Story Accepted at Stupefying Stories

My fantasy story, "Talent for Never and Always" was accepted for publication at Stupefying Stories! This is my first publication with Stupefying Stories, and I'm really excited to have a story published with them. This story took a lot of effort and multiple rewrites, even at points when I felt like it was finished. Thank you to everyone who provided me with feedback along the way!

"Seekers" Now Available at Crimson Streets!

My fantasy short story, "Seekers," is now available at Crimson Streets.  John Waltrip did an amazing job with the illustration. 

I really enjoyed writing this story.  I tried to bring some fun into this tale of adventure and treasure seeking.  More than anything else, I think Firefly inspired the style I was going for.

This is my second published story in 2016, and both stories have excellent illustrations.  It's an exciting year!

World Fantasy Convention 2016

I haven't attended the World Fantasy Convention since 2014, and I'm excited to be attending this year.  I'm looking forward to meeting with others, listening to panel discussions, and hearing author readings.  This year, I also signed up for my own reading:

"Jigo" features Katsu and Tsukiko from "Shadows in Sakamura".  In this tale, the two venture into Taiyomichi, a small village of simplistic, hard-working people.  Even when they find danger within the village, they can't imagine the true source until it's too late to escape.

What Am I Up To?

Earlier this month, I attended Gen Con, focusing on the Gen Con Writer's Symposium.  If you haven't attended the panels in GenCon before, it's well worth your time whether you're aspiring to write or are already in the trenches, submitting your work.  I took copious notes and learned quite a bit.  I'd attended last year, but this year I also chose to pay for a feedback session with professional authors.  They had excellent feedback on one of my short stories.

I'll be attending the World Fantasy Convention in October, and I signed up to do a reading.  I'll be practicing in front of my wife, who will prepare me for any possible distractions, as she did in preparation for my reading at Gen Con.  She would cough loudly, laugh randomly, stand up and walk into the other room, or pretend to check her phone for text messages.  And while she's doing so, she's still observing everything so that at the end, she's telling me how best to focus, emote, etc. (she's a professional actress and comedian).  I haven't decided on what I'll read just yet, but I have enough time left to prepare.

As far as writing goes, I'm working on a novel featuring Katsu and Tsukiko, who are the main characters in "Shadows in Sakamura" that was published in the latest issue of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly.  The novel reveals how they became as they are - one shadowing the other.  I really love writing this story, but it's not easy; this is probably the hardest I've ever worked on any writing project to date.

I can't say how much time I've spent just reading about the Japanese Edo period or looking at art and pictures of Japan.  Sometimes I just get lost in the research - fascinated by all of the details.  So much of what I'm studying will never end up on the page directly, but it's helping me to build this fantasy world - one that I hope absorbs readers.

Shadows in Sakamura Now Available

My short story, "Shadows in Sakamura," is now available at Heroic Fantasy Quarterly.  It's a fantasy story set in a world based on Edo-period Japan.  Katsu and Tsukiko attempt to restore a town that's downtrodden in an unusual and mysterious way.

Check it out!

Story Accepted by Heroic Fantasy Quarterly

I just had a short story accepted by Heroic Fantasy Quarterly!  "Shadows in Sakamura" will appear in a future issue.  The story takes place in a fantasy setting based on the Japanese Edo period.  This will be my second story published in Heroic Fantasy Quarterly.  My previous story, "Aldrom", was published in 2010.  For those interested in reading "Aldrom", click here.

Bad Query

I was searching through old emails in one of my accounts recently, trying to find a password.  While searching, I came across an agent's reply to a query letter I wrote over a decade ago.  The query was for a terribly-written fantasy novel I started when I was in college.  At the time, I thought I had a fairly good idea for what a query letter should look like, based on what some books were telling me.  It's such a bad query letter, I felt like I had to share it (and comment on its hideousness).  Here it is (with the agent's name hidden):

