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DirtyMartini

Over 90 days ago

United States

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19 Aug 2011

See, look at that...I'm a firm believer in getting mileage out of a story...not only did my story The Birthday Party win the first ever contest here on Stories Space, but I managed to get it in a rather nice looking online publication known as eFiction Magazine...

Here's the link...my story is on page five in the August issue, but of course you could just read it here... happy8

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http://www.efictionmag.com/

Check out the magazine, you'll see it runs over 100 pages and the layout and appearance are much nicer than most of the online publications I've seen...

I'd also like to point out, and you can see if you go through it...that they run colorful advertisements for books by up and coming independent authors...so, if you have a book out...e-book or print, contact Doug Lance and let him know about it...hey, it can't hurt...

19 Aug 2011

A little jazz with your morning coffee care of Wes Montgomery... coffee

coffee

18 Aug 2011

Quote by magnificent1rascal

Listen to you, sounding all mod-like and such. See, I told you you'd do great. =d>

And they said it couldn't be done, those naysayers of little faith...

See what happens when you give somebody a badge? They just become a whole new person... happy8

happy8

18 Aug 2011

Quote by Sherzahd

I agree. Too many times writers try to "smarten up" (never heard that phrase before) their work and it just loses the reader.

Yeah, well...you probably haven't heard that phrase before because I think I just made it up... happy8

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I was trying to think of what the opposite of "dumbing down" might be...and I'm glad you agree with me...and I agree with you...

Wow...we all agree today...doesn't that feel good? Lol... hello1

hello1

18 Aug 2011

Quote by standingbear
Stop Breaking Down, Junior Wells with Buddy Guy

I saw Buddy Guy with Junior back in the 80's...that is one of many concerts I wish I could see again now because I would appreciate it more...

It was a small club...The Lone Star Cafe in New York City...and Buddy had a very long guitar cord which allowed him to walk around the bar and even outside onto the sidewalk briefly...

Really great stuff... icon_smile

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18 Aug 2011

Today I feel apprehensive because I have to go back to the dentist...

18 Aug 2011

Quote by ladysharon
I won't dumb down anything I took the time and energy to write for someone to get mad because he/she doesn't know what a word or phrase means.

I agree with you wholeheartedly that you shouldn't "dumb down" anything...I do however, think that you should not do the opposite...try to "smarten up" a story by tossing in big words that are not commonly used, especially in dialogue...

Some people have to remember when they're writing a short story or a blog for the net, that that is exactly what they are writing...a short story or blog, and not a college term paper where they are trying to impress a professor...

I think that is what they are referring to in the article...

18 Aug 2011

‎"Mirror Dance aims to bring you the best in fantasy stories, art, and poetry. We hope to bring you stories with strong characters, well-crafted plots and settings you don't normally find in the genre."...don't know much more, except it is a "fantasy" journal...let me know what you figure out... happy8

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Mirror Dance: Submissions
http://mirrordancefantasy.blogspot.com/2008/01/submissions.html

I generally try to stick to paying submission calls here, but it's always good to get stuff published in journals or e-Zines because frankly the more you can put on your "writer's resume" is a good thing...you know, someday you may want to interest an agent or publisher...and it's always good to have something to show... icon_smile

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18 Aug 2011

Sane...

18 Aug 2011

Quote by Vana
I have been reading other people's stories, gotten inspired by them and then the moment I try to put that idea on to paper the feeling vanishes.

Btw...sometimes you have to put an idea down on paper/hard drive as soon as it hits you...especially if you have a lot of other things going on in your life at the moment...

I've lost many an idea because I didn't jot it down in time, don't feel that's something unusual that just affects you...it affects all writers...

Diane's comment about writing first thing in the morning is interesting...I've noted over the past couple of years, that I write poems best in the morning, and stories always seem to be written at night...often ending up going into the early morning, but always started at night...

"Why is this?" you may ask...I haven't a clue... dontknow

dontknow

17 Aug 2011

Quote by ladysharon
Just sent in a story.

