tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50153290981220351962024-02-02T19:48:25.529-05:00Short Fiction. Write it. Sell it. Writing for Woman's World Magazine and others. Half critique. Half blog. Half not so hot with math. Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.comBlogger206125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-36691600052189115142015-09-05T22:35:00.001-04:002015-09-05T22:42:59.835-04:00Notice....<br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">This blog is
on sick leave. Indefinitely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’m not
the patient. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I find it
comforting in a way to understand that at different times as we move along in
our lives each one of us is given a burden to bear. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Comforting?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Because I know I am not alone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>How we deal with what we are given will be determined by how we were
raised and how we choose to live our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>A terminal illness has struck my family. It doesn’t matter if you come
from the poorest family on the face of the earth or you were the President of
the United States, Alzheimer’s disease does not discriminate. In fact in a
recent survey, Alzheimer’s was listed as the most feared disease among American
adults, second only behind cancer. Dementia is also well documented as being
the most costly disability in the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is a death sentence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I first
realized my mom was ‘losing it’ when she would tell me the same cat story over
and over again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every time we’d get in
the car to go shopping, she’d say, “Did I tell you what the cat did
today?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And inside I’d whine and think,
“Not the cat story again!” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she
couldn’t do her checkbook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she would
confuse her dates and months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I moved
from Massachusetts to Florida but mom didn’t want to come with me, stating she
preferred to stay where she knew her surroundings and neighbors. That made
sense, so I didn’t push her. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For months she
would ‘present well’ when we talked on the phone, but one day the police called
to tell me mom couldn’t find her way home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And it hadn’t been the first time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That weekend I flew up to take her to the doctor. Mom was diagnosed the
late stage Alzheimer’s. And so my eyes were opened to what was really happening
to her, and I began my journey as her caregiver.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was this spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really didn’t know what I was getting
myself into, but I couldn’t turn my back on my mother. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Alzheimer’s
disease is an irreversible, progressive brain disorder that slowly destroys
memory and thinking skills, and eventually the ability to carry out the
simplest tasks. Estimates vary, but experts suggest that more than 5 million
Americans may have Alzheimer’s. With staggering numbers like these, more and
more of us will become caregivers in our lifetimes. Caring for a person with
Alzheimer’s disease can have a high physical and emotional cost. The demands of
day-to-day care, changes in family roles, and decisions about placement in a
care facility can be difficult, if not crippling to the family. Here’s where I
come in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am ‘the family’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m an only child.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I must help my mom get through her last
days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have found that it is
exhausting, emotional, and stressful and I’ve only just begun this journey. It
is imperative that I put aside some activities, even those I enjoy, especially
if they are of the ‘deadline’ type as these activities now create stress for
me, and my life is already too full of stress.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>My only option is to cut out what I can.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Becoming
well-informed about the disease is one important strategy, which is why I attended
an Alzheimer’s Support Group meeting that was given in my community by the Southeast
Florida Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The first meeting was a PowerPoint discussion focusing on the topic of how
to tell the difference between dementia and memory loss due to normal aging,
something a lot of us worry about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something
I worry about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The speaker highlighted
the ten warning signs of the disease, and answered questions from the group.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I saw my mom in all of those ten signs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s at a stage 5 of 7, 7 being bed ridden
and close to death. Informative, calm and reassuring, this lady set the stage
for what is to be my new life caring for my mother until I am no longer able to.
I have no delusions about how much I can handle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There will come a time when I have to move
mom to a facility. I know that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I accept
it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when that time comes I will do
it and know it is best for both of us and that I did the best I could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">But currently, mom lives with me here in
Florida in my condo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My days are filled with answering the same
questions over and over. And I do it with a smile. My goal is to make her laugh
every day, give her food she loves to eat, and make her feel comfortable and
safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll give you an example of how my
days go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mom fears the overhead ceiling
fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thinks one of the blades will
come loose and chop her head off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
really believes that. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can’t reason
with her, because she has lost the ability to reason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She can’t put two and two together because
this disease has robbed her of that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When I explain the stability of the blades, show her the four screws
holding each one in, she’s fine… for a day to two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then I see her worried face, watching the
fan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I disabled all the ceiling
fans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t want her to worry or have
fears.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We now use floor box fans and
she’s fine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She has forgotten that you
flush the toilet after use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I check
once in a while and flush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She always
says she’s not hungry. I accepted that for a little bit, but now I just put the
food in front of her and she eats.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
doesn’t really know if she’s hungry or not.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She can’t tell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each week there’s
something new for us to figure out. It’s going to be a long journey.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The doctors can’t tell me how long she’s
got.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could be two years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could be ten. </span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I thank you
for understanding that I must concentrate on this most complicated, emotional
and sometimes overwhelming task of my life and give up some of the things that
used to be fun but are now too time consuming.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I wish all
of you great success in your writing endeavors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I hope to see your names on best seller lists and awards lists and by-lines in WW.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of all, I send you all my love and my
wish that you never have to undertake my journey.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Jody</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com53tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-52522758761450139962015-09-02T10:18:00.000-04:002015-09-02T10:18:03.049-04:00Sell Yourself Short -- Option #9
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Magazine name: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Threepenny
Review</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Website: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>www.threepennyreview.com</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Country:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">USA</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Publishing details</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">: Quarterly; March, June, September, December. Founded
in 1980. It is published in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berkeley,_California" title="Berkeley, California"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Berkeley, California</span></a> by founding editor <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendy_Lesser" title="Wendy Lesser"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Wendy Lesser</span></a>.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Circulation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has a
readership of 10,000. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Types of stories wanted: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They recommend
that those submitting work for the first time to take a look at a sample copy
beforehand. (Print copies are available from the publisher for $12.00; digital
copies can be downloaded instantly for $7.00.) But I found that you can read
past stories here: </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.threepennyreview.com/readingroom.html"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">http://www.threepennyreview.com/readingroom.html</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Page length and payment (if known):<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>$400.00 per story. Articles should be about
1200 to 2500 words, Table Talk items 1000 words or less, stories and memoirs
4000 words or less. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What
I like:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">This payment buys first serial rights in our print and
digital editions, and the copyright then reverts to the author immediately upon
publication.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What
I don’t like:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">They
have a reading period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They do not read
submissions during the second half of the year (July through December), so
please do not submit work then. Any material sent during that period will be
discarded unread.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">How to submit: </span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">See:
http://www.threepennyreview.com/submissions.html</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">The
only two ways to submit work; through the mail and via their online system. All
online submissions must consist of a single document in Word format (.doc or
.docx). Please include your name and address somewhere on the document as well
as in their submission form.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">All
mailed manuscripts must include a stamped, self-addressed envelope for our reply.
Submissions should be mailed to:</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Editors</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The Threepenny Review</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>PO Box 9131</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Berkeley, CA 94709</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Warning:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Emailed submissions will be discarded unread.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response time:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Response time for submissions can range from two days
to two months. Please do not submit more than a single story or article until
you have heard back from them about your previous submission. If you have not
heard from them within a couple of months, you should assume that either your
communication or theirs has gone astray.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">More info: </span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">They
do not print material that has previously been published elsewhere, and they
are adamant that they will <b>not </b>consider simultaneous submissions. Writers
who do not honor this request will not be published in the magazine.</span></span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-78337418770731543262015-08-28T19:32:00.000-04:002015-08-28T19:32:15.471-04:00Appearing in issue 33, August 17, 2015<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">Title:</span></b><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t bank on
it</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">By
Author:</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phyllis Whitfield</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img abp="156" height="35" src="data:image/png;base64,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" v:shapes="_x0000_i1029" width="35" /></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Tag line: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>When it came to identifying the thief, the
clear-eyed detective did a better job than the surveillance camera!</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Police characters: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Detective Beth Smart
and her assistant (?) Charlie Young</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The gist:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brenda, who works in a jewelry story and was
working late doing inventory, was getting in her car to make a bank deposit (a
whole week’s worth) when someone hit her and took the money pouch out of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>her canvas bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said it was dark in the parking lot and
she didn’t see who did it. She said she normally puts the money in her purse
but used the canvas bag this time because she was going to pick up sandwiches and
soda on her way back for everyone.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Employees, Sarah and Billy, heard her scream
and came running out but they didn’t see the culprit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Billy is Sarah’s boyfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Billy wears glasses. Billy told the detective
that a strange guy came in the store today asking about expensive watches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t ‘look’ right and Noel, another
employee, thought he acted weird. Noel was acting nervous in front of the
police, tugging at his tie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">About this
time the owner comes running in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He yelled at Brenda who then burst into tears.
He told her putting the money in a canvas bag was a bad idea, that it was sure
to attract attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said things
like, “Can’t any of you do the right thing unless I’m here to tell you what to
do?”</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The
surveillance camera lens was blocked by a large tree branch and didn’t capture
the crime.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Detective
Smart didn’t need the surveillance footage to know who stole the money.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Crime scene:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Jewelry story parking lot. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Clues:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The canvas bag.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Suspects: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
so-called weird guy, or one of the employees who might have seen Brenda put the
money in the canvas bag.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Red herrings: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weird guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The nervous tugging on the tie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
author mentioned one guy wore glasses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
thought maybe the cops would be able to see a glint of eye glasses in the
surveillance footage…but that didn’t happen.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Solution:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>The
owner knew the money was in the canvas bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He wouldn’t know that unless he stole it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had a gambling debt and was also going to
file an insurance claim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew the
surveillance camera was blocked by a branch.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My two cents:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">There’s a link missing here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Brenda normally puts the money in her purse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The owner knows that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So why did he grab the canvas bag?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Brenda was
going to pick up sandwiches and soda for everyone … so she took the canvas
bag?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The deli doesn’t have bags? </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What dumbass
makes a deposit once a week? </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The tag line
doesn’t work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At all. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Clue:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
canvas bag is the clue but in the big picture it didn’t work. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Motive:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Greed, debt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Stupidity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Oh, wait, that’s not a
motive. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Police
Work:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t understand a detective
having an assistant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What is that?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Detectives don’t have assistants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’re not clerical staff; they’re a
para-military organization. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well…it rolled along okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The angry, mean boss making Brenda cry was a
good tactic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It took our attention away
from the fact that a clue was being given.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Characters:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing
awful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing notable. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One star for
hiding the clue well. </span></span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-10928496956683028452015-08-25T19:47:00.000-04:002015-08-26T11:06:56.202-04:00Sell Yourself Short - Option #8<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Magazine name: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Writers
Digest</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Website:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></b><a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">www.writersdigest.com</span></span></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Country:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">USA</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Circulation:</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">This is an eight-times-a-year
publication founded in 1920 with a circulation of 110,000. Their readers
include men and women of all ages and varying levels of writing skill and
success. The majority of their readers live in the U.S. and Canada.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Page length and payment:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">For manuscripts, they pay 30–50
cents per word, on acceptance, for first world rights for one-time print use
and perpetual electronic use. Should they want to reprint anything they have purchased
from you in anything other than electronic format, they will pay you 25% of the
original purchase price per use. Contributor copies are sent to writers and
artists whose work appears in that issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">For lengths, see below.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What I like:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">An index of each year’s issue contents
is available at <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.writersdigest.com</span></a>
so you can see what topics have already been contracted or done to death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can purchase copies via the
newsstand or www.writersdigestshop.com. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">On-spec submissions are preferred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t like to have to query.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like to send the story off and be done with
it.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What I don’t like:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t find anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Submission guidelines:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Each submission must include your name, address, daytime telephone number
and email address.</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Response time:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">2–4 months response time. </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">How to submit: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><a href="mailto:wdsubmissions@fwmedia.com"><span style="color: blue;">wdsubmissions@fwmedia.com</span></a> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Types of stories wanted: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Inkwell</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">This upfront section of the magazine is the best place for new writers to
break in. Each Inkwell features an 800-900–word lead story that kicks off the
magazine. The article ranges in style and tone every issue, but often takes the
form of an opinion-based piece, weaving a narrative and drawing out tips for
readers. It can be a great place to discuss theoretical or timely concepts.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Inkwell also features short pieces of 300–600 words (how-tos, trends,
humor, insight on news that will still be relevant when our next issue hits
stores, weird and intriguing tidbits about the writing world). Traditional
queries are accepted for Inkwell, but on-spec submissions are preferred.
Include “Inkwell:” and the name of your piece in the subject line of your
query.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">5-Minute
Memoir</span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Verdana;">
Secretly my favorite section of the magazine, 5-Minute Memoir is their new
venue for 600-word essay reflections on the writing life. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">While
5-Minute Memoir is a diverse spot in which they want a writer’s individual
style and voice to come through, the essays they love most are those with a
strong narrative element, relaying an experience and its subsequent wisdoms and
takeaways for writers. Submit on spec to wdsubmissions@fwmedia.com, with
“5-Minute Memoir” in the subject line. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Reject a
Hit</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">They claim
they need more of these 300-word, short-sighted rejection letters!</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">This back-page feature is a humorous fake rejection letter, of 300 words
or fewer, spoof-rejecting a classic or beloved book. As the intro to the
feature goes, “Let’s step once again into the role of the unconvinced, perhaps
even curmudgeonly or fool-hearted editor: What harsh rejection letters might
the authors of some or our favorite hit books have had to endure?” Winning
submissions generally focus on books in which a broad base of readers would be
familiar with, and <u>poke fun at a short-sighted or absurd editor</u>—not the
original author of the featured book. </span></span><span style="font-family: "MS Gothic"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: "MS Gothic"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">For Reject
a Hit, they accept on-spec submissions only. Submit your letter via email (no
attachments, please) to wdsubmissions@fwmedia.com with Reject a Hit: [Book
Title]” in the subject line.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Go to</span><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></span><a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/tag/reject-a-hit"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">http://www.writersdigest.com/tag/reject-a-hit</span></span></b></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">for past sales.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Reject a Hit
is humorous, but not mean-spirited. It is not the place to list all the reasons
you hate a particular book. To help you understand the spirit of Reject a Hit, </span></span><a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/tag/reject-a-hit"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">browse through the archives of published rejections</span></span></a></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Please do
not send submissions pertaining to any of the following, as they have already
been soundly rejected:</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Frankenstein Stoker</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Harry Potter</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by JK Rowling</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Frankenstein</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Mary Shelley</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Elements of Style</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by EB White</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Cat in the Hat</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Dr. Seuss</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Fun With Dick & Jane</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Gray and Sharp</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Marley & Me</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by John Grogan</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A Christmas Carol</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Charles Dickens</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Very Hungry Caterpillar</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Eric Carle</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Romeo & Juliet</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Shakespeare</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Lolita</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Vladimir Nabokov</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Crime & Punishment</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Dostoyevsky</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Jurassic Park</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Michael Crichton</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Moby-Dick</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Herman Melville</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Odyssey</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Homer</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Charlotte’s Web</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by EB White</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Breakfast at Tiffany’s</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Truman Capote</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Godfather</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Mario Puzo</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">War & Peace</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Leo Tolstoy</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">How the Grinch Stole Christmas</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Dr. Seuss</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Charlie & the Chocolate Factory</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Roald Dahl</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">“Rip Van Winkle” by Washington Irving</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Great Expectations</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Charles Dickens</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">My Life at The New York Times</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Jayson Blair</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Exorcist</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by William Peter Blatty</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Lorax</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Dr. Seuss</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Animal Farm</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by George Orwell</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Hobbit</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by J.R.R. Tolkien</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Road</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Cormac McCarthy</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Old Man & The Sea</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Ernest Hemingway</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Goodnight Moon</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Margaret Wise Brown</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Tulips & Chimneys</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by e. e. cummings</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Shining</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Stephen King</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Douglas Adams</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Runny Babbit (A Billy Sook) by Shel
Silverstein</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Webster’s Dictionary by Noah Webster</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Our Mutual Friend</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Charles Dickens</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Middlemarch</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by George Eliot</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt;">A Series of Unfortunate Events: The
Bad Beginning</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> by Lemony Snickett</span></span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-68555606132505730372015-08-19T09:46:00.000-04:002015-08-19T09:46:14.075-04:00<strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">This blog is on V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N..... YAY!</span></strong><br />
<br /><br />
See you next week. Don't fight. <br />
<br /><br />
There's no food in the fridge but there is a bottle of wine.<br />
<br /><br />
JodyJody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-16081473800344864502015-08-14T21:24:00.001-04:002015-08-14T21:24:31.390-04:00Appearing in issue #32, August 10, 2015<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">Title:</span></b><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crime ring</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">By
Author:</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Patrick Scaffetti</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">T<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ag
line: </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>Linda wasn’t exactly sure
who had stolen the diamond ring but she was leaning toward one suspect…</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Police characters: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">The gist:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re at
Whispering Breeze senior condominiums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Linda, who likes to do crossword puzzles and fancies herself a mystery
solver, is at the pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also in the pool
is Simon, a guy who fancies himself a ladies’ man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is Lillian who is sitting with Harold,
and also Helen who is sitting across from them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lillian had been nicknamed Diamond Lil because she liked to wear lots of
expensive jewelry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Harold was known to
favor the blackjack table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Helen was
known to be jealous of Lil’s jewelry and often made catty remarks about
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also at the pool was Chester, a man
with a reputation for filing false insurance claims. Chester was limping from a
recent suspicious fall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His left leg was
allegedly injured. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">All
seemed calm at the pool… until Lil cried out that her diamond ring was
missing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simon started looking in the
water for the ring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Harold said he had
to leave to go gambling. Helen speculated that Lil didn’t really lose the ring,
that she just wanted the attention.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Chester said it was time for his medication and left the pool area
leaning on his left leg. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Linda said
she knew who had taken the ring.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Crime scene:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The pool area at the senior condos.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Clues:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chester’s limp.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Suspects: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Harold
the gambler, Chester the cheater, or Helen the coveter.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Red herrings: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Harold liked to gamble.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Helen was jealous of Lil’s jewels.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Solution:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>There
was a column long explanation about how Chester stepped on the ring in the pool
and clenched it between his toes and tried to walk off with it but it was in
the wrong foot from the leg he had injured and Linda saw him limping on the
wrong leg. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My two cents:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Good grief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did the
man never hear of bending over in the water and taking the ring out of his
clenched toes and slipping it into his bathing suit?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Into his cheek? Or just palming it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a dumb story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Too many characters introduced all at
once.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entire first column talked
about Linda and how she liked to do crosswords and how she liked to solve
mysteries and how long she lived at the condos and how she knew all the
neighbors….yada yada yada.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Get on with
it already. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then we get
a plethora of old people at the pool with very little background or even any
details of real interest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve got Linda.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, she didn’t do it because she’s the ‘sleuth’
here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve got Simon, who thinks he’s a
ladies’ man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That doesn’t shout
thief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we’ve got Lil and
Harold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I supposed he could steal from
her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He certainly made a quick getaway
and didn’t stop to help her look even for a minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some boyfriend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then we’ve got Helen, who was jealous of Lil’s
jewelry. The author never did say why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There’s no depth to these characters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Finally we have Chester, a man known to pull a fast one.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Clue:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chester’s limp.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Motive:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None specifically written into the story. Was
it greed or did Chester just like to take advantage? </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Police
Work:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
a bit convoluted with too many characters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Linda got the most attention but the others were rushed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can see why.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With six people in the story it’s hard to give
us a nice feel for the characters. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
solution was not believable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Imagine an
old man with a diamond ring clutched in his toes trying to walk out of the pool
area?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ridiculous. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Characters:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wooden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Too many. </span></span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-13888467176929135782015-08-12T10:25:00.000-04:002015-08-12T10:25:12.759-04:00Sell Yourself Short - Option #7
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<br />
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writers, helping them navigate the publishing world, and promoting their books
through email blasts, on their web site and social networks, in a quarterly
printed insert in the magazine, and at their annual </span></span><a href="https://www.one-story.com/index.php?page=benefit"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">Literary Debutante Ball</span></span></a><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">What I
don’t like:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I don’t
like that you have to have an account with them to submit. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t like that once you sell to them, you
can’t sell to them again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But…hey, let’s
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">Submission
guidelines: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They
accept submissions from September 1st through May 31st.</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">They accept PDF, RTF, and TXT files that are less than 500KB. Please
include the story title and all writer contact info on the first page of the
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">One Story</span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> is looking for previously
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">How to
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to submit please visit their </span></span><a href="https://www.one-story.com/submissions/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">Submission Manager</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">You can check the status of your submissions at any time by
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story has been assigned to a member of their editorial staff. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">More
info:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Published for over 13 years the
publication has garnered dozens of respectable literary awards, including the
PEN/Nora Magid award for editorial excellence. </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-85219621528253636662015-08-07T11:26:00.002-04:002015-08-07T11:26:49.515-04:00Appearing in issue 31, August 3, 2015<br />
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Title:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">Not a Lovely
Lady!</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">By
Author:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tracie Rae Griffith and Robin Christine
Ireland</span><br />
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src="data:image/png;base64,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" v:shapes="_x0000_i1029" width="35" /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Tag line: </span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>The beauty pageant contestant turned out
to be not-so-beautiful after all!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Police characters: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The gist:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A woman, Bobbi, who has a home business,
Lovely Lady, gets an e-mail from a beauty pageant contestant ordering $400
worth of products, a big order for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
pageant is called Miss Sunshine. The woman said she would be in the area on
Tuesday and wanted to meet at a café to pay for and pick up her order. Being
wary of scams where people are lured out of their homes for some purpose and
then their homes are burgled, Bobbi gets her brother to house sit while she
makes her delivery. Bobbi waits at the café meeting place, but the woman doesn’t
show.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as she was about to leave, a
man came rushing in and introduced himself as Marie’s husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said Marie got tied up and couldn’t come
herself, but he had a copy of her order and a check for $642.18.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Bobbi asked for another check for the
correct amount, the husband said he didn’t have another check on him and that
Marie must have made a mistake. He asked her to refund him the difference and
that would make them square. He pressured Bobbi a bit saying he would have to
go buy the products somewhere else if this didn’t work out. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">Bobbi knew
it was a scam and told him so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How did
she know?</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Crime scene:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;">This was an e-mail scam.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Clues:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s a Miss Sunshine pageant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Suspects: </span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The “husband”.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Red herrings: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Solution:</span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>In
the e-mail “Marie” said she was entering the Miss Sunshine pageant, a contest
where the contestants cannot be married.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The “husband” sent the e-mail with the intent to get $400 worth of
products, and a nice little check for $242.18.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bobbi got his license plate number and reported the scam to the police. </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">My two cents:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="line-height: 115%;">I liked the setup of this story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It starts with an e-mail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something different.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bobbi was in tune with how scams work and
asked her brother to watch her house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
thought that was a good detail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was
all believable and relevant to today’s world. There was nothing corny or dumb
in this modern tale. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The title fit and
the tag line didn’t give it away. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Clue:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had to go look up the rules for Miss
Sunshine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I didn’t realize you couldn’t
be married and be a contestant, so I missed the clue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it’s there.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Motive:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Greed.</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Police
Work:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No officers were included in the story but the
bad guy was caught by the license plate, which happens all the time in real
life. </span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">Writing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
story flowed well, it was well constructed, and the authors made you like the ‘victim’.
