Sara King

A few weeks ago, I was scanning the list of good speculative fiction magazines trying to find a home for one of my newest stories when I came to a magazine that said it only accepted submissions from published authors or authors on its list.  Feeling brazen, I wrote the editor an email that said that I was a new writer who didn’t qualify for their submissions standards, but I was wondering if I could hook them in the first 10 words, would they be willing to read a short sci-fi work of mine.  She wrote back and said, “Sure.  Why not?  Hit me.”  So I sent this (which actually turned out to be 9 words):

“Love was the worst experience a parasite could endure.”

And whaddaya know, she wanted the rest   Only problem: the story I had in mind three weeks ago was already sent out with another magazine, and the one I had on hand was the one I was planning on sending to Writers of the Future Contest because it rocks.  It was also 6300 words instead of 4000, like I told her it would be in my first email.  That made for some embarrassing explanations, but oh well.  She said she’d read it anyway, and is putting it on her desk for finishing this week.  The moral of the story is that sometimes it pays to have audacity.

In other news, I finished The Pilot and it is AWESOME.  Hehehehehe, it’s not an emotional gut-wrencher like Parasite or Beda and Shael, but it’s a very good story.  I’m gonna submit it to a pirate anthology and see if I get any takers.

Baen’s Universe also wrote me back and said that my story Syuri had been short-listed for a final decision from the head editor.  Hehehehe, that made for some happy dancing around the room, I tell you what. 

Okay, (sigh) I have to add one thing:  Steven is convinced that me receiving two good letters in one day was his doing.  You see, the previous afternoon, he made a prophecy.  You know how those ancient wise men in all the fantasy stories fortell destiny based on a single choice their supplicant is going to face in the future?  Well, Steven rolled his eyes up into his head and in an eerie monotone prophecized this:  “Sara, I forsee that if you do not make me brisket today, you will not see success as a sci-fi writer.”

Damn him.  So I had to make him brisket.  The bastard.  Anyway, the very next day, I get two awesome emails from sci-fi magazines and Steven jumps all over it, saying, “Perhaps I should prophesize for you more often.”  He laughed and then went deadpan and said, “Sara, if you do not…”  I kicked him.  He stopped, but I’ve now got that axe hanging over my head and we both know it.  Damn him.

-Sara King

www.kingfiction.com

February is going to be a hectic time for me.  I’ve created a list of magazines that need submissions by the end of the month, and that list ended up being 24 entries long.  There are 28 days in February. 

Basically, I’m screwed.

So, my goal this month is to write (and submit) a short story a day.  So far, I’m on track.  I’ve submitted two, finished the rough draft of one more, and have three more started.  Of course, all this goes out the window when I get Don’s letter.  Then I’m gonna grind to a halt, switch gears, and dive back into Congie for the first time in almost a year.

I’m looking forward to that rewrite.  There is SO much worldbuilding I’ve been doing with Forgotten and The Team and the After Earth short stories that would enrich Congie…for instance, when I wrote Congie, I only had three aliens to work with.  Now I’ve got what…12?  And now every alien has history, talents, characteristics, planets…  There’s just so much more detail to the After Earth world now.  Sure, I’m gonna have to cut the book by a lot (not sure on the count yet, still waiting on that) but I think I can manage to shorten and add detail at the same time.  There’s plenty that could be trimmed from Congie.

Until I get the letter, though, I’m still focusing on short stories.  In the last few days, I’ve re-submitted Trimmings, I’ve written Fairy, Moderator, and Parasite, plus I’ve begun The Ranch, Cure of a Lifetime, and The Pilot.  Parasite turned out really, really good.  It’s one of my new favorites, right up there with Beda and Shael.  Kyle and I brainstormed that one, and it shows I had help.  The Ranch is also looking really promising, horror-wise.  Thank you, Chancey. 

I just did a count and right now I’ve got 15 stories out with magazines, getting reviewed.  Not bad.  A couple have been out over a month, now.  Wish it didn’t take so long, but I guess it’s the same here as it is with the rest of the publishing industry…waiting is good, it means they’re considering it, so hurry up and wait.

Oh, and laugh if you want, but one of my goal for 2007 is to get 35 short stories published.  I also want to write a horror novel, one After Earth novel, be a finalist in Writers of the Future (gotta hurry up on that one), place in the top 5 of the current Writer’s Digest Competition, and go to Clarion.

Speaking of that, I should probably send Parasite to Writers of the Future.  I don’t have much more time that I’m still going to be eligible.  (Publish 3 short stories or sell 1 novel and you’re out of the running).  And, damn it, it would be really cool to go meet Anne McCaffery and schmooze with top sci-fi writers for a week.

Gah.  So much to do.  So little time.

-Sara King

www.kingfiction.com