New Year, new progress Jan/2025

At last , 2 plus months after hip surgery, got my Mojo back and am half way through editing the anthology of short stories began New Year of 2024, so hopefully on track to publish it in time for this year's summer reading frenzy market.

In the same vein, I wrote a story for the Local Writers society first anthology attempt based on the theme: Out of the Woods. Got short listed, and eventually chosen by judge Emma Donaghue ( of novel and movie screenplay ROOM fame ) to be included in that effort. I have to like the story myself to submit, and I felt this one was good on several levels-- a bit of a unique plot featuring an 'exotic' sort of character(s)and ended with a twist. I tried out my fledging skills also, in first making us root for the character, which as his was revealed, not so much, and then root for him again and in the end suspect he gets his just desserts. To do all that in 2500 words ( was dead on the 'limit' of course) was interesting and I trust, successful.

As to my own anthology endeavour, many of these stories were written in the last 2 decades so it was refreshing for me to re-acquaint with them. I would say they've all held up pretty well. In the T of C I've tried to alternate the darker works with the lighthearted (manipulating the reader again I suppose...) As my first collection (perhaps my last) I've made the volume a bit unique in other ways as well, but you'd have to buy it to find that out ...