ReaderCON experience this year will end today—I won’t be attending on Sunday for personal and “day job” reasons.  I try not to dwell on this thought as I climb into the car to make the trek to the Burlington from Boston.  By the time I hit the lot, my mood is better and I’m determined to enjoy the day to the fullest.

I’m early and let Glenn know I’m in the lobby.  I settle in with my kindle with a white chocolate mocha from Starbucks (when did I become a fru-fru coffee guy?). I run into John Chu and we chat for a minute or two then Glenn and I head off to our first panel.

Imaginative Resistance. Matthew Cheney, Felix Gilman, Kameron Hurley, Anil Menon, James Morrow (leader), Paul Park. In Mimesis As Make-Believe, Kendall Walton describes a reader’s “…curious reluctance to allow fictional worlds to differ in fundamental moral respects from the real world as we understand it.” This reluctance, now called imaginative resistance, manifests when a reader is wiling to accept fantastical claims as long as they don’t violate a personal belief. Even readers who accept the logic behind the decision in “The Cold Equations” (which not all readers do) will balk at the inevitable conclusion. How does this resistance affect the inerplay between reality and fantasy when it comes to morality? Why are we comfortable with dragons, but not with lovable murderers? Do authors have enough control to overcome this resistance?

A very lively discussion ensued—especially over novels written that had a significant impact and created significant resistance—think Satanic Verses.

Melissa King joined us during the panel and we moved from the philosophical to the technological.

Life in Space: Fact and Fiction. Saira Ali, Cecil Castellucci, Tom Purdom, Allen Steele (leader), Gayle Surrette. Life in space has been a backbone of science fiction from the beginning. More recently, works about space have focused less on the glory/excitement of the experience and have instead focused on the practicalities: politics (Kim St
anley Robinson’s Mars series), neglect (J.G. Ballard’s Memories of the Space Age), or outright disaster (Alfonso Cuarón’s Gravity). What has caused this shift from fiction to fact? Has the passing of the Golden Ages of both science fiction and space exploration played a role in how writers approach their subject matter?

After a brief lunch and a cocktail (or three) I went to the first reading of the day.  Old friend, mentor and brilliant mind—James Morrow. Jim read from The Madonna and the Starship. And the laughter could be heard across the hotel.

From a 1950’s alien visit, to the zombie apocalypse then!

The Shiny, Candy-like Zombie: Commoditizing the Undead. Dale Bailey, Scott Edelman, Catt Kingsgrave, John Langan, Sarah Langan (leader). On Twitter, M. John Harrison wrote about the appeal of zombies: “You can hate them without feeling wrong. You can kill them like eating sweets. Then you’re hungry again & you can kill more. They’re fully dehumanized. There’s no off-season, no moral limitation. They’re the *enemy*. What’s not to love? They’re what we really want.” So do we like zombies because they’re the consumer-friendly, ambiguity-free face of implacable evil? Are they, in fact, the most perfectly commoditized monsters?

From the comedic, we go back to a discussion of technology.

Educated Guesses: Tech Pros Writing SF. Saira Ali, John Chu, Jim Freund, Barbara Krasnoff, B Diane Martin (leader), Walt Williams. In response to a Silicon Valley technologist frustrated with the current state of science fiction, blogger Andrija Popovic wrote, “Change the question from ‘Why are people not writing about the future I’m making?’ to ‘Where can I find and support people who are writing about this future I see coming?’ Or better: tell your story.” Tech professionals like Ramez Naam, Brenda Cooper, and Daniel H. Wilson are doing just that. What do their portrayals of the future say about our present, and conversely, about the visions of the future that are driving today’s technological development?

At the end of the panel, that’s when it hits.  ReaderCON, for me, was almost over.

Dark Fantasy and Horror: What’s the Difference?. Jeanne Cavelos, Ellen Datlow (leader), Gemma Files, Jordan Hamessley, Jack Haringa, Steve Rasnic Tem. “As an editor of both dark fantasy and horror,” Ellen Datlow writes, “I’ve been struggling with differentiating the difference for the last couple of years, particularly when editing the Best Horror of the Year, but also when reading for the Women Destroy Horror issue of Nightmare magazine.” This panel of editors will discuss how they draw the line between horror and dark fantasy when selecting stories for publications that are firmly in the horror field—or vice versa.

A great discussion of the impact of cinema to the horror genre and what the lines are (if any) between Dark Fantasy and Horror.

And my fifth ReaderCON is over…as always, this convention goes so fast.  I say goodbye to friends I probably won’t see again until next year.  I was heading out the door, keeping my emotions in sharp check when friend and author Peter Dubé. Stopped me.  He presents me with an ARC of his upcoming short story anthology, Beginning with the Mirror.  “I wanted you to have a copy because there is a story inside I started to right for your anthology” (the ill-fated Winter in the City).

Suddenly, I have something in my eye.

Until next year, dear friends.

FRIDAY 11 July 7:23 PM

What a day.  ReaderCON isn’t over yet, but I’m wiped!  Back to Boston to take care of my regular life, but what a close out for the day!  I think—for the first time ever—I may have gone to more readings then panels so far.  Let’s check out the rest of the day:

More Magic ensued with When the Magic Returns. John Chu, Max Gladstone, Daryl Gregory, Lev Grossman, Victoria Janssen (leader). The “return” of magic into a mundane world is one of very few ways in which we see fantasy set in the future. Why is this? What makes fantasy and futurity so incompatible? Why is the return of magic so often associated with apocalypse, while its banishment is usually the consequence of scientific or industrial progress? From Aarne-Thompson tale types like Richard Corbet’s “The Fairies’ Farewell” to Kim Harrison’s Hollows series, panelists will talk about the ways in which magic-as-technology can be explored.

The iPhone was both hailed and cursed as “magic-like” technology.  I think some Android users would argue the point but there you go.

Stayed for the first half of the next panel– Plot Without Conflict. Liz Duffy Adams, F. Brett Cox (leader), Samuel Delany, Eileen Gunn, Shira Lipkin, Anil Menon. In Western writing, conflct is considered essential to plot. The classic three- and five-act structures taught in writing courses and workshops revolve around a central conflict. But does plot require conflict? The Japanese kish?tenketsu structure is built on four acts: introduction, development, twist, and reconciliation—best known to Western readers as the structure of four-panel manga. Deep and rich stories are told within this structure, which, by comparison, shows the three-act structure to be fundamentally confrontational. What can writers steeped in Western notions of plot conflict learn from a careful analysis of alternate structures?

Then attended a Scott Edelman Reading which was bloody brilliant followed by  Allan Steele reading his upcoming “The Prodigal Son”, an upcoming novella in the Arkwright series being published in Asimov’s Science Fiction.

Spent time perusing the book store (as always), had a lovely dinner with Glenn Skinner and back to Boston to see my beautiful bride.

FRIDAY 11 July 1:49 PM

Already been a great morning!  Of course in the bar grabbing a quick adult bevey and some food.

Started the sessions with a reading by one of my favorites—Elizabeth Hand!

Spent time after chatting with her and I have to say she is as delightful as I remember.  Also saw John Clute who stopped to say hi where we took his first “selfie” with me…I think he was pulling my leg but we had a great chuckle over it.

Next I went with dear friend Melissa King to our first panel of the day:

The Past Is a Terrible Place. K. Tempest Bradford (leader), Christopher Cevasco, John Chu, Adrienne J. Odasso, Walt Williams. Compared to the present day, the past was filthy, bigoted, stratified, polluted, violent, and crude—whether thousands of years ago or yesterday. What possible appeal could travel into the past have? How does it vary based on your current socioeconomic status, or on the status you have (or can acquire) in the past with your knowledge of history, technology, and sociology? We’ll discuss various depictions of travel into the past, including Octavia Butler’s Kindred, Connie Willis’s Doomsday Book, and Eric Flint’s Ring of Fire series.

