You say it's May, but can I believe you?
May news from Sherry D. Ramsey
Some writers have been enormously prolific during quarantines and lockdowns. Me, not so much. But I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel. As long as it's not an oncoming train...
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New! Pulp Science Fiction from The Rock
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 Last summer, Newfoundland's Engen Books put out a call for submissions for their newest anthology, a collection of short fiction with pulp sci-fi sensibilities (updated for the contemporary world). I muddled around with ideas for a while as the submission deadline loomed, and then had a brainstorm and wrote a story in, I think, less than a week. That might be a record for me.
Anyway, I quickly edited it and sent it off with (if I remember correctly) a full half an hour to spare before the submission deadline.
It was fun, it was pulpy, and it was accepted!
So "The Swamp Cat and the Reckless Scout" appears in this deliciously pulpy anthology along with twenty-one other tales. The anthology launched in early April and quickly joined other volumes in the "from the rock" series to become a bestseller. Whether you're running out of pandemic reading or you're just in the mood for some fun stories, you really should click over and add this one to your reading list today!
Amazon.com link: https://www.amazon.com/Pulp-Sci-Fi-Rock-Ellen-Curtis-ebook/dp/B086HDRL4F
Amazon.ca: https://www.amazon.ca/Pulp-Sci-Fi-Rock-Ellen-Curtis-ebook/dp/B086HDRL4F
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That freebie I mentioned...
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 I'm currently working on a new Olympia Investigations story, so this seemed like a great time to offer up a freebie from the series.
Acacia Sheridan is a private detective with a special gift for communicating with the supernatural. When patrons of a local homeless shelter start turning up dead, with suspicious-looking bite marks on their necks, a local vampire is an obvious suspect. But as Acacia digs deeper into the case she starts to wonder…could even more sinister forces be at work?
Download it in epub or mobi (Kindle) right here.
If you enjoy this story, you can find links to the rest of the series (from your favourite retailer) right here.
And if you know someone who might like to grab a free copy and sign up for my newsletter, please feel free to share this link with them.
Happy reading! |
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At My Desk - 2020 Planning
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If you cast your mind back to my January newsletter (the last time I sent one out!) you might recall that I had boldly decided not to make a writing plan for 2020, because I never seem to follow them anyway. I was teaching a university course, had edits to focus on, and wasn't really sure where I'd be going after those things were dealt with.
Thus, I had no plan to be derailed by the global pandemic. I am counting this as a win!
However, it left me basically just dealing with one day at a time for the past past couple of months, like many, many other people. The university course switched online and exams and course delivery had to be re-imagined. When I got through that, I joined a community group sewing and distributing masks to health care workers and individuals who needed them. And with the added anxieties of the world, writing and editing were definitely sidelined.
Now, though, I feel like I can draw a breath and turn some attention back to writing (hence this newsletter). I'm still working on the novel edits, but also some new writing, like the Olympia Investigations story I mentioned above. I'm pondering the merits of releasing a novel serial-style, perhaps through Patreon.
I'm still not making a plan.
But I am working again, and it feels good.
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Some Special Deals & Projects
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Catch some great deals and freebies from other writers!
Kate has enough problems - a boss that's a little too friendly, a sex life that's non-existent, and a cat with zero tolerance for late meals. The last thing she needs is to be kidnapped, even if it is by a hot Brit.
Afterwards, she's mysteriously returned and has no memory of what happened. She learns, with the help of an eccentric sexy woman, that she's been modified - given a power unique to her talents. Sounds cool, right? It would be if she knew how to use it without killing everyone around her...
Modified is a funny, sexy, geeky romp about the trouble of acquiring an unexpected and inherently evil super power. Full of offbeat characters, profanity, and just enough deliciously wicked thoughts, you'll love this fun series. .
Grab your copy here!
 The Scales by Paul Sating is free in Kindle Unlimited!
Serenity is suffocated; by her brother, mother, and the dead-end town.
The Scales has always served as a sanctuary for Serenity and other teens around town. That changes when she’s attacked by a gigantic beast and barely escapes with her life. Turning to her mother and authorities, no one can help and those who can aren’t willing.
When Serenity discovers the nature of the stalking terror, she becomes the key to freeing the population it threatens. But a mysterious organization known only as the Black Suits changes everything when they strip Serenity of any power to change her fate. Facing a no-win decision, Serenity must decide which evil to serve.
Fans of big monster horror and government conspiracies will love this frightening tale. Grab it today and discover the secrets beneath the desert sands.
Grab your copy now!
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 You can find/follow me on all sorts of social media! I'd love to be friends on Goodreads! I set my 2020 Reading Challenge goal to the same as last year because I'm a wimp. That seems like it was a smart move because even with pandemic lockdown, I'm still behind! But seriously, I do like to set goals that are challenging but achievable--I'll catch up. You can see all the books I read in 2019 right here.
Follow my writing news page on Facebook here. Of course, for more pithy musings and glimpses into my life, I'm @sdramsey on Twitter and Instagram. And if you're a fan of the visual over the written, follow me on Pinterest! I have a fun project going over there, a series of visual writing prompts to inspire you and maybe give you a chuckle or two.
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 Well, here we are at the end of another newsletter. We're having weird weather--snow one day, warm and sunny the next. I have a lot of plants started indoors so I'll be happy when I can get them outside without worry of frost!
Your support and your thoughts are important to me, so if you have feedback or ideas on what you'd like to see in this newsletter, please reply to this email with your comments. I promise to read them all unless they're boring, nasty, or too long. :)
Feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone you think might enjoy it!
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