My latest publication, a short story titled “Try Again,” is an illustration of the aphorism. The story was written to submit to the Bouchercon 2021 anthology, This Time For Sure, which had second chances as a theme. There were hundreds of submissions and only 22 stories selected. “Try Again” did not make it. Because I’m a seasoned writer, I picked myself up and sent the story to Mystery Weekly. They accepted it immediately and sent a contract and payment almost as fast. So, yeah–second chances. I’m rather pleased with the outcome as B-Con was cancelled.
Since I’m on the topic of my short stories and second chances, you still have a second chance to read my two stories that came out in August. My flash fiction piece, “Ending Things,” is at Shotgun Honey. Enjoy “Dead Revival” at Yellow Mama. “Dead Revival” was also written for a Bouchercon anthology, the 2020 California Schemin’. As with this year, my story didn’t make the cut, the conference was cancelled, and my piece found a home with an enthusiastic editor. “Dead Revival” involves two numbskulls attempting a heist of material from the Grateful Dead archives here in Santa Cruz.
I recently attended a Zoom panel on famous authors break-out books. They all agreed that talent was not the key to success. The key to success is persistence.
And I persist. To steal from the Dead, keep on truckin’.
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