I am a Writers of the Future Contest Semi-Finalist for the Fourth Quarter, 2013

I have just been informed that I am a Writers of the Future Contest Semi-Finalist for the Fourth Quarter, 2013. It's cool to get so close, but also kind of a bummer. However, I'll be getting some feedback on my novella, "Star Heart, Skin of Darkness," so I expect I'll tweak it and send it back out. Hopefully it will find a home soon.

-RLR

"Best in Show" to appear in Stupefying Stories

My scifi, flash length cat show story will appear in Stupefying Stories (probably it's Showcase feature). This is humor sale #4 for me to Stupefying Stories. It's nice that Stupefying Stories' editor, Bruce Bethke, and I seem to appreciate the same kind of humor. I'll post a link when the story goes live. It's one of my favorites!

-RLR

"One Man's Trash" has been accepted by Untied Shoelaces of the Mind

My flash piece, "One Man's Trash," has been accepted by Untied Shoelaces of the Mind. Untied is a market I've attempted to crack many, many times, and I've finally succeeded.

Geoff Porter, the Untied editor, wrote in the acceptance letter:

We really enjoyed it.  Perhaps the best sci-fi we've ever gotten.  One of the best for sure.  We want to publish it in the next issue.

I'm obviously very pleased by this, and I'll post a link when the story goes live.

-RLR

Lilah is live at Fiction on the Web

Oops. October 25th kind of came and went for me, I've been so busy with my studies, but my story, "Lilah," is now live at Fiction on the Web.

RLR

"Gorlack the Destroyer's All You Can Eat Adventure" sells to Dark Expanse, plus two reprints accepted!

My humorous story, "Gorlack the Destroyer's All You Can Eat Adventure," has sold to the people at Dark Expanse.  I'm not sure how my story will be inserted into the game, but when I get a direct link or more information, I'll be sure to post it.

 This story, in addition to being a favorite of mine, is also the twentieth original story I've sold. Yay for hitting a personal milestone.

In another milestone, reprints #9 and #10 have been accepted.

"Lilah," which originally appeared in Loconeal's Loco-thology, will now be available to a broader audience on October 25th at Fiction on the Web

"Lilah" is a bit different than what I normally write and is not humorous, but I think it's a powerful story and is one of my oldest published stories.

In other news, my story "Mikey Frick Finds a Flower," which originally appeared with Kazka Press will be reprinted by the folks at The Story Shack. What's extra cool about this is that there will be an original illustration drawn up for the story. I can't wait to see how it turns out,and I'll post a link to Mikey and to Lilah when both go live.

-RLR

Here The Be Monsters? is now live at Stupefying Stories Showcase!

My story, "Here There Be Monsters?", is now live at Stupefying Stories Showcase #6!

The showcase also features stories by Alex Shvartsman, Guy Stewart, and Kit Yona.

RLR

"Here There Be Monsters?" has been accepted by Stupefying Stories, plus a reprint!

I've just learned that Bruce Bethke at Stupefying Stories wants to publish my humorous story, "Here There Be Monsters" in SS's online Showcase. This will be my third sale to Stupefying Stories, and it's cool to know that an editor "gets" my humor. Stupefying Stories has already published my flash piece, "Elves are Douchebags," and "A Day in the Life of an Unpaid Apprentice" is upcoming with one of their future anthologies.

Yay!

Oops. And I forgot to mention that my story, "Blessed are the Sowers," will be reprinted by Dark Futures.

RLR

Listen up! "There's Construction on Your Road to Doom" is now live at Toasted Cake! Plus two more acceptances.

My story, "There's Construction on Your Road to Doom," is now live at Toasted Cake. Tina Connolly does an incredible job reading the story.

Also, I forgot to report that my Twitter length story, "I'm Still Mad." was not only accepted by Trapeze Magazine, it's already up. 140 characters worth of horror!

And just as I was writing this, I learned that Dark Futures Fiction wants to reprint my story, "Blessed are the Sowers."

It's turning out to be a pretty damn good Monday.

RLR

Daily Science Fiction accepts "If She Pushes the Button, Turn to Page 116."

I just learned this morning that Daily Science Fiction has accepted my humorous, choose your own adventure flash story, "If She Pushes the Button, Turn to Page 116."

This is my third SFWA qualifying sale. YAY!  But all of my SFWA sales are flash length, so I'm $20 shy of the $250 in sales I need to become a full member. 8-(

Cue Maxwell Smart/Don Adams: Missed it by that much.

Still some darn good news on a day where I could use a little.

RLR

Walk the "Path of Stones" once again in White Cat's premiere issue of Conjurings (oops, and ask "The Question" again in Cosmic Vegetable.

I wasn't sure if my story, "Path of Stones," would appear in the premiere issue of White Cat's fantasy magazine, Conjurings, but sure enough, it's the first story. I need to add, because I don't think this was mentioned in the magazine, that "Path of Stones" first appeared in Penumbra.

