A little under four years ago, I made the decision to start tracking my word count using an Excel document. As of today, I have surpassed the half a million mark. In the world of writing, there’s a popular belief, often attributed to Ray Bradbury, that one must write a million words to achieve mastery. In all honesty, I may already be close to or have exceeded that milestone. My first novel was published seven years ago, following numerous years of writing short stories and screenplays. I won’t include blog posts or school assignments, nor those handwritten attempts at first novels stashed away in the attic. But for the sake of organization and accuracy, let’s consider that I’m halfway to that million-word goal.
If I write another eight to ten novels (mine are typically on the shorter side), I should have a better grasp of what I’m doing by then. The key, I believe, is to persist in the same activity with increasing dedication; eventually, clarity will emerge. As long as I’m not just endlessly typing like Jack Torrance, but also actively editing, shaping, and daring to publish these words in some form, improvement is inevitable.
Make sure to listen to James DeFeo and my weekly podcast, The Right Brain Café, for invaluable insights into writing and creativity. This week, we delve deep into the concept of failure in creativity. It’s time to realize that perhaps those million words are just a warm-up to one’s greatest achievement.
As Book Worms Horror Zine enters its second year, we’re thrilled to announce that this year’s Halloween issue will be all about Witches. This time around, we’re looking for fiction, poetry, and essays of the witchy kind.
Frequently Asked Question:What kind of stories are you looking for?
We generally enjoy “fun”, “80s style” horror reminiscent of the zine’s old-school vibe, but we’ve also been blown away by fresh voices that take the genre in a new direction. That being said, the best chance for your story being accepted by Book Worms is to follow the submission guidelines. Make sure your story is of the horror genre, mail in your submission versus email, meet the deadline, and don’t exceed the word count limit. And if your story doesn’t make it, please keep trying. We’ve had to turn down many excellent stories due to space constraints alone. A good way to get an idea about what we’re looking for is to read our current issue or one of our back issues that are still available.
A Few Tips:
Mail early. Unfortunately, we’ve had a few submissions lost in the mail and that didn’t arrive until weeks after the deadline.
Consider writing shorter stories. Sometimes we have just enough room to a 500-800 word flash fiction piece.
It might also be helpful to explain what we don’t want.
Paranormal romance (Love the genre. It’s not right for Book Worms.)
Anything with a political theme.
Beyond the pale violence or pornographic material. Keep it fun, kids.
Submission Guidelines
Deadline: September 1, 2024
Payment is 8 cents a word for fiction and essays (1500 words or less). $25 for short poems (ten lines or less), $50 for longer poems. Includes one contributor copy.
No reprints or multiple submissions please. Exclusive rights for six months after publication.
ACCEPTING MAIL-IN SUBMISSIONS ONLY!
Mail your submissions to: La Regina Studio/Grundy Commons/925 Canal Street/Bristol, PA 19007
*In the past, we’ve made some special allowances for writers living outside the USA. But due to the overwhelming amount of submissions we receive, we are now only accepting mail-in submissions.
Decision notices are sent through email so there is no need to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Please include your email address with your submission. All submissions must be typed (cover letters preferred but not mandatory) and be properly formatted.
As a proud Watty award winner, I’m happy to be back on Wattpad after a brief (roughly one year) sojourn, where I switched to Kindle Vella (see my video for more about that experience). I may move a new story back to Vella at some point. Still, for now, Wattpad continues to be my story workbook: a safe space where I can try different genres (like the fantasy duology I’m close to finishing) and receive feedback from fellow authors.
One story I recently completed, spurred on by a Wattpad novella contest, is a YA paranormal romance called Trust in the Shadows. It’s about a high school student who meets her “soul mate,” who may be her savior or just a weird guy she should avoid like the plague. The contest winner has yet to be announced, but I am proud to say the story received an Ambassadors Pick award for Round Two. Even if I don’t win, I’m glad I participated.
The contests and the camaraderie keep me coming back to Wattpad. Next on the writing docket is my new slasher horror in a setting I know well: a theater! It’s called Final Dress, and I hope to have it out this fall. Please comment below and tell me what you’ve been reading and writing.
