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GETTING PUBLISHED: THE TRADITIONAL WAY A tutorial by M. Alice Chown If, like me, you have stories lying around gathering virtual dust on your hard drive, why not send them out to a publisher? You have nothing to lose. A couple of years ago, I attended the launch of an annual Canadian short story anthology, called Tesseracts 10. I knew one of the authors whose speculative fiction piece had been included in the book. Matthew Johnson and I had taken the same creative writing course. Our former prof, author, Robert Sawyer, was there at the launch too, as well as the editors of the anthology. Those who had contributed a story to Tesseracts 10 to

LEMON DOODLES The cookbook Gramma gave me is open to page with the Lemon Doodles recipe.  Anything with the word 'doodles' in its name has to be good.  I can't believe Mommy is letting me bake them all by myself.  Well, sort of.  My big sister is here in the kitchen, 'supervising'.  Sam doesn't need the stepladder, so I let her get the flour, measuring cups and junk out of the high cupboard, while I get an egg out of the fridge and pick out the biggest, yellowest lemon.   I'm doing all the real work.  Sam is just sitting on the mat doing yoga, playing with her iPod and ta

The stranger walked down the street as though he owned it, his hooded face turning to watch the pretty girls as he almost bounced down the road. The large daikatana blade was slung over his shoulder warned the angry boyfriends away from him and the feral growls kept the police at bay. A shadow brushed over the stranger and as his head snapped back, searching the sky for any possible enemies, an explosion suddenly erupted throwing him into an alleyway. Two more quickly went off as he backed deeper into the darkness. "We know who you are, we don't want to hurt you, but we need some information from you..." From the darkness a woman wrapped in

The masquerade You know me far too well,Love. You know I cry with smiles,Love. So look how fake my words can be, And think if you would stay with me... The masks I wear are solid bone, Like statues made of granite stone. I'm always tough,forever strong, I need no help, I move along. I'm just a doll of porcelain, I smile and never show no pain. The game of puppets is played with knives, by tears of blood,by faking lives. A monster I keep running from, is my own image,my own form. The giggling clown is my mane act. With joy and laughter they react. So many lies I live to say, To keep me safe,I have to pay... With scars and wo

No bigotry Hello to you, my dear sad friend. If I may be allowed to ask: „Are you okay, my dear sad friend?“ Or will I be denied that task? I can see you suffer, friend; See you're sad and broken. But when I ask what's wrong, my friend, Your words remain unspoken… You scream in pain, my dear sad friend, You scream for me to hear. But then you turn away, my friend; U turn and run in fear. You call us deaf; we're walls, my friend; You say your words don't get to us. But you're the one who puts the bricks, Our love can't seem to earn your trust… I tried to help, my dear sad friend; Tried so hard to hear you.

Lágrimas celestiales, callendo sobre tí, Borrando tu amor, como un dibujo arrastrado por el mar. Lágrimas dolorosas que brotan desde mí, vete ya. no tengo nada que perdonar. Si esto terminó, fue por culpa de los dos, si te lo preguntas, es verdad... Me dolió tu traición. De algo que fué tan hermoso quedarán los recuerdos, vete ya. tienes mi bendición. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- (in english) "Now go" "Tears from heavens, falling over you, erasing your love like a drawing dragged by the sea. Painful tears, coming out from me, now go, I h

What is the price I must pay for love? Do I surrender all I love to do? To make time to spend with you? Do I touch your life with love and care? Ensuring that I’m always there When you need a sounding board or a favor or two But when I’m in need, where are you? When I need a warm body next to mine A gentle touch; a moment of your time A friend to tell me everything’s all right A friend to hold me through the night I find my self alone and scared Wishing that you were there Can I have all I want for me? The things that mean so much to me? The love of a friend who loves me for me At a price I’ll pay willingly