Could Ten Letters be a good title for my new novel? It does feature ten letters, so perhaps yes. I started it on October 2nd and ran with it, until stopped in my tracks by two things. One, the interest of previously mentioned small independent publisher in my story collection. The other? The nice news that I heard from Stand Magazine that they will publish my latest story The Emissary in 2021.
I first wrote The Emissary several years ago, but took it out in order to cut it from 5000 to 3000 words. Now I no longer have a clue what was in the 2000 words I managed to cut. Cut, cut, cut more, seems to have been a good idea.
Along the way, I also unearthed a story called Granny Malin`s Message, and am applying the same practice. Cutting it from over 4500 words to somewhere around 3,500. Then I hope to add it to the collection.
It isn`t always easy, by the way to get Stand Magazine in bookshops. It`s best to subscribe to it. I feel a real sense of gratitude to the journal. This will be my fourth story they will have taken. Thank you, Stand.
