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NEW THIS MONTH
The latest sales and accomplishments by workshop members

December 2009

Tom Crosshill reports: "I'm happy to say I've sold my piece 'Waiting for Number Five' to Beneath Ceaseless Skies. Very excited about this one, as I really love the magazine. The story went through a lot of drafts, and the many fine reviews I received at OWW were instrumental in the process. Thanks to members Joshua Palmatier, Adrian Firth, Corie Conwell, Chris Montgomery, Kim Zimring, Michael McClung, Jonathan Vintr and Barry Traill!"

Anna Kashina tells us: "I just signed up with Drollerie Press to publish my previously workshopped novel IVAN-AND-MARYA. It is an e-book contract, with an option of a print edition to be added if the initial e-book sales are good. It took me a while to embrace the idea of e-book publishing (some of you may still remember me nagging about it on this list), but now that I saw the light, I am excited! Thanks so much to the OWW members who helped me with this novel a few years ago!"

John Klima reports: "I sold a sf/f fairy-tale reprint anthology to Night Shade Books. The work is an anthology of reprint science fiction and fantasy fairy-tale stories I'm editing called HAPPILY EVER AFTER, set to be published in 2011 by Night Shade Books. There is more information at http://happilyeverafter.electricvelocipede.com."

Karen L. Kobylarz wrote us: "I am writing to let you know my short story 'Breath of Amun' has been published by Lacuna. It is currently available at http://lacunajournal.blogspot.com. I posted this story on OWW several times. Thanks to all workshop members who reviewed it."

Ilan Lerman told us, "My short story 'Whisper' has been accepted for publication in The Absent Willow Review - February 16th issue. I had this up on the workshop a couple of times this year, and have a lot of people to thank for making it publishable, not all of whom I have kept a record of, but I can say thanks to Boz Flamagin, Bo Balder, Lisa Phoenix, Erin Stocks, J.R.Hoch and anyone else I haven't mentioned..."

Rochita Loenen-Ruiz says: "Apex Magazine has accepted my short story '59 Beads' for publication. Thanks to everyone who read this story and believed in it. This will be my third pro-publication and I'm really looking forward to seeing it in Apex."

Marshall Payne reported that "'I must be the king of Feast or Famine' with his sale to M-Brane SF to end his six-month dry streak. 74 rejections between sales on that one. This month, after only four rejections he's happy to report that he sold his story "Pandering Dwarves" to The Hub Magazine. After weathering a rather dry 2009, he's ready for it to pour again.

Joshua Palmatier wrote us to say: "I'm happy to announce that DAW Books had bought three more fantasy novels from me, two part of an ongoing series, titled LEAVES OF FLAME and BREATH OF HEAVEN, and the third the start of a new series, called Shattering the Ley. In addition, they bought an anthology idea to be edited by me and Patricia Bray called AFTER HOURS: TALES FROM THE UR-BAR. I'm going to be busy for the next few years."

Stelios Touchtidis was happy to report: "My short story 'A Silky Taste of Gunmetal,' workshopped on OWW a few times, has been accepted for publication by Short-Story.Me! Thanks so much to all who reviewed it in its 2009 incarnation: Dean Rodina, Renee Miller-Johnston, Marc Sellers, Kevin Miller, Gio Clairval (who gets special thanks as she ground my defenses to changing a key part of the story), Bobbie Goettler, Jonathan Laden and Larry Pinaire. Your comments were invaluable. This is my first sale, and needless to say I'm very excited! Never thought it'd happen!"

Josh Vogt told us: "I recently heard from the editors over at Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show. They've picked up my short story 'Odd Jobs' which I've been shopping around for a bit over a year. Really glad this one found a home and can't wait to see it come out. It should be added to one of the issues within the next six months."

Zoe Zygmunt says "I am excited to announce my short story 'Shake, Rattle and Troll' (workshopped here) was accepted by Short-Story.Me. This will be my first published work."

November 2009

Aliette de Bodard tells us: "It would seem my short story 'The Dancer's Gift,' published in the Spring 2008 issue of Fictitious Force and repackaged as part of my short fiction sampler for the Campbell, has garnered an Honorable Mention on the long-list Ellen Datlow's Best Horror of the Year from Nightshade."

April Gray says: "My flash fiction 'Objects of Desire' has been selected for Every Day Fiction's anthology. Many thanks again to John Tremett for his help in polishing the story to get it sold."

Vylar Kaftan reports: "There's a new magazine in town, folks. Published by Sean Wallace of Prime Books and edited by John Joseph Adams, Lightspeed Magazine will feature 'all types of sf, from near-future, sociological soft sf, to far-future, star-spanning hard sf, and anything and everything in between.' I've got a story in the first issue. It's called 'I'm Alive, I Love You, I'll See You in Reno.' It's a multi-century love story about two lovers who just can't connect."

Karen L. Kobylarz says: "I am writing to report that my short story 'Mistress of Magic' has been published in the current issue of Mindflights. The story was posted several times on the workshop, sometimes under the title 'The Aegyptian.' Thanks to all who reviewed it."

Joshua Palmatier tell us: "I have good news! I wrote this short story called 'Mastihooba' for an anthology called Close Encounters of the Urban Kind being put together for APEX and I was notified yesterday that my short made the cut. So I'll have a short story *gasp* released next year sometime! I don't typically write short stories, but there are a few that rattle around in my head every now and then that make it down to paper. Most of the time they end up exploding into novels, but this one was nice (well, I had to do some major cutting to get it to the appropriate word length for the anthology). It came in at just under 7,000 words."

Marshall Payne reports that he sold his short story "Televisionary" to M-Brane SF. "I must be the king of Feast and Famine," he says with this sale to break his dry spell. "For me they seem to come in bunches." 

Abra Staffin Wiebe tells us, "My humorous dark fantasy short story 'The Radiator Burped' is now out in the free Fall issue of Strange, Weird, and Wonderful Magazine. This story came about when my husband got tired of my whining about not writing and told me to write a story about a fairy and a dragon. Neither fairy nor dragon are quite as you might expect."

October 2009

Aliette de Bodard squeed: "My first translation! I've just been given official permission to post about this: my story 'The Lost Xuyan Bride,' originally published in Interzone, will form part of the upcoming release of Polish online library Skryptorium at the Katedra site, edited by Jan Zeranski."

Big congrats to Karl Bunker. "My short story 'Under the Shouting Sky' appears in the current issue of Cosmos magazine, and also won first place in The Robert A. Heinlein Centennial Short Story Contest. As always, I got lots of good advice on this story from OWW."

Stephen Gaskell annouced: "I've recently had news of a couple more sales: 'Aquestria' has sold to Interzone, while 'Napier's Bones' has gone to Pseudopod. It seems Clarion '06 stories are suddenly coming into vintage, as this makes three sales in the space of a month for stories I wrote at that workshop! More info can be found on my website at stephengaskell.com. Thanks, OWWers!

Ilan Lerman wrote us to say: "Just wanted to say that the Scottish literary journal The Ranfurly Review will be publishing my story 'Woe is Me' in their March 2010 issue. It was workshopped here a few months ago, so thanks are due to OWWers Sharon Ramirez, Crash Froelich, Erin Stocks, Ursula Warnecke, Owen Kerr & David Kernot for their help."

Mark Lord says: "I just wanted to share the good news with you and other members that my short story 'Bird Talk,' which was critiqued at OWW, has been accepted for publication by Theaker's Quarterly Fiction. It should appear in issue 30 or 31 hopefully. Thanks for all the helpful advice that helped get this story published."

Margaret McGaffey Fisk tells us: "My short story 'When the Shoe Won't Fit' was published by the new ezine Aurora Wolf and can be read here."

Carole Ann Moleti has a two-fer woo-hoo. "I sold my recently workshopped story 'Hot Chocolate Kiss' to Eternal Press. It's due to be published in January 2010. Here are the folks who did crits during the most recent marathon and were instrumental in helping me make the sale: Erin Stocks, L.David Holbrook, Steve Brady, William Brown, Julie Klumb.  I won first prize for Best Nonfiction in Oasis Journal's contest! $100.00 and a big mention for the 'Someday I'm Going to Write a Book excerpt "Everything Must Go."' The anthology is due out in late October."

Erin Stocks has another two-fer woo-hoo. "'The Light Stones' will be published in the anthology DESTINATION: FUTURE, edited by Z.S. Adani and Eric T. Reynolds, to be released early 2010. This story made it through the OWW rounds twice, the first probably in early 2008, and the second about 8 months later; I owe Gio Clairval, Steve Chapman and David Fortier for their help with both versions, and I'm sure there are over a dozen more members who helped in some way -- thanks!  Also, 'Skinned' will be published by The Absent Willow Review in December 2009. I owe my thanks to over 20 OWW members who offered critiques, and especially to Adrian Firth, who offered an even more in-depth look at the near final draft, and went through it line by line on his own."

September 2009

Brandon Barr says: "Hey friends. I'm pleased to announce that my short story 'The Kitterson Ranch Incident' has been published by Residential Aliens."

Aliette de Bodard is on a roll! She tells us: "I've sold 'As the Wheel Turns' to GUD for their issue 6 (Spring 2010). It was workshopped on OWW under the title 'Dai-Yu's Choice' where it received feedback from the usual suspects: Rochita Loenen-Ruiz, Linda Steele (who was kind enough to crit it in tremendous detail), and Chris Kastensmidt (whose unshakable faith in that one proved right). Thanks everyone for helping me whip it into shape!"

And then this: "...Well, it turns out some clouds definitely have big silver linings, because among the people stuck with me in the hotel were John Berlyne and Marc Gascoigne. We started talking; nine months later, one of them is my agent, and one of them has offered me a deal for three books, starting with SERVANT OF THE UNDERWORLD, and going on to two sequels.
Publication date is Spring 2010 by new HarperCollins imprint Angry Robot."  More info: http://angryrobotbooks.com/2009/08/an-author-a-publisher-and-an-agent-walk-into-a-bar/

And finally: "I've sold my Chinese alternate-history 'In the Time of Transcendence' to Asimov's (the title is going to change as soon as I can work out a decent one...).  Many thanks to those OWWers who took a look at it: Christine Lucas, Tom Crosshill, Ilan Leman and Owen Kerr; and to Chris Kastensmidt for his comments."

Nancy Chenier announced: "'Night of the Fifth Sun' just got picked up by Severed Press for their 2012 anthology. Yay. Thanks to everyone who critted it: Kenneth Rapp, Matthew Herreshoff, and Cathy Freeze."

Maria Deira says: "This has been a good summer with sales to Kaleidotrope, Brain Harvest, and an acceptance from Verb Noire for my short story 'Los Pequeños' which was workshopped at the OWW. On August 10, my flash fiction piece 'Finisterre' was published by Strange Horizons. Yay!"

