The Art You See

Quick post to share that my latest short story release can be found in Havok Publishing's new anthology. Sensational: Havok Season Four is full of flash fiction all inspired by the five senses, and by what could be termed "sixth sense." 

Here's a little teaser from my story, "The Art You See":

We've all heard the stories of tortured artists. Cutting off ears, attempting suicide, drugs, depression. We see their anguish in horrific images, harsh brushstrokes, deep shadows. 

But those sweet cottages, sunshine-yellow flowers, and cherubic children are painted by happy people. Right?

I wish. 

***

My sister walks into my apartment and scrunches her nose. "Really, Jace? Another one?"

I sigh as I shut the door behind her. "Hello to you, too, Teagan." I watch her as she looks my newest acquisition up and down. A creepy forest, filled with shadows. Blood-red tentacles snake from between twisted trees. Claw marks rake the pathway into the forest, as though something has been unwillingly dragged off and swallowed up.

Teagan turns to me, giving me that look. The one she gives me every time. Lips pressed flat, brows scrunched, eyes filled with sadness. "It's so dismal." What she means is, What's wrong with you?

I don't bother arguing. Teagan will never understand. 

You can find Sensational: Havok Season Four on Amazon.  And to subscribe to Havok's online magazine, go to www.gohavok.com. 

My 2021 Goals...er, Guidelines

I've never really been a New Year's Resolution kind of person. Not that I don't believe in making goals, but I know all too well that life can derail you at a moment's notice, and sometimes you simply decide that the track you're on isn't working and you jump rails by choice. (Says the girl whose Etsy shop is named Jumping Rails. Now you know part of the reason why.) So, yeah, I set goals, but I have a very Pirates of the Caribbean attitude about them--they're more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules.

This year I've come to a realization, though, that has spurred a decision to change direction. I've been working on a novel off and on for several years. It's a middle grade book, a sort of ghost story. I've not shared much about it with anyone until recently because my work on it has been so sporadic. This year, though, come hell or high water, or continuing pandemic, I'm getting that manuscript edited and published one way or another. 

And then, no more novels. For one, I have no real ideas for any. Sure, maybe a vague idea for a sequel to Relent, but since I have all of about 27 readers for that novel, there's not much of a motivation for me to tackle it. Other than that, nothing. Not to mention, marketing books sucks. At least, for me it does. 

One of my paintings, entitled Longing.

My art has been my focus the past few years, and I'm finding myself so much more inspired in that area, and after losing my son in 2018, it became a source of healing for my grief. My Etsy shop has done 1000 times better since reopening than it did originally. I'm finding my niche, learning what my artistic voice is -- even though it too can be a little all-over-the-place like my writing is. (Another reason my Etsy shop is called Jumping Rails.) I love painting, love doing altered thrift store art, even still, now and again, making some mixed media pieces or the once-in-a-blue-moon wand. Doing all that makes it very hard for me to focus on writing longer works, but...

There are short stories.

Back when I first started writing, I pumped out short stories like crazy. My main goal (see, I do make goals) in doing so was to build an audience for my novels. I honestly don't know if it helped at all. Most of the short stories were very different from my YA fantasy Toch Island Chronicles series. I wrote all different genres, for all different ages. (And there's that Jumping Rails thing again.) But, see, that's one thing I loved about short story writing. I never had to limit myself. Didn't have to worry about my "brand" and whether my stories tied together. Publishers of magazines and anthologies don't really care if your stories are all consistent, they just care whether or not the story you've submitted fits the magazine/issue/anthology they're publishing at the moment. 

One of the anthologies
I was asked to write for.
(This story is not on Wattpad,
but you can buy the antho
on Amazon.)

Anyway, I got away from short story writing. Over the past few years, the only short stories I've written were solicited ones--meaning, some small publishers came to me and requested I write stories for specific anthologies they were planning. That was an honor for me, and of course I agreed. But I had gotten away from just writing what popped into my head and shopping for markets. I think it was maybe the thing that had to give. I couldn't juggle novel writing and art and short stories, all while homeschooling, and definitely not after losing my son. 

But I'm so close to having my middle grade novel done. I feel like, if I can just get it finished and published, I can let go and shift over to short stories, which I can balance with my art. 

And folks, I'll tell you it's bizarre: I was kind of needing confirmation that this was the right decision, all while planning this blog post for the past few days. Then, today, when I was finally ready to sit down and type this, I noticed I was getting comments on some of my short stories on Wattpad, which hasn't happened in ages. So, yeah, here we go!

And if you are interested at all in my short story writing, you can check out some free stories on Wattpad for yourself (no membership needed to read them).  CLICK HERE. 

