Getting that Shorty Published – Who’s Got the 5K?

Shorts, poetry, and flash are great opportunities to exercise your writing skills as well as getting your name on a bookshelf. Yes, we all have a magnum opus either in our heads or on Amazon, but those aren’t written in a mere week. Large works are tough to sell – and guess what? So are the small works!

It’s true, but if you are new to the writing biz, you’ll have a better chance of publishing exposure beyond the indie/vanity presses if you gather the guts and submit. But first, there are a few pointers I’d like to share with you Manaballers. After all, I’ve been published a whopping THREE times this month with a fourth and fifth hopefully on the way. Ahem… So, here’s what worked for me:

Where to Find Calls for Submissions?

Facebook. I know, everyone secretly hates the damn thing, but as an author, this is a powerful tool. Yes, you get to first meet really cool people on Twitter, but hog calls for collections and anthologies don’t always pop up on the feed. It scrolls past faster than goose turds through a tin horn and you only get 140 characters to advertise. Every time I’ve been published (or attempted to publish), I had heard the battle cry on Facebook. It’s as detailed as the publisher wants it to be and it allows other applicants to hook up and compare notes.

Get to Know the Publisher.

I’ve been published by James Ward Kirk’s horror anthologies three times so far. First, in Serial Killers Tres Tria, then in his anthology Bones, and just the other day I had secured a story for Ugly Babies. James and his fleet of editors are now my friends on Facebook and we not only talk about books, we also sit around and bullshit about anything, really. I don’t even consider him anything more or less than a friend now (Heh, I like to call him Cap’n – Trekkies will understand why). I’ve just become part of his scene.

Follow the Rules.

When you read the Facebook post for submissions, you must, and I cannot stress this more, MUST follow the submission guidelines to a “T“. The safest bet is to format your manuscript in the time-honored SHUNN style. If you have any questions about the submission’s parameters, email the publisher and ask. Yes, your story may rival the wordsmithing of Edgar Allan Poe, but don’t send the damn thing in between two pieces of white bread with mayo. You’re not Julian Schnable. Here is the precise format for the SHUNN style. Follow it. You will be thankful you did!

http://www.shunn.net/format/story.html

Newbies – Don’t Showboat.

This is just a piece of advice, but not set in stone. Say if the submission guidelines allow for twenty thousand words maximum, I’d err on something smaller. Look at it like this: You’re an indie or self-publisher new to the game. Fair enough, but if you write a tale that is 19,999 words and then Neil Gaiman submits against you, you’re going to get knocked out of the running no matter how tight your story. Why? Ink. Mr. Gaiman is a bigger draw than you just by name alone. A publisher will be hesitant to feature and spotlight an unknown over a bigger, better-established name. Sorry, that’s just business. I’d do the same thing if I were in their position. Don’t be afraid to submit a short story, but I’d keep the language economical until your name generates more buzz.

Submit Early!

You’re a newb and you see the call on Facebook and you check the date. THREE DAYS UNTIL DEADLINE! Sure, give it a shot, but expect nothing. By this time, Stephen King and Tom Clancy have signed, sealed and delivered their contracts. I made this error when submitting to Neverland Library at the last minute. The good folks there said: “Yo, M.C. We loved your story, but we could not fit you in because so many well-established names are in the hopper at this point.” They even advised me to submit early in the future. I see their point. These babies fill up FAST! Work!

Don’t Go Broke on Edits.

I have a proofreader I pay to clean up my novels. These are 400+ page books. That really adds up to a pretty penny. For flashes and shorts, find other authors you trust in your social network and have them beta read it. My friend, the U.K. Horror/Bizarro author of Darke Times, David Eccles and I have an unsaid relationship to beta read each others works. Thus far, our efforts have worked well and this is very important. Every thing we’ve beta’d for each other has been published. Not bad. Use the buddy system. Find that author-friend you trust and develop that beta relationship. It really works in the end.

Stick with Your Fave Genre.

If you are a horror writer, I’d advise against branching into an erotica collection. The publisher will probably call the cops on you. (Of course,that would be pretty fuckin’ cool). But, yeah, you’ll have a better chance of acceptance if you stick with your usual mindset, and style. Besides, you’ll get a better buzz in the future if you huddle to your own ship than trying to jump the shark.

The Rule of Cool.

