Short Story Site of the Week: Stumble Magazine

About Stumble Magazine:

Founded in 2008, Stumble is an independent magazine devoted to short fiction and photography. We publish new content regularly on the web, and a print edition twice a year.   Stumble publishes new and emerging artists as well as established writers and photographers. Our mission encourages a diversity of content, and we strive to find stories and photography that vary in tone and style.   Stumble doesn’t adhere to a specific aesthetic–-we just dig through the pile and publish what we like. We believe in the future of fiction. We think the web is a beautiful space. Above all, we love to be surprised.

Source: http://stumblemag.com/blog/about/

Submission Guidelines:

FICTION:   We are looking for short literary fiction that is challenging, interesting, and original. We don’t care if it’s traditional or experimental, as long as it’s good. The ideal length is 3,000 words or less. We publish regularly online, and a print edition twice a year.   We accept submissions year-round via email. Please attach your story in .doc format. A few words about you is always nice.   We’ll respond as soon we can, usually within a month.   Please send your writing to fiction@stumblemag.com   PHOTOGRAPHY:   We publish photography that we find beautiful and intriguing. Take a look at the work we’ve published already if you want to get a sense of the kinds of things we like. We feature a new photographer every two months.   Ideally, we would like a link to your online portfolio. If your work is not online, please send us your portfolio as a low-res PDF.   Please send your photography to art@stumblemag.com   THANKS IN ADVANCE:   We can’t make our little magazine without all of the exceptional unsolicited work that we receive. A real live human being will read/look at anything you send and we really appreciate the opportunity. Thanks for sharing your work!   PAYMENT:   None at the moment (not even for us). But you’ll get a couple of free copies of our print issue, and our eternal gratitude.

Source: http://stumblemag.com/blog/submit/

Poetry Site of the Week: Gadfly Online

Gaga knows. Obama knows. Banksy knows. If you’re reading this, we’re willing to bet you know, too—culture and the arts translate directly into our everyday lives. Gadfly Online is there to throw those cultural transfusions into high relief. Gadfly is for people who itch to know more about the arts, personalities, and cultural events of our time. Our readers demand a unique perspective, both in what they think and what they read. From Justin Bieber to Muhammad Ali, from rickrolling to the War on Drugs, we keep you informed of American pop culture’s ever-unfolding drama.

Created to provoke readers to recognize the day-to-day relevance of pop culture, we transcend the hype over culture, literature, television, film, and the arts to challenge the assumptions of a dynamic and diverse America. Gadfly strives to provides its readers with thoughtful coverage through current features on fresh faces, new sounds and trends-in-the-making, as well as retrospectives on the kingpins of pop culture, whether mainstream or underground. We also aspire to provide a forum for artistic expression for all shades of artists—from poets, to painters, to film makers, and so on—by giving talent a chance to shine. We are always seeking additional editorials and commentary—Click here for more info on how to contact us. Let us hear from you.

Where Did We Come From? Launched as a full-size print publication in 1998, Gadfly Magazine—the progenitor of Gadfly Online—provided a forum to artists known, unknown and some still in the embryonic stages of their development. Harnessing the infinite resources of the internet, the magazine transitioned from a print publication to an online pub in 2001, yet the mission remained the same: to explore culturally significant events and the individuals behind them and bring the best in popular culture to our insightful readers.  The articles published in Gadfly Magazine are preserved and available in our online archive.

Awards Pronounced “odd, eccentric and eclectic” by the Washington Post, Gadfly was selected in 1999 by the Utne Reader’s Eleventh Annual Alternative Press Awards for Best Cultural Coverage. Utne commended the magazine’s diversity of coverage, saying, “Gadfly’s stupendous eclecticism makes this glossy bimonthly second only to the Library of Congress as a warehouse of American pop culture.”

What’s In A Name? In an old Greek myth, Zeus, king of the gods, loved a mortal woman, Io. When Hera discovered her husband’s infidelity, Zeus was forced to turn Io into a cow in order to shield her from his wife’s wrath. Not to be deterred, Hera sent a tiny gadfly to nip and tickle the cow, a prickling torment that some believe continues even today.

Gadfly Online is a publication of Gadfly Productions.

Gadfly Productions, Gadfly, and the associated graphic images (e.g., capital G with fly superimposed and Gadfly cartoon character) are marks of Gadfly Productions, owned by The Rutherford Institute. Called “odd, eccentric and eclectic” by The Washington Post, the Utne Reader selected Gadfly in 1999 for best Cultural Coverage for their Eleventh Annual Alternative Press Awards. “Gadfly’s stupendous eclecticism makes this glossy bimonthly second only to the Library of Congress as a warehouse of American pop culture,” Utne stated. “And number one when it comes to fun reading.”

Source: http://www.gadflyonline.com/wpblog/?page_id=146

Writer’s Life: A Mixed Bag

Rejection:

I received a note from one editor that was discouraging. A couple of items they had accepted aren’t being published. No, they weren’t rejected. They returned first rights back to me. The magazine is going on hiatus for a while and if no funding is found going out of business. So, I’ll need to sell them else where.

Editing:

I edited three chapters today. I am finishing rewriting one chapter (chapter ten) where I am removing a lengthy section that is a great description, but doesn’t move the story along as well as deleting a second section that is nothing more than a back story info dump of a couple of paragraphs. I’ll do a better job of weaving a few of the essentials of the back story and get rid of the non essentials. The need to do this jumped out when I was rereading chapter ten. While I love writing beautiful, lengthy descriptions, I know they have to move the story along. Otherwise I might as well be writing copy for a real estate advertisement!

Writer’s Group:

I’m attending the weekly meeting of the Dallas Writing Practice Group tonight. It’s not a critique group. I go the the DFW Writer’s Workshop when I feel that need. it’s not a how to do the business of writing group. It is a pen to paper group. We do a lot of the stuff Natalie Goldberg talks about in her classic book, “Writing Down The Bones”.

Old T-shirts:

I’ll wear an old t-shirt I got a couple of years ago at DFWCon (the DFW Writer’s Workshop Annual Convention). I’m took a picture of me wearing it with my webcam.

Attending ConDFW:

Saturday, I’ll attend the ConDFW. It is a literary science fiction and fantasy convention featuring writing- and publishing-focused programming, science programming, excellent guests, art show, charity book swap, short story contest, and a slew of non-traditional activities such as the Sci-Fi Spelling Bee. It is run by the Texas Speculative Fiction Association, a 501 (c)(3) organization. 100% volunteer-run.

Short Story Site of the Week: Stupefying Stories

About STUPEFYING STORIES

STUPEFYING STORIES is a direct-to-ebook-only original fiction anthology series. Each month, STUPEFYING STORIES is committed to bringing the freshest new fiction by the hottest new authors directly to your e-book reader, tablet, phone, or other mobile device.

It’s not a magazine?

STUPEFYING STORIES is often mistaken for a magazine because we release new titles monthly. However, we operate as an anthology series, buy anthology rights, and keep the fiction we publish available for readers to download for three years, as opposed to the months or weeks a conventional magazine keeps fiction on the market. Also, we don’t publish any of the cruft—the movie reviews, opinion columns, display advertising and the like—that clutters up traditional magazines. We publish great stories, and only great stories.

This difference should become clearer when we launch our STUPEFYING STORIES PRESENTS series of original theme anthologies beginning in Spring 2012.

It’s not a semiprozine?

One term that has been applied to us recently is “semiprozine.” We dislike this term as we do not publish “semipro” work by “semipro” authors. While we are more open than most publishers to considering work by new writers at the beginnings of their careers, what we are looking for are great stories, pure and simple, written by writers who would be well-known pros, if they could just break through the layers of institutional inertia surrounding the conventional publishing industry.

We’re particularly interested in stories by non-U.S. writers who are having trouble breaking into the American market. It’s a big world out there, and with distribution already in the U.K., Germany, France, Italy, Spain, and everywhere else the Internet reaches, we intend to be a part of it.

Why e-book only?

After more than 30 years’ experience in the commercial fiction publishing industry, we’ve come to four conclusions: conventional print publishing is hellishly expensive, insanely wasteful, ludicrously slow—and the money spent on printing, binding, and distribution is much better spent on paying authors more.

The future belongs to e-book publishing and Internet distribution. We’ll always be fond of hardcover books printed on bound paper, but we’re in the business of publishing new fiction for the new century, not manufacturing sentimental artifacts and simulated antiques from the last.

If you agree with this philosophy: JOIN THE EXPEDITION! HELP US MAP OUT THE FUTURE OF PUBLISHING IN THE 21ST CENTURY!

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About the Editor

Thirty-some years ago, STUPEFYING STORIES editor-in-chief BRUCE BETHKE was an aspiring young writer trying to break into print with a little story he’d titled, “Cyberpunk”—and thirty years later, the arguments about that story still rage.