Some of those stories have been published in anthologies that can be purchased on Amazon, and of course there are other anthologies on Amazon that have stories which are not on Wattpad--you can find them by going to my Amazon Author Page. 

PS--I've turned off comments, and intend to continue keeping comments turned off on this blog. To be honest, for years (literally, I'm not exaggerating) the only comments I ever get on here have been spam. So, sorry. I will, as always, post links to these blogs on my Facebook Author Page, so you can always follow me there and comment if you have something to say. 

Monday "Me"

I wish on this Monday-ish of mornings I had something profound to write here. But, alas, I am going to just catch you up on things.

My short story "Cat Call" (flash fiction weighing in at a whopping 490 words) has been accepted by Pill Hill Press for their upcoming anthology, There Was a Crooked House. Stories had to either be about a crooked house or be inspired by the cover art:

I opted for the cover art inspiration route. That's all I will say for now. Oh, and, no, I don't know a release date yet.

I do, however, know that my story in Chicken Soup: Just for Preteens will come out on July 26.

Since we're on the subject of short stories, please go check out Avenir Eclectia. I've got several stories up there, and more to come. It's sci-fi, and the stories are all very short. If you like the world created over there, try writing something yourself and submit it! And please "follow" :D.

Lastly, I've added to my Zazzle store. Yep, if you didn't already know, you can buy some of my artwork on t-shirts and such. Right now it's just my odd assortment of beetles. (Or, rather, my assortment of odd beetles!) The latest design was inspired by my recent obsession with Dr. Who.

That's all for now. (What, that's not enough?)

Wibbly Wobbly Bloggy Woggy Stuff

The title of this blog should tell you two things:

First, I've been watching a heck of a lot of Dr. Who lately. My library has all the latest series (1-5) on DVD and we've been watching a couple of episodes every night or so. I am officially addicted.

Second, this post will be rather rambly. Expect sudden jumps in topic. If you have back or neck problems, or are pregnant or prone to motion sickness, you may wait for your loved ones at the end of the ride.

OK, here goes....

I've been rather blocked lately as far as writing goes, but yesterday I finally got 300+ words written on a short story. Yay! If you are a writer, you know what this means. I was also hit out of the blue as I was falling asleep with an idea for another short story. Now, to find some time for that one, too :P.

Speaking of ideas, I have this really cool idea for a beetle drawing. I won't tell you about it, but I'll show you when I get it done. Again, I need time that I haven't had lately, but that is coming.

Why the obsession with beetles? Well, I'm not even sure. I just think they're cool to look at. They seem to be, along with the reptiles, the thing I am drawn to when visiting museums. No, I'm not keen on holding the little buggers. Just looking at them, pinned on their little display boards. Cruel, I know.

Apparently my last two blogs weren't very popular. Or everyone has been busy. I'm not surprised--on both counts. But they were things I felt I needed to say. I'm not upset at the lack of feedback, though. 'Tis the nature of blogging. Besides, I'm feeling much less ornery today.

My kids have been watching the Twilight movies as I check them out from the library. I already reviewed the first one on here. I won't bother with the second one. My daughter liked it--of course, she's eight. My son and husband hated it. As did I. Although, I thought it slightly better than the first. I realized, at the end, when Edward became a dominant character in the story again, that it was his absence I was enjoying. Oh, and the whole shirtless werewolf thing--can you say, "Tacky?"

Bin Laden. Yep, I've said it. I don't normally have anything to say about politics, because, to be honest, I'm not as informed as the people who love posting about politics. But I wanted to say, one more time, as I posted on FB: His death does not mean this is over. He wasn't the wicked witch of the west. His evil soldiers and flying monkeys will not be broken out of his spell. One of them will, however step into his place. So, whether you're celebrating or not, or arguing about whether we should be celebrating or not, is beside the point, imho.

I am desperately trying to get through my to-read pile of physical books on my shelf. Then I intend to jump back on my Nook and read the books I've not read there. I just finished Needful Things by Stephen King. I'm normally a fast reader, but that book took me ages to get through. Worth it in the end, but I think if ole Steve were to go back and look through it, he'd grimace at the amateurish stuff in there. If he'd cut the -ly adverbs, cliches, and redundant sentences, the book would be half the length.

Hm, I think this post has gotten long enough. Not much more to talk about at present anyway. Things happening, sure, but can't tell you all of them yet. Be patient, my pretties.

Until next time....

The Long and Short of It

I've been thinking about short stories lately. Not just ideas for stories, but my reasons for writing them. I started this journey with a published novel as my goal. I didn't even give short stories a second thought in the beginning. Honestly, I rarely read them. I think a part of me even thought they weren't "real" writing. How stupid, I know.

