New Anthology Coming Soon

I just got some great news from one of the best guys I know in the writing business, BJ Bourg. He's a helluva guy and has been very supportive ever since I was introduced to him several years ago.

BJ is the Founding Editor at Mouth Full of Bullets - a very successful Crime Magazine (his publication is available electronically and just recently in print as well) MFOB has been a hit from day one and last year I was lucky enough to get a story accepted there.

BJ wrote me an email saying he had decided to do a print anthology of the best stories in 2007. Somehow mine made it in .... and I really mean that. There are some big hitters in it including Frank Zafiro, John M. Floyd, Herschel Cozine, Guy Belleranti, Kimberly Brown, Sandra Seamans and a host of others with names that are highly recognizable in the Crime genre (and elsewhere for that matter). I'll have more on all of this later but here is another quick link to MFOB. Check it out, you won't be sorry.

http://mouthfullofbullets.com/

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

Happy Holidays too. Best wishes in '08. Thanks for coming by. - Jim

New Amazon Short

"Dead Reckoning" is now up at Amazon Shorts. The link is below (right column) under the section 'stories finding good homes'. Give it a shot. Only 49 cents to download and please feel free to tell me there or here what you think of it. Feeling real industrious? You can write a review on Amazon. Thanks, Jim.

Buck Up Time

Well, it's been awhile since my last post .... again. Seems as if I haven't been very consistent here. This will be a short and very brief little check-in. I have been in a holding pattern with my writing. Still writing of course, hell I'll always write, but life has gotten in the way the last half of this year. Priorities are priorities. Explanations will follow but not right now. No, not right now because I always want this to be a positive place...and that just ain't where I'm at right now.

It's time for me to just Buck Up, or Cowboy Up, whichever you prefer. SO, I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and an even better Christmas...and YEAH, I said CHRISTMAS. Seriously, I wish everyone who reads this the best Holiday Season ever. That's probably it on here until 2008 - maybe. JJW

Two Months!

Wow, when I looked at the date of my last post I couldn't believe it. Time for an update on what's been going on:

*The book Oh, Enemy Mine which I've already outlined is due to be printed and released this month. I'm waiting on the details of that in terms of timing, availablity, etc. As soon as I have that I'll post it up. Once again the publisher will be Aisling Press and I'll have 3 stories in it. I will also be in some very good company - virtually surrounded by talented, accomplished writers who can't help but make me look better.

*I'll be submitting several new stories to Amazon Shorts in the very near future. Which stories those will be is not finalized yet but I'll let you know which ones I decided on in my next post.

*Speaking of Amazon Shorts, I am involved in a very interesting project that I hope comes off big. A group of current Amazon Shorts authors decided to put together an anthology of sorts. It has a central theme and there are 21 stories in all. The book, titled The World Outside My Window, will be printed and have approximateky 300 pages. There has been a proposal made to market it in conjuction with Amazon Shorts either directly or indirectly. But there will be a book either way. My story Only There Was No Wind has already been accepted. Looking forward to this and interested in finding out how it will be marketed. More to come on this as well.

AND that kids, is all I have for now. Be back soon - JJW

Friends Close, Enemies Closer

Several days ago I got some great news. Earlier this year I was invited by Bo Savino (thanks to a testimonial given by the same Frank and Jill mentioned below!) to submit multiple stories for an upcoming anthology which will be titled Oh, Enemy Mine I certainly don't need to introduce Bo who is well known in the writing business but she was formerly with Koboca Publishing and now heads up the newly founded Aisling Press.

Bo has informed me that I will have 3 stories in the anthology; All In, Thin Shafts of Light and First In, Last Out. A tentative window for availabilty of the book is sometime in mid to late October from what I've been told. I'm not only excited to have 3 stories in this anthology. The idea that Bo Savino will be producing the finished product and that authors like Frank Zafiro , Jill Maser and other talented writers will have multiple stories as well, is a thrill. I believe this book will be a winner and I hope anyone that reads this will keep an eye out for it. As the time gets closer, I'll have a front and back cover up here along with ordering information, participating outlets, etc.

Talk to you soon and if you haven't tried one of my short stories on Amazon, The Sculptor or Roses (links are on the lower right below) please give them a try. What else can you buy for 49 cents these days? Thanks. - Jim

The Sculptor

Very excited here. My new Amazon Short Story is up and available for download. Its a story that hits very close to home for me and hopefully you'll give it a read if you stumble onto it. The Sculptor is linked below in the Stories Finding Homes section.

Thanks folks.

Mumms the Word

I received some great news this morning! My story Mulhammsek won 1st place in a contest called Cruising For Murder, hosted by Mysterical-E. The story is one that has quite a history to it. Originally it was written for an anthology, and accepted after a few revisions, but then it became mired, bogged down in the publishing phase and I ended it up pulling it from consideration before it was all over. Several other authors also pulled their stories and it was disappointing for all involved. The story joined my substantial pile of unaccepted stories once again. The ironic part was that I really liked it and felt good about it but it was such a specialized theme story that I really didn't think I would ever find a fit for it.

It's a thriller-horror-mystery I suppose and it's being featured on a fine, well recognized e-zine that is well respected within fictional publishing circles. Check Mysterical-E out. They have a lot of variety and some very talented contributors...I don't know what the hell I'm doing on there but hey, I'll take it - with pride. Thanks Joe and thanks Mysterical-E. The link is down below and to the right, in Stories Finding Good Homes.