Tag Archives: writers

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

First Two Book Signings

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One advantage of being a member of the Northern Virginia Writers Club is the opportunity to partake in book signings. Thanks initially to one very industrious member-volunteer, and now several more, the club has relationships with numerous area Barnes and Noble stories and Daydrift (a local chain bookstore/cafe) and regularly applies to have booths at numerous local festivals. These efforts mean club members with books in print have the ability to get out in the public and hawk their wares! Even if you don’t sell a single copy, it’s great exposure and a meaningful experience.

For years, the club had been selected to have a booth at the Art of the Avenue festival in Alexandria, Virginia; and I always participated. This was more an opportunity to promote the club, and indeed, the club always recruited a significant number of new members every year. As a bonus, club members who staffed the booth could sell their own books during their shift. Members typically did quite well. I only did okay because this was mostly before I had a collection in print, so I was selling other publishers’ anthologies in which I had a story.

However, I have yet to do an individual book signing. Many of my friends in the club have talked highly of the experience and encouraged me to take the plunge. I was always hesitant. First, the signings are on the weekends, and mine are typically filled to the gills with my daughters’ soccer games and Girl Scout activities.

Then there is the promotional aspect. Don’t get me wrong, I love talking to people. Those hours staffing the club’s Art on the Avenue booth were filled with nonstop chatting with prospective club members and customers, and I loved every minute of it (though my back was less enthusiastic).

I’m talking about the accouterments that authors often bring with them to book signings. These include posters or signs (horizontal and vertical), table clothes with their covers pictured, shirts with their covers pictured, and themed tchotchkes to give away. I’ve had neither the time nor energy to even investigate having these things made. I’m also entirely confident that I would never make back the cost from book sales.

I finally gave in, though, and have my first two book signings in the coming weeks. Details are below. What changed? I didn’t have activities at these two times… and bookmarks. I had bookmarks made with my two covers pictured. I’ll also have a bowl of candy. If you’re in the area, stop by to say hello; and get an author-signed copy of one or both of my short story collections. Or simply say hello and grab a piece of candy. Like I said, I’m always happy to chat.

Saturday, February 21

Friday, March 13

2025 In Review

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2025. What a year. One of my busiest ever. Not with much new writing, unfortunately, as the stats below will confirm. It wasn’t without its highs though. Let’s take a look.

  • Words written = 8731
  • Submissions = 11
  • Rejections = 11
  • Acceptances = 1
  • Shortlists = 0
  • Publications = 1
  • Rewrites = 0
  • Withdrawals = 0

Were those my lowest words written, submission, and rejection totals? Yes. Am I trunking a story that comprised 2000 of those words? Yes. Am I disappointed that I wasn’t able to do more? Only a little. The year went by fast, and what I managed went well.

The high was the publication of my second short story collection – Laughing in the Dark: Short Tales of Humor, Horror, and Travel. Getting that published was my main goal for the year, so I’m pleased to have succeeded there. This had been delayed a year due to the craziness of 2024, but I managed to get the collection out on October 15 in time for Halloween. I love how it turned out, even if I didn’t have much time to promote it. The Northern Virginia Writers Club has developed numerous opportunities for its members to do book signings, and I’m hoping to take advantage of that now that I have two books to sell. I even made bookmarks with the covers of both of my collections pictured.

I had another story – “Ghost Wolf” – published in 15 Spooky Campfire Stories for Kids, and the rest of the words written represent three new stories, which I am proud of. I need to send two of those out more and finish the last one.

What is the main goal for this year? (Notice how I’ve reduced this to one?) Another year has passed, and I still haven’t edited my three middle grade sci-fi manuscripts to incorporate the edits from my critique group. I’ll make working my way through revising those, and then start the process of publishing them, to be my main goal. 

I’d also like to finish editing my cosmic horror short story that is based on my family’s vacation last summer in Malaysia. Lastly, I have an odd one. My wife knows I like to write in different styles as a challenge – see the cosmic horror short story – so she challenged me to write a space opera romance. Challenge accepted! I already have an idea and have been brainstorming plot points. That part is coming along nicely. Now, I’ll simply need to find time to get it down on the screen.

That was 2025 in a nutshell.  How’d you do, and what do you have on tap for 2026? 

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.