Yeah, good luck with that...I'm telling you, for three grand, I really have to start thinking more about women's issues... icon_smile

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17 Aug 2011

Oh, here's a good one...The Good Housekeeping short story contest...no entry fee, story should reflect an aspect of women's lives today...and the best part...drum roll please...$3000.00 first prize....yeah, you read that right...Three Thousand big ones...that buys a lot of, um, whatever...good luck... happy8

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Fiction Contest - Short Story Contest - Good Housekeeping
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/win/fiction-contest?click=main_sr

17 Aug 2011

Here's a quick little blog type thingy on finding your voice when writing...and it points out, as someone here pointed out earlier in a writing group actually...that most people who read on the net read at a grade school level...so, leave those big five-dollar words in the dictionary where they belong... happy8

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Three steps to finding your true writing voice...
http://www.copyblogger.com/find-your-writing-voice/

17 Aug 2011

The New England Review is a literary publication that buys all sorts of literary type stuff...you know, poems, stories both fiction and non-fiction...and pays ten dollars a page...so, I guess you should use really big type... happy8

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The New England Review...
http://www.nereview.com/guidelines.html

17 Aug 2011

Here is something that I know will thrill more than a few people on this fine site...

Lost Dr. Seuss stories to be published in September
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/jacketcopy/2011/08/lost-dr-seuss-stories-to-be-published-in-september.html

So, once again you'll be able to get your Seuss fix... happy8

happy8

17 Aug 2011

Quote by courage2bfree
I understand the reasoning behind your rule!

Yeah, and if you've ever seen a site that doesn't have this rule...and you've seen ten stories in a row by the same author, you'd really appreciate it...it really works out better for the author to not have their stories all appear at once...

Just want to reiterate here...I think Lisa mentioned it somewhere in the forum before, but...if you submit multiple stories at once, there is no guarantee that they will appear on the front page in the order that you submit them...

So...if you want your stories to appear in a certain order, you're best to submit them one day at a time...

17 Aug 2011

Quote by Vana
Been feeling totally drained of inspiration these past couple of days and I am starting to feel like I am never going to write again.

Btw, Vana...I don't think that lacking inspiration for a couple of days is anything to be the least bit concerned about...if it was a couple of years, well...then I'd be concerned... happy8

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I usually get inspiration from reading other people's stories...when I read someone's story, I usually think in my mind my own version of how events may have unfolded if I was in that situation...

Things people tell me that have happened to them I've based stories on...heck, I've written poems after reading someone's Facebook status that I liked...so, I pretty much get inspiration anywhere...

I think that since I started writing a couple of years ago I look at things a different way...I certainly don't read stories the same way...takes me a lot longer actually, if it's a writer I like, I find myself sort of...hate to use the word "analyzing"...I think that's a bit too strong of a term, but more like "observing" how they describe things and their writing techniques...

Any of this help? Good Luck btw...though I really don't see a problem here... icon_smile

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17 Aug 2011

Quote by Dreamcatcher
you forgot the 37 people who just felt sorry for you... 83 - 37 = 46.. then there are the 12 people who didn't know who you were but clicked anyway.. 46 - 12 = 34.. at least 19 people are no longer on SS so.. 34 - 19 = 15... another 14 have already voted.. 15 - 14 = 1.. that leaves just me Alan.. I'll vote for you..

You know D-C...all I can say is, I'm really glad you're not my accountant...I have a feeling I'd be broke in no time... happy8

happy8

16 Aug 2011

Dessert...

16 Aug 2011

Tile...

15 Aug 2011

Quote by magnificent1rascal

If you got all your friends to view a story every day, it would be famous in just a couple of years...

You know you made me go do the math on this one...I have 83 people on my friends list at the moment...

So, if every one of them viewed a story once a day for a year...83 x 365 = 30,295...

Actually, it would take less than a year...I'll leave you in charge of organizing this project, I have the utmost faith in your abilities here Miss Rascal...good luck, btw... happy8

happy8

14 Aug 2011

Quote by Lisa
Do you feel it's important to read a lot to be able to write effectively?

I don't read a lot, at least as far as novels and the like are concerned...never have been much of a fiction reader, always read more "technical" stuff growing up...books about cars, music, stuff like that...

I've only started to read fiction in the last couple of years, since I started to write it actually...and I have to say I've read more fiction books in the last two years than I have in the previous forty...

Most of what I read though is short stories, on sites similar to here...I think reading certainly helps to write better stories...it would be hard to write a good story if you've never read one, in the same way as you couldn't paint a good picture of a rose if you've never seen one...something like that... happy8

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I don't necessarily agree that one has to read a lot to be able to write effectively...I personally take my influences from everything around me...

Hold on...let me go find a shirt picture...oh yeah, here it is...I may have posted this somewhere here before, but I think it's appropriate...

14 Aug 2011

Quote by magnificent1rascal
This made me laugh:

Who exactly is that one person in the chat rooms talking to, I wonder?

Oh, btw Miss Rascal...I think we may have finally found out the answer as to who the one person in the chat room is...