Dear Mr. [redacted],
    I found your listing in the 2000 edition of "Guide to Literary Agents."  I'm excited that you're actively seeking commercial fiction and that you "know the book business from both sides of the table."  I have recently completed a fantasy novel titled [redacted], and I'm seeking an agent interested in finding new writers who can find the right publisher for my work.
    In the year 412 solum-ruina, a sorcerer named Shaelox orders his army, under the leadership of General Cynag, to forcefully take control of Ortello, an abandoned fortress inside the borders of Derunate.  The sorcerer makes allies of the ogre tribes, and the western lands of men become a vast battleground.  Shaelox seeks the fortress because of a great beast that dwells inside.  Its name is Chonossar, and it is the product of the world's first source of evil – Omrontus.
    The beast will only adhere to its master or to any who possess the Jewel of Omrontus.  This jewel is fused to the Torguscept; a conglomerate of two staves in one.  The Torguscept also holds the Jewel of Prospotos, which would allow its user to destroy the beast.
    Aeril, a prince in disguise and cousin to Shaelox, travels to the city of Mystic in the east in order to retrieve the Torguscept and destroy Chonossar.  He teams up with Dergous (a self-proclaimed scholar) and Diana (a strong willed daughter of Litas' only sword-maker) as well as two dwarves in a quest to rid the world of the remnant of Omrontus' evil.
    I am currently a monthly writer and editor for a newsletter with a circulation of about 300.  I have also taken two creative writing courses at [redacted].
    Please contact me if you would be interested in reading my synopsis or sample chapters.  If you have further questions, I can be reached through email or by phone ([redacted]).  Thank you for your time.  I look forward to your response.

 

-Matt Wuertz

His response was, "No thanks."  Really?  You're not interested in a quest to find the Torguscept in order to stop Chonossar?  Perhaps you missed the plot through all of these esoteric names.  It's a wonder he could even type a response between fits of laughter.

I think I'm better with query letters now.  At least, I hope so.  Time will tell...

Avoiding Fantasy Stock Characters

A stock character is one that embodies an archetype or falls into basic stereotypes or cliches.  For example, the brave knight or the evil lord.  Especially in writing adventure fantasy or high fantasy, it's easy to slip into stock characters because these forms are so familiar.  But if we don't break the molds, we'll find our writing is nothing but a pastiche of others' work; any originality will fade behind the distracting cliches.

A character cannot simply be an elf any more than a character can simply be a man; that doesn't identify anyone (even if he has his own name).  Delve into their personality, their background, their mannerisms.  The character can still be readily associated with a specific magical race and be well defined.  For example, a distinct dwarf character can still love mining.

If you feel like you're stuck, watch people.  Observe their behavior, especially anything quirky.  Embellish these things for your characters, and you'll see them stand apart in a lineup of stock characters.

Allow for multiple characteristics to permeate; for example, a knight who acts bravely but is guilt-ridden, has insomnia, and enjoys poetry.  One strong characteristic may dominate, but if it aligns too closely with an existing trope without letting anything else shine through, the character will just be another brave knight, ho-hum.

It's okay to reference fantasy races or types of people that readers are familiar with, but don't rely upon them as distinguishing characteristics.  A character must feel real, even if he's a centaur.  Don't be lazy; think creatively.

A Guile of Dragons by James Enge

I recently finished reading James Enge's latest novel, A Guile of Dragons.  This is Book One of A Tournament of Shadows.  Yes, Enge fans, we now have a series of books coming our way.

In A Guile of Dragons, Morlock is born within the Wardlands - a land without formal government that is maintained by the Graith of Guardians.  Though raised by dwarves at Thrymhaiam, Morlock leaves that life to join the Graith as a Thain - the lowest of their three ranks.

Summoner Earno, one of the highest ranking guardians, dreams of vast destruction to the Wardlands, emanating from the north.  He asks Morlock to accompany him to Thrymhaiam in search of another summoner. 

Soon after they reach their destination, the dwarves are attacked by a guile (group) of dragons.  Earno, who has slain a dragon in the past, orders Morlock to deliver a challenge to the guile's master.  By defeating a guile's master, the rest of a guile breaks apart, so Earno's plan seems sound.  But Morlock discovers that this guile is itself made up of guile masters.  And killing its leader would only give rise to another - not that the mighty Vild Kharum would even listen to a challenge from one such as Morlock.

This is a tale of strategy and survival, marked by unexpected turns and exciting adventures.  For those unfamiliar with Enge's writing, this is a great place to jump on board.  And for those who are already fans, you'll love reading about Morlock's origins.

Good stories about dwarves and dragons are hard to find.  Enge remains inventive and witty throughout the book.  You can sense his enjoyment in writing, and it translates to enjoyable reading.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

This weekend, my wife and I saw The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.  Neither of us have gone to the movies to see anything in 3D, so we thought we'd try it out.  Honestly, I think I could have watched it in 2D without missing anything significant.  But I'm not a 3D fan, so take that with a grain of salt.

