At over sixty short stories, you are widely published in the speculative fiction field. What advice can you offer for new writers trying to break into the literary world? <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n The biggest mistake I made in trying to get initially published was in thinking that my still rough draft was good enough for the top of the market. After a great many rejections I would in frustration send the story to the bottom of the market, which would, more often than not, accept it. I finally realized that I needed to re- and re-write ruthlessly to get a story in shape for a top publication. And even then the top tier rejects me a lot.<\/p>\n I’ve now had over eighty stories and poems published, most also reprinted. I write terse, and usually short, so when I got into the novella I felt like I was trying to eat too much ice cream. Now have the same stomachache working on a novel. I often take a little break and write a short poem or two before getting back into the double chocolate.<\/p>\n Out of your published pieces, do you have a personal favorite?<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n Personal favorites: Hmmm. Literary stories it would have to be “The Cottage” which won a couple awards. Fairy tales “Care and Feeding” which has been published five times so far. There’s a lot of fantasy, but maybe “Listen to the Deaf Man Sing” which will be out shortly at Metaphysical Circus. Sci-fi, one of my earliest stories “The Body Surfer” (four pubs) Horror would have to be a quiet little piece, “The Dog Fisherman.”<\/p>\n Any last tips you’d like to share?<\/strong><\/p>\n I absolutely swear by Duotrope<\/a>, it’s more than worth the $50\/year. And relationships with editors who’ve accepted a story or two are gold. They already know and like your stuff.<\/p>\n![\"Edward](\"https:\/\/www.gwendolynkiste.com\/Blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/02\/Edward-Ahern.jpg\")
<\/a>I’ve been a writer of sorts since I was sixteen and started doing obits for a weekly. Degree in journalism, and a year as a reporter at the Providence Journal before needing more money to handle a pregnant wife, so wrote intelligence, marketing and sales reports (frequently fiction) until retirement. Was sixty-seven before resuming writing, I mostly read genre ( including about 25,000 words\/week reviewing for Bewildering Stories) and general or realistic fiction rather than literary. Having just typed that, I have love\/hate relationships with David Foster Wallace and James Joyce.<\/p>\n<\/a>Since you have heretofore written more short fiction, how did your process change (or stay the same) when you wrote your novella, The Witches\u2019 Bane<\/em>?<\/strong> <\/span><\/p>\n