Chaos Rises in 9tales Anthology

My story, "Chaos Rises" appears in the newest 9tales Anthology:  Tales from Elsewhere.

It's free right now on Amazon, so check it out.

Wildlife on the Mogollon Rim

I just got back from an awesome camping trip on the Mogollon Rim in Arizona.  I've never seen so much wildlife on one trip.  My camera doesn't have great zoom, and of course I didn't have it out when we saw the elk close-up, but here's a little bit of wildlife spotting for you.

You'll have to zoom in on this one, but there are 4 wild turkeys there!

A huge horned toad--like a little dinosaur--and so calm I got to pet it before it ran away.

Wild horses (not WILD horses, since they didn't seem to care we were this close).

Tracks of homo sapiens

Zoom in again and count the deer.  They're not even all in the frame!

Other wildlife seen:
-elk (4 close-up, 5 on an opposite slope)
-a golden eagle (I think)
-a BALD eagle (quite rare in Arizona as far as I know)
-a bird of some sort flying along the edge of Black Canyon Lake with a fish actually in its mouth
-more deer than pictured above.  I saw singles or sets 4 times.  Also, another turkey and three more horned toads in different places, ranging from tiny to huge.
-a whole bundle of fish caught by a fisherman, plus a bunch plopping in the water
-two little birds chasing a big squirrel down a tree.  Various other squirrels and chipmunks and birds and tiny butterflies and spiders and a darling bright yellow inchworm about a quarter of an inch long.

As I said, it was AWESOME.  I feel so blessed.    

May story sales

I'm just so excited that I've sold two stories this month.  Yippee!  Now, if I can keep the momentum going...

One is a reprint of "Chaos Rises," which you can also get as an e-book single here or here.

The other is "A Learned Man," a sort of folktale/fairytale/ghost story based on a 2-page retelling of an El Salvadorian tale.  I stumbled across it one day in a tiny public library in Apaneca, El Salvador, when I was traveling down there.  I wrote about 2/3 of the rough draft while sitting in a pleasant plaza there.

I'll let you know when they're actually published, so you can take a look.  

Review of Chaos Rises

"Chaos Rises," my short story, just got a review on an enthusiastic new blog!  Check it out here:  "a weird girl living the blogger life" 

Alaska Dreams

I've been working hard on my upcoming book about cruising Alaska on a budget.  All this research and writing has made me long to be there...and long to share the beauty.  So here are a few of my pictures.

Juneau, Alaska--Mendenhall Glacier

Glacier Bay, Alaska--Margerie Glacier

Deer Mountain Trail, Ketchikan, Alaska

Homer Spit, Alaska

If you want to know more about how to see Alaska for yourself, 

check out my new book on Amazon:   Cruising Alaska on a Budget,

Submit to Magazines with Themes

I love magazines with themes or prompts, because they expose the many, many ways our minds work differently to produce so many stories from one kernel of an idea.

For all you fiction writers out there, if you're having writer's block or if you want to challenge yourself to write something you normally wouldn't, try writing for one of the magazines or e-zines below. 

Paying Markets ($10-$50)

THEMA Literary Journal.  Each issue is based closely around a specific theme.  All genres.  Reprints accepted.  Current and upcoming themes:  "Was that today?" and "We thought he'd never leave."  Submission guidelines

The First Line Literary Magazine.  Each story must start with the same sentence.  All genres.  Current and upcoming first lines:  "Fifty miles west of Bloomington lies Hillsboro, a monument to middle-class malaise," and "We went as far as the car would take us."  Submission Guidelines.

Pantheon.  As the name suggests, this magazine's issues center around various gods and goddesses.  All genres welcome.  Reprints accepted, but unpaid. Current themes:  "Ares" and "Gaia."  Submission Guidelines.

Read my whole article here:  Writers On the Move