TWRP is looking for Short Stories

This is an excerpt from an email Rhonda Penders, co-owner of The Wild Rose Press, sent out. They're looking for short stories. I'm planning on submitting my Vintage Rose story sooner rather than later now. It's set in 1920 New York and takes place over four 25-35K word books.

When we're talking short, we're not talking so short there's no story. There is a definite need for stories that hit the 25K - 50K range.

Another good reason to write shorts is for audibles (the old books on tape). We
have entered an agreement with a company that does audibles. I'm working behind
the scenes to get some of our manuscripts to them. This company wants very
very few full length novels - they want shorts.

Anyway, if you have a short story in your mind, now is the golden time to get
that submission in. If you've never written anything short - try it. Sometimes
trying to do something with less can be very satisfying.

Edits, edits, edits

I've just (like 5 minutes ago) completed edits for Shadow State, my Wild Rose Press werewolf short story. I do love this story. :) Something about it, I can't explain what, but I have to admit, it's a favorite.

I'm now off to try and finish up a short story for Ravenous involving immortals: gods and goddesses.

Calm before the storm

Now that many of my contracts with Ravenous are fulfilled, I'm going to take a break and rest. For maybe a week. It's more a mental break than a physical one, but one that's needed.


I have several ideas percolating for new stories. Some for Ravenous, some for Wild Rose, some I'd love to see with a big print publisher in a 100k print run with movie rights...OK I might be getting ahead of myself there :)


I plan on finishing the story before sending it out: I like to have that lull where I don't need to feel rushed or pressured. I want to take the time to expand the story if I need to, or if I suddenly have THE coolest idea ever to add in for a plot. I want to have the time to do all that and not be pressured by a deadline.

My first idea is for the American Rose Line of Wild Rose. I'm still a little sketchy on details but am thinking rough and tumble politics of post-Revolution America. Nothing says American Politics like fights on the congress floor.

Need to plot that out but good before I start and to do that, research is needed. I'm currently reading The Whiskey Rebellion: George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and the Frontier Rebels Who Challenged America's Newfound Sovereignty which isn't exactly what I want to write about but it's utterly fascinating. I have NO sympathy for either side. Self serving hypocrites the lot of them.

Then I have a half finished story I want to finish up for a Ravenous Anthology on gods and goddesses. I've run into a slight problem with that one: Length. It was supposed to be 10,000 words or less. My plot alone now seems closer to 40K words. That doesn't include writing the rest of it! It might not work, but I'm going to try it and see if it's feasible. I'll see how it goes.

Last, I have a contemporary addition to my Shadow State story from the Black Rose line of Wild Rose. It's the here-and-now of my German werewolf story. I have the vaguest of ideas for that one, and need to take an entire weekend to really break it. I don't want to do cliche but on the other hand, there are only so many things I CAN do.

But first, my week-long break. And who knows? Sleep might actually be a part of it. :) Wolverine definitely will be! As will Star Trek next week.

Dark Desire of the Druids Series:
Murder & Magick
Sex & Subterfuge
Desert & Destiny
Temptations & Treachery coming soon...

Civil War Anthology

Some of my fellow Scandalous Victorians and I recently decided that a Civil War Anthology would be a great idea. We all wrote stories revolving around it, and just yesterday we received our contracts from The Wild Rose Press!

This anthology will be available in downloadable form and in print, but I don't have a date for that. As soon as I do, I'll post it.

I'll post a summary of In the Shadows later this week.