I wrote my first short story for the simple reason that I'd read it was a good idea to gain some publishing credits in order to grab the attention of an agent. The logic--if you can prove you're publishable on a small scale, then you are likely publishable on a bigger scale.

Something odd happened, though. I really enjoyed the writing! It's a different process than novel writing, for sure, but it's quite fun. I thought I'd list a few reasons I love short story writing:

1) Time. Obviously, it takes less time to write a short story than a novel. That includes critique and editing. Which means, I can get it submitted right away, and, in turn, get it published rather quickly, too.

2) Learning. Short story writing has taught me how to write concisely. When you have to get an entire story out in a few thousand words, you can't put in anything unnecessary. It has also taught me how to start the story in the right place, for the same reason.

3) Easier submission process. The submission process for a novel is long and tedious. You have to write query letters, synopses, and wait forever for responses. The submission process for short stories involves a short-and-to-the-point cover letter. You then attach the story and go. Often, you get a response in a matter of weeks, or even in certain cases, days.

4) Connections. I've made some real friends writing magazines--both the editors of those zines and other writers who also have stories there.

5) Exposure. My name is out there now. Readers who love my short stories will likely recognize my name when my novel(s) come out some day.

6) Less pressure. I can be wildly creative and not have to worry about investing too much in a story that doesn't fly. It's not like writing a novel and half-way through realizing it's not working. If a short story doesn't come together right away, it's easy to scrap it and move to the next one. I can try all those weird ideas I'd be too scared to base a novel on.

7) Variety. So many story ideas! So many settings! So many characters! I don't get stuck in one world with one set of characters.

8) A bigger novel world. I've written quite a few short stories based on my novel. I get to write about things that aren't directly related to the story in my novel, but enrich the world of it.

9) Money. Um...well, that would be one of the reasons if I actually got any! Seriously, there is potential to earn money on short stories, but paying markets are few and far between. I've got several token payments, and one $50 cash prize. I am, however, hoping that one day money for my short stories will be a regular thing. (Keep in mind, I'm talking fiction here. Nonfiction almost always pays.)

10) Reinforcement. I may have given up on my novel-writing by now if I didn't have the "proof" that I'm a good writer in the form of short story publications. When I'm having those down days, where I wonder if I'm deluding myself about being a writer, I pull out my portfolio a look at what I have accomplished. That may sound like ego-stroking, but I don't think so. I'm not arrogant about those publications--I'm grateful for them. They hold me up and keep me from giving up.

11) Cliche titles. Yep, notice the title of this post. I love using sayings and such as titles. "A Day Better Spent," "Like Stink on a Dog," and "Cat Call" are all titles I've used for short stories. You can't do that with novels--or at least you shouldn't ;).

So, there. Maybe you haven't tried short story writing and this will motivate you to do so. Or maybe you already write short stories and can attest to my reasoning. Maybe you have other reasons I didn't list here--if you do, feel free to share!

Light and Serious, Dark and Quirky

I've got TWO short stories out right now. Both were published online in the last couple of days.

First, in Digital Dragon magazine is my short science fiction story "Prism." When the sun's light touches the prism, Eryk must choose which path to take. Click HERE to find out his choice. But first, look at the cool magazine cover--notice that they actually designed the cover around my feature story:

How cool is that?

....and More Links

After my last blog post, I received the email from Residential Aliens that my "Artist Feature" was up! I didn't want to squeeze it into the already overflowing post of links, so I decided to wait. Well, now here it is:

Please go check out Issue 5.02 of RESIDENTIAL ALIENS (affectionately known as ResAliens) for an interview and feature of some of my artwork.

While you're there, stop and read some of the awesome stories in the magazine. I've had one story published there, "Dude" in Issue 4, and I've got a story ("The Guitar") in their next anthology, While the Morning Stars Sing, which should be out fairly soon.

The other links I want to feature are Facebook links. I know, not everyone is on Facebook. But if you are, I'd love for you to join my Author Page, and if you want to delve a little deeper into my head, send me a friend request at http://www.facebook.com/kat.heckenbach.

Some other great authors you might want to follow on FB are my fellow NAF peeps. If you'd like to make closer connections, visit the New Authors' Fellowship blog for their info.

They're a great bunch, all actively writing Christian Speculative Fiction and working toward publishing their manuscripts. So go say hi to Diane, Keven, Robynn, Ren, Avily, and David.

Future Stories and Past Interviews

OK, taking another pause today from the art series to play catch-up. Although, there's some seriously cool art in this post, too.

