Vol2 Updates 08 Oct 2011 11:16 am by Matt

Keep hanging tight, everybody

The stately great egret

The stately great egret watches and waits patiently... But also flies far to find new places to fish. There's a metaphor here somewhere.

October is upon us, and that means that our deadlines for decisions about which stories will be included in Machine of Death are fast approaching.

Just a refresher: We received almost TWO THOUSAND submissions for this book, totalling MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of words. We’re reading as fast as we can, but we’re going to need everybody to be patient a little while longer yet.

We still plan to make our final selections this month, but we’ll probably be doing it right at the October 31 deadline. So set your expectations to hear some news at the end of October. Artists: It may take somewhat longer for us to notify you, as we’ll have to match illustrators with specific stories.

Also, I hate to say this, but it’s already clear that there are going to be lots of strong stories we can’t include in the book. Not only do we have three times as many stories to pick from this time, but the pool we have to pick from is much more diverse and of very high quality. We have some really tough decisions ahead of us to whittle this field down to 30 – 35 finalists.

Thanks to everyone who participated. On the behalf of all of us, however, I want to thank everybody who took the time to write a story for Machine of Death. By the time we finish reading all the submissions for Volume 2, we’ll have read over 2,600 stories about a machine that predicts how people die on the basis of a blood test.

Most folks would think that means we’ll have read 2,600 stories about the same thing. But, with your incredible creativity, you’ve proven that perception dead wrong. These stories aren’t all about the same thing. They’re about all different kinds of things, and it’s a honor to be able to read them. If nothing else, you all have proven that there are at least a few thousand ways to turn an idea into a story. Thanks for letting us be a part of that!

And what else have you been up to? Back in July, I gave you all the mission of keeping your creativity flowing and participating in other creative projects. (See the last paragraph in this blog post.) It’s been two and a half months now… So how are you all doing with that mission?

Personally, I’ve been submitting stories to other magazines and anthologies. These are the first submissions I’ve made in several years, and even though the most likely result is rejection (unfortunately, that’s always the most likely result), it feels good to know that I’m trying. My new goal is to always have at least one story under consideration somewhere.

David and Ryan have been up to some amazing creative stuff recently as well. We don’t like to clutter this blog with other stuff we’re working on, but following any of us on Twitter is a good way to keep up to date or even to ask any of us what’s up. The links are over in the right hand column. (Those Twitter accounts are definitely not all self-promotion. We try to be funny and informative, too!)

But this is the time for some self-promotion from you guys. Let us know in the comments how you’ve been keeping yourself busy while you wait until October 31 too. Whether you have some good news about stories that will be published or self-published elsewhere, or whether you’ve simply set goals for yourself in terms of productivity and creativity. Either way, tell us what’s going on!

And if you haven’t been doing anything since submitting to Machine of Death, I hope you’ll start! There are lots and lots of ways to be creative, but it does take at least a little effort to get the ball rolling!

66 Responses to “Keep hanging tight, everybody”

  1. on 08 Oct 2011 at 11:58 am 1.Tom Francis said …

    Can’t wait to see the lineup. And can’t imagine what it must be like to read that many stories – on any theme. Well done for actually managing it so far.

    I’ve been making a videogame in my spare time. It’s turning out pretty good!http://www.gunpointgame.com/

  2. on 09 Oct 2011 at 5:00 am 2.Joe Wright said …

    Aw cool, you’re making Gunpoint? I was reading about that a couple of weeks ago, I thought it sounded awesome! =)

  3. on 08 Oct 2011 at 12:01 pm 3.Kewangji said …

    Well, alright. I’ve been working on my daily drabble blog – http:

  4. on 08 Oct 2011 at 12:03 pm 4.Kewangji said …

    Er, fail. Let me try again. I’ve been working on my daily drabble blog: http://kewangji.tumblr.com, and I’ve been writing horror stories for Bliss Morgan’s G+thing, here: http://kewangji.tumblr.com/october2011. I have also been writing my zombie book. *nods*

  5. on 08 Oct 2011 at 1:55 pm 5.Alex Hernandez said …

    “My new goal is to always have at least one story under consideration somewhere.”