Uh hem...lol... happy8

happy8

12 Aug 2011

The Fiddlehead is a Canadian literary journal that pays real money...OK, it's Canadian money...but, they pay money for unpublished fiction and poetry...pays something like $40 Canadian, and two copies of the magazine...I wonder if I can just get paid in Canadian whiskey...hmmm, just a thought... happy8

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The Fiddlehead Submissions
http://www.thefiddlehead.ca/Submissions.html

12 Aug 2011

Do you like to write short flash fiction...and get paid? Well, looks like Vestal Review is the magazine made for you...pays decent money for real short type stuff, like ten cents a word for stories less than 100 words...I mean how the heck can you go wrong with that? They have different themes each issue, so read the submission guidelines carefully...good luck my Stories Space friends... icon_smile

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Vestal Review...
http://vestalreview.net/Guidelines.html

12 Aug 2011

Have a poem about the consequences of war or social injustice? Well, then this contest is for you...Consequence Magazine is having a contest for the best poem about the consequence of war or social injustice, hence the title of the magazine...no entry fee, you can submit up to three poems...first prize $200 and publication in the magazine...nice deal actually... happy8

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www.consequencemagazine.org
http://www.consequencemagazine.org/poetrycontest.html

Good Luck...I actually have a poem that is unpublished I'm going to submit...good timing on this one, for me at least...

12 Aug 2011

Quote by Sherzahd
Such a shame I lost all of the stories I wrote as teaching aids when my old pc crashed.

Ahhh, that is really a shame...the subject of protecting one's work from disaster is not emphasized enough I feel...I know, I got my computer stolen just about a year ago...

Not trying to encourage anyone to leave Stories Space, why would you anyway? It is about the nicest site on the net, and believe me, I'm on quite a few sites...but, one of the reasons I post my stuff on various sites is for protection in the case of disaster...

Let's face it...computers crash, get stolen, etc...flash drives I don't trust for nothing, really...I know some horror stories I've heard about those things...

But, if you have your stories posted on several sites...even if it is some rinky-dink two bit sorry-ass excuse of a site that nobody goes to...it is a more secure back-up method than flash drives, or even CD's that can get lost, stolen or accidentally tossed...

Just something to consider... happy8

happy8

12 Aug 2011

Quote by Sherzahd

I'm not sure what age group she is targeting, but in my experience the best teaching stories for children of all ages are fables.

I'll ask her what age group she's targeting...I think she might be looking for something a bit more modern, if so it would be interesting...

I've often thought it would be nice if my writing would/could serve some meaningful purpose...I'm sure every writer feels that way at some point...writing something that would teach children moral values would certainly be a greater purpose than the norm...

But, will get back to you...I'll write her tonight...

On another note...I was over on Poetry Craze this morning...and no, I never did pull any of my poems off there...still chickening out actually...

But, I was looking through some of my stuff to see if there were any new comments, and came across one on "We Shall Never Forget" that I found to be rather flattering...check it out...
http://exakta66.poetrycraze.com/we_shall_never_forget_9-11_tribute-19337.html

That's one of the reasons I do value a site like Poetry Craze where I get a lot of views...people have sometimes asked if they could use a poem of mine to send to a friend or loved one because it expresses how they felt...

Not saying it happens that often, but I happen to find it extremely flattering when someone finds something I wrote significant enough to send to someone they care about...

Stuff like that makes me feel good about being a writer...perhaps more than anything else, in a way... happy8

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12 Aug 2011

Quote by ladysharon
Cloudy Days is going in for this contest

Go for it Sharon...actually, everyone on the site who has a poem should toss one in the ring...

There really is no reason not to...you can enter previously published poems in any category...I mean, come on now...why not enter?

I think the only restriction is that they have a 34 line limit...I forget already, I mean it was like over a day ago...lol...otherwise, it takes all of about five minutes to sign up and copy and paste your poem in the box... happy8

happy8

12 Aug 2011

Here is something that may be of interest to some here...I got an e-mail from the girl who translated my poem "What A Difference A Year Can Make" into Chinese...she wrote...

"By the way, can you tell me where I can find some good stories in English or something like fables or moral lessons that can teach youngsters how to be a good citizen or things like that.
I would like to translate some of them to let more Chinese people share.
Thank you.

Zhang"

Haven't given it a whole lot of thought yet, just got the e-mail tonight...was thinking maybe something by Steffanie or something along those lines...but, I'm open to suggestions here...

If you can think of something, and want it considered...let me know in a PM...

This is your big chance to teach the children of China how to be good citizens... happy8

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