10,000 words and counting for April

~ Sean Monaghan ~ Leave a comment

honeydew

As I think I’ve mentioned elsewhere in my mutterings, I make sure to write every day. I also have a word-count target every day. The target gets flexible: I’m aiming for a half million words of fiction for the year, which spreads out to around 1373 words per day (it’s a leap year, that spreads it even thinner).

So far I’m ahead of my target. Well ahead, in fact (169,000 completed, averaging around 1725 words a day). I did have some days with no other commitments and wrote over 5000 words on each of those, so that’s helped bolster the tally. Fewest words on a day was February 10th with just 503 words. Don’t recall what got in the way that day.

It’s great having my momentum up – I recommend it, in fact. Already in April I’ve gone over 1500 words each day, with a high of 1815. That high was the day I finished a novella and started in on a new novel. 10,000 words for the first six days of April. Pretty good for me. Best of all I’m having fun.

Venus Vulture track on Behemoth Compilation

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behemoth20various20artists20compilation20coverKendall Keeler of December Nightskies has put together another compilation of ambient and dark ambient tracks.

Behemoth has 21 tracks by various artists, including my own Venus Vulture track “Components From Air Filter Residue, Daytona Speedway, February 2016”. One of my longer pieces – a little over 14 minutes – that I hope covers a lot of ground, while still being very unobtrusive.

I also sneak in with a Shadows on the Snow (my collaboration with Kendall) track “The Snake is on the Prowl”.

This follows Kendall’s Leviathan compilation from October/November last year. Many of the same artists return. This is shaping up to be a fine series of eclectic sounds. I’m honored to be a part of it.

Behemoth tracklisting – total time is almost 3 hours
1. BERTHELOT – La caverne du Behemoth
2. December Nightskies – Heaven Or Hell
3. Ari Porki – A Great And Mighty
4. Sean Derrick Cooper Marquardt – Short Poem For Aretha Cooper
5. eisenlager – NCC-1701
6. Venus Vulture – Components From Air Filter Residue, Daytona Speedway, February 2016
7. Everything From Nothing And Head Joint – The Revolutioner’s Dream
8. Gun Urrainn – Discontact
9. Globoscuro – The Glowing Eye Of NGC 6751
10. Something Like Squids – Imaginary Fireflies (Excerpt)
11. Pixyblink – Observer J
12. nobodisoundz – blakk solarsolstice
13. Shadows On The Snow – The Snake Is On The Prowl
14. Hilyard – Exodus
15. Robert G. Rough- 42 Days (Part 3)
16. CNTV – Renace
17. December Nightskies With Scott Lawlor – The Judgement Of Satan (Excerpt)
18. Mach Feedback – A Fool For Illusions
19. Oystein Jorgensen – Cold Wave
20. VAULT – Presents for Katherine
21. Sir Edgar Carpenter – Perversis

Aurealis Award Eludes me

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aurealis awards Last night’s Aurealis Award Winners have been announced. Unfortunately I could not be in Brisbane for the ceremony. My congratulations to all the winners. Well done.

I missed out on the “Best Novella” award. That went to Garth Nix. Congratulations and a hearty handshake to Garth.

Of course, being up against someone who’s a New York Times Best-Selling Author, I was philosophical about my chances. Garth’s writing is spectacular, all over the board, and I’m sure he’s doing things I can’t even fathom. My learning will continue.

Now I keep my fingers crossed for June’s Sir Julius Vogel Awards (kind of New Zealand’s equivalent to the Aurealis. Double the chances there with two nominations. I’m sure the competition will be as strong. At least I will be attending the ceremony at Au Contraire this time.

James White Award Longlist

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james white award logo

My story “The Old Fighting Goose” made it to the recently announced James White Award Longlist. I can mention this now because the blind judging has been completed and the story didn’t get on the shortlist. With over 350 entries, I’m pleased to have at least reached the last 22.

Best of luck to the finalists for the winners’ announcement at the BSFA Awards Ceremony in Manchester over Easter.

This is the last time I’m allowed to enter. From the rules: “The James White Award Short Story Competition is open only to non-professional writers.” The award is an annual contest and with a forthcoming publication this August I will qualify for professional status and lose eligibility for next year. Still it has been fun entering each year.

Now, editors, watch out. “The Old Fighting Goose” will be landing in your inbox soon.

