My 2016 Writing Year in Review

By all accounts, 2016 was a good year for my writing. I had a number of originals published, all of which I'm proud of, and tied my all-time record for 11 stories sold in a single year. While my output was low, I did end up extensively rewriting a number of old, trunked stories that eventually sold, and even started my first novel.

Originals:

My absolute favorite is "Pagpag," which appeared in issue #89 of Apex Magazine (October). Paula Guran called it, "A poignant, textured story," and it's free to read at Apex Magazine's website.

That same month, The Spectral Book of Horror Stories Vol. 3 released "Penelope's Song," a sad, but (I think) ultimately hopeful tale about a developmentally disabled girl who must defend her group home from a monster.

"The Last Great Failing of the Light," a dark, second-world fantasy--about hope and loss in a dying world--came out July 16th in Myriad Lands Vol. 2: Beyond the Edge.

"Winter Fever," a horror story inspired by my fever dreams, appeared in the final issue of the great Shock Totem (#10, March 2016). Inspired by my own fever dreams.

"Midnight, San Francisco"--a rare (for me) science fiction story and among the first stories I ever wrote--appeared in Stupefying Stories Showcase on September 16th.

Reprints:

"Multo" was included in The Best of Apex Magazine Vol. 1 (January) and in the Apex Magazine 2015 Sampler (February). "Smart Money" appeared on Evil Girlfriend Media (March). "So Praise Him," my Lovecraft meets Pentecostals horror story, appeared as a Digital Fiction Short Story in June and then again in the Digital Fiction anthology "Largely Deceased" in July. "Multo" also appeared in Expanded Horizons #50 (June). An updated and slightly expanded version of "Burning Men" was published in Sci Phi Journal (August), and "Love in the Time of Alien Invasion" is forthcoming in Fantastic Stories of the Imagination's POC flash fiction anthology (Kickstarter in December, and an ebook in 2017).

Forthcoming Stories:

I also made a few choice sales that will appear next year, including "A Mundane Encounter With a Civilized God" (IGMS, February 2017), "Behind the Walls" (Single Slices, 2017), "Beyond the Reach of Darkness" (Fifth Spectral Book of Horror Stories, October 2017), a newly polished version of "Servant of the Aswang" (Apex Magazine, 2017?), and "A Thing in All My Things" (Pseudopod, 2017).

Sales and releases from January to March, 2016

I've been a bit slow on the update, but I plan to fix that now. First, sales:

Pseudopod Podcast accepted a second story from me, this one a slighter piece entitled, "A Thing in All My Things." It originally appeared in Urban Fantasy Magazine. Really looking forward to hearing this one read, but we'll have to wait until at least 2017 for that.

Apex Magazine picked up my story, "Pagpag." This is the third of three stories I wrote that were inspired by Filipino folklore and urban legend and I couldn't be more pleased! The first, "Servant of the Aswang," originally appeared in Penumbra eMag and was recently released on audio by Pseudopod. The second, "Multo, originally appeared in Apex Magazine, was reprinted in The Best of Apex Magazine Vol. 1, was voted Apex Story of the Year for 2015, and was released on audio by The Overcast. No word, yet, when "Pagpag" will be released, but the contract has been signed. Can't wait to see what people think!

Guardbridge Books has accepted my story "The Last Great Failing of the Light," a dark second world fantasy, for their Myriad Lands anthology. Contract signed and already working on edits!

Releases:

The Best of Apex Magazine Vol. 1, including my story "Multo."

Pseudopod #480, featuring my story "Servant of the Aswang."

Shock Totem #10, including my story, "Winter Fever."

Sale: "Winter Fever"

I'm ecstatic to announce my story, "Winter Fever," sold to Shock Totem! I've been told to expect it out in issue #10 sometime next year. Shock Totem is one of the few markets I've been following since I started writing, before I ever even sold my first story. It's an absolute thrill and honor to have been selected, especially considering the caliber of stories that have been published by them before.