</span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">Characters:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The bad buy was smooth and even though Bobbi wanted that sale she
hesitated and gave it some thought.</span> </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
</span><br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-15115399339587970162015-08-04T22:04:00.000-04:002015-08-04T22:11:38.997-04:00Sell Yourself Short. Option #6<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Magazine
name:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fast
Fiction/That’s Life!</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Website:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
www.thatslife.com.au</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Country:
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Australia </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Publication: </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><strong> </strong>Frequency:
Weekly</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Australian
Circulation: 185,049 (Dec 2014)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> <span style="font-size: 12pt;">Readership:
1,016,000 (Dec 2014) </span></span><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Types of stories wanted: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Humorous, positive, contemporary stories with
strong plot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Avoid boy meets girl and
HEA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No stories narrated by animals or
babies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a family magazine, no
graphic crimes, sex or domestic violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For Themes see below or go to <a href="http://www.thatslife.com.au/fastfictionguidelines"><span style="color: blue;">www.thatslife.com.au/fastfictionguidelines</span></a>
</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Setting should usually be in Australia unless there's a
real need for the setting to be elsewhere eg a Scottish castle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Set spell check for English Australia. Male
viewpoint stories are welcome.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Core
Target: Women 25+. Content: Real Life. </span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There are two ways they publish fiction:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> 1) A one-page story in the weekly edition of <i>that</i>'<i>s
life!</i> Magazine o</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> 2) <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">A range of one, two, three and four page stories in
their quarterly Fast Fiction magazine, released seasonally
(Summer/Spring/Autumn/Winter)</span></span></div>
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">Page
length and payment (if known): </span></b><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">1 page = 600-900 words</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">2 pages = 1200-1500 words</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">3 pages = 1600-2000 words</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";">4 pages = 2200-2600 words</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">These
are approximate and the final word count printed will depend on the design of
the page/s. You don't need to overly cut or edit your story to fit the word
counts.</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">All invoices will be submitted to the finance
department when the issue is sent to print. Please note the payment is for how
many pages are published, not the pages/word count of your unedited original
submission.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The
payment rates are as follows: (In Australian dollars)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i><u><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">that</span></u></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">'<i><u>s life!</u></i><u>
weekly magazine</u> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">(one-page
story) = $300</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<u><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Fast
Fiction quarterly</span></u></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">1
page = $200</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">2
pages = $300</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">3
pages = $400</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">4
pages = $500</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What I like:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div align="center">
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="mso-cellspacing: 0in; mso-padding-alt: 0in 0in 0in 0in; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184; width: 995px;">
<tbody>
<tr style="mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-image: none; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in;"></td>
</tr>
<tr style="mso-yfti-irow: 1; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background-color: transparent; border-image: none; border: rgb(0, 0, 0); padding: 0in;"></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“If
you don</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">'<b>t hear from us...</b></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">If
your story isn't accepted it can be for any number of reasons. Sometimes we
have already published, or have in stock, a similar story. Or we may feel it
will not appeal to our readers. But this does not mean we will not like another
of your stories, so don't lose heart. Keep writing and sending them in!”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Exclusivity
term: 90 days after the date of first publication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What I don’t like:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 12pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Couldn’t find anything to gripe about.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">How
to submit:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They accept only emaile submissions. Email
your story, for both the weekly magazine and quarterly magazine, to <a href="mailto:fastfiction@pacificmags.com.au"><span style="color: blue;">fastfiction@pacificmags.com.au</span></a>
and you should receive an auto-response acknowledging your submission.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Format</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Send your stories in Microsoft Word format, as an attachment
to the email. Please do not paste/write your story into the body of the email.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Send one attachment per email. Do not attach multiple
stories.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Please do not heavily format the story with tabs or
headings, and use single spacing between sentences. Include your name and
contact details. Include the following in the subject and body of the email:</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-
Story Name</span><br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-
Theme (* See below for themes)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">-
Word Count</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">For
example: The Magician, Spooky, 1200 words</span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Response
time:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> If you have not heard anything from them in 90 days,
it is unlikely your story will be used. You are welcome to resubmit stories six
months after your first submission.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">More info: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They accept stories that have either never been
published anywhere previously worldwide and/or have not been published in an
English speaking publication. If it's been published in English, in the UK or USA
for example, unfortunately they can no longer consider your story, so please do
not submit. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Please understand that due to the bulk of emails they
receive, they are unable to reply individually to submissions, nor can they
reply to follow up correspondence asking if stories have been received, read or
accepted.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Editor: Linda Smith. Katherine Davidson, newest editor
2015.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They have a new Writer's Agreement in place and you <u>MUST</u>
complete it for your story to be published with them. If we don't have an
agreement from you and they want to use one of your stories you can find the
agreement in their website. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Send seasonal stories six months in advance (and
remember Aussie seasons are opposite to those in the UK and USA.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Themes</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the weekly magazine, they run a wide range of
stories and do not publish them with strict themes, except for the annual
events below. Please note for themes they will need to receive submissions at
least two months before the event.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Australia Day <i>(Jan)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Back to School<i> (Jan/Feb)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Valentine's Day <i>(Feb)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- <i>Easter (April)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Anzac Day <i>(April)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Christmas In July <i>(July)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Mother's/Father's Day <i>(May/Sept)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Halloween <i>(Oct)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Melbourne Cup Day <i>(Nov)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Christmas <i>(Dec)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- New Year's Eve <i>(Dec/Jan)</i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For the quarterly Fast Fiction, they have SIX themes,
so your story should fall into one of the following categories:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Romance <i>(All things love)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Heart warmer <i>(Sweet stories/happy endings)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Thriller <i>(Keeps you guessing until the end)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Revenge <i>(Someone gets their just desserts)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">- Sixth Sense <i>(Spooky/Scary/Spiritual/Mystic/Fate
and Fortune)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">-
Light Bite (Everything else! A fun, easy read)</span></span></span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-23494972756079872902015-07-31T10:40:00.001-04:002015-07-31T15:18:01.071-04:00Appearing in issue 30, July 27, 2015<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Title:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ball and Chain</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">By Author:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John M. Floyd</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><strong> </strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img abp="156" height="35" src="data:image/png;base64,R0lGODlhIwAjAHcAMSH+GlNvZnR3YXJlOiBNaWNyb3NvZnQgT2ZmaWNlACH5BAEAAAAALAEAAAAgACMAhwAAAAAAAAAAMwAAZgAAmQAAzAAA/wAzAAAzMwAzZgAzmQAzzAAz/wBmAABmMwBmZgBmmQBmzABm/wCZAACZMwCZZgCZmQCZzACZ/wDMAADMMwDMZgDMmQDMzADM/wD/AAD/MwD/ZgD/mQD/zAD//zMAADMAMzMAZjMAmTMAzDMA/zMzADMzMzMzZjMzmTMzzDMz/zNmADNmMzNmZjNmmTNmzDNm/zOZADOZMzOZZjOZmTOZzDOZ/zPMADPMMzPMZjPMmTPMzDPM/zP/ADP/MzP/ZjP/mTP/zDP//2YAAGYAM2YAZmYAmWYAzGYA/2YzAGYzM2YzZmYzmWYzzGYz/2ZmAGZmM2ZmZmZmmWZmzGZm/2aZAGaZM2aZZmaZmWaZzGaZ/2bMAGbMM2bMZmbMmWbMzGbM/2b/AGb/M2b/Zmb/mWb/zGb//5kAAJkAM5kAZpkAmZkAzJkA/5kzAJkzM5kzZpkzmZkzzJkz/5lmAJlmM5lmZplmmZlmzJlm/5mZAJmZM5mZZpmZmZmZzJmZ/5nMAJnMM5nMZpnMmZnMzJnM/5n/AJn/M5n/Zpn/mZn/zJn//8wAAMwAM8wAZswAmcwAzMwA/8wzAMwzM8wzZswzmcwzzMwz/8xmAMxmM8xmZsxmmcxmzMxm/8yZAMyZM8yZZsyZmcyZzMyZ/8zMAMzMM8zMZszMmczMzMzM/8z/AMz/M8z/Zsz/mcz/zMz///8AAP8AM/8AZv8Amf8AzP8A//8zAP8zM/8zZv8zmf8zzP8z//9mAP9mM/9mZv9mmf9mzP9m//+ZAP+ZM/+ZZv+Zmf+ZzP+Z///MAP/MM//MZv/Mmf/MzP/M////AP//M///Zv//mf//zP///wECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwj/AAEIHEiwoMGDCBMOdKawYcJR1lQ5nEjwGTZrFDNCw3btWUaHzq5dwwYN2UeFIkViI3US4bOUIq2xbEnQGbRr1nCK9EhT4LGQMHNCO+lslMBnq1LeFNrx2cyiBZ05e/YMGjRrOYPqzJkVJ1ZoVBkCGGVz67WlZ3WiRcsVJ0+BzrDKnUu3Ll2nBl9e/Sp371m5q6w9E/w2ajW7c8NKXVztmVGEUwVbOzz4WTVSRZ2l0kyNKsjDh7EuHs3YMcXKlzOr4uyMmqrCDUdZdkqa9OWMzl5jxqyK2ubeqahN/Zi69mLhwj9KJQscefDWwykaRw6desZnq3urqjZ1e+tmwm87a0Q2mhp3sZipIadGcRR34QxLEWTprBr4mSCFkwo08IqggaWslpxDu/EHwBUCCYIgAP8BAIhT8h204BURXoGFQP5hOOGFAATCYUELKphgiCSOaCJCDWZ4YIosYphiRiIyWCJNKl4xYYs90RQQADs=" v:shapes="_x0000_i1029" width="35" /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img abp="156" height="35" src="data:image/png;base64,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" v:shapes="_x0000_i1029" width="35" /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Tag
line: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>Joyce
Cole said she was telling nothing but the truth about her ex-husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Angela Potts wasn’t so sure…</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Police
characters: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sheriff Jones, amateur sleuth Angela Potts</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
gist:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Angela’s cousin, Joyce Cole, according to Angela,
is a compulsive liar and she hates Benny, her ex-husband. (1) This story starts
with about two columns of Sheriff Jones going to get Angela, where’s she
fishing, to come with him because the victim of a crime (Cole) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>would only let Angela interview her. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twenty minutes later in Cole’s living room,
Cole was glaring at Angela.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Don’t know
why, because she asked for Angela.) Cole tells them that her ex-husband, who is
out on parole, entered her house last night while she was asleep and stole
$1000 out of her cookie jar. She said she locked the house up tight last night,
latching every window, locking and chaining every door, put the garage door
down, and then she went and checked everything twice. She said she keeps a key
under a loose brick on the patio that her ex knew about. She said, “This will
send him back to jail, right?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it has
nothing to do with the fact that he left me.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(2) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cole pointed to a wire
stripper tool lying on the carpet, saying her ex must have dropped it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Angela tells the sheriff he better check it
for prints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she said that Cole’s
eyes got wide and she said, “He’s an electrician of course it’s his, and it’s
too small for prints, right?” (3) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When
Jessica Fletcher … oh sorry, I meant Angela Potts said the tool looked new and
yes there would be prints on it (by the way where’s the sheriff?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Playing games on his iPhone?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cole said “There won’t be any prints because
he was wearing gloves.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(4)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Angela said she thought Cole told her
she was sleeping, Cole’s face went pale and she started sweating. (5)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Angela accused Cole of lying and trying to
frame her ex-husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cole broke down
crying and admitted her act. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Now, here’s the best part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crackhead Sheriff Jones asked Angela, “How’d
you know?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How did she know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>HOW DID SHE KNOW?!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(My
head just exploded.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Give me a moment to
go get a paper towel to clean up the mess.) </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Crime
scene:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The real crime is that somehow
Sheriff Jones not only made it through the police academy, but got a JOB in law
enforcement. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Clues:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See the BIG 5 above. Plus the fact that the door was chained from the inside so even a key wouldn't get him in.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Suspects:
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think
Sheriff Jones is sleeping with the victim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hey, it’s just as dumb as everything else in this story. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Red
herrings: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The red herring is the fact that Jones is a
cop. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Solution:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>Duh.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My
two cents:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
sheriff gets Angela to interview the victim.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>WTF.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Angela tells the sheriff he
better check the tool for prints.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
guess they didn’t teach him that at the academy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good thing she was there. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Clue:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img abp="156" height="35" src="data:image/png;base64,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" v:shapes="_x0000_i1029" width="35" /></span></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, there was sure a bunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very blatant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Talk about spelling it out.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Motive:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yeah,
she had one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hate is a motive. <span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img abp="156" height="35" src="data:image/png;base64,R0lGODlhIwAjAHcAMSH+GlNvZnR3YXJlOiBNaWNyb3NvZnQgT2ZmaWNlACH5BAEAAAAALAEAAAAgACMAhwAAAAAAAAAAMwAAZgAAmQAAzAAA/wAzAAAzMwAzZgAzmQAzzAAz/wBmAABmMwBmZgBmmQBmzABm/wCZAACZMwCZZgCZmQCZzACZ/wDMAADMMwDMZgDMmQDMzADM/wD/AAD/MwD/ZgD/mQD/zAD//zMAADMAMzMAZjMAmTMAzDMA/zMzADMzMzMzZjMzmTMzzDMz/zNmADNmMzNmZjNmmTNmzDNm/zOZADOZMzOZZjOZmTOZzDOZ/zPMADPMMzPMZjPMmTPMzDPM/zP/ADP/MzP/ZjP/mTP/zDP//2YAAGYAM2YAZmYAmWYAzGYA/2YzAGYzM2YzZmYzmWYzzGYz/2ZmAGZmM2ZmZmZmmWZmzGZm/2aZAGaZM2aZZmaZmWaZzGaZ/2bMAGbMM2bMZmbMmWbMzGbM/2b/AGb/M2b/Zmb/mWb/zGb//5kAAJkAM5kAZpkAmZkAzJkA/5kzAJkzM5kzZpkzmZkzzJkz/5lmAJlmM5lmZplmmZlmzJlm/5mZAJmZM5mZZpmZmZmZzJmZ/5nMAJnMM5nMZpnMmZnMzJnM/5n/AJn/M5n/Zpn/mZn/zJn//8wAAMwAM8wAZswAmcwAzMwA/8wzAMwzM8wzZswzmcwzzMwz/8xmAMxmM8xmZsxmmcxmzMxm/8yZAMyZM8yZZsyZmcyZzMyZ/8zMAMzMM8zMZszMmczMzMzM/8z/AMz/M8z/Zsz/mcz/zMz///8AAP8AM/8AZv8Amf8AzP8A//8zAP8zM/8zZv8zmf8zzP8z//9mAP9mM/9mZv9mmf9mzP9m//+ZAP+ZM/+ZZv+Zmf+ZzP+Z///MAP/MM//MZv/Mmf/MzP/M////AP//M///Zv//mf//zP///wECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwj/AAEIHEiwoMGDCBMOdKawYcJR1lQ5nEjwGTZrFDNCw3btWUaHzq5dwwYN2UeFIkViI3US4bOUIq2xbEnQGbRr1nCK9EhT4LGQMHNCO+lslMBnq1LeFNrx2cyiBZ05e/YMGjRrOYPqzJkVJ1ZoVBkCGGVz67WlZ3WiRcsVJ0+BzrDKnUu3Ll2nBl9e/Sp371m5q6w9E/w2ajW7c8NKXVztmVGEUwVbOzz4WTVSRZ2l0kyNKsjDh7EuHs3YMcXKlzOr4uyMmqrCDUdZdkqa9OWMzl5jxqyK2ubeqahN/Zi69mLhwj9KJQscefDWwykaRw6desZnq3urqjZ1e+tmwm87a0Q2mhp3sZipIadGcRR34QxLEWTprBr4mSCFkwo08IqggaWslpxDu/EHwBUCCYIgAP8BAIhT8h204BURXoGFQP5hOOGFAATCYUELKphgiCSOaCJCDWZ4YIosYphiRiIyWCJNKl4xYYs90RQQADs=" v:shapes="_x0000_i1029" width="35" /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Police Work:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t
get me started. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Writing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Overdone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ‘victim’ went pale, started sweating,
questioned the fact that fingerprints could be gotten off the tool… ad nauseum.
