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!

Rule Four: Put Story Out On The Market / Happenings In The Outhouse 16-May-2025

At the most basic levels, there are two paths to publication: traditional and self-publishing.

Traditional means to go through an agent or magazine publisher.

Self-publishing means to do it yourself.

For decades, I tried the traditional route by submitting to agents and contests and magazines.  When, I discovered self-publishing in 2011.  I researched the heck out of it until I decided to give it a go in April 2012.

And I have not looked back, except I still submit to contests and magazine publications.

The bottom line on this: get your story out there.  If it gets rejected, don't take it personally.  Put it out there again.  If you have completely exhausted all of the contests and magazines, then try the self-publish route.  But for crying out loud, no one is going to discover it if it's sitting either in a drawer or in a file folder on your hard drive.

Get the story out there.  Now!

Honorable Mention / Happenings In The Outhouse 22-Nov-2024

I have done it!

Although the journey is long from over when it comes to this contest, I received an honorable mention from the Writers of the Future, for the 4th quarter 2024 submissions.

This is a huge accomplishment as there are THOUSANDS of writers who submit to this contest each and every quarter.

Now, for the story I submitted, I will submit these to other markets for publication.  Then, I'll write another story to be submitted to this contest, in the hopes that I move further up the chain and even win one of the slots where my story will appear in print.

Lessons Learned From Hell's Kitchen / Happenings In The Outhouse 05-Jan-2024

My girlfriend and I have been watching the Gordon Ramsey show Hell's Kitchen for the past few months.  We started with the latest two seasons, 19 and 20, then went back to the beginning.  It is interesting to see how the show has evolved over the years, season after season.

Now, full disclosure, my girlfriend has already seen most seasons of the show, and loves to see my reaction to who eventually wins each season when she knew typically about halfway through the season.  We are currently on season 10, and there are things I notice that each contestant of the show should learn.

Keep in mind, it's a reality TV show, which means it's not real.  Not reality.  Many things are set up for entertainment purposes, so a lot of the drama and back-stabbing I get is not real.

I wrote a blog post almost twelve years ago that delved into this very topic, about learning by watching TV.

Now, what we have learned so far is this:

First: never talk back to Gordon Ramsey.  Never.  No matter what.  Trust me, you'll regret it if you do.

Second: learn to take criticism.  He will call you every name in the book, but you should never take it personally.  He is testing you, to see how well you can take criticism.

Third: work hard and communicate.

Fourth: if you lost a certain challenge and need to do some awful task, do it with dignity and stop complaining.  All you're doing is making yourself look like a whiny prick if you do.  Also, when someone wins a challenge, be happy for them and keep working.

Fifth: if you win a challenge, it doesn't mean you are the absolute best.  And do not gloat over you winning the challenge.

Sixth: tell the truth.  Ramsey wants to hear the truth, short and sweet.

Seventh: stop victim blaming.  The reason a dish or dinner service didn't go as planned is just as much your fault as others.  Take it in the chin and move on.

Eighth: if something isn't the best, do not send it up to Ramsey.  Meaning, if you know something is under or overcooked, tell him immediately.  Communicate!

I'm sure there will be others that come up, but these are the top eight I can think of at the moment.  Now take these lessons into the rest of your life.

P.S.: Rest In Peace Petrozza.

Next projects / Happenings In The Outhouse 01-July-2022

With the publication of my latest novel Sweet Dreams, it's interesting to figure out what to write next.  Like the majority of artists, we do not lack prospects.

What troubles us is typically . . . what to do next?  Which project strikes our fancy the most, the one just bursting to break free from our minds and out into the world.

I have a short story and then a YA novel that may be next on the docket.  The YA novel I started back in 2019, got about 50 pages into it, and switched to another project.

Now is the time to come back to it.

And the short story.  And that one I may submit to the Writers of the Future contest.

Multitasking / Happenings In The Outhouse 15-April-2022

Multitasking.

Even just the word "multitasking" can bring a wide range of emotions.  But define what it is?  Is it doing many things in a single day?  Or doing several different things in a single lifetime?

John Grisham has done well with his legal thrillers, but he has also written other stories which has broadened his audience.  King has done the same with horror.

And I could go on and on.

Brandon Sanderson may be known for writing a lot of fantasy, but he has dipped his toes in many different realms in the fantasy genre, and with an insane output of words to boot.  He recently had an impressively successful Kickstarter where he wrote a bunch of secret stories while slated by contract to write another tome in his Stormlight Archive series.  And not just one, but four!

This might be an area we'll explore more later on.  The point of this is based from a TED talk I watched where the speaker gave examples of multitasking but this was over a person's lifetime.  I find it okay to do several different types of things, to spread out your talents.