As for the movie itself, I felt like it moved too slowly.  Beyond that, I disliked the added dialogue.  By that, I don't mean that the dialogue needed to match the book verbatim, but the additional verbiage was full of bad jokes.  For example, Bilbo refers to something as being crochet, and one of the dwarves says he loves that game, if you've got the balls for it (or something along those lines).  Gandalf relays a tale of the Took who could ride a horse and how he decapitated an enemy in battle, knocking the head into a rabbit hole (which I think is directly from the book); then he adds, "And the game of golf was invented as well."  Golf - in Middle Earth?  By far, the worst offender was the goblin king, who traps the party and asks what Gandalf will do, and when Gandalf responds physically, the goblin king replies, "That'll do."  Oh, it was horribly cheesy.

Now, I did like some aspects: I liked the scene with Bilbo and Gollum, and I liked seeing Erebor in all of its splendor.  Oh, and the plot with the Necromancer was intriguing; that's one thing I wish had been explored a bit more within the novel.

How would I rate the movie?  Well, it wasn't bad.  But it wasn't good either.  It's not a movie I feel like I need to see again anytime soon.  And it gives me pause on whether or not to see parts two and three in theatres.  Because with a young family, three hours out of the house is a luxury, so we're very cautious in how we use it.

Why Elves?

Among the myriad of established fantasy races, I continue to find elves captivating. They come in numerous forms and varieties, but I usually enjoy their presence as a reader and a writer.

A number of years ago, I’d written a short story around elves playing a game. There wasn’t much to the story, and it never sold before I locked it away, but on one of my rejections, an editor wrote: “Why elves?” Looking back, I realize the editor didn’t see anything in the plot requiring elves (likely because there wasn’t much of a plot). But at the time, I found it comical. What other race would I have used? For me, it was an exploration of this fascinating race, and I hoped to capture a slice of their lives.

Years later, I figured out that my failure in the story was a lack of plot. I had characters playing a game of no consequence in a generic setting. My next attempt was to take a human character and thrust him into the elves’ environment. What this allowed was an entry-level point of view – someone with limited knowledge of elves who would take everything in and point out anything he found curious or unusual. The character’s observations were my observations as I dreamed of their world and what they were like.

The challenge in writing about elves is to avoid clichés without violating key aspects that make elves what they are. In the end, it becomes a balancing act. But what I find most alluring about elves is their illusiveness - the ineffable qualities that humanity cannot understand. Whether it’s their craftsmanship, magic, language, longevity or intelligence – there are aspects of elves beyond my grasp. Regardless of what I might create, I always want to retain an enigma around them.

Ironically, the mystery I admire creates a superiority I detest. Because elves have inexplicable skills, humans become inferior. And the elves know it. In some stories, humans are prey to the elves’ amoral (or perhaps immoral) whims. Even Tolkien’s elves had a darker side, according to their deeds recorded in The Silmarillion.

Despite their arrogance, I won’t shun the elves. I’m drawn toward them, like so many stories of humans discovering the fey folk in the deep woods, never to return. We need more elves in today’s fantasy.

Speculative Markets Rising

Years ago, it seemed like we kept losing speculative markets. Periodically, I’d see another name listed among dead markets, and readers and writers would mourn the loss of another magazine.

Recently, it seems like there’s a growing presence of speculative markets, especially in the genre of science fiction. Just yesterday, I noticed a new one named Digital Science Fiction, which focuses on a series of anthologies available for the Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader and other eBook platforms. Their premier anthology is slated for arrival in June. Another interesting note on this market – they’re paying pro rates.

A quick search of duotrope shows 16 markets consistently paying pro rates (above flash-fiction in length) that accept science fiction as well as 16 accepting fantasy (some markets overlap both genres). I don’t know what that exact number looked like a few years back, but I don’t think it was nearly so high.

Besides all of the pro-paying markets, there are of course many great magazines and anthologies available for readers and writers. It’s becoming difficult to track all of them, and I doubt most readers can keep up with the plethora of quality fiction available today. I suppose that’s a good problem to have, though.

My hat goes off to the various editors who keep churning out issues of magazines or anthologies as well as those brave souls who decide to start new ventures. Your hard work brings an abundance of joy to both readers and writers alike.

The Wolf Age by James Enge

The Wolf Age by James Enge was published by Pyr near the end of 2010. This is Enge’s third novel, following Blood of Ambrose and This Crooked Way (both released in 2009, which begs the question of whether or not Enge actually sleeps).