You do understand that you will get rejected in this business, right? Okay, glad we’re on the same page. My friend David Mack, yes, the author of Kabuki, says to always obey the Rule of Cool. Rejection is a part of any business, but definitely common for writing. Again, you WILL get rejections. Don’t take it personally. I’ve gone over the reasons you may not get the ink. but just like McDonald’s, it’s a business. Deal with it. But remember not to be an asshole when you get the boot. The publisher may not accept you THIS time, but maybe tomorrow? Keep your connections in your back pocket. Don’t chew-out a publisher who says “no.”

Kabuki by my dude David Mack

Okay, you’ve read this and you’re solid. Find it, write it, submit! Godspeed, you!

UPDATE: James Ward Kirk has informed me that he and Shawna Leigh Bernard are the sole editors for James Ward Kirk Fiction. Ms. Bernard is the mastermind behind the anthologies Ugly Babies and Cellar Door. This addenda was posted for clarification. Thank you.

“Darke” Side of the Moon – Author David Eccles Interviewed

It’s time for Royal Manaball to give a little back. Yours truly has been interviewed loads of times already. The Vinny Eastwood Show, The Jeff Daugherty Show, The Silver Bullet Sunday and Maria DeVivo, but now, I’m going to pay it back (and forward). This transmission, we will spotlight British author David Eccles.

July has been a big month for this chap. A debut collection of short stories titled Darke Times and Other Stories plus simultaneous releases in various anthologies – all in one month! We at Royal Manaball can only congratulate him on his skill and luck for this great time! Without further ado… David Eccles!

Author David Eccles

So, David. Darke Times. Read it. Reviewed it. Loved it. It’s quite eclectic. You seem to be able to tackle any genre thrown at you. How does this work for you? What is your process?

“It’s not something that I normally share with anyone, but I do tend to suffer bouts of depression from time to time, and for the most part, I am generally thought of as a moody person, and I rarely smile. I do not, however, take any medication for my depression. Don’t get me wrong, I can have a good laugh with people and get drunk and make a fool of myself, but mainly I prefer my own company, and my bedroom is where I like to be when I write.

“I have a fantastic imagination, and when I get a good idea for a story I play it back in my mind as if I am watching a movie (I’m also a huge movie geek). The areas I like to focus on when it comes to writing are horror, science fiction, and fantasy, with a little zany humor thrown in, of course!”

One common thread with Darke Times is that it is out of the ordinary. I’ve not really read any take on these genres featured quite like it because you have a talent to twist and subvert them. It’s almost like you’re fed up with genre and have decided to take a fun, intelligent poke at them. Am I right?

“It’s not that I’m bored with genre itself; it’s more that I don’t want to be thought of as a one-trick pony; someone who can only write in one particular genre. For me, sometimes it feels as if it’s the stories themselves who control me, and that I have no control over what I write. It’s like they need to be written, and that I’ve been chosen as the conduit. I can choose to write a horror story when I sit down to write, only to find that when I’m done for the day it’s turned out to be a science fiction story! At other times, though, I can come up with an idea and know right away from beginning to end just what it’s about and where I want to go with it and I just hammer it out!”

Would you consider yourself Bizarro? I’d say so, because these tales are unlike anything I’ve read – and I’ve read loads.

“I’ve not read too much Bizarro, and have only recently become aware of the genre, but I do tend to write some really freaky shit sometimes, so if you say that what I write is Bizarro, I’ll happily go along with that if it means that I get grouped with the likes of Jeremy C. Shipp, Andersen Prunty, and Carlton Mellick III!”

Speaking of Bizarro, fellow British author Steve Aylett is considered the godfather of Bizarro (as well as the possible inspiration for the film The Matrix). Are you a fan?

“To my shame, I’ve not read anything by him – yet. But I’ll get around to it. It’s hard both reading and writing, but as they say: if you don’t read, then you’re not a writer!

I shall remedy the situation a.s.a.p.! I love where Steve says books just appear in his brain like a visual “glob” that looks like a piece of gum. That’s great imagination!”

You and I are both being released later in horror master James Ward Kirk’s anthology Serial Killers Tres Tria (which may have recently been retitled). What’s your thoughts? It’s a bit like waiting for Christmas, yeah?

Serial Killers Tres Tria

“We are indeed! I think that the title remains the same. You may be confusing it with the second volume, “Serial Killers Iterum”. The waiting for the date of publication to come around is always a killer, yes. It’s normally the waiting to hear whether one’s submission has been accepted that is usually the cause of many a sleepless night! I was fortunate enough to be accepted for two of James’s anthologies within a week, and the longest that I had to wait to hear of my acceptance into the anthologies was two days!

