tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post7888355268902157320..comments2024-03-28T10:16:38.716-04:00Comments on SleuthSayers: Short Memories: 2018 in ReviewLeigh Lundinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07921276795499571578noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-38747364251300378182019-01-08T23:31:00.148-05:002019-01-08T23:31:00.148-05:00Small or big, Jeff, the anthology market's a g...Small or big, Jeff, the anthology market's a great place to market your stories. A story that might not be a good fit for the paying magazines might be perfect for a themed anthology. The trick is to find out about anthology "calls for submission," via Google or My Little Corner or Ralan's or wherever, and then get the story in before the deadline. The chances of publication can sometimes be much better than those at magazines, because--if your story does fit--the often-narrow submission window can cut down considerably on the competition; most folks won't know about the "call" or won't have or be able to write a story that fits soon enough to beat the deadline. And there's the added advantage of having your story appear in a book alongside fellow writers who might be fairly well-known authors. You might not get rich that way, but you probably won't get rich writing for magazines either.<br /><br />Thanks for the comment!John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-84228434102764358052019-01-08T20:11:28.773-05:002019-01-08T20:11:28.773-05:00I'll sing the praises of anthologies: I've...I'll sing the praises of anthologies: I've mainly been published in the small-press kind! :)Jeff Bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00316081079528920123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-64414359917058129302019-01-05T23:16:28.395-05:002019-01-05T23:16:28.395-05:00Thank you, Kevin. Happy New Year to you too, old ...Thank you, Kevin. Happy New Year to you too, old friend.<br />John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-82047732090201483182019-01-05T22:16:15.763-05:002019-01-05T22:16:15.763-05:00This piece is now linked to our SMFS blog.This piece is now linked to our SMFS blog.Kevin R. Tipplehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04170714419133752724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-52410989456847669822019-01-05T19:21:02.648-05:002019-01-05T19:21:02.648-05:00Josh, you are too kind, as usual. I will say agai...Josh, you are too kind, as usual. I will say again that you, David Dean, and Doug Allyn remain my heroes at EQMM, and I'm proud that you're also my friends. As for your record this past year, I'm impressed by your editing gigs as well as your writing, and I seem to recall that you have more anthologies in the works for next year! Keep up the good work!!<br /><br />Eve and Deborah, thanks so much. I remember that I've shared space with both of you, also, in magazines and anthologies, and hope we'll do it again soon. Thanks for the comments!!John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-79090489161142796812019-01-05T18:55:37.784-05:002019-01-05T18:55:37.784-05:00Congratulations, John!Congratulations, John!Deborah Elliott-Uptonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04961315248936384893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-83431172220215555152019-01-05T18:48:02.957-05:002019-01-05T18:48:02.957-05:00Massively intimidated, overwhelmed, wondering abou...Massively intimidated, overwhelmed, wondering about my whole purpose in life... Excuse me while I go curl up in a ball with a bourbon and water for a while. <br />But seriously, congratulations, John. Wow...Eve Fisherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03015761600962360110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-59897702578259453882019-01-05T17:51:23.910-05:002019-01-05T17:51:23.910-05:00You never cease to amaze me, John, not just with t...You never cease to amaze me, John, not just with the quantity of work you produce, but also — and perhaps more importantly — with the <i>quality</i>.<br /><br />Since you're asking, I had a very productive year — probably my best ever — but not even <i>close</i> to being in your league. I had two stories and three translations in EQMM, plus stories in AHMM, <i>Mystery Weekly</i>, and the Malice Domestic and Chesapeake Sisters in Crime anthologies. Also half a dozen reprints, a number of guest blog posts ... and I edited <i>The Man Who Read Mysteries: The Short Fiction of William Brittain</i> (Crippen & Landru) and co-edited <i>The Misadventures of Ellery Queen</i> (Wildside Press) and the Dutch edition of <i>Amsterdam Noir</i> (Ambo|Anthos). <br /><br />So I haven't been slacking, but you and Michael Bracken remain the masters!joshpachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12123432071405643210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-51736092170148672472019-01-05T15:58:15.093-05:002019-01-05T15:58:15.093-05:00Elizabeth, I too have placed stories in anthologie...Elizabeth, I too have placed stories in anthologies that never saw the light of day--but most do, thank goodness, and they remain a good market for shorts. As for not knowing whether some stories are a good fit for some places, my policy there is to try them and see--sometimes markets need and accept stories that might be a little different from their usual fare.