In The Wolf Age, Morlock the Maker has severed all ties with his friends to wander alone, believing it is only a matter of time before he battles his father, Merlin, for the final time. His latest path takes him north into the werewolf city of Wuruyaaria. Instead of Merlin, Morlock struggles against madness, imprisonment, a maker who battles gods, and a slow death by ghost sickness.

I am a huge fan of Enge’s Morlock tales, but I don’t think that prevents me from being objective. That clarification aside, I believe this is Enge’s best work. This is a thrilling tale that showcases Morlock’s ingenuity within the clever, unpredictable plots that Enge fans cherish. What I enjoyed the most was the mortality of Morlock -- a frailness I was unaccustomed to seeing, along with limitations to his skills through an unfortunate turn of events. Beyond this, Enge once more demonstrates strong character development and even introduces a credible and moving love story.

If you’ve never read any of Enge’s works before, it’s time to jump on board. If you have read Enge’s works, this is a step above anything that preceded it; grab a copy as soon as you can.

Regarding Sir Chahan

My fantasy short story, “Regarding Sir Chahan,” is now available for reading at MindFlights: http://www.mindflights.com/item.php?sub_id=6451. I thought I’d cross-post this announcement between a couple of sites that I post on to try to get the word out to as many people as possible.

This Crooked Way

I recently finished reading "This Crooked Way" by James Enge. I actually won the copy as part of a contest on Black Gate by answering Morlock trivia questions (I think I only missed one), thus proving my Morlock fan status quantitatively.

After a deadly encounter with a stone beast, Morlock the Maker discovers that his horse, Velox, has disappeared. There are traces that suggest the beast devoured Velox, but Morlock discerns that the clues are false, a ruse that is clearly the work of another maker. Out of a sense of loyalty (and having nothing better to do), Morlock begins a long search for his steed.

During his travels, Morlock discovers the shell of his mother, who has been confined to mortal life through an anti-death spell. Only by recovering her other parts can Morlock hope to give his mother rest. Unfortunately, he also has to contend with the spell’s caster… his father, Merlin.

"This Crooked Way" is an entertaining and exciting novel. This is a must read for those who enjoy Enge’s stories, several of which you’ll find within (in slightly altered form). Actually, this is a must read for those who enjoy adventure fantasy. Imaginative, witty and surprising.

Great work, James!

The Magicera's Confession

My short story, "The Magicera’s Confession," is now available on MindFlights. I’m excited about seeing another publication before the end of the year. This is my second publication with MindFlights. Here’s the teaser: Beaten and exhausted, Thadryn's prospect is grim. Even if no one listens, he's willing to tell his tale.

Adult Fantasy

I don’t like that the word “adult” has become synonymous with “explicit” or “vulgar,” as found in terms like “adult bookstore” or “adult language”. Though “adult fantasy” does not directly label a story as being explicit or obscene, this classification does indicate that such a story might contain explicit or obscene content.

Adult fantasy should simply categorize fantasy written primarily for adults. The vocabulary should be advanced, perhaps including archaic words. The subject matter may include political commentaries or focus on situations that occur in adult lives rather than in the lives of adolescents or children. There might be darker themes or really complicated characters, and the reader may need to do a bit more thinking and contemplating because the concepts might be difficult to grasp or challenge the reader’s imagination or worldview.

Some people might argue that in order to write a story for adults, the author must be allowed to use explicit content, but I don’t think we need all of the details accompanying such openness. For example, perhaps a story has a plotline involving rape. I would argue that readers don’t need to read the details of such a vile act to grasp the concept of the crime.

I do want to make one additional point very clear: I don’t have a problem if people want to write or read fantasy stories with explicit content. I just don’t want such stories to be labeled as “adult fantasy”.

Beneath Ceaseless Skies Issue #20

It’s hard to believe that Beneath Ceaseless Skies has been around for twenty issues already. It’s impressive to see a new magazine that can maintain great, consistent content for so long. I wish them the best for the next twenty issues.

“The Land of Empty Shells” by Caroline M. Yoachim – Terra and Dziko form children from their own clay bodies, following the traditions of their people. Their daughter, Urvara, is chosen for service in the temple, which greatly upsets their son, Joren, who felt that he should be the one selected from their family. The events that follow break Urvara’s faith in the priestess and disturb the natural course of life for her family.

It took me some time to adjust to the people in this story due to their cultural and physical differences, but I’m glad I stayed the course. The combination of lore and a detailed account made the story intriguing and engaging.

