Steampunk story to finally be published!

This has to be the longest time period I've ever experienced to see one of my short stories published. May 10,2010 submitted a 6,700 short story called , The Foxglove Broadsides to a steampunk anthology title Clockwork Chaos which I found on Duotrope.  Granted it was a long short story, but that's what the guidelines asked for from the Library Of The Living Dead Press. a small press which publishes novels and anthologies and the cover art was above the level and highly creative and professional in comparison to many other horror publishers.
 Now maybe I should have noticed that this press published mostly horror, even though they have a Library of Science Fiction imprint under their overall banner. But they seemed to be branching out. I took the chance. It was a long short story even for some anthologies.

On October 25, 2010, (148 days) I heard from Neal Levin, the editor, that my story had been accepted for publication if I was okay with his edits and that a contract would be forthcoming from the publisher.  I was very excited, since this would be my first published steampunk story to add to my collection of steampunk items, which included a number of items I had made (and sold or given as gifts or prizes or auction fund-raisers) which included steampunk journals, beeswax collages, mini albums and that's not counting my steampunk costumes and gear which I wear to cons and local steampunk events.
This was maybe a little longer than the average of acceptance times I experienced from magazines, but pretty much within the range of time period for acceptances from anthologies. (For example, Ocean Stories Anthology took over a year to reject one of my stories, although it had been selected after the first cut to go further through a committee of editors.)
But then I didn't hear anything for months from the Library Of The Living Dead Press .
All the posts and notices on the Library Of The Living Dead Press site's forum, in a section devoted  to the Clockwork Chaos anthology, had stopped. There were no responses to those who submitted stories and were accepted for inclusion in the steampunk anthology.  Needless to say, this was disheartening to me, but I  imagine how crushed a new author would be, who might have had their first short story accepted.

I finally contacted Neal in March of 2011 to see if he'd heard anything from the publisher.  But unfortunately he hadn't,  but he'd been trying to contact them. As an editor for Fissure Magazine, (which featured a special steampunk issue,) I knew how much time Neal, (who is a game designer and author in NJ)  had already spent in reading the many submissions an anthology receives, in editing the acceptances, and then the time spent in emailing all authors as well as the publisher.  I felt for him at this point, because he was stuck in the middle, most likely not to get paid for his efforts and time, and may have had a number of authors ticked off at him.  I wasn't because I knew the precarious situation he had been placed in, having to act as liaison when the publisher was AWOL. 
Neil wrote me back immediately to inform me that he had not heard anything from the publisher either but since he was attending the Steampunk World's Fair, he was going to see if he could find another indie publisher, or perhaps even publish the work under his own press, Dark Quest Books.
On April  24, 2012, nearly two years after submission, I received a very nice email form Neal asking if I wanted my story to still be included in the Clockwork Chaos anthology.  I was delighted.  He had gone to all the trouble to find another indie press to publish the anthology.  Now that's a dedicated editor to work on a project for nearly two years.
Since I've been quite slack in submitting short stories as I work a highly demanding full time job as a rehab support specialist for individuals who have suffered severe brain and spinal chord injuries, I have little spare time, So I  focus on my uncompleted novels, or those which need an edit, I haven't submitted much in the past 12 months.  So, my short story,  Foxglove Broadsides, still hung around in the unpublished pile. I had given up on the anthology and gone on to other projects.Neil didn't mention the name of the press or a publication date.  I imagine he is now having to contact all the authors who received acceptances to see if their stories are still unpublished and available.
If I had the ability to give an award to Neal for Most Dedicated Editor, I would.  This is service beyond the normal duties of an editor who also has a demanding full time job.

Guilty of Ambiguity and Rushing the Ending

Guilty!!  Guilty as charged on all counts!!  Yes, I stand with head bowed before the bench in shame.  I am as guilty as they come.  And a repeat offender indeed.  I am once again, guilty of rushing the ending of my story.  This one is "The Foxglove Broadsides," a steampunk story  was fun to write. I was able to play with both Victorian culture but quirky characters. 
Twice I considered the story finished.  And twice was told --  not so.  The first time, there was no ending, just a cliff hanger leaving my hero locked in a basement.
The second time, my ending was too abrupt and explained nothing, leaving the Commissioner holding a broadside. No further info to inform my readers.
So I do plead guilty, but with extenuating circumstances.  And what are those?  You, my dear readers, may ask as judge and jury?
"A deadline for a cool mag on Duotrope."  I answer
And the judge stands in a fit of rage, bangs his gavel and sends me to the slammer.
Yes, I must now take a deep breath in my little cell, (thank goodness in my steampunk world they allow laptops) and will not be released until I  finish my story, instead of going for my modus operandi - the ambiguous ending.  I'll admit I'm addicted to them, as much as someone might be to heroin. 
But there are times they won't work.  Rushing to such ends stops me from thinking straight and do what's right which is to - SATISFY THE READER.