Nora Fleischer tells us: "Just wanted you to know that my novella, "Over Her Head," was published by Drollerie Press. This novella was workshopped through the OWW, and I'm so glad to see it in print! And I have another to add: my short story 'Self-Made Man' just appeared in The Town Drunk."

Stephen Gaskell says: "I've recently had news that my story 'The Offside Trap' sold to Things We Are Not, an anthology of queer speculative fiction from M-Brane SF. "The Offside Trap" was my Clarion week-five story, and an attempt to write something a little different from my usual high-concept, adventurous SF. I'm thankful to Kelly Link, Holly Black, and all my ‘06 classmates for their critiques and inspiration."

Hilary Goldstein shouted his news: "Hot damn. After about seven billion rejections (seriously, seven billion) and I'd say five years since being published, I got an acceptance. Huzzah. 'The Dream Eater' (workshopped in our very own OWW) will be appearing in next summer's issue of Gargoyle. Swank. Thanks to all who read and made suggestions. Just about all the revisions were based off OWW comments."

Jannette Johnson tells us: "I just found out my revised short story 'Echoes Of Deception' will be published by Bewildering Stories."

Carole Ann Moleti announces: "Oasis Journal 2009 has accepted 'Everything Must Go' for this year's anthology."

Jaime Lee Moyer says: "To my shock and my agent's delight, the novel I'm workshopping on OWW, DELIA'S SHADOW, has won the 2009 Columbus Literary Award for fiction, administered by Thurber House. I guess I won too, not just the book."

Tony Peak's 'Azazel's Journal' has been accepted by Necrotic Tissue for their April 2010 issue. "I workshopped the story here, and would like to thank Justin Parente, Elizabeth Hull, Gio Clairval, Hilary J. Nowack, and Jeanne Haskin for critiquing the story; their suggestions were of great help. This is my first sale, so thanks everyone!"

Elizabeth Schechter says: "I just heard from Ravenous Romance, who want to buy 'First of May'!"

August 2009

Brandon Bell says: "I just wanted to let you know my story 'Abraham Discovers an Artifact Impenetrable to all Harm' has been published in M-Brane SF #5. I posted this story a couple times on OWW, and the ending was always the
issue. In my last rewrites, I added some elements originally intended for a follow-up story, fleshed out the ending a little, and addressed some specific complaints. Thanks to everyone who critted this one."

Brenta Blevin tells us: "Sword & Sorceress 24 will publish my story 'Material Witness' in November of this year."

Gio Clairval wrote: "My flash fiction 'Tea with the Bird-Headed Lover' worshopped on the OWW, will appear in the anthology LAST DRINK BIRD HEAD, a literacy charity edited by Jeff and Ann VanderMeer, in October 2009. A heartfelt 'thank you' to the reviewers who kindly took a look at my first flash fiction (ever) and helped me snatch my first publication credit. I got 36 (!!!) crits in four days (sub and re-sub), and I never would have been able to whip the damn thing into shape so quickly (I had been invited to contribute some time ago but I had a hard time starting to write something that seemed soooo difficult to pull off -- an entire story in less of 500 words). And, marvel, I got a positive answer only one hour after sending out the file."

Tom Crosshill writes: "Very happy to announce that my tale 'Seeing Double' has placed 1st in Writers of the Future. The story wasn't workshopped at OWW, but I did get very helpful input from former OWWer Neal M. Swain (a friend from the Del Rey days). Super excited here! I joined OWW in 1999 (I think), shortly after I started writing SF/F as a teenager growing up in Eastern Europe. It took "only" ten years, with admittedly long breaks in between, to this first sale. Thanks so much to everyone who supported me along the way! (You would have known me as Toms K -- I've since switched to a pen name)."

Adrian Firth announces: "joyful! bought 'Interlude in an Empty Heaven' for November, and The Absent Willow Review are placing 'Final Refrain' in September. Thanks to all reviewers--some from four years back! On file I have Maura McHugh, Karen Newton, Bruce Davis, Helen Hyndes-Snodgrass, Sean MacUisdin, Lisa Bouchard, Tony Peak, Corie Conwell, Esme Ibbotson, Brit Marschalk, Duane Grippen, Kenneth Rapp, Roger McCook, Jeremy Yoder, Sherry T, Nate Smith, and Chris Green."

Bonnie Freeman announced: "I participated in Flash Me Magazine's Flash Fiction Boot Camp at the beginning of last month and churned out several flash exercises under the whip-cracking guidance of the magazine's editor-in-chief (and fellow OWW member) Jennifer Dawson. I'm happy to report that one of my exercises, 'Alien Brothel,' has been accepted by Flashot.

April Grey tells us: "My flash fiction 'The Butterfly Dream' will be in Everyday Weirdness on July 24th. Yippee!"

Jannette Johnson wrote: "I got the e-mail this afternoon. BRAVE BLUE MICE has accepted my short 'Return To Eden' for publication in the August 1st issue. Ask me if I'm happy."

Deborah Kalin says: "Today I have exceedingly good news: I have sold a story to Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine. Tentative publication date is April 2010. For those playing along at home, I wrote the first draft of this story in January 2005, during my stint at Clarion. (Actually, since it was my week-one story, I probably started it, in some brief and jotted form at least, in late December 2004.) I can't remember what I called it at the time (probably something genius like 'Untitled'), but it's since acquired the title 'Shaping Lily.' It's a quaint little story, and one I'm very fond of, so I'm glad it's found a good home."

Sandra Panicucci announced that "The Autumn Wood" sold to Sorcerous Signals for the Aug-Oct issue.

Elizabeth Schechter told us: Yesterday at 5:48 PM, I submitted a new short story to Circlet for their upcoming anthology Like a Queen. The story was an erotic retelling of Christina Rosetti's The Goblin Market. Today, at 5:25 PM, I got the contract. I think that might be a record."

July 2009

Ilona Andrews has a new short story over at Samhain Publishing called Silent Blade.

Mike Keyton is on a whopper of a success spree by selling three short stories recently. "I've just signed the contract for the Anthology, The Blackness Within. My story is called 'Bad Meat.' I also have 'When I Breathed I Clinked' coming out in an Adams publication -- My First Year In The Classroom Anthology. Finally, Zahir has accepted 'Mr Nousel's Mirror.' Thank you to all those who've sharpened my work, but the biggest thing I've learnt is submit, and then submit again."

Sandra McDonald sold the short story "Watching" to Destination Future, Hadley Rilles Books. Sandra says: "I also sold a reprint of 'The Fireman's Fairy' to Podcastle, and the story 'A Day in the Park' to the anthology Cheer Up Universe."

Suzanne McLeod's second book, The Cold Kiss of Death from the Spellcrackers.com series, comes out on July 16, 2009.

Michael Merriam's story "Weaving Tales," will appear in Drops of Crimson's June YA edition. The story was workshopped on OWW back in late 2003, and while Michael has lost the file with the reviewer's names, he is still grateful for all of their hard work.

June 2009

Andrew Alford received word from AlienSkin that his micro-horror piece "A Jury of His Peers" will appear in the June/July 2009 issue.

Jesse Bangs says, "I just sold a flash fiction piece 'Lights on the Highway' to Everyday Weirdness! The story came out April 29. For anyone who hasn't heard of it, I highly recommend Everyday Weirdness to flash writers and poetry writers. They don't pay much, but their site is very nice, their stories are good, and their publication schedule is great for reading (one flash or poem per day)."

Nicole Cushing announced: "My short story 'The Snail Man Contagion' (which I workshopped probably about a month ago) was bought by the e-zine Reflection's Edge. I have some non-fiction coming out in Doorways Magazine and that first sale to the Cemetery Dance anthology should finally (after seven years!) be seeing print this fall in the anthology In Laymon's Terms."

April Grey wrote us: "Good news in my e-mail this morning, my story "When Alexander Died" is going to be published by Chaos Theory: Tales Askew."

Rochita Loenen-Ruiz tells us: "Ann VanderMeer wants 'Catching an Angel.' This 146-word story will be appearing online and on video as a one-minute Weird Tales publication. Yes, yes...I did the jumping up and down with joy thing...and each time I read the acceptance e-mail, I smile from ear to ear. My first sale after five months of rejections and close calls."

Marshall Payne announced happily, "So ends my three-month 28-rejection dry spell. Kaleidotrope published my flash story 'The Blue Testament' in issue #5, and will now be publishing "Danny's Magical Toe Jam" in an upcoming issue. This one is a 4k urban fantasy and one of my faves. Kaleidotrope is a nifty little print zine and I'm happy to be in it again.  Special thanks to Aliette de Bodard, Linda Steele, and Rochita Loenen-Ruiz for their help, comments, and abiding my off-beat, twisted fantasy tropes. *g*"

Elizabeth Schechter says: "I just got the e-mail from Circlet Press that they want to include my short story 'The Succubus' in their upcoming steampunk anthology! Now THIS is the way to end the week!"

May 2009

Darla J. Bowen says, "I was a member of OWW for over a year and received lots of wonderful insight from those who reviewed the pieces I submitted. Some of those have been since reworked and are awaiting acceptance. But I have had some success. My first published story is now available, with others on their way. 'For Honor' is in the April issue of Lorelei Signal. 'Duties' will appear in Flash Scribe, 'Awaiting Mother's Ride' will be in the May issue of Silver Blade, 'Into the Fray' will be in the July issue of Bards and Sages Quarterly, 'Portrait in Red and Gold' has been accepted by MindFlights. I have submitted 40 times to get these 5 acceptances. I consider that very successful." 

Stephen Gaskell reports: "I recently sold a couple of stories. 'Under An Arctic Sky' went through OWW a few years ago and was given a thorough polishing after crits from B.K. Dunn, Magda Knight, Adrian Krag, Rebecca Stefoff, and a phantom critiquer who remains nameless. It will be appearing at Futurismic in the near future. 'Prisoners', one of my Clarion 2006 submission stories that helped get me into the workshop (and was mercilessly red-penned by Michael Swanwick, our second week instructor, afterwards), has sold to M-Brane SF."

Leonid Korogodski tells us: "I have just been informed that my story was awarded the first place in the Adult division at the OddContest. The OddContest is an annual competition for speculative (science fiction, fantasy, or horror) stories or prose poems no longer than 500 words. For my submission, I took an excerpt from my 28K Pink Noise novella, modified it and trimmed it down to 500 words exactly."

Ron Leming, aka Bonestructure, says, "Sold my story 'Fox Goes Fission' to the Severed Press Dead Bait anthology. Third time I've sold this story. Which I think is kinda cool. Not a major anthology or anything, but I thought a horror anthology about fishing was a very cool idea, so I submitted. And it's an Australian anthology, so this makes my first publication in Australia. S'funny, even after all these years of bashing away at it, you still get a thrill out of an acceptance. It never seems to get tired. Maybe if I was Stephen King and turning out 47 books a year I might get tired of it, but I ain't. Oh, and I did rewrite and polish it up a tiny bit before subbing it to the anthology. It was written like, 20 years ago, and just because it's been published twice, that's no reason not to try to spiff it up a tad."

