3rd Honorable Mention from Writers Of The Future / Happenings In The Outhouse 02-Jan-2026

First, this blog post is my 1200th post!  I honestly can't believe I have been posting so much, and for so long.

Late November, I received news that I achieved my third Honorable Mention from the Writers of the Future contest!

Writers of the Future 4th Quarter Winners Announced for Volume 42 | Writers & Illustrators of the Future

This, of course, is huge news and I am so honored!

Mission Accomplished! Goals Achieved!

I did it!

Over the weekend, I finished publishing a horde of short stories to accomplish my 4th quarter goal of publishing a short story a week.  I will be posting a separate blog post for each story over the next number of weeks.

Now, I am in the process of starting on my next 5 things for the first quarter of 2026.  I still have a goal of publishing one story a week, whether it's a short story, novella, or novelette, and I have enough inventory to accomplish this.

What did 2025 look like for you?

What will you accomplish in 2026?

Pipeline For 2026 (And Beyond) / Happenings In The Outhouse 26-Dec-2025

As 2025 winds down, I've spent a lot of time brainstorming ideas.  Not only for the upcoming quarter, but also for 2026 and beyond.

First, as I review the last three months of my "Next 5 Things" I have almost completed all 5 of my big tasks.  This is huge!  I have struggled to complete even 2-3 items on the list in the past, but almost all 5?  Amazing!  The last item to complete was to publish a short story a week, and honestly I almost made it.  I do not consider it a failure either even if I don't.  As you can tell from previous posts, I have published a LOT of short stories lately.

And there is quite a bit more too.

Then, I'll start compiling these into collections.

Fun times!

So, what is in the pipeline for 2026?

Aside from submitting a story each quarter to the Writers of the Future contest and getting more short stories out, I am in the middle of writing a vigilante thriller novel.  I am around the 17K word mark.  I have other short stories that I haven't finished either.  However, they may take a back seat as I may shift my focus toward getting more novels out there.

Lots to do.  Loads of fun!

Anatomy Of A Cliffhanger / Happenings In The Outhouse 19-Dec-2025

My wife and I watch a lot of movies and shows as we wind down each night (if we're not playing games, of course).

Most shows, obviously, if done well, have scene breaks that leave you hanging . . . wanting to stay until the scene returns.  In some cases of the old TV cable days, it would be a commercial break.  Not for us.  We severed the TV cable a few years ago and have not regretted it.  At this point in the show, I usually point at the TV and say, "Cliffhanger."

My wife has now caught on to what a cliffhanger does--not that she didn't know before, and more than likely did except maybe didn't quite know the word for it, but being married to a writer, I'm prone to this type of thinking of how a story is set up.

Whether your story is in written or visual form, cliffhangers are set up to . . . well, leave you hanging, wanting to either keep reading or watching.

Check out your favorite movies or books, and see if you can spot the cliffhangers.  More than likely, now that you know what to look for, they'll be easy to spot.

New Story - A Sense Of Place / Happenings In The Outhouse 12-Dec-2025

Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I keep publishing short stories left and right.  Here is another one for your reading pleasure: "A Sense Of Place."

"Every so often, Detective Tad Wellstone comes across a dead body that appears natural or accidental but his instincts tell him otherwise.
When he finds the deceased Garrett Phillip Martinez at a new construction site, all signs point to a diabetic seizure.  And Tad knows much about diabetes.
Could it be natural?  Or is something more sinister at work?
“A Sense Of Place” is a modern mystery with twists and turns, and will keep you guessing until the very last page."

Amazon.com: A Sense Of Place eBook : Peterson, Mark S. R.: Books

Above is the link to the Amazon Kindle page.  It is also available in other ebook retailers.

To Each Their Own / Happenings In The Outhouse 05-Dec-2025

There are times when people (usually authors) say or do things that make me shake my head.

Over a month ago, I came across a social media post by a local author.  This author stated that they had been chipping away at their next book (this author only has one book self-published) while starting school full-time to finish their bachelor's degree, volunteering at their church, being a parent to four younger children, and running a campground.  This author also wrote a weekly column for an area newspaper.  Quite busy, I get it.  Been there, got the T-shirt.

Then, this is the part that made me shake my head: this author had a conversation with one of their professors and, based on said conversation, decided to try the traditional route for publishing rather than self-publishing on the next book.

Pause . . . 

No, I did not comment.  Nor did I select an appropriate reaction to their post.  I just . . . moved on, all the while shaking my head in bewilderment.

To each their own.  If it works, I wish them the best of luck.

Deep down, I know this person will spend years regretting their choice.

New Story - Good Bones / Happenings In The Outhouse 28-Nov-2025

Once again, I have another short story that I have published: Good Bones.

"As a retired detective, Doug Fields spends his days flipping houses.  What he looks for in a house are good bones.  An easy fix.  An easy flip.

As a retired cadaver dog, Mick loves to accompany Doug.  What he seeks out are old bones.  Closing a cold case.  Justice prevailing.

Every once and a while, both of their worlds collide.

Good Bones is a modern mystery story that will keep you reading to the very last page."

Amazon.com: Good Bones eBook : Peterson, Mark S. R.: Books

Above is the link to the Amazon Kindle page.  It is also available in other ebook retailers.