Submission Request News!

Today was a good news/bad news day.  Bad news first.  Today, my husband and I made the agonizing decision to take our youngest out of daycare to save some money because I STILL have not found a job and it seemed to make the most sense.  I am home days and our oldest is already home with me since school is out for the summer.  We have fun and I enjoy having them with me for almost all of the day (they ARE siblings and they DO wrangle, let's be reasonable).  I think I just wish I had made the decision for different reasons than economical.  So that was the bad news.

Now, for the good news.  I have had an upper Middle Grade horror story that I've had trouble finding a home.  I have blogged, I think, about how one agent was THISCLOSE to wanting it, and me, but thought it needed reworking.  She was right, of course, and the reworking has made it amazing.  The issue is there isn't many homes for the horror genre in Middle Grade.  I know, I know, you all just screamed at me, what about the Goosebumps series?  So, besides that, and the author of them, R. L. Stine, and also his Mostly Ghostly series, who else or what else can you name?  NOTHING, RIGHT?

Me either.  And therein lies the rub.  Because its mostly an untapped reserve, there isn't a home.  Until today. Recently the supercool publishing site Aspen Mountain Press just opened up their imprint Aura, a speculative fiction site.  I friended them on facebook and then questioned them about their horror requirements.  They responded they would take a look on a case-by-case basis.  So, late Monday night I submitted a query and synopsis for THE DETENTION DEMON, my 17k word horror novella for the Middle Grade boy.  And I am pleased to report I have been asked for the full.  WOO-HOO!

Now, I realize this is just step one in the million-writer march to publication, but I am a goof-ball and I insist on celebrating every frickin' step, thank you very much.  So, you'll excuse me while I light the barby and pour myself a cocktail.  Stay tuned for the progress reports.  And it may not hurt to say a quick little prayer.  Go ahead.  I'll wait.