Writing for the Love

"The Darkness Below" appears in The Colored Lens #13 Autumn 2014 issue. The speculative fiction magazine is $2.99 in the Kindle Store. Prime members and Kindle Unlimited subscribers read for free.  It's like a dream come true. Almost in the literal sense. This sci-fi story was based on a vivid dream I had fifteen years ago. The journey to publication was a long one, but worth the wait. About the story: Captain Erin Waite and her team descend into the depths of a cave in search of an alien, but what they discover is beyond anything they could've imagined. This is my first paid publication. See my name down there? On the cover? Right side? That's me! It's official. Also visit the magazine's website http://thecoloredlens.com . I've decided to give the concise version for this story's publication journey. For full details, click HERE and you'll be directed to the complete explanation. "The Darkness Below" is about 9...

It's an apt title. "A Black Gaping Hole," as I mentioned in a previous post back in 2012, was selected for publication in the March 2013 issue of Aoife's Kiss . However, the story fell into a black gaping hole of its own. First off, a warning. WRITERS BEWARE: White Cat Publications and Sam's Dot (multiple imprints including Aoife's Kiss #44 ) To read the open letter of resignation from Dora Badger, former employee, click  HERE Here's a summation of what happened : In 2012, "A Black Gaping Hole" was selected for publication in   Aoife's Kiss   March 2013 issue. However, the publisher was taken over and the new publisher (WCP) failed to fulfill my contract. The agreement made with the first publisher was $15 payment plus contributor's copy. I queried and eventually received a response from Dora Badger (the same employee who later resigned). My check was in the mail, she said over and over again. And she apologized each time ...

Because I'm spending most of my time writing Lance & Ringo Tails and editing Livinity , I haven't devoted any time to my blogs lately (this one or Anti-Running Runner , but Lance & Ringo Tails blog is updated regularly). I do give updates on Twitter @briaburton for anyone who wants to follow my feed. So here's a brief update. I attended the FWA Conference in October, and it was a wonderful time as always. The sessions were extremely informative and I love seeing friends from previous conferences and hearing about their writing progress. My short story, "The Price of Integrity" was published in FWA Collection #5 It's a Crime . I've decided to take all of my short stories from Lance & Ringo Tails and put them into a collection that will be available as a print and e-book to be released Dec 15th. Tail Ten will be exclusively featured in this collection. The other nine "tails" are currently available in the Kindle Store . Abo...

I'm happy to report an acceptance from a paying market! "A Black Gaping Hole" will appear in Aoife's Kiss , a science fiction and fantasy magazine, in March 2013. The science fiction story follows Lt. Erin Waite and her team into the depths of an alien-made cave where they encounter something unexpected. I want to share what happened in the process of receiving this acceptance as it might encourage others. I have received so many rejections before this that I kept wondering if or when I would get an acceptance. As a writer pursuing publication, I know it can take a long time. Persistence is key. When I first submitted a story to Aoife's Kiss, I received a rejection from the editor with the reasons why (!) and an encouraging word about how the writing was "verrry good." What a boost, even in the midst of rejection. I was determined to try again with that magazine because of the candor and kindness of the editor. As many writers know, it's not o...