I Don’t Only Submit to Paying Markets, But I Keep in Mind the Writers Who Do

 

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Before the month of August came around, I decided to take a break from not only my monthly newsletter, The SPARREW Newsletter, but also from my weekly Substack posts. My brother passed away close to the end of July and I needed time to focus on my grief. Plus, I had eye surgery coming up (or so I THOUGHT I did; it’s being rescheduled again! This time, possibly in September), so I did not want to stress over gathering material for my newsletter while recovering from eye surgery. (But rest assured, subscribers, that even with my eye surgery being in September, the September issue will STILL go out! I have a cut-off date of the 20 for every month on curating material for the newsletter, and the eye surgery will likely be AFTER the 20 and then that issue will go out on the 30 of September, which gives me a few days to focus on recovering from surgery!)

 

However, because there is a submission deadline coming up for one of the anthologies mentioned in previous issues of the Substack, I decided to take a break from my break to send out an “upcoming submission deadlines” issue tomorrow, August 18, to remind everyone about it. And because I recently gained 100 subscribers to my Substack (thank you, readers!), I am celebrating by throwing in other submission calls that also have forthcoming deadlines.

 

So, as I was gathering that material over the past couple of days, there is one call for submissions that made me pause.

 

This particular call for submissions did not pay writers. However, it was also hosting a contest, and only one lucky winner would receive $100.

 

That still counted as a paying opportunity for writers, right? Not in my book. Why? Because the odds of winning that contest and getting the $100 was seriously stacked up against anyone entering it, because they probably would receive a ton of submissions for it, making the competition fierce.

 

Even so, while I submit to both paying AND nonpaying markets, I understand that there are writers out there who ONLY submit to paying markets. I respect these writers, especially since I tried doing that once myself and I know how hard it can be to get an acceptance! I also keep these writers in mind when I am writing articles containing paying markets.

 

These writers would not be interested in the nonpaying markets! 

 

So in order to keep my own list of pending deadlines something that subscribers would want to know more about, I should only list the markets with forthcoming deadlines that pay writers.

 

This does not mean I frown upon the nonpaying markets. Heck, I used to be a nonpaying editor too! I have no ill will towards the nonpaying markets. They can go about doing their thing!

 

Also, the WOT anthologies which Twisted Dreams Press is still accepting submissions for only pays with a print copy of the anthology and not with money. With 70 writers in all 7 books, paying each writer with money would create bankruptcy! (Everything is out of pocket for us.) So until one of us gets an angel investor or someone makes a generous donation to the press or one of us wins the lottery, we can only pay our anthology writers with a print copy of the book.

 

But when I am the author of an article sharing about OTHER submission calls for writers, then I will list the paying opportunities. This will also apply to other submission calls I list in my Substack posts. I think that sharing only the paying opportunities for writers is my best bet, and what a majority of writers would be most interested in.

I Wrote About My Trauma to Tell My Story, Not to Hurt Anyone

 I don’t want to hurt anyone. Seriously. I really don’t. I may unintentionally offend strangers when I refuse to answer their messages that only say “Hello” or “Hey there, beautiful,” but my hurting people is NOT intentional. I made this very clear in a post on my Facebook author page when, after one person’s actions inspired a story idea and that person later passed away, I DO NOT want to hurt people with my writing.

 

That’s not what my writing is for.

 

Although what I write may bring up painful memories for people. But that is not my intention with my writing.

 

It’s hard to write about trauma and harder still to write about horrible things from our past. I once started a trauma journal, but after two writing episodes, I was done. I couldn’t write more.

 

But now I can, and I did.

 

I wrote about some horrible things from my past in my recent poetry book, 3 A.M. Poetry. 

 

 

I had already written about similar topics in my poetry chapbook, The House That Madness Built. 

 

 

 The only difference is that 3 A.M. goes deeper and explores the darker regions of my pain and depression. It also explores my addiction (to alcohol) and the struggles with mental health issues that resulted from the extensive trauma. It’s more personal. The House that Madness Built mainly focuses on the dysfunctional family dynamics I grew up with.

 

I only wrote about all this because it’s my story to tell. That is something that happened in my past and I felt it was time to step forward and talk about it. If people want to know about the kind of life I have had, all they need to do is read my poems, my blog posts, my essay collection and, at some point, my memoir.

 

But I don’t write all of that stuff as a way of hurting someone. That is NOT my intention at all. I only write about it because it is my story to tell, my experiences, and something that I personally have a right to talk about and share.

