April 14, 2018

Got this blog Google verified tonight. Not that hard to do. Working on writing a lot lately even though the day job is being stubbornly time consuming. I don’t mind 40 hours a week, but 60 recalls the bad old days of film & TV…

Accomplishments this week

  • Finished first draft of a new story and sent it to my beta reader.
  • Found out about another Polar Borealis upcoming poem publication.
  • Got a very nice rejection from Strange Horizons.
  • Sent out my On Spec and Tesseracts 22 submissions. These are important Canadian publications to be in and I hope I make it in!
  • Sent out another short story that is a hard one to get published. Unlike a lot of authors, I find my comic stories easier to sell than the more tragic ones.
  • Getting my own garden plot and going to first meeting about it.
  • Planted some more early flowers on balcony. I have a few 2 leaf plants now from last week’s early attempt. The petunias didn’t come up but the mixed hardy wildflowers had a few sprout!
  • Hyacinths almost done but were great! Street is full of cherry blossoms!
  • Enjoyed an hour at Southlands Nursery and bought way too much for a balcony and a small garden plot.
  • Emailed Garden Manager to see if I can have another plot.

December 2015

My beautiful picture
Bill Pochylko, Stettler, AB 1950s.

Recently received another SF award! The story Steamer Plane, is a Writers of the Future, Honourable Mention 4th Quarter, 2015.

It’s always great to get this in an email:

Your story has been judged and is an Honorable Mention for the 4th quarter. (entry between 1 July through 30 September 2015).

OTOH: Strange Horizons had one of my stories for nearly 6 months and sent me an ‘oops, it must have gotten lost in the email’ response complete with copy of email, carefully undated.

Sometimes you’re winning, with a hot car in a daring color, driving down Main Street – thanks WOTF – and sometimes you’re not…(the other guys).

This is my 2nd WOTF win this year: Absinthe Kind won

Honorable Mention for the 3rd quarter of the L. Ron Hubbard Writers of the Future contest. (entry between 1 April and 30 June 2015).

I always wonder if I qualify, but then I decide that I do because all of my short story sales have been to non-pro markets.  And that pesky novel isn’t even done yet, let alone sold!

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The 1950s picture is from Dad’s collection Bill Pochylko, Stettler, Alberta. He’s  driving past Thirsk’s 5 to Dollar Store.