Again, it depends on what your definition of multitasking is.

Another (Short) Story Completed / Happenings In The Outhouse 08-April-2022

As the end of the first quarter 2022 winded down last week, I decided to take a small break from my current novel and crank out a short story for the "Writers of the Future" contest.

I submitted it the night of the 31st of March, with a few hours to spare, so crossing my fingers on it.

Now, it's back to my current novel, which is still coming along.  I have surpassed 100,000 words, which is no small feat.

A Brief Pause / Happenings In The Outhouse 25-Sept-2020

I am currently around the 15,000 word mark on the fifth book in the Central Division thriller series.

But I am going to pause.  Briefly.

I have a contest to enter.

The Writers of the Future contest is a quarterly contest, and the deadline for the next submission is next Wednesday.  As of this writing, I am around 2,000 words into a new short story that I'll be submitting.

But be assured, once it's complete, I'm diving back into the thriller novel.  At first, when I realized the deadline for the next contest was coming up, I contemplated not entering.

Needless to say, I changed my mind.

Wish me luck!

First completed story of 2020 / Happenings In The Outhouse 19-June-2020

2019 was abysmal for writing/publishing.  I published a short story in May and then a novelette August.

2020 hasn't been much better, as I charge ahead with so many new normals it's making my head spin.  But, as of this past Sunday, I completed a short story.  It's around 5,000 words and my plan is to submit it to the Writers of the Future contest.

The story has an interesting genesis.  My youngest daughter was looking for this drawstring bag, getting a little frantic as she couldn't find it, and then she found it near where she was looking--albeit beneath a small pile of clothes.

We had a conversation about it afterward . . . and, well, not to spoil anything but needless to say this story appeared, nearly fully formed.

I also dedicated the story to her too.

Your time may not be now / Happenings In The Outhouse 12-July-2019

A number of years ago, I used to submit stories to the Writers of the Future contest--check the contest out, if you're able to submit to it.  It's well worth it.

Unfortunately, I stopped submitting.

The reason: what if I won?

Now, this may seem like a stupid reason because of course one wants to win.  But at the same time, there are a lot of perks that go along with being a finalist in the contest.  The biggest is a week-long intensive workshop with a number of authors in the science fiction / fantasy genre, and the knowledge gained is priceless.

Unfortunately, given my wife's health, I stopped submitting.  I cannot be away from her and our kids for a week--this would be in California and I live in Minnesota.  For two weekends in November, I go deer hunting about an hour and a half away from our home.  Even this is a feat, because I may have to return on a moment's notice--and I have, more than once.

At my full-time job, there is an industry experience program that allows 3-4 individuals to learn about various aspects of the electronics business.  This goes for 7-8 weeks, with a full week at the end for travel.  Again, I cannot do this but would love to experience other aspects of the industry.

I am fine with all this.  Despite these obstacles, there are plenty of things I can do.  I may not enter the WOTF contest, but I do continue to write on an almost daily basis.  I also publish.  And I support the contest by purchasing the books.

On a final note, I didn't write this for any sort of sympathy.  I love my family and will do anything for them.  They are the reason I write (and publish) in the first place.

Have you submitted to the Writers of the Future contest yet?

Every quarter there is a contest you should be submitting to--if you're not already a published author.

That's the Writers of the Future contest.

As we speak, you have a little over a week (December 31st) to get your next submission entered.  What in the world are you waiting for?

Here'a hint too: check out last year's edition: Volume 29 (hint: I gave it a 5-star review!)

So check out the contest rules and if you quality, consider submitting to the Writers of the Future contest.

Who knows, you just might win.

Happenings In The Outhouse 13-Dec-2013 / Another 2013 goal accomplished

I counted up 18 separate goals for 2013.  I accomplished 13 of them.  Some goals were "pie in the sky" and due to time/money constraints they were not even touched.  Others weren't either--these I will keep with myself.

But I completed the 13th one a few days ago: I submitted to the Writers of the Future contest--it's a quarterly contest and I sent something off all four quarters.  I didn't place or even get past the first round on each one.  I don't mind.  It's the act of submitting that has made it worth while.  The competition is stiff, and I'm determined to continue.

Because one of two things will happen: I'll either win or I'll make myself ineligible because I'll sell too many books.

That's a good place to be.

For 2014, I have another 18 goals--different goals, for some of them, the same for the rest.  My emphasis will be on publishing more.

Which brings me to what I'm working on.  This week has been a little hectic.  I've been hammering away at Shadowkill, now into chapters 5-6 and beyond.  It's been a slow process so far, but if I still keep plugging away, it's gonna be done.