<br /><br />Regarding nonpaying markets, I sometimes send stories there if I know the editors, and if they story is a reprint. I tend to agree with you if it's an original story. I try to save those for paying magazines/anthologies.<br /><br />Thanks for the thoughts!John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-75502961190519655672019-01-05T15:48:13.324-05:002019-01-05T15:48:13.324-05:00Hi John. I had two stories published in an antholo...Hi John. I had two stories published in an anthology in 2018. A third was accepted to another anthology, but the project was canceled. Since then I've found some new markets, but I don't know if my work is a good fit for them. I have one out for rejection now. I won't submit to non-paying markets, it's amazing how many of those are out there.<br /><br />Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00239163766419735693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-18603214185963282782019-01-05T14:15:33.714-05:002019-01-05T14:15:33.714-05:00Hey Bill! I see you're targeting anthologies ...Hey Bill! I see you're targeting anthologies as well--for some reason many of our writer friends neglect those, and they're great markets. And your track record at EQ and AH is something I know you are (and should be) proud of--it's always fun to see your name in those pages. An interesting point: both you and Rob Lopresti have recently published VERY short stories in EQMM. It's valuable to know that when those flash/short-short pieces are good enough, they can grace the pages of the more prestigious magazines.<br /><br />Good luck on the agent search--please keep me posted.<br /><br />And thanks so much for the comment and for your kind words. Much appreciated!John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-12368427151779779992019-01-05T14:04:49.722-05:002019-01-05T14:04:49.722-05:00John:
Another amazing year. I am always in awe of...John:<br /><br />Another amazing year. I am always in awe of your productivity. One year of yours looks the match of my whole writing career. Well done, my friend.<br /><br />For my part, I had three stories published in 2018. The flash fiction piece "Cleopatran Cocktails" in EQMM March/April issue, "The House in Glamaig's Shadow" in Malice 13: Mystery Most Geographical, and "Kutsenko's Cage" in Curiosites 3. In terms of work not yet published, I sold 2 additional stories to EQMM, another to AHMM, one to the revived Black Mask Magazine and finished a draft of a novel, so not a bad year. 2019 will be made if I can find an agent for the book.<br /><br />Keep up the amazing work, John.<br /><br />Best, BillWilliam Burton McCormickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15502763547533922846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-56979638324111830722019-01-05T14:02:51.838-05:002019-01-05T14:02:51.838-05:00O'Neil -- That's kind of you, but to publi...O'Neil -- That's kind of you, but to publish five novels in the space of two years is the real feat. And I'm with you, on submitting and publishing those reprints of stories. That makes sense, and sometimes it's just a case of looking hard enough for the right market.<br /><br />Thanks as always, my friend. Hope you have a great year!John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-15159696634006427362019-01-05T13:54:00.950-05:002019-01-05T13:54:00.950-05:00Good listing from a master. As for me, a few short...Good listing from a master. As for me, a few short story reprints published in 2018. Three novels published. Two novels coming out in 2019, along with some short stories.O'Neil De Nouxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03142721824657611738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-19333128473646861452019-01-05T13:51:53.841-05:002019-01-05T13:51:53.841-05:00Rob, I bet I get more rejections than you or any o...Rob, I bet I get more rejections than you or any of our friends ever did--but yes, we all get told, from time to time, that our babies are ugly. I'm just less sensitive to it now than I used to be. And--as Michael suggested in his comment--the key is to keep those stories circulating in spite of rejections. If they're good they'll eventually find a home.<br /><br />By the way, I still envy your (and RT's) record at AHMM. THAT's what's impressive.John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-87090096429359653652019-01-05T13:21:16.561-05:002019-01-05T13:21:16.561-05:00John
