Good Writing Never Dies

Though our IWSG Anthology Contests have been discontinued, our authors still have a bountiful cache of writing news and advice to share. And that's what a blog is for, to share with each other. I am happy to play host to the authors who have generously volunteered to keep our blog going. And I wrote a post about Anthologies to get us started...

Anthologies are a wonderful source of alternate perspectives. They bring the unique voices of different authors together into a single, theme-inspired collection. Writers brings their own past experiences and personalities into their stories, breathing life into their characters that readers can feel for as they are immersed in their lives.

Since many authors share in writing the anthology, they also bring their reading fans to the party. Anthologies also sell well at book events. Readers can discover new talents and styles, encouraging them to search for more from the authors with whom they click.

Anthologies give authors the opportunity to stretch their writing muscles. Authors can explore a story they've been holding on the back burner or flesh out a shiny, new idea. They can use the prompt to break a block or take a break from their current WIP then come back refreshed and ready to work on it with more enthusiasm. And there's always those who want to try their hand at an unfamiliar genre--a great way to step outside the box without committing to a full novel.

I myself enjoy reading anthologies. The short stories can be read in one sitting. And I love finding new authors to expand my library. Not to mention, learning new ways I can improve my own writing. I highly recommend checking them out when you are searching for something to read!

If you've never been a part of anthology, I suggest you give one a try. Many small publishers have regular submission requests for anthologies. Just find the theme that inspires you!

Happy Writing!

Tara Tyler - Reset (in Tick Tock) & Sentient (in Dark Matter)

Tara Tyler has had a hand in everything from waitressing to rocket engineering. After moving all over the US, she now writes and teaches math in Ohio with her husband, though they still love to travel and visit their three boys. She has two novel series, Pop Travel (sci-fi detective thrillers) and Beast World (fantasy adventures), plus her UnPrincess novella series where the maidens save themselves. She's a commended blogger, contributed to several anthologies, and to fit in all these projects, she economizes her time, aka the Lazy Housewife—someday she might write a book on that... Make every day an adventure!

Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Youtube channel | Instagam | Goodreads 

A Writers Potluck

I want to thank the authors from FIRST LOVE for their contributions to the IWSG Anthology Blog this past year--hard to believe it's been a year! And as 2022 comes to a close, we are wrapping up our 7th IWSG anthology volume of posts with a Potluck of advice, final thoughts, and future happening to share. Hope you enjoy!

The Main Course in our Writers Potluck is some advice: 

How to Break a Block

If the block is simply lack of motivation, I break it with music. A killer playlist energizes me and helps me focus. When writing “Clyde and Coalesce,” I listened to 80’s rock. Now I’m working on a trilogy of superhero novels, so my current favorite is “Superheroes” by The Script.

If the block is due to me feeling disconnected from the story, it’s often because I’m writing a boring chapter. In that case, powering through won’t help. I have to rethink why the chapter is there at all. Filler must be cut! If it’s boring but important to the plot, I let the character’s personalities shine more. They’re snarky and fun when I let them be.

Kim Elliott -- CLYDE AND COALESCE

There are several things I try when I feel stuck, depending what's causing it. If it's a lack of inspiration, I try doing other things that inspire, like changing scenery (even something as simple as a walk around the block or a visit to a friend's house) or reading a book or watching a movie for fun. Sometimes remembering what you like about a good story is all it takes. 

If it's burnout, I try not to make writing feel like work. I give myself permission to write what I want, just for fun, and try to turn off my inner editor. Sometimes there are deadlines so it's not always possible but remembering what you love about writing and emphasizing that is key.

If it's a story issue requiring problem solving, I try to actively think through the issue, then walk away for a bit to other duties. Over the next few days, while doing something mundane (folding laundry, washing dishes, taking a shower), something might come to me. If not, when I sit down to think about it again after the break, my mind is cleared enough to come back to it with fresh eyes, which can also help. If it doesn't, talking it over with a writer friend is super helpful! 

If it's life circumstances getting in the way, sometimes you have to give yourself space and time. I had a hard time focusing when I was exhausted during pregnancy and when I was in the middle of a big move. It's okay to take care of those things first--they can take up your whole mental energy--and then come back to writing when you're ready. 

Sammi Spizziri -- THE REAL THING

And for Dessert, some sweet

Parting Thoughts with Hopeful Aspirations

Contributing to this anthology has been a thrilling and challenging experience. I’ve learned so much, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. As we head into the new year, I’m drafting book three in my superhero trilogy while continuing to promote Heart of a Hero, which was published in November. 2023 will be a busy year, but I'll keep my eyes open for writing contests that pique my interest. You never know where they might lead! 

-- Kim Elliott - CLYDE AND COALESCE

Reflecting back on 2022, being part of the FIRST LOVE anthology has definitely been a high point for me. So many great stories, great authors, and amazing and supportive readers! I was thinking the other day about what it means to be in a "toxic environment" -- one that promotes death and discord -- vs. an environment that supports life, health, and growth, and am so grateful to be part of a writing and reading community that genuinely lifts people up and helps them succeed. My goal for the coming year is to take time to appreciate the journey and the hard-earned growth, and to be sure to spread the love!

-- Linda Budzinski - THE ART OF MAKING DOUGHNUTS

It has been fun working on the anthologies for the IWSG. They have brought together such a great bunch of writers over the years and hopefully helped them on their author journey. Dancing Lemur Press is proud of the seven books we produced and thanks the IWSG admins, members, and judges for all of their hard work over the years.

Dancing Lemur Press has five books slated for release next year, including several of my own! Kicking it off February 7 with In Darkness: The Vampire, it will be the first books I’ve written in years and I’m excited. 

