Summer's here. Wet, green, soft. But watch those blades of ormamental grasses. They can cut like a saw. Ah, that edge, the unexpected tear in a balmy day. The flower you cup to bring close, the flower that hides the bee.
Any day now, the third of the series of "seasonal" anthologies will be released from Elephant's Bookshelf Press. Following Spring Fevers and The Fall: Tales from the Apocalypse, EBP will present its newest, and largest (two volumes):
Summer's Edge and Summer's Double Edge.
Full disclosure. My interest in the first two anthologies came about largely from my involvement with the wonderful writing/publishing community, Agent Query Connect, an amazing group of talented, caring, supportive, helpful people. Fun people. I wanted to taste their work. I was not disappointed.
Now I'm very happy to have a short story of mine in Summer's Double Edge.
President and Chief Elephant Office, Matt Sinclair, has edited all three anthologies, and, as word has spread, the quantity and quality of submissions for the summer anthology demanded two volumes. Twice as many delicious bites (stings?) of summer, that shortest of seasons, like many relationships. Every good thing must end, right?
Ironically, this has come about for me when I'd decided that I would not pursue the traditional path. That inclination solidified for me into a definite choice when, upon receiving a rejection from an agent on a full submission request for my novel, I breathed a deep sigh of relief. Whew. No one breathing down my neck but me.
So I've tended my gardens, I've written as I've wanted (which hasn't, for a human gestation period, included posting to me own blog here,) and I've been a happy guy.
I don't know, really, much about this soon-to-be-released anthology, but I can't wait to read it. Okay, I'm kinda excited to see my story in print, too. But if the diversity is as wide-ranging as the previous two, and I can't imagine otherwise, it will be like Mrs. Gump's box of chocolates, only with some very surprising centers.
