Submission Hell take two

I've submitted a short. *crosses fingers* Let's hope this pub is a better match.

Submission Hell.

I just sent a story into Submission Hell. Let's hope this round is kind to me. It's short story that I'd like to see in an anthology. I've been wanting to do something with this particular publisher for a while.

I'm always nervous when entering Submission Hell. I get the submission packet together and hover the cursor over the send button for a while, get up, walk around, hope one the cats will hit the button for me, work up my nerve, and finally hit send.

My heart is pounding in my chest and I have the shakes.

It'll be several months until I hear something back, but keep your fingers crossed for me, please.

Ahh...submission hell.

Well, I now have another title in submission hell. Let’s keep our fingers crossed as this particular publisher is high on my “do want” list. I have some work with Freya’s Bower (published and in editing), so I’ve decided to go for another publisher on my target list. I’m not sure if this is a good fit or not. I figure a short for an anthology is a good way to test the waters.

Priorities

Every so often a writer needs to take a look at their work and set priorities. That’s what this post is about.

Published work:

“By Invitation Only” published by Oysters and Chocolate
A short story about a woman at an S&M party with something to prove to herself.

Contracted work:

“Personal Demon” under contract with Freya’s Bower.
One man’s struggle with lust and faith.

“Tainted Past” under contract with Freya’s Bower.
A young man with no sense of history seeks to discover his identity through the love and affection of two lovers. What makes a man? A catalog of memories or life as it happens?

“Full Circle” under contract with Freya’s Bower.
In a war-torn world a group of vampires fight internal and external foes.

Work in submissions:

“Selling Foxx”
Matthew Fox learns the ropes of working at a host club. A series of mistakes makes him wonder if his first customer will be his last.


A-list WIPs:

“About to Sin” currently at 103k words
An out and proud ER doctor meets up with a closeted Roman Catholic priest and they have to fight their pasts to discover their futures.

“Broken Soul” currently at 6k words
A beaten-by-life street kid finds value within himself through the faith and affection of a snarky, cynical and irreverent priest.

B-list WIP’s:

“Finding Mr. Right-ish” currently in handwritten notes
A comedy piece about two roommates. One spends his life trying to find the perfect lover. The other wonders why he’s in love with someone who is oblivious.

“Sci-fi story” 4,300 words
A screw-up crew of a cargo carrier has to battle the Karne while delivering goods to a war zone.

C-list WIPs

“Purposed Chaos” currently at 116k words
It has been said that when two souls are destined for each other they will cry out until they are heard and answered. These cries, pleas and yearnings will shatter the boundaries of time and space. This need for each other will also destroy what blocks it.

When the discipline of purpose mingles with the chance of chaos, the universe is thrust into a paradox. A paradox of purposed chaos.

These are the stories of two such souls and their trysts within Purposed Chaos. . .

“Nyx’s Knights” currently at 28k words.

Malevolent and benevolent forces battle for control over a recovering world. One side has Nyx and his assassins. The glorified errand boys working for Nyx fight powerful foes, but their greatest enemy is themselves.

“Recovered Flotsam” currently at 16k words.

A young man blossoming into his sexuality is trapped on a boat with a sadistic serial killer. When he finally escapes, the love he’s been longing for might be with the man providing CPR if only he could exorcize the ghosts of his past long enough to enjoy his new freedom.

D-list WIP’s

No point in listing them at this time.

Awesome news!

I just signed two contracts with Freya's Bower. One for Tainted Past and one for Full Circle! ^_^ Woo-hoo!

Since I'm working with a different editor and a different publishing house, Full Circle will be edited again before being released. There shouldn't be any substantial story changes. This also means I can give the sequel some attention and have confidence in it.

Bartender! A round for the house!

There goes that idea. Darn it.

So, I won't be submitting the story in question to Coming Together: With Pride.

Phaze will not accept any story with a Catholic priest/nun in a sexual situation. According to their FAQ's, they won't even consider it. >.<

Call of Submissions: Coming Together: with Pride

I wanted to spread the world on this anthology.

http://www.eroticanthology.com/withpride.htm

Net profits will be donated to HIV/AIDS research. Coming Together has produced several charity anthologies: breast cancer research, a charity in the UK that deals with premature babies, and hurricane relief efforts to just name a few.

Alessia Brio is the editor for the Coming Together series. I've not had much interaction with her, but what I've seen she seems competent and pleasant. Phaze is publishing this edition of the series and they're reputable.