A wonderful discussion of the pros and cons of living in the past as a modern 21^st century human.

Next up was a talk on magic & science the the differences between them (a critical theme running through my series):

The Difference Between Magic and Science . Max Gladstone, Lev Grossman, Andrea Hairston, Kenneth Schneyer (leader), J.M. Sidorova. In an interview with Avi Solomon, Ted Chiang proposed that “The difference between magic and science is at some level a difference between the universe responding to you in a personal way, and the universe being entirely impersonal.” How can we complicate this statement? Are there magic systems that are entirely impersonal, and if so, are they indistinguishable from science and technology? Is science only possible in an impersonal universe? How do we make allowances for the personal applications of science and the impersonal applications of magic, and where do the boundaries between them lie?

More Later!

FRIDAY 11 July 6:06 AM

The Thursday evening program for ReaderCON is, historically, an “open to the public” night.  A good mix of panels and readings are scheduled and they are free for anyone to attend.

But Thursday is more important to those of us who have attended a few cons.  It’s a chance the reconnect with people you may not have been in contact with since the last ReaderCON.  I ran into Yves Meynard (newly married, by the way), Scott Edelman, Shira Lipkin (who I brought a bottle of rum for—you know, those readings can be nerve wracking.  That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it), Peter Dubé, Greer Gilman, Leah Bobet and of course my old compatriot in arms—Glenn Skinner.

The Burlington Marriott has been updated since last year—there is a new bar and restaurant in place of the old Irish pub (and just for the record–Steve the bartender recognized me, remembered my name and my drink).  The Conference rooms have all been revamped (and renamed which should cause some entertainment and consternation for the first official day of the con) and the lobby has been completely refreshed.

Took a little time to find the renamed conference room for the first panel, but find it both Glenn and I did.

The Map and the Story. Jonathan Crowe (leader), Chris Gerwel, Greer Gilman, Shira Lipkin. Maps are a familiar sight in our field, but lately a number of stories have placed maps and cartography at the core of the story itself. Maps serve as portals to other worlds, cartographers remake the world in a map’s image, and mapmaking itself becomes a means to discuss the distance between perception and reality, between the map and the territory. Panelists will discuss the ways in which maps and cartography have escaped from the endpapers in recent works of fiction.

I found the discussion around the role of the map in various genre stories fascinating—and I have a new list of stories to read and a new short idea I’ll explore later today.

Meant to go to Shira’s reading right after (Sorry Shira!!), but had to head home to take care of a minor family issue.  But all is back to normal this morning so I’ll be heading back up to Burlington for the official start of ReaderCON later this morning.

People, friends, laughter and above all—I get to spend the next few days with story lovers from all walks of life.

Ahhh.  ReaderCON

PREGAME

I’m…just not ready yet!

Tonight kicks off one of my favorite conventions—ReaderCON.  This will be the fifth time I’ve attended and normally there is this build up of excitement before hand.

This year, with the new gig at National Grid, I’ve been working so hard and traveling so much that suddenly ReaderCON 25 is here and I’m not prepared.

Where is my new set of witty t-shirts?  What about a new hat? By now, I’ve usually spent hours going through the schedule—lamenting about panels occurring at the same time my favorite author readings.

Nah.  Not Funny Enough

I don’t even know which kaffeeklatschs I want to attend.

And I haven’t even setup a “meet & scotch” with any of my friends who I haven’t seen since last year.

But perhaps that’s okay.  Maybe this year I’ll wing it and see what happens.

This post is the first of this years “semi-streaming” blog for the convention. 

I’m exited.  Currently wrapping up a long few months on a new gig so I can hang up my “Day Job” moniker in favor of my passionate calling.  See, I maybe many things—but what I am proud of most beyond wife and family is the fact that I am a writer.

Passion comes in many forms.  This weekend, it’s ReaderCON.

Somtimes, I have other passions.