After a bit of a hiatus, I’m back on Wattpad. I jumped ship for about a year while I tried out Kindle Vella (I decided it wasn’t for me), and now I’m back. I may try Vella again if I have a story that will do well on that platform. I sum up my thoughts on the subject below.
One of my writing goals for the year is to honor Heinlein’s Rules and to finish what I’ve started. Hear James DeFeo, and I discuss this topic on the Writing Fiction Podcast. Like many writers, I have a desktop folder filled with incomplete outlines, false starts, and more pre-made book covers than I care to admit. But at one time, all of these ideas held enough interest for me to at least start. Instead of moving on to the next shiny object, do I have the discipline and fortitude to discover what attracted me to this idea and find fresh inspiration in a forgotten project?
If I treat each of these projects like an epic novel (I do have one of those that I plan to finish this year), I might feel overwhelmed and discouraged, but if I treat some, not all, of these half-baked ideas as orphans worthy of love, I might get somewhere. First, some of these ideas and book covers may flourish as short stories or novellas. Yesterday, while scrolling through Wattpad, I discovered a creepypasta story contest with an approaching deadline. Did any of my unfinished projects fit the bill? It turns out one did. Galvanized by the approaching deadline, I gave myself an hour to write the flash fiction story. By hour’s end, I had a 1900-word draft I was happy with. I gave it another hour for editing, and voilá, I not only completed the two-hour writing challenge I set for myself daily, but I wrote and completed a new story. Not only that, I found a home for one of my orphans.
It feels good to finish something, mainly because it helps clear the deck for a treasure trove of more shiny objects. If you give yourself an hour (or two), you have a story. You may read mine here on Wattpad.
Every day (or nearly every day) on the internet, we are treated to yet another unmasking of an insufferable a-hole. It’s usually a guy, and when he’s effectively canceled, the inevitable internet auto-da-fé ensues. Until he’s forgotten about–Russell Brand, anyone? –and the next insufferable a-hole enters stage left. The main character of my latest horror novel, CARNI, is that guy. Dag Altan, a successful journalist, gets canceled after his ex-girlfriend exposes his “abusive” behavior. I’m using scare quotes because it takes two to tango, and everyone has their side to the story. And because I’m writing from my character’s point of view, I’m on his side, at least for the story’s duration. And also, because I’m a woman who’s been accused of being “too nice” in the past and have certainly been stung by a few a-holes in my day, I quite enjoyed crawling inside the skin of an arrogant man and experiencing his side of things.
While I was tapping into my shadow self, exploring Dag’s character, or lack thereof, and having a damn fun time doing it, I was aware that I was composing the dreaded “unlikable character.” Does it help that Dag gets his in the end–big time? Apparently not. The readers have spoken and, except for a few outliers: they hate my main character, and therefore, some of them don’t like my book. Fair enough, but despite this (small) chorus of disapproval, will I censor my creative impulses moving forward and consciously create more “likable” characters? Hell, no. For one thing, I love Dag. Yes, he’s an a-hole, but he has his weaknesses: mainly women. Behind the confident veneer, he’s a scared little boy. Does that make him somewhat lovable? Apparently not. Suddenly, I’m reminded of all those romance books with the “cocky” love interest.
Anyone remember #cockygate? Why are those books featuring insufferable a-holes so immensely popular? To quote Nigel from Spinal Tap, they “did a twist on it.”
In that time-tested formula, the female character tames the wild beast, reining in his wild ways until he’s fully strapped into double harness and driven down the aisle toward wedded bliss. My story doesn’t quite turn out that way. It’s horror, which means it ends in death–like life. Mwahahaha!
I write flawed protagonists. I always have. It could be because I am all too aware of my own flaws, fears, and, at times, incapacitating insecurities. But these are the treasures I mine when I write. So, no. I won’t stop adding to my stable of gargoyles. I can’t wait to release the next one from their lair. Do you require a “likable” main character to enjoy a book, or do you, like me, realize we’re all pretty unlikable at our cores? I’d love to know what you think.
Curious about CARNI? You can pick it up for FREE today on Amazon Kindle.