Tom Marcinko reports: "I recently sold a short story, 'Temperance,' to an as-yet-untitled anthology to be published by Circlet Press. It wasn't workshopped -- I had to work straight up to the deadline. But I will say this: The workshop helps me focus, gets me thinking about the effect of words on a reader, which in the end is all we have."

Brandon Bell tells us, "I just got an acceptance for 'Abraham Discovers an Artifact Impenetrable to all Harm' from M-Brane SF. I workshopped it a while back and did quite an overhaul on the story based on the crits. This is a small zine and I've formed a relationship with the editor, so I actually held back from submitting anything, and when I did I asked him to please reject my story if he had the slightest doubts in it: I don't want even a small market credit that I don't deserve.

Maria Deira wrote to tell us, "My story 'The First Time We Met' was published in the February 16th issue of Strange Horizons. This was workshopped at OWW a while ago and, unfortunately, I don't have the names of everyone who critiqued the story. Still I'd like to thank them for all their helpful advice and critiques! Also in February, I had a flash fiction piece, 'My Son the Dragon,' published at pequin.org."

Vylar Kaftan blogged recently: Just signed the contract for "Fulgurite" to be printed in Sybil's Garage 6. I love the magazine and I'm happy to be there again. My flash fiction story "Sky and Sea" will be up at Brain Harvest on Sunday. New flash fiction market, pays 5 cents a word for stories between 100-750 words. Attention all ye writerly ones. Send them a story. Sit down tonight and write something. 750 words is very doable.

Raven Matthews's story "Impurity" appears in the March 2009 issue of Moon Drenched Fables.

Tom Marcinko says "My story 'A Close Personal Relationship' was published in New Writings in the Fantastic, ed. John Grant, from Pendragon Press in the UK, I wrote it in 1992, sold it the following year, waited to see it in print, learned that the magazine publisher had overruled the editor and was refusing to publish it, kept it on the market for awhile, and retired it till John Grant put out a call for stories that writers had had a difficult time placing. I thought my story qualified, and it looks like John agreed. Persistence furthers. On the other hand, when you write a story that goes looking for trouble, don't be surprised when you find it."

Maura McHugh has been a member of the OWW or a number of years. "I haven't been active on the board in some time, but still consider the workshop as a turning point in my writing career. I thought I'd mention the following news: I've just sold 'The Tamga' to Shroud Magazine, which is my second sale to the publication. The story was first critted on the workshop about five years ago. At the time the following people gave me feedback: Sarah Audrey, Laura Ferries, Richard Dean Starr, Terri Trimble, Rob Campbell, Adrian Peter Firth, Elizabeth Anne Ensley, Wade White, and Lawrence Payne. The story has been re-written many times since, but several of the pointers I received on the early incarnation of the story started it on the road to recovery, and thus this sale."

Lynette Mejia's story "The Homecoming" was published last month in Niteblade Magazine.

Abra Staffin Wiebe's story "Periwinkle Eyes" appeared in Art Times in March.

Karl Bunker reports: "My short story 'Murder' is up on the 1st quarter 2009 issue of Abyss & Apex. Deepest thanks to the OWW members who critiqued this story."

The workshop's own Charles Coleman Finlay, now streamlined for publication to C. C. Finlay, has the first of three fantasy novels out from Del Rey: THE PATRIOT WITCH, first of a trilogy. This is also the first print novel Del Rey (original sponsor of the workshop) has ever bought from a workshop member!

Stephen Gaskell recently sold "Reunion" to Tumbarumba; a Frolic of Intrusions, and "Cold Trail Blazing" to Dunesteef Audio Fiction Magazine. "Tumbarumba is a particularly novel project which wraps twelve spec-fic stories by 'outstanding authors' (hey, their words!) inside a Mozilla Firefox Plug-In extension. Download it here and get ready to experience weirdness! Both stories were critiqued elsewhere, but nonetheless I'd like to give much thanks to all OWWers, especially the staff."

April Grey wrote us and said: "Just reporting that with the help of John Tremlett's crit I made my first sale of 2009, 'Objects of Desire' to Everyday Fiction. Many thanks to the people who run Online Writing Workshop for putting me in touch with such useful critters!"

Deborah Kalin announces that she sold "The Wages of Salt" to Postscripts Magazine, slated for Spring of this year. "I'm very excited about that one."

Anna Kashina says: "Quite unexpectedly, I sold two stories this month to semipro markets, 'Marya' to Sorcerous Signals (they now have a print edition too), and 'The Hatchling' to Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine. Both stories were workshopped ages ago (and I believe more than once). I am really grateful to everyone who reviewed them, and to all of you guys for encouragement and moral support!"

Michael Merriam sold his short story, "Fey Child Fair," which was workshopped at OWW, to online horror and dark fantasy magazine From the Asylum for a future issue. Michael would like to thank Aliette de Bodard, William Alden, and others he has forgotten because his notes are incomplete, for reading and making suggestions that made this story stronger.

Carole Ann Moleti says "Updike and The Up and Coming: The Witches and Widows of Eastwick, and The Lace Reader, my literary criticism comparing and contrasting the three novels is out in the February 2009 issue of The Internet Review of Science Fiction."

Aaron Peters told us that "Bonebearer" will appear in the upcoming issue of Silver Blade. "Many thanks to May Iversen, J. Paul Johnson, James Roarke, Alex Van Rossum, Raven Matthews, and Craig Hickman for their workshop reviews (and to anyone I missed, many apologies to go along with the thanks)."

Camille Picott (author and new mom) announces that "My short story, 'The Gargoyle', is currently up at Afterburn SF. You can view the story here. This is a story that I worked on for several years. It's really rewarding to see that it found a good home."

Leah Bobet speaketh of good news: "I am chuffed (well chuffed?) to announce that "Mister Oak," a Wildean fairy tale about a tree and the girl he loves, will appear in a future issue of Realms of Fantasy. This'll be my third story to appear there."

Aliette de Bodard has sold sold "Melanie," an urban fantasy set in the world of her university days, to Realms of Fantasy. "This was workshopped at OWW, where it received a number of helpful crits from Patty Jansen, Sylvia Volk, and Camille Picott. Other people who took a look at it offline included the ever-helpful Marshall Payne, Oliver Dale, and Pat Lundrigan. Thanks to everyone for making the sale possible!"

Charles Coleman Finlay says: "My novella from last August's Fantasy & Science Fiction is on the Nebula prelim ballot and has been selected by Gardner Dozois for the Year's Best Science Fiction Volume 26."

Deborah Kalin, aka damselfly, has alerted us that her novel SHADOW QUEEN is on shelves now. Also: Cemetery Dance Magazine has accepted her short story, "Teratogen" for publication. "And "The Wages of Salt" has sold to to Postscripts
Magazine, for Spring publication.

Marshall Payne's flash story "Mud Wrestling in a Distant Land" will be published at Polluto:The Anti-Pop Culture Journal. It'll be in issue #5, "A Steampunk Orange." Also, "Tyree Campbell at Aoife's Kiss wants my 4k fantasy tale 'Jimmy French-Fries.' A story I wrote a while back. An offbeat tale that took a while to find a home."

January 2009

Bo Balder says, "I won first place in the Dutch Paul Harland Awards--a yearly Dutch language competition for sf and fantasy shorts. Yay! Most money anybody ever got for a short story. I'll probably never get paid that much again... I won with my OWW-workshopped story 'Satyricon' in a Dutch translation. So many thanks to the workshop and all those who critted the story, which made it infinitely better."

Brandon Bell tells us: "My story 'Best Gift' is featured in the Return to Luna anthology, which is now out and can be purchased from the publisher's website and Amazon.com. Thanks to everyone who critted it! I also received an acceptance for my story 'Do Men Dream of Bloody Sheep' from M-Brane. Pub date pending. Thanks for the crits on that one as well."

Leah Bobet sold "Six"! "A big thank you to Elizabeth Bear, Amanda Downum, and Jaime Moyer for crits. Also, while we're at it, I'm going to have a novelette, 'Miles to Isengard,' in the January issue of Interzone: thanks for that one go out to Elizabeth Bear, Liz Bourke, and Jaime Moyer."

Tim W. Burke says: "I just sold my workshopped story 'The Tortoiseshell Tom In The Dark Box' to Space and Time. Thanks to reviewers Heather Hillstead, Josh Vogt, Suzanne Lazear, and Darryl Nash for their help in making the story its best!"

Resident Editor John Klima's story "Life's Simple Pleasures" was recently published in Diet Soap.

FRR Mallory tells us that "Black Ice" will be featured in the anthology Return To Luna by Hadley Rille Books.

Rochita Loenen-Ruiz received a wonderful e-mail from Fantasy Magazine offering to buy her short story "Pink Elephant."

Karen Osborne's story "Retirement" appears in the December 2008 Aoife's Kiss.

Marshall Payne says, "Just learned that Three Crow Press--The Morrigan Books Ezine--will be using my story, 'Molkar's Curse' for their new ezine in 2009. I don't write many high, secondary-world fantasy tales, but I'm rather happy with this one so I'm glad it found a good home. A big thanks goes out to Aliette de Bodard and Linda Steele for their help and encouragement on this story!"

Michele Winkler says: "Stories for Children online magazine accepted 'Carp Diem' which I put through the OWW. I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to critique it."

December 2008

Andrew Alford says, "My first acceptance was 'China Doll Recall,' also workshopped on OWW. And now my short story 'Saint Michael's Sword' has just been accepted by Space & Time Magazine. I had submitted it as 'Michael's Sword' a little over 5 months ago. Many thanks go to Nancy Kreml (who critiqued twice!), Pamela Troy, William Wood and Wenonah Lyon, who provided valuable criticism (in particular, pointing out the problem of 'clarity'). So...I love you guys."

Aliette de Bodard says: "I've sold 'Dancing for the Monsoon,' my Cambodian dancer short story (the one I wrote under 24 hours at OSC's Bootcamp), to Abyss & Apex. Many thanks to my fellow Bootcampers for helping me get this into shape, as well as to Marshall Payne for keeping up my faith in it."

Michael Goodwin's first published novel, CASCA: IMMORTAL DRAGON debuted in November. "It is the latest novel in the popular Casca The Eternal Mercenary series that the illustrious Barry Sadler created and wrote 22 books from 1979 to 1991."

Rita de Heer tells us, "My short story 'The Carbon Knitter's Tale' made it into CANTERBURY 2100: PILGRIMAGES IN A NEW WORLD, a recently-published anthology."

C S Inman says, "I'm reporting my first sale, and I believe I have OWW to thank! After I workshopped my short story 'Prince of Wolves' I sold it to Expanded Horizons for their second issue, November 2008. I think it's neat that my membership in OWW just paid for over half of my membership in OWW. Thanks again to everyone who runs this fabulous site."