Sir Julius Vogel Awards Finalist

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smFront-v5A few posts back I mentioned the possibility that a couple of my stories: “The Molenstraat Music Festival” in Asimov’s, and “The Harpsichord Elf” in Capricious could make it onto the ballot for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards – New Zealand’s Science Fiction awards.

Well, the stories made it. “Molenstraat” in the novella category, and “Elf” in the short story category. As you can imagine, I’m pretty excited about this. And I thank all of those who offered to put in their votes to help me make the ballot – Dane, Daniel, Andi, Dr Bob, Jen, Jane (if I’ve left you out I apologise: let me know and I’ll fix it). I do appreciate it.

Thank you so much.

So now I need to figure out getting to the ceremony at Au Contraire in Wellington in June. That’s a little more straightforward than Brisbane 🙂

100,000 words. So far.

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 5 Comments

hard at work 1

A slower start this year, but I’ve still hit over a hundred thousand words so far. That’s averaging a bit over 1400 a day. I’d like to be at 1500, but hey. I think that’s a little bit of “failing to success” (Dean Wesley Smith has a good article about that, here, from 2014, but the idea of achieving well, but slightly below your goals is still relevant). My overall posted goal for the year is a half million words, so I’m well on target for that.

I’ve published one novel (The Eye, the third volume in The Hidden Dome trilogy. I’ve also completed the draft of a contemporary thriller, written and submitted a couple of science fiction stories, and I’m halfway through the draft of a Canal Days, the sequel to last year’s Arlchip Burnout. Hope to have that out later in the year.

I’m in the process of prepping the next two sci-fi novels – Gretel and Cisterns, both standalones (at the moment). Should have those out by the end of March and the end of April respectively.

I do need to get on top of print versions. Haven’t got to that for The Eye yet, so there’s a dropped-the-ball moment. Should get that out with print versions of those other two. I should also bundle the three books of The Hidden Dome series so people can get the series as a set.

I’ve had a story in Aurealis and have signed contracts for another couple of stories coming out later this year (one a reprint). More on those closer to the time.

My story “The Molentstraat Music Festival” from the September 2015 issue of Asimov’s is a finalist in the Asimov’s Readers’ Poll and also in the Aurealis Awards. That’s pretty cool. I’m hoping it will also get on the ballot for New Zealand’s Sir Julius Vogel Award.

As Shadows on the Snow, with Kendall from Decembernightskies, we’ve also had more music come out this year. Feels like something for another blog post.

I do need to update my website. Seriously. Need to learn more about marketing. And discoverability. Also that garden that needs one or two weeds (or more) pulled.

So, even with a few glitches of my own making, I’m happy with this start to the year. How is yours going?

Finalist Badge

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 4 Comments

WOTF-FINALIST-#31Some years ago I was a finalist in the Writers of the Future contest (WOTF).

Since that time I’ve entered every quarter. I’ve had numerous Honorable Mentions and a Semi-Finalist placing. Never made it to that lauded “Finalist” again though.

Now I find myself creeping closer to pro-ing out. The contest is open to non-professional writers only, professional being counted as more than three pro-rate sales. With this August’s issue of Asimov’s I’ll have my third pro sale publication. One more after (or before) that and I’ll no longer be eligible for WOTF. I wonder how many more quarters I’ll be able enter.

In the meantime, the WOTF organization sent me this nice badge (thanks Joni). I figure I’d better display it. It might be my highest WOTF accolade.

The Molenstraat Music Festival shortlisted for Aurealis Awards

~ Sean Monaghan ~ 6 Comments

aurealis awardsI’m thrilled that my novelette published last year in Asimov’s – “The Molenstraat Music Festival” has been shortlisted for Australia’s Aurealis Awards. With baited breath, I must wait until March 25th for the ceremony. Of course, I’m on the ballot with Garth Nix so it feels like a long shot.

Since the novelette is also a Readers’ Awards Finalist in the Asimov’s Awards, it’s currently available to read for free on the Asimov’s Science Fiction website, here,. In that one I’m up against the likes of Michael Swanwick and David Gerrold, so no holding my breath 🙂

Congratulations to everyone on the shortlists – especially my friend Steve Cameron for his story “Lodloc and The Bear”.

Good luck to all.