    I like that. I think I’m going to make that a rule for myself too.

    I’ve also got about three other stories (not including the MoD one) under consideration at Baen, Tor and Asimov’s. Here’s hoping AT LEAST one of those four makes it.

  6. on 09 Oct 2011 at 8:58 pm 6.Matthew Bennardo said …

    It’s been a good rule to have so far. It motivates me both to research new markets and finish more stories. Good luck with your submissions!

  7. on 12 Oct 2011 at 6:28 am 7.Jack Miller said …

    I adopted a similar strategy earlier this year: for every rejection I get, I have to write one new poem (I’m mostly a poet) and submit to two more places.

    Obviously it’s not sustainable—I’m currently 14 poems and 24 submissions in the hole—but it’s really improved my output.  As a result, I finished one poem that I started and stalled out on five whole years ago… and I just found out that it’s won second place in a contest.  That’s my first writing award in almost twenty years!

  8. on 08 Oct 2011 at 3:30 pm 8.barleybree said …

    Matt, what a wonderful and uplifting post. Sometimes it’s so disheartening to deal with the cold, harsh realities of writing and publication. It certainly is an honor to even have my story considered for MOD. Thanks for that.

    My good news is that I found out the editing process will begin on my first novel (with IFWG publishing) later this month. It took five years to get to this point and it sure feels good!

    Remember to treat yourselves to some quality coffee whilst doing all that reading!

  9. on 09 Oct 2011 at 8:59 pm 9.Matthew Bennardo said …

    I don’t drink coffee, but I’ve drinking plenty of tea. Thanks for the kind words though! And congrats on the good news!

  10. on 08 Oct 2011 at 4:04 pm 10.Kevin Veale said …

    This sounds glorious, and I’m very pleased to have a story being considered.

    I’ve been keeping myself busy with things that have been reaching out to grab my face with ridged talons of urgency, such as teaching deadlines and working on finishing my PhD, not to mention dealing with familial health issues and applying for lecturing jobs.

    I also have all sorts of schemes for calving-off a short story from a trilogy of urban fantasy books I’ve been working on, and seeing if I can get that published.  The concept of trying to keep something under consideration somewhere at all times is a great one.  PhD deadlines have efficiently torpedoed that at the moment, but as soon as it’s sorted out, that’s one of my goals.

    Thanks for keeping us in the loop! I can’t wait to see how it turns out.

  11. on 08 Oct 2011 at 4:51 pm 11.Xiao Mao said …

    I’ve been working on my webcomic, http://14nights.kstipetic.com, keeping my three page a week update schedule. Next month will be the one year anniversary and there should be at least 150 pages online by that point. The more comics you write, the better chance you have that some of them are pretty good. That’s my modus operandi, anyhow.

  12. on 08 Oct 2011 at 7:27 pm 12.Addley said …

    Me, I finished writing and editing the book I started in January before MoD2 was announced, and I’m currently querying agents with it in the hope of getting it picked up. I also dabble in a lot of creative things. ^_^

  13. on 08 Oct 2011 at 8:16 pm 13.Cj Hurtt said …

    Finished two graphic novels, about to start a new ongoing series, and plugging away at my novel.

  14. on 08 Oct 2011 at 8:53 pm 14.Terri Lynn Coop said …

    I write a monthly humor column for http://www.anarmyofermas.com (this month’s are ghost stories, mine drops on 10/10/11, a spooky/funny bit about how highways really get cleaned up. I’m also editing and compiling a collection of previously pubbed short stories for an anthology I’m going to Kindleize in the next month. Finally, I’ve been helping a friend by critting and editing some micro-flash she is writing.

  15. on 08 Oct 2011 at 8:53 pm 15.Marvin Choi said …

    Filmmaking! A short film called “Two Rooms”. Check it out:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kue0JJBB7UU

  16. on 08 Oct 2011 at 9:41 pm 16.Jorpho said …

    Huh, I missed that post back in July.  Though I did like the 55-word story contest

  17. on 09 Oct 2011 at 9:00 pm 17.Matthew Bennardo said …

    It was fun for us too! We’ll probably do more things like that after this month is over.