Well, episode 40 was a marvelous success for the Word Count Podcast!  We had nine intrepid authors who submitted stories for our “Three Word” prompt.  The show lasted 90 minutes and took two days to put together.  I’m thinking we are finally at the point where I will need to limit the number of stories I place in the ‘cast.  For future reference, I’ll be imposing a new time limit (down to 7 minutes from ten) and will limit the number of stories to SEVEN as well.

After all, I’ve been told seven is a most magical number.

Now, below fine a new set of three words for consideration, creativity and consternation:

“Sign. Compact. Mobile.”

The Word Count is not only open to this contributing crazy-people I call ‘The Irregulars.”  It’s open to ANY writer, as long as you follow the guidelines below.

A little about the show:

I put together the podcast to feature writers (new and “old hands,” famous and just starting) as a way to get YOUR writing out there.  The show is simple: based on a prompt; you create an original short story and then record yourself reading it.

That’s it. No ads, no hard sell.  Just a podcast with great stories. I rely on the contributing writers and fans to promote the hell out of it and we are over 26,000 downloads at this point.

Why do I do it?  It’s a hobby.  And I’ve been meeting wonderful authors through the show.  It’s all about networking and friendships.

Listen to past shows HERE or you can download/subscribe via iTunes.

Easy, fun and you’ll pick up a few more fans. So…now you’ll be needing the guidelines.

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 41

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by FRIDAY 6 June 2014 at MIDNIGHT Eastern time.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original work based on the key words:

“Sign. Compact. Mobile.”

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
• 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.

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 6 JUNE 2014. 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.

I will be limiting the number of stories to SEVEN per show, the criteria being “first come, first serve” –so get writing and recording!

Peace

Well, I have a new and wonderfully complex job with National Grid as Portfolio Director for all IT projects for the US Operations group.  Busy times are ahead, but that does NOT mean slacking on the Word Count Podcast!

Forty, people.  We are at 40 episodes—a milestone we’ll celebrate together with a spectacular new theme format!

Word Count Irregular, C. Thomas Smith, started referring to stories on the cast via single descriptive word—much like the Sherlock seasonal episodes are announced.  I loved the idea; so immediately stole it from him and have been doing it since.

In honor of Mr. Smith, I give you the THREE words that must be used in your story as key elements:

“Glass.  Bed.  Bow.”

The Word Count is not only open to this contributing crazy-people I call ‘The Irregulars.”  It’s open to ANY writer, as long as you follow the guidelines below.

 A little about the show:

I put together the podcast to feature writers (new and “old hands,” famous and just starting) as a way to get YOUR writing out there.  The show is simple: based on a prompt; you create an original short story and then record yourself reading it.

That’s it. No ads, no hard sell.  Just a podcast with great stories. I rely on the contributing writers and fans to promote the hell out of it and we are over 26,000 downloads at this point.

Why do I do it?  It’s a hobby.  And I’ve been meeting wonderful authors through the show.  It’s all about networking and friendships.

Listen to past shows HERE or you can download/subscribe via iTunes.

Easy, fun and you’ll pick up a few more fans. So…now you’ll be needing the guidelines.

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 40

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by FRIDAY 9 MAY 2014  at MIDNIGHT Eastern time.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original work based on the key words:

“Glass.  Bed.  Bow.”

 Do NOT exceed ten 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
• 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.

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 9 MAY 2014. 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

What’s that itch?  Is it spring after a very long winter? Some sort of fungus? Bugs?

No!  That itch means it’s time for another Word Count Podcast!

The Word Count is not only open to this contributing crazy-people I call ‘The Irregulars.”  It’s open to ANY writer, as long as you follow the guidelines below.

But before the guidelines, what shall our theme be?

 With a Nor’easter on approach scheduled to bring even more snow to the Boston area, I’m having dreams of sun, surf, beaches and boozy drinks with little umbrellas in them.  So let’s go with that:

“I was walking on the white sands at Magen’s Bay in St Thomas when…”

So there it is.  Got those creative juices flowing?  Have at it then! I think I’ll make myself a Daiquiri and dream of warm waters and all the stories I’ll get for this one…

But first, allow me to provide a little background on the Word Count for those of you not familiar with the podcast.

