Friday Hodge Podge

Hey everyone, and welcome back!  It's been a busy week here on the gulf coast.  Between family, work, editing and writing, it's gone fast.  So now here we are at the weekend and I realized I've been neglecting my blog.  So for today I'm gonna throw a heap of fun stuff on your plate!

First things first, I submitted my first piece of work to an anthology.  World Weaver Press is having an open submission of short stories for their ghost anthology Specter Spectacular.  I was on the fence about submitting, mostly because I was nervous about sending my work into the wide world.  Well I swallowed that fear and submitted it.  And was rejected.  My first rejection letter!  Rather than get bummed and curse at the sky for my lack of talent, I saw it as an opening.  I had tried and gotten rejected, sure, but it was an awesome moment where I got past my fears and put myself out there.  And you know what?  It really wasn't all that bad.  It was a huge stepping stone I had been procrastinating out of fear.  You'd think by now I'd be used to these sorts of things.  My mind always makes things looks better or worse than they actually are, when in reality the outcome is usually somewhere in the middle.  Either way, I'm excited to finally be on the road and starting my journey to publishing.

On that note, I submitted a bit ago to Jukepop Serials.  This is a website that will come online around September that pays homage to the serials from the '30s and '40s.  I'm really excited and nervous about this one.  It fits my writing style perfectly and I hope I'm able to contribute.

Now, onto some fun finds on the Internet...

First up on the list is a website titled "Serendipity."  This is just a random site I found trying to find inspiration for names.  It has several name generators.  Ones for titles, cities, characters, and special locations.  A great asset for any D&D group, writing exercises and inspiration, or just to waste some time on the internet.  Definitely a lot of fun!

Next up is a writer's resource of useful articles and tips called Unbridled Editor.  I found this on Twitter via John Rakestraw (@John_Rakestraw).  It's an online newspaper full of articles found and shared by others using a plethora of social networking sites.  I get e-mail updates every few days, and have never been disappointed by the amount of information provided.  I will say on the iPhone it is tricky to navigate, but on the computer it is a breeze.  If you're a writer, definitely check this out.

And last but not least, I mentioned above about Jukepop Serials and their revival of an old form of writing.  I personally enjoy writing piece by piece with tons of cliffhangers, so this is a perfect way to go about it.  Give them a look and see if you feel your writing could benefit from this exposure!

Well my friends, that's all for now.  I hope you enjoy the links and I will see you next time!  Godspeed and have a great weekend!!