Tuesday, April 17, 2018

INDIE ARTIST APPRECIATION DAY!

It’s Eric J. Guignard’s INDIE ARTIST APPRECIATION DAY!

I have four new books that are teetering on the verge of publication under my small press, Dark Moon Books, and each is fortunate enough to be graced by amazing interior artwork.

I love interior illustrations twofold: The visual elements are not only appealing on their own merit, but that they also add another layer to the stories they depict, providing a relatable and synergetic graphic.

I spend a lot of time to find the right person for this, reviewing websites, portfolios, and reviews of artists, as finding someone “fitting” is not easy. Just like writing, artists have their own styles, their own voices. There are so many great artists out there, but sometimes they’re out of my price range, or their personalities are not a match to my own, or they just don’t follow through with commitments, or any number of other variables.

But the following are some wonderful collaborators I’ve been working with of late, along with a shout-out of immense THANK YOU to each of them and links to their amazing work.

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Michelle Prebich at: www.batinyourbelfry.etsy.com

Michelle is illustrating not just one book, but a series of books: EXPLORING DARK SHORT FICTION: A PRIMER SERIES (vol 1: Steve Rasnic Tem; vol. 2: Kaaron Warren; vol. 3: Nisi Shawl; vol. 4: Jeffrey Ford), with a very fun, whimsical, and dark style, Tim Burton-ess of etching!


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Steve Lines at: www.rainfallsite.com

Steve is illustrating my anthology, A WORLD OF HORROR, even while working through a broken arm!! His style incorporates much vintage stipple illustration (dotting for depth), which amazes me with complexity, yet he seemingly creates the work with ease and panache.

One of my favorite examples of his work: http://www.rainfallsite.com/Haunted_9_001.jpg

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Greg is also illustrating a Series (a trilogy): THE CRIME FILES OF KATY GREEN by Gene O’Neill, following my requests to create partials of pulp detective comic strips, which are loud, exciting, and “mini-vignettes.”


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Nils finished illustrating my anthology THE FIVE SENSES OF HORROR last year. He has a rich vision of Gothic sensibility, combining gorgeous folk art with intricate designs and detailed artwork in mixed media.


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I recommend each of the above for their amazing craft and ease of working with. And if all the stars should align, I’ll have all new books published within the next few months showcasing each of these grand artists and their exemplary work!



Friday, April 13, 2018

100th short story acceptance!

Milestone achieved: Updated my writing submission log, and realize that I just received my 100th short story acceptance this week!!! That number includes 33 reprints but, still, that’s like 100 mothers patting me on the head and saying, “You found favor in our eyes this instance.”

I’ve been keeping statistics since I started writing fiction for the sake of publication, as of February, 2011, so reaching #100 is definitely exciting. Granted, some of the earlier stories I wrote, I burn in shame over now, but such is growth. Additionally and coincidentally, I also received my 300th rejection yesterday, which puts my short story acceptance rate currently at exactly 25%.

I also have 17 submissions that are out pending decision (6 of which are reprints) and another half dozen with no suitable home to submit, not to mention the couple dozen others sitting in the trunk drawer, of which I’ve given up on.

My short story output has slowed these past eighteen months, as I’ve focused on writing my first novel (looking for a publisher, oh Big Name agencies!), a collection (TBP this summer), starting up my own indie publishing company, DARK MOON BOOKS, www.darkmoonbooks.com, writing a PRIMER series to Dark Short Fiction authors, and editing another three anthologies, which I hope to publish this year! Additionally I’ve contributed a number of introductions, essays, and other non-fiction work.

I haven’t updated my bibliography since November, 2017, but I keep it posted on my website, www.ericjguignard.com, here: http://ericjguignard.com/Assets/Bibliography.pdf.

Hopefully, another ten years from now as I sit on my throne of literary accolades and million-dollar royalty checks, I’ll look back on all this and say, “Bah, that was my elementary phase, tenuous merit at best!”



Monday, April 9, 2018

April, 2018 Dark Fiction Short Story Markets

April, 2018
New or Reopening Market Listings/ Notes
At Pro-Paying (5 cents+ per word)


Galaxy’s Edge Magazine
Payment: 7 cents a word
Story Length: up to 7,000 words (though less is better)
Deadline: ongoing
Reprints?: No
Response: 6 weeks
Description: Science Fiction and Fantasy stories in all sub-genres (No horror).