“The Bone House” by James Lecky – Mikulas and his father live in isolation as fugitives from a long-lasting war. His father was a great mage, but the cost of exercising his talents left him poisoned, which eventually killed Mikulas’ mother, and it deformed Mikulas into a being of flesh and stone. Each day, Mikulas pulls some of the dead from the river, stripping these casualties of war of their valuables and carving their bones into various items. He rescues a young woman floating among the dead because she reminds him of his mother, but he soon discovers that the two aren’t that similar at all.

This story was original and drew me in very quickly. All of the characters seemed very distinct, and I loved the ending. This is the second tale by Lecky I’ve come across this month (the other was published in Heroic Fantasy Quarterly), and both were impressive. I’m not sure where his stories might be found next, but I think he’s an author to look for.

Heroic Fantasy Quarterly

A new online fantasy magazine has made a strong appearance, deubuting earlier this month. Heroic Fantasy Quarterly publishes short works (poetry and stories) of heroic fantasy and strives "to hearken an older age of storytelling - an age when a story well told enthralled audiences." The premier issue was an impressive one, and I highly recommed checking them out. I will bestow the small honor of adding their link to this blog site.

"The Black Flowers of Sevan" by James Lecky - Tulun serves the Melik in Sevan as a mercenary, captaining soldiers in various skirmishes as he attempts to bring peace to the Ten Kingdoms. When Tulun hustles one of his soldiers, Abbas Bedvian, out of a considerable amount of gold, Abbas asks for a final wager as a double-or-nothing. The stakes are that Tulun must bring Abbas black poppy from around the neck of Lady Shimshal, who is the Melik's woman. It is a risky proposal, and as Tulun considers the beautiful and secretive lady, he finds himself more interested in her than in the wager itself.

This was an intriguing tale of passion. Though somewhat predictable, the characters and well-written prose carried the story along quite well. Everything came together nicely for the ending.

"Man of Moldania" by Richard Marsden - The last dragon slayer, Golorus von Zekwit, follows rumors into the east in hopes of finding employment. The aged man enters the small town of Moldania, boasting of his experience with slaying dragons and offering to solve their problem with a local dragon for a certain fee. Dimitru, the town's leader, has his doubts, but he's willing to let Golorus try so long as he can accompany him. When the two men find the dragon's lair, Golorus finds that his previous experience cannot compensate for the beast he encounters.

It isn't often that I come across original dragon slaying tales, but this is a good one. I liked the limitations an older dragon slayer and felt his surprise at the dragon he attempts to slay. Humorous at times with ample tension, Marsden shares a fun story.

"Beyond the Lizard Gate" by Alex Marshall - After watching his father slain at the hands of his older brother, Agenor, Prince Inarus has sought revenge for the past eleven years, draining all of the resources of his kingdom to the point of poverty. With the final battle won, his sister begs him not to pursue Agenor further, but the hatred Inarus feels for his brother overrides his reason. Unable to dissuade him, his sister joins the other forty soldiers who follow Inarus into a valley for a final confrontation with Agenor.

This was my favorite story of the issue. Great tension, flow and angst. Highly entertaining.

Beneath Ceaseless Skies – Issue #19

“The Mansion of Bones” by Richard Parks – Lord Yamada and the fleshly priest Kenji explore the ruins of the Fujiwara compound. In addition to being guarded by murderous ghosts, a demon lurks within the area, keeping close watch on the treasure Yamada seeks for his client.

I’ve read other stories by Parks that feature Yamada and Kenji, and this one fits right in with the others. Parks has a way of building tension by leaving the reader in the dark with each mystery presented, and then he carefully reveals their secrets, leaving you with an admiration of Yamada’s cleverness. If Sherlock Holmes lived in historic Japan replete with demons, ghosts and the unexplained, his name would be Lord Yamada. Great fun!

“Havoc” by A. C. Smart and Quinn Braver – Marcoen the bard travels to find the best stories that he can translate into song, experiencing things first-hand as much as possible. His latest adventure is to accompany a legendary Roen scout named Havoc. Havoc is a young man with about a dozen followers who pesters the Cumberan enemies through assorted pranks and tricks.

This tale has well-written prose (by that I mean that it has a poetic quality about it), but I had difficulty in keeping track of the characters and plot. It took me a long time to get a sense of who Havoc was allied with and what he was doing. I never felt secure with where I was at in the story, and the uneasiness kept me detached from the characters.