-- L. Diane Wolfe - Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.

I have been honored to moderate the IWSG Anthology blog. I've loved working with and getting to know the authors and have learned so much from them about writing and the publication process. I hope you have too! -- Tara Tyler (Author of Reset from TICK TOCK A STITCH IN CRIME and Sentient from DARK MATTER)

May you Enjoy the Holiday Season and 

Write with Glee in 2023!

A Cornucopia of Marketing Advice for Writers

Part 2 of our Marketing Experiences to pass on...

Sylvia Ney has a good list...

1. Get your book reviewed by influential writers and bloggers. Getting your book reviewed by these influential people can give you the needed exposure. ...
2. Create an author website with your bio, book description, and other information about you ...
3. Write a blog post about the topic of your book or what inspired you to write it and share it on social media. ...
4. Speak at Writer's events, conferences, etc. and offer your books there.

Notes from Katie Klein

I enjoy using Twitter for marketing. The concise nature of the posts is most appealing, but I also like that I can add hashtags to expand my reach. I typically schedule my tweets in advance, so there’s always a handful of posts ready to go in case I get too busy to log on during the day. I do promote my own books, but most of my tweets are for writers. I love posting inspiring/motivational quotes and writing tips. My system over there is set, so now I’m just trying to get better at interacting with others because social media promotion is always a two-way street: you have to give to get. :)

And SE White offers some in-depth thoughts...

In this day and age, authors have to put ourselves out there to market our books, hanging weightless in cyberspace with multiple tentacles dangling into the ether. We need a platform. We’ve got to have an online presence. It’s necessary to network. All fun, exotic concepts brought to us courtesy of the internet. There are websites, blogs, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, podcasts, all asking for your online attention. There are writer’s associations, critique groups, pitch fests, twitter pitch fests, conferences, panels, and other writing related events needing your digital presence. None of it is a bad thing, per se. I'm not railing against social media. It's a very effective marketing tool. 

I'm just saying that not being a very social skills person puts me at something of an automatic disadvantage in this arena. (Comment trolls DEFINITELY do not help.) In sum: the social media beast requires multiple sacrifices from introverts like me. Here are some tips, from one introvert to any others, about how to minimize the pain while maximizing your social media interaction. 

1. Learn to love the Internet. The internet is perfect for us! We can interact with almost limitless amounts of people while never actually having to see them face-to-face. 
2. But! Pick the niche that works best for you and focus on it. Don't feel you have to expose yourself on every social site, ever. This is a quality over quantity situation. And 
3. Your active participation is how you add value, and get value at the same time. It's like magic! The deeper and more authentic your relationships on the platform, the more you get out of them. It's easier to interact if it's something you feel passionate about.

Final tidbits from me, your humble moderator.

The writing journey is full of pitfalls, setbacks, and hurdles. But writers keep writing and put everything we have into a fantastic story and do what it takes to share it with hungry readers. We have to figure out what works for us and put ourselves out there. 

Personally, I have sold the most by going out to book events, but also at vendor events where I'm the only author. Every event is a risk, and I weigh the odds of how many books I might sell verses the price of the events -- free ones are obviously the best but hardest to get into. And many book events require you to have published traditionally or at least published a new book recently. And when I go, I have a fun, freebie-filled display to draw readers in, then strike up a discussion about my books. Sometimes they sell, sometimes they don't. But the greatest things I've found interacting with readers and other writers are making connections and learning about their experiences.

I wish you well in the upcoming holiday season - Happy Writing!

Brought to you by...

FIRST LOVE, The Art of Making Doughnuts

IWSG Anthology #7

Romance – Clean & Wholesome/Contemporary/Historical

Marketing Advice for Authors

That dreaded word - Marketing...

Advertising is a big part of life. Ads can be pushy and annoying. But they are necessary evils for people who want to sell their products. And Authors trying to sell books are no exception. The key is to promote your book and reach your target audience, to hook them without alienating them... Self-promotion is personal, uncomfortable, and tricky. And hard to figure out!

Here are some great thoughts and pieces of advice on MARKETING BOOKS from our FIRST LOVE Authors.

from Kim Elliott

I should start by saying that I’m not terribly skilled at marketing. I haven’t spent a dime on online ads, and I don’t intend to until I have a few books available. I currently maintain a website, Facebook page, Goodreads page, Amazon author page, and Wattpad account. I find that Goodreads is my favorite because it gives me insight into who my readers are and what they want. 

Aside from the anthology, I always self-publish on Amazon and enroll my books in KDP Select. That allows me to offer my books on the subscription service, Kindle Unlimited (KU). Most of my profits come from KU. Every few months, KDP Select lets me offer my ebooks for $.99 for up to a week, while still earning full royalties. During the sale, I promote on several of the free sites recommended by Dave Chesson (aka the Kindlepreneur). I’ve gained a few readers this way. Overall, my marketing strategy is to try all the free methods I can find, see what works, and try paid methods later. 

from Denise Covey

Who likes marketing? No writer, I'm sure. We'd rather be writing!

 

I use the FB group, 20Booksto50k as my marketing guru. Following their guidelines, I 'rapid released' my first 5 books - boom, boom, boom, and made good sales. I then used those complicated Amazon Ads to promote the first book in each series. Great exposure, not many sales, but I'm still learning. I also used the Amazon giveaway feature for 3 free days here and there which was ho-hum. My most successful marketing strategy is Bookfunnel, where I join promotions to gather newsletter subscribers (very successful) and sales promos to sell books (not so successful) but I need more books! My biggest problem is finding reviewers. Seeing so few reviews of the anthology, I'm not the only one.

