Everything Is Scary All The Time - Issue #2 - Where Did July Go?
July Was A Lot
I wish I had a bunch of super cool news to share with you all, but unfortunately the only excitement I saw this past month was of the covid variety. And while I promise I'm not going to bore you with my experience of having it, what I will tell you is that being sick for the first half of the month forced me to write eight short stories in two weeks while finishing a novella.
It was, to put it mildly, a lot.
And while it was definitely the most stressed I've been this year, it taught me a lot about productivity and time management, and most importantly it taught me about my fear of missing out.
Every month I tell myself I'm only going to write two short stories because I want to focus on my longer projects. Every month I end up stumbling upon some really cool submission calls. Every month I end up writing more short stories than I'd planned and a lot less of my novel than I'd hoped. I don't normally notice how many hours I've allocated to short fiction and chasing submission calls until I reflect on my progress at the end of the month, but because I condensed all of my work for July into two weeks it quickly became apparent that while I'm pretty great at time management, staying focused on longer projects is an issue.
Gemma Amor actually wrote a great piece about chasing submission calls and knowing when to let them go and when to chase after them. If you haven't already checked it out, I'd highly recommend you give it a read.
Cool Submissions To Check Out In August
With all that being said, if you're looking to send out work to publishers this August, there are some cool submission calls by even cooler presses that are open until the end of the month.
Ghost Orchid Press is still accepting short stories for Les Petites Morts: An Anthology of Erotic Horror Inspired by Fairy Tales, Mythology & Folklore. They're accepting pieces between 1,000-5,000 words, but prefer work in the 2,000-4,000 range. The submission window closes on August 30th.
Ghost Orchid Press is also open for novel and novella submissions until the end of August. They ask that you send your first three chapters to them (up to 50 pages/10,000 words) and that you have the manuscript already finished in case they make a full request.
Tenebrous Press is open for novella submissions until the end of August too. They're asking that work be in the 20,000-50,000 range and appeal to an adult audience. They're also on the hunt for artists and illustrators, so if you or anyone you know is interested, be sure to check them out.
Remember To Grab 23 McCormick Road
This is just a reminder—well, another reminder—that if you haven’t grabbed your copy of 23 McCormick Road be sure to do that before it’s too late. It’s my way of saying thanks for subscribing to this newsletter and I hope you all enjoy it! (Please note that you may be asked to enter your email address to download the book. But don’t worry! You won’t get this newsletter twice and you won’t be signing up for someone else’s newsletter either!)
And in case you’re wondering what the story is all about…
Everly and Brooklynn are excited to be starting the next chapter of their lives together. With a baby on the way, they’re eager to get settled in their new home where life is perfect. Well, except for the rusted car stuck in their driveway… and the cracks that have started appearing around the house… not to mention the eyes that watch Everly when she’s all alone…
Determined to uncover the secrets hiding at 23 McCormick Road, Everly embarks on an emotional journey that both tests her empathy and teaches her when to hold on—and when to let go.
(And if you have grabbed your copy of this cool new novelette, please be sure to leave a review or rating on Goodreads! Each one makes a huge difference to authors like me and I’m extremely grateful for each one!)
One Last Thing Before You Go...
If you enjoy my work and would like to check out more, please be sure to check out some of the titles below!