This week I got some news I’d been hoping for in finding out that I sold a short story to an anthology project. I don’t want to say too much, though the contract is signed, and the project is for speculative fiction stories featuring Elvis. Yes, that Elvis, thank you very much. I admit, though the aunt who was an absolute Elvis fan (the way I thought my mom was going to go crazy when I took her to see George Strait many years ago), and in whose lavender Impalla I remember riding around and listening to Elvis 8-tracks in, has passed away, I suspect she’d either think it was strange or very cool that I sold such a story.
I admit to having a nostalgia for Elvis, and living within a couple of hours of Branson and with my magic system relying so much on music, well it seemed natural to write a short story about an Elvis impersonator in Branson who is also a mage. Turned out I really loved that character and have had so much fun writing him that I want to write more about him. He needs more adventures.
Right now I’m about to finish another short story featuring Orains, my scuba diving cat from Chasing Neptune’s Cat. I’m expanding upon that story, because who wouldn’t want to write more about a scuba diving cat, and that story, The Calcite Collar, is either available to purchase on my website or is available for free to subscribers of Muse Happens, along with a whole lot of other short stories and two serials (one of which I’m due to finish this month!).
I actually love writing short stories. Not only am I inspired by the many submission calls I see (I submitted a few more short stories within the past few weeks.), but I can often then reuse those short stories when the contract allows in my membership group or as part of an anthology. I can keep writing short stories about the fascinating characters that I’ve written about, feel like I’m remaining in their world, and eventually put those stories together in an anthology. It’s a win-win-win!
Have you checked out the short stories yet? I encourage you to check out Muse Happens.