My new horror novel, CARNI, is now available for pre-order. Get your ebook today, or become a library member on Patreon and get a FREE copy along with all my new releases.
Poetry, Fiction, and Essays for My Bloody Valentine Winter Issue
Book Worms Zine is selling out on Etsy and the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. We have another issue planned for Winter 2024. This time around the theme is My Bloody Valentine: dark love stories, Tinder dates gone horribly wrong, bitter romance, a lover’s revenge, tragic love, etc. Dark humor is okay, but it should fit the themes of horror and romance. Specifically looking for original poetry (any length).
Submission Guidelines
Deadline: January 1, 2024
Payment is 8 cents a word for fiction and essays (1500 words or less). $25 – $50 per poem (depending on length). Includes one contributor copy.
No reprints or multiple submissions please, including poems. Exclusive rights for six months after publication.
ACCEPTING MAIL-IN SUBMISSIONS ONLY!
Mail your submissions to: La Regina Studio/Grundy Commons/925 Canal Street/Bristol, PA 19007
*In the past, we’ve made some special allowances for writers living outside the USA. But due to the overwhelming amount of submissions we receive, we are now only accepting mail-in submissions.
Acceptance notices are sent through email so there is no need to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Please include your email address with your submission. All submissions must be typed (cover letters preferred but not mandatory) and be properly formatted.
Be sure to check out the Book Worms Horror Podcast and follow us on Instagram.
Kindle Vella’s first anniversary has rolled around to little fanfare. Do readers even know about it? I probably wouldn’t if I didn’t have stories on the platform. I rarely participate as a reader–yet. That could change. Before Vella launched, I deleted my Wattpad account despite being one of the platform’s “star” authors and winning a Watty award. That decision was complicated, but mostly I closed shop on Wattpad because it was holding me back as a writer, meaning it was time to stop giving away my work for free and take a more robust leap into earning money for my creative efforts. In that respect, Vella has paid off handsomely. I’ve made thousands of dollars on the stories I transferred from Wattpad to Vella, however, most of these earnings came from Amazon’s bonuses, not organic readers. That score has been pitiful, as I imagine has been the case for most writers crowding onto that platform. The top performers on Vella either already have a solid readership base eager to follow their stories anywhere–I recognize a few famous names among them–or have a hell of a PR campaign. There may also be some organic growth there, especially among the evergreen romance genres. My epic fantasy story, Starlex, was one of the first of its kind on Vella and had a great launch, which unfortunately lost steam as more authors jumped on the bandwagon. If Amazon is encouraging uploads to grow its content base, it appears to be working.
I won’t attempt to decipher the Amazon algorithm, but based on the bonuses I’ve received, it seems to reward frequent uploads over organic reads. Completed stories become quickly dead in the water, which leads to the question of how best to promote them. Sales savvy authors will figure out a way, but most of us seemed to have drifted to the usual Facebook groups where “promotion” boils down to “I’ll read yours if you read mine.”
There is a fine line between showing another indie author “support” through authentic reads and scrolling through their content, marking each episode with a thumbs up, and posting a screenshot to prove you’ve “read” it. Authors can undoubtedly be readers of other indie works–I certainly am–which is where the fine line comes into play. I welcome another indie’s opinion of my work and am happy to do the same, but I don’t want someone “unlocking” my episodes in exchange for the same. I want readers who actually read my episodes and enjoy them. The practice seems very much like review swapping, which is not only against Amazon’s policy, but also pretty tacky. That’s not the way to find readers. Vella’s future is difficult to predict. Amazon seems to have modeled some of Vella’s designs after Wattpad–the token system in particular, but their interactive features are lacking. The poll never works when I try to implement it, and I do miss Wattpad’s social interaction and direct contact with readers and other writers.
Has it been worth it? For the money I’ve earned, I suppose so. It will be interesting to see how Vella will develop and how many authors will drop out once the bonuses stop. I plan to finish up my fantasy series on Vella–I’m currently on book two–and maybe write some romances under a pen name as an experiment. Do you have a story on Kindle Vella, or do you use the platform as a reader? I’d love to hear about your experience, so please leave a comment below.
