Success!

Hmm, I have a story I want to send them. I was thinking it could loosely fit the "lost" theme, and even more the "ocean" theme. Maybe it could fit the space opera theme too. Or maybe not. I'm not even entirely sure what space opera is though I tend to think it's BIG and this story isn't exactly galaxy spanning. It's set on one little moon, and rather parochial. It is quite soap opera-like though.

I think that qualifies as Space Opera these days. Why not try it?

Hmm, okay. I forgot to mention it's also 3700 words. I've just sent an email, asking if that's okay (their top limit is 3500) though I've just thought... it's Saturday and I bet they won't reply before the deadline for space opera. Blast.

Do you think they'll mind if I just send it?

Hmm, I have a story I want to send them. I was thinking it could loosely fit the "lost" theme, and even more the "ocean" theme. Maybe it could fit the space opera theme too. Or maybe not. I'm not even entirely sure what space opera is though I tend to think it's BIG and this story isn't exactly galaxy spanning. It's set on one little moon, and rather parochial. It is quite soap opera-like though.

I think that qualifies as Space Opera these days. Why not try it?

Hmm, okay. I forgot to mention it's also 3700 words. I've just sent an email, asking if that's okay (their top limit is 3500) though I've just thought... it's Saturday and I bet they won't reply before the deadline for space opera. Blast.

Do you think they'll mind if I just send it?

You're only 200 words over? Surely there's some words you can sacrifice on the altar of Market's-Arbtrary-Word-Limit.

Hmm, okay. I forgot to mention it's also 3700 words. I've just sent an email, asking if that's okay (their top limit is 3500) though I've just thought... it's Saturday and I bet they won't reply before the deadline for space opera. Blast.

Do you think they'll mind if I just send it?

You're only 200 words over? Surely there's some words you can sacrifice on the alter of Market's-Arbtrary-Word-Limit.

I cut about 200 words from The Memory of Huckleberries to get it under limit. I hadn't thought I could, but in the end, it made for a tighter, stronger story. That was quite educational.

Hmm, I have a story I want to send them. I was thinking it could loosely fit the "lost" theme, and even more the "ocean" theme. Maybe it could fit the space opera theme too. Or maybe not. I'm not even entirely sure what space opera is though I tend to think it's BIG and this story isn't exactly galaxy spanning. It's set on one little moon, and rather parochial. It is quite soap opera-like though.

I think that qualifies as Space Opera these days. Why not try it?

Hmm, okay. I forgot to mention it's also 3700 words. I've just sent an email, asking if that's okay (their top limit is 3500) though I've just thought... it's Saturday and I bet they won't reply before the deadline for space opera. Blast.

Do you think they'll mind if I just send it?

I'm with Krystal and Rebecca, I bet you can find 200 words to cut if you're worried they won't respond in time. If you can't cut that many but get close, I'd send it anyway and just say it's approx. 3,500 words. Make them reject you.

By the way, I keep seeing reference to the 15th for the Penumbra Space Opera issue deadline, but their submissions page lists the 31st, which is in keeping with how the calls have run in the past. Do we know where the 15th came from?

(EDITED) Actually, I see they actually have two different dates listed in two different places on their website. Weird.

(EDITED AGAIN) I sent them an email to request clarification.

By the way, I keep seeing reference to the 15th for the Penumbra Space Opera issue deadline, but their submissions page lists the 31st, which is in keeping with how the calls have run in the past. Do we know where the 15th came from?

(EDITED) Actually, I see they actually have two different dates listed in two different places on their website. Weird.

(EDITED AGAIN) I sent them an email to request clarification.

I also just noticed their word counts are different on those two places. The 15th deadline page lists 3,500 words, while the 31st deadline paged listed 3,000 words.

Um. Tricky then. I really don't want to have to start messing with this story again. It's my old semi-finalist, there are already two separate versions of it (the other is 5200 words). I expect I'll take elements of it and write a new story eventually but honestly, it's the oldest story I have still in circulation, it's quite cute but it really needs to be put out of its misery, not doctored again.

I suppose I can have a quick look. Sigh.

Chop, chop, chop those words!

Or, in Gator terms, chomp, chomp chomp!

Chop, chop, chop those words!

Or, in Gator terms, chomp, chomp chomp!

Yes, ma'am. It's past 9pm, time she woke up. I'll go and give her a prod and maybe we can get some work done. Or maybe I won't prod her, maybe I'll fetch some fish and wave it in front of her snout. Prodding a sleeping Gator generally isn't a smart move.

By the way, I keep seeing reference to the 15th for the Penumbra Space Opera issue deadline, but their submissions page lists the 31st, which is in keeping with how the calls have run in the past. Do we know where the 15th came from?

(EDITED) Actually, I see they actually have two different dates listed in two different places on their website. Weird.