Heidi Kneale fills us in on her latest: "Not much to say other than my story 'As Good As Gold' was 14K words. Not often one finds a market for such a long story. Also sold one to Abyss & Apex, 'The Devil You Know.' Thanks to the variety of critters (including a few VC regulars) who critted two completely different versions of this story over three years ago. It's one of the stories in the BEST OF ABYSS & APEX. Quite a few heady names in there, including a couple from the OWW. Also, a story of mine is coming out in the fantasy romance anthology THE ENCHANTED FAERIE, out from The Wild Rose Press. Ebook out this month, hardcopy out in February."

Marshall Payne says: "I wrote this little horror piece a couple of weeks ago, 'The Collection Plate.' Sent it to Brutarian and they liked it and want to use it in 2009. First place I sent it. Surprised me. Cool. Considered a pro sale too, I do believe. And Forbidden Fruit wants my gay SF time-travel story, "Edward's Second Shot," for issue #17."

Jeff Spock's story "Everything That Matters," which was an Editor's Choice waaaay back in 2004, appears in Issue 219 (Nov. 2008) of Interzone. He says, "I would like to thank Vy Kaftan and Debbie Smith who had the patience to review it twice (at Clarion and with the OWW), as well as Maria Zannini and Sylvia Wadlington."

November 2008

Jesse Bangs announces his first sale. "Just letting you all know that I sold a flash fiction piece "Screening of a Silent Film" to the anthology Cinema Spec: Tales of Hollywood and Fantasy.  A huge thanks to fellow workshopper Eva Folsom for reviewing the story for me on very short notice and offering excellent feedback."

Brenta Blevins's story "Beyond" is in the current ChiZine.

Adrienne Clarke's short story"The Swan Wife" was published in the July issue of Les Bonnes Fees webzine. She didn't tell us about it but we found it anyway!

Aliette de Bodard says: "The excellent folks at Interzone want to publish "They Come Bearing Gifts," an SF story with EM pulses, weird aliens and Alzheimer's (not necessarily in that order)."

Rita de Heer's short story "The Carbon-Knitter's Tale" will appear in Canterbury 2100: Pilgrimages in a New World. To be published 2009

Stephen Gaskell's short story "Micro Expressions" was recently published at Cosmos Magazine's website. Check it out!

April Grey's short story "Exile" will appear in the November anthology Terrible Beauty, Fearful Symmetry from Dark Hart Press. Her story "Russell Stover is Your Pal" will appear in the anthology Northern Haunts.

C. S. Inman's first sale is short story "Prince of Wolves" in Issue Two of Expanded Horizons, November 2008.  Congratulations!

Vylar Kaftan reports: "My flash fiction piece "Starshow" will be published in Cinema Spec: Tales of Hollywood and Fantasy."

Sandra McDonald got a birthday surprise. She says: "For my birthday the Submissions Fairy brought me a lovely sale to Strange Horizons, for my story "Diana Comet." It should be appearing as a two-parter next March or so."

Sandra Panicucci sold short story "Order Of The Golden Horn" to the Nov-Jan 08/09 issue of Sorcerous Signals.

From Marshall Payne: "Just got an email from Patrick Swenson that he'd like to buy my SF story "Sausages" for Talebones #38.  I'd like to thank Aliette de Bodard, who read it first and made me believe in it. And Linda Steel for much feedback after I believed in it. This is a sale I really wanted to make!"

Linda Steele's short story "The Rune Hag's Daughter" appears in the Pagan Fiction Anthology (October 2008).  She has also sold her short story "Snake Eater" to Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine for January 2009.

October 2008

Brenta Blevins has sold "Beyond" to ChiZine (Oct-Dec 2008).

John Hornor Jacobs sold "Sneaking In" sold to Doorways Magazine for publication in the Fall 2008 issue.

Patty Jansen sold "Never on a Birthday" to Byzarium.

Deborah Kalin, who used to go by the handle 'damselfly,' wrote in. "Just thought you'd like to know that I've sold two novels to Allen & Unwin; SHADOW QUEEN, the first book of the series, will be on shelves January 2009. At this stage it will only be Australian and New Zealand shelves, but my agent is working on securing US and UK distribution deals as well."

Sandra McDonald reports: "Sold, to Asimov's, my story "The Monsters of Morgan Island." This is my first to them, and I'm delighted. The story was written in June during the Blue Heaven workshop, and the setting is indeed Kelleys Island with a name change and some dramatic license. And the bit about the monsters, of course."

Jaime Lee Moyer just made her first short sale. Her short story, "This Is How We Remember," will be published in the October issue of Lone Star Stories. She wanted to thank the usual group of suspects--Jodi Meadows, Leah Bobet, Elizabeth Bear, Kat Allen, Rae Carson, Charlie Finlay, Paul Melko, Tom Barlow and Tobias Buckell--as well as anyone and everyone from OWW who has ever critted her work. Sales make her happy.

Karen Osborne has sold "Retirement" to Aoife's Kiss, for publication in December '08.

September 2008

Andrew Alford reports that "All Hallows has accepted my short story 'China Doll Recall,' for publication in an upcoming issue. This marks my first acceptance. Of course, I'm grateful to all four members who took the time to critique my story, but special thanks go to James Skaggs and Nancy Kreml whose careful readings exposed two important weaknesses (failure to introduce all characters and establish time/place more firmly)."

William Argyle wrote: "A piece that I workshopped some time back, 'Rhindor's Remission,' was picked up today for a forthcoming issue of Aberrant Dreams Speculative Fiction. Many thanks to Gregory Clifford, Chrissycat Daring, David Weisman, and David Holbrook."

OWW alumna Elizabeth Bear won a 2008 Hugo Award for her short story "Tideline," published in Asimov's in 2007.

Brandon Bell tells us that his short story "The Fourth Horseman" will appear in the August issue of Byzarium.com. "I can't remember who all reviewed it, but thanks to everyone. OWW has been the best thing I've done as a writer." Brandon's short story "Best Gift" is also one of the winners of the National Space Society story contest.

Rae Carson and Charles Coleman Finlay have co-authored and sold "The Crystal Stair" to Beneath Ceaseless Skies. How's that for a dynamic duo?

Michael Keyton has sold his short story "Martin Brownlow's Cat" to Wrong World, published by Qwand.

Better late (announcement) than never!  Member Jim Poulos published two stories earlier this year under the author name Cheyenne Warlock:  "Witches Hammer Voyages" in Antipodean SF #120 and "Singing Wintergreen" in Flash Me Magazine's Fantasy Edition 2008.

Toni Stauffer has two short stories coming out in September. "Family Reunion," BLOOD MOON RISING #36, Blood Moon Rising Publications, and "Paying the Darkman," NECROTIC TISSUE.

August 2008

Brenta Blevins says: "My story 'Beyond' placed third in this year's ChiZine short story contest. The story will be published in the October-December 2008 issue of ChiZine." 

Cathy Freeze's story "Practicing Perfection" is in the latest Fantasy Magazine.

John Hornor Jacobs reports: "'Sneaking In' sold to Doorways Magazine, 2008 Fall Issue. 'Verrata' sold to Polluto Magazine, Issue 3. 'Twilight' accepted by DARK DISTORTIONS ANTHOLOGY, 2009 release."

Former member Ann Leckie's story "Marsh Gods" is in the latest issue of Strange Horizons.

Sean Markey's story "Sorrowbird" is in the latest Fantasy Magazine.

Sandra Panicucci writes: "'The Order Of The Golden Horn' sold for the Nov-Jan issue of Sorcerous Signals. 10,000 word short I wrote awhile back in pretty much one sitting. Ran it through OWW and sent it off once or twice...not too many markets for 10,000 word dragon/demon stories, so although it garnered a very positive rejection from John O'Neill at Black Gate (he didn't need dragon stories but seemed to like it) I set it aside for about a year. Pulled it out a while back, trimmed about 600 words out of it and sent it to Sorcerous Signals."

Marshall Payne hit pay dirt with his short story "Bullet."  "This is my first professional sale. Sale #29 from when I began subbing in earnest three years ago when I joined OWW where I've met some of my best friends."

Christie Skipper Ritchotte's short story "Penguin and Wren" is forthcoming in Fantasy Magazine, 2008; "Reset the Night" is forthcoming in Strange Horizons, 2008.

Jason Rolfe reports: "'Notes on the Evocation of Demons' -- Short Fiction (Horror) -- will be published in the August, 2008 issue of The Harrow."

Seth Skorkowsky's "The Reluctant Assassin" will appear in Flashing Swords this month.

Rachel Swirsky has a story called "Marrying the Sun" in the latest Fantasy Magazine.

July 2008

Deb Atwood tells us: "My story "Glimmer" has been accepted for publication in Chimeraworld #5 this fall. "Glimmer" was written for the Blood Challenge years and years ago on the workshop. I no longer remember who critiqued it, but thank you to everyone who offered comments on it over time. Much appreciated!!"

Aliette de Bodard has been busy. Aliette says: "I've sold my alternate history "Butterfly, Falling at Dawn" to Interzone, my short story "Blessing the Earth" to Tales of Moreauvia and "Desaparecidos" to Realms of Fantasy. Also in print is "Horus Ascending" in issue 8 of IGMS and "The Dancer's Gift" is out in Fictitious Force 5. Of these, "Butterfly" went through OWW, where it received very helpful feedback that helped me streamline the exposition. I'm embarrassed to discover that I've gone back to my bad habits of not keeping track of the crits I received; and it was well over a year ago, so I'm afraid I don't remember who dropped in, apart from Camille Picott--but many thanks to everyone who did so!

Willow Fagan announced: "Cockatrice Girl Meets Statue Boy" has appeared in Fantasy Magazine, February 2008. "Scatter and Return, the Eyes of the Princess" will appear in a forthcoming issue of Fantasy Magazine.

Nora Fleischer has told us that she signed a contract with Drollerie Press to publish her novelette about mermen and historians, OVER THEIR HEADS.  "I'd like to thank Stella Evans, Dena Landon, Ilona Gordon, D. Melissa Bowden, Michael Destro, Kathryn Allen, Esme Ibbotson, RE Kelleher, and the fabulous Deb Cawley.  And Charles Coleman Finlay who had some very kind words for this story!"

O.H. Fowler says: "My story "Intervention" just got picked up for the anthology Taken By Force edited by Christopher Pierce to be published in June by Starbooks Press."

John Hornor Jacobs has two credits this month. "I've recently sold a story I workshopped on OWW to Doorways Magazine. My story "Sneaking In" will appear in Doorways Magazine Fall 2008 issue. Also, my story, "Verrata," has been sold to London based Polluto, the Anti-Pop Culture Journal. "I don't know what it means, but a very strange little story has found a home. Thanks to C.S. Inman, Gabriel Malloy and Gio Clairval and Leah Bobet."

