Tag Archives: goals

1Q26 & Third Book Signing

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I’ve done so little writing the first half of 2026 that I’m uncertain it’s worth mentioning. I was able to put down all of 713 words into a space opera romance that my wife challenged me to write. I think I have a great story there, but it’s going to be put on the back burner.

I did submit one story to be published in the 2026 edition of the Virginia Writers Club Journal, which was accepted and the journal published in June. It’s called “The King and His Castle,” and the journal can be found here. I finished the story exactly four years ago but had a hard time finding it a home. It’s historical fiction rather than my usual speculative fiction. It was inspired by an article in an Archeology magazine. I’m proud of it and am glad it found a home. And I’ll gladly take a 100% acceptance rate for a half year, even if the number was 1 of 1!

I’m excited for what’s on tap for the summer. After talking about it for years, I’m finally editing the three middle grade manuscripts I finished initial drafts of over three years ago (longer for the first two). My goal is to complete revisions inspired by my critique group and get them to my editor to work on all at once while I figure out the covers. I’m also going to have my editor work on a middle grade short story collection that I’m thinking about giving out as a bonus for those who buy all three books. The collection will contain about 15,000 words over five stories, four of which have been published elsewhere.

My third book signing will also be this summer. The closest Barnes and Noble to me reopened last month and immediately reached out to the Northern Virginia Writers Club asking for members to come do signings. I’m honored to be part of the first wave this August. Details are below. Please stop by if you’re in the area!

The Crossing Clarendon

2800 Clarendon Blvd #2000

Arlington, VA22201

Saturday, August 29, 1-4p

Middle Grade Horror

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A middle grade horror story of mine titled “Ghost Wolf” was accepted in an anthology back in January. Of course, the editor wanted to time the release with Halloween, so I’ve been waiting (patiently) all year. Then came the news that the release was flubbed, though not through the fault of the editor.

Anyway, the anthology is out there now and is called 15 Spooky Campfire Stories for Kids. My contribution has special meaning for me. I wrote the story for my oldest daughter’s Girl Scout troop. A lot of Girl Scout troops sing songs around the campfire while camping. My oldest daughter’s troop has always told spooky stories. That may or may not have been because on their first camping trip as 1st graders, I led off with the story, “I got ya where I want ya, and now I’m gonna eat ya!” It’s a classic. The troop even acted that story out as a skit at a later multi-troop camping trip.

“Ghost Wolf” begins with my scouts telling (what else) spooky stories around a campfire when they think an unnatural visitor arrives. The latter event, of course, has not happened during any of my troop’s camping trips, though it is loosely based on an experience I had when studying abroad in Freiburg, Germany after Junior year of high school.

In addition to adult fiction, I tend also to write at the level where my kids currently fall. When they were infants/toddlers, I wrote several picture book manuscripts. I haven’t gotten any of those published though. When my oldest aged into the middle grade range, I started writing at that level. I’ve written five middle grade short stories, and four have been published. I’m considering publishing these as my next collection.

I’ve also written a middle grade trilogy that has been reviewed by my critique group but is languishing since I haven’t had time to edit those manuscripts. I really want that to me my next project. Maybe I’ll get going on the middle grade short story collection and use that as a give away for (and motivation to finish) the middle grade trilogy.

If you have young ones at home (or are young at heart), check out 15 Spooky Campfire Stories for Kids.

Cover Reveal – New Short Story Collection

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I’m well behind on my quarterly updates. Truth be told, I haven’t written or submitted much this year; so I decided, instead of regurgitating the same excuses, I’ll do a recap at the end of the year.

I wasn’t completely ideal, however. I’ve been working on my next publication. It’s about a year later than expected, but I’m finally pleased to announce that my second short story collection will be released October 13 in paperback and eBook via Amazon. The eBook version is available for pre-order currently.

The collection is called Laughing in the Dark: Short Tales of Humor, Horror, and Travel. If you can’t guess, the stories are a mix of humor and horror, the latter just in time for Halloween. The former can be enjoyed anytime. Really, all the stories can be enjoyed anytime. Check out the cover.  My friend and fellow speculative fiction writer, Michelle McBeth, did an excellent job bringing my vision to life.

I’m proud of this collection. Many of the stories have been published here and there over the last 5-6 years, so it felt good to collect them all in one place. I hope people enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them.

3Q, 4Q, and 2024 Recap

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If you hadn’t noticed, I never got around to posting my stats from 3Q24.  It’s New Years Day, and for a change, I don’t have pressing work.  Playing a little catch up, below are my stats from the last two quarters and year end. 

3Q24

  • Words written = 247
  • Submissions = 20
  • Rejections = 18
  • Acceptances = 0
  • Shortlists = 0
  • Publications = 1
  • Rewrites = 0
  • Withdrawals = 0

4Q24

  • Words written = 691
  • Submissions = 2
  • Rejections = 8
  • Acceptances = 0
  • Shortlists = 0
  • Publications = 0
  • Rewrites = 0
  • Withdrawals = 0

2024

  • Words written = 9473
  • Submissions = 58
  • Rejections = 59
  • Acceptances = 2
  • Shortlists = 1
  • Publications = 3
  • Rewrites = 0
  • Withdrawals = 0

Those are pretty sad, I know.  I only wrote one story in 2024, back in 1Q.  It was a doozy though.  After adding a little here and there to it throughout the year, it now clocks in at 8900 words.  It’s a humorous story in the style of Douglas Adams.  Early on, I decided it would be the anchor story for my next short story collection.  That, at least, is where my triumph for the year resides.  Instead of dwelling on the pathetic output (and not reaching any of my goals), I’ll focus on the positive.

My next collection is coming along nicely.  It’s a mix of comedy and horror short stories.  I’m pleased to announce its title – Laughing in the Dark: Short Tales of Humor, Horror, and Travel.  I already have the manuscript back from my editor, and I even have a rough cover. 

If you’ve been following my journey, then you’ll know I intended to release this collection in time for Halloween 2024.   Oops.  The time suck that was the day job this year wouldn’t allow that.  So now I’m taking my time and plan to release the collection in the run up to Halloween this year.  After reviewing the edits (again as time permits), I’ll need to finish revising and then format the sucker.  I have the format template ready to go.  It’ll be a simple cut and paste job and shouldn’t be too bad, having done it for my last collection in 2023.

Getting that published is the main goal for the year.  What else am I reaching for?  I normally set short story submission and rejection goals, but I’m a little disillusioned with that process at the moment.  Not to mention it’s another time suck.  The critique group that I participate in finished working through my three middle grade sci-fi manuscripts.  I’d like to work my way through revising those and then start the process of publishing them. 

I’d also like to simply find time to write.  I enjoy putting out short story collections but have used up much of my previously written material.  I have about 24k words worth of stories for a solid sci-fi collection and another 15K words worth of middle grade stories.  I’d like to work toward producing enough additional stories to beef both of those word counts up to a respectable 50k.

That was 2024 in a nutshell.  How’d you do, and what do you have on tap for 2025?