  18. on 08 Oct 2011 at 9:48 pm 18.Greg said …

    I’ve been working on my webcomic, Magic City, http://www.magiccitycomic.com, and I’m working with an artist on another webcomic that will debut sometime in the future!  I’m rewriting a story I wrote several years ago, making it a much better story.  At some point, I hope to find an artist for that and pitch it to publishers.  Also, trying to get off my ass and submit other things to other places, but the sweet siren call of procrastination beckons me.

  19. on 08 Oct 2011 at 9:50 pm 19.Greg said …

    Also, please pick one of my stories!  Heck, pick all three if you like!  😉

  20. on 08 Oct 2011 at 9:52 pm 20.Ben White said …

    I’ve released two novels, beat THAT.

    🙂

  21. on 08 Oct 2011 at 9:55 pm 21.Captdoggle said …

    I finished the first draft of a YA novel and submitted a couple of shorts. Going to keep trying to do more things!

  22. on 08 Oct 2011 at 11:25 pm 22.Alan said …

    Submitting to MoD2 was really the kick in the butt I needed! I dusted off some short stories and sent to The Paris Review, Ploughshares, and The New Yorker. Even if I’m not in MoD2, at least I can still wait on those.

  23. on 09 Oct 2011 at 9:01 pm 23.Matthew Bennardo said …

    That’s awesome! I’ve been surprised how un-terrible some of my old stories are as well…

  24. on 08 Oct 2011 at 11:34 pm 24.Heathermitchell said …

    Just pluggin’ away on these prototypes. Unfortunately, we’ve only been able to get the predictions to say the same result: “DEATH.” There’s a shortage of blood, and there was that one reading that said “replace ink” faintly, but after our last intern failed to return from RapidRefill, we shelved the project for a few days…

    Please send more interns.

    -Team Scienteers

  25. on 08 Oct 2011 at 11:42 pm 25.Mark said …

    Hey, Death Machine People,

    Thanks for asking.

    After submitting to MOD2 I was inspired to write a novella, which will be published in another small press. Then I wrote 2 more shorts, which are under consideration at a couple of magazines.

    Then, I dusted off my nanowrimo 2009 novel, (which features the same cast of characters that appear in my MOD2 sub) and kicked it into shape. I’m still working on it now and intend to have it finished this year.

    All thanks to MOD2 for rebooting my writing.

    Good luck with that end of Oct deadline.

    Regards,

    Mark

  26. on 09 Oct 2011 at 8:10 am 26.Tom Radcliffe said …

    I’ve been writing and publishing an illustrated Web serial novel about a posthumous Christopher Marlowe in a secret Elizabethan attempt to colonize the Pacific Northwest, which turns out to be ten leagues beyond the wide world’s end:  http://www.songsofalbion.com/  The artist is Hilary Farmer (http://greenteadoodles.wordpress.com)

  27. on 09 Oct 2011 at 10:22 am 27.Jonesy said …

    Writing story after story for a weekly business journal. It can be fun to research top lines and bottom lines and square footage and CEOs and CFOs and COOs. But none of it is quite as fun as writing MOD stories. Does put bread on the table, though, and lots of writing is way better than no writing.

    So thanks for that opportunity, guys.

  28. on 09 Oct 2011 at 11:38 am 28.Anonymous said …

    Thanks for giving all us potential contributors a look into the process of putting together an anthology! 

    I was selected as the featured author for my local coffee house’s prose night, and I did a reading there last Thursday. I actually read one of the stories I submitted to MOD 2 there, and it got a ton of laughs. 

    I’m working on a microfiction serial about parallel universes that lives at margeryjones.com and waiting to hear back about some pieces I sent out. I think your rule of having at least one submission out at all times is a good one! 

