"Best of Philadelphia Stories" Anthology and Conceit Magazine

I was notified that "BJ Schaffer is Dead" was selected for the "Best of Philadelphia Stories" Anthology.  It's due out this Fall and should be for sale in fine bookstores nationwide.  I had to fill out my very first "Author Release Form" and send it in.  That was a trip, seeing the words: "Bernard J. Schaffer, Author" in print, written by someone other than myself.

I was also notifed that Conceit Magazine accepted my short story submission "Deadliest Whisper" for publication.  It is scheduled to appear in the November 2009 issue.  It's actually what is technically called a "short-short" which means it clocks in at under 500 words (just a few paragraphs, really).  It was the first time I ever tried my hand at doing a short-short, and it took awhile to find a home for it.  I'm as pleased as punch to have that home be with Conceit. 

You can order single issues (Or subscribe!) online from the Magazine's MySpace page, located here: Conceit Magazine  Tell Perry I sent you.  She seems like a really cool person.

Finally, there have been some fairly major developments with "Sherlock Holmes and the Whitechapel Horror" but I'm not ready to talk about any of them.  Charles Bukowski had a rule that he never discussed what a story was about before it was written, because it "Let the air out of the tires." 

Well, this particular story has the makings of a whopper, but to get where it needs to go it will certainly need gas in the tank, rubber on the road, and a steady hand at the wheel.  I think I've found that steady hand, but I'm not quite willing to discuss it at this point.

In an unrelated matter, but still pertaining to the novel, I will now present, for your reading pleasure, an excerpt from a recent phone conversation:

    "B?  It's Dad."

"Hey.  What's up."

"I was talking to my author buddy.  You remember, him?"

"The one with the Big Time Connections?"

"Right!  He told me something, and I wanted to tell you.  It's about your book."

"...okay."

"This guy's got twenty something books on the New York Times best-seller list, B.  He's the real deal.  You need to pay attention to what tells you, okay?"

"All right, what did he say?"

"He said...let me make sure I get this right.  He said, that the books that are REALLY doing well right now are the ones that can be made into MOVIES."

"...."

"You hear me?  I said, MOVIES.  That's what kind of book you should write."

"Ah.  Well...thanks, Dad.  Listen, I have to go."

"Me too.  Just keep that in mind, okay?"

"Movies.  Got it."

"Good job!"

We all clear now, folks?  Good.  See you next time!

Comments

[Heather]

I'm definitely going to order that magazine. I can't wait to read what you had published!

[Tanya]

And it's only the beginning for what is about to come!! I'm very proud of you.