(EDITED AGAIN) I sent them an email to request clarification.

If it is the 31st, I might actually be able to make it in. It'll be a miracle if I get this story I'm working on done by the 15th, though.

Okay, I received and signed the contract a few minutes ago (just to play it safe, I suppose. I don't know how most people feel about when to announce), so here's the spiel:

It's for my flash story "The Business is Dying" to Penumbra for their Zombie Apocalypse issue, coming out in February. Celina's email was AWESOME. Here's the fun part from it: she said that the 7 stories were chosen because they 'superseded the norm for this particular theme--something that is really difficult to do with zombies (after all, their vocabulary IS rather limited).' AND there were over 600 stories submitted for this issue, with 41 stories being considered in the final round. 6 stories and 1 poem out of 600 submissions... So for Preston and Alistair and anyone else I forgot about that submitted to this issue, this was definitely tough competition.

I feel obliged to make the joke that I am the 1%... of people whose story made it through the rounds at Penumbra. There, I said it. Now the urge can go away.

Congrats, dantzel! That's fantastic!

Chop, chop, chop those words!

Or, in Gator terms, chomp, chomp chomp!

Yes, ma'am. It's past 9pm, time she woke up. I'll go and give her a prod and maybe we can get some work done. Or maybe I won't prod her, maybe I'll fetch some fish and wave it in front of her snout. Prodding a sleeping Gator generally isn't a smart move.

I chomped it for Nice Elinor. She's pleased with me.

Yes I am. Such a good Gator.

I have had a crappy day at my day job.
Tons of work.
People making the work harder than it needed to be.
A/C coming on in the office, in WINTER.
But....
I come home and find that my SF/Ghost story, an HM here, has sold to Encounters Magazine!
Okay, this day does not suck.

I have had a crappy day at my day job.
Tons of work.
People making the work harder than it needed to be.
A/C coming on in the office, in WINTER.
But....
I come home and find that my SF/Ghost story, an HM here, has sold to Encounters Magazine!
Okay, this day does not suck.

Woohoo! Congratulations!

Woohoo!!

I have had a crappy day at my day job.
Tons of work.
People making the work harder than it needed to be.
A/C coming on in the office, in WINTER.
But....
I come home and find that my SF/Ghost story, an HM here, has sold to Encounters Magazine!
Okay, this day does not suck.

Way to go Bob! So happy your day went from crappy/sucky to something much better. Kudos!
Preston Dennett
(HM x 4)

Congratulations, Bob!

I have had a crappy day at my day job.
Tons of work.
People making the work harder than it needed to be.
A/C coming on in the office, in WINTER.
But....
I come home and find that my SF/Ghost story, an HM here, has sold to Encounters Magazine!
Okay, this day does not suck.

What a great turnaround Congratulations!!

I have had a crappy day at my day job.
Tons of work.
People making the work harder than it needed to be.
A/C coming on in the office, in WINTER.
But....
I come home and find that my SF/Ghost story, an HM here, has sold to Encounters Magazine!
Okay, this day does not suck.

Great, Bob!

Congratulations!

I think a sale would turn around just about any bad day.
Grats!

I have had a crappy day at my day job.
Tons of work.
People making the work harder than it needed to be.
A/C coming on in the office, in WINTER.
But....
I come home and find that my SF/Ghost story, an HM here, has sold to Encounters Magazine!
Okay, this day does not suck.

Grats!

Grats!

That's great, Bob! Congratulations!

I have had a crappy day at my day job.
Tons of work.
People making the work harder than it needed to be.
A/C coming on in the office, in WINTER.
But....
I come home and find that my SF/Ghost story, an HM here, has sold to Encounters Magazine!
Okay, this day does not suck.

Winter? Whaddaya mean, winter? You live in San Diego.

More seriously, wahoo!

Congrats, Bob!! I'm so excited for you. Make sure to post links and the date it will be available

Congrats Bob!!

In my own bit on continued excitement about my sale, I got the mock-up for the cover on Wednesday. It's pretty awesome seeing your name on a magazine cover.

I have had a crappy day at my day job.
Tons of work.
People making the work harder than it needed to be.
A/C coming on in the office, in WINTER.
But....
I come home and find that my SF/Ghost story, an HM here, has sold to Encounters Magazine!
Okay, this day does not suck.

Congratulations!

Congrats Bob!!

In my own bit on continued excitement about my sale, I got the mock-up for the cover on Wednesday. It's pretty awesome seeing your name on a magazine cover.

Just saw the cover for the zombie issue of Penumbra. Congrats again Dantzel. Looks great! So I guess nobody made the cut on the Space Opera issue. I couldn't get mine finished in time. Next theme...Lost. Only nine days left to come up with an idea and write a fantastic story. Easy, right? Right?
Preston Dennett
(HM x 4)

You can doooo eeeeet.