She might as well have been wearing a sign that said “I did it”. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Characters:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Getting
dumber with each story. </span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-63632612120824283632015-07-29T10:40:00.002-04:002015-07-29T10:40:13.367-04:00Sell Yourself Short. Option #5 - Let's talk kids...<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Magazine name: CICADA</span></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Website:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><a href="http://www.cicadamag.com/thisissue" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">cicadamag.com</span></a></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Country:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">USA</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Publishing details</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">: 6 issues in 12 months.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Circulation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>10,000</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Types of stories wanted: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="http://www.cicadamag.com/thisissue" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">CICADA</span></a> is
a YA lit/comics magazine fascinated with the lyric and strange and
committed to work that speaks to teens' truths. They publish poetry, realistic
and genre fiction, essay, and comics by adults and teens. (They are
also inordinately fond of <a href="http://cicadamagazine.tumblr.com/post/87989321006/top-summer-solstice-reads-for-kick-ass-icelandic-ladies" target="_blank"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Viking jokes</span></a>.) Their readers are smart and curious;
submissions are invited but not required to engage young adult themes. The
magazine is aimed at ages 14+.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">They offer high-quality fiction (and poetry) dealing with the
issues of growing up, leaving the joys and pains of childhood behind, and
becoming an adult. It is filled with enough different ideas, styles, and
subjects to please any intelligent reader.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Fiction.
</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Realism, SF/fantasy, historical
fiction. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">They
are currently calling for submissions on the<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> theme</b> of “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Witches.”</b>
The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">deadline is September 9th, 2015. </b></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">According
to their website: “<i>Cicada</i> is looking for poetry, fic, nonfic, satire,
and comics on WITCHES. We’re on the lookout for folk and fairy tale retellings,
investigations of the witch in history, works on the everyday spell craft of
fashion, beauty, makeup, and the domestic (the hearth, the cauldron, the
kitchen) as well as the spell cast by the arts. Also of interest: the witch in
nature: the garden, the dark wood, the night. Feminist and above all
intersectionally feminist, works: especially welcome!”</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Page length and payment:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">They
pay well, up to $0.25 per word of prose. They accept fiction pieces up to 9,000
words. (</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Segoe UI";">Prefers up to 5,000 words</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.) That
means the cap on payments is $2,250, though the payment rate does seem to vary.
Most writers should not expect to get paid at the top end of the pay range.
With most publications, new contributors usually start at the low end of the
pay range, which was not articulated. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What I like:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">They’re
run by the established Cricket Magazine group, Carus Publishing. They’re a
great publication that any YA writer should be proud to be published by. Cricket
Magazine Group will consider all manuscripts sent on speculation.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What I don’t like:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cicada does
not distribute theme lists for upcoming issues, so you can’t get prepared.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Submission
guidelines:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Before submitting, be
sure to familiarize yourself with the magazine. Check out issue excerpts at <a href="http://www.cicadamag.com/thisissue" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">cicadamag.com</span></a>.
You can purchase additional sample issues <a href="http://www.cobblestonepub.com/magazine/CIC/"><span style="color: blue;">online</span></a>, by emailing
customerservice@caruspub.com, or by calling 1-800-821-0115. Issues are also
available at many local libraries.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span></div>
<ul style="direction: ltr; list-style-type: disc;">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Please submit a
complete manuscript. We do not accept queries.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Fiction and
nonfiction manuscripts should include an exact word count; poetry manuscripts
should include an exact line count.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Include full
contact information: phone, email, and mailing address.</span></div>
</li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;"><div style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;">Manuscript should
be submitted as a .doc, .docx, .txt., or .rtf file.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Response time:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Please allow up to 3-6 months response time.</span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">How
to submit: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only place we accept online submissions is
cricketmag.submittable.com.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No other
forms of emails or attachments or regular mail will be accepted. </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<div style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 10pt; margin-top: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More info: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><u>The Manuscript
Review Process </u></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">After they are
received, manuscripts are reviewed by first readers. First readers
consider each submission’s literary potential and whether it might be a
good fit for one of our magazines.</span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Promising submissions
are then carefully reviewed by at least three editors: an assistant
editor, the magazine’s editor, and the editor-in-chief.</span></li>
<li style="color: black; font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">The editor-in-chief,
in conversation with the magazine’s editor, makes a final decision on
whether to reject or accept the manuscript. For manuscripts that show some
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
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Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-61123524787565727752015-07-24T10:07:00.000-04:002015-07-24T10:07:02.456-04:00Appearing in issue #29, June 20, 2015<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">Title:</span></b><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Photo finish</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">By
Author:</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wendy Hobday Haugh</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong> </strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img abp="156" height="35" 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v:shapes="_x0000_i1029" width="35" /></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Tag line: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>As the sheriff examined the scene of the
crime, she realized the break-in was a pretty bungled affair!</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Police characters: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This story never
reveals the names of the cops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that a
bad thing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It didn’t seem to hurt the story. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But on the other hand the reader has no one to
fall in love with and want to see again. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The gist:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The victim was a 70-year-old woman who lived
in a tidy cottage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When she returned
from grocery shopping she discovered her back door wide open and several items
missing; TV, digital camera, CD player, and an heirloom silver teapot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The teapot had sat atop of a chest full of
antique sterling silver, yet only the pot was taken. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The sheriff
noticed the jimmied back door and stoop littered with splinters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She thought to herself that breaking a window
would have been quicker. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The victim
told the sheriff that she had a habit of going shopping Wednesday mornings by
10:30 the latest and she usually took about 90 minutes, being home by
noon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said her friends, neighbors,
cashiers, and relatives would know her routine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The sheriff had her deputy call to see if any grocery store employee was
out that morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then she followed the
victim around to see where items had been stolen from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything was on the first floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The jewelry on the second floor was
untouched. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The sheriff
became suspicious by the clumsy yet perfectly timed break-in, the fact that the
robber didn’t go upstairs, and the odd choice of loot (low tech stuff) yet the
computer and jewelry and silver weren’t touched. Anyone who knew the victim
knew she lived modestly and there wasn’t much there to steal. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sheriff also wondered if the odd
assortment of loot was designed to hide one particular stolen item.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The victim
had recently been to a family reunion. She said she was glad she had downloaded
all the photos from her new camera onto her computer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sheriff asked to have a look.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When they looked through the photos they
found a shot of the victim’s nephew in the arms of another woman… his brother’s
wife. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Crime scene:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The victim’s cottage.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Clues:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were none.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was all spelled out for you. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Suspects: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
cheating guy. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Red herrings: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gawd, I wish there were a few. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Solution:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>The
solution was a column long and went on and on about how the cheating guy was
going to just take the memory card but he didn’t want the theft to be pointed
at the family in the reunion, and yada-yada-yada.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He broke in and took a couple of things to
hide the fact that he really wanted the camera.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He didn’t know she had downloaded it already. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My two cents:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">So where’s the mystery?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This was a good story, but it was also an odd little ditty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s nothing to solve in this
solve-it-yourself mystery. This is more of a piece you’d find in an Alfred
Hitchcock or an Ellery Queen magazine. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We never
heard back from the deputy if there were any missing employees in the grocery
store that morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Might as well just
throw away the words used for that part.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were useless. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">“Anyone who
knew the victim knew she lived modestly and there wasn’t much there to steal.”
I’m going to disagree with that thought process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A bag of crack is only $10.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A crackhead only wants to smash and grab and
get his fix.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Doesn’t matter how modest
someone lives… she had a TV and a camera for him to pawn or sell fast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The title
and the tag line fit well and didn’t give anything away. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WW seems to LOVE silver teapots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyone else notice that?</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Clue:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was none.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t give a star for ‘clue’ when there is
none. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Motive:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A cheating husband.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Police
Work:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No problems or errors in the
police work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author had the sheriff thinking to
herself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s not something we see too
often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I kind of liked it. And the
author didn’t make the police out to be bumbling idiots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They came in, looked around, and asked the
right questions. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although I do differ on
the definition of ‘jimmied’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This guy
forced the lock by prying it open and splintering the door frame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you jimmy a lock you stick something
into the tumblers, like a pick, and try to manipulate it and you don’t damage
the wood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But … whatever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The term is used loosely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Potato/potahto. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Characters:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They seemed genuine. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m going to
go with 3 stars but this submission doesn’t fit the mold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder if WW is breaking new ground here
with this story. I’ve never heard of WW accepting a story what had no clue;
that just flat-out told you who did it before the solution. I’m scratching my
head this week. </span></span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-14095254399751227342015-07-22T10:28:00.001-04:002015-07-22T10:34:54.490-04:00Write yourself short. Option #4.<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Magazine
name: <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Tin House</span></span></span></b><br />
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Website:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></b><a href="http://www.tinhouse.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">www.tinhouse.com</span></span></a></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Country:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">USA</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Publishing
details</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">: Four times per year: the
first week of December, March, June, and September.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Circulation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Greater than
10,000</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Types
of stories wanted: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They accept unsolicited submissions September
1 through May 31, and, as always, their summer and winter issues are <u>not
themed</u>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They consider each
submission for all upcoming issues regardless of theme. If you wish to be
considered for a particular theme, please make a note in your cover
letter. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See the website for their
themes, and suggested deadlines for each theme issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be aware that these fill up fast, so get your
theme-issue submissions in as soon as possible.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Sample
stories: </span></span><a href="http://www.tinhouse.com/blog/35742/more-with-less.html"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">http://www.tinhouse.com/blog/35742/more-with-less.html</span></span></a></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Page
length and payment: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Short story: 1000
– 7500.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stories/essays: up 10,000-word
limit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over 10K will not be read. </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">$200.00
minimum for fiction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pay can be up to
$800 for fiction.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">What
I like:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Number of Debut Authors per
Issue: 2-3 </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Tin House is a haven for authors at the
peak of their powers and also a jumping-off point for unpublished writers and
anyone taking risks, pushing form and language. They are a magazine not
identified with any one region but international, drawing writers and
contributing editors from all over the globe. Each issue seeks to be tantamount
to an invitation to the greatest literary house party ever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">From editor: </span></span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rob_Spillman&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Rob Spillman (page does not exist)"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">Rob
Spillman</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>Do
you encourage general submissions at all?</b></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">“Absolutely. Every single issue I
publish a poet and fiction writer who has not been published before. We're
actively looking for unpublished people. It's a thrill to be able to call
someone up and say 'I'd love to publish your story' and be able to root for
them throughout their career. It requires a fair amount of labor to commit to
that but we're absolutely dedicated to it.”</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">How many manuscripts do you get on
average per edition?</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">“Between 1500 and 2000 a month, so per
issue between 4500-6000. “</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Who reads my submissions?</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">“We have a volunteer crew of about
twenty-five readers. All of our readers have an extensive background in the
literary arts and most have advanced degrees in English or writing or both.
They are put through a grueling gauntlet before being offered a position.
Submissions are also read by our editorial interns, who hold an equally
competitive position and are extensively vetted. Finally, most of the
magazine’s editorial staff read submissions on an ongoing basis, as well.”</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Whom do you see as your typical
reader?</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">“A mix of students, writers and the
publishing industry. Other book publishers and agents all read it. We're
increasingly adopted by MFA classes.”</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">What
I don’t like:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t think of anything. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Submission
guidelines:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">They accept simultaneous
submissions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the event that the work
is accepted for publication elsewhere, please do them the courtesy of informing
them promptly.<br />
Only previously unpublished works will be considered for publication.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">
Wait 90 days before e-mailing to check the status of your submission.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Response time:</b> They say they try
their best to respond within six months but, in some cases, this period
may be longer. If you have not received a response from them within six months,
they be happy to receive e-mail inquiries and will do their best to respond. </span></span><a href="mailto:info@tinhouse.com"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">info@tinhouse.com</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">How
to submit: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Submit here:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></span><a href="https://tinhouse.submittable.com/Submit"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">https://tinhouse.submittable.com/Submit</span></span></a></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">They prefer electronic submissions, but
submissions can be mailed to: Tin House, PO Box 10500, Portland, OR 97210.
Please enclose an SASE (include an IRC with international submissions), or they
cannot guarantee a response or the return of your work. Typed manuscripts should
be double-spaced on </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">8 1/2 x 11 inch white paper, one side
only. Submission must contain your name, address, e-mail address, and a telephone
number where you can be reached.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They ask
that you please wait until you hear back from before submitting new work for
consideration.<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" />
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">More
info: </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tin
House began in May 1999.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The main office
is in northwest Portland, Oregon. The magazine is actually named after the
office building in Portland, which is an old Victorian with corrugated zinc
siding and is known in the neighborhood as “the tin house.” The East Coast
office is in Brooklyn.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tin House is
consistently honored by major American literary awards and anthologies,
particularly for its fiction.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Notes:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Questions
not addressed on this page may be directed to </span></span><a href="mailto:info@tinhouse.com"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">info@tinhouse.com</span></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Curious to see
what else is going on at Tin House? Find out by visiting them at their blog, </span></span><a href="http://www.tinhouse.com/blog/" target="_self"><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">The Open Bar</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">They also have a Facebook
page.<b> </b>https://www.facebook.com/tinhouse?fref=ts</span></span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-61244390841503298112015-07-17T11:51:00.001-04:002015-07-17T11:51:38.675-04:00Appearing in issue #28, July 13, 2015
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Title:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><strong>The stick-up</strong></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">By Author:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Aimee Deschaine</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;"><strong>MINUS 5 STARS</strong>. What was WW thinking? </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Tag line: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the reporter Cora
Willoughby heard about the bank robbery in town, she got right to work!</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Police characters: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Officer Mason.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Officer Francisco.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">The gist:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Getting a tip that
the bank was being robbed, reporter Cora ran over to the scene and started
talking to the employees and customers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(I almost cannot go on… this is so absurd.) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Customer 1 said: one robber took Todd, the
security guard, and hauled him in back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She figures Todd was locked away. Then the back door opens and they let
in another bad guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Bethany, a teller,
said the alarm didn’t work when she pushed it. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Another customer said
there were three of them, all wearing jumpsuits, gloves, and full rubber masks.