One of my marketing strategies for the anthology has been to photograph '...Doughnuts' in different settings with different people. Here's one of my daughters holding it which has been well received on Facebook. It was 'doughnut day' at her cafe, so I styled a few images like this one.

from out publisher,

L. Diane Wolfe

Senior Editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C.

As a publisher, I can tell you the most important marketing strategy for selling books is book reviews. A book HAS to garner reviews before its release date. Those reviews are needed for marketing materials (such as bookmarks and sell sheets) and back of cover blurbs (print) / interior blurbs (eBook.) They are vital on bookseller sites and Goodreads. (Who buys a book with next to no reviews?) They are excellent word-of-mouth on blogs and websites. We always send out review copies 6-9 months before a book is released to get these reviews. Not sending them out several months in advance (or sending any at all) almost guarantees a book will gain no traction.

A second strategy I’d like to mention is live events. As an author myself, I always loved live events. (There were times when I’d do 40+ a year.) But in particular now are comic/sci-fi/geek cons and the success we’ve enjoyed at them. We do have a good catalogue of speculative fiction, but it would surprise you what sells at these events, so we take all titles. When we can pitch a title and the reader can hold the book, look it over, we have a far better chance of gaining a new fan for that author. (And not to mention these cons are a lot of fun!)

from Melissa Maygrove

The dreaded job of marketing... Most writers would prefer to only write, but even traditionally published authors are expected to do their share. I'm indie, so I do it all. 

I'd love to go to in-person events, but I work full-time, so fitting those in is difficult. I do occasional giveaways and run ebook ads (e.g. Digital Book Today) to promote sales and new releases, and I usually see a little spike. But, in the end, I'm lucky to break even on cost. 

My two best tools are Amazon ads and BookFunnel. I began dabbling in both this year. I offer a free subscriber-exclusive novella (a.k.a 'reader magnet') that readers can get when they sign up for my author newsletter. BookFunnel makes it easy to deliver. I can also take part in multi-author promotions there. BookFunnel has already helped me quadruple the number of subscribers I had when I signed up. 

Between the BookFunnel boost and the Amazon ads, my royalties this month are projected to be twenty times what I made all of last year. Now I just have to write more books.

I don't know about you, but I found some great new things to try! We can take the scariness out of marketing by getting advice from others who have already tested sites and avenues and know what works. We still have to figure out what we are willing to do and what will work for us, but we are not alone!

I hope you found something you can put to use. And this is only half of our authors. They had so much to say, we'll have more advice next month. Be sure to stop by again in November!

Don't be afraid to put yourself out there!

Sweet Sensations!

We have a New IWSG Anthology!

Can't believe we are on lucky number SEVEN. And there was a record number of entries this year. Fantastic! It's exciting to see so many writers keeping their creativity flowing and in the fray.

So CONGRATULATIONS to the New IWSG Anthology Authors in FIRST LOVE, The Art of Making Doughnuts...  A fun, fitting title for this year's Sweet Romance and First Love Theme.

The Art of Making Doughnuts - Linda Budzinski

Paper Faces - Sylvia Ney

The Real Thing - Sammi Spizziri

My Heart Approves - Melissa Maygrove

Oliver’s Girl - Michael Di Gesu

Clyde and Coalesce - Kim Elliot

My First Love(s) - Templeton Moss

How to Save a Princess - Katie Klein

The Castle of Ohno - SE White

Marmalade Sunset - Denise Covey

Looks scrumptuous! Can't wait to sink my teeth into some Sweet Stories.

Stay tuned to meet the authors and hear more about their tempting first love tales.

How it Started vs How it's Going

It's Insecure Writer's Support Group Day again, and for this first Wednesday of the month--the last one of the 2021 year--we have a reflection wrap-up post from the IWSG Dark Matter contest winner. Stephanie Espinoza Villamor shares her thoughts about the contest one year later and how far everything has come:

I can hardly believe it's been over a year and a half since I first started drafting "Artificial," the title story in Dark Matter: Artificial and contest winner for the Insecure Writer's Support Group 2020 science fiction anthology contest. I remember reading the prompt, "dark matter" with so much uncertainty. I remember opening up a Google Doc titled "Sci-Fi Short Story #1" in April 2020 after my then 10-month-old nursed to sleep. The document and the title changed over the course of several months before the content deadline. In May 2020 the story was going to be called "The Archive." In June 2020 it switched to "Sci-Fi Story - AI" (and then it really began to take off). In July 2020 my title ideas included "What an AI is For," or "Something Real" or "Building a Memory." Finally I was down to "Artificial Memory" and finally, "Artificial." I'm so glad I settled on this title when I submitted the story on August 11 to ensure receipt before the September 2 deadline. The publisher herself said my title fit with the main title very well so it was perfect as a subtitle.

I was just in shock to have actually won that honor.

This was how it started. As the year comes to an end and a new anthology gets ready to take our place with the Sweet Romance: First Love contest nearly complete, I can reflect on my entire contest experience from start to finish. Around this time last year I had only just found out I would be published in the anthology--my first major publication outside of some local magazine/short story collections. Though the news was still under wraps, I was starting to learn about contracts and get ideas for marketing. Soon I would get to virtually meet the other winning authors over email and through this blog. I was so excited for the day I received an advanced ebook copy so I could read their winning stories as well!

