From the Depths Seeks Submissions

Haunted Water Press wants submissions of fiction, flash fiction, creative nonfiction and poetry for publication in the Winter 2012 issue of From the Depths. The theme is “A Life Less Ordinary.”

They seek “…character driven works focusing on the human experience. Think love and loss, triumph over adversity, defining moments in an otherwise mundane life, desperate measures in desperate times, ordinary people and extraordinary circumstances.”

Deadline is November 30, 2012. For more information, please visit their website.

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Indies Unlimited is pleased to provide this contest information for the convenience of our readers. We do not, however, endorse this or any contest/competition. Entrants should always research a competition prior to entering.

Video Trailer: Paulie Potatoes Gangster Crusader

On March 10th 2012, 14-year old Paulie Potatoes, along with the rest of the teenagers of earth, inherited superpowers. Seeing this as a threat to his way of life, Mob boss Bobby Biaggio Bigotta, better known as Biggie Boom Boom, knows that he must stop Paulie and his friends by all means necessary.

Unexpectedly, Biggie resists his instincts to fight and instead he extends an invitation for Paulie to join his gang. Paulie must now decide between a life of crime or a life as a superhero. Will Paulie walk down this underworld path, blinded by wealth or will he use his newfound powers to keep the streets safe from the gangland that plagues Niagaratown?


Paulie Potatoes Gangster Crusader, the teen sci-fi/action adventure novel by B.R. Stranges, is available from Amazon.com, Amazon UK, and Smashwords.

What a Difference a Year Makes

Nowhere, I submit, is the upheaval in the publishing world more apparent than at writing conventions. At last year’s World Fantasy Convention in San Diego, I attended a panel during which an agent (or maybe she was an editor) made some disparaging remarks about self-publishing, and a few audience members stood up and respectfully explained to her why she was wrong.

Fast-forward to 2012. This year’s World Fantasy Convention, in Toronto last weekend, featured a whole panel discussion about e-publishing.

One end of the dais seemed to be spewing dinosaur breath. The former editor-in-chief of Del Ray (Random House’s speculative fiction imprint), Betsy Mitchell, complained that her business is drying up; she said indie novelists aren’t willing to pay $3,500 for the kind of top-notch professional editing job she can offer. (I wondered whether it had ever occurred to her that the vast majority of indies simply can’t afford her.) Next to her sat Robert Runté, an acquisitions editor for a small Canadian press, who called the indie trend of using beta readers “editing by crowdsourcing.” He also said he used to write reviews of speculative fiction novels for money – but “that job is gone.” Who’s taking up the reviewing slack? Bloggers, said Emily Craven (although apparently she doesn’t review books on her own blog). Continue reading “What a Difference a Year Makes”

Congrats to Flash Fiction Winner Chris James

Our own Chris James is the winner of the Indies Unlimited weekly Flash Fiction competition. There was a tough field of competitors this week. Congratulations to Chris, and thanks to everyone who participated – excellent entries!

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 “Congrats to Flash Fiction Winner Chris James”