Because it’s summer, and we are all feeling a little lazy and languid. And because there’s already been a bunch of talk about short stories this week (apologies to non-Irreantum subscribers who don’t get to get in on the action — of course, there is a remedy for that). And because there’s simply a lot still to talk about with the posts that have been posted so far this week. And because I’m curious. This is what Short Story Friday is this week:
What’s going on?
Anybody enter the Irreantum fiction contest? Sources* tell me that the stories were heavy on the speculative fiction and sex. I’m not quite sure how to take that. How about the Sunstone contests? Anybody else have anything cooking that they can talk about right now**? Anybody have something to say about The Mormon Short Story?
I did not enter the Irreantum contest this year. I worked on several stories, but couldn’t settle on one and simply blew the deadline because nothing came together in time. However, I did produce a short short piece for the Sunstone contest. I also have a story coming out in the fall Dialogue. It’s actually a set of longish short short stories on a common theme, which means I seem to be having the most success with work less than 2k words. This will do nothing to dispel my reputation as the Master of the Slight and Shallow. On the other hand, I’m almost done with the first draft of a story that I already have 5k words written and will probably swell to 6k when all is said and edited. I wish I could tell you more about it, but it may be contest bound next year. I’ve begun to realize that I need to think 6 months to a year out rather than 10-12 weeks.
* Okay, this doesn’t sound as cool, but Chris Bigelow posted something on Facebook about it (without divulging anything he shouldn’t).
** Don’t tell us details if you plan on entering contests with the work — there could be current or future judges lurking.
A Motley Vision 
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I laugh at the sex. Because I didn’t submit my story rife with Mormon/atheist sex. Couldn’t get it finished on time. Next year!
(Although I’m in the process of adding sex to my novella. “What if our bodies stained as easily as my favorite cotton tshirt? ‘Can I suck that out for you?'”)
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(as long as i am talking to an empty room, i shall continue)
Angela—
If you stop by, in relation to the many related conversations going on of late, I’m curious, if many stories submitted to Irreantum are about sex, what sort of editorial standards might limit something’s chances of publication.
You know, I think I might have something without–
Oh, never mind. I don’t.
I hate to break it to you guys, but after reading Dreiser’s The Financier, I’m convinced that the great Mormon novel will be about money rather than sex*. ;-P
* Although I’ve heard that MoJo’s work is usually about both.
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This is true. Not mine. I know nothing about money. You can ask my wife.
Well, the core of the plot for book #3 revolves around a hostile takeover/clandestine restructuring.
(Forgive me. I couldn’t resist.)
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Eugene wrote such a book also.
6100 words now on the story mentioned above. One more section and then it’s time for my favorite part: revision.
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If Chris stops by (for the first time in a . . . year?) I’m curious to know how many stories constitutes a ‘trend’. Are three striking stories a trend? A third of all submissions?
Thread hijack, since I can’t remember where the original request was: Wm, I have some LDS historical romances and a mystery/suspense title or two that I could lend you.