One of my goals for 2022 is to release new fiction (a short story, novel, novella, anthology, or collection) every month. So far, I’m right on target. I even began a month early with Served Cold, the second horrortube anthology, which was released in December.
Speaking of Served Cold, here is a guest blog post I wrote for horror author Nicholas Kaufmann’s blog, in which I examine what’s scary about producing an anthology. It’s a bit tongue in cheek, but not completely. Writing is general, can be pretty scary.
Scares, of mostly the internal kind, are what I explore in Women in Trouble, a new collection of female-themed horror. Some stories have been previously published, but there are quite a few new pieces included. It’s been out about a week. If you enjoy psychological horror, as well as a few supernatural chills, please check it out. Here is an excerpt from the foreword written by fellow horrortuber, Lydia Peever.
Trouble transcends the traditionally feminine here—be it physical, psychological, or perceived—and brings us to a more modern stage but with roots in timeless sensibility. This is the signature of Saint Claire.
Below is a video where I discuss Women in Trouble, and other new projects coming in 2022.
I’m going to keep this post short today because I’m currently editing my next release, a young adult paranormal romance. If you’d like a sneak peek, the first book in the series is currently on Kindle Vella and doing quite well on that site. If any other writers are trying out Vella, I’d love to hear what you think of it so far. Please leave a comment and we can compare notes.
P.S. To receive a free digital copy of all my new releases, including Women in Trouble, consider becoming a patron.
Book Cover design by Premade Book Covers. All rights reserved @RSaintClaire 2021
Dear Friends,
I wrote this holiday horror story to share with you this holiday season . You may read it here it is entirety, or download it for free to read on you Kindle or other device. I hope you enjoy it and I hope you have a wonderful Christmas season!
XOXO
Regina
HO HOW HOWL
by R. Saint Claire
“Uncle Buck smells, and he’s weird,” whispered Carrie beneath the covers. My kid sister clung to me for warmth the way six-year-olds who still act like babies sometimes do. But I had just melted away into a very cloudy dream starring Mark Batters from my fourth-grade class and resented the intrusion greatly.
“Shut up,” I said, facing the wall to emphasize my point. But when she started blubbering about how mean I am, I rolled back.“Okay. He smells. So what?”
“I used the bathroom after him today.” Carrie’s little face puckered. “Pewee.”
I tucked the blanket under her chin. Her light brown hair had been washed that night; she smelled of strawberries. I wished I had her hair. Mine was dark, like Dad’s, and wiry, and cut too short for my taste, but whatever. “He’ll be gone soon.”
“But why is he here?”
“Because it’s Christmas.”
“So?”
“Don’t you remember last year when he fell off the roof while pretending he was Santa Claus?”
I recalled waking up to what sounded like the house shaking, followed by my mother screaming, and then a string of curses from my dad, including the really bad word.
Uncle Buck was Dad’s older brother, the black sheep of the family, I suppose. He worked at a garage in Philly—the grease under his fingernails was legendary—but he liked to hunt in the country, which is why he used to come to our house almost every weekend. Mom put her foot down after the incident when he hung a deer he’d shot on our lamppost, and every dog within miles came during the night and tore it down. We awoke to pieces of deer strewn all over the front yard, which not only made Mom cry, but was super gross. I could never eat venison after that.
Dad admitted Uncle Buck was irresponsible with his shotguns and his beagle, Schmoke—weird name for a dog—who snapped at me once when I tried to pet him. But every Christmas, Dad would get sentimental. Also Schmoke had just died.
“Buck has no place else to go,” said Dad to Mom.I suppose their Christian spirits won out because here he was again, taking up the entire sofa with his legs spread, watching football games when it was time for our favorite cartoons. Mom would set down a plate of food and a cold beer for him, and he wouldn’t even say thank you. Also, he smoked cigars. Outside the house, at least, but the smell lingered around the door, making me gag every time I stepped outside.
Yeah, Uncle Buck pretty much sucked.
“Why does he have to ruin Christmas?” moaned Carrie, her lament hovering ghostlike below the shadowy ceiling.
“I’ll talk to Dad about it.”
“Promise?” Her arms circled my waist. She was nice and warm, so I allowed her to stay there.
R. Saint Claire 