    I did sell a couple of short stories that will be up later this fall at Fiction365 and The Safety Pin Review, which is very exciting! And some older short stories of mine finally found homes in upcoming SF-F anthologies. 

    Happy reading, MOD team! 

  29. on 09 Oct 2011 at 11:40 am 29.Fernando Sacchetto said …

    Thanks for the words of encouragement! Yes, it’s hard to wait in anticipation… but reading nearly 2000 stories? That’s crazy! So you guys are doing an awesome job, at great effort, so that you don’t leave us hanging. That’s very considerate and cool. Also, with this many good people competing, I don’t mind it at all if my story doesn’t make it… just reading the ones that did, when the book comes out, will be more than worth the wait!

  30. on 09 Oct 2011 at 11:44 am 30.Fernando Sacchetto said …

    I accidentally posted too soon… but anyway, as to what I’m doing, the MOD submission encouraged me to organize my existing work here: http://worldlinecollapse.wordpress.com/ If I find the time, I’ve got an idea for a sci-fi series to be hosted in there.

    But the reason for not having much to put up there lately is because I’m working in a Portuguese-language series, hosted here: http://linhademundo.wordpress.com/ Writing a series is great fun! And having to produce material in a constant schedule helps get creative juices flowing too.

  31. on 09 Oct 2011 at 2:01 pm 31.Jeremy C said …

    I haven’t been submitting anything recently, since I’m hoping I’ll be able to include a substantial publishing-record bump to my cover letters after the 31st (hey, a fella’ can dream, can’t he?).  But I’ve been writing when I’m not in class or taking care of my screaming newborn, so one way or another I’ll have some stories ready to send out once November rolls around.

  32. on 09 Oct 2011 at 9:04 pm 32.Matthew Bennardo said …

    It feels great to be able to put a nice credit on your cover letters, but honestly it doesn’t make much real difference. I’ve often told people that the big difference after I sold a story to Asimov’s was that I started getting personalized rejection letters. (And even then, only sometimes.)

  33. on 10 Oct 2011 at 12:14 pm 33.Jeremy C said …

    Nice!  Good to know.  I’m definitely a greenhorn in the getting-things-published arena, so tidbits like that are very helpful.

  34. on 09 Oct 2011 at 5:47 pm 34.Mike Lamb said …

    Well, I submitted my story on the second day, so hopefully it stood out. That and it was called 23 HITS OF ACID AND A TALKING DOG. Other than that, I’m still waiting on the print version of my horror-comedy novel Jack’s Inferno (http://www.amazon.com/Jacks-Inferno-Volume-One-ebook/dp/B0058KA9RG). It’s now out on Kindle through my publisher (Wordplague.com), where I’m also the art director and lead illustrator. Or if you don’t like buying books, I write a semi-weekly humor column on pointsincase.com.

  35. on 09 Oct 2011 at 8:29 pm 35.Rodrigo Ortiz Vinholo said …

    On my spare time I’ve been working on a novel, as well as ideas for another one. There’s also a ton of misc. ideas I’ve been collecting, which I plan to work on someday.

    By the way, guys, any hints or links on places to send stories?

  36. on 09 Oct 2011 at 9:10 pm 36.Matthew Bennardo said …

    I don’t want to recommend any particular markets, since it really depends on your style, subject matter, and approach. There are markets I’ll never sell a story to, but which might be perfect for somebody else.

    I know a lot of folks use sites like Duotrope and Ralan to find new places to submit… I tend to just prospect on my own, keeping my eyes open for likely markets whenever I see a story or review linked somewhere. Though I do refer to the SFWA’s list of qualifying markets on a regular basis.

    But if anybody has more specific suggestions, please feel free to share!

  37. on 10 Oct 2011 at 10:11 am 37.Liz Argall said …

    There’s nothing quite like finding a group of people to swap tips with. If there’s a writers group/writers center in your area finding people at about the same part of their development as you that you can swap stories with is great. Regular meetups can help keep you sane, swap gossip (what? they haven’t sent you the contract yet?) and ask for market advice from human beings in meatspace. I love the virtual world, but you can have different conversations in the world of meat.