“The first anthology of James’s that I was accepted into, “Sex, Drugs & Horror” has to date not yet appeared as an e-book. I bought myself a copy of the paperback and actually received it this morning!”

Sex, Drugs and Horror

So, you’re on the H.M.S. Bounty. You throw Captain Bligh into the drink and wind up marooned on an unidentified island in the Outer Hebrides. What three books must you take ashore? Friggin’ in the riggin’! I know, this is a tough one.

“From a practical point of view, they’d be survival books, like “No Need to Die – Real Techniques of Survival” by Eddie McGee. He’s a legend when it comes to survival techniques! I used to be into all kinds of stuff, including survivalism, but I guess you mean books of a true literary nature that I couldn’t live without. In that case, my three choices would be: To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee; A Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens, and finally, if I may include an omnibus, The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde.”

Wait! Not letting you off the hook here. I used to be a shrink, so we’re going to play a bit of word association. Answer as best as you can:

Clive Barker or Stephen King?

“Stephen King.”

Terry Pratchett or Neil Gaiman?

“Terry Pratchett.”

Alan Moore or Grant Morrison?

“Grant Morrison, definitely. Alan Moore has gone “weird” as of late.”

Rolling Stones or the Beatles?

“The Beatles.”

Sex Pistols or the Clash?

“Most definitely The Clash! I saw them in 1978 on their “Give ‘em Enough Rope” tour and came away from the gig with one of Joe Strummer’s badges off his shirt!”

Pretend it’s the ‘90’s again. It’s Blur versus Oasis. Who should win?

“Blur. I cannot stand the Gallagher brothers, and could happily punch Liam in the face all day and not get bored in the slightest!”

All right. Done with that. Speaking of music, I’ve learned you are a fan of Prog-rock. Me too. Who are some of your faves?

“Yes; Pink Floyd; The Moody Blues; Focus, Emerson, Lake and Palmer; The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, and Supertramp, to name a few.”

You have a shitload of beautiful tattoos. I have none. Do they hurt?

“Tattoos do hurt, and anyone who tells you that they don’t is a liar! Some areas are very sensitive indeed! When I had Poison Ivy done as part of my Batman sleeve, I really felt it in my armpit! For the most part, though, I tend to tune out the pain and have been known to fall asleep while being tattooed! It’s a very strange kind of pain; a pain that you can endure, and it is very addictive! Once you have one tattoo you want more!”

Have you any advice for new writers? Any pitfalls to avoid or has it all been a fun journey?

“Wow! That’s a hard one, seeing as I’m a noobie myself! I guess all that I can really say to anyone is to read as much as you can, so that you can learn how it should be done and can recognize a writer’s style, and to write as much as you can, whenever you can and develop a style of your own. I’m like a ferret, and will root out any information that I need to know. I’m always looking to learn new things, and that’s why I designed my own book cover too, instead of hiring a professional. I wanted the skills to do it all myself. I guess I’m a perfectionist and don’t like people telling me what I can or can’t do, and what I should or shouldn’t do. And you should get involved with as many writers and authors as you can, because they’ll always help you out, as you have done for me, Mark. Twitter is one of the best resources for writers to find help and new friends. It’s where I met you!

“As for pitfalls: I’m fortunate enough to not have experienced any pitfalls whatsoever–unless one counts finding out that my book had been uploaded to a website without my permission on the very same day that I published it, forcing me to issue a notice of copyright infringement to the website. My book was removed within a couple of hours, so that was a relief!”

Thank you, David. Had a fine time here. Please look below for all of David’s relevant links and follow him! Get Darke Times and Other Stories – now available from numerous retailers!

All details for contacting David can be found on his about.me page here.

Visit David’s blog, Fresh Crumbs From An Old Loaf.

“Darke Times and Other Stories” is widely available. A list of vendors can be found by clicking on the image below.

Darke Times and Other Stories

Coming Up

Hello, everyone!

Been a bit scarce lately, but I have been busy with numerous short story submissions to various anthologies. I know, you might think, “You’ve tapped out two novels! Why short stories?” Here’s why:

I love anthologies. Sure, they are collections of short stories and flash where you aren’t treated to thick plots chock-full of an orchestra of characters, but sometimes, a short story can be so fun to write. I suppose it’s like sharpening your teeth for a Main Event, but they are what they are. Although I might be a bit old school when it comes to the publishing game, I have normally found new authors whom I love via these collections. And, damn it! I just want to be in one.