Camille Picott: " My flash fiction story "Zombie Bride" was accepted for publication by AntipodeanSF. It will appear in the October issue. Thanks to F.R.R. Mallory for her ever-helpful critique! "The Gargoyle" was sold to Afterburn SF. It will appear in the February issue. The story received critiques in various incarnations from Mark Ward, Steve Chapman, Elizabeth Shack, Daniel Bartel, F.R.R. Mallory, Adsa Dasdw, Larisa Walk, Jerry Murray, and Sage Vadi. I also turned my short story "Raggedy Chan" into a children's graphic novel. It's now available in full color at Lulu.com. Info on the book can be found on my web site, www.raggedychan.com. Thanks to Deb Atwood, Jerry Murray, Rayne Hall, Michael Keyton, Debbie Smith, and Ruv Draba for great feedback!"

Marshall Payne has sold the SF horror time-travel story called "Facing Myself" to Fear and Trembling.

Steve Ramey has sold his short story "It Takes a Town"  to Triangulations for July 2008 and PodCastle, July 29, 2008.

Tony Stauffer's "Family Reunion" has appeared in the Werewolf Magazine #8, May 2008. 

June 2008

Brenta Blevins says: In May, Lethe Press is publishing my story "Ostraca," in its lesbian ghost story anthology HAUNTED HEARTHS AND SAPPHIC SHADES. Also another story, "A Haunting in Giza" will be in Hadley Rille Books' RUINS METROPOLIS anthology.

Krista Hutley's short story "The Poison Game" will be published in Aoife's Kiss in their September issue. "I'd like to thank everyone on the workshop who reviewed it, especially those who reviewed it twice after I revised and resubmitted it, because the advice I received led to it being my first publication!"

Vylar Kaftan's story "Break the Vessel" will appear in the July issue of Helix.

Carole Ann Moleti has several woo-hoos for us this month. "Noneuclidean Cafe has just published 'Concrete,' an excerpt from my memoir in progress KARMA, KICKBACKS, AND KIDS, which features me, with cameos by several members of my family, in a spoof set amidst the gritty realities, ethnic and otherwise, of life in New York City. Also, my review of the Catholic science fiction anthology INFINITE SPACE, INFINITE GOD, edited by Karina and Robert Fabian, is also in Noneuclidean Cafe. By strange coincidence, my review of BEST FANTASTIC EROTICA edited by Cecilia Tan is now up on The Fix."

Steve Nagy tells us that "Ye Shall Eat in Haste" was sold to Black Static and was in the April 2008 issue. Steve would like to thank Meredith L. Patterson and James Stevens Arce who offered feedback when it was originally drafted, way back when.

Alumnus Marshall Payne sold "The Rendezvous" to Fictitious Force. This makes 25 stories to his credit, nine of which were sold this year.

Sherry Thompson's YA/adult fantasy novel SEABIRD, has been published by Gryphonwood Press, and is now available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and by special order at bookstores. "I owe an enormous debt to OWW members who worked through all 30 chapters of the manuscript between 2002 and 2004 -- M. Dunne, K. Kibelstis, M. Dumas, D. Wood, I. Morrison, W. White, S. Hopewell, others I've forgotten. (Sorry!) Naturally, OWW is listed on my Acknowledgements page. SEABIRD is volume one in my epic fantasy series The Narenta Tumults. Gryphonwood also plans to publish EARTHBOW (volume 2). Parts of EARTHBOW once found their way through OWW, and I suspect they may shortly return. Thanks!"

Jeremy Yoder sold his children's story "Little Yin and the Moon" to Spider Magazine. He says "I'd like to thank Aaron Brown, Seth Skorkowsky, Patty Jansen, and Gregory Clifford for their input."

May 2008

Vylar Kaftan just signed a contract for "What President Polk Said" to appear in the Phantom anthology from Prime Books.

Tochi Onyebuchi, aka Treize Aramistedian, writes: "My short story 'Sand in His Shoes' will be appearing in an upcoming issue of Crimespree Fiction. The story was actually workshopped on the OWW's Fiction Beta branch while that was still in existence, so this one's an oldie. But I'd like to thank everyone who took a look at it. This is my first short-story sale ever, so I'm pretty excited."

Camille Picott found an acceptance letter from Afterburn SF for a sci-fi story called "Gargoyle." It's slated for publication next February. She says, "I'm very excited it has found such a good home!"

Sandra Ulbrich-Almazon is pleased to announce that the anthology FIRESTORM OF DRAGONS will carry her short story "A Reptile at the Reunion." It will be available from Dragon Moon Press in mid-May and on Amazon June 1st. "This story was my first submission to OWW when I joined nearly five years ago, and I wouldn't have sold it without extensive revision based on the many comments I received on OWW."

April 2008

Chris Clarke has sold short story "The Future Hunters," which was an EC winner here late last year, to Strange Horizons. "The story was written for Interzone's Mundane SF issue bur after making the first cut, the editor Geoff Ryman, in probably the nicest rejection letter I've ever received, said it ultimately lost out to another sailing story by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro. I'm very pleased it found a home at Strange Horizons. Many thanks to the late Gary Peterson, Monica Byrne, David Emanuel, Annette Lee, and Stephen Gaskell for their valuable input."

Cathy Freeze sold her 4500-word short fantasy "Practicing Perfection" to Cat Rambo at Fantasy Magazine. "...haven't sold a short story since before the flood. It was posted on the workshop around July of last year, and I wanted to say thanks to my OWW critters--give 'em their due: Sylvia Volk, F.R.R. Mallory, Holly McDowell, Ray Capps, Zvi Zaks, Camille Picott, Kyri Freeman, Sam Butler. People should do those challenges--so many of those have been saleable."

Our crack OWW research team has discovered that Anna Owomoyela's "Small Monuments" will be published in the upcoming issue (#36) of ChiZine . Says Anna: "...I'm in some excellent company. To say I'm excited is an understatement, at best."

Sharon Ramirez writes: "Just wanted to let y'all know my short story "Hotter than Hell" has been purchased by The Edge of Propinquity webzine. Yes, my first commercial sale! This was the first story I brought to my first Context, and Charlie encouraged me to stick with it. Well, I did, and it finally paid off. I want to thank all of you for reading, reviewing and telling me to keep submitting, and for supporting me through the rough first drafts. You guys are the best!"

March 2008

Leah Bobet has sold her short story "Bell, Book, and Candle" to Clockwork Phoenix, an original anthology edited by Mike Allen. She says: Thanks to Amanda Downum, Rayne Hall, Chris Coen, Sylvia Volk, and Bo Balder for their helpful critiques when the story was workshopped! The anthology's release date is Spring 2008. Also, "Furnace Room Lullaby" -- also workshopped back in the day -- has been accepted at horror podcast Pseudopod. The story originally appeared in Fantasy Magazine #5. Thanks again to everyone who gave input on this piece on the 'shop!"

Aliette de Bodard made two more sales this month: "Ys" to Interzone and "Horus Ascending" to IGMS. "Neither of them went through the workshop, but they benefitted greatly from what I learnt there."

Rochita Loenen-Ruiz's story "Rituals of Grief" has been accepted for publication by Reflection's Edge. "This is my second sale to RE. The first one was in 2006. I think I passed 'Rituals of Grief' through the workshop sometime last year. Unfortunately, I don't remember everyone who read it. I do remember Fiona McDonald reading it as well as Calie Voorhis, Aliette de Bodard, and Marshall Payne."

Camille Picott's flash fiction story "Blood Rain" has been published in AlienSkin Magazine. "Thanks to F.R.R. Mallory for a great review!"

February 2008

Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Semi-Finalists include these three OWW members: Michael Keyton for his YA fantasy DREAMSPIDER; Dylan Otto Kriderfor his mystery suspense thriller TAKING OVER; and Jan Whitaker for THE TRUCK: a baby-boomer nostalgia murder mystery. Big congratulations to all three!

Dana Davis has published THE MASK OF TAMIRELLA."I would like to thank OWW critiquers Steve Olson, Yolanda Scott, and Jeanne Foquth for their comments on select chapters of The Mask of Tamirella way back in 2001 when I was writing under the psuedonym Jodi Fox. Their comments, along with those from other workshops, allowed me to tighten and improve the novel for publication."

Michael Keyton has sold "Bony Park" to the Read By Dawn Anthology, Volume 3.

Joseph Rhea's novel CYBERDROME has been published and is now for sale at Amazon.com, with an acknowledgment to OWW!

January 2008

Clover Autrey's fantasy romance UPON EAGLE'S LIGHT is being released from The Wild Rose Press. She says, "I would never have gotten this far without OWW."

Cathy Chance's short story "Call Signs" will be published in the March 2008 edition of Afterburn SF.

Jennifer Dawson's story "Not Quite As It Seems" is being published in the July 2008 issue of Beyond Centauri. She says, "The story was workshopped back in 2003 and would not have been accepted for publication without the many reviews it received here. I'd like to thank Elizabeth Hull, Cathy Freeze, Leonid Korogodski, Donna Johnson, and Susan Elizabeth Curnow for their invaluable feedback."

Rayne Hall says: "Two of my published stories have won Honorable Mentions in Ellen Datlow's Year's Best Fantasy and Horror 2007. I had workshopped both stories at OWW and received very helpful crits. I don't know if anyone remembers critting them since this was in 2004-2006. ('Burning' was originally published in Byzarium and has been anthologised elsewhere several times since in slightly different versions. 'The Bridge Chamber' originally published in the horror anthology Read by Dawn Vol 1)."

Vylar Kaftan has been busy! Not only is Vylar a finalist for the Pagan Fiction Award with her story, "The Black Doe," she also has "Pointing at the Moon" in December's Cosmos and "Scar Stories" in Bandersnatch. And she's just signed a contract for "The Luckiest Street in Georgia" to appear in the June issue of Realms of Fantasy.

Rochita Loenen-Ruiz has sold "The Wordeaters" to Weird Tales. "This is a story that was workshopped on OWW. I'd like to say thanks to the folks who critted this piece. Off the top of my head, I remember Calie Voorhis, Fiona MacDonald, and Erzebet Yellowboy who read this story and I won't forget how Richard Rogers had such faith that the story was a good one."

Sean Markey has sold "Sorrowbird" to Fantasy Magazine. "I would like to thank Vylar Kaftan, Aliette de Bodard, and everyone else who helped by critiquing this story for me."

Suzanne McLeod's agent has made a 3-book deal with Gollancz. SPELLCRACKERS is the first book in the series. Suzanne would like to thank Cathy Freeze, Calie Voorhis, Sierra Black, Ursula Warnecke, Fiona MacDonald, Deb Atwood, Katrina Kidder, Sarah Trick, Sharelle Toomey, "and others, whose names have sadly disappeared into the black hole that ate most of my old computer."

