I was filing papers tonight, so I took a few moments to update my list of publications, and found I have seven short stories pending publication – which might be a personal best for all at one time. And mostly, that’s the result of taking an extra month after the last book to focus on short fiction, getting a few anthology invites, and putting unsold favorites back in the mail. It’s the mailining part that matters. I tell new writers that all the time and then forget it myself when I get distracted.

By the way, for the curious, the payment for those stories has a wide range – both the shortest and the longest are fetching $5.00 or so (but are not in pro markets – they’re coming out in labors of love, which are important for the industry), and although I haven’t been paid yet for about half of them, they’ll all fetch no more than $500.00. Oddly, two offered payment in European currency. Not odd for the markets, just odd for me.

The stories range from fantasy to near-future sf to far-future sf.

Oh, and yes, I’ve gotten at least twenty rejections over the summer as well! I remember when I first started writing with Larry I was shocked (Shocked, I tell you!) to learn that even he gets rejected. We all do.

So anyway, that’s the news….and a good note to go relax with a cup of tea on.