Brushed up the latest folk tale. Hell, I don’t know whether to call something a folk or a fairy tale anymore. I suspect prosewitch could give me a textbook definition . . .
Everything’s at first draft and ready to go up on Critters, and I’ve got a terrible backlog. My story inspired by Suzanne Vega’s “The Queen and the Soldier” is up this week, and behind it, I’ve got no fewer than four stories waiting to go in the queue. And no MPCs left. Need more MPCs. Guess that’s something for me to do this weekend.
Already at ten critiques of my current offering. No one except britzkrieg picked up on the religious symbolism. Dammit. My “Goddess Queen” is bleeding from wounds at her hands and from a sharp crown. I thought I was being ham fisted. Dammitdammitdammit. I don’t usually do this, but I think I might be wallowing in “it’s my art!” Too many folks just aren’t getting it. Obviously, I’m doing something wrong. But still, pfft.
Also, I’ve been researching Chinese afterlife/undead traditions and mythologies for a story concept. Nothing all that grisly or intense, but wouldn’t you know it, I had nightmares involving Chinese zombies, the Geong Si, last night.
So, 750 words on this new, nightmare-inducing story. Don’t know where I’m going with it. It seems to want to be some sort of paranormal mystery thingy.
Also risked sending a 6100 word story to Jack Fisher, the editor of Flesh & Blood. That’s 100 words more than the max. stated in his guidelines, but I was upfront about the word count in my cover letter. And he did invite me to send more. Sent him that surreal Kurt Vonnegut-inspired piece that I’ve labeled my “weird” story. Man, I really want to break into F&B. It’s a great ‘zine and I keep feeling like I’m getting closer. And yet, I remain sans cigars.