In my ADHD excitement I would have sent off my unfinished story and let down both my readers and myself. The story would certainly be rejected.
Thank goodness for my writing partner and for my peers, who I hope, would never let such a criminal act go unrevealed. And even though the story is now over 5,400 words, (over the limit of my targeted market)  it would be better to cut its innards than to slack on the ending.

So, who else will stand beside me in the box of the accused?  Have you ever been guilty of such a folly?

back on the submission track (or should that be rack?)

In our writer's group, we constantly discuss the topic of publication in online mags verus print. Granted, we all like to have and to hold a printed copy of a publication in our hands, to gaze at over and over, to show off to each other and to friends and family. As an old schooler and a hoarder of books and magazines, I was once an elitist and preferred submitting only to publications which offered hard copies. As a publisher, I especially like to see how other publishers present their publications. They're all so diffferent.
But I've recently been taught how on the other side of the equation, internet publications have some heavy-weighted aspects in their favor. The accessibility and circulation of online publications can be an incredible asset to authors seeking novel publication or who already have a book published. Online publications of our works can lead to more readers, who become followers and fans. And the quality of online writing now matches most print publications and is considered for many of the awards once reserved for the traditional print magazines.
So now, each time I spend a day or two doing submissions, I submit to both online and print mags, covering all the aspects of the current publishing industry. 
As I'll promote often, Duotrope, is the best online submission tracker resource any writer can have in their desktop tool box. They currently list 2,750 fiction and poetry markets with stats, for both writers and artists, including the areas of comics and gaming. Any writer not utilizing this resource is 40% behind other writers.   
So in 2010 I hope to best my Duotrope 2009 stats for submissions: 70 pieces submitted, both prose and poetry, with 30.26% acceptances. Today after completing, the final touches on Shaman Circus, I'm submitting short stories to various magazines in the magical realism, steampunk, fantasy and erotica realm.  Had a busy real world day yesterday (as many Mobdays usually are) and some heavy days coming ahead regarding my daughter's continuing medical issues, so must grab the reigns of the writing and publishing horse while I can.
I've submitted Red Rocket at Boar's Head, a fantasy/magical realism piece (inspired by a friend who changed my life when I lived near the ocean in New England) to The Absent Willow Review, a gorgeous internet mag with some of the most incredible art, (along with mags like Shimmer and Champagne Shivers). The Absent Willow Review also produces an annual anthology which is lovely. Writing is top notch as well. 
This won't be the first time I've submitted this piece and its garnered its share of rejections.  But I've rewritten it now to be more fantastical and further into the realm of magical realism after watching a Yule gift from my son, the A&E series Neverwhere written by Neil Gaiman with art inserts by Dave McKean. And even though the series was produced low budget and didn't have the amazing surreal effects of Dave McKean's art in Mirror Mask, the story and characters are still compelling.  And the storyline gave me the guts to really stretch it on out there with this new version of Red Rocket instead of playing it safe.
And then I braved it all following in the footsteps of one of my heros, Anais Nin, and sent an erotica steampunk piece, Marquette de Fleur out to Crossed Genres for their steampunk anthology. Forgive the lame pun, if they find it to their liking but too "steamy" for the steampunk issue, I hope they'll consider it for their erotica publication, The Little Deaths of Crossed Genres. 

It won't be my first published erotica piece. Dark Gothic Resurrected published my story, Dancing Girls and Chamomille Kisses in their Fall 2009 issue. This is a lavish perfect-bound, 81/2 x11 magazine, beautifully printed  with glossy cover, stunning cover art and interior illustrations. The 143 pages feature a wide range of stories, poetry, reviews, interviews.  Dark Gothic Resurrected is also listed in the top ten of the Preditor's and Editor's Poll, a coup in the small press world.
I've been writing in newspapers and magazines for years now and don't get all that excited when I see my byline anymore, but  I'm proud to see my name on the cover and my story within the bindings of such a gorgeous work of art. It's the kind of publication I wish my magazine, The Howling, had evolved into, but those were different times, prior to a wide ranging internet, digital publishing and all kinds of wonderful computer programs.  
Like every other writer, I've received my share of rejections in the past couple of months, didn't do as much writing or submitting as usual because of all the work on Shaman Circus, but did see some acceptances. 
In the yes, Virginia department, if writers are diligent and develop a thick skin, hopes do come true and writers do see their most favored children published. It's especially rewarding, in the world of writing where we don't get to see the reactions of an audience, when editors have time to give feedback. At Shadow Archer Press, I try to give feedback as much as possible, but it doens't always happen due to tight deadlines and a slew of submissions.  
It was really nice to receive a note from Nobius, editor at Calliope Nerve when he accepted three poems, Pull 17, Prelude to 2012, and Tales of the Cold Wars. 
"I'm thinking I should just give you the user id and password to our site," he wrote, "so you can post and cut out the middlemen. :) Great work."
These poems were published in late Dec. 2009. 
 My poem, The Quintessential Lauguage of Bridges, is also now up at at Full of Crow with some very nice words from editor, MK Chavez and I have a piece of flash fiction, Magic Man #17, soon to be published in Metazen.