How has the contest changed me? I don't know if I feel less "insecure", but I am more likely to call myself a "published author." I think, more than anything, I do feel "secure" enough to write outside my comfort zone. Growing up writing fantasy and contemporary school stories,  I never thought I would be any good at science fiction. Now I've had two science fiction short stories published with ideas for several more. I even tried my hand at writing a supernatural story! I'm not typically a fan of "scary" stories, but suddenly I was willing to try a few ideas. While I didn't participate in the Sweet Romance: First Love contest, I've been thinking about ideas for sweet romances that are less common/mainstream, and certainly nothing I've ever written before. There's newfound confidence but also a willingness to take more risks with my writing before. Because they might pay off in ways I never thought possible.

I've now learned how to market through social media. I've presented at an international speculative fiction convention. I've submitted my work to more contests than I ever would have dared and I even applied for a creative activities award that's offered in my state. But even if these endeavors don't lead to publications, they motivate me to keep writing. To me that's the best part of all. You can't get your work out there if you don't have any work. You can't draft and edit if there's no draft. To be a writer the only real requirement is to write. And this contest experience has not only been a fun adventure but it's inspired me to continue the writing that I've always loved, even when life gets busy. Even when you have a baby (or one on the way...). It's worth it to keep writing in your life. When you have a full-time job, a family, and so many responsibilities, it's important to have at least one special thing that's just for yourself. Writing is that for me.

How is it going? Well, since 2021 led up to the publication of Dark Matter: Artificial in May, I've mostly been focused on marketing and spreading the word. I've been practicing using professional social media, organizing these blog posts, and trying to get some book signings in local stores. Unfortunately the pandemic affects us all and many potential in-person events were cancelled again when the COVID-19 Delta variant started surging in our area. But as this year comes to a close, my plan is to get back to writing more (at least until my second son arrives in January). I'm also awaiting the news of another anthology contest (I'm still in the running since I didn't receive the initial rejection email!) and the publication of a non-fiction book I co-wrote about my "day job", due out in June 2022 (Practical Marketing for the Academic Library)!

I also just found out on November 22 that I won the creative award I applied for! The award recognizes significant accomplishments that bring recognition to our local institutions in the state. I couldn't be more honored. It's such an exciting way to encapsulate this year and show how much my writing has grown.

I'm grateful to everyone who has been a part of this anthology experience. To publisher L. Diane Wolfe, IWSG founder Alex J. Cavanaugh, and all the judges for the 2020 science fiction anthology contest. To my fellow authors who are amazing writers that I am in awe to be published beside: C.D., Kim, Steph, Tara, Deniz, Charles, Olga, Elizabeth, and Mark. Thank you especially to Tara Tyler and Louise Barbour for their help with this wonderful blog process!

And a personal thank you to my writing group friends: Beth Schuck (published in the IWSG anthology Voyagers: The Third Ghost), Theri, Michelle, Abriana, Rebecca, and Jen who read my stories and are always been so supportive and helpful. If you can join a writing group to read and critique your work, I can't tell you how valuable that is in terms of improving what you write as well as lifting you up right when you need it.

Additional shout outs to my family: my parents, brothers, in-laws, husband, and son all inspire, help, and support me in ways that allow me to write and encourage me to keep going. And while I haven't met him yet, I'm excited for my current WIP: Baby #2!

I hope this post inspires others to continue their own writing journeys knowing that it is possible to meet your goals and that there can be payoff at any time, any step along the way. There is no "end" with being a writer--no one task that you have to accomplish to have officially "made it." You just keep going and keep enjoying your achievements--big and small--along the way.

How it started: April 2020, working from home during the pandemic
and writing while my 10-month-old sleeps (not always easy!)

How it's going: 2021, published with a 2-year-old! 
One book on the way (due June 2022)
and one baby on the way (due January 2022)!

If you still haven't checked out Dark Matter: Artificial and want to know what our authors have been talking about, we encourage you to pick up your copy today (and just in time for the holidays too if you're looking for a unique gift for the readers in your life)! The science fiction anthology is on sale on Amazon right now, and can be found through Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and our publisher: Dancing Lemur Press. Happy Writing and Happy Reading!

Reflection Time

It's Insecure Writer's Support Group Day, and for this first Wednesday of the month we have a special reflection post as we get close to the end of the year and the end of our time writing about Dark Matter: Artificial anthology (Don't worry, there will be a new anthology coming up next!). Our authors share how this contest has changed them, what they've learned, how it will affect what they do as authors moving forward, the hardest parts about it all, and, of course, the best parts.

Kim Mannix - Rift 

Being a part of Dark Matter: Artificial has been my extreme pleasure and privilege. When I entered the contest, I was primarily writing poetry, and just dipping my toes into the sci-fi and dark fiction waters. Not only did being part of this great anthology give me a boost of confidence to continue writing short fiction, it's also connected me with some fantastic and supportive authors. I think people are often hesitant to enter big contests, or try to put their writing out in the world, but I encourage everyone to try. While I was personally attached to my story, "Rift," I wasn't sure that anyone else would like it, or consider it publishable. It's an example of why we, as writers, shouldn't let our self-doubt get the best of us. Taking chances can pay off in the best possible way.

Steph Wolmarans - The Utten Mission

I am so grateful for the experience of being published in the anthology. It is difficult to describe the transformation. "The Utten Mission" was my first published story and the first few months were full of confidence and pride.

The beginning of the journey—the editing phase—taught me important habits and knowledge I will carry with me forever. I became more motivated to write, hired a writing coach, and dove into my novel manuscript with renewed force. Inclusion in the anthology launched me into my dream of writing for others. Imagine if an alien race saw a lonely woman staring up at the stars holding a picture of a rocket and came to give her an actual spaceship so she could fly away to join them. It inspired me to create several stories and to join the A to Z Challenge on my blog. The experience erupted with positive energy. Writing about this now reminds me of the momentum that pulled me, yet saddens me a little.

