Don't Bother Me, I'm Reading

Stories, stories, stories. They just keep rolling in. How to pick the twenty-eight I can actually buy and publish each year - that's the challenge. And our esteemed publisher, Mr. Card, tosses a story or two into the mix, too. Issue three of IGMS had an "Orson Picks," as will issue five. These are stories that through one means or another (usually OSC's Literary Boot Camp) end up in Uncle Orson's hands and he decides to publish them. Only one or two a year, but now I'm down to twenty-six stories to pick. From literally thousands. This should be easy, shouldn't it? All I can say is ojala, which a Spanish word my wife taught me years ago. It means, "Oh God, if only..."

However, seven of those stories are about to make their way to center stage. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, the next issue of IGMS is going to be released in February. I expect it will be around the 19th, so there are still a few weeks to go, but I promise it will be worth the wait. These stories are just that - stories. No literary drivel that serves no purpose, but tales that are about something. Tales that will make you feel something, yet at the same time are just plain fun to read. Tales about characters who actually do something. And our authors have once again graciously provided a backstage peek into their creative process, so we'll also have more "Stories Behind The Stories" here on this blog again.

I don't know about you, but I'm excited. It's like Christmas, and Santa's bringing me stories.

(You'd think by now I'd have had my fill of stories, wouldn't you? I guess not.)