So I'm playing the BlogPostThief today. Aaron Polson made a list of the ten stories he was most proud to have written and asked do we have favourites amongst our own stories or do we love them all the same. I definitely have favourites, and here's my ten:
Frog & The Mail Order Bride (out in submission land)
I think of this as my dark fairy tale and I love dear Frog so very much that I am surprised each time he is rejected (four times in all - plus he spent months languishing at a market that eventually died).
Bob's Spares & Repairs (published in 'Help' anthology '08, due for pub in Twisted Tongue in '09).
My futuristic western about an android setting out from his small town who comes across a serial-killing robot named Bob.
The Scratch of an Old Record (TBP in July 09 issue of Necrotic Tissue)
I love the idea behind this story (which I can't give away because you haven't read it yet) and I also love that it was picked as the best story in the issue making it my second pro-payment story.
The Graveyard of Dead Vehicles (WolfSongs anthology, 2008)
A surreal story that I like to think of as a 'thru the looking glass tale' from an MC who has lived her life on the surreal side of the glass.
Flying Dutchmen (TBP 2009 in Space & Time)
The first time I used my home town, Liverpool, as the backdrop along with the fabulous 'Liver Birds' building which I walk by on my way to work. Plus, I love the title.
Manipulating Paper Birds (out in submission land)
An evil clown story - what's not to love about that.
Cold Coffee Cups & Curious Things (Malpractice, 2009)
Written to the anthology guidelines brief and arriving successfully at the other side. Plus, it's a little bit surreal - I love stories that warp reality - and it resides amongst some fantastic stories in the anthology.
Chasing Alice out of Wonderland (out in submission land)
One of my longer shorts (at almost 5,000 words) in which I am proud of my future world building and of course it's full of zombies. Zombies good.
Trench Foot (TBP Fantasy Magazine 2009)
My first pro-payment sale - what's not to love about that. Plus it has a pirate and fairies.
Last place (not that the stories are in any particular order) is split between: 'In Silence We Stalk', and 'The Hollow Framework of the Cotton Man'.
In Silence We Stalk is a new story, currently out on submission, that I think is creepy... Of course a few rejections down the line, I might change my mind about that.
The Hollow Framework of the Cotton Man was my second story accepted by the fantastic Pete Crowther at 'Postscripts', and I think it's very, very creepy. Definitely shiversome.
Okay, now I feel like I need to bow down to the god of all things humble and admit that although I love the above stories, I don't expect the world too. I've also only included stories from last year and this year as there are very few stories prior to that that I am proud of. I am also quite surprised that I've only included one flash story in the above list. Like Aaron, I'd love to know if you have any favourites. (Plus if you're feeling a bit dejected it's a great spirit motivator).
14 comments:
"The Scratch of an Old Record" really has my palms sweating...I want my hands on that issue of NT!
Thanks for the inspiration for the post, Aaron. It was fun to play with - plus it meant I didn't have to do any real work this morning. ;)
What can we say about your titles, just flat out cool. I am with Aaron and can't wait to get my hands on that copy of NT.
There are so many people I know in the first print issue of NT that I am soooooooo excited to get my hands on it.
You've got such amazing titles, and such talent to go behind them. I can't wait to see these!
Nice title, shame about the story. :) They're going to carve that on my tombstone (which if you remember from an earlier post is going to be carved on the side of a sunken ship at the bottom of the ocean). :)
Yeah, I'm with Aaron, can't wait to see that NT. How cool, too, first print edition!
This really is a cool concept, too. Like I said Aaron, it's inspiring for people like me, who are a bit, er, slow on the short stories. If I did this, I'd have to use almost all of mine!
Maybe I'll try and do something like it next time I'm down. I'm scheduled for a downswing in a few weeks. (We all usually are, right?)
I was amazed at how uplifting writing it felt.
Can I hire you just to provide titles for my own work?
Okay, you said "it's a little bit surreal - I love stories that warp reality." I nominate that sentence for the Biggest Understatement of the Year Award. :)
I'm looking forward to your story in Fantasy Mag!
You make the best titles EVER : )
I too am loving your titles.
"Bob's Spares & Repairs" - I remember that from way back when... good tale!
Jameson - my rate is 2 chocolate bars an hour.
KC - Me too :) - the warping reality part.
Thanks, Natalie.
Thanks, Danielle.
YAY! Thanks for remembering Bob, Ian. I visited WD for the first time in ages yesterday and was so sad - I have a post count of 0. :(
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