Already, I have been accepted into The Apocalypse Collective’s anthology Echoes of the Wasteland. My editor Michel King has been great and I would love to work with her again in the future. She’s a whip-cracker, but you will be assured a tight product. My story is called Petey Says. Like most of everything I write, this one is pretty dark, but contains no humor whatsoever. Kinda sad, actually. Michel said she cried while reading it. You might too.

After that, I have just submitted a shorty, Holiday in Modal City,  for the Neverland’s Library Anthology of Rediscovery. This is a fantasy-based, nature-themed ditty featuring a heavy use of Hindu mythology. I really want to get into this collection. Like, really bad. Please cross your fingers, guys.

William Cook is a master of the horror genre. His upcoming anthology “Fresh Fear” focuses on quiet, psychological horror. I am waiting on the scoop for my submission entitled Unholy Mortal Sin. The terror in this tale is the horrible life and mind of the featured protagonist. Sometimes real life is the worst terror of all. You’ll see.

Currently, I am working on a short called Conduct Disorder for horror maven James Ward Kirk’s anthology Serial Killers Tres Tria. It’s Mr. Kirk’s third installment of his serial killer series and, let me just say, this yarn is rough! Imagine what happens if you are born into a family of rich Satanists and you finally get Barbie’s Dream House for Walpurgisnacht when you are a little girl. Yeah… Total shit-storm.

Speaking of James Ward Kirk, I’d like to give a shout-out to my friend and fine Briton David Eccles whose story Doing it for JRD (Justice, Revenge and Deliverance), has just been greenlighted into Kirk’s anthology Sex, Drugs and Horror. It’s NASTY and raw and will hit the shelves in July. Good job, David!

As promised, I will be releasing my own anthology of shorts, flash and prose called Everybody Must be Crushed around November or December. It’s a collection of Bizarro tales focusing on the prevalent culture of anger pervading the 2010’s. Totally sarcastic and weird, these stories will make you say, “Huh?”

Not one of these submissions are YA-friendly, but, you know? I have gotta do what I have gotta do.

I’ll keep you posted to my progress, and whatever the outcome, I’ll keep writing. Thank you, guys.

Ksenia Anske’s “Easter Bunny Apocalypse”

Well, it was bound to happen, but I was invited to partake in my first flash fiction compilation. The theme was (drum roll) –The Easter Bunny Apocalypse.

Whaa???

Yes, I know, be careful what you wish for, but I had so much fun!

Here’s how it all went down…

Author of The Siren Suicides, Ksenia Anske had a fevered idea to coordinate a flash fiction potluck of writers from various genres from all over the world. USA, Mexico, EGYPT!!! the UK and, of course, Canada (and two from Chicago – murder capital of the world) took a shot at kicking the tar out of the Easter Bunny (that bastard).

I want an apocalypse NOW, dammit!

And so, the plot had to be:

a)      Crazy, and

b)      About the possible end of the world in the springtime.

How ironic, don’t ya think?

Love it or hate it, those were the rules. We scribes had a world of possibilities before us!

The end product was awesome and tight, thanks to the editing wonders of Ms. Colleen M. Albert. I mean, what more could a project want than free editing! (That doesn’t come cheap). I feel a bit bad for her as she had to connect the dots with our eclectic and, admittedly, insane plot-points and styles. Some of us were poetic, some zany and others spot-on with adventure writing. British author David Eccles, was kind enough to blog the experience as well!

Twenty chapters and yours truly was number nineteen. EEKS!

After reading J. Luis Licea’s inspiring entry to the story, I just had to jump the gun and tap out Chapter Nineteen well before my time was due. You can read it right here. Very divine I must say, and I mean this literally.

Must admit, my preemptive shenanigans threw a turd in the Easter basket, but damn it, we sailed to the shores of Switzerland with this one!

READ THE EASTER BUNNY APOCALYPSE HERE! CHAPTER ONE!

The best part of it all was I had the opportunity to connect with amazing new friends in the writing field. This was something foreign to me as I’ve never hung with the scribe-crowd before.  I wish all of you guys the best, and you will be with me for as long as I can hold on to you.

In no particular order:

Ksenia Anske

David Eccles

Baz Nova

Brandon Yusuf Toropov

J. Luis Licea

Becky Flade

Colleen M. Albert

Danielle Tauscher

Dustin McKenzie

Rosalind Smith-Nazilli

Sandra Hould

Diogenes Ruiz

Michel Lee King

Lori Lesko

Aliaa Jordan El-Nashar

Kevin Nielsen (the Canadian dude)

Cat Scully

Kai Kiriyama

Doug Karlson

Sheila Hall

Andrew Hovenden

Seth Werkheiser

You guys are the greatest. Hold on to me, and I’ll hold on to you!

