January 16, 2012 | 
Author The following is a post I made on my favorite writers’ forum – Accentuate Writers. I’m inspired to do a lot with my writing career this year, and it all starts with BIC (butt in chair) writing time every day. I haven’t been as diligent as I should be yet, but my gears are grinding and beginning to catch.
2012 Writing Resolutions
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1 – Finish LAFFN and get that novel ready for submission.
2 – Submit it somewhere.
3 – Finish Dream Walkers
4 – Submit that somewhere
5 – By Feb 29, have 7 short stories circulating submissions at ALL times.
6 – Stay on schedule with my fiction blog.
7 – Break into the erotica market in some fashion.
8 – Complete NaNoWriMo again.
9 – Gain a decent following/readership on all 3 of my pen names.
10 – By Dec 31, make some sort of a living from fiction writing… yeah… you heard me… I’m shooting for the moon.
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Luci Cosway has just released her new paranormal romance: Don’t Call Me Cougar Book.
It sounds like an intriguing mixture of passionate romance, mystery and suspense. I can’t wait to read it!
Will fill in with a review once I’ve had the pleasure. —- I’ve read it!
“Don’t Call Me Cougar” starts off with a bang, literally. The action sizzles on the page and the chemistry between the two main characters, werecats from different clans, is amazing. The story’s not all sweat and sex though; there is plenty of intrigue and drama to keep you turning pages. A murder, clan politics, a missing cub and more weaves in ever-increasing danger through the fierce attraction of the two main characters.
Go read it!
Come read my story, Blue Christmas, at BentMasses.com. It’s published as part of their Twist the Season issue.
The crunch of boots on snow was loud in the stillness of the north. Wind whispered across the flat pack ice, blowing sparkles through the periphery of Cade McGovern’s vision.
What if Santa Clause wasn’t exactly who he appears to be? What if he had a very special punishment in mind for the children on his naughty list? Who would dare stop him?
I never understand when writers complain about having no ideas for stories. Ideas spill like rainwater out of the gutter of my mind, overflow my psyche and drip like honey from my fingertips… er… onto my laptop where they transmogrify into… um… huh?
One thousand words per day is my goal at present. I hit it more days than not, but it doesn’t seem to make much of a dent in the trove of ideas milling about in my head. I have a glut of ideas and less than burning desire to actually get my butt in chair and write them. Other writers have a hunger for writing itself (some even like editing, the weirdos!) and lack ideas.
Sigh… a rant.
On a related note, I love writing prompts. Not the ones about ‘What I Did Last Summer” or “What Would I Take to a Deserter Island.” I love picture prompts and random word prompts. Skwerly, aka Derek Odom, puts up word prompts on the Accentuate Writer forum writing prompts section regularly. They’re great fun.
Random photo prompt of the day:
What can you come up with?
Any writer who submits short stories to magazines, e-zines or anthologies knows response times do not always match what the publication states on their website. I’ve heard tales of waiting months and years after submission to hear a “no thanks, not for us” on a short story.
The writer of this Unsent Letter knows the same pain. Her story was accepted by another publication well after the 3 months the original publication gave for a response time. Read her tale here: Dear Editor, by A Writer.
As frustrating as it can be, what do you do about publications who do not respond in a reasonable amount of time (whatever that means)? Do you forget them and move on? Do you drop them increasingly pointed emails if they fail to respond at first? Do you withdraw your submission and pout?
I submitted a short story to an anthology with the promise of a response in three week from submission date. Three week is pretty short when it comes to responses, but hey, they said it, so I thought they’d stick by it. Three weeks came and went, but I figured they were probably just a little backlogged and would get back to me soon.
After five weeks I sent an email reminding them I submitted “Story Title” on Such-n-such date and was eager to get a response. I didn’t hear back from them until three weeks past publication date, which was close to a year after I had submitted. They apologized, but my work wasn’t quite right for them. Form rejection. No problem. The rejection chocolate had already been eaten and I had moved on.
How many emails should you send to get a response? One? Three? Three seems pushy to me, but one is perhaps not affective. If you talk to ten writers you may get ten different answers.
I have two stories in this amazing anthology from Twin Trinity
Elements of Time
Available from Twin Trinity Media.
Elements of Dimension continues the Twin Trinity short story anthology series with more top-quality stories and poems. This book explores the themes of science fiction, fantasy and reality. I have one short story, "Death Obeyed," and one poem, "Tale of the Suburban Dungeon" in this book.
"Elements of Time" short story anthology is available now. It features winning stories from the Accentuate Services contests plus themed poetry. Two of M. Lori Motley's short stories, "Inescapable" and "No Time Like Now," are included.
"Elements of Soul" short story anthology is available now. It features fifteen winning stories from the Accentuate Services contests plus themed poetry. Two of M. Lori Motley's short stories, "Summer Heat" and "Flood of Tears," are included.