Murky Depths #13

The last of my short stories to be published while I’m off doing other things is available now in UK-based print mag, Murky Depths, Issue 13. 13 - unlucky for some right? Unfortunately, in my case, yes. Due to a complete cock-up (editor’s words not mine) I will not be credited for my story. Though my name appears on the website and the contents page, the story will be credited to another author. Needless to say I’m disappointed this has happened but it’s not the end of the world. An oversight, no more, no less. And as compensation the editor has offered to include in a future issue (15, I think) an interview with yours truly. The story is Clean Until the Final Act and you can purchase the magazine from their website as well as a number of real world stockists.

Finally, a GUD home...

After a difficult four-year journey, my short story, Lost Lying on Your Back, will finally see publication in Issue 5 of GUD Magazine (Autumn 2009). Lost Lying is dark, literary, written in 2nd Person, and deals with some pretty heavy subject matter. A tough, tough sell, in other words. But I always felt it was one of my best and therefore worth the effort. I’m really happy at the moment, and hope to build on this success by finding homes in 2009 for my two science fiction stories, The Bug in the Suit and Clean Until the Final Act. Onwards.

Also, Sand Between a Dead Boy’s Toes, has now survived a painstaking third draft. Minor edits aside, it looks ready to submit. I’ve got pretty high hopes for this story, too (don’t we have high hopes for every one, though?), so watch this space.

Coming soon: my story-by-story review of the Stephen King collection, Just After Sunset.

Starts with a sigh, ends with a high (of sorts)

*sigh*

On the workshopping site I frequent, Clean Until the Final Act has gone down like a sack of onions. I would have said potatoes but onions have more layers, which if you read on will make a little more sense. It appears all the subtleties have been spectacularly overlooked and the story is just a predictable revenge tale. Rather unfortunate, to put it mildly. But I don’t see the point of trying to explain. After all, can I be there to point out to every potential reader that, for example, there may be a reason why Triggerman Joe’s speech is all italicised? No. Or that one of the themes is the (ab)use of religion as a means to an end (in this case violence)? Again, no. So, um why bother? Besides, maybe the story, which I had high hopes for—the highest, in fact—does indeed stink. I don’t think so, but then I wrote the damn thing. Time or rejection slips will tell...

My usual reaction to a small disaster such as Clean Until is to do an about turn and head in the opposite direction. So, my densely-written treatise on religion/religious motivation segues into a simple tale about a boy who sees sharks. Oh, and dead people. Well, actually it’s one dead person. His brother. Anyway, instead of taking three weeks to write the first draft of this story, it’s down in just two sittings. Admittedly, it’s rough, as in unreadable-to-anyone-but-me rough, but all the elements of what I call the surface story are there, in place. All they need now is some care, attention, and much polish. The title, if anyone is interested, is probably one of my best: Sand Between a Dead Boy’s Toes. I think the finished story may live up to that and at the same time heal the wound caused by the response to Clean Until...

Clean Until the First Draft

The first draft of Clean Until the Final Act is done. At 4970 words it’s much longer than originally predicted, but you know what? I’m not complaining. All the elements are roughly in place, they just need aligning, and if I can do that, this could and should be one of my better stories. I’ll get to those edits in the next day or two and hopefully have this one ready to submit in a couple of weeks. Oh, and the title stays. I've been hoping it would.

So, what’s next?

Well, I’m switching from dark science fiction to the weird and the literary for my next short. It’s about a boy and a shark, that’s all I can reveal at the moment. Okay, maybe there are a lot of sharks - I'll find out when I get there. Once that's written I’ve got an idea for a children’s fantasy adventure (short story) that I’d like to explore further, and then there’s a possible collaboration with Brian G. Ross to be thinking about, too.

Busy times ahead.

Size matters...

A brief update, folks—Clean Until the Final Act edged over the 3000-word mark on Sunday. Although I have that good feeling writing it, I really have no idea if it will work for readers or not. See, I like to push myself, only sometimes I push too hard. I’m praying this is not one of those times. Yesterday, I (half-)jokingly told a work colleague that this story has the feel of being either a complete disaster or an eventual award-winner. Chances are it will turn out neither, but I think that about sums up the knife-edge it’s walking at the moment. Anyway, as I’ve said elsewhere, I am determined to bring this one in under 4000 (I already have three tough sells on my hands that are longer than that and I do not want another one), but it’s looking increasingly likely it will be too long. If this thing stretches over 4500 I can probably kiss half the potential markets goodbye. There’s never been a better time to use the right words…

Day 3 of 3...

Day 3 saw me continuing Clean Until the Final Act. The first draft now sits at 1700 words, with another 1000 of scene snippets, dialogue, notes, etc. I want to say more about this piece, but I don’t want to jinx it. I described it to my wife as trying to build a wall without mortar. All the bricks seem to be in the right place, but one nudge and the whole thing might fall...

So it’s back to the 9-to-5 tomorrow (actually, the 8-to-5)... If the past three days have taught me anything (or reminded me of anything) it is that I love to write. For a long time now I have neglected my duties as a writer by failing to apply ass to chair often enough. Why? The main reason was the voice in my head that kept saying, do you still enjoy doing this? Invariably, my answer was—I don’t know. In just these three days I have a new answer—a resounding and unequivocal YES! Previously, when I came up with an excuse—I’m not in the mood, I’m too tired, I’ve got this or that to do first—it wasn’t, not at its heart, a lack of interest in writing. It was simply Real Life and all its pressures, distractions, and depressions threatening to ruin my writing ambitions. Somewhere along the way, I forgot how good this shit feels, and how right...

The challenge for me now is to somehow bottle this feeling. To drink from it deep and drink from it often.

Day 2 of 3...

Day two I spent working on the first draft of a new science fiction short story, which has the working title of Clean Until the Final Act.

It's a strange and complex tale about a rest home android who witnesses the death of a resident under her care, Joe (also known as Triggerman Joe), a retired gun-for-hire or shooter. She starts hearing his voice. She becomes convinced that his is the voice of God, that Triggerman Joe is God...and so on. Like I said, strange and complex! 730 words of polished first draft complete so far and about twice that in notes, scene extracts, dialogue snippets, etc.