Writing Has Nothing To Do With Making Money

I wouldn't call writing my hobby, per se. It doesn't make me money, and I spend all my free time putting fingers to keyboard or occaisionally pen to paper. But it's not my hobby: it is my passion.

One of the things that's hard as a writer is finding publications that will accept my stuff. I've written previously about how my stories are often harder than many mysteries but gentler than hardboiled. In the online world of zines, I feel that I'm starting to build a name. I've appeared in a dozen different publications, some multiple times. I'm part of the Short Mystery Fiction group-- admittedly because it's free.

Getting my money's worth is always something on the forefront of my incredibably frugal mind. The 'big name' publications that many newer writers would give their writing hand to be published in charge a fair amount of money. And they insist that a writer read the publication before submission. (I have, but it doesn't seem to have helped me, but that's another issue.)

Now, one of my favorite zines is struggling with being free. And some of my fellow writers are unwilling to pay a small subscription fee. I don't get it. I'll support zines that I like. And more importantly, as a writer, I will *happily* support a zine that supports (ie publishes) me. Same as I shop at the retail supercenter that employees me-- it is in my best interst to support those who support me.

SO many people want something for nothing. Publication from a free ezine-- not only that but many writers also want to see payment(!) from these free ezines that they are not willing to purchase. How appalling. I know it is not all writers-- but there are enough. This is obvious with the number of zines and publications that fold so regularly. Publications need to make money to survive, through advertisements, subscriptions, or something else.

Please, support your favorite publications. Purchase subscriptions, click the little links to Amazon.com the next time you want to make a purhcase, make donations. If writers and readers don't support the publications we enjoy, they will be gone. And we will be resonsible for their deaths. The electronic ink will be on our hands.

If a hundred readers and writers each paid, say, $5 to a given publication, that publication would have $500 to pay for the domain name, contests, prizes, and the valuable time of the staff who produce it. Individually, five bucks is nothing. The cost of maintaining a website is more than nothing.

Luckily, there is a place for Bo Fexler short stories-- several places in fact. So far, the 'big' publications don't seem to want to touch me without rubber gloves and tweezers. But if the online zines fold, there will not be a place for Bo Fexler.

So, after all this ranting and pleading, I'll end by asking fans of Bo Fexler stories to find a few bucks in your wallet or even the change from between the couch cushions and see how you can support the publications that have accepted her stories. This isn't about me, it's about the benefit of ALL writers. I'm just one, with a quirky, bitter female private eye.

• Story currently in progress: Medium-Well
• Last story finished: DEATH BY PI (novella)
• Reason for not writing: school work

Bullies

With the July issue of Crime and Suspense comes my short story "Assortment of Bullies." This one is a little different in that it is narratored from the point of view of Bo's assistant Dawn Pillaire. Where did she come from? Nevada. ;-) In this story, Bo and Dawn are investigating the beating of a young man. From a mysoginistic cop to a woman who wants to "show" her role in the fight, Bo deals with the challenges in her own crude way. Dawn, however, is bothered by Bo's tactics.

In order to read Assortment of Bullies this month, dear fans, you'll need to subscribe to Crime and Suspense's newsletter. It's free. Otherwise, you have to wait until August when I'll post the link to the story. Only subscriber's get the lastest issue-- everyone else has to wait until next month.

• Story currently in progress: DEATH BY PI
• Last story finished: Lay and Lie
• Reason for not writing: cooking, cleaning, and working to pay the bills
• Song in my head: "Paperback Writer" by the Beatles

Summer Reading

My newest short story "Lay and Lie" is up at MuzzleFlash. It's a steamy summer story with Bo casually investigating closer to home. Something went down while she was working, and Bo would like to find out.

• Story currently in progress: DEATH BY PI (back at it)
• Last story completed: Lay and Lie
• Reason for not writing: house hunting with husband

Bookgasm Review of Out of The Gutter #2

This just in from the someone else is tooting my horn department: Rod Lott's review of Out of the Gutter #2 at Bookgasm includes a paragraph on my story and the remark that the reviewer would like to see more of in OOTG is Bo Fexler. That's pretty exciting!

Will I make more appearance in OOTG? Well, guidelines say that since I was in issue #2, I can't be in #3, but other than that, I wouldn't rule it out. It's a forum for some of Bo's stories that are . . . ah, a little less moral. Bo's a smart woman: she knows how to use public records, personal interviews, fists, guns, and sex.

• Story currenlty in progress: Death by PI
• Last story finished: Missing, but Not Missed
• Excuse for not writing: I know what to say, just not how to say it. (Is that the same as writer's block?)

Works in Progress

Just finished writing "Missing, but not Missed" a story about some young people who absconded. The trail is hard to follow because no one seems to care about the kids.

"Beaten to the Punch" is in the process of being edited. It's a little tricky balancing the two investigations/ mysteries. I'm hoping to get that edited by the end of the weekend (ha!) but expect efforts to put together my travel photo book to interfere.

As for publishing news: my short story "Failing Mark" has been accepted in two locations . . . as I unwittingly submitted it to two places at the same time. I will post the links when the story is available for consumption.

• Story currently in progress: Editing Beaten to the Punch
• Last story completed: Missing, but not Missed
• Excuse for not writing: actually, I have been writing. Slowly, but I did poke away at Missing, but Not Missed all week. And finished it. =)

I'm Back . . .

Yeah. I said I was going to post weekly, then I go almost two weeks without posting anything. =) I have no defense. But I do have an excuse: I went traveling east to Washington D.C. (Arlington, actually) and to SE Pennsylvania to visit family and see some of the sights. We put some 1500 miles onto our little car heading from the mitten-shaped state I like to call home. And as much fun as we had traveling, I am really, really glad to be home again.

And, I'm down to just two jobs for a few fleeting weeks, meaning I may even have time to work on some stories.

Speaking of stories, a dark and immoral Bo Fexler story "The Pleasure Business" is supposed to appear in Out of the Gutter #2. It's a quirky little tale that shows how loose some of Bo's ethics can be. But it's all about the investigation . . . Oh yeah, OOTG is a print mag-- you can purchase a copy of the dark, corrupt, twisted collection of tales to read my story for about $14. If OOTG #1 was an indicator, there will be a number of good writers with well-told stories. Not happy stories, but well told stories of bad people and people doing bad things. Even Bo. Now, I think one of Bo's stories alone would be worth $14, but I have a pretty good opinion of myself and my writing.

Also, whilst I was away, Flashot ran my latest little story. It's actually a Bo Fexler story. The story is "Off-Kilter Perspective." It's currently on the Last 10 Flashot's page . . . for now. Read quickly!

That's the only news I have at this time. EVEN THOUGH I was gone and away from my email for a whole WEEK (I was starting to suffer withdrawl!) I had NO responses for the half-dozen stories I have out in cyberland! Don't these editors understand? I was supposed to come home to a slew of acceptances. A reward for my time away from email. =)

• Story in progress: just a snippet so far about a missing girl and an old trailer
• Last story finished: Beaten to the Punch
• Excuse for not writing: Driving 1500 miles. I still feel like I'm rolling along even while I sit in my office chair.