I've got stories coming up in two anthologies. The first is a fantasy called "The Guitar" and will appear in While the Morning Stars Sing, to be published by ResAliens in February. Here's the gorgeous cover art:

Next is my horror story, "Delete," that will appear in Feckless, edited by Ellen C. Maze, who also has a number of stories in the book, along with several other writers. Ellen is author of what she terms "Curiously Spiritual Vampire Tales," so I'm sure you can see that the anthology is going to be, well, curious and spiritual for sure. I've been proofreading and the stories range from dark and macabre to quirky and down-right-dirty-fun. Click HERE for complete info on the February antho ;).

Even more art-related is The Book of Sylvari: An Anthology of Elves by Port Yonder Press, due out mid-2011. I am illustrating two stories in this anthology. More detail on that in a later post, but for now I wanted to give you a sneak peek at the cool cover. No, not my art, but cool nonetheless:

In the mean time, check out the interview of me that Ciara Knight graciously posted on her blog the other day. CLICK HERE.

And if you're just bored, or disturbingly curious about me, I've also been interviewed in the past several times:

Osprey Observer ("turn" to page 6)

Brandon News and Tribune (about my Chicken Soup for the Soul story)

Brandon News and Tribune ("Valrico mom pens inspiration and horror...")

20-20 Faith Sight (Sheryl Young, author of What Every Christian Should Know About the Jewish People puts me in the spotlight)

Katiedid (aspiring teen writer's blog--and my first ever interview)

Alright, that should keep ya busy this weekend.

Tear down the walls...

Some of my work, like the story I had published earlier this week ("Frog Face"), was written purely for fun. Mean fun, maybe ;), but it's just a story.

Today my story "Fire Wall" was published in The Absent Willow Review and it was not written for fun. At all.

Catching Up and Other Suchness

(Yes, I'm making up words for my post title.)

Another "lots of little stuff" post today. Looks like July is going to be slammin' for me. Coming next month:

"Frog Face"--a short story in Flashes in the Dark on July 13

"Fire Wall"--a short story in The Absent Willow Review on July 16

"The Artist" (originally in Mindflights) will appear in the print magazine Beyond Centauri

A drawing of mine will grace the cover of Digital Dragon Magazine

Caprice Hokstad's book, The Duke's Handmaid, will officially release. A couple of final tweaks have been made on the cover, including changing the tilt on the key I drew to make it more easy to see. Here's the final cover:



The publisher has also decided to use the key as part of the chapter headings, and a tiny version for scene breaks. How cool is that?

Speaking of book covers, I've come up with another design for Finding Angel. I'm not posting it quite yet, though. I appreciate all the comments on the other one, both positive and negative, and am taking all of it in while I do more designs. I have to say that the comment Jeff Chapman added today is the one that has hit the mark for me. He said a book cover can't possible convey an entire story, or the cover easily becomes cluttered. It must be eye-catching, though, and intrigue the potential reader. I agree with that 100%. Of course, it should be significant to the story--a space ship, no matter how cool, does not belong on the cover of a fantasy that has not one space ship in it. But since the elements I included on my original cover design are in fact quite significant to the story, I've kept them, but I'm working on making the overall image more cohesive and eye-catching.

And last, but not least, another NOTEBOOK NUGGET. Well, actually, two.

The first is a Bible verse that I really, really need to keep in mind these days:

"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13

The other, a fortune:

"A truly creative person rids him or herself of all self-imposed limitations." The key word there, of course, is self-imposed.

Seek Him with all your heart, and stop holding yourself back from your full potential. It may not seem that way at first, but if you think about it you'll see that these two ideas are inextricably tied together.

Contest Winner, and other Misc. Stuff

Ok...the winner of the drawing for Shawna Williams's book, No Other, and the freshwater pearl bracelet is...Linda Wagner! Linda, congrats, and Shawna will be emailing you to get your address :).

Other Misc. Stuff:

I've gotten a few cool acceptances lately. One is for a short story that had previously been published in Mindflights magazine. "The Artist" is a fantasy based on my novel, Finding Angel, and will be in the July issue of Beyond Centauri! Of course, I'll post as soon as it's out in case you want to get a copy of the magazine--it's print, not online.

Another short story of mine has made the short list for an anthology. I can't give details now, as I've not made the final-final cut. Yet. Will update as soon as I know!

And yesterday, I opened the mail to find a personal experience story of mine in a magazine...and I didn't even know it had been accepted. Hey, there was a check, too. Talk about a great Monday surprise!

Lastly, here's the trailer for the upcoming novel, Linger, by Maggie Stiefvater. Man, did I ever love Shiver, and this is the sequel. Can't wait for it to come out!