He couldn’t see any skin color. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">The bad guys robbed the
bank and the customers. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Annie, a customer,
said she walked in on the robbery and that there were five customers, three
robbers, and one teller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(And a
partridge in a pear tree.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said that
they stole her diamond bracelet she had borrowed from her aunt and she pleaded
with him (she said his voice was male) to not take it, but he did anyway. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t see the bank manager or Todd the
security guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bethany told her, and
anyone else that was within hearing, that the manager wasn’t there because he
leaves at 11:30 for lunch, and Todd was being held in the back. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WAY TO SCREW UP TESTIMONY THAT NOW CAN’T BE
USED IN COURT.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>DUH.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Cora saw the police
come from the back with Todd, the security guy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The officer nodded at Cora.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>THE
POLICE WERE THERE!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>IN THE BACK.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>NO COPS OUT FRONT MAKING SURE NOBODY LEFT OR
CAME IN.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ARRRRRRGGGGHHH.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I’m starting to yell, aren’t I?)</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">This dumbass cop
talks to another dumbass cop and tells him, in front of God and everyone, that
Todd was in the back bound by his own handcuffs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said he interviewed him back there where
it was a little less hectic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(My right
eye is starting to twitch.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>IT’S LESS
HECTIC BECAUSE YOU DIDN’T SECURE THE *&^%^ SCENE!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Now look what you made me do. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-font-family: Verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Verdana; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-char-type: symbol; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">L</span></span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>An exclamation point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tsk-tsk.)</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">The bank manager
rushes back from lunch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Chaos breaks
out as everyone starts talking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Banging
my head on the keyboard now.)</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Annie, the lady who
got her diamond bracelet snatched, asks if she could leave now. They let her
go. Before she left, she touched Todd on the arm and said, “I’m really glad you
weren’t hurt, Todd.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Todd smiled back at
her and said, “Yes, you should go, your aunt is going to be worried.” Cora
tells Todd to give up the names of his two accomplices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Well, it should be three.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s not forget Annie, the piece of crap
that she is, who stole from her elderly aunt.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Which, by the way, will get her and Todd an enhanced sentence.)</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Gawd, I’m glad that’s
over. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Going to get some aspirin
now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be right back.)</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Crime scene:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
real crime scene is the solve-it-yourself mystery in this issue. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Clues:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Todd
knew Annie’s aunt might be worried.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How
would he know that if he wasn’t out front when the robbery took place?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">That was the big
clue, folks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">He was in the back
when she talked to EVERYONE.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course,
EVERYONE was talking, excited and probably loudly, and he could have heard that
from any single person in that room because the police let them all get
together and kibitz. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also once he got
back in the front, according to the story, chaos broke out again as everyone
started talking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another chance to hear
her story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Suspects: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think the author did it.
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Red herrings: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
guess having the Keystone Cops on scene could have been a red herring. Maybe
the cops did it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would have been more
interesting than this drivel. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Solution:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The solution was one
column long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A long, boring ramble about
deactivating the alarm, pretending to struggle with the robber, him then putting
on a jumpsuit so people would think the one bad guy let in another bad guy but
it was really Todd.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then he went in the back
and undressed and redressed and they put handcuffs on him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Are you asleep yet?)</span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">My two cents</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well,
thank goodness we have reporters like Cora to handle situations like bank
robberies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That frees up the police for
other more important crimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There’s not
one, NOT ONE, statement that could be used in court.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a defense attorney’s wet dream. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">First of all if the
bank just got robbed, there’s no way a civilian, even a reporter, can just
enter and hang around and talk to people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The cops show up fast, within minutes, and separate everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People can’t be allowed to hang around
swapping stories. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cora’s lucky she didn’t
get arrested for obstruction.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Why did Todd have to pretend
to be a robber?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isn’t two robbers
enough?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He could have sat in the back
handcuffed while the other two guys grabbed the loot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But, of course, that was his downfall, as,
according to this ridiculous story he was out front “robbing” Annie while she “pleaded”
with him to not take her aunt’s bracelet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I guess a whole vault full of money wasn’t enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had to take everyone’s money and jewelry
too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Morons. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Clue</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was the weakest clue I’ve ever
seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And it’s sad but true that it
would have worked if the cops had separated everyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also, it’s the kind of clue where only the
bad guy knows a detail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yawn. How
original. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Motive</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who cares?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Police Work</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pretty much the worst I’ve ever seen. </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Writing :</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t get me
started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How much aspirin do you want me
to take, anyway? </span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">Characters:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;">I’m speechless.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And that doesn’t happen often.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: BrowalliaUPC;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;">
</span></div>
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
</span><div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<br /></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-13653824479638655062015-07-14T20:39:00.002-04:002015-07-14T20:58:15.048-04:00Sell yourself short. Option #3.<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Name: </span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">Modern Love. </span></strong></span></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><strong><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;">A</span><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"> weekly column in the
Sunday Styles Section of the New York Times.</span></strong></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A series of
weekly reader-submitted essays that explore the joys and tribulations of love. </span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Website:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/column/modern-love"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"></span></a><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;"><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/column/modern-love">http://www.nytimes.com/column/modern-love</a></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null"></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">Country</a>:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>USA</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Publishing details</b>:
<b><i>The New York Times</i></b> (<b><i>NYT</i></b>) is an American daily </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newspaper" title="Newspaper"><span style="color: windowtext; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">newspaper</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">,
founded and continuously published in </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City" title="New York City"><span style="color: windowtext; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">New York City</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">
since September 18, 1851, by </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Company" title="The New York Times Company"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">the New York Times Company</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">. It has won </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Pulitzer_Prizes_awarded_to_The_New_York_Times" title="List of Pulitzer Prizes awarded to The New York Times"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">117 Pulitzer
Prizes</span></span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">, more than any other news organization.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their slogan is “All the news that’s fit to
print.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Modern Love column has been
in existence since 2004.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Circulation:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The NYT Sunday circulation is 2.3 million,
print and online, and Modern Love has more than 100K followers on its Facebook
page.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Types of stories
wanted: </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The editors of Modern Love
are interested in receiving deeply personal essays about contemporary
relationships, marriage, dating, parenthood ... any subject that might
reasonably fit under the heading “Modern Love.” Ideally, essays should spring
from some central dilemma the writer has faced in his or her life. It helps if
the situation has a contemporary edge, though this is not essential. Most
important is that the writing be emotionally honest and the story be freshly
and compellingly told. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">The best way to see the range of styles and subjects they’d
like to publish is to go to </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/column/modern-love"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">Modern
Love page</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">They are five times more likely to publish women than
men—not because they’d rather publish women but because they receive five times
more submissions from women. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Page length and
payment:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>1500-1700 words. The Modern
Love column runs in the paper at pretty close to 1500 words but about 1700
words is a good ballpark because they like to have the option to trim out
material they feel isn't as strong or relevant.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Modern Love pays its
authors $300.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(I did see one site that
said $500 but the February Writer’s Digest lists the figure as $300.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What I like:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>Editor Daniel Jones is one of the few
editors in the country who explicitly doesn’t want famous writers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s been compared to Carrie Bradshaw on Sex
and the City as he compiles some of these stories into books.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b>Writing credits don't matter.</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Jones says he pays little attention to
someone's writing background when he reads an essay. Don't feel like you are
being pre-judged if you submit without writing credits. A perfectly suitable
cover note will say nothing more than: "I wrote this essay with your
column in mind. I hope you enjoy it." So don't worry about credits or
lengthy cover notes. If your essay is rejected, it's not because you didn't
have a connection or credits. If your essay is accepted, it's not because you
have a book coming out. It's because you wrote an essay that made him stop
drinking his coffee.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Modern Love receives about 100 viable essays a week (meaning
essays that are reasonably well written and targeted to the column). Which
means, of course, that the odds of getting chosen are roughly 1 in a 100. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of roughly 100 submissions, one will get
published, about 10 will be seriously considered and reread, another 30-40 will
be interesting enough to read to the end, and another 30-40 will get partial
reads.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Some of the essays that don't find a place in Modern Love
used to get published at a quirky site called Modern Love Rejects. The site is no longer running but you can see the archives and read the rejected stories at <a data-reactid=".s.1:5:1:$comment955330281153995_955811511105872:0.0.$right.0.$left.0.0.1.$comment-body.0.$range0:0" dir="ltr" href="https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://modernloverejects.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://modernloverejects.com/</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">There is also a Facebook page for these rejects that has some interesting info about other places to submit to. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Modern-Love-Rejects/194108587276172">https://www.facebook.com/pages/Modern-Love-Rejects/194108587276172</a> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">More than 40 book deals have resulted from writers appearing
in Modern Love.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What I don’t like:</b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can’t find a thing.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Submission
guidelines:</b> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">-Please attach your essay as an MS-Word compatible doc AND
paste the text into the body of the e-mail.</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">-Send ONE e-mail with all elements of your submission, not
multiple e-mails with various pieces and/or versions.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">-No pseudonyms (including the author), composite characters,
or invented situations may be used.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">-Essays must be previously unpublished. Work that has
appeared online, on blogs, etc., is considered to be previously published.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>-The story at least
should be set in relatively recent times, even if it might occasionally reach
into the past for back story and context. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">For the basics of how to submit and for the archive of
columns, visit the Modern Love index page at:</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><u>http://topics.nytimes.com/top/features/style/fashionandstyle/columns/modernlove/index.html</u>
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Response time:</b>
They attempt to respond to every submission within four weeks, though response
times may vary due to the volume of submissions. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">As per Mr. Jones:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“We
will notify you if you have a sale. And that's just the beginning. We will
speak on the phone. You will answer all manner of questions, both editorial and
personal. You will sign a contract. You will participate in an editorial
exchange that might be easy or difficult and can involve two drafts or five
drafts or seven (or more). Most of this process will involve cutting and
clarifying, but sometimes it also will involve asking you to add new material. If
I have fallen behind schedule, your piece might appear in two or three weeks.
More typically, though, it will run in four to six weeks. Just before it runs
your essay will get another going-over by a copy editor and the copy chief.
They might also have questions for you, either by phone or email. In the end,
you will have dealt directly with at least two editors and the essay will have
been subjected to the editorial eye of at least four.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">How to submit: </b>Send
submissions to: modernlove@nytimes.com.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">More info: </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For submission tips and regular commentary
from the column editor, follow </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/modernlove"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana;">Modern
Love on Facebook</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">https://www.facebook.com/modernlove<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Notes: </span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Tips from Daniel
Jones.</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">There are several tip-offs to me that an essay might be
turned down before I’ve finished reading it: if it begins with tone of blame,
if it feels shallow in terms of what it promises to explore, if it’s about the
love of animals or cities instead of other human beings (though you never
know…anything can be done well, but this is quite a hurdle), or if it takes
place a long time ago (both Styles and Modern Love imply recent trends or
happenings).</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In terms of what subjects I’m sick of…I can’t say that
there’s any one subject or set of subjects that I receive constantly in a way
that would make me advise a writer to steer clear. The better advice in this
area is that we’re not likely to run a piece about dealing with a father who
has Alzheimer’s when we just ran one. Avoid subjects that have been covered in
the last few months.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">- How many times can you remove "that"? (I'll bet
a lot.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">- How many adverbs can you do without? (Try cutting half of
them, at least.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">- Use "all right," not "alright."</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">- Change any words or phrases that are in ALL CAPS or
italics to some other means of emphasis. (Only rarely will either be used in
the body of an article in the paper.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">- Did you use profanity? (You'll have to remove or replace.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">- Don't agonize over a title. (In almost every case it will
be written by the copy desk.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">- How many exclamation points do you really need? (Not
many.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">- How many spaces do you have after a period at the end of a
sentence? (Should be one, not two.)</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">- You can probably find better adjectives than "amazing,"
"incredible," "fantastic," "terrible,"
"horrible," or "very bad" (even if you're having a
terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day).</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Verdana;">Avoid These</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">In the many essays I read every month, certain words,
phrases, or stylistic tics appear again and again. Inevitably (and maybe
unfairly), some start to annoy or signal trouble with the writing to come. Here
are 20 your essay is probably better off without. (This is good advice for all of your mss.)</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">1. I’ll never forget</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">2. I’ll always remember</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">3. It/he/she was electrifying</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">4. If I had to do it all over again</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">5. Literally</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">
</span><div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">6. A. Sentence. With. A. Period. After.