HAPPY EASTER!

Flash Fiction – Bojingle’s Java Bean Trading Company (Second Interview).

I wanted to submit this story to James Roy Daley’s Books of the Dead Press Flash Fiction Review, but it’s too long for that venue. I’ll link this back to him anyway. Here’s my aborted submission due to lack of brevity, but you all might like it. Warning: It’s Bizarro and not typical of my prose and not YA.

Bojingle’s Java Bean Trading Company (Second Interview)

Wild eyebrows. The regional manager tapping away across the desk from me has some really wild eyebrows. Like, there is something special about this guy. He probably has a distinct blood type that makes one a regional manager from birth. I wish at that moment that I have hemo-vision and I could see his awesome blood trucking through miles of veins and arteries behind his skin. There is true gold in there and I feel a pang of terror and I hate myself for a split second.

It’s one of those offices constructed only for him; only for use on certain occasions like interviews. I knew that if I get hired here that I’d never see this man again unless there was a mass shooting or a horrible embezzlement. Closing my eyes, I imagine some crazy kid shooting the shit out of the coffee shop while I am on my shift. Like that insane guy in that Uwe Boll movie.

I like Uwe Boll. Nobody likes him, but he hates Michael Bay and I hate Michael Bay because he can’t make a burly movie. Watching one of Michael Bay’s films is like going on a date with a really hot girl and not having a hope for getting any. I feel a connection with that. An Uwe-connection! I want to join a tribe where Uwe Boll is the chief. He and I could go on a vision quest to Hollywood to slay Michael Bay and then I would become a man. A real one.

The regional manager stops being busy on his terminal and turns to me. He turns to me in grand style with his golden blood. Motherfucker. This guy is a real man – I can feel it!

RM: “Okay, Mr. [NAME REDACTED], it looks like the store’s manager was really impressed with your first go-around with us. I see that you have all the educational requirements and personal interests we are looking for. Nice…

Yes, I agreed in my mind. That is nice. His voice is nice (of course). Really mellow and stuff. Mine can’t match it, I’m sad to say.

RM: “So, let’s hear what you have to tell us. What’s up with you, buddy?”

I’m a buddy. YES! I’m a buddy and this is good.

ME: “I’m… You know, looking for work in this sector and stuff…”

That too was good. That was tight. It would suffice and I think he’d follow me on Twitter and shit. I’m a buddy!

RM: “Yep. We like to see that. That’s good.”

YES! I think. Wonderful. I knew it. I kind of hate him; I want to kill him, but I knew this already. Coffee-pumping!

ME: “Good to know.” (I mean that with sincerity).

RM: “Look, I’m not going to pull punches here. I want to really know you. What can you do for Bojingle’s?”

ME: “I’m always on time and I’m a hard worker,” I recite by rote. A classic clincher.

RM: “Sure, sure. But… what is special about you? What is unique?”

I can shit monkeys, I think. I can lay baboons out of my asshole and they can pick up the slack during a hot breakfast rush while all the cokehead, corporate bastards like you need to get up and go!  FIGHT! All the women in the shop will be amazed as I turd baboon-baristas out of my butt. They’ll love it and you would too. They might want to love me more than you in that moment.

ME (muffled, inaudible): “I wrestled a kangaroo when I was five.”

RM: “See, [NAME REDACTED], that’s what I’m talking about! That’s what-the-fuck I’m talking about! But we need to see balls at Bojingle’s. Have you got ‘em?”

Balls. I have balls.

ME: “Yes, I have balls.”

RM: “What about your package?”

Package. It’s a word that defies definition and I get scared. It implies “stuff.”

ME: “Packages are good.”

RM (embarrassed, but not really): “I mean your junk. Your cock and balls, dude. We at Bojingle’s know what sells and we need anacondas to keep the ladies coming back. No trouser-mice allowed. So, stand up and show me what you got!”

Cocks and coffee. It’s a solid philosophy, I agree, and a good business acumen. As the early-evening sun sprays across the white wall behind him, I see a faux-façade of an inverted pentagram emerge from it. Within the star’s strokes, a graphic of a goat’s head is nestled. That’s metal. So fucking metal here.