Alessia is seeking shorts up to 12,000 words and any genre is welcome. I assume the normal taboos apply (no pedophilia, no necrophilia and no bestiality.) The story does not have to deal with HIV/AIDS.

An anthology is a good place to get exposure. One such as this isn’t a paying market, but it is writing credit and the book will be both print and ebook. Besides, knowing that you did something for charity just feels good. I’m not sure who else will be submitting to them, but there’s usually good talent with this series. Even if you don’t want to submit anything to the anthology, please, check out the work and help these good causes.

Wish me luck!

This morning I subbed "Personal Demon" to ED for a special edition in January 2008.

One day in the life of one priest's struggle to find harmony in a life of faith and carnal desires.

I went all out with the 9,000 words for this call of submission. And by “all out” I mean, I may have gone too far. I don’t think it’s too far for ED, because I don’t think I’m capable of writing something too far for them. They’re one of the most daring pubs out there and I think it’s their format that lets them take these kinds of risks. However, this story is way too far for most publishers.

In this title, I hope I’ve really captured the struggle of temptation and what’s not to like about priest in a cassock being tempted by a deacon in liturgical clothing inside the kitchen of the church while waiting for the bishop to show up? I mean…come ON it doesn’t get any better than that! (Or worse than that, depending on how you look at it.)

Ok, that’s not really enough judge the story is it?

In 9,000 words, I covered these fetishes: Religious themes, candle play, water play (not golden), autoerotic S&M, D/s, food play, temperature play, spanking and something with a rubber band that I'm not sure what to call other than non-binding CBT.

Yep, I’m going to hell. And, yes, I ate a celebratory cookie.

Oh, but to make my ticket to hell an express one. I have the deacon tempting the priest with a strawberry while the priest wonders if the tree had been planted in the garden for a reason. Come on…do I have to spell it out any clearer than THAT? Ok, fine, does it help hammer the point home if I tell you the priest refers to the deacon as his personal apple? I feel creatively evil when I think of this wicked little story. (Secretly hopes God curves the test scores when it comes to fiction.)

With a beginning like this…

He was not a kind lover to himself. He knew this. The acknowledgement didn’t make him stop, but…well…there’s something to be said for knowing one’s sins.

…if you’re not expecting kink, then you don’t know erotica. Basically, this story let me ask and answer what would happen if Anand gave Daniel everything Daniel thought he wanted. No, these characters aren’t Anand and Daniel, but I wanted to toy with someone who didn’t have the limitations that Anand has.

Here’s the berry temptation bit (author-only editing):

The smell of cologne returned and a strawberry appeared before Father Blake’s nose. The deep red skin promised sweetness. At least they’d decided to not include apple slices on the fruit tray.

“Try one. They’re quite good.” Gianni inched the strawberry closer to Blake’s lips.

With just the coolness from the berry registering to his skin, Father Blake turned his head to face the pursuer he didn’t want to evade. “This isn’t wise, Gianni.”

“It’s just a berry, Blake.” Gianni turned his hand and bit off the tip of the strawberry. A mist of juice settled upon his lips as he chewed it exactly twice before swallowing. The tip of his tongue traced the bite mark and dipped into the center of the fruit.

Blake’s knees nearly betrayed him.

“Just a…” Gianni returned the berry to Blake’s lips. “…a berry. A sweet one.”

The edge of the bite mark traced Blake’s lips. The sweet aroma of the fruit filled his nostrils. The tree had been planted in the garden for a reason, right? For the life of him, Father Blake couldn’t remember why. Liquid sweetness from the berry slicked across his lips. When he darted his tongue out to taste the residue, his tongue tagged the side of the berry.

Gianni, apparently, wouldn’t let that slip by.

The dimpled skin of the strawberry slid between Blake’s lips. Equal amounts of tart and sweet put a tang upon his tongue. With his eyes locked with Gianni’s, he pushed his tongue into the hollow of the berry, mashing the fruit’s flesh as he tasted it. Juice from the berry flooded his mouth and dribbled over his lips to his chin. The actual taste of the strawberry barely registered to his mind, but he knew this had to be the best tasting strawberry of his life.

Gianni’s fingers, still holding the top of the fruit, pressed against Blake’s lips. Drawing his tongue back, Blake took the berry deeply into his mouth. The fruit split upon his tongue as he crushed it against the roof of his mouth. Father Blake closed his eyes.

Twice in half as many days, the serpent bit him.