Every. Word.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana;">
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">7. Reader, I married him/her</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">8. Smitten</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">9. I felt like Carrie in Sex and the
City</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">10. My heart melted</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">11. Flash forward</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">12. I curled up in a fetal position</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">13. I curled up with a pint of Ben &
Jerry’s</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">14. We were alike in every way</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">15. We were opposites in every way</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">16. Truth be told</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">17. Amazing</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">18. There was no spark</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">19. Out of the blue</span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">20. And I’ll never be the same again</span></div>
</span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<br /></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-22923609148815587252015-07-10T10:04:00.001-04:002015-07-10T10:04:53.787-04:00Appearing in issue #, July 6, 2015<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">Title:</span></b><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>While the cat’s
away …</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">By
Author:</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tracie Rae Griffith</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong> </strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img abp="156" height="35" 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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Tag line: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>Taking advantage of residents’ absences
someone – who? – had burgled several houses in the neighborhood …</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Police characters: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Detective Kristine
Kay, Sgt. Bill Morgan</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The gist:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three houses within a mile radius were broken
into while the residents were away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The crimes
took place over a period of about a week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Same MO:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>entry gained through a
broken window.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No fingerprints
left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All items taken were small. </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">House
#1:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The resident had stopped his mail
and paper delivery while he was out of town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>His travel agent and his ex-wife knew about his trip.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Missing: iPad.</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">House
#2:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The resident did not stop her mail
and papers, and they were noticeable on her steps.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t tell anyone that she’d be
gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her trip was spur of the
moment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Missing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>laptop.</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">House
#3:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lady told her elderly neighbor
so she could pick up her mail and papers, and she had a timed nightlight. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her theft occurred on a Sunday. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Missing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>jewelry. </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What did
they all have in common?</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Crime scene:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Residential homes. </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Clues:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Property was small.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All received mail and paper delivery. </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Suspects: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mailman
or the paperboy.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Red herrings: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None.</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Solution:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>The
paperboy knew who was out of town from the stop-paper order on one home, seeing
the piled up papers on another, and observing the old lady taking in her
neighbor’s paper. The mailman was eliminated as a suspect because one of the
burglaries occurred on a Sunday.</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My two cents:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">This was a decent little who-dunnit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was leaning towards the mailman because we don’t
have paperboys anymore here so I didn’t think of that, but I did miss the
Sunday clue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess it would be odd to
see the mailman in the neighborhood on a Sunday. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Clue:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good clues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They were believable and different enough to make you think about them. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Motive:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None given, but it was a kid doing the
stealing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Kids don’t really need a big
motive.</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Police
Work:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No problems that I could see. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story moved along well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author discussed the first theft, the one
where the burglary involved a stop order for the paper, at the end of her
story, sort of sneaking in how the paperboy began his thought process . <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Very clever. </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Characters:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The police characters are not memorable, but
they’re not terrible either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other
characters were believable.</span></span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-50913150561816379502015-07-08T15:41:00.002-04:002015-07-08T16:10:02.596-04:00Selling yourself short. Option #2.<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Magazine
name: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Sun</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Website:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">www.thesunmagazine.org</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Country:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">USA</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Publishing
details</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">: </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The Sun</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> is a monthly American <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magazine" title="Magazine"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">magazine</span></a>
publishing essays, interviews, short stories, poems, and photography. The
overall goal for the publication, as stated by editor and co-founder, Sy
Safransky, is to create a feeling of connection between contributors and
readers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Circulation:</span></b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>70,000</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Types
of stories wanted: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
publish essays, interviews, fiction, and poetry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They tend to favor personal writing, but they're
also looking for thoughtful, well-written essays on political, cultural, and
philosophical themes. Please, no journalistic features, academic works, or
opinion pieces. Other than that, they’re open to just about anything. Surprise
them; they often don't know what they'll like until they read it (according to
their website).</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Page
length and payment:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They
rarely run anything longer than 7000 words; there's no minimum word length. They
pay from $300 to $1,500 for fiction, from $300 to $2,500 for nonfiction, and
$100 to $500 for poetry, the amount being determined by length and quality. They
may pay less for very short works. They also give contributors a complimentary
one-year subscription to The Sun.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What I like:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They’re willing to read
previously published works, though for reprints they pay only half their usual
fee. There is no minimum length. The subject matter isn’t as important to them as
what you do with it so you don’t have to fuss with a query letter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each issue includes a section devoted
entirely to writing by readers.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To
save your time and theirs, they suggest you take a look at The Sun before
submitting. You can read a free sample issue online <a href="http://thesun.uberflip.com/t/151390" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">here</span></a>. Printed
sample issues are <a href="http://thesunmagazine.org/shop/purchase_back_issues/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;">$5 each</span></a>, which includes shipping and handling.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What I don’t like:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They claim it is impossible for them to track
each story received and they are unable to tell you the status of your
submission.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Submission
guidelines:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Do not submit work or queries by e-mail or
fax. Submissions should be typed, double-spaced, and accompanied by a
self-addressed, stamped envelope. (Poems may be single-spaced.) Your work will
not be returned without sufficient postage, and they cannot respond unless a
return envelope is provided.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>They purchase one-time rights. All other
rights revert to the author upon publication.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They discourage simultaneous submissions. </span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Response
time:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They try to
respond within three to six months, however, their backlog of unread
manuscripts is often substantial. Don’t let a longer wait surprise you.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">How to submit: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Send
submissions to:</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Editorial
Department<br />
The Sun<br />
107 N. Roberson St.<br />
Chapel Hill, NC 27516</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">More info: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
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<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Sun is an independent, ad-free magazine that for more than forty years has used
words and photographs to evoke the splendor and heartache of being human. Each
monthly issue celebrates life, but not in a way that ignores its complexity.
The personal essays, short stories, interviews, poetry, and photographs that
appear in The Sun’s pages explore the challenges they face and the moments when
they rise to meet them.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">From it's idealistic, unlikely inception in 1974 to its current incarnation as a nonprofit magazine, The Sun has
attempted to marry the personal and political; to honor the genuine and the
spiritual; to see what kind of roommates beauty and truth can be; and to show
that powerful teaching can be found in the lives of ordinary people. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Writing from The Sun has won the Pushcart Prize and
been selected for the Best American Short Stories and Best American Essays
anthologies.</span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Notes: </span></b></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Q:
Can I read </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Sun<b> on my iPad, Kindle, or other
e-reader?</b></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Sun’s digital edition is accessible via web browser and as a PDF download. They
do not currently offer an iPad, iPhone, or Android edition, but subscribers can
still read The Sun using the built-in web browser on those devices. E-reading
devices such as the Kindle or Nook are not currently supported, although most
e-readers can access PDFs. Consult your device’s user manual. </span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-12559009091016854832015-07-03T11:59:00.000-04:002015-07-03T22:43:51.622-04:00Appearing in issue #26, June 29, 2015<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">Title:</span></b><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Murder in the
mansion</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">By
Author:</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joan Dayton</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<div style="border-image: none;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Tag line: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jennifer Carter’s locked front door wasn’t
sturdy enough to keep out a killer…</span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Police characters: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Detective Marsh.
Officer Toomey</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The gist:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">A 911 call brought the police to the old mansion, a place that
needed work and was crumbling away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
call was made by David, the victim’s brother, who reported finding his sister
(Jennifer) dead on the living room floor, the apparent victim of a
gunshot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were no signs of forced
entry. The front door was thick oak, fitted with a sturdy lock and inner dead
bolt. It also had a peephole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David
told police that his sister was security conscious and always kept the doors
locked.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told the police he had brought
over a window AC unit earlier that morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He had planned to install it the next day when he had more time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to him he left the mansion at that
point. When he got to work his appointment had cancelled so he decided to
install the air conditioner today and came back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Jennifer didn’t answer, but he heard
the television blaring, he used his key to enter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At that point he found the body and called
police.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He said that
both he and his other sister, Karen, had keys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He said that Jennifer was frugal and wouldn’t spend the money to fix the
place up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also said Karen was
supposed to be coming over that morning and that Jennifer and Karen don’t get
along.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When asked who inherited the old
mansion, he said that Karen and he would inherit equally. Had Jennifer sold the
place, something she was unlikely to do yet she wouldn’t spend any money on
repairs and upkeep, they would have all split the profits. When asked where
Karen was, David said she was in Jennifer’s room double checking that no
jewelry had been stolen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Karen appeared
unruffled that her sister lay dead in the living room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The police questioned Karen out of earshot of
her brother.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Karen told them that she
never did come for the visit to her spoiled brat sister’s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said she went to the mall instead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said mall employees could verify that she
had been there. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Detective
Marsh knew who the killer was. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Crime scene:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jennifer’s old mansion.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Clues:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sturdy door. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jennifer was security conscious. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nothing appeared to be missing.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Suspects: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Karen,
David, or some unknown party that Jennifer let in. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Red herrings: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Karen
didn’t like Jennifer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Called her
names.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Appeared unruffled that she was
dead. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Solution:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David was angry that Jennifer wouldn’t sell
the old house.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He shot her on his first
visit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He figured that Karen would be
the prime suspect but her mall alibi checked out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Det. Marsh knew that security conscious
Jennifer would have thrown the dead bolt after David left that morning if she
had still been alive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David wouldn’t
have been able to enter using his key. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My two cents</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wait, Karen said she didn’t go to
her sister’s house, but went to the mall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Now she’s in the woman’s jewelry box?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I guess David must have called her when he “found” the body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Perhaps that part got left on the cutting
room floor when Johnene took her blade to this story. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a major problem for the story line
though. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The tag line
worked, although I know that’s not within the author’s control.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least it didn’t give the story away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just hate that. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Clue</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good clue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I missed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And you know I was looking. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Motive</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sound motive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jennifer wouldn’t spend money to keep the old
house up, and she wouldn’t sell it either.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>David must have been frustrated to see his inheritance rotting away. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Police Work</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No problems with the police work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In real life they would have done gunshot
residue tests on everyone, but that would have come later anyway. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Writing :</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> The story flowed well enough, but I did
think the solution was a bit long -- almost one column – and it didn’t need to
be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> This is just a pet peeve of mine, and a personal choice. I can't withhold a star for it. IMO t</span>hat space could have been spent
creating deeper POV on the cops.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See
below. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Characters: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My only criticism is that the two
cops are mostly forgettable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Joan
wants to continue using them for her stories, she has to make us love them, or
at least find them fun or interesting, and want to read their cases. We should
be saying, oooh boy, it’s Det. Marsh and Officer Toomey … this will be good. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This can be done very easily and with a few
choice words thrown in here and there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The other
characters were good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no love
lost between any of them. </span></span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-28306654531683686082015-07-01T21:42:00.001-04:002015-07-01T21:42:18.254-04:00CONTEST -- FEE INVOLVED.<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="deviceWidth" style="width: 600px;"><tbody>
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Wanted: Your crime story.<br />Reward: $1,000.</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://click.newsletter.madavor.com/?qs=a8abbd5a09fe5b9f67beb19f387f1bf9f3e99d2d12303fb30e887a9a636fbab9" target="_blank" title=""><img border="0" id="image-placeholder" src="http://image.newsletter.madavor.com/lib/fe6415707d6206787717/m/1/CrimePays_600x315.jpg" title="CrimePays_600x315" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: #a71b2d;">“Crime fiction deals with the mysteries we all face: </span><br /><span style="color: #a71b2d;">What’s going to happen? How will it end? </span><br /><span style="color: #a71b2d;">Will good triumph over evil? Can we find order in the chaos? </span><br /><span style="color: #a71b2d;">It does not limit a good writer but makes every aspect of the <br />human experience available to the writer and to the reader.” </span></span></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span style="color: #a71b2d;">–David C. Taylor, author of </span><i><span style="color: #a71b2d;">Night Life</span></i></span> </div>
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Explore the human experience through a criminal action and a strong central character by crafting an original short story between 1,000 and 2,000 words. <br /><br /><b>To spin your saga, consider these questions:</b><br />What is the central crime? Is it a crime of passion? Of revenge?<br />Who commits it? A damaged child? A spurned lover? A resentful sibling?<br />Why does he or she commit the crime? And how?<br />Who is affected by the pernicious act?<br />And of course: Then what happens?<br />Do you want the crime to be in the opening scene, or if you want it to happen “offstage”?<br />Is your main character the criminal or the wronged party? Is your story humorous or scandalous?<br />What concrete details can you provide to create a believable setting and theme?<br /></div>
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<b>The reward</b><br />Author David C. Taylor will choose the winning entry and comment on its effectiveness as crime fiction. That means your story will be read by an expert in the field!<br /></div>
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1st place: $1,000 and publication in the November issue of <i>The Writer</i><br />2nd place: $500 and publication on <i>The Writer</i>’s website<br />3rd place: $250 and publication on <i>The Writer</i>’s website</div>
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<b>Need inspiration? Check out these detective/crime short stories:</b><br />“The Purloined Letter” by Edgar Allan Poe<br />“Suspicion” by Dorothy Sayers<br />“Bombardier” by Walter Mosley<br />“Since You Went Away” by Frankie Y. Bailey<br />“A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor<br /><br /><b><a href="http://click.newsletter.madavor.com/?qs=a8abbd5a09fe5b9f40e12daeec167353c8c0747be6e135aef6f140561c7afb96" target="_blank" title="Click here to submit by July 31.">Click here to submit by July 31.</a></b></div>
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<b><b><br />What are you waiting for? Think criminally - and get writing!</b></b> </div>
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<a href="http://click.newsletter.madavor.com/?qs=a8abbd5a09fe5b9fa158901bb6fa5244278f313e7975ea370ad9e02e769d9852" target="_blank" title="The Writer contests">Visit our contest page</a> to submit one story for $25, and up to five additional stories for $15 each on the same transaction.</div>
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Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-46833067671259934162015-06-30T18:03:00.005-04:002015-06-30T18:11:25.183-04:00New horizons for authors of short fiction. Option #1.<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Magazine
name: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Zoetrope All
Story</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Website:
</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b><a href="http://www.all-story.com/"><span style="color: blue;">www.all-story.com</span></a>
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Country:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">USA</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Publishing
details</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></i><i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Zoetrope: All-Story</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
is a quarterly literary publication founded by Francis Ford Coppola in 1997 to
explore the intersection of story and art, fiction and film.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Circulation: 20,000.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Issues per year: 4. Manuscripts per issue:
6-8.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Types
of stories wanted: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Genres:
Fiction, Literary Fiction</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Page
length and payment:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First serial rights and 1 year film
option.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pays $1000. They consider <u>unsolicited
submissions</u> of short stories and one-act plays no longer than 7,000 words.
