Randy Austin Wins Flash Fiction Challenge

Randy Austin is the readers’ choice in this week’s Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge.

The winning entry is rewarded with a special feature here today and a place in our collection of winners which will be published as an e-book at year end.

Without further ado, here’s the winning entry:

Continue reading “Randy Austin Wins Flash Fiction Challenge”

Infatuated by Fan Fiction

Kurt Vonnegut's Kindle World
Kurt Vonnegut’s Kindle World

If you haven’t thought seriously about writing in a Kindle World perhaps you should. Fan fiction is not just for freaky people who dress in costume and wait on line for twelve hours to enter Hogsmeade at Disney World. It’s for everyone, including our own Indie superhero, Hugh Howey. But we’ll get back to Hugh in a moment.

My son and I play a texting game in which we rewrite Harry Potter and send the revisions to each other. Continue reading “Infatuated by Fan Fiction”

Love’s Savage Post: A Reviewer’s Confessions

Loves Savage Destiny by Melissa BowersockIf you hang out in certain online forums or read particular blogs, you’ll be exposed to a lot of author horror stories. Some pertain to publishers, both large and small. Bad covers, no proofreading, or all kinds of financial shenanigans are a few I’ve heard. Just a few weeks ago Melissa Bowersock had a story about the publisher changing her title. Then there are the agent complaints (unresponsive, lack of follow-through, and wouldn’t negotiate for fear of upsetting the publisher are some examples). I sympathized, even though I’d never experienced these things. Or at least I hadn’t until Kat Brooks changed the title of this post. Her explanation was something like, “Come on Baby, sex sells. It’s just a title.” I’m embarrassed to even tell you what my original, not-at-all sexy title was.

But if I’m going to be completely truthful, there are times I sympathize … no, make that empathize, with agents and even publishers. Sometimes I Feel Like an Agent. Oh yeah, that was my original title. Not sexy at all. It’s a long story, but here goes. Continue reading “Love’s Savage Post: A Reviewer’s Confessions”