 

You know, I’m not going to be here forever. After I’m gone, all that’s left are the words I have written. And since people like to make up a lot of stories about me or assume a lot of bullshit about me, then I feel compelled to tell MY story.

 

The poems in those books are all things I have gone through. My experiences and my feelings. This was me showing a side of myself I was too scared to talk about in the past. This was me revealing why my alcoholism was so bad and why it lasted for so long. What drove me to drink in the first place was that everybody in my family drank, so naturally I started drinking too. But then my trauma made it worse.

 

I am no longer in that prison anymore, though. Sure, sometimes the trauma hits me hard, but for the most part, I am happy with my life now. I am no longer an alcoholic and I no longer want to take my own life.

 

I don’t want pity for what I have gone through, either. I only want to have my story told. I want people to understand why I am the way I am, and where I came from. (Sadly, many people have assumed that because of my burns or disabilities, I have had it easy and was treated with pity or special privileges when I was growing up. Uh, no!)

 

Hopefully, the act of writing about my trauma will give other people who have been through something similar the strength to share their stories too. We should not keep these things bottled up or hidden away. Our stories need to be told and out in plain sight.

 

And I want people to know that the nightmare they are going through WILL come to an end at some point. I did not succeed in trying to take my life and I am grateful for that every single day. Life got better.

 

It DOES get better. We just have to hold on and try to make it through. It’s worth it to hold on. I promise.

 

I hope that is what people will take away from this book after they read it. That is why I ended the book with two poems that offered hope, because there IS hope. The hell I was in did not last forever for me and it won’t last forever for anyone else going through something similar, either.

 

So hold on, because your future is worth it.

I Didn’t Like Reading Prose Poetry. Then I Wrote One of My Own.

Poetry has always played an important role in my life. I have read poetry for decades, devouring anything and everything that resembled a poem.

 

Except for prose poems.

 

The first time I saw a prose poem, I made a look of disgust and said, “That’s not a poem! It’s a story!” This judgment made, I avoided reading that poem – and every single one after it!

 

Then the day came that I wrote one of my own prose poems. I had no control over how I constructed this poem; the words just came out through my fingers and, before I knew it, I had a paragraph.

 

One very LONG paragraph!

 

A thing I don’t like about prose poems is when a giant paragraph of words makes up the poem. I would get a headache just trying to read all of those lines so close together! I prefer my paragraphs short and spaced out.

 

That said, I didn’t like what I saw with my poem, either. So, when I revised it later, I broke those lines up. Anything to make those paragraphs shorter and manageable!

 

And less headache-inducing.

 

But something interesting happened after I wrote that prose poem. I started reading other ones, too!

 

Somehow, I no longer disliked prose poetry! I was now interested in reading them!

 

And now I am reading even more of them!

 

So, not only did I manage to write a prose poem, but I am now reading them, too.

 

They say our tastes in reading change as we grow older. I guess now my taste in reading is more welcoming towards prose poetry. I want to read them! I NEED to read them!

 

As long as they are not presented as One. Giant. Paragraph. Of words.

Books Published in 2024

As another year comes to a close, it is that time again for me to reflect on what books I have had published this year. I know I spaced on doing a post like this for 2023 (a year in which I certainly had more books published), so I’m glad I am able to set aside some time this morning to work on putting together this post on this last day of the year.

 

The year 2024 was a spectacular year for me, as far as writing and books are concerned. For my freelance writing, I changed things up to include submitting short fiction, and I’m glad I did! I had stories accepted at online publications, print mags, and anthologies. This is in addition to the articles, essays and poems I also managed to get published this year, both online and offline. And 2024 was a whole year of me writing my column for First Chapter Plus Magazine! (I came up with 12 ideas for what to write for that column this year! Go, me!)

 

And here are the things I did not succeed in doing this year:

 

• No novel complete
• No script complete 
• No song lyrics turned into a song and released to the public
• No return to Deaf journalism

 

Well, maybe I will accomplish those goals in 2025.

 

But now, let’s talk books!

 

When I was self-publishing books, I was gung ho to publish a book in January. But this year, I took a break from self-publishing my books, so my first book published this year was not released until March. At first, I saw this as a sign that maybe I won’t get that many books published this year. (Yeah, self-publishing spoiled this author into getting used to having a lot of books published in a year!) There was one year that I self-published books when I had a book out every month and managed to get 12 books out in 12 months.