Excerpts from larger works, screenplays, treatments, and poetry will be
returned unread. They do not accept artwork or design submissions.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What
I like:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">You
can read partials of contracted stories in their back issues to get an idea of
what they like. They read and respond to every submission. The odds of being
accepted are about the same as with WW using the figures from both magazines’ submission-to-stories-published
ratio.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All story receives 12,000
submissions a year and prints 30(ish) stories a year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WW receives 36,000 submissions a years and
prints 104(ish) stories a year. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">They invite writers to take advantage of the <a href="http://www.zoetrope.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;">Virtual Studio</span></a>, a free
online writers' workshop sponsored by <i>All-Story</i> and its publisher, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Francis Ford Coppola</i>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>Zoetrope: All-Story was a</i> winner of the
National Magazine Award for Fiction.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What
I don’t like: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Nothing.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">Submission
Guidelines</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
They are a staff of two, assisted by a small team of brilliant and generous volunteers,
who are collectively dedicated to reading and responding to the 12,000
submissions <i>All-Story</i> receives annually. To aid them in this commitment,
writers should submit only one story at a time and no more than two stories a
year. <br />
<br />
Before submitting, non-subscribers should read several issues of the magazine
to determine if their works fit with <i>All-Story</i>. Electronic versions of
the magazine are available to read, in part, at <a href="http://www.all-story.com/issues.cgi?show=back"><span style="color: blue;">the website</span></a>; and print
versions are available for purchase by <a href="http://www.all-story.com/subscribe.cgi"><span style="color: black;">single-issue order and
subscription</span></a>. <br />
<br />
Simultaneous submissions are accepted, and first serial rights and a one-year
film option are required.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They do not
accept unsolicited revisions nor respond to writers who don't include an SASE. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Response time:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>5
months.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">How to submit: </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">All-Story</span></i><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> does not accept
submissions via e-mail. Send stories with cover letter and SASE to: <br />
<br />
<i>Zoetrope: All-Story</i><br />
Attn: Fiction Editor <br />
916 Kearny St. <br />
San Francisco, CA 94133 </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">More info: </b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">From
</span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Michael Ray, Editor of Zoetrope.</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">What is the likelihood
of a lesser-known writer being published in Zoetrope?</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Our sole ambition is
to publish the best writing possible, as we judge it; and in achieving that
ambition, we do not consider a writer's resume, or lack thereof. In truth,
magazines make their reputations by presenting work by never-before-published
writers who then go on to illustrious careers. So the new writer with talent is
the ultimate draw for most magazines. That's a fairly long way of saying that
the unknown writer faces exactly the same chances of publication as the famous
one.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">What would you like to
see more of in submissions to Zoetrope?</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Humor--we see few
stories that attempt to be funny, and even fewer that are successful.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">What would you like to
see less of?</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Poetry, political
screeds, memoir, film treatments, lunatic rantings--only as we don't publish
those forms.”</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-9804872203184239982015-06-26T13:38:00.000-04:002015-06-26T13:38:18.670-04:00Appearing in issue #25, June 22, 2015
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">Title:</span></b><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stick ‘em up!</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">By
Author:</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joyce A. Laird</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> NO STARS. NONE.</span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Tag line: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not everyone had a rootin’ tootin’ good ol’ time
when the Wild West Festival came to town! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Police characters: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tom Ringer, Jessica
Hiller.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Patrol officers I think.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was never really divulged what they were
aside from two people getting out of a squad car.)</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The gist:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The safe at Rod & Reel Sporting Goods store had been
robbed. The thief was dressed like a cowboy, with a bandana covering his face,
and he took off towards the fairgrounds where a Wild West Festival was being
held. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sam, the owner, reported that besides
the bandana, the thief wore a black cowboy hat, had dark eyes but he was
squinting so he couldn’t really be sure, was tall and thin, and was walking
funny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When asked about the ‘funny walk’
he said he walked strange.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No other
description was given. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said the guy had
a pearl-handled .45.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One of the
store’s employees, Jack, was on probation for some juvenile ‘stupidity’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> but t</span>he owner felt that Jack was not the
thief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the police interview of
Sam, Jack showed up from a visit to the probation office because he had gotten
a text to check in, but when he got there it was closed. The owner of the store
next door, Marjorie, came in next demanding to know why the police were
there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She came in with her manager,
Frank.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Marjorie put her arm around Sam
and told the officers that Sam had a heart condition and added, “hasn’t he give
you enough information?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Frank
pointed to Jack the probationer and said, as his dark eyes flashed, that he
warned Sam not to hire the kid. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The cops
knew who the robber was. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Crime scene:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rod & Reel Sporting Goods store. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Clues:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dark, flashing eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How stupid is that? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How many people in this world have dark
eyes?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And the store owner wasn’t even sure about
that because the guy was squinting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Ay-yi-yi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Suspects: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jack
the probationer, some random cowboy from the festival, or the dark flashing
eyed guy, Frank. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Red herrings: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Lord, I wish there were some in this dumb story. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Solution:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frank knew about the safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was the same build as Jack only shorter,
so he boosted his height using lifts which gave him an unusual gait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then using a disposable cell phone Frank sent
Jack a text, allegedly from his probation officer, in order to get him out of
the way and under suspicion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Frank forgot was his eye color was different
from Jack, who had light blue eyes. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My two cents</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Holy cow poke poop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a mess
this was. The solution was almost a whole column long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had to be because besides the dark eyes
clue, there was little for the reader to go on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Of course the dark eyes clue was enough really in this sadly written tale.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only thing I liked was that there
was a Wild West show in town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought that
was fun and could lead to a great set-up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sadly, I was wrong. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">How did
Frank know about the safe?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That wasn’t
revealed in the story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I suppose the
reader has to guess?</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Putting
lifts in your boots doesn’t give you an unusual gait.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That was just dumb. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A disposable
cell phone? (rolling eyes here)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You
know, we do have caller ID.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the probation
office had called, it would show up on Caller ID. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Duh.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The fact
that Marjorie told the cops to leave Sam alone and ‘hasn’t he given you
enough information’ just boggles the mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>First of all how would she know what information he gave the cops?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Secondly, she’s interfering with a police
investigation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s lucky she didn’t
get a fast boot out the door, or a seat in the back of a patrol car. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Probation
officers don’t send text messages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
Jack thought that it was a real text for him to report, why didn’t he call the
probation officer instead of running down to the office in the middle of a work
day?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Clue</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dark eyes was okay, but we didn’t learn
that Jack had blue eyes until the solution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That’s just wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How can the
reader figure out the answer if the clue is missing? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lifts/gait thing was also a very bad
clue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Again, no mention of the heights
of these individuals, so how would the reader even know to think about that
sort of thing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t know that one
guy was shorter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We didn’t even know
that they had similar builds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was
so much missing in this story, it should never had made it past the first
reader’s cut. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Motive</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unknown. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Police Work</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They let other people into the store in the
middle of their investigation to listen to and hear what was going on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just not done. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Writing :</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What can I say?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think the reader is the one who got robbed.
The whole thing was just dreadful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Characters:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Confusing, missing information, no
likeable people here. </span></span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-16833123164088834342015-06-24T18:42:00.001-04:002015-06-24T18:46:33.650-04:00I’ve got a challenge for you. We're branching out. Let's make a storm.<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">"What's the matter? You don't have enough rain to make up a storm? " -- Elliot Moss <a href="https://soundcloud.com/elliotmoss/slip">https://soundcloud.com/elliotmoss/slip</a></span></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">There is life after you get your rejection letter from
WW. Yes, I know, they pay well. Almost the best in the fiction
story publishing market. But let's face it, folks, they only pick two a
week. Tons of great stories get the Big R. Stories that could be
pitched and sold to other magazines.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">So I’ve decided that each week on Tuesday or Wednesday I’ll pick
one market that buys short fiction (generally under 2000 words, but not always)
and I’ll give you the lowdown on submitting. </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">And not just for you-solve-its but all kinds
of markets including romances, mysteries, sci-fi, Christian, and
children's stories. Magazines from all over the world that publish
in English. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Take the information, unearth one of your rejected stories
and tweak it, change it, revamp it… or heck, just throw it out and start new…
but submit something to the new market each week </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">What have you got to lose? </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">(Most markets take on-line submissions.) </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">I will not include markets that don't pay. Not even
the ones that give you a free copy of the magazine. Or ones that promise
your name will be seen by a kajillion people. </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: large;">We want dead presidents. </span></i></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana;"><span style="font-size: large;">On Fridays I’ll still post my take on each week’s Woman's
World mini-mystery.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">I’ve been asked to
continue; encouraged by a few, and threatened by one.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: large;">And I do get a kick out of shredding the
tales that are truly awful; the stories that are so terrible they make you cringe.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">The URL for my blog will remain the same for the time being (</span><a href="http://wwmysterystory.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">http://wwmysterystory.blogspot.com/</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">)
but the name on the banner has changed to: Short Fiction. Write it. Sell it. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana;">“Write a short story every week. It’s
not possible to write 52 bad short stories in a row.’ — Ray Bradbury</span></span></b></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-14474617229479958542015-06-19T09:39:00.001-04:002015-06-19T09:40:16.748-04:00Appearing in issue #24, June 15, 2015<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">Title:</span></b><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The missing Mrs. Mooney</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">By Author:</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Elizabeth Palmer</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Tag line: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>Once the detective reviewed the highlights of the case, she narrowed the list of suspects to one…</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Police characters: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Detective Faith Wood</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The gist:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bank president, Gen Mooney, reported his wife missing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t show up for their anniversary dinner at the restaurant last night, her phone went straight to voice mail, and her new dress was still hanging on the closet door when Mr. Mooney finally went home to check on her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He claimed he had spoken to her yesterday as he left for work. He claimed she was first going to the gym and then had a salon appointment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None of her friends that he called, according to the husband, had spoken to her or saw her after she left the salon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Mooney feared that she had been kidnapped, although he hadn’t been contacted yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mr. Mooney had not brought a photograph with him to the police station but Det. Wood noted the report the husband had filed listed her as 5’6”, 120 pounds with brown eyes and blonde hair.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When asked if he had a picture of his wife on his phone he glared at the cops and said his wife’s pics were on her own phone and the Internet and that she was always taking photos of herself. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Det. Wood interviewed the hairdresser who said Mrs. Mooney was there for a very long time getting her hair and nails done, and she had a facial.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said it took a long time to bleach her long hair as she wanted a completely new look. She told police that there was a bit of a scene when the first Mrs. Mooney walked in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The two wives exchanged venom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was divulged that Mr. Mooney had been seen flirting with his personal trainer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Det. Wood’s next interview was at the gym.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She met with the woman Mr. Mooney was allegedly flirting with, a young, pretty blonde woman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This woman told Det. Wood that the ‘older woman’ had been in the gym the previous day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said the wife was headed to the beauty salon when she left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The trainer made a catty remark about how the hairdresser had her work cut out for her. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When asked if she had a relationship with Mr. Mooney, the trainer said no, adding that she doesn’t date married men, even ones with money.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Det. Wood went on-line to view the victim’s profile.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The victim had posted that she was looking forward to her anniversary dinner with her husband. There were dozens of photos on the site, including shots of the wife and the personal trainer. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Det. Wood noticed that the wife and the trainer looked quite alike except for their hair color.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So much so that they looked like sisters that were ten years apart.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> J</span>ust then Captain Bowen informed Det. Wood that Mrs. Mooney’s body had been found in Deer Lake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He said they suspected suicide.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Det. Wood decided suicide was out as no woman gets her nails and hair done, posts how happy she is about her anniversary dinner on-line, and then goes and kills herself. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But she had a suspect.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Crime scene:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unknown.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Clues:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wife’s hair color. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The husband glared at the cops when asked for a photo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not sure why he was glaring, but it displayed strange behavior.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can tell you in real life distraught people, as well as guilty people, often behave oddly because they are under pressure. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Suspects: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to the story, the ex-wife, the girlfriend, or some random kidnapper.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Red herrings: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Solution:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>The husband killed his wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He told the cops she was blonde, but she was a brunette the morning he told the cops he had last seen her. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My two cents:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought this was a smartly written story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The clue was so well hidden (and I was looking for it) that I had to go back and read the story again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was refreshing to read a good whodunit that was modern and not corny or clichéd. I realize it's not within the author's control, but even the tag line fit. Sometimes WW's tag line is so overt it gives the clue away. Although a complete blonde job is not 'highlighting' it was still a clever hint.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Clue:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Excellent</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Motive:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Spot on. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Police Work:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No problems.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nicely done. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paced well.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Characters:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All believable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story had a bit more about the detective feeling a bit dowdy in her uniform next to the pretty blonde, etc.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I left those parts out for brevity but they did create a believable and likeable detective.</span></span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-5337383299651284692015-06-13T19:05:00.002-04:002015-06-13T19:23:12.496-04:00Appearing in issue #23, June 8, 2015<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">Title:</span></b><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Color me
scared</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">By
Author:</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Robin Kristine Ireland and Tracie Rae
Griffith</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><strong> </strong><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img abp="156" height="35" src="data:image/png;base64,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" v:shapes="_x0000_i1029" width="35" /></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Tag line: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>When the sergeant stopped at the salon for
a manicure, she got the kind of break she wasn’t expecting!</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Police characters: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sgt. Kelly Winslow</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The gist:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bank has been robbed two days ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sgt. Winslow and the rest of the force had
been working nonstop on the case, but Winslow had today off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their prime suspect was Lee Simon, a former
convict.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His old van had been spotted at
the scene and found hours later at the edge of town, the engine blown.
