My editor and partner, Theric Jepson, who runs Peculiar Pages alongside my running of B10 Mediaworx, made some sort of joke on Twitter (don’t remember the joke), and Wm Morris of A Motley Vision (a MoLit blog) had an idea. And the idea was to skewer the 19th-century literary tradition of using Mormons as stock villains in pulp fiction by turning the Mormons into the protagonists instead of the antagonists.
Plans were being made. I felt no compunction to submit a story to this anthology of pulp fiction because a) I don’t read pulp fiction; I read trashy romance novels aka porn for women and so b) I didn’t feel qualified to write anything for it. But then Wm posted an update on AMV saying, “I’d like to see X, Y, Z, and A, B, and C.” Well, I thought. I could do Y, Z, and B. So I did.
When I got it done and Wm liked it (Theric was not my editor this time), I had second thoughts. Considering I’m kind of, you know, responsible for its publication, I figured there would be seen some sort of “in,” or conflict of interest. Theric and I discussed it and decided I’d withdraw it, but Wm thought my withdrawing it was a bad idea. So, okay. Onward.
What has resulted is the most wonderful collection of tales of the supernatural and bizarre. Supernaturally bizarre. Or bizarrely supernatural. Whatever. Including! Get this! TWO graphic novels!
If you like science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, zombies, werewolves, ghosts, goblins, and things that go bump in the night, go get the whole collection! It’s available in the Kindle store, but print is forthcoming in the next couple of weeks.
I did like it, and I’m glad you wrote it. And since I made the decision there’s no conflict of interest. 🙂
Incidentally: I started the string of jokes. I started applying the Pride and Prejudice and Zombies idea to classic LDS fiction novels.
Oopsie! Sorry about that. And thanks for liking it! It was my first crack at something like that.
No worries. I don’t really care about credit, but I do want to make sure that the stories are consistent across the interwebz. Plus I wouldn’t have taken the idea of the anthology seriously if Th. hadn’t DMed me right away and said “if you do it, I’ll publish it.”
can i SQUEEEEEEEEE for just a sec about being side by side with MOJO in this anthology?!
Moriah, i LUV your story! And special thank you for all the leg work putting this together.
SO FREAKING EXCITED!
Oh, honey, it’s MY privilege to be working with YOU. Your graphic novel is…unfreakingbelievably awesome.
I forgot to ask. May I post that fabulous sketch of Deb you did for me?
yes ma’am you may! <3
For someone who’s never written in the pulp genre before, you did a wonderful job with it.
Thank you thank you thank you! I’ve been *really* nervous about its reception.
YOURS creeped me out to no end, but in that awesome cling-to-your-husband kind of way. Also, I love motorcycles.
I bought it. I read it. I LOVED IT.
I hope there’s a next one, because I want to write something for it. Something vampire-y, because vampires were sadly absent.
And I really, REALLY want this one in print. Can’t wait!
I’m glad you liked it, Elyse. The print versions should start going out this weekend.
We may have scared off the vampire submissions because I specifically stated in the call for submissions that anyone thinking of writing a vampire story should be aware of both Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series and Eugene Woodbury’s Angel Falling Softly and be able to do something that adds to the field in the light of those two approaches. To be honest, I’m not sorry I did that — although, if we had received a vampire submission that would have blown me away, it would have been included for sure.
And: we’ll see on the next one. I’m pleased there’s already interest in the possibility.