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Halloween Funeral

I wrote the first draft of this short story longhand in a university-branded journal in September 1983, while I was living in the dorm at Dalhousie University.

About 15 years ago, I transcribed the holographic manuscript into Word and haven't looked at it since.

However, I stumbled across it while looking for something in my "trunk" that might suit a Halloween-themed anthology. So I took it out, read it over and gave it four or five good, solid editing passes. Deleted a bunch of stuff, then added some stuff. The basic story is still there from when I wrote it 37 (THIRTY-SEVEN!) years ago, but it's much better now, I think, than the original draft. The interesting thing is that I didn't have to change anything due to the story's vintage. There was nothing really time-bound about it.

Submitted it on Tuesday.

Sold it today!

I'll say where it will appear once the contract has been executed.
catdoyoulove19spideymanGNTLGNTFlakeNoirNotaroOut of OrderGazmannot_nadineNeesy
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Comments

  • Congratulations!
    catdoyoulove19spideymanGNTLGNTNotaroOut of Order
  • Just the title has me intrigued! 
    doyoulove19Hedda GablerspideymanGNTLGNTNotaroOut of Order
  • Totally awesome. Congrats!!
    catdoyoulove19GNTLGNTNotaroOut of Order
  • ...glad to hear it Bev......
    spideymancatNotarodoyoulove19Hedda GablerOut of Order
  • Fantastic, congratulations Bev. :) 
    catNotarodoyoulove19Hedda GablerOut of Order
  • Awesome Bev.... 
    doyoulove19Hedda GablercatOut of OrderGNTLGNT
  • That is so cool. Makes me wonder what other goodies that “trunk” holds. :)
    GNTLGNTFlakeNoirBevVincentcatHedda Gabler
  • Anyway... can’t wait to see where this story can be read!!
    GNTLGNTFlakeNoircatHedda Gabler
  • As soon as I get the contract, I'll let you know the name of the anthology.
    FlakeNoircatHedda GablerOut of OrderGNTLGNT
  • Congratulations!
    Hedda GablerBevVincentOut of OrderGNTLGNTcat
  • The anthology is called Something Good to Eat. Due out September 28. More info to follow.
    NotaroGNTLGNTOut of OrderHedda Gablerdoyoulove19cat
  • The anthology is called Something Good to Eat. Due out September 28. More info to follow.
    I will save my appetite! B)
    BevVincentGNTLGNTHedda GablerNotarodoyoulove19catFlakeNoir
  • As part of Something Good to Eat: A Halloween Anthology, Demon's Dreaming Press is proud to present the insidiously creepy tale, "Halloween Funeral", a surreal nightmare by @BevVincent #horror #HorrorCommunity #Halloween2020 #SomethingGoodtoEat #books #Reading pic.twitter.com/2jyVnVafWY

    — Alexander Harrington (@AlexDHarrington) September 17, 2020
    spideymandoyoulove19GNTLGNTFlakeNoir

  • Fun cover art.  
    doyoulove19GNTLGNTFlakeNoirNotaro
  • ....reminiscent of pre-code days!......
    FlakeNoirHedda GablerNotaro
  • There has been some sort of kerfuffle surrounding this anthology. The editor emailed us all today to say it has been canceled. Apparently several contributors haven't been paid.
    FlakeNoirGNTLGNTNotaroHedda GablerNeesy
  • ....what in the seven hells????.....
    FlakeNoirNotaroHedda Gabler
  • edited October 2020
    Yeah, it was the cause for many emails in my INBOX yesterday. The editor claimed he was having problems with PayPal (that should have been a red flag) and allegedly sent some people bad checks. (I'm not 100% sure -- I'm open to the possibility that people didn't know how to handle a Canadian check). He ultimately did pay me and some others by PayPal -- I'd told him I didn't want to have to go inside a bank to deposit a foreign check.

    When the book was announced on Amazon, one person followed up with an angry tweet. Then the editor cancelled the publication yesterday...except at least a few copies had already been sold, which means the book has officially been published. Therefore, the stories, although released back to the authors, can only be resold as reprints. An understanding editor might be willing to overlook that, but still. And some people still haven't been paid. It's a real mess. The editor has apparently closed all his social media accounts.
    GNTLGNTFlakeNoirNotaroHedda GablerNeesy
  • ....well that stinks to high heaven of Mr. Harrington being as crooked as a dog's hind leg....I'm sorry for you and the other authors....sadly, it won't be worth the time or trouble to go after him....I'm guessing, all told-that it would run more than what each of you was to receive for your submissions....still would like to see your story, and the others go to print somehow.....
    FlakeNoirNotaroHedda Gabler
  • Jeez Bev, what a hellish experience, that's very unfair and I'm sorry. I hope another editor will pick it up, it would be a shame if this does not get a chance at full publication. 
    NotaroGNTLGNTHedda Gabler
  • This is terrible.  And just one of those things I'm glad as writer you brought to light.  New writers need guidance and help and advice, and so it's always a good lesson to hear about these things.  That these things do happen, to even professional experienced authors.  

    Like Flake, I hope this can get published somewhere else.  I really liked the cover this book.  

    Are the people who ordered the book actually getting a book, or are they screwed too?
    NotaroFlakeNoirGNTLGNT
  • I feel particularly bad for the novice writers for whom this was to be one of their first few publications who got stiffed. 

    At least one copy has been delivered -- if anyone else orders via Amazon and their order isn't fulfilled, they have recourse with that company.
    NeesyNotaroGNTLGNT
  • edited November 2020
    If there are actual physical  books, why not continue to sell them and pay the authors from the sales? Authors get paid, customers get books, the stories don’t have to be reprints and mr. harrington doesn’t have to scurry into a hole? 
    NotaroGNTLGNTFlakeNoir
  • There are other problems with the book -- at least one story is missing, authors names are misattributed, table of contents doesn't mesh with the book contents, etc. It's a mess all around.
    NeesyNotaroGNTLGNTFlakeNoirHedda Gabler
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