Speculation had him still in the area, perhaps walking back through the woods
to his ex-wife or to try to get another car from his buddies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Winslow was at the salon getting her nails
done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She shook her head, trying to
forget the case on her day off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
usually chatty salon owner, Marie, was quiet, and her associate was
absent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Winslow asked about the partner,
she was told Janice was picking her kids up from school. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Marie tried to get Sgt. Winslow to use a color
today instead of the normal clear polish she always got.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Winslow declined.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Marie persisted saying she had some new
colors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She suggested Sunset, and placed
the bottle in front of Winslow on the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>When Winslow again said no thank you, Marie suggested the color Onward,
and placed that next to the first bottle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Later on the manicurist picked up a bottle of color and said she highly recommended
it, calling it Summertime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Winslow’s studied
Maries’ eyes and Marie gave a little nod. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Winslow put a finger to her lips to indicate
that Marie should remain quiet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
pulled her gun from her purse and headed to the storeroom at the back of the
store where Simon was hiding crouched behind a stack of boxes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She apprehended him and let Janice, who was
bound and gagged, out of the closet. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">How did she
figure out where he was?</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Crime scene:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bank robbery. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Clues:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The nail polish names.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The day of the week. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Suspects: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only
one, Lee Simon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mystery to solve was
his location. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Red herrings: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Solution:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>The
nail polish colors Sunset, Onward and Summertime spelled out SOS.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also as it was Sunday, Janice couldn’t have
been picking her kids up from school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sgt.
Winslow knew something was up. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My two cents:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think this story was
overdone and had some believability problems. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My nail salon is closed on Sunday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would have placed the story on a Saturday
just to avoid any conflict in any reader’s mind. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The authors were trying to think outside the
box and present us with a fresh story, but I think they got caught up in trying
to produce a clever clue. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Clue</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If the bad guy is hiding in the back room crouched under some boxes,
couldn’t Marie have just written out a quick note to the sergeant while she
kept up her friendly chatter?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Help.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“He’s in the back.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the color nonsense was a bit over the top
and iffy at best.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That Janice was
picking her kids up from school was a good hint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Motive</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We don’t need to know the bank robber’s motive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This isn’t that kind of story.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t
penalize a story by holding back a star for motive when one isn’t necessary. <span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img abp="156" height="35" src="data:image/png;base64,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" v:shapes="_x0000_i1029" width="35" /></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Police Work</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A couple of problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First of all when you have a major crime, all
days off and leaves are cancelled.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sgt.
Winslow would never have gotten a day off only two days after a bank robbery in
her city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe… MAYBE … a lowly officer,
but never a sergeant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bank robberies are
federal crimes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The FBI is called
in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Where’s your sergeant, we’d like to
speak to her and see her files.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Oh,
she's off today getting her nails done.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>WTF?</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Next, she’s
trying to relax and get the case off her mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>That would never happen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
police are so pumped up, they live, eat, and dream about the case.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Off duty
cops often do carry their ‘weapons’.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They don’t refer to them as guns. </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Writing:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I liked the fact that his old car
broke down, but there was no mention of having interviewed the ex-wife or that
they checked on the buddies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why didn’t
the bad guy just put the two women in the closet and ride off in one of their
cars?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s been two days and he’s still
in town? The story mentioned he was holding a knife when he was apprehended. Where is his gun? Did he rob the bank with a knife? I'm assuming he got some loot from the hold-up. He couldn't pay one of his buddies to drive him out of town? He's holed up in the back of one of the town's businesses?</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Characters</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sergeant was not believable
in her actions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The manicurist was not believable
in the way she chose to tip off the cops. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All she had to do was dial 911 and hang
up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The cops respond to those kinds of
calls. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She didn’t think of that, she
didn’t think to mouth ‘help’ to the sergeant, she didn’t think to write a note
on the sergeant’s bill… but she figured out SOS with the names of nail polish
colors?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry, Tracie, it all left me shaking
my head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This story wasn’t up to your
usual good standards.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5015329098122035196.post-43140265110014374652015-06-05T12:37:00.003-04:002015-06-13T11:56:38.443-04:00Appearing in issue #22, June 1, 2015<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 20pt;">Title:</span></b><span style="font-size: 20pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unhealthy
appetite for murder</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">By
Author:</span></b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Phyllis Whitfield</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img abp="156" height="35" src="data:image/png;base64,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" v:shapes="_x0000_i1029" width="35" /><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img abp="156" height="35" src="data:image/png;base64,R0lGODlhIwAjAHcAMSH+GlNvZnR3YXJlOiBNaWNyb3NvZnQgT2ZmaWNlACH5BAEAAAAALAEAAAAgACMAhwAAAAAAAAAAMwAAZgAAmQAAzAAA/wAzAAAzMwAzZgAzmQAzzAAz/wBmAABmMwBmZgBmmQBmzABm/wCZAACZMwCZZgCZmQCZzACZ/wDMAADMMwDMZgDMmQDMzADM/wD/AAD/MwD/ZgD/mQD/zAD//zMAADMAMzMAZjMAmTMAzDMA/zMzADMzMzMzZjMzmTMzzDMz/zNmADNmMzNmZjNmmTNmzDNm/zOZADOZMzOZZjOZmTOZzDOZ/zPMADPMMzPMZjPMmTPMzDPM/zP/ADP/MzP/ZjP/mTP/zDP//2YAAGYAM2YAZmYAmWYAzGYA/2YzAGYzM2YzZmYzmWYzzGYz/2ZmAGZmM2ZmZmZmmWZmzGZm/2aZAGaZM2aZZmaZmWaZzGaZ/2bMAGbMM2bMZmbMmWbMzGbM/2b/AGb/M2b/Zmb/mWb/zGb//5kAAJkAM5kAZpkAmZkAzJkA/5kzAJkzM5kzZpkzmZkzzJkz/5lmAJlmM5lmZplmmZlmzJlm/5mZAJmZM5mZZpmZmZmZzJmZ/5nMAJnMM5nMZpnMmZnMzJnM/5n/AJn/M5n/Zpn/mZn/zJn//8wAAMwAM8wAZswAmcwAzMwA/8wzAMwzM8wzZswzmcwzzMwz/8xmAMxmM8xmZsxmmcxmzMxm/8yZAMyZM8yZZsyZmcyZzMyZ/8zMAMzMM8zMZszMmczMzMzM/8z/AMz/M8z/Zsz/mcz/zMz///8AAP8AM/8AZv8Amf8AzP8A//8zAP8zM/8zZv8zmf8zzP8z//9mAP9mM/9mZv9mmf9mzP9m//+ZAP+ZM/+ZZv+Zmf+ZzP+Z///MAP/MM//MZv/Mmf/MzP/M////AP//M///Zv//mf//zP///wECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwECAwj/AAEIHEiwoMGDCBMOdKawYcJR1lQ5nEjwGTZrFDNCw3btWUaHzq5dwwYN2UeFIkViI3US4bOUIq2xbEnQGbRr1nCK9EhT4LGQMHNCO+lslMBnq1LeFNrx2cyiBZ05e/YMGjRrOYPqzJkVJ1ZoVBkCGGVz67WlZ3WiRcsVJ0+BzrDKnUu3Ll2nBl9e/Sp371m5q6w9E/w2ajW7c8NKXVztmVGEUwVbOzz4WTVSRZ2l0kyNKsjDh7EuHs3YMcXKlzOr4uyMmqrCDUdZdkqa9OWMzl5jxqyK2ubeqahN/Zi69mLhwj9KJQscefDWwykaRw6desZnq3urqjZ1e+tmwm87a0Q2mhp3sZipIadGcRR34QxLEWTprBr4mSCFkwo08IqggaWslpxDu/EHwBUCCYIgAP8BAIhT8h204BURXoGFQP5hOOGFAATCYUELKphgiCSOaCJCDWZ4YIosYphiRiIyWCJNKl4xYYs90RQQADs=" v:shapes="_x0000_i1029" width="35" /></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Tag line: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>A
careful diet and plenty of exercise couldn’t protect the fitness expert from a
case of lead poisoning.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Police characters: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Detective Bea Smart
and Detective Charlie Young. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">The gist:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wealthy TV exercise guru Mark had been shot
and killed in his home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The detectives
arrived within half an hour of the crime. The body, dressed in expensive gym
clothes, was found sprawled on the kitchen floor.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next to him were two gym bags, one black and
one purple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both bags had splattered
orange juice on them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Also found was the
remains of a healthy breakfast; a partly eaten grapefruit, yogurt, and the
broken OJ glass. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The victim’s
fiancé was present, cover girl Meg.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Meg
called 911 when she found the body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
claimed that she and Mark walked to the gym every morning and that’s how she
came to be at his house. The purple gym bag was hers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She said they were to be married next
month.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When asked if Mark had enemies,
she told the police that he was a self-made man and had stepped on people on
his way up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She told police to speak to
his former tennis coach, Brad, who, according to Meg, despised Mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She also suggested the police talk to Mark’s
ex-wife, who also hated Mark.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Tennis coach
Brad said that he had stopped by the house that morning, saw Mark’s car in the
driveway, but that no one answered the door. He claimed that he had no love for
Mark but that they were business partners.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The ex-wife
was at a yoga class.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She says she too
was at the house this morning and had stopped to complain out his late alimony
payments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the police told her Mark
was found shot this morning, she claimed he was alive when she left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She pointed a finger at Meg the Model, saying
she was a gold digger and that rumor had it that Mark was going to dump her for
someone who had a cable TV exercise show that could advance his career. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Detective
Smart knew who the killer was. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Crime scene:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mark’s home.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Clues:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>OJ on both gym bags.</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Suspects: </span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His
girlfriend, his ex-wife, and his business partner.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Red herrings: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>None.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">Solution:</span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>Meg’s purple gym bag was splattered with
OJ which told police she was there when the glass fell from his hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was angry when he told her that he was
leaving her, fell into a jealous rage, and shot him. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;">My two cents:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></b><span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought the clue was
neatly in place, and inserted early in the story so that the reader sort of
forgot about it. </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The tennis
coach didn’t really have a good motive. I knocked him off the list right
away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had to be one of the two
women.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unless she was in the will, the
ex-wife didn’t have a motive to kill off her source of money, sporadic as it
was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That leaves the current girlfriend.</span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here’s the true life message, folks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t mess with women. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Clue:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Decent clue, well placed. <span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img abp="156" height="35" src="data:image/png;base64,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" v:shapes="_x0000_i1029" width="35" /></span></span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Motive: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The motives were lacking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only one suspect had a real one. </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Police
work:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The detectives told the wife that
her ex had been killed by gunshot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a
detail they would have revealed. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
asked the tennis guy if he owned a gun but didn’t ask the model. </span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Writing:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The story flowed well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pacing was good. A typical WW story. <span style="font-family: Calibri;"><img abp="156" height="35" src="data:image/png;base64,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" v:shapes="_x0000_i1029" width="35" /></span></span></span></div>
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<div style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Characters:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not the strongest. There was nothing
memorable about any of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No
personality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were neither likeable
nor dislikable. Forgettable really.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
that includes the detectives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smart had
the clichéd black coffee and a donut for breakfast. </span></span></div>
Jody E. Lebelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08777207515123248962noreply@blogger.com4