announcements – Phil Slattery, Writer, Publisher

My Short Story “Letters” to be Published in Fiction on the Web on January 13

Just now, I received word that my short story “Letters” will appear in Fiction on the Web, a UK online magazine published by Charlie Fish, on January 13. Charlie has some impressive writing credentials (see the Fiction on the Web About page) and I am always honored to be published by him.

“Letters” is dark sort of love story, but I won’t say more than that or I will ruin the story for you. It is rather short (1,424 words), but I think it is powerful. I decided last week that I needed to publish a short story and while I was trying to decide which of my many drafts I wanted to finish, I hit upon the idea for “Letters” and wrote it in an evening. What you will see is the one and only draft. Had I gone back over it a few times, I could have improved the phrasing and details of the vocabulary, but I was eager to have something published. This is the first story I have had published in a long time.

I chose to publish it in Fiction on the Web, because Charlie Fish has been gracious enough to publish eight of my stories since 2015, and I thought this might be a good fit for Fiction on the Web. If you would like to read my other stories that have been published on Fiction on the Web, just go to the website and punch my name into the search bar.

What I like about being published on Fiction on the Web is the amount of comments I receive on my works. I have received several with each story and they all seem honest and straightforward and almost all are very positive. I have always enjoyed reading them, and I have learned a few things from their constructive criticism.

Thanks for taking the time to read my brief note and I hope you will return from time to time.

You might also want to check out my own online magazine The Chamber. The Chamber publishes a new issue on the first Friday of every month. It appears to be growing in popularity. As of October, The Chamber had had more views and visitors than in all of 2021.

Currently, I strive to publish at least 40,000 words of prose with each issue, so that each month my audience receives the equivalent of a small novel. I don’t include poetry in that word count. So, any poems are over and above whatever the prose count is for that issue.

Take care. Hasta luego.

Update: Progress on My Novel Shadows and Stars

For the last week I have been focusing on completing the final draft of my novel Shadows and Stars. Tonight, I reached the halfway point, page 165 of 330. The end is coming into view. After I finish this draft, I will start looking for an agent.

For the last week I have been focusing on completing the final draft of my novel Shadows and Stars. Tonight, I reached the halfway point, page 165 of 330. The end is coming into view. After I finish this draft, which should be in 1-2 weeks, I will start looking for an agent.

Then it is on to the next novel: Lycanthrope, whose first draft is almost complete. I may need to take it through another two to three drafts before it is finished.

I have more novels waiting in the wings once Lycanthrope is finished.

Update August 7, 2022: Progress on Incommunicado-Second Draft Completed

Today, I finished the second draft of my full-length play “Incommunicado”. Hopefully, I will do only one more to tidy everything up and it will be ready to be submitted.

Phil Slattery, Arkansas Post National Memorial, 2019

This has been a great learning experience for me. The main challenge throughout this process has been to not only be diligent in progressing on it, but also to ensure that everything is tied up neatly and that the reader will know why anything happens.

The themes, if you can call them that, are honesty, personal courage, self-control, controlling one’s life, and probably several more. I am sure someone will see some that I do not.

I wanted to keep the cast at three characters, but I had to increase it to four so that there would be more action and tension by introducing a villain of sorts. Not a true antagonist who opposes the protagonist throughout the play, but a character that appears only briefly but nonetheless has a major impact on the storyline.

Anyway, I hope to have this completed before long and I will start submitting it around and maybe start looking for an agent. I am not certain what I will tackle next. I have two novels near completion, but I have the bug for writing plays at the moment, so I may resurrect my original full-length play called “Centaurs” that has been languishing in the background for a few years now. Having completed “Incommunicado” may give me some ideas on how to finish “Centaurs” which has a similar storyline.

That’s all for now.

Hasta luego.

My Interview with Duotrope is Now Live!

My interview with Duotrope is now live!

At Arkansas Post National Memorial near Gillett, Arkansas, 2020

I was recently interviewed by Duotrope about my work on The Chamber Magazine. That interview is now live. Follow this link to read it.

If you are not familiar with Duotrope, they are a submission engine, i.e. they aid writers in finding magazines, book publishers, and agents to print their stories and poetry. The way they do this is by listing important data on magazines, which their subscribers can search. I have used them for several years and they are a very useful tool in finding publishers. They do charge a nominal fee of about $5/month. What you get out of the website is well worth that $5 many times over. If you are a writer, I recommend them highly. Even if don’t write and only read, they will still be very useful in finding the right magazines for you.

While you are there, check out The Chamber’s listing. It is a good example of how they run their website/database.

My Interview with Duotrope is Now Live!

My interview with Duotrope is now live!

I was recently interviewed by Duotrope about my work on The Chamber Magazine. That interview is now live. Follow this link to read it.

While you are there, check out The Chamber’s listing. It is a good example of how they run their website/database.

Update November 15: Batesville Comic-con Invitation

This weekend I was invited to speak at the Batesville (Arkansas) High School ComicCon March 4-5. I will be speaking on my writing and on The Chamber Magazine and my second publishing endeavor, Rural Fiction Magazine.

Being invited to the ComicCon was a pleasant surprise. This is the first time I have been invited anywhere to speak on my writing. I am flattered.