  38. on 09 Oct 2011 at 8:56 pm 38.Matthew Bennardo said …

    Wow, thanks to everybody for sharing so far! Congrats to those of you with good news, and good luck to everybody with everything!

  39. on 10 Oct 2011 at 12:29 am 39.Ketek680 said …

    i’ve been working on another story that will never see the light of day. it’s refreshingly tragic to see hours of hard labor and creativity flounder, falter, fold, and fail under as agents try to press your sculpture of venus into the mold of david. Counting the machine of death story i submitted, this new one will make 2 novels, 2 novellas, and 3 short stories that fail to fit into popular molds. Fuck you Twilight, Romance novels, harry potter, and Oprah.

  40. on 10 Oct 2011 at 3:01 am 40.Angel Slavchev said …

    So is there a plan about all the good stories that are not going to be included in MoD2? They can’t compete for #3, because it’ll mess with the next wave of submissions and I guess if you could publish MoD2a and MoD2b you would do it right away.

    I don’t really have a solution though. May be “MoD 2 almost-winners online version”? or something?
    It hurts to think that those are stories at least as good as the others which I won’t be able to read.

    P.S. OK, and it’s pretty bad for the authors too – being rejected not because you’re not good enough, but because there is not enough room for technical reasons…

    Not that any of this is anyone’s fault.
    I just wish there was already plan for the ‘delicious leftovers’. I’m sure by the time of MoD3 it will be critical.

    Any ideas anyone?

  41. on 10 Oct 2011 at 10:14 am 41.Meaghan S said …

    Can we start a ‘rejected MOD2 stories tumblr’ where people who submitted can submit again, and those who want to read them can peruse them after the cut off date!?

  42. on 10 Oct 2011 at 1:23 pm 42.P. Bloem said …

    I always figured it might be worth doing a countown of the ten (or so) best stories that didn’t make it, in the two weeks before the book goes on sale.

    It’d be a neat consolation prize, and it might drive some traffic to the site in the days leading up to the launch.

  43. on 11 Oct 2011 at 6:05 am 43.Angel Slavchev said …

    The combination of both ideas (Meaghan’s and Bloem’s) sounds very nice. It would make a pretty neat set of submissions… I’d certainly do what I can to help (if someone tells me what I can do to help).

    Although no guarantees can be given about Number 3, I remain blindly enthusiastic and I’m absolutely sure in the future of MoD as an… annual literature feast, I even fantasize about jumping into other mediums 🙂 (Partially because that’ll give me time to finish a submission at last; first in English, so it’s tough). So all the time I try to imagine the next step.

  44. on 10 Oct 2011 at 10:03 am 44.Liz Argall said …

    Thanks for the update.

    I’ll be heading over to World Fantasy Con in San Diego at the end of October, so that will be an excellent distraction (hope to meet some of you there). I love all the process stuff you guys are doing. In the meantime, working on my novel, writing a new love letter to an inanimate object http://objectsoflove.wordpress.com/ (and a few other things too).

  45. on 10 Oct 2011 at 10:35 am 45.Folly Blaine said …

    It’s a lot of fun to read about everyone’s successes. Very inspiring. Since I submitted to MoD 2 I’ve had three flash fiction pieces published. The most recent is up at 10Flash Quarterly called “The Truth About Woodpeckers.” http://www.10flashmagazine.com/10flash-slipstream/the-truth-about-woodpeckers/ I’ve also had a couple of horror shorts published, “Eau de Public Transit,” about a smelly and terrifying morning commute http://www.everydayfiction.com/eau-de-public-transit-by-folly-blaine/ and “Justice Comes to Jack Marra” about a dark alternative for the death penalty http://flashesinthedark.com/2011/09/15/justice-comes-to-jack-marra-by-folly-blaine Thanks for letting us share!

  46. on 10 Oct 2011 at 10:47 am 46.Mallory Duval said …

    I started a blog in an effort to force myself to write everyday (well, weekday). So far, it’s going well!