After a writing career that saw Bethke become a Philip K. Dick Award-winning author whose stories and novels have been reprinted world-wide in 17 languages at last count, as well as a two-term member of the SFWA Board of Directors, in 2005 Bethke founded the online writing workshop that became The Friday Challenge, and in 2008 he co-founded Rampant Loon Press, the corporation that publishes STUPEFYING STORIES.

In 2011, after studying a variety of emerging publishing technologies and commissioning several design experiments, Bethke launched STUPEFYING STORIES as a monthly, direct-to-ebook only, original fiction anthology series.

To date, Bethke remains the editor-in-chief in charge of STUPEFYING STORIES and driving force behind the forthcoming STUPEFYING STORIES PRESENTS line of direct-to-ebook theme anthologies. He is also the senior editor in charge of a line of original and classic reprint novels that Rampant Loon Press will be debuting in 2012 and 2013.

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About the Publisher

Rampant Loon Press is a Midwestern publishing house dedicated to the seemingly radical proposition that if we produce high-quality work, conduct our business dealings in an open and ethical manner, and always treat authors as we ourselves would wish to be treated, we can build a successful publishing business without all the layers of bean-counting and bureaucracy that hamstring the big publishing dinosaurs.

Source: http://stupefyingstories.com/

Comment: The sole purpose of the post is to introduce readers to the site.

Poetry Site of the Week: Duotrope

Welcome to Duotrope, an award-winning, free writers’ resource listing over 4125 current Fiction and Poetry publications. Use this page to search for markets that may make a fine home for the piece you just polished. Use the menus at the top and right to explore the rest of the free services we offer writers and editors, including a free online submissions tracker for registered users. We usually make several updates per day, and we check each of the current listings regularly (at least once a month) to ensure the most up-to-date database humanly possible. So far this week, we have checked guidelines for 1074 listings, and we have made 676 updates, affecting 166 listings. The last update was made 0 hour(s) and 40 minute(s) ago.

Source: http://duotrope.com/index.aspx

Book Review: Viper Force: 56th Fighter Wing – To Fly and Fight the F-16 by John M. Dibbs with text by Lt.Col. Robert “Cricket” Renner, USAF (Retired)

“Viper Force: 56th Fighter Wing – To Fly and Fight the F-16″ by John M. Dibbs with text by Lt.Col. Robert “Cricket” Renner, USAF (Retired) and published by Zenith Press is a work of art. John Dibbs photography is gallery quality photography. The book blends world-class photography with a great narrative. Lt.Col. Renner is a talented writer.

The training of the pilots occurs at Luke Air Force base, Arizona. I lived at Luke AFB for six years growing up in a United States Air Force family. It was like a visit to an old friend for me.  Lt.Col. Robert “Cricket” Renner, USAF (Retired) gives in-depth details and insights into the training for flying the “Viper” as well as the explanations of the F-16 and its abilities. The stories of many former and current viper pilots give the pilot’s point of view in a powerful way.

The narrative of Lt.Col. Renner has John Dibbs photographs support and assisting in telling the story. It makes a spectacular book.  The book would be a welcome addition to any aviation buffs library as well as the military historian’s collection. Community libraries would also benefit from the book as it tells the tale of the F-16.

Writer’s Life: Keep Writing and Submitting!

Today I attended orientation at my new part-time day job. It was fun. It also allows me more time for writing. Since I quit the full-time day job the end of January I have submitted four poems, one short story, and pitched my historical fiction novel. I also have attended my Dallas Writing Practice Group each week.

I keep reminding myself I must write daily and  send my manuscripts with the consistency of the sun rising and setting. This I do.

I continue reading. I’m reading speculative fiction, the Bible, Steve Jobs biography, a historical fiction novel set Virginia during the US Civil War, and nonfiction military history. I also am listening to a number of podcasts. They include: “I Should Be Writing”, “The Drabblecast”, “The Writer’s Almanac”, and “Writing Excuses”.

I had one speculative fiction short story rejected. I continue writing and editing my historical fiction book.

I was encouraged when I received an update from Candace Have Online Writer’s Workshop Chat Group today. It has the story of one member of the group who after over 400 rejections sold her first book, followed by two more and then a series.

Hold on tight to you dreams, but keep writing and learning.

Summary: The Illustrated Man: Chapters Seventeen –Twenty-One by Ray Bradbury

Dust-jacket from the first edition

Chapter  Nineteen – Usher II

Literary expert William Stendahl has retreated to Mars to escape the book-burning dictates of the Moral Climate Monitors. On Mars he has built his image of the perfect haunted mansion, replicating the building from Edgar Allen Poe’s short story The Fall of the House of Usher, complete with mechanical creatures, creepy soundtracks and the extermination of all life in the surrounding area. When the Moral Climate Monitors come to visit, each of them is killed in a manner reminiscent of a different Poe story, culminating in the immurement of the lead inspector. When all of Stendahl’s persecutors are dead, the house sinks into the lake.