Impressive as hell. Thanks so much for list...John<br /><br />Impressive as hell. Thanks so much for listing your rejections as well! Occasionally someone will say to me "I guess they buy all your stories now," and I just laugh sardonically.Robert Loprestihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08844889305615182897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-5549043737456712182019-01-05T12:39:05.225-05:002019-01-05T12:39:05.225-05:00Hey Lawrence--thanks for stopping in, here. Remem...Hey Lawrence--thanks for stopping in, here. Remember, 30 of those stories happened at one swoop, in a big collection of my short mystery stories, published this past fall. As for the others, there's no secret there--I just submitted a lot of stories to what I felt were appropriate markets, and was fortunate that some of those editors liked what I sent. Remember too that a lot of my submissions were rejected--but, as always, the person who gets the most no's usually also gets the most yeses.<br /><br />I love the quote I heard years ago (don't know who first said it): I can't guarantee that your story will be published if you submit it, but I CAN guarantee that it won't be published if you don't.<br /><br />Best to you in 2019, in all your literary endeavors!John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-12149985157225101212019-01-05T12:05:22.477-05:002019-01-05T12:05:22.477-05:00Hi John,
Sixty-two published stories in one year ...Hi John,<br /><br />Sixty-two published stories in one year is an amazing feat-way to go! How does one top that? Any blogs coming down the pike about how you made that happen? Happy 2019!<br /><br />LMLawrence Maddoxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03057386966178865691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-15313395433566266802019-01-05T10:52:31.551-05:002019-01-05T10:52:31.551-05:00Happy New Year to you too, Janice. I love your no...Happy New Year to you too, Janice. I love your novels--keep up the great writing!<br /><br />RT, good to hear from you. I'm always in awe of your success at AHMM--congratulations! I have two more stories in a series coming up at AHMM (those should both be sometime this year), and--like you--I'm finding myself doing a lot more series stories than I used to. They really are great fun to work on. And thanks for your kind words, about my EQMM story--glad you liked it! That was another that was fun to write.<br /><br />Michael, I know all about that submit/reject pipeline. And it's been a great pleasure, these past few years, to have shared space with you in so many issues and anthologies. Looking forward to more of that, this year--and to reading your future stories.John Floydhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04001712728130488485noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-60913635161055546012019-01-05T10:17:53.627-05:002019-01-05T10:17:53.627-05:00My 2018 wrap-up was already in the SleuthSayers qu...My 2018 wrap-up was already in the SleuthSayers queue for Tuesday before I saw your post, John, and it probably won't be a surprise when you read it that our numbers are similar across the board. Though I'm writing much more crime fiction these days, I continue to sell work written in other genres as stories make their way through the submit/reject submit/reject submit/accept pipeline.<br /><br />And I've been spending more time on the editorial side of the desk, with two projects that should appear this year and one next year.Michael Brackenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01072019804281421944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-13414189124518595862019-01-05T10:06:00.423-05:002019-01-05T10:06:00.423-05:00John, I got a kick out of "On the Road with M...John, I got a kick out of "On the Road with Mary Jo" in EQMM Jan/Feb 2019. Innovative and timely on the smart car front.<br /><br />As for me and series, I had "The Left Hand of Leonard" (6th in my 1660's Paris Underworld series) in AHMM Mar/Apr 2018, "The Chinese Box" (5th in my Shan Army/Golden Triangle series) in AHMM Sep/Oct 2018 and "Vet's Day" (11th in my Holiday Burglar series) in AHMM Nov/Dec 2018. I've gone mercenary in my old age, pretty much sticking with professional rates, however writing a 750 word $20 story for Flash Bang Magazine is a fun time. Other than that, you're too prolific for me to put my statistics up. <br /><br />Keep on writin'.R.T. Lawtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15523486296396710227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3119105822589181967.post-74514140648272993692019-01-05T08:17:31.923-05:002019-01-05T08:17:31.923-05:00As always an impressive total!
Best wishes for t...As always an impressive total!<br /><br />Best wishes for the new year.janice lawnoreply@blogger.com