Today I decided to post three of my short stories on my website. You can view them by going to: http://www.harolmarshall.com/new.html
They're all 'firsts'--my first short story, my first 'flash' story, and the first chapter of a 'noir' (or sort of noir) novella. The protagonist is a female private investigator by the name of Pauline (Polly) Isabel Berger. Yeah, she goes by P.I. Berger. Oh well, she's fun...we'll see how it goes. I'm still busy with Anna and Commander Cortez in book three of the Mexico series.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Small Presses, Agents, and Salt Lake City
Whew!! I dedicated most of this week to researching small presses (with occasional lapses given over to viewing Salt Lake City houses for my daughter who is moving there this summer). Oh yes, and I researched an agent or two.
Researching small presses has been a HOOT. Of course, there are the mystery presses, some of which are receptive to a little romance with their mystery, others want only hard-boiled detectives. Some love cozies others hate cozies, etc., and that was just the tip of the iceberg. There are the Christian romance publishers who allow nothing more than hand holding and kissing (even by implication) and their opposites the Erotica presses which made me blush just to read their submission guidelines. And the lesbian presses, the gay/lesbian presses, the presses with special requirements such as the 'big girl' heroine (she canNOT lose weight to please a man, for goodness sakes), and the horror, sci-fi publishers with their own weird set of requirements.
So, I'm thinking that maybe I should go back into my novels and add a few pounds to Anna, take away her penchant for fitness, eliminate the scene (though no details are provided) where she spends an overnight with (oh gosh) one of the male characters. Or maybe I should add a (chaste) lesbian, a ghost, a spaceship and some Bible verses. Voila! Publishing success.
Something to consider. . .
Researching small presses has been a HOOT. Of course, there are the mystery presses, some of which are receptive to a little romance with their mystery, others want only hard-boiled detectives. Some love cozies others hate cozies, etc., and that was just the tip of the iceberg. There are the Christian romance publishers who allow nothing more than hand holding and kissing (even by implication) and their opposites the Erotica presses which made me blush just to read their submission guidelines. And the lesbian presses, the gay/lesbian presses, the presses with special requirements such as the 'big girl' heroine (she canNOT lose weight to please a man, for goodness sakes), and the horror, sci-fi publishers with their own weird set of requirements.
So, I'm thinking that maybe I should go back into my novels and add a few pounds to Anna, take away her penchant for fitness, eliminate the scene (though no details are provided) where she spends an overnight with (oh gosh) one of the male characters. Or maybe I should add a (chaste) lesbian, a ghost, a spaceship and some Bible verses. Voila! Publishing success.
Something to consider. . .
Monday, March 24, 2008
Flash Fiction
Sent off my first 'flash fiction' piece today, titled: "Mama's Little Boy," which I spent far too much time editing last week and over the weekend. My son-in-law had a few good suggestions about what he thought the story was missing. It's much better now, I think. A flash fiction story is under 1,000 words. This one was 998.
Also added a Short Story section to my harolmarshall.com website. I think I'll post some short stories there since it takes a lot of time to get them ready for publication and even longer to send them out. I really need to let them sit and fester for awhile before I go back and edit and revise, so why not fester on my website. Maybe someone will tell me what they like or don't like.
The find of the day was http://www.duotrope.com/ with lots of information on publishers. I found many new outlets, but was equally surprised to see how many I've turned up on my own that were NOT listed on duotrope.
All in all a pretty good day, though I need to get back to work on book three before I forget what's supposed to happen! Less than a month before we leave for our Mexican Cooking School trip...I can't wait.
Also added a Short Story section to my harolmarshall.com website. I think I'll post some short stories there since it takes a lot of time to get them ready for publication and even longer to send them out. I really need to let them sit and fester for awhile before I go back and edit and revise, so why not fester on my website. Maybe someone will tell me what they like or don't like.
The find of the day was http://www.duotrope.com/ with lots of information on publishers. I found many new outlets, but was equally surprised to see how many I've turned up on my own that were NOT listed on duotrope.
All in all a pretty good day, though I need to get back to work on book three before I forget what's supposed to happen! Less than a month before we leave for our Mexican Cooking School trip...I can't wait.
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Once in a Lifetime Story
On a visit to see my son in Melbourne Beach, Florida last month, I saw an unusual sight. About 9:30 in the morning, standing on the balcony of our hotel room with my binoculars, scanning the ocean, I spotted a group of dolphins moving toward the beach. Suddenly, in their midst the square black nose of a whale surfaced.
After watching the group for several minutes, I realized the group of about a half dozen dolphins were turning the whale away from the beach and guiding it back out to sea. I couldn't help but think they put humans to shame.
I have no idea how common this behavior is for dolphins, but I know it's a once in a lifetime scene I was fortunate to have witnessed. Wish I'd had a video camera instead of the binocs!
After watching the group for several minutes, I realized the group of about a half dozen dolphins were turning the whale away from the beach and guiding it back out to sea. I couldn't help but think they put humans to shame.
I have no idea how common this behavior is for dolphins, but I know it's a once in a lifetime scene I was fortunate to have witnessed. Wish I'd had a video camera instead of the binocs!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
The Harol Hoffman Movie
This is funny (at least to me). The other day I googled myself (using my legal name, not my pen name) and I turned up a listserv posting about The Harol Hoffman Movie," which, it turns out "never got made." I couldn't resist emailing the person at Liberty Pictures who posted the comment. He wrote back asking if I was from Dallas. He told me "Harol Hoffman" was the money man behind the movie, but that's all I've learned so far and I've yet to turn up this 'money man' on the Web.
Seemed odd to me since I've never met anyone with my first name let alone both names, but as my son reminded me, 'there are 7 billion people on this rock.' I guess he's got a point about probabilities.
On the other hand, an old boyfriend of mine lives in Dallas. . .
Seemed odd to me since I've never met anyone with my first name let alone both names, but as my son reminded me, 'there are 7 billion people on this rock.' I guess he's got a point about probabilities.
On the other hand, an old boyfriend of mine lives in Dallas. . .
Monday, March 3, 2008
Crunching Lunch
Florida weather today in the 70's so I'm outside on the patio editing manuscripts when my cat Savannah decides to present me with the gift of a dead mole (or vole, I can't tell the difference).
After tossing it in the air several times hoping to amuse me, she turned it into lunch. I tried to ignore the spectacle since I'd just had lunch myself, but tuning out the crunch of skull bones taxed my powers of concentration. This happened not once but twice.
On the upside, my stomach's getting stronger.
Oh, I went to see Juno last night, mainly because it won the Oscar for best screenplay. I was underimpressed and came away thinking Hollywood must be seething with hard working experienced screenwriters who choose not to pave their way to success via the route of hype and porn. (Just my opinion.)
After tossing it in the air several times hoping to amuse me, she turned it into lunch. I tried to ignore the spectacle since I'd just had lunch myself, but tuning out the crunch of skull bones taxed my powers of concentration. This happened not once but twice.
On the upside, my stomach's getting stronger.
Oh, I went to see Juno last night, mainly because it won the Oscar for best screenplay. I was underimpressed and came away thinking Hollywood must be seething with hard working experienced screenwriters who choose not to pave their way to success via the route of hype and porn. (Just my opinion.)
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