I put together the podcast to feature writers (new and “old hands,” famous and just starting) as a way to get YOUR writing out there.  The show is simple: based on a prompt; you create an original short story and then record yourself reading it.

That’s it. No ads, no hard sell.  Just a podcast with great stories. I rely on the contributing writers and fans to promote the hell out of it and we are over 24,000 downloads at this point.

Why do I do it?  It’s a hobby.  And I’ve been meeting wonderful authors through the show.  It’s all about networking and friendships.

Listen to past shows HERE or you can download/subscribe via iTunes.

Easy, fun and you’ll pick up a few more fans. So…now you’ll be needing the guidelines.

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 39

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by FRIDAY 4 April 2014  at MIDNIGHT Eastern time.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original work based on the prompt “I was walking on the white sands at Magen’s Bay in St Thomas when…”).

Do NOT exceed ten 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
• 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.

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 4 April 2014. 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

Oh I think it’s time for another podcast!

The Word Count is not only open to this contributing crazy-people I call ‘The Irregulars.”  It’s open to ANY writer, as long as you follow the guidelines below.

But before the guidelines, what shall our theme be?

It’s currently 12 degrees here in Boston (that’s -11 to you Celsius lovers).  So to help stay warm, I’ve picked a theme that brings to mind toasty thoughts:

“It was in the dim light of the fire that I saw…”

So there it is.  Got those creative juices flowing?  Have at it then!

But first, allow me to provide a little background on the Word Count for those of you not familiar with the podcast.

I put together the podcast to feature writers (new and “old hands,” famous and just starting) as a way to get YOUR writing out there.  The show is simple: based on a prompt; you create an original short story and then record yourself reading it.

That’s it. No ads, no hard sell.  Just a podcast with great stories. I rely on the contributing writers and fans to promote the hell out of it and we are over 23,000 downloads at this point.

Why do I do it?  It’s a hobby.  And I’ve been meeting wonderful authors through the show.  It’s all about networking and friendships.

Listen to past shows HERE or you can download/subscribe via iTunes.

Easy, fun and you’ll pick up a few more fans. So…now you’ll be needing the guidelines.

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 38

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by FRIDAY 14 March 2014  at MIDNIGHT Eastern time.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original work based on the prompt “It was in the dim light of the fire that I saw…”).

Do NOT exceed ten 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
• 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.

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 14 March 2014. 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

I was contemplating prompts for the next Word Count Podcast when Word Count Irregular, Matthew Munson posted a photo from an stroll he took early one morning near his home.

Look at the photo off to your right.  Does it not smack of writing possibilities?  Where is that strange green light coming from?  Whose foot steps do I hear behind me?  What has the glowing eyes at the end of the alley?

So, dear sinners…we now have our prompt for episode 37 of the show:

“I was out for an early morning stroll when…”

The Word Count is open to submissions to anyone.  And I want to be clear here.  I affectionately call those who contribute more than once to the show the “Word Count Irregulars.”  Submissions to the show are absolutely open to ALL artists out there.  I have had poems, songs and rants submitted that have made it onto the podcast.

My point is this.  If you write and want to expand your audience for free, this is a really fun way to do it.  Just follow the submission guidelines and get writing!

But first, allow me to provide a little background.

I put together the podcast to feature writers (new and “old hands,” famous and just starting) as a way to get YOUR writing out there.  The show is simple: based on a prompt; you create an original short story and then record yourself reading it.

That’s it. No ads, no hard sell.  Just a podcast with great stories. I rely on the contributing writers and fans to promote the hell out of it and we are over 20,000 downloads at this point.

Why do I do it?  It’s a hobby.  And I’ve been meeting wonderful authors through the show.  It’s all about networking and friendships.

Listen to past shows for FREE HERE or you can download/subscribe via iTunes (also free).

Easy, fun and you’ll pick up a few more fans. So…now you’ll be needing the guidelines.