I am looking forward to this opportunity to speak about three of my favorite passions.

More to come. Stay tuned.

The Chamber Magazine is Seeking Essays

The Chamber Magazine is Seeking Essays

Reflections on a Wasted Life

Here is a video I created as an experiment, not to tell a story so much as to capture a mood.

Here is a video I created as an experiment, not to tell a story so much as to capture a mood. Let me know what you think. What mood do you think it captures? How does it make you feel? How much part does the music play in reflecting what is happening in the films as well as in setting the mood.

By the way, I made this film from elements available in the public domain. I did no actual filming myself. I certainly did not compose the music.

Update of December 5, 2017: “Murder by Plastic” to be included in anthology

cropped-inside-og2-2-a — Phil Slattery, 2015

A week or so ago, I was contacted by Charlie Fish, editor of FictionontheWeb.co.uk. He asked to include my short (flash fiction) story “Murder by Plastic” in an anthology he will be publishing in January. I happily agreed and provided the bio notes he requested.

Originally published by Everyday Fiction in 2013, Charlie published “Murder by Plastic” on November 17, 2015. It has garnered quite a few favorable comments and was well-received.

Please visit of these websites to read the story. Better yet, buy a copy of the Fiction on the Web anthology when it comes out in 2018. Charlie Fish selects only top-notch stories for Fiction on the Web. I recommend visiting the site often.

The Farmington Writers Circle Meet and Greet Has a Venue!

Tonight, Roberta Summers, a founding member of the Farmington Writers Circle, arranged to have our writers networking event (which we currently refer to by the working title of “the Meet and Greet”) at the Artifacts Gallery, 302 East Main, Farmington, during the city’s Art Walk on June 9 between 5pm-9pm.

Details on the event are still being worked out, but we plan on inviting as many authors and novelists from the Four Corners area to be there to meet their readers, participate in readings and book-signings and to network with any local publishers, critics, reviewers, and anyone else involved in the local writing industry.

Anyone who reads anything or is involved in reading, writing, or literature is invited to attend. If you are a reader or writer of any genre (published or unpublished), an arts or literature critic, a reviewer, a publisher, a literary agent, someone who interviews writers or authors on radio or TV, if you promote reading, writing, or literacy in any way, manner, shape, or form, you do not need an invitation, you are invited to attend.

The names of the authors and novelists expected to attend will be announced as they respond to our invitations, but, if you are an author/novelist, you don’t need an invitation to attend. Just show up, meet new readers, and pass out your business cards and other contact info.

The entire purpose of this event is for writers of all types to make contacts and to network.

Refreshments will be available along with a salsa-tasting. At least some of our local members will have books to sell.

Check back for more details as we approach June 9. Submit any questions you have via this website. Don’t forget that you can find a link on the right-hand menu to sign up to follow our blog.

Announcing a Change of Mission

Writing at Hasting's Hardback Café in Farmington, NM, late evening of October 16, 2015 (self-portrait) — Writing at Hasting’s Hardback Café in Farmington, NM, late evening of October 16, 2015 (self-portrait)

After some consideration, I have decided to change the format of this blog from publishing only my own thoughts on the horror genre to that of a magazine printing submitted articles and works of fiction. I would like to explore the breadth and depth of horror as an art form, but that will never happen so long as I am showcasing only my own works, viewpoints, discoveries, and analyses, for which my other commitments allow little time. I am doing this for my own education and enlightenment as well as for that of my readership. Please visit my Submissions page to read the guidelines for what I would like to publish.

“Dream Warrior” to be Published

My short story “Dream Warrior” is currently slated to be published by the online magazine Sorcerous Signals in their February, 2013 issue as well as their February, 2013 issue of Mystic Signals (a print edition combining Sorcerous Signals and The Lorelei Signal).

For my friends and relatives not familiar with the publishing industry: please be advised that the story is only scheduled to be published in February and that I do not have an exact date yet. The last edition was published on November 12, therefore it will probably be published about mid-February. In my experience, stories appear on schedule about 90% of the time. Occasionally, something happens and the story has to be delayed, but (again, in my experience) the story always appears.

I would like to thank the editor of Sorcerous Signals, Carol Hightshoe, for accepting my work. I overlooked her letter of acceptance in my e-mail in October and was not aware of “Dream Warrior’s” acceptance until she diligently and professionally followed up and inquired about the story some time later.

The story is about a teenage boy in Corpus Christi, TX, who seeks revenge on the hoodlums responsible for the rape and death of his girlfriend. After his first attempt fails and they threaten his life, he runs to Mexico to live with his great-grandfather, who teaches him the ways of the ancient Aztec sorcerers so that he can have his revenge.

I got the idea for the story while researching south Texas history for another (as yet unfinished) story and came across a website on Aztec sorcery. Its author, whose name unfortunately escapes me at the moment, graciously responded to my inquiries and provided me with a wealth of fascinating information. If I can find his name and website in my e-mails, I will publish them later.

I hope everyone enjoys “Dream Warrior”. Please help me thank Carol and her staff by visiting the site often and encouraging everyone you know to do the same. Check your local media outlets for Mystic Signals.