I imagine Vince Neil stopping by the shop while I’m on shift and he tells me that I’m “fucking metal” as I make a hot macchiato for him. It’s the ultimate. I can’t wait for the third and fourth interviews, I think as I stand up and unzip.

I Won the “Very Inspiring Blogger Award!”

Fellow writer on the Easter Bunny Apocalypse flash fiction project, David Eccles was kind enough to award me The Very Inspiring Blogger Award. Seriously, I’m quite flattered! Many thanks to you, David.

You can check out David’s wonderful blog on writing right here: http://vikingbeard.wordpress.com/

Anyway, as I receive this award, I must pay it forward, so let me roll my eyes back into my mind and think about whose blogs inspire me. Hmm…

Oh wait! First, there are some rules. To keep in the form of this chain, please follow these guidelines:

1. Display the award logo on your blog.
2. State SEVEN facts about yourself.
3. Link back to the person who had already nominated you.
4. Nominate FIFTEEN other bloggers who deserve this award.
5. Notify each of the bloggers of your nomination.

Seven facts about M.C. O’Neill. Well, they’re more like factoids, but you’ll get the gist.

1. When I was five, I was punched in the eye by a kangaroo in Indiana. No one ever believes me that this happened, but it is the truth. Like the truth, it really hurt!
2. My father worked on rockets and nuclear weapons for the U.S. Army as a JAG.
3. Three, three… I forgot what three is.
4. I have recently developed lower back problems and must now get a cane. This sucks because I’m not even forty yet.
5. A few years back, I used to ink comic books.
6. I am of Rh- blood type and naturally immune to chicken pox.
7. I used to create fake mailers featuring absurd adverts and slip them into magazines.

The fifteen bloggers who richly deserve this award are featured here in no particular order:

1. Lada Ray. Leader of the all-new YA Revolution and author of the amazing Earth Shifter series. None of my lists would be complete without her! http://ladaray.wordpress.com/
2. 1 Earth Unite. Curated by Madeline Walsh, this survey of spirituality is more valuable than most books out there on the topic! Check out her entry on the Sufi Path. http://1earthunite.wordpress.com/
3. Three, three… I forgot who three is.
4. Seer Pathways. Lisa Frideborg’s wonderful site about angelic tarot studies (among other types of decks). Uplifting and definitely inspiring! http://seerpathways.com/
5. The Legend Begins. Author Wendi Potocki’s thoughts and analyses on the horror genre. Really insightful stuff I’d never considered. http://legendofthingsonsticks.wordpress.com/
6. Middle Chamber FX. Curated by Knight Templar Freemason and insider Frater X. ‘Nuff said. http://middlechamberfx.wordpress.com/tag/frater-x/
7. Ksenia Anske. Author of The Siren Suicides and Glorious Leader of the Easter Bunny Apocalypse. Great information on writing. Definitely one for the YA Revolution, but damn, girl, you gotta finish this! http://www.kseniaanske.com/
8. Katherine Vucicevic. Aussie Sci-fi writer who actually badges me! Really great wisdom on how to write. Love the site, but I’m still trying to find her novel O’Tura! I wanna read it!!! http://sci-fi-novel-otura.blogspot.com.au/
9. Dionne Lister. Another amazing Aussie who is the author of Shadows of the Realm. It’s about dragons! DRAGONS! Wellspring of info on self-publishing. http://dionnelisterwriter.wordpress.com/
10. David Van Dyke. Love this author’s blog. Great advice on writing. Case in point: BE ENTERTAINING! And always wear a gasmask… http://davidvandyke.wordpress.com/
11. Books of the Dead Press. Brainchild of the goriest horror author out there – James Roy Daley. Really, need I say more? http://www.booksofthedeadpress.com/
12. JJ Collins. A fountain of information on book reviews and writing in general. Love the blog! http://jjcollinsauthor.com/
13. James Riklef’s Tarot Blog. A surgical analysis of tarot. Card-by-card. Great stuff! http://jamesricklef.wordpress.com/
14. Paulette Mahurin. Author of The Persecution of Mildred Dunlap. Read the book. Read the blog. Just do it! She may know more than all of us combined! http://thepersecutionofmildreddunlap.wordpress.com/
15. Andersen Prunty. Author of The Fuckness and one of my favorite writers possibly EVER! The blog has lots of cool info on writing and book production. http://www.andersenprunty.com/

So there you have it. These are folks I think you really need to follow.

Look, don’t feel obligated to partake in this, just feel warmed in the knowledge that you guys have made a difference in someone’s life. Namely, MINE!

Have a good day!