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 37

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by FRIDAY 14 February 2014 (Bloody Valentine’s day) at MIDNIGHT.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original work based on the prompt (“I was out for an early morning stroll when…”).

Do NOT exceed ten 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
• 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.

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 14 February 2014. 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

Other than the Word Count shows, there have been very little in the way of blogs lately. I’m sure there’s a bit of procrastination involved in the reason of “why not,” but it’s more than that.

To be honest, until this week, I haven’t done much by way of writing—let alone blogging—and my issue isn’t so much time.

God knows I’ve been extraordinarily busy.  The consulting Program Manager life isn’t for the faint of heart—you’re responsible for everything but have the authority to change nothing.  Yet you still have to deliver.

I love that challenge, by the way.  Don’t let me ever tell you otherwise.

There.  I’m doing it again.  Procrastinating.  And avoiding.

See, I’m struggling a bit and I’m not the type of guy who normally asks for help.  One of the reasons I went “indie” is control.  I can write and publish what I want.  I can pick an editor I love (yes—as an indie you NEED an editor.  See the bazillion posts on that particular issue all over the internet.  It’s second only to cat videos).  I can choose the cover artist I like.  I can publish when I want in the format of my choice.

But I hit a problem a couple years ago.  A famous author started to bring out books of her own with the same series name as mine.  And by “bring out” I mean be published by one of the big publishing houses.

I tried to trademark my series name after the fact.  No dice.

I tried to write to her, her agent and her publishing house.  Close your eyes and you’ll see the number of responses I received.

But…no one has tried to send me a cease and desist order either.  Small blessings.

I’ll be changing the name of the series—probably whenever I get book two done. But this entire situation and the walk through of this tough patch was done mostly alone.  Because I’m a…you know…”indie.”

I typed earlier that I’m not one to ask for help.  That’s kinda of a critical flaw when it comes to being an indie writer.  I have NO issue asking for help in the Program Management life I lead by day.

But in my “writer life,” it’s an issue.

I tried a small press once—not the best of business experiences for me.

There certainly are other small presses out there.  Booktrope has an interesting model and I like the folks who work there.  Ragnarok Publications looks really awesome too—and they signed Mercedes M. Yardley who is a terrific writer, mom and all-around good person (and she has a stuffed dragon I’m gonna steal someday).

I just submitted a short story to Grey Matter Press—who also seem pretty awesome.

I know, I know.  I’m wandering a bit. We are coming close to my struggle here.  It’s my blog, my therapy session.  Stay with me.

…but I don’t have the right temperment…!

See, I need more structure to my writing.  I need somebody who ‘gets’ what I’m trying to do and will work with me to make me a better writer—and a better storyteller.

I need someone to be blown away when I write something awesome.  I need them to kick me in the nuts when I don’t.

The writing groups and individuals I’ve met in this industry over the years provide bits and pieces.  Some good advice, some bad.  A lot of folks hawking their own books. And lots and lots of noise.

This, more than anything else, is what I’ve learned being an Indie writer.  I’ve learned what I need to do better.  I’ve learned what I can’t do on my own.  I’ve learned what I need to better the story.

I need a mentor, a confidant, a fan, an editor, a publicist and the crazy nun/penguin from The Blues Brothers.

Okay.  Maybe not the penguin.

In short, I think I might need to find a publisher.

“For reals,” (as my daughter says).

Peace

Happy 2014 everyone!

Now that the holidays are past, it’s time to chip a bit of winter ice off our Word Count Irregulars and start the new year with a new Podcast.

Which means episode 36 of The Word Count is now OFFICIALLY open for submissions!

But what, dear sinners, will we be writing and recording this time?

Here is our winter-themed prompt:

“The snow drifts covered the door and the windows of the cabin…”

The Word Count is open to submissions to anyone.  And I want to be clear here.  I affectionately call those who contribute more than once to the show the “Word Count Irregulars.”  Submissions to the show are absolutely open to ALL artists out there.  I have had poems, songs and rants submitted that have made it onto the show.

