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April 14, 2012
I promised you a treat, and it's waiting for you.
Let me explain; Many long years ago, when I was editing http://Anotherealm.com, I received a wonderful story from a writer unknown to me, Joseph Wise. Since that time, I have often wished I had a copy of Joseph Wise's totally charming story, "Detrie Furniture." Imagine this -- in a dusty corner of a computer I don't often use, I have found just such a copy! So, the treat awaiting you is "Detrie Furniture" HERE. Enjoy -- and please vote at the end of the story so I will know if you liked this story as much as I did.
And please, if you know who Joseph Wise is, or how to contact him, do let me know. I would love to hear from him again.
Meantime, many thanks to all of you who took part in last week's critique of stories in Strange Mysteries 4. I've received several notes from writers saying how much they enjoyed reading your comments on their stories. I enjoyed reading them too, and found them very helpful. So again, thanks.
-- Jean
April 7, 2012
You asked for it, here it is!
Last week we talked about the possibilities of feedback for our authors, maybe in a place where people could post anonymously so as not to offend or hurt the people whose stories they are posting about. I made the place above earlier this week, and I'm delighted to see people have been using it all week. There haven't been any wiseguy posts, but I'll keep watching just to make sure none show up. Please do our authors a favor and post what you thought about any of the Strange Mysteries 4 stories. Thanks!
-- Jean
March 31, 2012
To everyone who took part in last week's poll, thanks! I am convinced now that people who buy our anthos actually read them. Now, on to the next point: How can we get the people who read our authors' work to give the authors some feedback? Feedback is important. We all need it. I have tried and tried to get people to comment on our writers' work -- unsuccessfully, so far. So I'm asking your opinion -- how can we do this? What kind of environment would it take for you to post that you liked a certain story because -- etc etc. Or a certain point in a certain story troubled you because -- etc. Would posting these observations anonymously help? I can fix a Forum so people can post anonymously (and I will quickly delete any wise guy remarks which take advantage of the anonymous posting.) Or what else would you think could encourage that very important element of feedback for our authors? Please post your thoughts on our Forum. Thanks in advance.
-- Jean
March 24, 2012
Please respond to this little poll. Thanks in advance! (Just ignore the query in blue at the top of the poll. I can't seem to get rid of it.)
-- Jean
March 17, 2012
Hello and happy St. Patty's Day!
Here's a bit of news, prompted by Tim's question on our Forum. He pointed out that no theme had been stated for this year's coming anthos in our Writers' Guidelines. That was because I was trying to figure out what would be good themes -- then I realized,your ideas are at least as good as mine, if not better. So, there won't be any themes this year. _You_ decide what theme you want for your story. Well, that's as long as your story is a Halloween one, in sf/f/h, for the Halloween antho; a Christmas story for the Christmas antho, also in sf/f/h, and the same for Strange Mysteries and Strange Valentines.
Have fun!
Also, hope you are working on or thinking about our coming summer antho, which has the theme of "Beach Reading." Arthur Sanchez is riding herd on this project: You can send your stories to him at whopsummer@yahoo.com, and the pw there is !summerfun11. I will be cheering Arthur and everyone on from the sidelines. Go, Whortleberry Summer!
One more thing, a request. Take a look at our opening screen, at http://WhortleberryPress.com. You will see I have moved the information bar to a position below the newest antho. I'm not sure that position is any better than putting it above the antho, at the top of the page. So please help on this one -- which do you think is better? Should the information bar be above the first antho, or below it as you now see. Which do you think would make it easier for new visitors to find their way around? I've posted a question about this on our Forum. That might be a good place to discuss this.
Thanks for your thoughts.
-- Jean
December 3, 2011
STRANGE SUMMER MYSTERIES
A Day At The Beach
Deadline May 15, 2012
Reading period May 15 - June 15
Format June 15 - June 30
Publication date July 1, 2012
This one is a little different from our other collections in that it will be entirely edited by our Asst. Editor: Arthur Sanchez. (Jean will be taking a well-deserved vacation.) Submissions for Strange Summer Mysteries: A Day At The Beach will not be accepted at our regular email address but instead should be sent to: WHOPSummer@Yahoo.com. Same rules apply as to reading the Stylebook. So, read the Stylebook.
The theme for this collection is: "A Day At The Beach." Does that mean that your story has to be about a "a day at the beach?" No. It can be about how life isn't like a day at the beach. Or, it can involve the events that follow a very important day at the beach. All we ask is that it be Speculative Fiction, involve a mystery, and somehow relate to a day at the beach. So feel free to write about the beach on an alien world that runs along a ammonia sea, or a wizard's duel fought in the surf, or the insatiable hunger of sand fleas gone mad. Have fun with it.
Also, since we will be reading ALL of the stories submitted by the deadline, there will be competition for getting into the collection. Arthur will be happy to offer suggestions that could help get your story into the running. If you would welcome feedback on your story, please say so. Otherwise, Arthur will reject stories with the standard: "not right for our collection" tag line.
Email any questions you have to WHOPSummer@Yahoo.com and keep you eyes on the Forum as Arthur will be posting announcements and opinions designed to give you a better idea of what he's looking to include in the anthology.
December 1, 2011
Writers with stories in Strange Valentines 2012
Alyson B. Cresswell
Barry R Hunter
Carl Palmer
David Perlmutter
Elizabeth Creith
Glen Batchelor
J. J. Steinfeld
James Hartley
Janett L. Grady
Jeffery Scott Sims
Ken Staley
Lyn Mcconchie
Marilyn K. Martin
Mark Mills
Peter Lingard
Rachel Ayers
Sherry Chancellor
T.L. Bodine
Walt Staples
Writers, if there is any error in your name, please let me know now.
--Jean
November 27, 2011
One of our writers, Marilyn Martin, mentioned to me a very interesting site where people can get their YA books promoted -- for free, even! Here is her info, which she graciously allowed me to reprint to inform you:
As a new writer, I was in the same boat of trying to find free and honest reviewers that weren't "sock puppets", or friends and family. I did a Google search of "free reviewers of YA Science Fiction", and sent out a lot of e-mails - most of which went unanswered.
TeensReadToo.com is a review site for teen books, and they responded. One of their reviewers agreed to read and review my books, and I sent the reviewer a copy of my books. Six months later she posted her reviews on Amazon and Barnes and Noble (on-line). It was all free, except for my small expense of mailing the reviewer my books. Months later, I was awarded their Gold Star For Excellence awards. (I'm not sure how that worked, but I guessed maybe another reviewer and/or the lady that runs the site did a confirmation-review, and then awarded the Gold Stars.)
The reviewer - whom I thanked - said she'd passed on my books to her sister who was a teacher, and her students read the books. This is important too, since with school libraries being closed in budget crunches, many teachers are starting their own lending-libraries in their classrooms. I'm not benefiting from all these readers monetarily, but perhaps I'll have a small-and-growing audience ready when I publish the rest of the books in the series.
So Good Luck in dealing with the site. The ladies are very nice, just be prepared to wait up to 6 months (or more) for a reply.
Marilyn K. Martin
Thanks, Marilyn -- this is definitely interesting!
-- Jean
November 13, 2011
Looks like our forthcoming antho is going to be STRANGE VALENTINES -- it polled twice as many votes as the runner-up. Thanks to all who participated.
-- Jean
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