December 16, 2018
When someone finds out I'm a published writer, I can guarantee I'll be asked one of two questions: 'Does it pay well?" and/or "In anything I've heard of?" Whether it pays well depends on whether you're used to champagne and flying on private jets, or dine regularly in your bedsit on beans on toast. Some people think that unless your earnings are in the J. K. Rowling bracket you aren't a proper writer. Maybe a list of my credits would impress them more.
I've had hundreds of pieces published or performed, but by the time I've hesitated over which ones to mention, the questioner has usually already dismissed me as an amateur, so I've thought about making a list of them all. There are more than a hundred ranging across professional genre, mainstream, online and traditional. Most are listed elsewhere on the website, so I won't include them all here, only one from each letter of the alphabet chosen at random:
Anathema, Binnacle, Cassandra, Daily SF, Emerald Tales, Fear, Golden Visions, Health and Harmony, Illumen, Jaffa Books, Les Bonnes Fées, New Myths, On the Premises, Pseudopod, Quantum Leap, Refractions, Songs of Eretz, Take a Break Fiction Feast, Voyage, Writing Tomorrow, Yellow Room.
So far there are no 'K's', 'U's', 'X's' or 'Z's', but who knows what 2019 will bring? One letter that will definitely be making another appearance is 'D' for Diabolical Plots.
As for that question: I could say that whether they will have heard of any of the publications my work has appeared in depends on how well-read they are, but I really don't want to insult potential readers. I shall probably be tongue-tied as usual. Maybe I should keep a copy of my list in my bag when I go out and simply hand it to them. If I'm lucky, it might act as a conversation starter, and encourage them to take a further look.
Posted by K. S. Dearsley.
December 4, 2018
One of the great things about the internet is that it's easier than ever to have your say about things. Put up posts on social media, blogs or reviews and potentially your views will be seen by a worldwide audience.
However, being persuasive means doing more than firing off Tweets as the impulse takes you. Look at the derision President Trump's brought on himself, and the ammunition he's handed to his detractors by not checking for typos. It always pays to spend a little time shaping wha...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley.
November 19, 2018
When I was a member of a science fiction writers' group there was always one topic that would liven up the conversation: what is science fiction? If Third Flatiron Anthologies' latest offering,Terra! Tara! Terror! had been around then we would have had plenty to wrangle over. There are SF stories with elements of fantasy or horror, fantasy with twists of SF, folktales, and myths brought up to date. In fact, there's the full range of speculative fiction in all its wonderful mutations.
There...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Reviews
November 9, 2018
A writer's life consists of sitting in front of a computer, tapping at a keyboard and pressing 'send', doesn't it? Not quite. Even when real life such as shopping, doing the laundry and walking the dogs doesn't intervene, things are rarely so straightforward. This is how my week went from Friday 2nd to Thursday 8th November.
As usual, I started the day on Friday by checking my emails, Facebook and Twitter pages. Even if I don't post a tweet, I like to respond to any likes and retweets, and...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Inspiration
October 28, 2018
Does your vote count? Did your favourite couple get voted off Strictly? Did your friends choose the worst film to download? Fear not, there are places where your voice will be heard.
If you enjoy a book, you can give it five stars on sites like Goodreads or Amazon, and if you really want to make an author's day, you can vote for their story in a magazine or competition readers' poll. Which brings me to the Pen 2 Paper competition. This year's finalists are now online at
https:www.txdisabil... Continue reading...
Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Competitions
October 7, 2018
Whenever I check out Twitter or Facebook I'm bound to come across a host of inspirational quotes about saving the planet, becoming a better person, the good old days–whatever subject you can think of. I confess to scrolling past most of them, but I can never resist the ones connected with writing. Here are some of my favourites, found in all sorts of places from social media and the back notes on novels to how-to websites and radio interviews.
"To hold a pen is to be at war."
Voltaire
A fre...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Inspiration
September 30, 2018
I've had a few little irritations in the past week or two, so I wasn't best pleased when I received an email from Amazon announcing that they are amalgamating with their print company, CreateSpace.
All paperbacks with the latter will be transferred to Amazon. Authors will find a few differences, especially if anyone has books in the process of being published. Some covers may need to be tweaked, if not replaced, if they were made with CreateSpace's cover creator. Royalties will be paid af...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Coming Soon
August 12, 2018
What child hasn't wanted to have stories read to them? It doesn't have to be something new, in fact children will happily listen to a favourite story over and over. That love of being told a story or read to, doesn't vanish with childhood. That's why radio and audio books are so popular.
If you're sight impaired or have tired eyes after a day in front of a computer screen; when you're driving, washing the dishes or carrying out some other task that occupies the hands while leaving the mind...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley. Posted In : Coming Soon
July 29, 2018
There isn't much time left before the Smashwords Summer-Winter sale ends. Wait until Wednesday to make your choice and you'll be too late. No time for novels? There are plenty of books of short stories to download either at big discounts or completely free, as well.
Take
Artists and Liars, for instance. It's a collection of short stories, flash fiction and poetry–11 works in all–linked by an art theme. Do you know the difference between a collector and a connoisseur? What goes through ...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley.
July 22, 2018
There's a school of thought that says, as soon as a story, poem or novel etc. is rejected you should send it out again. Like a boomerang, you should throw it straight back to another publisher. This is probably the best antidote to rejection, because it doesn't give you time to worry or get depressed. Your writing is your product, and as with any other business, it isn't going to enhance your reputation or improve your bank balance until you sell it.
Those are the pros, but there are some ...
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Posted by K. S. Dearsley.