Sandra Panicucci had "Growing Up Dragon" accepted for the Feb-Apr issue of Sorcerous Signals. "Too Hot To Handle" (written for the February 2007 challenge on interspecies dating) was just accepted by Byzarium. She comments, "After four years of rejection that's two in three months. I hesitate to brag because I don't want the gods thinking I'm getting overconfident, but since you asked..."

Ursula Warnecke sold short story "Ink Stained" to Afterburn SF for the June 2008 issue. "The story received two lovely, thoughtful and helpful reviews on OWW, one from M David who I would like to thank very much, and one from Gary Peterson, who I can't unfortunately thank but I have to mention his enthusiasm and interest in the story. Both were really helpful to me in polishing the story. This sale is for Gary."

Beth Wodzinski has gotten word that her story "The Human Clockwork" will appear in the January Flash Fiction Online, a new pro-paying flash market. "I'm really fond of this story, but it's been tricky to place it; I'm thrilled to have it go to a good home."

Maria Zannini has two articles centering on the writing life: "Networking Nightmares" in the December issue of WOW! and "Motivation Triggers" in the January issue of Vision: A Resource for Writers (just in time for resolution-making).

December 2007

Brenta Blevins writes: Raven Electrick Ink is publishing my story "Running for Life" in its Sporty Spec: Games of the Fantastic anthology. The anthology is being launched at the end of November 2007. My story "Submission Letters" is being published in Bound in Skin, an anthology of gothic romances being released by CatScratch Books in December 2007.

Aliette Bodard has a story in Interzone, issue 213: "The Lost Xuyan Bride." She has also sold three workshopped pieces: "The Dancer's Gift" to Fictitious Force, "The Dragon's Tears" to Electric Velocipede, and "Dragon Feasts" to Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine. She says, "I'd like to thank Elizabeth Porco, Heather deLisle, Toms Kreicbergs, and Camile Picott for 'The Dancer's Gift'; Linda Steele, Rochita Loenen-Ruiz, Keir Alekseii Roopnarine, Aimee Poynter, Nancy Kreml for critiquing 'The Dragon's Tears'; Linda Steele, Karen Kobylarz and Marc Ward for 'Dragon Feasts'; and Marshall Payne also took a look at all three off-OWW, which helped tremendously.

Al Bogdan took second place in the Writers Of The Future competition with a story titled "The Girl Who Whispered Beauty." He says, "Huge thanks go out to Bob Haynes who was my first-reader on this story. Thanks also to Christine Ciarrochi Rothrock and Margret Treiber for additional comments that helped me polish it up. Plus, while I'm at it, a shout-out to ALL my old OWW buddies!"

Chris Clarke will have his short story "The Snow Queen's Risk Assessment" reprinted in the small literary journal Wings of Icarus. He also won Jim Van Pelt's Story In Seven Sentences Competition with the short story "A Tale of Seven Seas."

Carlos Cortes writes: "Once upon a time I had the inestimable help of staff and members to transform dribbles into something almost readable. My agent sold Perfect Circle, a few months ago, on a two-book deal with an option on a third to Bantam, an imprint of Random House. According to their crystal ball it will be released in September 2008. Passing through OWW has been one of the highlights of my life. I met my wife there and made scores of friends. My heartfelt thanks to those who helped shape my dream: Shawna Kennedy; Susan Curnow; Treize Armistedian; Michael Goodwin; Andre Oosterman; Brian Otridge; Donna Johnson; Jim Giammatteo; Leonid Korogodski; Deb Cawley; Nemecio Chavez; Ian Morrison; Jeff Kuczynski-Brown; and scores of other wonderful writers."

Vylar Kaftan's short story, "Kill Me" is now available at Helix. Vylar says, "I've got work forthcoming in COSMOS, and my work just appeared in the Bandersnatch and Paper Cities anthologies which debuted at World Fantasy."

Sarah Kelly writes: "A note to let you know my story 'Kukulkan' is published in the December 2007 issue of Analog. I workshopped it at OWW under the title 'Dark Matter Sings Sacrifice.' Many thanks to those who looked at it, I got some great feedback here. I'm listed at OWW under my pseudonym Sarah K. Castle."

Darja Malcolm-Clark writes that "The Beacon" was published in Clarkesworld in August. She adds, "I have also sold 'Pearl in Shadow' to Ideomancer (forthcoming issue), and 'His One True Bride' (which was workshopped on OWW!) to Fantasy Magazine (coming out in March or April)."

Sandra McDonald's short story "The Fireman's Fairy" is in the December issue of Realms of Fantasy, which should be available on shelves now. She says "I'm a big fan of Realms of Fantasy and I'm glad they liked that story."

Ruth Nestvold sold world rights for her novel Yseult (final title TBD) to a German publisher (Random House, imprint Blanvalet), and they will be trying to market it to other Random House imprints in other countries. The German translation will probably come out in the winter of 2008/2009. The contract includes hardcover, trade paperback, and paperback.

Ian Tregillis writes: "Three days ago, my agent and I formally accepted an offer from Patrick Nielsen Hayden at Tor to purchase my science-fantasy trilogy The Milkweed Triptych. Holy cow! My first novel sale, and a three-book deal to boot! Even though I haven't workshopped the Milkweed novels through the OWW, this is very much an OWW-related victory. The Milkweed universe started out as a single short story that I wrote four years ago. Kelly Link reviewed that story, "Heart of Oak", as an Editors' Choice way back in December 2003! It was Kelly's review, and the feedback from my crit partners here on OWW, that gave me the confidence that the Milkweed world and the characters in it were worth exploring further. I wouldn't be here today if not for the 'orkshop. Thanks, OWW. I'm a lifer."

Steve Westcott signed a two-book deal with Frontlist Books, an imprint of Softeditions, a number of months ago, The second edition of Reluctant Heroes was released on 1st October this year with the sequel, Cronan the Librarian, scheduled for release on 8th March 2008. He notes, "Both books were heavily workshopped in their early stages and I owe thanks to the likes of Pen Hardy, Shawn Cormier, Nancy Proctor, Roger Anderson, Miquela Faure to name but a few. Without OWW and their help my scribblings would have struggled to achieve publication standard. Cheers, guys."

We have four authors who made the quarterfinals in the Amazon Breakout Novel Contest: Rhonda S. Garcia for her novel "Lex Talionis"; Jon Paradise for his novel "Changing Fates"; Mary E. Tyler for her skating novel "On the Edge"; and Jan Whitaker for her novel "The Truck: A Baby-Boomer Nostalgia Murder Mystery". Congratulations to all! And good luck in the finals.

Maria Zannini has signed with Samhain Publishing for her futuristic fantasy Touch of Fire, to be released Summer 2008. "From the time I decided to take up fiction to when I was offered the contract turned out to be three years almost to the day. I couldn't have done it without my OWW critique partners, Dorothy Winsor, Mike Keyton and Margaret Fisk. Thank you, my friends for your astute observations and the sharp, bloodied instruments you used to keep me focused."

Jennifer Dawson's story "Not Quite As It Seems," is being published in the July 2008 issue of Beyond Centauri. She says, "The story was workshopped back in 2003 and would not have been accepted for publication without the many reviews it received here. I'd like to thank Elizabeth Hull, Cathy Freeze, Leonid Korogodski, Donna Johnson, and Susan Elizabeth Curnow for their invaluable feedback." Jennifer's flash fiction story "New Philadelphia" was accepted at Flashshot. Jenniver says, "I wrote that one on my friend Cal's advice for a Drabbler contest on alien brothels. It didn't make it into that contest, but I chopped it down to a hundred words and it'll be published in January."

Rochita Loenen-Ruiz sold "Six Events in a Love Story", an original fairy tale to Byzarium, appearing in the October 2007 issue.

Heidi Kneale sold her Dragon Smut challenge story "God's Wrath" to the Black Dragon, White Dragon anthology, due out at the end of 2007 or early 2008. Heidi says, "Black Gate editor Howard Andrew Jones liked my story, but didn't think it was right for Black Gate, so he recommended Black Dragon, White Dragon. Lo and behold, I sold. Alas, I didn't get to keep the 'dragon smut' line, but I did get to keep the 'venom cocks' line."

Mike Keyton has a story coming up in the anthology Strange Stories of Sand and Sea called "Beside The Sea Side, Beside The Sea" published by Fine Tooth Press due out by the end of 2007.

June and July 2007

Tom Barlow's story "The Hard Way" has been podcasted by Well Told Tales.

Elizabeth Bear's CARNIVAL was named to the "Top 10 SF/Fantasy" list in the may issue of Booklist.

Orson Scott Card contracted with TOR to publish an anthology of stories that have appeared in the first four issues of his online magazine, OSC's Intergalactic Medicine Show. It will include OWWer Brad Beaulieu's story "In the Eyes of the Empress's Cat." Brad also has a new story comming out in the DIMENSIONS NEXT DOOR anthology that will be published next year by DAW.

Susan Curnow sold her workshopped story "The Hawk, the Hound, and the Lady Fair" to Aoife's Kiss. When she can stop dancing, she sends her "thanks to all who reviewed it."

Earl P. Dean's short story "The Heat Tailor" will appear in SAY...What's the Combination? edited by Christopher Rowe and Gwenda Bond. He admits that "it has not been workshopped on the OWW, but I'm sure the final edit before submission was informed by the observations of this community, so thanks. And way to go to all the OWW members who work so hard." Indeed.

Aliette de Bodard's story "Deer Flight" is going to be in Interzone 211, the special Michael Moorcock issue. And her story "Sea Child" sold to Coyote Wild for their Fall 2007 issue. Aliette writes: "I'd like to extend my thanks to those who critted it on OWW. Unfortunately, while I know I workshopped it, I haven't kept tabs of who took a look at it...." Just consider yourself thanked.

Chris R. Evans (OWW member 1999-2001), sold the Iron Elves series, which he describes as "Shanarra meets Sharpe's Rifles," to Pocket Books. A DARKNESS FORGED IN FIRE, the first book, will come out in hardcover in 2008.

Margaret Fisk's short story "Unique Worlds" won first place in The Twelfth Annual PARSEC Science Fiction and Fantasy Short Story Contest! She tells us: "This is my first sale since joining OWW! As part of the prize, my story will appear in the Confluence 2007 program book for everyone to read. I'll be going if any of you are. Special thanks to David Cummings, Swapna Kishore, Matt Herreshoff, and David Weisman, who are now saying, 'Huh? What?' because they reviewed 'Unique Worlds' under its first title of 'Out of Warranty,' but I took Matt's advice and went through two titles before settling on 'Unique Worlds'."

One of Stephen Gaskell's stories, originally titled "A Shadow Over Bedlam," recently sold to Pseudopod. Stephen informs us that "The piece was completely re-written after a fantastic critique by Ruv Draba, who helped immensely in the story's reincarnation as a somewhat different beast called 'Everyone Carries a Shadow.' Props to everyone at the workshop for helping me get to sale number two so soon after the first one! The story should be available for download in three to six months."