 

Well, I managed to do that this year, too – and WITHOUT self-publishing!

 

I guess you could say that it helps that I have more than one publisher. And that I had a contract for books to be published by a publisher that changed hands in ownership!

 

Yes, there were a lot of ups and downs this year. Two very big downs happened when two of my publishers shut down this year. (And I was aware of other indie publishers also shutting down this year. RIP) But that didn’t sour the rest of the year! And it did not mean that all authors were doomed to have their newly unpublished books left to collect dust on their hard drives.

 

Nah, we authors are resilient! We picked ourselves back up and found something else to do with our books!

 

Either way, I ended up with 12 books published this year. Yay! More are slated for 2025.

 

Here are my 2024 books:

 

 

The Worst Thing You Ever Did (YA horror short story collection)

 

Within the pages of this book are tales of possession and terrors too evil to imagine.

 

An urban legend about a demon-possessed killer in the woods is put to the test by a group of teens who will face the most terrifying of their lives.

 

A cursed comic book turns a young boy into a monster's pawn, all the while transforming him into an evil artist whose creations come to life.

 

A ghoul's gifts to children come with a heavy price.

 

A group of teens celebrating the last day of school awaken the next day haunted by ghostly images of their victims from cruel and horrible events from their past.

 

And a teen boy is tricked into exploring the haunted hallway of an abandoned house, unaware of the evil that lurks within.

 

Just before you think you can walk away from the worst thing you ever did, getting away with a crime no one could ever hold you accountable for, think again! These five stories will send shivers down your spine! Think twice before crossing paths with the unknown, for it will lead you to horrors lurking in the shadows.

 

 

All the Beautiful Things (psychological horror novella)

 

QL likes to collect heads. Not just any heads, mind. The heads of the things he loves. And he likes to keep them all on his special wall of beautiful things, so that even in death, they can still be his forever.

 

QL Buscemi grew up with a hard life. Abandoned at birth, he was raised by his aunt and uncle in an abusive home. That was until his fixation for collecting the heads of dead animals became a problem. Soon he started talking to a voice in his head and acting strangely around other people. Fed up with his issues, his aunt and uncle place him into a home for "special children," despite its reputation for neglecting patients. There, QL encounters even more abuse, neglect and intolerance for his mental health issues, which only get worse since he refuses to take his medication. He finally leaves "the center" after twenty brutal years.

 

Finally free to live on his own at last, a 31-year-old QL becomes infatuated with his pretty neighbor who lives across the street, 20-year-old Danielle Pinota, who is herself finally free of a home where she was a "second mom" to her kid brother. As QL's attachment to Danielle grows, he wants to get to know her better. And keep her close to him forever. But he has to be careful. He always hurts the things he loves. At least if he hurts Danielle from loving her too much, just like he had with his pets, she could still be his forever ... on his wall of beautiful things.

 

  

Watch This Space (poetry)

 

Through a captivating blend of evocative language and vivid imagery, Colclasure takes readers on a journey through the myriad landscapes of COVID and its impacts on society. From the darkest depths of despair to the radiant heights of joy, each poem in "Watch This Space" is a testament to the resilience of the spirit.

 

With profound insight, Colclasure delves into themes of health, love, loss, hope, and redemption. Whether reflecting on personal struggles or advocating for social change, her words resonate with authenticity and compassion, leaving an indelible impact.

 

"Watch This Space" transcends being a mere collection of poems; it is a profound exploration of the experience amidst a pandemic. With each turn of the page, readers are drawn deeper into the labyrinth of emotion, emerging with a newfound appreciation for the beauty and complexity of a sickness.

 

 

Shadows (collection of flash fiction stories)

 

What sort of horrors lurk in the shadows What monsters are waiting to attack?

 

Shadows is a collection of 20 flash fictior stories bringing our worst nightmares to life.

 

From Halloween scares to Christmas creepers, these terrifying tales will take you into worlds of fright.

 

Shadows offers stories of ghosts, zombies demons and werewolves. But not all monsters are creatures of the imagination Be careful who you trust; within these pages are people just as monstrous and evil.

 

 

Nature Therapy (poetry)

 

A gentle reminder of the solace and inspiration that nature offers, and a perfect escape from the noise.

 

In "Nature Therapy," Dawn Colclasure crafts a collection that's both raw and refreshingly earnest. Her poetry, like a breath of crisp morning air, taps into an almost primal connection to the natural world. Colclasure's verses offer a genuine experience of the seasons shifting and the earth's quiet, persistent rhythms.