Now to talk about the difficult part, which I hate to admit is still looming over me. Seeing reader feedback was the hardest part. The anthology had great reviews on Goodreads and Amazon from readers, but the comments for individual pieces (particularly my own) were a little painful. Despite being told personally by a few people that mine was a favorite, the tiny voice of insecurity crept in. It is embarrassing just how much it bothered me.

The confidence is returning and my drive to write is picking up. I hate that I wasted any time on feeling insecure. This is the Insecure Writer's Support Group for crying out loud! And what amazing support it has been! This group delivers support every time, and being a part of the anthology was the biggest gift I could dream of. This new network of writers around me is by far the best part!

Tara Tyler - Sentient
It's always exciting to connect with a prompt and have a story form in your head... Just submitting a complete short story by the deadline is a great feeling. But getting chosen for the anthology is the best! It's also a bit of responsibility with the marketing, but that part is worth it and can even be fun! I recommend everyone give it a shot--the more you write, the better you get, plus it can be a nice break from your WIP.

Deniz Bevan - One to Another
I loved being a part of this contest! It’s given me greater confidence in my writing, and I’ve loved being part of a group project--it’s lovely be a member of a collaborative project like this. I feel incredibly privileged to say that the hardest part was keeping up with all the fun promotional activities online! I hope that next time I’m in the United States, I can take part in an event in person!

Charles Kowalski - Resident Alien
"Resident Alien" was my first published work of science fiction, and I certainly hope not my last. The timing of this contest gave me the impetus to do something I had been wanting to do in the wake of the George Floyd incident: examine issues of racial justice by posing the question, “What if the entire human race together were an oppressed minority?”

It was difficult to write, but very rewarding. The writing process showed me what science fiction can do best: hold a mirror up to us, showing human nature from a different angle or from an outsider’s perspective. As Gene Roddenberry said of Star Trek, “There were civil rights and other social justice issues that were addressed, and the network didn’t mind because it wasn’t overt…If you talk about purple people or polka-dotted people on a far-off planet, the network never really caught on.” (1)
 
With all this in mind, I created a short story that I hope will be used as a teaching tool, with teaching materials to go with it (available here (2)). I also had the beginnings of a world, with its own distinctive history and languages, that I wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye to after one short story, so we may be seeing further adventures of humans on Ogygia. Upwards and onwards!

 

(1)   https://pointofinquiry.org/2009/05/susan_sackett_the_secular_humanism_of_star_trek/
(2)   https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Resident-Alien-short-story-lesson-plans-6866147

 

Elizabeth Mueller - Resurgence

Second time is the charm? The Dark Matter project hosted by IWSG has been a growth experience for sure since it was my second attempt at writing Sci-Fi. Before this, I'd been mulling over trying my hand at writing science fiction for a while and this has served as a boost of encouragement to attempt another story in the same genre. I'm working on a romance novel that takes place in the same universe and that has been a great ride! This is huge for me as I've broken from the fantasy world into realistic fiction (of which I've been dabbling in for the past several years).

I'd have to say that the hardest part of the Dark Matter tour is having to rack my brain for the interview questions--it's easier for me to hide behind my characters and let them have their fun. But the best part is meeting new people, making new friends, and working with my awesome publisher!

Mark Alpert - Vera’s Last Voyage
The publication of this short story has reminded me of the importance of trying new things and taking creative risks. Writing fiction is especially enjoyable when you're pushing the boundaries. My wife and I recently visited New Albany, Mississippi, the birthplace of William Faulkner, where I received an award from the William Faulkner Literary Competition. Faulkner was perhaps the greatest boundary-pusher of American fiction, a literary experimentalist whose novels are still amazing readers, and we can all take inspiration from his example.

You can find all these authors and stories in Dark Matter: Artificial, available on Amazon, Kobo, and Barnes and Noble.

Our next post will be on the last Insecure Writer's Support Group day of the year, Wednesday, December 1! In that wrap-up post, the IWSG Dark Matter contest winner will share her reflection of the year--how it started, and how it's going!

Contest Deadline!

It's deadline day! If you haven't entered the Insecure Writer's Support Group 2021 Annual Anthology Contest, today's the last day (September 1, 2021)! If you're polishing up your manuscript, be sure to get it in by today as a formatted Word file to admin@insecurewriterssupportgroup.com. The genre this year is Sweet Romance and the theme this year is First Love. More details can be found on the Insecure Writer's Support Group website.

The authors of Dark Matter: Artificial sure know what it's like to work up against a deadline. We've all been through it in order to submit our stories for last year's anthology! What was the process like? A few authors share their experiences below.

Stephanie Espinoza Villamor: It took me a while for my IWSG anthology idea to fully form. Once I had "the one" story idea I was excited to write about, I just had to make the time to write (usually while my young son was asleep) in order to make the deadline. When I try to write a novel, I often don't know exactly how the story will turn out. But when I write a short story, I usually have the ending in mind and it's all about getting to that ending in a logical way where everything introduced in the story is "paid off" or resolved. Once I've made it to the end I...rejoice! And then prepare for editing. I typically show my stories to a small group of friends in two different critique groups, ask for feedback (Google Docs is helpful for this), and then start the rewrites until the manuscript draft feels as strong as possible--usually a week or two before the deadline (sometimes a day or two before the deadline!). I don't like to submit at the very last minute just in case something goes wrong, although I've done that a couple times in grad school....

