New month, new year, new listed of themed calls for submissions. They are all over the map for the most part but seem to be heavy on speculative fiction (sf, fantasy, horror) this month. Queer horror, stories about Renfield (the character from Dracula), Christian spec fic, and others. But there's stuff for others, too, including a call for essays on women's reproductive health. And some themed comps at the end, for those who want more opportunities to win prizes for their writing.

Happy Writing!

» 39 Themed Submissions Calls for January 2023 (authorspublish.com)

Quote by KatarinaTechgoddess
I’ve never tried Black Currant tea, but it sounds intriguing.

It's black tea with black currant flavour and it is delish. My wife and I got into via a Tetley's version many years ago. The Tetley's has become hard to get (the only place we can find it right now is on Amazon) but my local tea shop has a nice loose leaf black currant, which is what I use nowadays.

Good morning! Bit grey here but my mood is rather bright. Slept well and got some good news.

Coffee pot is filled with a Nicaraguan dark roast. Teas are Assam and Black Currant. Hot water is boiled and ready for other hot beverages.

Later...

Pulled this one down (just moved it to Drafts, did not delete yet). No longer sure I like having it here. It's a good story, just very dark and not in the way I usually lean. Might come back, might not. I'm giving it some time.

6 2 5 0 (sometimes we must all be heroes)

Quote by verbal
Talia is back on another site, and might pop her head in here. She might even start writing again!

Here's hoping it happens!

No New Year's resolutions here, either, but I would like to start writing more. I've been struggling a bit with mood and physical issues and was not very productive in 2022.

One day more

Another day, another destiny

Ape stops singing Les Mis before the lawsuit arrives

Good morning! I've put on a fresh pot of nice hot coffee. Teapots are full (to the tippy-top, of course) with Red Rose and Earl Grey. Hot water is ready for other hot beverages. Marshmallows and other add-ons like milk, cream, and sugar (both real and fake) are restocked.

Two days until we are supposed to get the comp announcement. Who will it be? Who will it be? (from another musical, anyone know which one?)

These days, probably car. Canadian airports (and I guess on US ones) have been brutal for months.

Live in hotels or bring a camper of some form?

As he read through her papers, the truth shocked him.

Do cookie fairies even age? Anyhow, this being Sara, I went with birthday cookies. Voila!

An interesting case that occurred because of Canada being 50 years rather than 70:

Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond and Chitty-Chitty Bang Bang, died in 1964. That means that in most of the world, his works go out of copyright in 2034. But in Canada, they are already Public Domain, since 50 years puts the date in 2014. So, shortly after that happened, Canadian book chain Indigo-Chapters put out their own cheap hardcover editions of the original James Bond series and a bunch of Canadian authors released an anthology (only available in Canada) of James Bond short stories. But these could not be sold outside Canada since Bond was still in copyright in the US, UK, etc.

It is tricky, though, because it only covers characters, settings, plot elements, etc. from Fleming's original novels. So, for instance, the popular villain Jaws is not included because he was created by screenwriter Michael Wood for the movies The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker in the seventies. Basically, if you're Canadian and going to write a Bond story, make sure you read Fleming first, so you know exactly what is available to use.

Guests are always welcome in Inspirations. There's hot coffee ready, a couple pots of tea (Russian Caravan and Irish Breakfast), and hot water for other teas and hot chocolate.

I have cleaned up from the New Year's buffet, packed things away until next year, and put another log on the virtual perpetual fireplace.

I posted a thread in Resources for Writers about changes to copyright in Canada. Copyright is something to be mindful of even if you are not selling your work. Unless you specifically sign it away in a legally binding contract (which usually happens in certain segments of publishing like the big comic publishers) or specify that the story is public domain, you own the copyright on anything you write and publish, even stories posted for free on the Internet. Never forget that.

A story on what is happening in Canada.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/canada-extends-copyright-protection-another-20-years-to-meet-new-trade-obligation-1.6215102

So Canada has finally joined the rest of the Western world in making artistic works remain in copyright for 70 years after the creator's death. It was 50 here. What this means in practical, immediate terms is that works by authors who died in 1973 which would have become public domain in Canada this year, now will not become PD until 2043 and that no works will enter PD in Canada due to the author's death until then. Authors can, of course, put their works in public domain or under Creative Commons licenses at any time voluntarily. This only affects works automatically becoming public domain.

