eBook and Traditional Publishing

Spectacle Publishing Media Group, LLC

Friday the 13th

Walking under ladders. Black cats. Open umbrellas indoors. A mirror falls and crashes. Stepping on cracks in the sidewalk. And let’s not forget, it’s Friday the Thirteenth.

Sure, lots of people have their own superstitions, but what about writers? Many writers feel their surrounding environment must be a certain way in order to release the creative muse. Some writers prefer quiet, sparse and hidden spaces. Others can’t write without that one little plastic soldier standing guard at their desk, facing the south. When it comes to writing spaces and routines, there is no one-size-fits all or ultimate answer. Each author’s writing routine is as varied and unique as the writer who chooses it.

Does that make these habits… weird? Maybe. But a little bit of writing-scripts-while-obsessively-listening-to-the-Inception-soundtrack-on-repeat may not be all that bad for the writing process. Having a safe, comfortable environment that balances stimulation and the banal may just be what your brain craves. But if that black cat just happens to knock your little plastic soldier off the desk onto an umbrella setting it off into a mirror which shatters pieces under a ladder, don’t dismay. This tiny bit of chaos or break from your normal routine may stimulate your brain to work in details it to which it wouldn’t have been privy otherwise.

Just remember, a little break from routine doesn’t have to be the end of the world. And speaking of the end of the world, did you know that our deadline for submissions has changed? That’s right, we are looking for YOUR 2012 doomsday short story. So send us one, today!

But wait, there’s more!

I have fantastic news for those of you dreading a return to the doldrums of every day life as this holiday season comes to a close. The twelfth day of Christmas isn’t until January 6th. That is when a very special (and in some countries, a quite epic) celebration called El Dia de Los Reyes takes place. Known in English as Three Kings’ Day or The Feast of the Epiphany, this is a holiday steeped in traditions, stories, music, culture and presents. Did I mention presents?

In honor of El Dia de Los Reyes, Spectacle is offering a very special bilingual children’s book called “La Caja Basia/ The Empty Box.” This book features hand-drawn illustrations by Freddy Sanchez with a Spanish storyline by Maria Goretti Sanchez, translated into English by me. A labor of love, come see what Manuel and Maria are up to this Dia de Los Reyes and join in the magic from my family to yours.

Don’t Hide From Your Story!

It wakes you up in the middle of the night. It nudges you on the drive to work. Inside of you, somewhere in the dusty recesses of your mind, an idea is itching to be brought to life. You have a story waiting to be told, a story the world needs to hear.

So why are you sitting here reading this post? In the time you’ve been Tweeting, updating Facebook statuses and surfing the internet, you could have written the first paragraph of your next best-selling novel.

This is the problem all writers face at one time in their lives. Having the chutzpah to write every day come rain, snow, sunshine or zombie invasion is no small order. When it comes down to it, you’ve got to learn how to psyche yourself up to write. Here are a few ways you can do that:

1.) You will never have the time to write. Make the time. Pencil it in your calendar. Set an alarm. Stick a post-it note to your bathroom mirror. Do whatever it takes to get it done.

2.) It’s okay to write crap. That’s what first drafts are for. Even Stephen King writes first drafts. Say what you need to say and get it out. You can clean it up on the rewrite.

3.) Reward yourself. Writing is hard work. Recognize your accomplishments and use that as motivation to move forward.

4.) One day at a time. You will not write the best American novel in a day. Break down the project into smaller, bite-sized bits that you can achieve a day at a time. Don’t try to swallow an elephant.

5.) Build community. Stay in regular communication with writers and other creatives that motivate and inspire you. Feed off of each other’s energy. Spur each other on to greatness. (But remember, spending five hours chatting and zero time writing does not count. That, my friends, can be filed under procrastination.)

September Fiction Contest!

While our diligent editors devote hour after hour to the completion of On The Brink…Volume 1, working through threat of hurricane and earthquake (literally), we can’t forget about Volume II. We’re taking submissions for OTB Volume II , with the same sweet prize: $100.00

Same rules as before, except with a positive spin this time. Come on, we know you’ve got a warm and fuzzy in your head, somewhere. We’re seeking original fiction or creative non-fiction tales about “life changing events” for the better. The collection is entitled “On The Brink… Volume II”

  • 2,500-5,000 words
  • character driven stories
  • all genres

This contest continues until the 15th of September. There is NO submission fee. Submission fees go against everything we believe in.

 

Send your stories with a brief introduction to Submissions@spectaclepmg.com. Please be aware that by submitting your stories to SPMG you are granting consent for those materials to be published. All stories will be considered for the contest, but only the best ones be published. Click here for more information about publishing with SPMG.

 

Spectacle Publishing is always looking for novels as well. So if you’ve got a winner, send us a query. Remember, short fiction contest submissions to not require a query and can be emailed here. Full manuscripts require a query first. Click here for more info.

Short Story Competition Winner

Excerpt from:
“The Dove”

by Laekan Kemp

 

It’s dark.  A car passes by, the first one in hours.  It throws light against the truck and slides it between the steel hinges and the door.  In that second it highlights my crouching frame and reflects the shadows of the crate’s bars against my skin.  I feel a faint wave of air brush my ankle, someone fanning out their skirt.  There’s a soft knocking towards the mouth of the truck like fingernails tapping against one of the metal walls.  I feel the heat of moist eyes against my cheekbone and I pair them with a stifled panting coming from the crate facing mine.  I hold my breath and listen to the other bodies in the truck, absorbing the cold, the quiet.

To read more, check out our book here.

Copyright Notice:

This story is cannot be reprinted without permission from Spectacle Publishing Media Group, LLC.

Poetry! As Told by… Robots?

Robots are usually prized for their superhuman dexterity and mathematical computational abilities.

That’s nice, but did you know they could dance?

 

There’s a pesky little robot who’s been dancing around my sketchbooks for years. He’s a tenacious little fellow who enjoys roller coaster rides and hot dogs. One day he popped into my blog, where I’ve been voraciously posting for years. He looked at me and said, “hey, can I do this?”

Of course, I told him no.

However, I promised to let him borrow some of my best poems for a book of his own. He brought all of his friends and nestled into the pages.

I haven’t seen him since.

Be sure to keep a lookout for him, and remind him to send me postcards every once in a while.

And don’t worry. No robots were harmed in the making of this book: