I got a new offer to publish my short story “Aquarius.”

I wrote the story in 2015. It was previously accepted by Aurelius Leo but the publisher’s plans fell through. The story is on the longer side, so it’s already pretty tough to place with traditional short story publishers, but on top of that it got hung up in publishing limbo for so long after plans didn’t materialize that I was pretty bummed to still be trying to place the story in 2025. I submitted it to an anthology project that’s specifically for aromantic main characters, though I wasn’t explicitly looking for anything like that. And this time, it found what I hope is its permanent home.

The Common Bonds anthology project has accepted “Aquarius” and plans to put the story in its Volume 3 anthology. (It will be a while since Volume 2 isn’t even out.) News as it develops.

I wrote a short story called “Aquarius” in 2015. You can see some of my thoughts on developing the story and its journey in a previous blog post. But what I can say on the story since then is that I’ve thought for a long time that this was one of my best short stories. My mom even liked it, and my mom doesn’t like science fiction.

Evidently, the publishers didn’t agree with my assessment. Or my mom’s. Because I couldn’t seem to find a home for it.

I’ll admit one thing: I’m picky about selling short stories. I don’t like to sell them to unstable markets, so I generally only pitch to publications that offer compensation beyond a free copy. So with that and the fact that the story is on the longer side, maybe the odds just weren’t on my side for selling “Aquarius.”

Or, more likely, I just lack the capacity to be objective about which of my stories are any good.

But right after I sold a story I didn’t think I liked very much to the first place I offered it to, this story sold next. I got an acceptance on September 29, 2022.

Why didn’t I post about it then? Because I didn’t know any terms and there was no communication about the story for a long time after that, so I didn’t want to make an announcement and then find out it wasn’t actually going to be a thing. I don’t like to spread news when I don’t really HAVE the news.

But as of today, I did get my contract and the release terms. I can now tell you that after a long streak of years, my (probably) second-queerest short story will finally be published in November 2023.

Aurelia Leo bought the story for their 18th PRIDE anthology. A placeholder purchase link is up, and it has a cover.

Just got word that my short story “Her Experiment” has been accepted to Spoon Knife Volume 7, which involved a submissions call for stories about transition.

I’m pretty surprised. I did something with this story I don’t like to admit: I didn’t let anyone read it before I sent it out. I actually don’t think I’ve EVER done that before–I value the input of readers and I would always advise writers to get at least a few people to help them work the kinks out.

And then it was accepted at the very first place I submitted it. Welp.

(I do not plan to learn from this that it’s better to go without beta readers. Terrible lesson.)

I also was very pessimistic about this story and didn’t like it after I wrote it. Worried that I rushed it and forced it. Worried that it was ugly. Worried that it was too long.

It IS too long. But that’s allowed where I sent it.

Anyway, it’ll be published in Spring 2023. I’ll give information about how to read it at that time.

Here’s my post about writing the story.

After Dinner Conversation has discussed my short story “Everyone’s Gay in Space” on their podcast. They have promoted the story on Twitter and on their podcast page.

You can listen through one of the links on their post. It’s carried on these podcast providers. I personally like Stitcher.

To quote from their site:

STORY SUMMARY: Douglas Junior and his wife both have a rare, recessive, genetic disease. They donate their blood to a lab to help them find a cure. Through a medical mix-up, Douglas Junior’s DNA is used to create his clone. 20 years later he finds out about his clone and reaches out to meet him. Things don’t go exactly as planned as Douglas Junior is a blue-collar working man, while his clone is a top-of-the-class gay student who plans to join the space program.

DISCUSSION: Interesting story that mirror some of the research done with sexual orientation differences between identical twins, as well as nature vs. nurture. Creates a springboard for good discussions about what information we would want to know about our clone. For example, are there unexplored genetic aptitudes I missed out on? Douglas seems to be very picky about which science he believes in, and which he doesn’t believe in, as so much of it is tied up how he self identifies. His clone is rightly frustrated by all the questions and says what may often be on the mind of others gay individuals, “it’s not my job to teach everyone in the world ‘Gay 101’”.

Hear the discussion!

My short story “Everyone’s Gay in Space” sold to After Dinner Conversation. It’s in the November 2020 issue.

Reading this one isn’t free on the Internet but as of today it can be accessed through a monthly subscription or by purchasing the story individually.

Here’s my post about when I wrote the story if you want more info.