Sale!

[desperance]

Everything's a story. Here's this one:

Some while back, I was asked to read at the Blue Room, a long-established Newcastle venue (which has moved about a bit, and I'm not sure it's ever actually been in a blue room; mostly it's in a pub. Which I like). And I wasn't sure what to read, and I only had ten minutes which is not enough to introduce and then read a chunk of a longer piece; so I wrote something specific for the occasion. Sort of a ghost story.

It's very short, under 2000 words, and it's called "Parting Shots"; and I haven't done anything with it until now. Well, until two months ago, when I sent it to Strange Horizons just in case. Who bounced it last week, saying "I kept feeling like there was a lot more going on under the surface that I was missing," at which I nodded snidely wisely and decided to leave it as an open question, whether that was a criticism of them or me.

And then I left it again, for I am often heedless of my own advice (keep stories moving! if they come back, send them out again, same day! etc). This morning, though, I remembered that I had to send a revised introduction to Pete Crowther at PS Publishing; and got his usual swift response, very pleased with it. So I had another thought - catch him while he's feeling warm towards me, like that - and sent him "Parting Shots". He's published my ghost stories before, as well as other stuff, and I thought he might enjoy it.

I sent it at 13:04. His response, at 13:42 -



"Fucking hell, Chaz . . . genius! What a wonderful story!!! Cheque and
contracts next week."

Comments

[handworn.livejournal.com]

Way to go!