Tiny seeds crunched between Blake’s molars as he snatched Gianni’s wrist. Pulp slid on the back of his tongue when he kissed Gianni’s palm. The tip of his nose tucked between two fingers and he swallowed what remained in his mouth. Before he realized what he was doing, he licked the center crease of the Gianni’s palm. His tongue roamed and pushed as if it were trying to find more fruit. Opening his eyes, he found his vision flanked by Gianni’s fingers and filled with the light gleaming off the deacon’s cross lapel pin on the open black blazer.

Wincing, he pushed the hand away and cut his eyes up. Why now? Caught in a choke-hold by his burden, he sputtered, “Kiss me.”


I hope ED accepts this story. It’s gonna be tough to find another publisher who lets me push the envelope like I have with this one.

The biggest problem with this story was merging the first 1200 words with the rest. This story started out as a very short one shot that was very smoke and mirrors and heavy with the symbolism. It’s not a voice I normally use and although I maintained the symbolism, I think I kind of dropped the ball on the voice a little bit. Then again, I may have not dropped the ball. The first 1200 words is just one character and it’s easy to let them get lost in their own thoughts and issues when that’s going on. So…well…we’ll see. I’m still giddy that I finished it on time and with what I think is damn good work.

In other news…

I just had my post-op follow up and I’m healing just fine. No infections and no worries. I intend on getting back into the writing process series tonight. Hopefully, I'll have a post ready shortly for that.

Wish me luck. ^.^

I wrote a very short het story. O.O I know. I don’t believe it either. Took me a while to find some potential publishers for it as I’m not familiar with the het market. I wrote this thing many months ago and figured it wasn’t doing me any good sitting on my HDD. A rejection is better than not trying at all.

So, I’ve found a few publications to try. Please, wish me luck as I dip a pinky toe into this genre.

Time to Celebrate!

AWESOME NEWS!

I’ve been given permission to announce…


“Selling Foxx” was picked up by Lady Aibell Print.

Woo-hoo!

*happy dance over here*

*happy dance over there*

I’m beginning to think I just might cut it as a writer. XD

Today’s Word of the Post comes from Hutchinson’s Dictionary of Difficult Words and is rated M for Mature. Adults only please.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=gamic

This was the second word I selected to check. It must be a lucky day.

gamic Adj 1) sexual 2) Of or requiring fertilization to reproduce; sexual. 3) requiring fertilization.

I’m pretty sure this word is more scientific than I want it to be, but let’s try a little “artistic license.”

Where were we when we last visited with Mark…

~~~

Mark’s chattering and shaking subsided under the unnamed man’s watch. Comfort soaked into the lacerations in his back and heat from the fire penetrated his muscles. He no longer felt the floor or blanket beneath him. His breath effortlessly entered and exited his lungs. He, simply, was. In a state of existence with only one befitting title – being.

The man above him, however, bore proof of more gamic desires. A firm cock pressed between the halves of Mark’s ass. As his punisher turned lover massaged, kissed and tended to him, the state of the man’s arousal became more and more evident.

A soft kiss brushed Mark’s cheek. He needed to know the name his enigma. “May I know the name of my caregiver?”

“You may call me, Sir, until I tell you otherwise.” Sir’s voice deep baritone voice rumbled through Mark’s chest.

“That seems a bit formal, would you not agree?”

Sir shifted back on Mark’s hips lifting his fingers from the injured man’s shoulders.

Mark smirked. “Sir, it is.” The man could be called anything he wanted as long as those fingers didn’t stop. The touch returned and Mark softly moaned. Being tied to the post and vapulated had pulled at his shoulders. Sir’s persistent fingers found and erased all the strain and any lingering ache.

Mark wasn’t one to question a blessing or favor, but one thing niggled at his mind. Why would someone turn from punisher to lover? “Sir, why are you doing this?”

“I knew,” Sir leaned to the side and started draping bandages over Mark’s back, “your reaction come the third lash.”

Mark hiked an eyebrow. That was odd, because Mark didn’t know his reaction until much later.

“There was a look in your eyes that begged me to stop while pleading for me to continue.” Sir teethed Mark’s earlobe and whispered, “A look that I could not disregard.”

“And yet you still…” Mark let his voice trail off. He’d rather be disregarded than have his skin split open.

Sir laughed and it almost felt condescending. “Do you really think you felt the full brunt of my whip?” He draped a cloth over Mark’s back and titled onto the floor. “If it didn’t seem earnest, I would have been replaced.” He ran his fingers through Mark’s hair long dark hair. “Such a thing would be unacceptable.”