I bought a copy (only $4.99)  and it's chock full of good stuff.  This is the TOC:

Contents
Path of Stones by Robert Lowell Russell.............................................................6
The Language of Life by Jeff Poole..................................................................10
Buck and the Twee Fairies of Interstate 20 by Gary Cuba...........................15
Book Reviews.................................................................................................18
A Noob’s Observations of the Wheel of Time Series by Kendra Jae...........23
The Padishah Begum’s Reflections by Shweta Narayan........................................25
Interviews: R. A. Salvatore and C. S. Marks...............................................36
Where Sea and Sky Kiss by Dan Campbell................................................................42
A Spell by Elizabeth Zuckerman.......................................................................................44
What Autumn Leaves by HC Playa.................................................................48
Yesterday Man by Trent Zelazny & Edward Morris.....................................................53
Movie Review: Oz the Great and Powerful................................................58
Wherein Dracula & Magneto Argue by Todd Miller...........................................60
Gaming Review: The Secret World.............................................................62
Pilgrim by Court Merrigan................................................................................................64
Joining the Party I’ve Been At All These Years by Cat Rambo.........................72
Shafted by Zachary Stoppel and Bartholomew Klick.................................................... 73
Fantasy & Spec Fic Conventions.................................................................77


Edit:  Oops. I forgot to announce that my story, "The Question," (the new an improved version) will be reprinted in Dreamscape Press's Cosmic Vegetable: Anthology of Humorous SF.

RLR 

"Elves are Douchebags" is now UP at Stupefying Stories' new eZine, SHOWCASE.

Check out my story, "Elves are Douchebags," and more at Stupefying Stories' new eZine, SHOWCASE. My story appears in issue #2, but issue #1 was fantastic, so do yourself a favor and check it out, too!

RLR

I've joined the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

Today I decided to join the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. I've never been published in a children's lit market, but  I've been thinking about trying my hand at some middle school and YA level stuff. I like writing humor, and when I read the Captain Underpants books with my daughter, I find myself laughing just as hard as she does. 

First things first, I've got to think of a good pen name. Second, I need to turn that big kid inside of me loose and see what mischief he can get into.

RLR

"The Old Fear" is live at Dark Expanse!

You can now read my story at Dark Expanse. Here's "The Old Fear."

"The Old Fear" sells to Dark Expanse

The people at Dark Expanse have accepted my story, "The Old Fear." Dark Expanse is a massive, online sci-fi game, and recently they've been enhancing the game experience by contracting writers for stories based on the game. I won't spoil the content of my story, but I'll provide a link once it goes live. In the meantime, why not check out the game and conquer some aliens?

RLR

Sales and reprints and new stories written, oh my!

Wow, it's been a while since I've added anything to my blog, but I have a lot to report.

New Sales:

My story, "A Day in the Life of an Unpaid Apprentice," was accepted by StupefyingStories and should appear in their upcoming Throwbacks issue. The story is about an unpaid apprentice working for a group of aging heroes.

Infernal Ink  has accepted my story, "The Devil's in the Details," for their January 2014 issue. There's a demon named Smooth Bob, and someone's goin' to HELL!

Reprints:

A reprint of my story, "Hole Cards," is up in the latest issue of Voluted Tales (and be sure to check out the 

other great stories in the issue)  

Toasted Cake will be doing a future podcast of my story, "There's Construction on Your Road to Doom."

A reprint of my story, "Path of Stones," was accepted by White Cat's Conjurings, and I think will appear in its first issue due in early June.

New Stories Written

Since my semester ended, I've written three stories in the last month, and I hope to make an announcement about one of them (at least) soon.

I'll add direct links once more of my stories go live.

RLR

Sharon Bayliss's The Charge is out!

Sharon Bayliss, a writer whom I interacted with in my Critters days, has her debut novel out. The Charge was a quarter finalist for the 2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Competition (that's some SERIOUS competition), and Publishers Weekly has good things to say about it. Check it out! 

FREE ANTHOLOGY CHOCK FULL OF AWESOMENESS!

If you'd like a sample (a BIG ASS sample) of stories coming the some of the best up and coming spec fic writers, go here to download it, FREE!.  The people over at Stupendous Stories have just released the The 2013 Campbellian Pre-Reading Anthology. It includes stories from authors in their first or second year of eligibility for the Campbell award for best new writer. My revised version of "The Question" is included, as well as some fantastic stories from writers a hell of a lot more awesome than me.

RLR

The Jan. '13 Cosmic Crime Stories is out and includes a reprint of "Floaters"

In case you missed my story, "Floaters," the first time, it and many other stories are available in the Kindle January 2013 edition of Cosmic Crime Stories. I believe there will be a print version, too.

[edit] Duh. Yeah, here's the link where you can get a print or PDF version.
RLR

"There's Construction on Your Road to Doom" is live at Every Day Fiction

My story, "There's Construction on Your Road to Doom," is now live at Every Day Fiction.

"The Flittiest Catch" is a three star story on Tangent Online's 2012 Recommended Reading List

What the what?

I've learned that my story, "The Flittiest Catch," is a three star story on Tangent Online's 2012 Recommended Reading List.

That's awesome with an extra squirt of awesome sauce!

RLR