Lurching toward publication
Last year I was excited to discover a UK anthology devoted to zombie stories. I've been a fan of Dawn of the Dead since I was ten years old, and while I'd never bothered to write a story in the genre, the anthology directed my creative thinking down this sanguinary avenue.
The result was 'Mere Symptoms of Living', quite a unique title I think, and hopefully it sits above a fairly unique story. Of course it follows certain conventions (inevitable in genre writing) but I think its setting and its climax – which is somewhat reminiscent of the brilliant I Am Legend by Richard Matheson – will make it stand out in what is sure to be a slushpile of gory cliches and paper characters.
The slushpile I speak of, however, is not the same one that inspired my story in 2005. Zombie Aid, a publishing initiative designed to raise money for charity, fell on its decomposing face – all too common in the world of small press. Lamenting this and finding myself with some spare time at work, I decided to search the web for any anthologies of a similar theme. I found one American market, The Undead 2, and it is there that 'Mere Symptoms' went last night. Truthfully, I think my story would have had a better chance at Zombie Aid – the Americans just don't seem to cope with the quirkiness that works its way into a lot of Australian and British writing. That said, I suppose 'Mere Syptoms' also includes elements that are reminiscent of two Stephen King tales, 'Survivor Type' and 'The End of the Whole Mess', so maybe it won't alienate them too much.
Next on the list is a story that's only a few months old. 'Displeasures of the Flesh' is a comedic fantasy (a sub-genre that when done well, can be tremendously entertaining, and which I had never explored before). Since I have stories at the other two major Australian SF publishers, I'm going to take a crack at Borderlands again, which has been by far the least receptive to my work. Much like a spurned lover, I'm determined to make them change their minds and I think 'Displeasures' could have what it takes. All I need to do is get the ending right, which is proving more troublesome than I could have imagined.
The Fearless Writer
The result was 'Mere Symptoms of Living', quite a unique title I think, and hopefully it sits above a fairly unique story. Of course it follows certain conventions (inevitable in genre writing) but I think its setting and its climax – which is somewhat reminiscent of the brilliant I Am Legend by Richard Matheson – will make it stand out in what is sure to be a slushpile of gory cliches and paper characters.
The slushpile I speak of, however, is not the same one that inspired my story in 2005. Zombie Aid, a publishing initiative designed to raise money for charity, fell on its decomposing face – all too common in the world of small press. Lamenting this and finding myself with some spare time at work, I decided to search the web for any anthologies of a similar theme. I found one American market, The Undead 2, and it is there that 'Mere Symptoms' went last night. Truthfully, I think my story would have had a better chance at Zombie Aid – the Americans just don't seem to cope with the quirkiness that works its way into a lot of Australian and British writing. That said, I suppose 'Mere Syptoms' also includes elements that are reminiscent of two Stephen King tales, 'Survivor Type' and 'The End of the Whole Mess', so maybe it won't alienate them too much.
Next on the list is a story that's only a few months old. 'Displeasures of the Flesh' is a comedic fantasy (a sub-genre that when done well, can be tremendously entertaining, and which I had never explored before). Since I have stories at the other two major Australian SF publishers, I'm going to take a crack at Borderlands again, which has been by far the least receptive to my work. Much like a spurned lover, I'm determined to make them change their minds and I think 'Displeasures' could have what it takes. All I need to do is get the ending right, which is proving more troublesome than I could have imagined.
The Fearless Writer
posted by The Fearless Writer at 2:08 PM
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