Spawn of Doctor Macabre - At Last!
I've blogged about this story quite a bit, but I've held off on posting an excerpt because I've been waiting for it to get published. It's one of my favorite stories that I've written, and it's finally about to see the light of day. Check out www.sycamorereview.com in the next week or so for the release of issue 26.2, which will feature my story, Spawn of Doctor Macabre. It was a finalist in their 2014 Wabash Prize for Fiction, and though not the winner, they're publishing it anyway. Click the link above for a brief taste, then be sure to check the Sycamore Review website for the release announcement. It should be available in the next week or so, just in time for AWP 2015.I also finally finished a first draft of a short story that I've been wrestling with off and on for the past nine months or so. It's in no way, shape, or form ready to be read by anyone else, but it's got a beginning, middle and an end, and I can feel the weight off my shoulders. I've been in a bit of a slump as far as finishing stories lately, and it feels good to at least have something to work with in this one. I've got a couple in various states of completion, but this is one step closer to having another batch to send out into the literary world, of which I'm running a little thin lately. Once these are done, it'll be time to scratch that novel itch...Finally, I'll be teaching a new course at StoryStudio Chicago this spring. It's a scene workshop, and we'll be focusing on:
- The elements that make up a compelling scene
- Why scene-writing is crucial to every genre
- How to incorporate backstory into the immediate story
- How POV and narrative distance can affect our scenes
- Effective workshop techniques for improving your own work as you offer insight into that of your peers
It'll be a workshop-intensive course, which are my personal favorites, so if you or someone you know might be interested, sign up for the Scene Workshop starting April 15 and running Wednesday nights for eight weeks.