"Mikey Frick Finds a Flower" sells to Kazka Press

I received word this morning that Kazka Press has accepted my story, "Mikey Frick Finds a Flower," for their October '12 Flash Fiction Contest (theme: love beyond death) guest edited by Michael Haynes (a fellow Writeshopper and Codex member, though Michael read submissions "blind," without personal details attached).

The story is one of my personal favorites, and I'm glad it found a home. And better yet, there's no agonizing wait for people to read it since it'll come out in October.

RLR

A small story sells to a big magazine! "The Flittiest Catch" to appear in Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show

I haven't added much to this blog recently, but I'm happy to report that my flash length Deadliest Catch parody, "The Flittiest Catch," should be appearing in the November issue of Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show.

As you might expect, I'm very happy to have made it into this market. IGMS is a big deal, and I'll be curious (terrified) to read what reviewers think of my little story.

I tend to write stuff that falls outside of IGMS's PG-13 range, but I have two longer stories in the the pipeline that are PG-13, so with a little hard work (and probably some luck) I'm hoping this story is only the first of many to grace IGMS's pages. 

RLR

"Leave the Stone" now live at The Washington Pastime

My historical story, "Leave the Stone," has been reprinted by The Washington Pastime.

My Penumbra Blog Entry: See it Before you Write it, Then Get Busy Day Dreaming

I did a blog entry for Penumbra Magazine. Read my words of wisdom  here.

RLR

Tangent Online reviews my story, "Path of Stones," and other Penumbra #8 Stories

Here's a link to Tangent Online's review of "Path of Stones" and the other stories appearing in Penumbra's #8, fractured fairy tale issue. 

And here's the review itself:

“Path of Stones” by Robert Lowell Russell

This retelling of “Hansel and Gretel” was obscure and somewhat tricky to recognize. It was like several old fairytales combined, but the style was artistic, imaginative and intriguing. It maintained a successful dark tone throughout and the near-ending was especially morbid right up until the final lines. I enjoyed the suspense.

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I'd call this a positive review. I tried to do something a bit different with "Path of Stones," and I think this is reflected in the "obscure" comment. I was always worried that the clues I had in the story, including the title itself, would immediately tip the reader that this was a Hansel and Gretel story, but I don't think that was the case.

 I'm glad they found it suspenseful. I prefer writing "action" stories, and there tend to be sequences in what I write where I WANT readers to constantly ask: And then what happens? And then what happens?  And then what happens? If you haven't read my Digital Science Fiction story, "Floaters," much of the middle of the story is a running (literally) gun battle and chase.   


I've got another story currently under consideration that is a guns blazin' tale filled with murderous cats. I didn't think "Path of Stones" was all that dark or morbid, but there's no doubt about this new story. 

Fingers crossed.


RLR

Penumbra's Fractured Tale issue is live! (includes my story, Path of Stones)

Penumbra's Fractured Fairy Tales issue is now live and includes my story, "Path of Stones."  Buy a copy. NOW!  I've only had time to browse the issue I was sent, but Penumbra does some really nice looking work.

RLR

A story so nice, they're printin' it twice! Reprint accepted by the Washington Pastime

I just received word that The Washington Pastime is going to reprint my story, "Leave the Stone," which originally appeared at Frontier Tales. No disrespect to Frontier Tales, but I really liked the look of TWP and I'm glad this story is going to get a little more exposure.

RLR