Vylar Kaftan's story "Dinner Made Willing" is up at The Town Drunk. It was workshopped as "Eat Organic." Vy sends "Thanks to everyone who helped improve the story!" "Godivy," a former EC story, sold to the PAPER CITIES anthology. "Something Wicked This Way Plumbs" sold to Shimmer. And Vy's story "Galatea" appears in Heliotrope. Wow!

Melissa Marr's first novel, WICKED LOVELY, which grew out of a story she workshopped on OWW, debuted at number 8 on the New York Times bestseller list, and then climbed to number 2 and 3 for a few weeks. Which is pretty darn cool!

Jill Myles, who belonged to OWW under a different name, sold SEX STARVED, the tale of a nerd-turned-succubus, and a sequel to Pocket Books for release in Fall 2008.

Ruth Nestvold's story "The Leaving Sweater" was published by Strange Horizons.

"The Nurse's Tale" by Sharon Ramirez received an Honorable Mention in last quarter's Writer's of the Future contest. Sharon says, "I'd like to everyone who reviewed this story, especially Crash Froelich, Katrina Kidder, Matt Herreshof, Mike Keyton and others--sorry, but I misplaced some names, you know who you are. Everyone made such great suggestions, and helped so much in the rewrite process. I'm excited because while I didn't place in the top three, I know this is how a career in writing is built, one brick at a time. Again, many thanks!"

David Reagan sold "Solitude Ripples From the Past" to Futurismic. It's his third sale this year!

Rachel Swirsky's story, "A Letter Never Sent," is up at the Konundrum Engine Literary Review.

Jeremy Yoder has a story in the humorous fantasy anthology entitled BASH DOWN THE DOOR AND SLICE OPEN THE BAD GUY.

May 2007

Aliette de Bodard just sold her alternate history novelette "The Lost Xuyan Bride" to Interzone. She writes that "This is my second sale to them, and I'm amazed it happened all over again." She sold another novelette, "The Naming at the Pool," to Reflection's Edge for their May issue. And her short story "Weepers and Ragers" is now up in the Second Quarter 2007 issue of Abyss & Apex. Wow -- what a month!

Pat Lundrigan was a member of OWW until January of this year. He must have seen something good coming, because his story "Hangar Queen" won the first quarter 2007 Writers of the Future contest and will be published next year. It was workshopped under the title "Shop Queen," and Pat sends thanks to reviewers Martin McGrath, Chris Coen, Keith Pilkinton, Martha Knox, and Robert Haynes. He told us that "Robert had the foresight to say this in his crit: 'Excellent story, and one that I think will have an excellent chance at Writers of the Future once it's revised and polished.' How's that for a prediction?! Those critiques helped me straighten out a few things in the story and made it so much better. Thanks again guys!" Pat entered Writers of the Future twenty-one times before winning, proving that persistence does pay off. He joins numerous other past OWWers in winning this recognition. Congratulations!

Karen Miller's novel THE INNOCENT MAGE, which was originally workshopped on OWW years ago, has been published in the UK by Orbit and was the #1 bestselling science fiction/fantasy title last month. It will be released in the US this September. She's getting used to those number-one spots: her media tie-in novel STARGATE SG-1: ALLIANCES was the #1 Gardners UK bestseller for the 4th quarter of 2006. She's currently got 8 novels under contract in 3 different markets (Australia, UK, and US). Karen told us: "I've said it before and I'll say it again -- the OWW gave me the strength and courage to keep going more times than I can count."

April 2007

Tom Barlow, part of the famous OWW Clarion class of '05, saw his story "Call Me Mr. Positive" appear in Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show, Issue #4, February 2007.

Elizabeth Bear reports that Realms of Fantasy is buying her obligatory nontraditional-format Rock-And-Roll Elf story, "Hobnoblin Blues." Internationally, her story "Sounding" was shortlisted for a British Science Fiction Association Award, while Hiyakawa purchased Japanese translation rights for her debut trilogy, HAMMERED, SCARDOWN, and WORLDWIRED.

Leah Bobet's story "After the War" appears in the latest issue of Sybil's Garage.

Siobhan Carroll sold "The White Isle" to Realms of Fantasy.

Alliette de Bodard sold her short story "Within the City of the Swan" to Shimmer for their Art issue (short stories inspired by a piece of art). Among the critters she thanked on her livejournal were Mary Robinette, Marshall Payne, and all the OWWers who took a look at it.

Somehow we think we overlooked the fact that Amanda Downum's story "The Salvation Game" will be appearing the BEST OF FANTASY MAGAZINE anthology coming out early this summer. Whoops. Glad we fixed that, because if you missed it the first time, now you've got another chance to see it.

Mark Fewell's story "Those Who Came To Learn And Die" was published in the Spring 2007 issue of NonEuclidean Cafe.

Charles Coleman Finlay's science fiction bodymod crime noir short story "An Eye for an Eye," about a man who has an eyeball transplanted to his rear, appears in the June issue of F&SF.

Nancy Fulda's story "Pastry Run" appeared in Baen's Universe #4.

Merrie Haskell's story "One Million Years B.F.E.: Diary of an Anthropologist in Exile" appears in The Town Drunk.

Sandra McDonald sold "The Fireman's Fairy" to Realms of Fantasy, her fourth sale to that magazine. In addition, her first novel, THE OUTBACK STARS, was released into the wild by Tor this month.

Karen Miller's novel THE INNOCENT MAGE was the #1 bestselling SFF title in the United Kingdom during early April.

Ruth Nestvold and frequent co-author Jay Lake saw their story "Incipit" appear in TEXT:UR - THE NEW BOOK OF MASKS, edited by Forrest Aguirre. Their story "The Big Ice" appeared in Baen's Universe #4.

Sarah Prineas sold a reprint of her short story "The Fates Take a Holiday" to the ANDROMEDA SPACEWAYS INFLIGHT MAGAZINE BEST OF FANTASY anthology. Oh, and we should also mention that HarperCollins sold French language rights to Sarah's novel MAGIC THIEF and two sequels, at auction, to Gallimard, and Finnish language rights to Tammi.

Benjamin Rosenbaum published two stories in 2006. Ho hum, right? Oh, wait, "The House Beyond Your Sky," which some of you will remember from the workshop as well as its appearance at Strange Horizons, will be included in Dozois's YEAR'S BEST SCIENCE FICTION, VOL. 24. And in Horton's SCIENCE FICTION: THE BEST OF THE YEAR, 2007. And in Strahan's THE BEST SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY OF THE YEAR, VOL. 1. Should we even mention that it was also shortlisted for a British Science Fiction Association Award? (You can see the whole list at http://www.bsfa.co.uk/index.cfm/section.shortlist2006) His other story was "A Siege of Cranes," published in TWENTY EPICS, edited by Moles and Groppi. It's being reprinted in Datlow, Link, and Grant's YEAR'S BEST FANTASY & HORROR, VOL. 20. And in Horton's BEST FANTASY OF THE YEAR, 2007. AND also in Strahan's THE BEST SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY OF THE YEAR, VOL. 1. Even Ben is pleasantly stunned.

Sonya M. Sipes sold her flash piece "Sitting Fee" to AlienSkin for their June/July 2007 issue.

Rachel Swirsky saw her poem "Disparate Parts" in the latest issue of Sybil's Garage. She also has a silly flash piece appearing in Spacesuits and Sixguns, with her story "How the World Became Quiet: A Post-Human Creation Myth" forthcoming in Electric Velocipede and her poem "Inside Her Heart" forthcoming in Ideomancer

Mikal Trimm (OWW member 2001 - 2004) had three stories appear recently in The Town Drunk: "Cable and the Possible God," "Cable and the Sword of Destiny," and "Cable and the High Seas."

Jaime Voss, aka Jaime Lee Moyer, saw her poem "Farewell" in the latest issue of Sybil's Garage.

Wade White's story "The Assassin's Gentleman" sold to Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine. He thanks "Annita B, Travis Blair, Eric Bresin, Rae Carson, Michael Keyton, M. Thomas, Ruth Williams, and Eli Zaren, none of whom may actually remember ever commenting on it since it was so long ago (like, two years or something; the story spent a year on the shelf, which just goes to show you shouldn't leave stories sitting on the shelf for a year, I guess." He was also the writer for a short film that screened in Toronto at Bloor Cinema as part of the Toronto Film Challenge Festival.

March 2007

Ilona Gordon, writing as Ilona Andrews, will see her first novel MAGIC BITES, published by Ace, available in stores March 27. Ilona says, "Thank you once again to everyone who believed in the manuscript and offered their advice, critique, and support: Charles Coleman Finlay, Ellen Key Harris-Braun, Jenni Smith-Gaynor, Hannah Wolf Bowen, Jeff Stanley, Larry Payne, Nora Fleischer, Mark Jones, Del Whetter, Steve Orr, A. Wheat, Betty Foreman, Catherine Emery, Elizabeth Hull, Susan Curnow, Richard C. Rogers, Aaron Brown, David Emanuel, Jodi Meadows, Christiana Ellis, Kyri Freeman, Elizabeth Bear, and Mary Davis. Without you, the manuscript would not have made it into print. I owe you more than I can express."

Angela Boord's story "Evergreen" was chosen for BEST NEW ROMANTIC FANTASY, edited by Paula Guran.

Amanda Downum's story "Smoke & Mirrors" was chosen for BEST NEW ROMANTIC FANTASY, edited by Paula Guran.

Mark Fewell sold his story "Return Of The Troll-slayer" to Sorcerous Signals.

Way Jeng, who was part of the OWW group at Clarion in 2006, has his second and third pro sales, with "Second Banana" sold to Baen's Universe and "Time Tells All" to Realms of Fantasy.

Sandra McDonald's "The Mountains of Key West" was chosen for BEST NEW ROMANTIC FANTASY, edited by Paula Guran.

Bill McKinley is pleased to tell us that issue 27 of Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine includes his short story "The Return of the Queen," which the workshop helped him polish in 2005.

Joshua Palmatier's first novel, THE SKEWED THRONE, is one of the four finalists for the Baltimore Science Fiction Society's Compton Crook/Stephen Tall Memorial Award for best first novel of 2006.

Sarah Prineas's "Jane: A Story of Manners, Magic, and Romance" was chosen for BEST NEW ROMANTIC FANTASY, edited by Paula Guran. (Is anyone else starting to notice a pattern here?) She also sold the German rights for her forthcoming trilogy in an auction to Bertlesman, with a release date in 2009 just like her American editions. This follows the sale of world Dutch rights, in a pre-empt, to Gottmer (Netherlands), Danish language rights, in an auction, to Borgen (Denmark), and world Spanish rights, in a pre-empt, to Random House Mondadori (Spain, with divisions in Mexico plus South America). Can you say "Wow?"

David Reagan sold his story "One Choice, No Decisions" to Renard's Menagerie. He sends "thanks to the folks who critted it in November of 2004: Wade White, Gregory Clifford, Maria Zannini, Daniel Sackinger, and Zvi Zaks."

