I forgot to mention that my short story, titled “Last Thorday Night” in its final draft, sold to Trisha Telep, editor of The Mammonth Book of Time Travel Romance.
Last Thorsday Night is the only story I’ve ever written about a writer.
I also forgot to mention that I got the cover art, which is pretty cool.
I got the invite to write this story after doing a story for Trisha’s The Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance. I accepted that invite because I was writing How To Think Sideways at the time, and I needed to have a real project to work on that A) demonstrated the techniques I was teaching, and B) could really be rejected if I screwed up. The story sold. And I found these two mini-reviews on Amazon.com tonight.
***Light Through Fog – Holly Lisle – Tragedy separates soul mates, but love transcends boundaries in a magical place – (5+ stars – Wonderful and poignant, a complete and moving story, I am amazed how much Lisle fit into her contribution.)
And…
[LIGHT THROUGH FOG] by Holly Lisle, When Sarah’s husband Sam died all that was left to connect them was their tree and a mysterious magic in the fog. — By far the stand-out story of the bunch, vividly imagined, extremely romantic and touching, doesn’t quite make up for the less-than-stellar rest of the collection but a must-read! 5/5 stars
Comment from the future!
I have that Mammoth Book of Time Travel Romance. My mom got it for me because she recognized Holly’s name on the back cover. 😀 Holly’s story stands out by considering both the actions and their possible consequences – and by having a nifty twist. It also merges the sci-fi and romance so that both parts feel like they’re required in the story, rather than add-ons for the opposite genre.
Congratulations ~
Oooh, great reviews!!
What wonderful reviews! I thought it was a good story to use in the HtTS class. After applying the class to the short story as examples, did you REALLY think it wouldn’t sell? I had no doubt it would!
😀 No. Once I got the story down in first draft and revised it, I figured it would sell. But I didn’t know it would sell. The risk was real.
To honestly demonstrate that the Think Sideways process works, I had to be in exactly the same position as my students.
I had to show that I was creating a story using exactly the same techniques I was teaching, I had to show my students those techniques in progress and how they played out in my own work… and I had to show both the risk associated with daring to write an edgy, oddball story that I loved, and the techniques for doing so.
Finally, I had to have that risk have consequences. This was a real project, not a demo. I could be rejected. I could fail.
Operating backward from all the times I’d used my Think Sideways process and had sold wasn’t the same, because those projects were in the past, and were successfully published. I no longer had any personal risk in them, and I also had no proof except for the existence of those books that those were the processes I used.
People can say anything. Doing it proves it. I decided that in life, as in writing, showing was a helluva lot more important than telling.
I purposely bought that book so I could read “Light Through Fog” and I have to say that I was not disappointed. Great job on that story, Holly. You made me cry (but in a very good way).
Light Through Fog is amazing. When every draft makes my eyes water, well, that’s a powerful story. Looks like it’s time for me to start looking seriously at anthologies again, hmm?
That is excellent. It’s really cool that I got to see that story in the process of development through HtTS.
Amazon wish listed. I just love that cover. Congratulations to you.
well done Holly, very well done. I am almost finished with thinking sideways and look forward to what is next. Hope to be able to read your story, soon. Wonderful reviews. Thank you for all that you do.
My novel is coming along well except for the pov which shape shifts wantonly. I wonder if you address this in your class on revision, where I so wish to win the video contest. My video made several people giggle, in an auspicious way.
best always
namaste
laurel
Well done! I am completing Week 5 of the course so am seeing the story in the creation period. Exciting to know where it ends!