My point is this.  If you write and want to expand your audience for free, this is a really fun way to do it.  Just follow the submission guidelines and get writing!

But first, allow me to provide a little background about the show.

I put together the podcast to feature writers (new and “old hands,” famous and just starting) as a way to get YOUR writing out there.  The show is simple: based on a prompt; you create an original short story and then record yourself reading it.

That’s it. No ads, no hard sell.  Just a podcast with great stories. I rely on the contributing writers and fans to promote the hell out of it and we are nearly at 20,000 downloads at this point.

Why do I do it?  It’s a hobby.  And I’ve been meeting wonderful authors through the show.  It’s all about networking and friendships.

Listen to past shows HERE or you can download/subscribe via iTunes.

Easy, fun and you’ll pick up a few more fans. So…now you’ll be needing the guidelines.

THE WORD COUNT EPISODE 36

Submission Guidelines (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY)

GENRE: Any.

DEADLINE: I must receive your submission by FRIDAY 17 January 2014 at MIDNIGHT.

THE DETAILS: The work must be an original work based on the prompt “The snow drifts covered the door and the windows of the cabin…”).

Do NOT exceed ten 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
• 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.

Send your file to me@rbwood.com (or via the dropbox link I can provide) by 17 January 2014. 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

I’m writing this on the 23^rd of December—what would have been the 38^th birthday of a woman my wife and I miss & love so very much. Happy birthday Jeannine—you are always with us; and we with you.

The Entire Crew Who Walked in Memory of Jeannine

For some reason I feel that this marks the full circle of what I’m calling “The Year from Hell.” It began with my father going into hospital with kidney cancer this time last year. The subsequent months would see a long health struggle for dad, the waning of Jeannine, multiple family deaths & diagnoses, bad jobs, and absolutely no desire to write at all.

It has been a helluva year. I have to say, I’m going to be very glad to see the backside of 2013.

See, that negativity right there. That’s part of the problem. And that’s my New Year’s resolution. Stop being negative. Start finding and doing what makes me happy. Because the rest of what happens is just a part of life—and I can either continue to wallow in it, or put my big-boy pants on and stop with the crap.

Let’s be honest, I have a roof over my head, everyone remaining in my family are healthy, I have a good woman as my partner and I’ve never gone hungry—although my bathroom scale is politely suggesting that I could miss a few meals.

My children are thriving.

So, this 12 month malaise that has washed over me has to go. Because I’ve got a lot of goals next year and depression is exhausting.

I need to find a new gig in January. My daughter graduates from Catholic school in 2014. I want to start writing again in earnest. And I need to will continue to get healthy.

After all, 2014 is the year I turn 50. No time like the present to get my act together.

And Jeannine…well. She wouldn’t have taken any of my shit. She would have told me to walk it off and get back in the game.

Great advice.

Happy Christmas and New Year’s—may this holiday season bring you warmth and comfort and may 2014 be the year we all kick some serious ass.

Peace

RB

For those of you who have been following, I was running a Kickstarter program to try and fund an anthology project called Winter in the City.

The project, unfortunately, never got past the 40% funding mark.  I won’t pretend I’m not disappointed that this first attempt did not succeed and I still believe the concept for the anthology is sound. I also believe the project isn’t entirely dead but rather, let’s just say, it’s in a medically induced coma.

First off, I want to say thank you.  So many of you blogged, tweeted and shared information of the fundraiser.  Many even donated and I am grateful for your support.  I’d like to especially thank M. J. King and Marty Halpern for their help specifically with the fundraiser.  Also, a big thanks to Kip Ayers for his brilliant artwork and to the few folks who helped get the word out (you know who you are and I owe you all a debt).

Perhaps this is the Universe’s way of telling me to stop messing about and to get on with my own writing projects.

But we’ll see.  I have the paddles ready should I decide to bring this project back to life in a different form in the New Year.

You all have been wonderful and supportive—Thank you.

Kindest regards,

R. B. Wood