There are arguments both ways.

Academics prefer a shorter term since copyright can make it expensive to do things like textual analysis and some forms of criticism.

Families, esp. of popular authors, like a longer term since it often means they or the estate make money off the works longer.

There's also those who argue copyright should die with the the author or be limited based on date of publication, not the author's death.

And there's the radical crowd (I know one) who argue that there should be no copyright. Artists should be making art for the good of all and not expect to make money off it.

What do the writers of SS think?

Yay, cartoon cookie jars! Will the middle one have Scooby Snacks in it? 😋

Quote by JamesPBear

Lady Jay and I watched the fireworks in Sydney Harbour online as our way to ring in the New Year…then texted our cousins who live there, and got a text back with a photo of the fireworks from their condo window!

Sometimes technology is maddening, but it can also be really cool!

We watched the Toronto fireworks yesterday (we watched bunch from all over the world between Christmas Eve and yesterday). Two large displays more or less concurrently on the waterfront. Some of the waterfront condos there must have had a good show. Or a late night if the noise kept them up.

But Sydney's show was out of this world. Looked like the entire shoreline was launching rockets at times.

Quote by rolandlytle

May your 2023

Be good for thee!

Happy new year.

Hey, old friend. Nice to see you. Happy New Year back at ya'!

A bit grey here on day 2 of 2023 but the snow remains AWOL which I can live with.

Watched some fireworks and the Vienna Philharmonic New Year's Concert and that was kind of the extent of my celebration.

Putting on pots of dark and medium roast for the coffee crowd. Teas are English Breakfast and Lemon. Hot water is up for other fine teas, hot chocolate, or our selection of fine, homemade instant coffee drinks.

Later.

Amberian Dawn, a Finnish metal band (yes, Finland produces a lot of those) is about to drop an album of ABBA covers. Apparently they are big fans. This song originally appeared on Super Trouper as well and Dawn's cover actually predates the album project.

Actually, my favorite from that album (which I consider to be their best, though The Visitors, their criminally underrated final album of their original run, comes damn close) is

Quote by DenimAngel

HAPPY NEW YEARS EVERYONE !

And to you also, magic cookie fairy! (well, that's how you come across here, anyway). Thanks for the past 12 months of baked goodies and here's to 12 more in 2023!

(scarfs one of each and heads for the temporary bar)

A favorite New Year's tune from an old favorite band. The reference to "end of '89" is problematic for covering it today, I guess, but it's otherwise a good song for the occasion.

If I ever get to Cambodia, I do mean to try their grilled tarantula so it's not an absolute "no" but until that happens, they aren't exactly high on my menu. But I figure that I eat shrimp, which are also arthropods, without flinching so why not arachnids or insects?

WYE perform music on a public stage (singing, instrument, whatever)?

I do want to thank all those commenting, too. Had some really good, thoughtful comments on this one. The comps aren't just about the writers, but also about the readers, so your likes, favorites, and comments do matter.

Happy New Year to all the writers, readers, and other folks hanging out here! Been a good year on SS, I think. Let's make 2023 an even better one.

The Almighty LLBO has seen fit to give us an event license for today. So, for one day only, there's beer, wine (red and white), and champagne ready for toasting and welcoming the new year.

Of course, there's also the usual coffee, a selection of fine teas, hot chocolate, and instant coffee drinks.

And a buffet! Open now and running until past midnight in all time zones (even ones already past midnight)!

Quote by verbal
Bad news: I accidently took the cats' meds last night! Don't ask meow.

Is telling bad jokes part of the side effects? 🤣

FYI, Kat dropped a last minute entry in the comp to bring us to a dozen.

Focus on the Beauty | Stories Space

Welp, that's an even dozen now. Anyone for a baker's dozen?

6233 (this is a mystery to me)

The deadline looms ...

But there is still time ...

Will there be a twelfth story? A thirteenth?