SPIDER magazine for ages 6-9 (CRICKET MEDIA)
Payment: 25 cents a word
Story Length: 300 to 1,000 words (poetry up to 20 lines) (non-fiction 300–800 words)
Deadline: See below Issue themes; Open intermittently (and currently) for other non-themed
Reprints?: No
Response: 3–6 months

Issue theme: Inventions
Deadline: May 15, 2018
Description: Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, activities, crafts, and recipes for the theme Inventions. Send us stories about objects or gadgets that intrigued you as a kid or that intrigue kids you know. Write about the origin of a toy, secret code or language, special technique or process, game or puzzle, school supply, musical instrument, or out-of-date technology. We’re interested in the gross and weird, silly and useless, and even fictional inventions. Especially welcome: works about inventions by kid inventors, women, and people of color.

Issue theme: Mysterious Monsters
Deadline: June 15, 2018
Description: Fiction, poetry, activities, crafts, and recipes for the theme Mysterious Monsters. Bring on the claws, sharp teeth, tails, and larger-than-life creatures. We’re interested in age-appropriate monster stories that introduce kids to old urban legends like river and lake monsters, the Chupacabra, and Big Foot as well as other creatures that go bump in the night—jumbies, trolls, poltergeists, giants, werewolves, vampires, zombies, or beings we’ve never heard of before. Send us your spooky ghosts and growling, howling beasts who might want to eat you or just be your friend.

Issue theme: Our Diverse World
Deadline: July 15, 2018
Description: Fiction, non-fiction, activities, and poetry for the theme Our Diverse World. We want stories about real or imaginary people with interesting hobbies, jobs, traditions, or inventions. We would like to see Black, Latinx, First Nations, East Asian, South Asian, and Middle Eastern children from first, second, or third generation families. Tell us quirky, funny, heartfelt, and lesser-known stories where race, ethnicity, class, culture, and ability might intersect.

  
Unidentified Funny Objects, Volume 7 (ed. by Alex Shvartsman)
Payment: 10 cents a word
Story Length: 500-5000 words
Deadline: April 1 – April 30, 2018
Reprints?: No
Response: 1 week
Description: All styles and sub-genres of speculative fiction stories with a strong humor element. Think Resnick and Sheckley, Fredric Brown and Douglas Adams. We welcome quality flash fiction and non-traditional narratives. Take chances, try something new, just make sure that your story is funny. This volume to include stories by Esther Friesner, Mike Resnick, Jack Campbell, Jim C. Hines, and Ken Liu.

SLICE magazine (print)
Payment: $250 flat
Story Length: up to 5,000 words
Deadline: June 1, 2017
Reprints?: No
Response: 3 months
Description: Literary Magazine in Brooklyn seeks short fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Slice aims to bridge the gap between emerging and established authors by offering a space where both are published side-by-side. The theme for this issue is “TIME” (Issue #24). 

KFerrin.com Online Content
Payment: 10 cents a word
Story Length: 500 – 1,000 words
Deadline: ongoing
Reprints?: No
Response: unknown
Description: Interesting, fun, edgy, unexpected, or funny articles or fiction stories on all things fantasy-related (including all sub-genres).

 
Flash Fiction Online
Payment: $60 flat (= 6 cents/ word+)
Story Length: 500 to 1,000 words
Deadline: Intermittently open
Reprints?: Yes (payment at 2 cents/ word)
Response: Within one month
Description: A very short but complete story of flash fiction. Strong, interesting characters, in genres of dark sci-fi, fantasy, paranormal, crime, horror, and even literary.


***Non-PRO-Paying Market, but Eric J. Guignard’s “Pick of the Month”
Best of Hardcore Horror, Volume 4 (Best Of/ Reprint antho) (edited by Randy Chandler and Cheryl Mullenax; publ. by Comet Press)


Payment: 1 cent a word (reprints only)
Story Length: to 6,000 words
Deadline: December 31, 2018
Reprints?: Reprints only (including stories from self-publishing, online, single-author collections, etc.)
Response: unknown
Description: Hardcore Horror stories that were published in 2018 (bloody, gory, outlandish, pushing boundaries, etc.)


Apotheosis 2: More Stories of Survival After the Rise of the Elder Gods
Payment: 3 cents a word (1 cent/ word for reprints)
Story Length: 2,000 – 7,000 words
Deadline: May 31, 2018
Reprints?: Yes
Response: by August 15, 2018
Description: Stories of human survival and defiance in a world subjugated by the return of the Elder Gods; stories about humanity under the reign of the Elder Gods and ancient terrors… character-driven stories set during a time in the future where the ancient terrors that once ruled the Earth have claimed complete and utter dominion of the Earth. We’re less concerned about the strict interpretation of the Elder Gods than good stories that deal with real human concerns.  How do people survive? How does life change? Will people accept their new gods or will they rebel? What will it mean to be human in such a world of gods and monsters?