Writing: August 2007 Archives

Y'all,

Port Chicago Isn't There Anymore--But We Still Call It Home is DONE. I've said that before, I believe, as I've touched several milestones that felt like 'the end,' and it makes me wonder when a book is really, finally, finished. When you write 'the end' on the last page of the first draft? When you finish the 'final' edit, macro or micro? When it sells, or when it goes to print? Some special award or recognition? It's all a process--no news there. I'm realizing the process RIGHT NOW. I just got my POD copy of Port Chicago Isn't There a few minutes ago from Lulu. It arrived sooner than I thought. There are some tweaks I need to make--I should have a TOC for the ARCs, IMHO, and an author's bio in the back, but I can proceed for now without an index and the memorial list and that short '3 questions' chapter I've been chewing on. (Come to think of it, the book can be published--as is--NOW.) I'll see how easy it is to make the tweaks this week. If it isn't easy, I'll fuggetaboutit and order 25 of what I got. It'll do for my purposes--solicit corrections, additions and comment from a select list of principle contacts.

I done it. There are more milestones yet, of course. When Patrick sets it, when we get a cover done, when he ships the first box of books, when I ship the first signed copy to the first buyer--and so on. More milestones—but I done it.

I done it.

I started this project in 1984. Quit several times. Worked on it almost daily for the past two years. Got rejected 116 times. Tens of thousands of hours of research and reading and writing, thousands of articles and documents parsed, millions of words written deleted and rewritten and edited, and hundreds of interviews conducted.

I done it.

By the way, if you don't know what I'm talking about it, read the intro to the book on my website. Comments welcome.

Ken

Read the introduction to Ken Rand's Port Chicago Isn't There Anymore--But We Still Call It Home at www.sfwa.org/members/Rand/. (to be published Saturday, July 26, 2008).

Rules Summary

Open to all writers

No entry fee

Amateur and Professional categories

Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Anime/Manga genres

50,000 words maximum

Original work not based on copyrighted worlds or characters

No adult themes or excessively foul language

Standard manuscript format

Electronic submissions will be accepted

Please contact the contest coordinator before submitting electronically

All submissions must be accompanied by completed Official Entry Form

Deadline: Entries must be postmarked, time stamped no later than Midnight, April 15, 2008. 

Rules Summary

Open to all writers

No entry fee

Amateur and Professional categories

Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Anime/Manga genres

5,000 words maximum

Original work not based on copyrighted worlds or characters

No adult themes or excessively foul language

Standard manuscript format

Electronic submissions will be accepted

Please contact the contest coordinator before submitting electronically

All submissions must be accompanied by completed Official Entry Form

Deadline: Entries must be postmarked, time stamped no later than Midnight, April 30, 2008.

Rules Summary

Open to all writers

No entry fee

Amateur and Professional categories

Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, Anime/Manga genres

1,500 words maximum

Original work not based on copyrighted worlds or characters

No adult themes or excessively foul language

Standard manuscript format

Electronic submissions will be accepted

Please contact the contest coordinator before submitting electronically

All submissions must be accompanied by completed Official Entry Form

Deadline: Entries must be postmarked, time stamped no later than Midnight, April 30, 2008.

CONduit 2008 Fiction Competition 

Attn: RGH

P.O. Box 11745

Salt Lake City, Utah 84147-0745

Email the contest coordinator at conduitfiction@gmail.com