 

Reading this collection feels like wandering through a serene, untouched landscape—each poem is a snapshot of the simple yet profound beauty that often goes unnoticed. Colclasure doesn't just write about nature; she invites you to feel it, to revel in its purity and to recognize its relentless resilience.

 

"Nature Therapy" is more than just a series of poems; it's an invitation to reconnect with the world outside our windows.

 

 

Monsters and Mayhem: Stories (short collection of micro fiction and one flash fiction story)

 

Beware of the monsters who will strike at every turn! They are on a rampage through neighborhoods, hiding on top of roofs, or lurking within your dreams just waiting to materialize. Beware the scary creatures that could tear you from limb to limb or steal you away into the night! These seven flash and micro fiction stories offer new tales of monsters and the destruction they leave in their wake.

 

 

Triggered:A Collection of Young Adult Horror Stories (YA horror short story collection)

 

Ten girls have been tormented by people who thought it was okay to hurt them. They never expected them to fight back.

 

But they do.

 

Not only do they fight back, but they delight in freeing their inner monsters on anyone who hurts them.

 

Ten girls who have been wronged. Who have been forced to conform. Who have been laughed at one too many times.

 

These girls find the power within themselves to fight back and get their revenge. And make their tormentors pay.

 

 

Other (poetry)

 

Woman. Asexual. Disabled. Neurodivergent. Witch.

 

Take your pick. Any one of those labels can mean rejection, punishment, judgment and even death.

 

We live in a society where women's bodies are no longer their own to do with as they please. Where religious fanaticism continues to persecute and even murder anyone who is not of the same faith. Where people with disabilities are constantly looked down upon while fighting against an ableist society. Where a highly sexualized population harasses and shames anyone who does not wish to have sex.

 

other is a short collection of poems from one such person who is all of those things, who speaks with a voice crying out for equality and acceptance.

 

Vengeance from Beyond (Collection of related horror stories)

 

Halloween is a time when the veil is at its thinnest between the living and the dead.

 

When a vengeful spirit makes contact with forensic psychologist, Essie Histor, the floodgates open for other ghosts to come through as well.

 

As Essie moves from one case to another, she realizes that if a ghost is set on revenge, nothing can stop it from making sure its attackers are delivered vengeance from beyond.

 

 

I'll Be Ghosting You (magical realism novel)

 

Warren Beauchamp wakes up one morning not realizing he’s dead.

 

He can’t figure out why most of his stuff is missing.

 

He starts rummaging through his neighbors’ personal effects and discovers their dirty secrets.

 

His frolicking comes to a screeching halt when his angel guide, Floyd, shows up. Floyd was sent to haul Warren back to “Headquarters” to stand trial.

 

Warren is given a chance to go back to Earth to fix things, and during that time, he adjusts to being a ghost.

 

When it’s time for him to return, however, he has other ideas.

 

 

Home for the Holidays (extreme horror novelette)

 

Mona Townsend was five years old when her mother tried to kill her father.

 

This crime cost her and her brother, Colton, 23, twenty years with their mother.

 

Finally reunited on one December morning, the siblings are willing to forgive all and create a fresh start with their mother.

 

With Christmas coming up, Mona wants to make the occasion extra special.

 

Knowing that her mother has had a long-term rift with her own mother, she and her brother hatch a plan: Why not surprise their mother with a family reunion so that the two women can bury the hatchet and have a relationship again? After all, if she was capable of forgiving her mother for the past, why wouldn’t her own mother want to set things right with her mother too?

 

It was Christmas, after all. A time for miracles and family.

 

But what Mona and Colton don’t know is that their mother had a very good reason for severing ties with her own mother, and that some families are too toxic to appreciate the holiday spirit.

 

 

Christmas Frights (poetry)

 

Christmas is a time for cheer, joy and good memories.

 

Or is it?

 

Within these pages, you'll find a different type of Christmas, with very different Christmas characters!

 

There is the evil elf who goes on a murder spree, a homicidal snowman that comes to life on Christmas morning, and a Santa that will seek revenge on families who don't leave cookies out for him!

 

These 25 poems range from the bizarre to the horrifying. If you enjoy reading Christmas horror, check out these Christmas horror poems to add some scare to your holidays!

 

Thank you to all of the beta readers, editors, cover designers, publishers and members of the writing community who were all a part of helping me to put together these books, write them, polish them, and get them published! You are ALL rock stars!!