Tag: Sidekicks!

Links, Personal Life, signal boosting

A Link for Charity

M.E. Garber

If it’s not bad enough that my pup needed surgery, Wednesday night Dasher had a seizure, during which he ripped out the interior sutures that basically hold his patella in place (it’s really holding his ligaments, which hold the patella, but I’m simplifying for brevity). Needless to say, I haven’t been getting much sleep, what with worrying about the dog, and waiting for “the next” seizure to come. Which never may happen…but I can’t be sure. //stress//

And still, life is better for me than for some. Publisher Steven Saus (of Alliteration Ink!) has a friend and fellow writer who, although his human family survived, lost everything–including pets–in a fire. There is a crowd funding project running through Feb 2 to give these people a leg up. Steven has put together an ebook anthology as a thank-you to any who donate, and I’m happy to announce that my story, “Worthy” will be included in the anthology, now titled Life After Ashes.

It looks like a wonderful lineup of authors, and the cause is a good one. Donate if you can, and if you have $25, you’ll get the words of over 50 authors (most much better writers than I am) to thank you. Head over to Tilt to see their fundraiser. And thanks.

blogging, Viable Paradise, Writing

Link Up!

M.E. Garber

This post is a collection of random bits, all containing links to other places–that’s the only common denominator, other than my interest in them. Let’s get on with it:

First off, Sarah Hans has a wonderful retrospective, complete with MORE LINKS, on the contributors to the Sidekicks! anthology. When I saw this, I was floored–a year’s gone by already? How!!?? But there you have it, time flies when you’re writing…

From one of my VP 17 cohort, Michael Johnston, comes this pep-talk about wading through post-workshop assimilation. In addition, it’s a great little plug for VP XVIII (and applications are now open. Hint, hint…perhaps you should apply?)

I’m having lots of fun over at Coursera, and thought I should plug them once more. Free, online courses covering a wide variety of topics. I’m taking “Imagining Other Earths,” am learning so much, and am just really enjoying it!

 

Reading

Good Review!

M.E. Garber

Weee! This came in the email recently, and it has me so happy! The Little Red Reviewer called Sidekicks “flippin’ fantastic!” It feels really great to be included in such a wonderful collection of stories, and authors. Check out her review here.

From now through the end of the year I’ll be mostly offline, traveling for the holidays, so posts will be…um, sporadic?…if made at all. May the new year bring us all good fortune, of whatever sorts we need the most. Happy reading, and writing, to all.

publication, Writing

Flogging the Dead Pony

M.E. Garber

Yes, yes, I know. Really I do. But I’m actually excited about this, so please–bear with me.

Sarah Hans, editor of Sidekicks!, has a guest post over at Denise Verrico’s Immortyl Revolution, where she talks about the editorial process for this anthology, and some of her personal concerns and goals for it. Even knowing Sarah, I found myself impressed by her concerns and even happier to have my story included in the final product. Give it a read; I’m betting you’ll be somewhat (pleasantly) surprised.

Next, and still relating to Sidekicks!, there’s another review up at Goodreads. This one (gasp!) mentions my name and story title! (Can you see me squee-ing? No? Let me try louder. OK, I think you got it now.) Well, the reviewer doesn’t actually review my story, just mentions it as a contrast to another … but still, you get the idea. I got mentioned. How incredible is that?

And now, for something completely different … here’s a link. Go there. Read it. (It’s not porn, I promise.) Then come back. I’ll wait, really I will.

OK then. Now, I haven’t signed anything, so I don’t want to make a ‘formal’ announcement yet, but I’ve been bouncing around, trying to sit on this happy, happy news. This is my work-around. What? I didn’t say anything. Nope. I just directed you to a website. 🙂 And we all know that if it’s on the internet, it has to be true.

Well, I’m off to grin like an idiot a while longer. Then, back to writing. Can’t get acceptances without having new stories to submit!

goals, Personal Life, Write 1/Sub 1, Writing

More Good, Bad and Ugly

M.E. Garber

Let’s start with the Good. I have links to two different reviews of Sidekicks! Find ’em here, and here.  I don’t know either of these people, but I’m happy to see their good reviews. If you’ve read the book, will you review it? Pretty please? (I’m batting my eyelashes.)

Next, even though I can’t report it, I’ve been keeping up with my bi-monthly W1/S1 challenge. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve pushed myself through an “I’m feeling lazy” emotion just because of this little venture, and gone on to finish a story and then submit it. While I can’t report any sold stories due to W1/S1 yet, I’m sure they’re on their way. In light of this, I’m considering pushing myself to to full Weekly schedule of one new story and one new submission a week. I hesitate only because I don’t want to set myself up for failure…. What do you think? Comments, anyone?

On the Bad side, it appears that Blogger only wants to work with the Chrome browser, and with 3rd-party cookies enabled. Due to that, I won’t be able to comment on the Write1/Sub1 Blogger site anymore, which is very depressing. It just stopped working with my browser, and I can’t bring myself to pander to some ‘world-domination’ theory on Google’s part (Blogger being a part of the Google universe). Part of my initial enthusiasm with W1/S1 was with being a part of something larger than just me, someplace where I could share my excitement at finishing a story, or submitting one with others doing the same. Now, while my goals are the same, I can’t join in anymore and that takes a bit of the luster off, you know?

