Thanks to my two first readers, I’ve sent out “Spired” today, to Apex Digest. We’ll see if they’ll let my humble effort in. “Spired” was partially inspired by a family member’s ongoing battle with addiction, so the tale has special meaning to me.

Tomorrow “The Encroacher” goes back out. I got a rejection off it today. The editor in question, Beth of Shimmer had a lot of positive comments and some other feedback about the tale as a whole. Hey, I dig personal feedback. Would I have preferred a sale? Hell yes, but an editor taking time like that on a single sub is always encouraging and helpful.

So check Shimmer out, because they’re good people, IMHO.

In the wide world of writing, you should check out Variant Frequencies’ current three-parter of flash pieces that have all landed on DZ Allen’s Muzzle Flash, a delightful throwback to the days of pulp fiction magazines and gangsters. I just finished up “Maidenhead” today: in typical Matt Wallace fashion, people get hurt. A lot. With knives. You cringe while you hear it, and grin afterwards. You can find the link to the Variant Frequencies podcast in the “plugs” section.

Speaking of which, I know I owe folks plugs, and rest assured: they will be there soon enough.