I'm Announced! Cifiscape vol. II, The Twin Cities

"Biggest announcement yet/an old friend returns" is the title of Cifiscape's author announcement today. I don't think that I've ever been described as a "Big," when it comes to my writing. However, today that changed. Beyond being being "Big," the announcement has many more kind words suggesting that my writing has some kind of worth and readership. Here are a few choice words:

"[...] not only is his writing style unique and accessible, but he is also gifted with the most rare gifts when it comes to being a writer: creativity."

and

"When we first read his story for Volume II about alternate endings and chock-full of Dickens references we couldn't help, but fall in love with the dystopian reality."

To read the entire announcement, hop over to the main Cifiscape site. I'm glad to be joining an already talented group of writers in Vol II: Jonathan Hansen, Erica Lindquist & Aron Christensen, and David Oppegaard. 


I'm already looking forward to seeing who will be unveiled next. 

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If you are as excited as I am about a Vol. II, you should check out Vol. I. If you're not sure, you can read my reviews of the stories in Vol I. here (I didn't review my own story, I thought that would have been strange):   

• "Ill Communication" by Bob Lipski
• "Bicyclopolis" by Ken Avidor
• "Thinker's Lure" by Toianna Gump
• "Godless" by Brian Garrity
• "The Prisoner" by Ken Lubold
• "For the Killing of the Happiest Man" by Max Harbal

Lulu Short Story Contest Winner Announced

Lulu ran a short story contest in November. To enter, a writer only need create a 600 word eBook on the Lulu website. I figured that I'd join the fray: 2000+ entries. Wow! I knew the day before the winner was announced that I had not won. I didn't really expect to win. I entered a mildly erotica story, and I couldn't see Lulu choosing to front a piece of erotica no matter how well written. I entered just to be part of the mix.

I did get a nice email notification that included the following:

"Picking just one was very hard. Unfortunately, your submission was not selected as a finalist, but certainly not due to quality. In fact, The Skin Scholarship was good enough that we think you should take a shot at our Download Day sales contest happening December 26th, 2011."

I think that the email must have been a form letter. However, it was a nice form letter. Regardless, of whether it was a form letter or not, I do have a story up on Lulu that anyone can download and read for free. Enjoy!

From the Lulu Blog:

1^ST PLACE WINNER:

The Red Boots by Poornima Ram Kiram

2^ND PLACE WINNER:

Grass by Charles D. Shell

3^RD PLACE WINNER:

Revenge by Gail Kavanagh

Honorable Mentions:

Persona Quietus by Jesse Lee 

Lovely Stranger by Jennifer Porter-Kennard

Reading to Nora is My Favorite New Pastime!

Cifiscape vol. II, The Twin Cities - Authors

Cifiscape is building up to the launch of Vol. II by releasing authors one at a time. So far, the authors in Vol II include Jonathan Hansen, Erica Lindquist & Aron Christensen, and David Oppegaard. I think that I might know a few unannounced names, but I'll have to wait and see what happens.

If you are as excited as I am about a Vol. II, you should check out Vol. I. If you're not sure, you can read my reviews of the stories in Vol I. here (I didn't review my own story, I thought that would have been strange):   

• "Ill Communication" by Bob Lipski
• "Bicyclopolis" by Ken Avidor
• "Thinker's Lure" by Toianna Gump
• "Godless" by Brian Garrity
• "The Prisoner" by Ken Lubold
• "For the Killing of the Happiest Man" by Max Harbal

Bike Mechanic (Part 4) in @eFictionmag