February 2007

In February 2007 Rackstraw Press published GLORIFYING TERRORISM, an anthology of sf short stories written in protest of the United Kingdom's Terrorism Act. The book boasts some familiar OWW names in the table of contents: Kathryn Allen, Vylar Kaftan, and Rachel Swirsky. Some other writers in the anthology include Marie Brennan, Hal Duncan, Gwyneth Jones, Ken MacLeod, Charlie Stross, Jo Walton, Ian Watson, and others. You can check it out at Rackstraw Press.

Leah Bobet's story "Three Days and Nights in Lord Darkdrake's Hall," which was once known as "The Evil Story (tm)" for all the grief it gave her to write, was published in Strange Horizons.

Johne Cooke reports his first paid sale. "The Reconstructed Man," Cooke's riff on Bester's famous similarly-titled novel, appears in the new Christian sci-fi ezine, Wayfarer's Journal.

Aliette de Bodard sold a flash piece "Weepers and Ragers" to Abyss and Apex for their 3rd Quarter 2007 issue. Also, her short story "Autumn's Country" has been picked up by Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine for their 30th issue in June 2007. She's happy to have such a strong start to the year, and says that "although neither piece went through OWW, I received thoughtful and very helpful criticism from OWWers Linda Steele and Marshall Payne."

Casey Fiesler sold her short story "Answer Me This" to The Town Drunk. We translated "It's my first sale of an OWW-critted piece!" to "Thanks to everyone on OWW who critted it for me!"

The zombicorns go pro! Long-time OWWer and everyone's favorite professional copyeditor (well, my favorite, for what that's worth--your humble newsletter editor), Deanna Hoak made her first pro sale, and did it with her _Strange Horizons_ April Fool's Day zombie unicorn story "The Robidermist's Steed." Look for it in SFWA-qualifying market Dark Wisdom.

Anna Kashina has another German-language novel sale! She sold THE FIRST SWORD to German publisher Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag. She told the mailing list that "they are treating it like a big epic fantasy project and hope to sell it back to the American publishers eventually, and I am very excited about it. This one definitely would never have happened without OWW, because a lot of this novel was edited and rewritten at the workshop and had been posted more than once. Thanks to all of you who reviewed many raw versions of this novel over the past 6 years and to all of you OWWers for help and support!"

Heidi Kneale sold her short story "Eyes of the Swan" to CROSSROADS: A CHRISTIAN ANTHOLOGY of Australian authors. She tells us that "this story was reviewed on the Workshop waaaaay waaaaaay back when it was still Del Rey. I think it was one of the first few pieces I'd posted. I can't remember everyone who reviewed it, but Jennifer DeGuzman was one of them. Still, thanks to you all."

Celia Marsh sold "Firing the Dead" to Fantasy.

Former member Dean McMillen, writing as Dean Chalmers, emailed us to say that his novel THE KEY OF OBERKION, early chapters of which were workshopped on OWW, has been published by StoneGarden (http://www.stonegarden.net/), a print-on-demand publisher. He says, " I'd like to thank all those helpful people on OWW who gave me feedback on the early chapters and helped me to find the right voice for the story."

Darren Moore sold "The Most Daunting Task of All" to FANTASTICAL VISIONS V. He thanks everybody who reviewed it when it was on the workshop a long, long time ago.

Catherine Morrison sold "The Glass Children" to Fantasy.

Camille Picott's collection "Nanobytes: A Collection of Speculative Flash Fiction" is available for free download on her website at http://www.camillepicott.com. Each of the stories is accompanied by anillustration from graphic artist Joey Manfre. And her flash story "Mr. Stump" was accepted for publication by Bewildering Stories. It was critiqued by F.R.R. Mallory of OWW.

Chelsea Polk sold "Kether Station" to Baen's Universe. Chelsea tells us that "this story was workshopped on OWW in, I think, 2004. I remember that Charlie Finlay helped me a lot by using the story to teach me about pacing, Kat Allen provided both grammar picks and an insight about the structure of the characters that made it make sense, Elizabeth Bear knew just where the extraneous stuff was and helped me keep exposure to the cool points of the setting without losing the direction of the story, and Mike Farrell had a point about electronic hardware that kept me from looking like a doof. The windows on the space station are entirely my doing, and not his fault at all."

Kaori Praschak wants to say thanks to Matthew Herreshoff, Kevin Miller, Barbara Gordon, and Calie Voorhis for helping with her science fiction story "Fixer Uppers" last year. Coyote Wild has just taken it for an upcoming issue.

John Schoffstall sold his flash story "She's a Flight Risk" to Raven Electrick, scheduled to go live 10/26/2007. He sends "special thanks to Raymond Walshe, Eric Bresin, Ruth Nestvold, Kenneth Rapp, Mur Lafferty, and David Reagan, who critted this story when it was on OWW."

From EC to ToC in record time! Debbie Smith reports that "The Charnel House" sold to Stephen Jones for his SUMMER CHILLS anthology due out in May. Debbie writes: "I'd like to thank all the people who critiqued the story, as well as Jeanne Cavelos for her great comments."

Amber van Dyk sold a super literary barely fantasy euthanasia short based on misheard Fixmer/McCarthy lyrics to Fantasy. Kinda makes you want to go out and subscribe, just so you don't miss it.

Jeremy Yoder reports his second pro -- and second media tie-in -- short-story sale. "Reborn" will appear in the anthology STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS 10. Which is pretty darn cool. He says "thanks to everyone who's ever critted me. It's all helpful." Then, more honestly, he adds, "Well, actually about 84% of it's helpful." The trick is always picking out the right 84%.

January 2007

Rae Dawn Carson sold "Fugue," the story that shall not be known as "Crazy Dungeon Dude, " to Weird Tales. Rae writes: "This piece was workshopped as 'Painted Songs" and was a victim...er...beneficiary of the Great Crit Marathon of 2005. So, HUGE thanks to all 15 of you who reviewed it, particularly to PJ Thompson, Charlie Finlay, Michael Merriam, Jodi Meadows, Holly McDowell, Jaime Voss, Jeremy Yoder, and Aaron Brown."

Elizabeth Ann Ensley's story "Shadow Play" will appear in THE PARASITORIUM II: PARASITIC SANDS, and her story "Crow's Feat" will appear in Free Fall in February, 2007.

Mark Fewell sold his story "Fading" to the webzine Written Word.

Charles Coleman Finlay sold "The Minutemen's Witch" to Fantasy & Science Fiction. He thanks Rae Carson, chance morrison, and Amber van Dyk for their help on it, and says, "Yes, Amber, it was the egg. It was all the egg."

Bill Freedman sold his short story "Intentions" to the HOLY HORRORS anthology, paying pro rates and due out in autumn, 2007. Bill writes: "OWW made this possible because it introduced me to fellow Long Island writers Wendy Delmater and Eric Bresin. The three of us founded a crit group that has been meeting monthly for more than two years now. Eric, Wendy and our partners were instrumental in providing the feedback to bring 'Intentions' up to a publishable level."

Patty Jansen's short story "Bigger Fish" will be part of the FANTASTIC WONDER STORIES anthology that will be launched at Swancon during Easter weekend. Patty sends "thanks to OWW members Satima Flavell, Karen Kobylarz, Kevin Miller, Stelios Touchtidis, Melissa Bowden, Greg Byrne and Zvi Zaks for reviewing. Some of you good friends said this could never be published, which made me all the more determined to show that it could."

Heidi Kneale e-mailed us with a sale and a problem. "Am I getting cynical, forgetful in my old age or simply coming to terms that I regularly sell stuff, but I forgot to mention that I sold a slipstream/fantasy story called 'A Little Help' to Unbelieveable Stories a few weeks ago. Forgive me for forgetting about the occasional story or article (hmmm... did I forget one of those too?), but if you ever find me forgetting to mention a book sale, please give me the reaming I deserve." She didn't forget the article. "Where's the Sci-Fi" is being presented on the Academic Track of the "Life, the Universe & Everything" Science Fiction and Fantasy Symposium at Brigham Young University. You can download it here.

Michael Merriam sold his short story "Over the Bridge" to The Harrow. Michael would like to thank the workshop members John Schoffstall, Sam Butler, Juliet Nordeen, Chris Russo, and Wendy Bartlett for their work on this story so long ago.

Camille Mulan sold her flash story "Terrorists: The Next Generation," in which radioactive gophers defend their homeland from pesky humans, to Alien Skin. She tells us this is a "happy way to start the new year! Though this wasn't workshopped through OWW, F.R.R. Mallory of OWW did provide me with some valuable feedback."

Sarah Prineas sold three YA fantasy books to Melanie Donovan at HarperCollins for a good, no, make that "freaking amazing" deal. Hardcover publication of the first book, currently called MAGIC THIEF, will be in winter 2009 (so as not to compete with He Who Shall Not Be Named), with paperback publication a year later on publication of the second hardcover, and so on. Sarah gives credit to OWW: "Without the OWW, I never would have taken writing seriously or taken myself as a writer seriously."

Karen Swanberg's novella, "Memory of Touch," is up at Abyss and Apex Karen tells us: "I received an amazing amount of help from OWW members and others: Pen Hardy and the DROWWZoo Focus Group, William Freedman, Wendy S. Delmater, Bonnie Freeman, Melinda Goodin, chance m, Suzann Dodd, and from the long-dead s-ent yagoo group: R.M. Koske and Starr. As well as Terry and my wonderful face-to-face writers group."

OUR CRITERIA
How we chose the listings and categories above

All of the writers featured here are members of the Online Writing Workshop for SF & F (or its predecessor, the Del Rey Online Writing Workshop). We include sales and publications by workshop members (noting if the works were workshopped here, in whole or in part), current members' awards and honors, and anything else we think belongs in the Hall of Fame.

We will emphasize SF&F publications, since that's the focus of the workshop, even though we know some of our members are accomplishing other things outside the genre.

While we try to include things fairly, final determination of all Hall of Fame entries belongs to the workshop administration. We do our best to verify all information and links, but if we get anything wrong--or if we haven't included your sale or publication--please contact us.

Links: we try to provide links to more information on the publications whenever possible. In the case of book publication, we often link to Amazon, since it is an accepted source of information, but we are not an Amazon associate and aren't earning any percentage from these links. If you are the author and would like us to link to a personal or publisher site instead, just tell us which one. We have no deal with the magazines we link to for short stories, either. The only people who benefit from this feature of our site are our members and the venues that publish them.

NEWS? LET US KNOW

Sold something recently? Have something currently in print that we haven't announced yet? Won an award? Garnered any other honors? Tell us about it! Send your news (including URLs if any) to us via our Contact Us form and, if appropriate, we'll include it in the Hall of Fame and/or the next workshop newsletter. The Hall of Fame is updated monthly when the newsletter is published.