"The Pull of Gravity" / Abyss & Apex / Coming July 2025

"The Pull of Gravity" is a long-suffered favorite of mine, but honestly it went through quite a few iterations until it sold to the amazing Abyss & Apex magazine (and even they had some cuts). Initially I think it was too long, and there was a climactic scene/dream which I loved but initially was just - well, not me. I was trying too hard. I'd finally th epremise of just that scene and it changed the story and felt, suddenly, right. Not surprising, the story sold next time out. Sometimes it's simply a matter of beign true to oneself.

The story is not slated until the July, 2025 issue, so we have a wait, but it always feels great to have these literary babies of mine find a good home.

"The Space Between" / Wicked Abandoned anthology / October 2024 from the New England Horror Writers

Now that I no longer actually edit these anthologies, I've wanted to submit a story to one, especially since the group uses blind submissions, so the editors do not know who wrote the story until all selections are made. Wicked Abandoned is the new anthology from the NEHW and I'm pleased to announce that my story "The Space Between" has been accepted. It deals with a rather different take on the theorized Rapture of the church, but not just the Christian one. Anyway, not really horror as much as, well, one of my stories that at times defy genre-defining. But I was pretty happy with it, and very happy editors Rob Smales and Scott Goudsward accepted it. Thankfully it was blind submission so they didn't know it was me until the end. There's a whole other broo-haha around the publication where others have decided that a "content warning" was needed, though one never has before. It's a horror anthology, people. A part of me thinks my story was the major trigger. If that's the case, honestly, I am pretty worried for out society these days. The day a content warning is needed because someone might be triggered yet is reading a book like this, I think we've lost our way. End of lecture. Just needed to vent somewhere, and since no one reads this particular blog, may as well stick it in here.

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