In order to simulate that joy, here’s my accounting of last week:
New stories finished: 1
New stories subbed: 1
note: this is not the same story!

And this week (so far):
New stories finished: 0
New stories subbed: 1
Stories rejected: 1
Stories re-subbed: 1

Weee! I feel better now. Don’t you? Hmm, well, maybe not. Feel free to comment on your submissions/writing goals, if it will bring you some joy. We all need the joy!

Finally, the Ugly. Well, this time around that would be me. I don’t know what I did, but my neck/shoulder area is killing me. I’m wearing a heating pad on it for the second day running. Ugh. I really need to schedule a chiropractic appointment, but new chiropractors are always a bit scary to me, so I hesitate…until I have to do it. Like now. Well, no time like the present.

giveaway

New Fun: A Giveaway!

M.E. Garber

OK, this is pretty awesome. I get to give away 2 copies of Sidekicks! to readers of my blog. (Can you believe this?? I can’t!)

SIDEKICKS_COVERHere’s how to be included in the giveaway: leave a comment on this post by midnight (EDST), Saturday the 23rd of March. If you want an extra chance, in your comment give a great idea for a supervillain’s sidekick’s name, with whatever explanation is necessary. (Give the pair of names if it helps explain why the name is so awesome.) On Sunday, I’ll draw one name at random. Then I’ll choose one sidekick’s name as my favorite suggestion. I’ll contact both of those people for their mailing addresses and ship the books to them. I’ll even autograph the first page of my story if you’d like!

Unfortunately, because I’m picking up shipping, this contest is open only to folks in the USA. (And just so you know, I’m not writing a story using your sidekick’s name. It’s only a means of choosing a second person to receive a copy of the book.)

The comments are open!

goals, Magic of the Everyday, Uncategorized, Writing

The Tracks of Progress

M.E. Garber

footsteps 02The Sidekicks! release party at Millenicon seems to have been a huge success–the publisher ran out of copies to sell, and had to “borrow” author’s copies to appease the crowd’s appetite for purchasing! Oh how I wish I’d been there!!!

Here in NJ, I’m writing and editing away in seclusion (sigh), coming up for air to look for nearby writing crit groups, which seem to be elusive things that wriggle away from search engines. I’m also dealing with the unhappy fact that W1S1 won’t let me post comments anymore. For some strange reason, it seems to have logged me in under some unknown Blogger account–if you’ll notice, this is a WordPress site–and I can’t for the life of me understand how or why (I’ve never had a Blogger account!). I also don’t know the password of my unknown Blogger account, which is the tricky bit. Sigh again.

Nonetheless, I’ve done pretty well lately, getting back into the swing of writing after the disruption of the move. A couple stories are now complete (in first draft form) and a couple more are nearing the end of editing–which is why I’d really like that crit group about now. A few have been subbed, a few more re-subbed. After they came home crying, I patted their backs, combed their sentences with tender fingers and sent them out to play again. A hopeful smile dusted my lips as I watched them run off into the sunlight, eager once more.

But a couple got shuffled off into the “trunked texts” file. Despite whatever charms those possess (that stuff which made me write them), I see their glaring flaws. Those dear stories no longer hold the allure they once had. I’ve moved on, they haven’t. I don’t despise them; they made me learn and grow as a writer, and I had to go there in order to make it here. But their time in the submission pile is at an end. It’s a sad thing, but also a happy one, for it means I’m improving. Seeing your own works’ flaws–to me, this is the ultimate test of growth. Like so many worthwhile things, it’s bittersweet once you grasp what it really means.

publication, Writing

Look What Came in the Mail!

M.E. Garber

IMG_0819Try not looking at my face (yes, I really hate pics of myself, especially when I take the picture myself, and especially-especially after a full day of running my hands through my hair while attempting to think editing thoughts). Just look at the shiny book! The author copies arrived yesterday, and I promptly sat myself down and read. And read. And read some more. Yes, I read much of the ebook version, but there is something so much more ‘real’ about reading a dead-tree version of a book, especially one with your name inside.

What’s it about? Glad you asked! From the back cover:

Sidekicks. We know them, and we ignore them. They sit courtside, they wait in the shadows, they ride on the coattails. They have nothing to offer.

Or do they?

Heroes and heroines perform world shaking deeds, but sidekicks? Sidekicks are the unseen glue holding those powerhouses together. They are the backbones. They are the voices of reason.

It’s long past time for them to shine.

Here, the fangirls, the trusted associates, the loyal assistants, and the imperiled wards have their moment in the spotlight. Join them as they shake up the world in unexpected and understated ways.

Let the heroes sit this one out.

Celebrate the Sidekick!

Because this anthology contains a story of mine, I’m allowed an “Author’s Page” on Goodreads. (more squeeing!) I’m still figuring out life there, but Author Pages look like a fun place be. There’s a giveaway of Sidekicks! scheduled by the publisher. It runs March 13-17, so if you’d like in on that, head on over and sign up. And please, please, please...if you read the book, will you rate it? I’m not asking you to automatically give 5 stars (unless, well, you really LOVE it that much), but I am asking for an honest opinion and rating. Thanks!