Tara Tyler: When I hear the IWSG topic, I either immediately think of a story or I just don't feel it. Like this year's contest, I started but couldn't feel it, so I dropped it. Since I have more time in the summer to write, I usually at least put together an outline. Once I start the first draft, the flow of it tells me if I'll be able to make the deadline. I actually like deadlines--they motivate me! The word count is where I struggle sometimes. If my word count gets too long, I have trouble cutting away words while trying to keep the soul of the story vibrant.

Deniz Bevin: All of my recent short stories seem to happen the same way: I get an idea (usually in the summertime!) and have to write down the entire story right away before I lose it. This is how my anthology story came to me. I've had other stories I've entered over the years in the various anthology contests but I don't think those other ones fit quite as well into the theme or the tone of the collection. After I've written the story in my mad rush, I type it up (if it was written on paper) and complete one or two rounds of edits before sending it out to beta readers. Then another round or two of editing, and yet one more if I've decided to submit it somewhere. There's always something to tweak...

One of the best parts of the IWSG Anthology process has been seeing the story published and finally being able to call it done!

Olga Godim: I always try to have sufficient time when I write fiction to a deadline. Never do it at the last minute. Fiction needs editing, at least two rounds for a short story. And I would never send an unedited entry to a competition. So I plan in advance, with plenty of time built-in, and usually submit my story days or even weeks before the deadline.

Elizabeth Mueller: I rather enjoyed my experiences writing for the IWSG. I start off mulling over the theme and listen for the mood that I want to come across: Do I want it to feel scary? mysterious? mournful? adventurous? After stewing over it for a while, I sit down, pray for inspiration, creativity,  and motivation. I finish it in one sitting before I get back to it for editing before creating the query letter for submission: the most challenging part sometimes is crafting a clever summary!

Speaking of short story anthologies, the Insecure Writer's Support Group book club is reading two of the IWSG anthologies in the month of September: Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime and Parallels: Felix Was Here. Chcck out the IWSG book club on Good Reads! (https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/214387-the-insecure-writer-s-support-group-book-club).

Learn more about IWSG at: https://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/. It's been exciting being a part of one of their anthologies and we look forward to seeing what the next anthology will bring!

In the Spotlight: Mark Alpert ~ Author of "Vera's Last Voyage"

Today we spotlight our final author from Dark Matter: Artificial! We've asked him to share a little about how he came up with his story and preview what's to come!

Mark Alpert on his short story, "Vera's Last Voyage."

  

I’m a journalist as well as a novelist, and many of my journalism colleagues become very amused when they discover that I majored in astrophysics in college. An Associated Press photographer once took me aside and said, “Listen, your new nickname is Astro, okay? Because that’s what all of us have been calling you ever since we found out.”

 

I chose to study astrophysics at Princeton University because I thought it was the most poetic of the sciences. It explores and explains some of the most beautiful objects in the universe, the stars and planets and nebulae and galaxies that still fill me with wonder whenever I gaze at the night sky. Even more romantic, astrophysics is full of mysteries. Is the universe infinite? Did it have a beginning? Why are its laws mathematical, and do they have a purpose? Why is there something instead of nothing?

 

Dark matter was one of the great mysteries confronting astrophysicists in the 1980s when I was at Princeton. Just a decade before, astronomer Vera Rubin had painstakingly observed the rotation rates of dozens of galaxies, which were spinning much faster than anyone had thought possible. The best explanation, Rubin concluded, was that each galaxy was embedded in a huge cloud of invisible matter that vastly outweighed all of the galaxy’s stars, gas, and dust. But despite a half-century of diligent searching since then, astronomers have failed to detect even a smidgeon of this dark matter. Mysterious, right?

 

When I started writing novels fifteen years ago, I focused on scientific mysteries. Albert Einstein, the enigmatic founder of modern physics, was the subject of my internationally bestselling first novel, Final Theory, which was published by Simon & Schuster in 2008, optioned for film, and translated into two dozen languages. My third novel, Extinction (St. Martin’s Press, 2013), scrutinized the mystery of consciousness, while my ninth novel, The Coming Storm (St. Martin’s, 2019), explored the puzzles of climate change and genetic engineering. So, it was a special pleasure for me to return to the mystery of dark matter by writing a short story for this anthology.

 

Vera Rubin died in 2016 at an assisted-living facility in Princeton, N.J. I thought it would be interesting to imagine her still wrestling with the dark matter problem at the end of her life, so that’s the premise of my story. In her last hours Vera envisions the entire history of the universe, stretching ahead to the far future, and she compares dark matter to God. Dark matter, like many common conceptions of God, is ubiquitous and played a vital role in creating the universe as we know it. What’s more, we haven’t been able to directly detect dark matter, and yet we sense its gravitational presence. It’s an interesting comparison, but I can’t really take credit for it; the Vera Rubin character inside my head explained the idea to me, and I just wrote it down. Thank you, Vera!

Mark strikes a Sea Hunt pose during a scuba expedition
near Heron Island in Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.

Mark at a book signing for The Siege, one of his
Young Adult novels, at Books of Wonder in NYC.

Mark reenacting the murder made famous in Anatomy of a Murder 
at the Lumberjack Tavern in Big Bay, Michigan.

Mark is hard at work on his next novel! Go to www.markalpert.com 
to see excerpts and buy links for all his books.

Blurb: 

 

Mark Alpert’s short story, “Vera’s Last Voyage,” imagines the final moments in the life of the late Vera Rubin, the brilliant astronomer who discovered the best evidence for dark matter but never got the full credit she deserved, partly because of sexism.

