Since one can never have too many zombie links...

Lady Glam did a great post on zombies at her blog. ;)

Enjoy!

~Merc

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Because my brain is useless except for filler...

...I thought I'd link to a couple horror stories I read today. :P It's light reading, perfect for my lack of brain. (Of course in AlienSkin there's lots more entertaining reads. I'll get to them. I just liked Nicole's story quite a bit and had to share.) Anyone read any fun shorts lately?

The Chocolatier by Nicole Ross
(AlienSkin Magazine Feb/March 2009)
Makes you want to go eat some chocolate. *cackles*

The Thirteenth Step by Richard M. O’Donnell
(Every Day Fiction, March 25th 2009)
We all know you don't go down into the basement when the power goes out...

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"Before the End" now published in Alternative Coordinates!

I've been waiting eagerly for this one, so I'm thrilled to announce that my short SF story, "Before the End" is now published in the first issue of Alternative Coordinates! :D

*throws flaming confetti*

Definitely check out the whole issue--lots of fun stuff!

~Merc

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HOW long? o.O

So, when reading a post on Writer's Musings about how much time it takes you between novel drafts and why, I had one of those "oh, crap" moments when I realized how long it's actually been since I've steadily worked on a novel project. (NaNoWriMo doesn't count.)

September.

*winces*

I finished the draft of TIME IS HELL around then, and set about poking NECROMANCER FALLEN while I "planned" for NaNo. (Quotes are necessary since, well, not that much planning really happened.)

Admittedly I've poked random novel-ness on and off since then, but despite Plans and Goals, nadda. Zilch on the 'focus on one novel and get another draft done' front.

*headdesk*

Shorts have been going well, I suppose. I'm just a bit disturbed how long a gap I have once I actually consider it.

So yes, random post over. I had some thoughts on character voice I may try and coherently scribble down later...

*sighs and sets her hair on fire*

~Merc

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"Unpermitted" is now published in M-BRANE #2!

I'm way, way excited about this!

My short story, "Unpermitted," is now out in the wonderful second issue of M-BRANE SF. Please check it out--issue 1 is also available free to download. :D Chris (the awesome editor) did a fantastic job, and the whole issue is definitely worth reading. It looks fabulous! So if you need some good reading matieral, drop on by.

*throws flaming confetti*

"Unpermitted" came from an idea I'd been tossing around for years. I probably wrote ten or more completely different versions and incarnations of this story before finding one (this one) that worked. It tells of a not-to-distant future where everything (literally) is regulated with permits. Anything is possible--except personal freedom.

It's a dark little tale about one man's choice to protect his family from what is perfectly legal in this world--and the consequences that follow.

I'm very happy with this story and I do hope you enjoy. B-)


~Merc

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Angelic Longevity On the Decline: February Recap

Give me cookies, I remembered to keep track again this month! *munches* Impressive, no? Two whole months in a row, I remembered something! :P

Winter can end now. Really. No one will complain...

GOALS SET IN FEBRUARY
According to what I posted in a discussion thread on Critique Circle, I set some goals for Feb (funny how I don't remember any of them O:)).

- write the superhero novella
(I think I forgot about it after finishing the first chapter; I melted my brain with a discussion of Things That Shall Not Be Named--specifically how Star Wars and spandex should not be in the same sentence. But hey, the whole story is outlined... counts for something, eh?)

- write/finish (depends on what I get done in Jan) my two post-apocalyptic shorts
(Totally blanked on these, sigh.)

- write on something novelish.
(Whoo! Novelish occurrences happened! Sorta. If you squint and look at it through your peripheral vision and stand on your head.)

- edit TIH
(If editing 250 words from a chapter ending for Miss Snark's First Victim's Drop the Needle crit session counts... that's about it.)


WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED

Novels
Meh. I (re)wrote half of chapter two for RIVEN. I might quite possibly have finally gotten the Second Chapter From Hell to work now--awe and shock and glee! Well. Until I edit. ;)

The JFF (just for fun) has progressed in all it's random, chaotic awesomeness of zombies, mummy-trolls, living pills, and end-of-the-world weirdness. 'Round 3k and two chapters done on that.

And... that's it. *sigh* At least I thought more about novels and looked at them this month... gotta count for something, right?

...Right?

Short stories
Four finished shorts--including a fantasy western, a SF clone story, an experimental fantasy about symbiotic trains, and a weird SF/horror short about what absolute power does (I think? am still not sure what the hell that one was overall, but it was totally inspired by Night Gallery)--so I'm reasonably happy with that.

I also began two more (apparently one involves mental time loops and angel feathers of mass destruction; the other started as a Sleeping Beauty short with briar romance, especially for Sparky, who gave me the idea).

I made my goal of writing at least one short I liked (I did like the fantasy western, and the clone short), and I even started editing the minotaur/wolf-girl short I wrote in January.

Other writing stuff
Hey, it was a good month for outlines. I finished outlining one part of NF, wrote one for another dark fantasy, and even came up with an idea and blurb for a serial novel.

Random trend(s) of the month
Dead angels.

The fantasy western (angels die in a gunfight), the half-finished time/mental loop short has a random dead angel (apparently this is the whole cause of the MC's problems), and the JFF includes some falling deceased feathered wonders as a side-effect.

Let's leave it at no comment, shall we?

OVERALL

Total word count (including revisions of shorts/chapters): 24k, rounded off, which isn't too bad given all that happened in Real Life (I hate Feb, for the record).

Satisfaction level: moderate. No energy for anything more.

Is winter over yet? What the hell do you mean, "no"? *growls and plots* (And all you in the warmer regions, send some heat waves this way, won't you?)

So. How was your February?

~Merc

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