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Thursday, May 21, 2015

When the story teaches you

More than a decade ago, I wrote a couple of fantasy/sci-fi novellas and fell in love with them. I submitted them to a small publisher who had expressed some interested. 

But the editor wasn't of the same mind. She pointed out that the physics of the world I had built was wrong. You see, her scientist husband told her so. Therefore, my fantasy stories were not acceptable.

I was crushed. They were fantasy stories. And fantasies break the rules. They can have anything from dragons to vampires. Space-faring creatures to undersea dwellers. They are allowed to break the rules. In fact, a writer friend said after I told her about my rejection, "That's what fantasies do."

So the stories mouldered in my ancient computer for several more years. One day, I dug them out and dusted them off. I even went on to finish writing a couple more of them because I had already created them in my mind and knew where they were going. I'd even answered those silly physics questions. (I had been young and intimidated back when that awful editor spoke to me, so very unsure of myself) But this time, I started to self-published them.

Then other projects needed my attention, so I took them down and tucked them away again. A few years later, I pulled them out again and I finished off the first draft of the last story. There. They were all written. 
 
Another few years passed, and when I searched for them again, I discovered I had lost them. I had one corrupted electronic copy of a few of them, and one hard copy of another few. I felt nearly as bad as when that editor spoke to me.

I spent over a year cobbling them together. The lesson taught me that The Gifts of Argostar don't belong in my hard drive. I needed to publish them into a series of three ebooks.
 
The first one has finally been published. For more than 10 years, these books called to me. I loved them. I loved the world I'd created, and the characters with their lives filled with danger and mistakes, excitement and hope. 

The Gifts of Argostar


The Gifts of Argostar are not just sci-fi stories, but tales of hope and fortitude. Of endurance when you're beaten down and discouraged. They also teach to grab the time now, for there never will be a more perfect time than the present.
 
Part 1 has the first three books in the series. The Catch was the story that started it all off. The Lure was a natural fit to follow, and The Demand, the way that leads to the rest of the novellas. Each story encouraged me to finish the series, showed me that when people cut you down, you get back up. Maybe not right away, though it's best if you do. But you do get up. You learn to rise again. 
 
I hope you'll check out my stories and see what I see in them. 

Click here for The Gifts o Argostar

Pure fantasy. Pure hope for tomorrow.

4 comments:

Norah Wilson said...

Very inspiring story, Barbara! I'm so glad the stories are out there now. Got my copy!

Mystery and Mayhem said...

Thank you Norah. I mean every word. Those stories have inspired me.

Joan Hall Hovey said...


And now you're stories are out there for others to enjoy - well done, Barb. And a good message for others.

Mystery and Mayhem said...

Thank you Joan. I love the message, but it is still a hard road and we must keep reminding ourselves to persevere.

It's like Jello

Again, it's been ages since I wrote a blog, and I am sure my followers have forgotten all about me.  But when life takes you on a trip, ...