 

Excerpt:

 

I turn back to the elliptical galaxy. Bob has evidently ratcheted up the pace of cosmic history, and now quadrillions of years are zipping by in an instant. All the white dwarf stars have cooled into black dwarfs, charred cinders of high-density matter, utterly frigid and dead. All the largest stars have collapsed and become black holes, which revolve unseen around the monstrous hole at the galaxy’s center. The only fireworks happen when two stellar remnants collide and spark a supernova, or when two black holes get too close to each other and merge with a spacetime-shaking clang. But those collisions occur less and less often as time goes on. For untold eons, the universe does nothing exciting. It’s dark and silent and very, very boring.

 

Thinking about it makes me shudder. If the universe were a person, it would spend just a tiny fraction of a second going through all the active phases of life—childhood, adolescence, adulthood, the golden years. And then it would spend billions of millennia lying on a bed in an assisted-living facility, doing nothing at all. Why does it take so long to die?

Mark Alpert is the internationally bestselling author of 10 science fiction novels. He first heard about dark matter while studying astrophysics at Princeton University, and he learned much more about the subject while working as an editor at Scientific American during the 1990s and 200s. His first novel, Final Theory (Simon & Shuster, 2008), was published in 24 languages, optioned for film, and condensed for Reader's Digest. His Young Adult novel, The Six (Sourcebooks, 2015), was nominated for the Nutmeg, Beehive, and Cybils awards. His tenth and latest novel is Saint Joan of New York: A Novel About God and String Theory. Learn more at: http://www.markalpert.com/

 

In the Spotlight: Elizabeth Mueller ~ Author of "Resurgence"

First off, we must announce that our IWSG anthology blog tour has continued throughout early May with some fun interviews from our authors, hosted by fantastic bloggers in the IWSG community.

Check out Ellen Jacobson's blog as she interviews Stephanie Espinoza Villamor, author of the winning story entry.

Mason Canyon's Thoughts in Progress blog has guest posts from authors Charles Kowalski, C.D. Gallant-King, and Tara Tyler. 

Louise Barbour's Standing Into Danger blog features interviews from all the authors about how they got into science fiction. Louise was also published in the previous anthology, Voyagers: The Third Ghost!

Next we have author C.D. Gallant-King who will be featured on Nick Wilford's blog and a short pitch for the anthology stories from all authors on Cathrina Constantine's blog.

And now, we're on to our continued posting from each of the contributing authors in Dark Matter: Artificial. We've asked them to share a little about how they came up with their stories and preview what's to come!

Elizabeth Mueller on her short story, "Resurgence."

This is super exciting that the IWSG team enjoyed my story! You can imagine my surprise. My usual genre is anything with romance. What can I say? I’m a romantic. Because of that, I didn’t expect to write sci-fi until I saw the theme—dark matter. How intriguing. How can I resist that? We can go anywhere with this.

Being a stay-at-home mom has given me the ability to explore different genres. I started my early years writing about talking horses before going to high fantasy. I do love elves, dragons, shape-shifters, and goblins. Then there’s witches in covens and soul-sucking demons to Greek gods and Norse gods. I eventually changed over to the French Renaissance and modern rock stars. Then there’s high school football players and cheerleaders! I eventually plan to go back to high fantasy but I’m not sure about talking horses. I realize that it sounds like there’s no passage of time between the above genres but this has been ongoing for the past thirty-plus years.

As for sci-fi, I’m relatively new but after some research regarding dark matter, my imagination soared. I wanted to write something fast-paced and exciting. Something that contains unpredictability as well as shock factor—think The Twilight Zone.

“Resurgence” tests the avenue of what-ifs regarding humanity’s survival.

Blurb:

Keeping his nightmares secret is costing Damarin his sanity and encountering strange anomalies might damage his reputation. Is uncovering dark secrets worth the risk?
 
Excerpt:

Damarin eased from the bed, vigilant of waking Zarynah. Wisps from his nightmare trailed him into the lavatory.

“Lumens,” he said with a hoarse tone, his eyes weighted. The ambient spheres flared into life, illuminating the darkened chamber. He leaned over the basin, his fingers clenching the rounded edge. The ground spun beneath his toes. He refocused on his disheveled reflection.
 
The strident howls haunted him within the confines of his skull along with the unsettling image of the rusted sky. He perceived faces. The faces stared back at him with silvery, unblinking orbs. They sought his flesh with ravenous howls.
 
He inhaled sharply and reeled back, his bare feet finding traction with the polished nickel flooring.
 
“I can’t,” he gasped, digging the heels of his palms into his eyes until flashing brilliant color shone. He stumbled for the bedchamber and dropped onto the bed with a groan.
 
He sat within the silence, and after his vision adjusted to the dim lighting, he noticed a silhouette before him. The form proved a degree darker than the gloomy monochromatic environment. It tapped away at the air on what looked like a mainframe. It stilled, turned, and locked its startled gaze with Damarin.

Award-winning author Elizabeth Mueller lives deep in the heart Texas surrounded by everyone she loves—including the characters who don’t stop talking in her head. While she enjoys homeschooling her kidlets, she thrives as a full-time writer of any genre that captures her heart.

Coming on Wednesday, May26, 2021 . . . 

Next up will be our final author, Mark Alpert, who shares his backstory for "Vera’s Last Voyage."

Dark Matter: Artificial releases today!

We interrupt our regularly scheduled Dark Matter: Artificial author spotlights to let you know that the anthology is officially available today! You can now purchase print or ebook versions of Dark Matter: Artificial from Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and Dancing Lemur Press.