Chapter Twenty – The Playground

When Charles Underhill was a boy, he was tormented by neighborhood bullies. When his son begins playing in a local playground, he becomes deeply disturbed when he sees a bully from his youth.

Chapter Twenty-one – The Illustrated Man

An overweight carnival worker is given a second chance as a Tattooed Man, and visits a strange woman who applies skin illustrations over his entire body. She covers two special areas, claiming they will show the future. When the first is revealed, it’s an illustration of the man strangling his wife. Shortly after this comes to pass, the carnival workers run the man down, beat him, and look at the second area, which shows an illustration of the same beating they are doing.

Poetry & Short Story Site of the Week: A Long Short Story

Long Short Story (LSS), a writer’s ezine, published its first story in July of 2003.  Our goal was simple:  to create an ezine where we could publish the best work of writers — from beginners to established authors. When a writer puts pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and lets his creativity flow, in the back of his mind is the hope that one day it will be in print for the entire world to see. The submission process is nerve-wracking no matter how many times one goes through it. The goal of the editors at LSS is welcome the writers’ work by replying personally to every author.  When we find writers with potential, we will work with them, critiquing and offering suggestions to improve the writing in preparation for publication.  The plethora of letters of gratitude we receive confirm for us that we’re doing something right.

We have watched novice writers bloom under our encouragement, expanding their horizons and entering other markets. When these writers return with a more powerful and passionate piece, we all share in the glory and pride of their achievement. The idea is to keep striving for success. There’s no greater inspiration than seeing one’s own writing on the pages of a magazine. Let us help you achieve it. We hope you enjoy reading Long Story Short as much as we enjoy publishing it for you.  Good luck and good writing!

The Editors.

Source: http://www.alongstoryshort.net/AboutLSS.html
Website: http://www.alongstoryshort.net/
Submission Guideline: http://www.alongstoryshort.net/submissionguidelines.html

Writer’s Life: First Wednesday After the Day Job Reflections

February 1, 2012 — It’s Wednesday

The day has been a day for others. I was up at 5 AM, but went back to bed and slept until 8 AM Miss Benita had a doctor’s appointment at 810 AM. Her leaving for the appointment woke me up. I did my prayer and Bible reading before while she was gone.

The doctor says she needs to see a cardiologist as the third lead on her EKG was down instead of up for the second straight EKG. She needs to get the heartbeat checked out. I have no idea what this means at all. After Miss Benita told me what the doctor said, she asked me what we were going to do today. She is off work today. I knew then writing would wait until late tonight after she goes to bed. So what did we do?

I made $46 today thanks to some book reviews I had did a while back. I received a rejection today on a short story.

I collected the books I had reviewed over the last year (about two dozen) and headed to Half-Price Books on Northwest Highway in Dallas. I sold them making some good money. These military history books list $30 to $90 each.

We headed to North Park Center. This is Dallas-Fort Worth’s premier shopping mall. It has annual sales over $1 billion dollars and one of the highest sales per square feet of space in the USA. We walked for about an hour and talked about my writing.

After walking, we went to Home Depot to purchase some nails for hanging pictures. It was then time for a late lunch. While driving to the restaurant we had car trouble. Miss Benita’s 2010 Chevy Cobalt all of a sudden went ding-ding-ding and the Power Steering light came on the dash just as the power steering quit working. Yikes.

I took the car to our mechanic. His initial diagnosis is a software/computer issue as the power steering is electrical and computer controlled on this car. The estimate is about $400.00. Gulp. At $8.40 an hour, it takes 47 hours of work, pre-tax to pay that bill. I told Miss Benita not to panic over the cost of the repair. The car is in the shop overnight.

After leaving the car in the shop, we went to lunch. After lunch, I took her to “Bed, Bath, and Beyond” for shopping. We then returned home.

I canceled my plans to meet with a friend for coffee this evening. I planned on a visit while on my way to the Dallas Writing Practice Group. I also sent my regrets to the Writing Practice Group. This allowed Miss Benita to use my car where she can go to church choir tonight. I am writing this blog entry while she is gone.

Today is nation signing day for high school athletes. I’ll check on who did what and who went where.

Later tonight, I will submit the rejected article to another market as well as do work some on my book.