Wednesday, November 3, 2010

The Hand of Fate

Just got word last night that my story "The Hand of Fate" is going to be published in Pill Hill Press's Shadows and Light 2 anthology.


It's especially cool for me because it is actually the very first short fantasy story I ever wrote (with the intention of publication). It has been submitted twice to other markets and rejected twice. I revised it a third time, cutting a few hundred words off the length and sent it out again. Just like my novel Heroes of the Fallen, third time is the charm.



In any case I am rather pleased they accepted my tale of a Bedouin type warrior who must keep his code of honor at all costs. I blended a variety of influences-but I realized after it was written that they were all movies I liked as kid and not fantasy movies at all.
Real weird obscure stuff that you remember fondly because you watched it so many times as a kid, but your wife makes fun of you for liking now. Regardless, I think you will enjoy my Sahara meets Tuareg tale.


Here is the Table of Contents:
Azieran: The Secret in the Mist by Christopher Heath
Mania's Children by Gustavo Bondoni
The King of Sorango by John M. Whalen
Choices in the Dark by Ray Tabler
Aquila's Ring by Cat Rambo
Sons of Odin by John Richard Albers
Champion by Marc Sorondo
The Hand of Fate by David J. West
Master Race by Gerald Costlow
Tithe of Hell by Edward McKeown
Night Ambush by Scott Harper
Spread Your Wings and Die by Lydia Sharp
Zhea by Gregory L. Norris

I think I have read some of Heath's and Whalen's work before, but have yet to read any other contributors-I'll review it when I get my personal copy.

Oh yeah, this is the tale with Mongolian Death Worms-can't forget the Death Worms.

11 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

Congrats. That's good news indeed. I tell you, when in doubt cut out words. That often seems to help.

LisaAnn said...

Way to go!

Persistence pays off! That, and a few runs with the delete button.

nephite blood spartan heart said...

I agree Charles. I figure with it being one of my first short stories ever, it needed some of that fine tuning.

nephite blood spartan heart said...

Thanks Lisa, much appreciated.

Angie said...

Congrats! That's exciting. I recognize a few of those names. We've published some of them at Mindflights, I think. Anyway, I'm happy for you.

nephite blood spartan heart said...

Thanks Angie. I'm sure it will be a great collection.

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Rogue Blades Entertainment said...

Congrats David! Nicely done. I look forward to reading the anthology.

Dan said...

You're a publishing machine! Congratulations.

nephite blood spartan heart said...

Excellent Jason, I appreciate the support.

Working on it Dan, working on it.

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