Our blog tour begins today as well! We hope you enjoy reading our interview answers that give a little insight into the writer mind and are sometimes just plain fun!

Please check our Laura Billings' blog, Bookish Equestrian, for interviews with our authors on how we came up with our ideas (https://bookishequestrian.wixsite.com/).

And Jemi Fraser's blog Just Jemi interviews the authors asking us which fictional world we like best (https://jemifraser.blogspot.com). Fun fact, Jemi's story was published in the Insecure Writer's Support Group anthology, Tick Tock: A Stitch in Crime!

Stay tuned for more blog tour links, and then Elizabeth Mueller's author spotlight here on May 12!

In the Spotlight: Olga Godim ~ Author of "Nano Pursuit"

The IWSG Anthology blog will be featuring posts from each of the contributing authors in Dark Matter: Artificial over the next few weeks. We've asked them to share a little about how they came up with their stories and preview what's to come!

Olga Godim on her short story, "Nano Pursuit."

When I decided to write a story specifically for this anthology, the genre wasn’t a problem. I like writing sci-fi stories. But the theme was a huge question mark. What was Dark Matter? I didn’t want it to be some astrophysical feature of the universe. My stories tend to be personal. My characters never save the world; their problems are also personal. So what was Dark Matter for them? 

Then I came up with my all-important definition. It is not a spoiler--the reader would read it on the first page of my story. Dark Matter for my characters is the name of nanobots, the tiny bugs one of my characters invented. They eat plastic and metal garbage.

As soon as I had the definition, I knew that for my story to work, the nanobots have to be stolen. From there, the story unfolded.

Blurb:

Whoever stole Dark Matter from Alexa and her cousin Georgy are despicable thieves, aren’t they? When Alexa catches up with them, she would make them suffer for their felony. Probably. If they are truly guilty.

Excerpt:

A movement in the cave’s dark aperture alerted Alexa. She whirled and fired her stunner at the body hurtling toward her before she even saw her attacker clearly.

The stunner buzzed, and the assailant crumpled with a muted groan. Alexa tip-toed around the nose of the flier, her stunner ready for the second thief, but no more attackers materialized. Her heart pounding, she shuffled toward the downed figure.

It wasn’t a man. It was a girl. A teenager with a mop of dark wavy hair, unconscious on the cave’s floor. 

“Drat!” Alexa spat. “Now, I’m shooting children.” She squirmed in guilt. The security tape of the thieves showed two adult males. Who was this kid? A stunner gun clutched in the girl’s hand alleviated Alexa’s pangs of guilt, but only a little. Wincing, she pried the gun out of the girl’s stiffened fingers, dragged her unresponsive body into the flier’s passenger seat, and regarded her perplexing prisoner.

The setting on her stunner was light. Soon, the girl’s eyelashes started fluttering open and closed. She was already waking up. Before she regained consciousness, Alexa secured the third full crate in the flier and commanded the remaining bugs to stop. Then she turned to the girl again.

The girl eyed her with hatred. “Thief!” she whispered. She couldn’t yet move, but she could obviously talk, if a bit slurry.

Alexa shook her head at the audacity of that statement. “I’m a thief? You guys, whoever you are, stole our nano bugs from us. You’re the thieves, or you bought them from the thieves. I had to fly here from our space station to retrieve our property. It took me eight days. The bugs belong to me. To my cousin and me, really,” she amended. “Georgy is the designer, and the bugs were stolen from his lab. I have the documents to prove it. I’m going to your local police to file a suit against you for robbing us. Thievery must be a crime here, as it is everywhere.”

“No!” the girl breathed. “Please, don’t. Not the police.”

“Why?” Alexa countered.

The girl’s hand flopped weakly. “We didn’t have a choice.”

“No choice but to commit a crime?”

“You don’t understand.”

“No. But I might if you explain. You were not on our station. The security tape showed two males.”

“My father and uncle,” the girl said. She wet her lips. 

Her mouth must be dry after a stun, Alexa thought remorsefully.

Olga Godim is a writer and journalist from Vancouver, Canada. Both her children, a son and a daughter, have already flown the nest. To sustain her nurturing instincts, she now collects toy monkeys. She has over 300 monkey figurines in her collection. As a journalist, Olga focuses on the local arts and culture scene: art shows and theatrical reviews as well as articles about local artists, actors, and musicians. As a fiction writer, she prefers speculative fiction. In the past few years, her fantasy and science fiction short stories have been published in multiple magazines and anthologies. Her book SQUIRREL OF MAGIC is a collection of urban fantasy short stories. In 2015, her fantasy novel EAGLE EN GARDE won EPIC eBook Award.

This week also marks the final week before the official release of Dark Matter: Artificial! We're celebrating by spreading the word about our upcoming blog tour! Read interviews by our authors to learn even more about their stories, writing process, and more! We'll keep you posted as each interview gets closer, or view the full schedule below:

Saturday, May 1 - Laura Billings' blog: Bookish Equestrian

Tuesday, May 4 - Jemi Fraser's blog: Just Jemi

Wednesday, May 5 - Ellen Jacobson's author blog

Thursday, May 6 - Mason Canyon's blog: Thoughts in Progress

Friday, May 7 - Louise Barbour's blog: Standing Into Danger

Monday, May 10 - Nick Wilford's author blog

Wednesday, May 12 - Cathrina Constantine's author blog

Don't forget to check out Dark Matter: Artificial when it drops May 4! Available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, and our publisher, Dancing Lemur Press.

Also coming on Wednesday, May 12, 2021 . . . 

Next author up on this blog will be Elizabeth Mueller, who shares her backstory for "Resurgence."