  47. on 10 Oct 2011 at 11:38 am 47.P. Bloem said …

    I’m not finding the time to write full stories, but the flashfic contest inspired me to start a flash fiction blog (http://profne-tmesis.tublr.com). It only amounts to 707 words a week, so it’s very manageable,but it does force me to have seven ideas a week as well. And it teaches terse writing.

  48. on 17 Oct 2011 at 6:29 am 48.Kewangji said …

    I think you missed an a in that link.

    Your stories are very imaginative, I am a fan of them!

  49. on 10 Oct 2011 at 12:08 pm 49.Chris said …

    I don’t envy you guys having to whittle down 2000 to 30-35.  I had a lot of fun writing my submission.  It was the first writing I’d done in months and really got my creative juices flowing again.  Though I admit I’ve still been struggling with kick myself into gear most of the time.

    I’ve been slowly working on a couple books as well as trying to build a website.  Here’s a very rough version of it so far:  http://www.roborotiq.herobo.com/

    Good luck with the homestretch.  And good luck to everyone who submitted.

  50. on 10 Oct 2011 at 12:35 pm 50.Rappaneau said …

    A huge thanks for putting this anthology together. The concept was exciting, and I have a blast putting a story together, even if it does not get picked.

    I have four or five stories out right now, with a public reading of one of my published stories in November. Also waiting to hear back from Esquire for the 78-word contest.

    Busy, busy, busy.

  51. on 10 Oct 2011 at 3:29 pm 51.Enigma said …

    The wait is going to still kill me, but I have decided to submit something to a Horror Charity Anthology book called “Horror For Good”. Also working on college applications, so at least I’m being productive…

  52. on 10 Oct 2011 at 3:34 pm 52.Kristy B said …

    I’ve wanted to be a published writer since I was 14, but I haven’t written in several years while I finished my degree and got a “real” job.  When I saw that Machine of Death 2 was taking submissions, I sat down and wrote something for the first time in years and sent it in.  (Machine of Death 2 being my dream-come-true first publication might be too much to hope for…)

    After the deadline someone posted a link to Duotrope in the comments here, and I started browsing.  I liked writing for MoD and having a theme, so I found some themed anthologies on there and wrote some stories based on those.  I’ve already gotten a rejection from one, though I got close (Matt, you are in it – I bet you stole my spot!), and I have three more stories out for consideration, one for an anthology and two in magazines.  Thanks MoD for getting me off my butt and writing creatively again.  🙂

  53. on 10 Oct 2011 at 9:35 pm 53.Jen Steffen said …

    I finished and submitted a novella to an anthology.  Now I’m preparing for NaNoWriMo.  I’m also anxiously waiting for the line-up for this volume.  I don’t envy your positions.

  54. on 10 Oct 2011 at 9:38 pm 54.Jen Steffen said …

    I’m also getting ready to go back to school for photography, but that won’t actually start until January.

  55. on 11 Oct 2011 at 2:51 am 55.Ren Warom said …

    I’ve two stories appearing in anthologies at the end of the year. I’ve also been writing my web serial: http://renwaromsumwelt.wordpress.com/, writing a blog: http://thebeauteousandcorrupted.renwarom.com/ and subbing my novel. Entered a competition too, one I’ve had a special mention in once before. 

    My story-writing confidence is soaring. Four months ago I would have insisted that novels were my forte. Now I think I was just scared to properly try the short form. Not any more. As to the rest of this month until the MoD deadline, I’ve got one more story to spew out and then I’m diving in to the next novel. Cannot wait… no matter how much I’m enjoying my flirt with the short form, I miss getting down and dirty with the long form 😛

  56. on 11 Oct 2011 at 12:43 pm 56.Axel Arth said …

    I’ve started working on getting the comic I’ve written illustrated, and I’m still submitting plays like it’s my job [Funny, that…], but, most of all, I’ve started reading again.

    I know that sounds lame, especially compared to some of the other accomplishments writers have listed here.  But it’s something I hadn’t realized I’d been missing.  A recent move, a change in day jobs, fluctuating schedules, they all made me think I was too busy to think.  And then I remembered the old saying “You are what you eat.”  And I’d pretty much been starving my brain.

