Well, it’s been a busy few months. Quite a lot of writing and reading is involved in the creative writing degree I began this year, and that means not much time to work on anything else.
Having said that, I will get a break from the course between November and February, so I’ve set that time aside to begin work on Alien Dimensions #19 and The Robots of Atlantis.
Though, one of the things that I really want to do with Alien Dimensions is make sure that writers who contribute get something back. This is currently US$10 for a story for the rights for 2 years. It may not seem like much, but on a writer’s income, it’s no longer possible for me to pay that in advance and hope that I get it back through sales of the book.
So, instead, I’m trying something new. I’d like to raise some funds for the next issue of Alien Dimensions, so I’ve put many of my science fiction and fantasy stories into one volume called Hoganthology (the title is a homage to Piers Anthony’s ‘Anthonology’) There are over 47 pieces in Hoganthology. If printed, it would run to about 800 pages in a 5″x8″ book, but it is currently listed on Amazon as having about 600 in ebook form (depending on your device.)
In Hoganthology you’ll find the following:
Section 1 – Short Stories
A Little Matter The Opposition Gravity Locked Still in Beta Ancient Alien Dinosaurs Japanese Martian Robot Souls Oh My God It’s Full of Stars Alien UFO Disclosure Pyramids of the Moon The Hydrofluorons of Krakon 7 Phases of the Moon Base Interrelations Surviving Mars First Interdimensional Contact Time Sheets Mate Robot Solitude ExtraForestrial Work After Death Neko Girl The Galaxy’s Driving Force The Old Boys’ Club Cosmic Joke The Manipulator Strange Lands Layers Life Choices Moon Mine The Secret of Bimini Tutor Who: Heaven Cent
Section 2 – Flash Fiction
Child Safe Evolution Inter-View Pocket Monsters The Language Tutor Controller Gene-Reality Rejuvenation The Exchange The Ugly Side of A.I.
We’ve Been Wordsworthed, We’ve Been Poeed, and We’ve Been Quite Possibly Frosted An Ode to Space Opera
Bonus Section – Excerpts
Alien Frequency – Chapter 3 The Andromeda Effect – Chapter 61 Temporal Incursion – Chapter 5 Tyrannosaurus Rex and the Cretaceous City – Dinory 1 Ida and the Planet Invasion – 2: Arrival Gabriel and the Resurrection of Maldek – 3: 10:00am Tiara and the Comet Apocalypse – Channel One
Bonus Section – The Future
The Robots of Atlantis (Preview) – Wednesday 22nd October 2053 Stellar Flash 2135 A.D. -Plot Synopsis -Notes on Location -Character Biographies -Extract 1 -Extract 2 -Some lines I’m working on
And more!
So, if you can spare some dollars, or you’re on Kindle Unlimited, it would be great if you could check it out. Find out more here: Hoganthology: Digital
The hope is that sales and page views can raise about US$200 to get started on Alien Dimensions #19. If you know of anyone who might be interested in this ebook, feel free to forward the link or this blog post to them.
Many thanks
Update. Working on the printed version now. 824 pages for US$32.95! Coming Soon!
Available as a download, or free on Kindle Unlimited, the Alien Dimensions Science Fiction, Fantasy and Metaphysical Short Stories Anthology Magazine Issues 1, 2 and 3 are available again. Featuring exciting, compelling and thought-provoking stories from around the world.
Interdimensional travel, body swapping, time travel, space opera, alien invasion, military sci fi, interstellar mining colonies, dystopian futures, utopian futures, and more. There’s bound to be a story that you’ll like.
As these are the original three magazine-style books, with some minor updates for this rerelease, they also include articles on Space Travel Holidays, Finding Alien Life, and the Protocols of First Contact.
What you’ll find:
Book 1
Editorial Short Stories: Interrelations Invasion of the Spermoids The Learning Curve For Younger Readers: Ghost Time Alien Alexander Ida and the Planet Invasion: Part 1 of 3 Non Fiction: Space Travel Holidays Top 10 Alienophobia
Book 2
Editorial Short Stories: The Gene Miracle Distant Helix ExtraForrestrial Solid State Survivor Tutor Who – Heaven Cent For Younger Readers: Alien Hannah Ida and the Planet Invasion: Part 2 of 3 Non Fiction: Alien Life Found!
Book 3
Editorial Short Stories: Good Host The BioMosaic Skies Dante Spark Evolution Cosmic Joke A Little Matter For Younger Readers: Alien Christopher Ida and the Planet Invasion Part 3 of 3 Alien Ida (Bonus ‘sequel’ story – never before released in Alien Dimensions) Non Fiction: Protocols of First Contact Editorial for the Box Set
Alien Dimensions features stories by authors both new and experienced, exploring aliens and the future.
Issue 15 is the most recent edition, and I’m sure you’ll find the stories interesting.
This issue is a bit different in style to those issues that came before, in that I’ve also included some excerpts from previous authors’ novels, as well as some shorter length stories.
Issue 16 will be back to normal with longer stories, reduced promotional pages, and no excerpts, at this stage.
If you’ve loved Alien Dimensions so far, and wish to submit a story for the next issue, please read my guidelines here: Alien Dimensions Submission Guidelines. They’re quite restrictive! I’d rather you knew ahead of time what I’m looking for, rather than having to send out hundreds of rejection notices every day.
Having gone through most of the stories again that I’ve rejected over the past couple of years, I’ve discovered that there seems to be some kind of correlation between inventiveness and substance, and whether it has been written in the third person or not. As it has turned out, many of the stories I had to reject had been written in the first person.
First Person Storytelling
Why do you think that could be?
Is it because a first person story ends up being a stream of consciousness story where barely anything ends up happening?
Is it because there are so many published writers writing second-rate first person stories, and new writers attempt to emulate them, thinking this is how to write?
Or is it because first person story writing means the story gets bogged down in emotions and angst and reminiscences and circumspection, and everything else is described through how that one character perceives the world?
I’m not completely against first person storytelling, but I’d much prefer multiple characters and lots of head jumping, rather than a single first person view from beginning to end.
So, sadly, I’ve had to add ‘Written in the third person’ to the list of requirements. I realize this will probably reduce the amount of submissions to just one a month, but I think it will be for the best.
What do you think?
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