SNM March Issue is LIVE!

My first month of selections at SNM was not without its issues... I am just learning the game and how everything works, and February was a short month.

Despite that, we have an incredible issue for you. March Marionettes (clickables) is the theme this month, and I would say I couldn't have picked better stories myself, but I did pick them myself. I hope I did the magazine justice.

In this month's lineup we have...

Unconditional Love – Diane Arrella

The Finger Gave Itself – Nik Houser

Apart at the Seams – Sealey Andrews

Long Shadows – R.S. Pyne

Melinda – John Barnes

Daddy – Aaron Dries

Jax – Hayley Bernard

Stitches – A.J. Madden


Puppet Dreams – Steven Marshall - SNM Short Stories


SNM Dark Poetry Hosted by Kerry Morgan

And guys, don't forget to check out our Goth girls section!

SNM featured Goth Covergirl: Emma Ink

And remember that Shadowcast Audio is now doing podcasts of our stories of the month every so often, so keep a check back to see who will be featured next.

Enjoy the issue, and remember to leave comments for the authors on SNM's reader's guestbook.

Also, I'd love to hear from you about how I did with the selections this month. This is all about the readers. Reviews, comments... anything, please send it to me via my contact info on this blog, which can be found on my "Contact Me" page.

Enjoy the issue.

Whips & Spells,

And always Peace & Love,

~Effie

Spotlight Weird: 6 Sentences

Well, it's been a while since I did a Spotlight Weird piece. I have no excuses to give.

However, during my busyness I came across this wonderful little publication right here on Blogspot called 6 Sentences. 6S has stories only one paragraph long. At first I was merely intrigued, but after reading some of the pieces, I just kept reading... and reading... and reading. There's really no way to stop once you start.

Basically, every story is only six sentences long. These are very quick reads (for the most part... however there were a couple of them that were a bit verbose) and many are entertaining as hell.

Not all are actual stories... some seem to just be random thoughts, but even these are interesting. Basically, what have you got to lose? It's only six little sentences. Go on, read a couple. Or a lot. Or all of them.

You might not ever stop.

Peace & Love
~Effie

And soon it shall pass...

So, it is time for my return to the woefully neglected world of Little Bits and Pieces. Soon enough, regular postings shall happen. Sporadic silliness, constant craziness and the unfailing barrage of foul language that is... well, me.

I know y'all have missed me. Admit it.

So, what has Miss Effie been up to? Stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. Some hard, some painful, some enraging. Some I'd just rather not talk about. It might not be behind me, but I have a little breathing room.

I hate some damn drama, you know that? Drama pisses me slap the fuck off and I just want to throttle someone. I am not, by nature, an extremely violent person, but drama makes me very, very violent - in feeling even if not in practice.

My life, over the last several months, has been constant drama. And no, I have not killed anyone yet. Aren't you proud of me? I feel positively smug, my friends, smug indeed.

So, it is nice to return to the old blog and get it going again. I have missed blogging my little bits of insanity and pieces of me. I have missed abusing you all.

As you were.

Peace & Love
~Effie

Spotlight Weird: Necrotic Tissue

Necrotic Tissue: Issue 10: 04/2010.

Cover work is something that can grab you as you pass it by on the shelf. Strategically placed, the cover of a novel, or a magazine, can make you stop, pick it up, browse. Maybe buy.

Necrotic Tissue (clickable) has stellar cover art, they have stellar stories, they are, to be frank, an awesome magazine. Sadly, you might not find them on your local store's shelves... but that is what reviews are for. We get to pow-wow about these little gems you have to hunt.

Basically put, editor R. S. McCoy knows good horror. The stories chosen for each issue have a depth that many writers (including this one) hope to have in their work.

There's only one true downside to this magazine, and that's the advertising. But, they have to be able to pay their writers semi-pro and pro rates (pay scale differs for type of short stories see their submission guidelines, found on the site linked above, for details). The stories contained in each issue are worth that, so I don't mind scanning the ads while I thumb through for stories.

One thing I love about a printed magazine is the feel of the page. I don't know why, but I love the paper Necrotic Tissue uses to print on. It has substance and a certain feel to it.

Another thing I love about this magazine is their 100 word "bites" - little stories that are really just a glimpse that tells it all. In issue 10, I'd recommend the one entitled "Express Checkout Lane" by Bob Eccles. If you don't laugh, you're insane. So it is written and blah blah.

Pick up a copy of Necrotic Tissue from their site. It might cost you a bit more than some of the other magazines I've talked about so far, but I somehow don't think you'll mind.

Oh, and since you're here and all...

I have a poem out with SNM Horror Magazine's Dark Poetry section. Go and read Brothel of Wicked Fantasy (clickable) by me.

Peace & Love
~E

Spotlight Weird: Everyday Weirdness

Everybody loves flash fiction, right? A quick little tid bit that often sticks in the brain and comes back later to taunt your happy head. Flash fiction is great.

Flash fiction is becoming more and more popular among writers, and among magazines. With that in mind, in this week's weirdest spotlight, I present Everyday Weirdness (clickable), an online magazine dedicated to bringing you the weirdest, most tightly woven stories they can lay hands on. Flash fiction, poetry... all quick reads that will entertain at the very least.

Well, what more can I say about the magazine? If I ramble too much... my post will be longer than their stories. I'll let their little tid bit stories do their own talking.

For now, though...

Peace & Love
~Effie

Strange Beauty: Finding those things that strike hard

Our world is full of things we tend to think of as less significant than we are. But in truth, that tree you climbed as a kid has been important to this place for longer than you have. A humbling thought, isn't it?

Even with all our surroundings that we don't appreciate, there are beautiful things that we have to bring into being. In most cases, fire is one of them.

A few weeks ago, my family and I were burning brush and debris from the floods. It was a big fire, but well contained. I'm responsible, I promise.

But well... I ran inside for my camera. The fire was making some of the strangest and prettiest patterns I'd ever seen. I had to try about a hundred times, but I finally got a picture of it.

I haven't retouched this in any way, it is just as it came off my camera. Greens and blues and purples, with those little red squiggle flames... it's gorgeous, right?

Sometimes, things are just too beautiful. I know I have an odd sense of beauty, and that I find things interesting and pretty that others take for just another thing... but this isn't one of those things.

This picture strikes me and inspires me. It makes my chest ache, looking at it. I don't know why... it's just fire, right? But to me, it's special. There's a short story there. I can see it.

Can you?

Peace & Love
~Effie