Writer Stats at the End of 2022

I have been writing seriously, with sending out regular submissions since 2014. I keep track of my subs on a homemade Excel spreadsheet, that way I don't send the same story out to multiple publishers. It’s not glamorous but it’s fulfilling.

 

It’s a lot of talking out loud to hear how my words flow, playing with my Star Wars action figures when I hit writer’s block, and trying to remember to eat three meals a day when I am on deadlines. It’s been more difficult, since my accident, but I am still passionate about telling stories.

 

 

Stats 2014-2022

 

53 short stories finished

1 novella finished

11 one-act plays finished

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190 submissions sent out 

137 rejection letters received (not everyone sent them out)

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16 stories published in anthologies

2 essays published

2 one-act play festivals won

1 writer grant won

 

Non-Fiction Essay Sale for 2023 Publication

I have not signed the contract yet, but I was just offered a sale on an essay I wrote about reconnecting with my new legs after my accident. I am thrilled to be sharing this story next year! It is good to have things to look forward to, in order to keep motivation and momentum going.

Keep dreaming your dreams.

My Author Copy of the Newest Anthology Arrived

I am so proud of the story in the anthology Once Upon an Ever After. "Old Roots, New Soil" was the first story of mine that was hand-selected, and not just a naked submission. That is just thrilling. 

Here is a link to purchase the book from:

https://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-After-Lynne-Booth

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/once-upon-an-ever-after-kaye-lynne-booth

Winning Monologue Published

Happy Day!! My copy of Best Women's Stage Monologues 2022 arrived this afternoon!

I am thrilled to be part of this collection that Debbie Lamedman put together, with a monologue from my winning play Have You Ever Heard a Goldfinch Sing?, from KNOW Theatre's Playwright Festival 2020.

I am equally happy to be sharing the pages with work from my friend and playwright John Mabey, who was my co-winner in the same festival in 2019.

https://smithandkraus.com

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Womens-Stage-Monologues-2022

Guest Blog published for "Old Roots, New Soil"

My next story will be in the anthology Once Upon an Ever After, releasing tomorrow! Kaye Lynne Booth has been an amazing editor, and is doing a digital book tour, releasing special guest blogs through the coming weeks and I kick it off. The first guest blog is "Finding Roots", about the inspiration for my newest story. I will post information for ordering it tomorrow!

Until then, check out my guest blog for Wordcrafter Press, about the inspiration for my newest story, here:

Welcome to the Wordcrafter Once Upon an Ever After book blog tour.

Brave New Worlds Has Been Released

My latest story, "Spinoza's Garden," has been printed in a new anthology, Brave New Worlds, published by Zombies Need Brains, LLC. I am so proud of this story.

It's not always easy. I originally finished this story on October 31, 2015. That night was an accident that left me in a coma for weeks and then recovering in the Burn ICU for months.

This story sat untouched until last year, when I pulled it out to read it again and then began to edit it down. This may be one of my favorite acceptance letters to date.

Want to read the story? It talks about the lengths we go to for survival, and what we think that might look like. You can buy a copy from the publishers at:

https://zombies-need-brains-llc.square.site/#OcyuVT

A Guest Blog Revisited

My story "The Last Seven Tribes of Ketchari" is now available in this new anthology Summer of Sci-fi & Fantasy: Volume One. When it was initially printed in Transmundane Press' anthology On Fire, I was invited to do a guest blog for their website about my personal story with fire and how my accident affected my writing.

If you would like to read it, the blog is still available on their website.

What Burned Away by Sarah Lyn Eaton

Summer of Sci-Fi & Fantasy: Volume One is Now Available

I was excited to have my first reprinted story accepted for publication, and grateful to my friends and family who pre-ordered a copy of the book to help raise the authors' pay. The books are in the mail and on their way!

I have a fantasy story in this anthology. It was the first story I wrote after my accident and is special to me. If you didn't read it in the collection On Fire from Transmundane Press, you have a chance to catch it in Summer of Sci-Fi & Fantasy: Volume One.