    I’m surprised at how fast I’ve started choking down anything I can get my hands on.  And it’s all good.  It doesn’t matter if it’s pulp-y fantasy goodness [Codex Alera, check it out] or something harder to digest [RED, by John Logan. A must for any artist], it’s food.  It’s new ways to think.  It’s new ways for my characters, and me, to speak.

    Thanks for the reminder, MoD crew.  I needed it.

  57. on 11 Oct 2011 at 6:40 pm 57.Robert J. McCarter said …

    Besides waiting with bated breath to find out who’s in MOD2?
    Well writing of course. Keeping an average of 8 stories out to market.

    Just passed the big 100 mark on short story rejections
    today. Viewing that number, and that I’m still writing a submitting, a huge
    success!

    Oh yeah, and just published my first novel: “Shuffled Off: A
    Ghost’s Memoir”. Lots and lots of dead people in it, might be of interest to
    MODers: http://su.pr/32IEX3 

  58. on 12 Oct 2011 at 6:47 am 58.Hamilton Whitney said …

    As some people have already mentioned, Nanowrimo is just around the corner, so November will be a busy busy writing month for me!  Anyone planning a MoD inspired Nano?

  59. on 12 Oct 2011 at 10:53 am 59.z?u?q ??z said …

    Thanks for the update, Matt!

    Writing-wise…well, I have some intimidatingly huge ideas lodged in my brainways and have been sketching out a couple rough skeletons. I have a sheaf of incoherent (at least to anyone else) notes piling up. Going to have to pinch my nose and jump into it soon. Goodbye video games and sleep.

    But mainly I’ve been working on music. My band The Surfactants has a second full-length album out very soon…just needs the photography/artwork to wrap, er, well, get started. My own music (as Dirty Knobs) has been relentlessly lumbering forward, however. Got an 8 hour dark-ambient album out called Field Recordings from the Edge of Hell, as well as a Zoe Keating Remix and an eerie Portal 2 remix album called Dream with Portals.

    So, yeah, things.

    http://zacbentz.bandcamp.com
    http://www.thesurfactants.com
    http://www.xeromusic.com

  60. on 13 Oct 2011 at 9:26 am 60.Michael Kingswood said …

    Since you asked…  🙂

    Since submitting to you guys, I’ve published:

    1 novel – http://amzn.to/naOWqN
    2 novelettes – http://amzn.to/oMpN3d and http://amzn.to/r3RcLu
    1 collection of short stories – http://amzn.to/mWcj3P

    Another novel and a novella should be out by Christmas.  So yeah, fun times.  🙂

  61. on 13 Oct 2011 at 10:28 am 61.Connie Barnett Dowell said …

    Wow.  There’s a lot of creativity going on here.  Me, I’ve submitted a few stories, though MOD is the only one I currently have out waiting for a decision.  I’m also revising my YA novel, researching for my Nanowrimo novel and making a shaky start on a webcomic. It sounds like a lot, but it’s been a lot of fun.

  62. on 13 Oct 2011 at 2:11 pm 62.Kristina Tracer said …

    Novel 3 is half-edited.
    Novel 4 became a 3-Day Novel submission, won’t hear back on that until January.
    Novel 5 just started.

  63. on 14 Oct 2011 at 5:25 am 63.Astrid said …

    Thanks to the inspiration that just won’t leave my teaming brain, I am writing up a storm, trying to get out one short story a month! So far, so good!

  64. on 15 Oct 2011 at 12:58 pm 64.Tracy Schultz said …

    thanks for the update! i’ve been checking my e-mail entirely too much in the interim. i really need to unsubscribe from retail crap mass mailing lists. i wish i could attest to doing cool creative things but it’s been all grad school work (for an MPA, so i can hopefully someday afford cool creative endeavors). accepted or not, it was awesome to have an excuse to write. i miss when it was about enjoying the process and not bloodsucking leech tear duct term papers.