Buy Summer of Sci-Fi & Fantasy: Volume One on Amazon

The Brave New Worlds Anthology Promotion

I have a science-fiction story in this amazing collection! It is available for pre-order on kindle now, and is due for a summer release!

Here is the copy from the back jacket of the book:

"What happens when a computer glitch sends eighty-nine copies of the same scientist (and no one else) to settle a new planet? Or a privateer gets stranded on a slow ship he tried to hijack that’s still years away from its destination and has no food?

BRAVE NEW WORLDS presents fifteen original stories that follow humanity’s long dream of traveling to the stars, from heart-wrenching departures from Earth, through the unknown dangers of the long flight through the cold vastness of space, to the immigrants’ final arrival on an alien world. Perhaps your father has signed you up for life on a gen ship before you’ve even graduated high school. Or maybe you’ve arrived at a gloriously green new planet…only to have it shoot you out of the sky when you try to land. Or worse yet, your attempts to terraform your new home have all failed. What do you do then?

Join Jamie Boyd, Gini Koch, Mike Jack Stoumbos, Stephen Leigh, A.M. Giddings, Auston Habershaw, Sarah Lyn Eaton, Ian Tregillis, Jack Nicholls, Willa Blythe, Chaz Brenchley, Ari Officer, Eric Choi, Jacey Bedford, and Juliet Kemp in the latest anthology from Zombies Need Brains, BRAVE NEW WORLDS, as they explore the infinite challenges of humanity’s race to the stars!"

Second Story Announcement for 2022

I am pleased to announce that my science-fiction story "Spinoza's Garden" will be published this year in the anthology Brave New Worlds by Zombies Need Brains, with editors Joshua Palmatier and S.C. Butler. I am thrilled to have my story included in this collection. I grew up reading most of my science-fiction from anthologies like this and the theme of Brave New Worlds is one I would have stayed up late reading by the light of the streetlamp outside my bedroom window.

You can click on the link below if you want to pre-order the e-book or order one of the special Kickstarter paperbacks, but these paperback quantities are limited.

Click here to go to the Zombies Need Brains store.

E-books and trade paperbacks will be available later on. I can't wait to share this story with you.

First Story Announcement for 2022

My story "The Last Seven Tribes of Ketchari," previously printed with Transmundane Press in 2017, will be my first reprinted story, which is terribly exciting, is going to be published in the anthology Summer of Sci-fi & Fantasy, edited by Dustin Bilyk.

The contract has been signed! Now the publisher is running a Kickstarter campaign to raise money to pay each author a full professional rate. And you could help with that!

If you would like to patron my art, you can pre-order an e-book or paperback version of the book, due out this summer by meeting one of the donation tiers of the campaign. If you haven't read this fantasy story of mine, the first I finished after my accident, this collection will be a great place for you to read it. 

Click here to go to the Kickstarter project for this Anthology!

Thank you for all of your support.

Two More Contracts Signed

 

More good news for my 2022. I just signed two more contracts for stories due to be published this year!

Both are original tales, one science fiction and one fantasy. I look forward to posting more information when the editors green light us to promote them.

Don't self-reject. Put your art out there. Your audience is waiting.

A New Writer Milestone

I've experienced some personal writing milestones along this journey.

I had my first story published.

I had my first story published by someone who didn't know me.

I reached 100 rejections! Which meant I was sending my stories out.

I won a spot in a playwright festival.

I sold my first story at a professional rate! 

I was interviewed about a story for my first podcast.

This year I will have my first reprinted story.

And I just received word that my story, "When Apple Woke," from Upon a Twice Time by Air & Nothingness Press, is ELIGIBLE to be nominated for a Hugo Award. This is my first time being eligible. (Which is not even close to nominated for anything, but it is still really cool.)

This is definitely the right momentum.

air and nothingness press 2022 Hugo Awards eligible stories

A Monologue Publication

Great news! In 2020, my one-act play "Have You Ever Heard a Goldfinch Sing?" won a slot in KNOW Theatre's Playwright & Artist Festival. I just received news that one of my monologues from the play will be published in this year's 2022 Best Women's Monologues, published by Smith & Kraus! The contract has been signed and I am ecstatic.