"Servant of the Manthycore"

I finally got the sequel to "The Voice of the Spoiler" written and sent off to the appropriate parties. "Voice" finished 6th in the Preditors and Editors Poll, so finishing the second story got bumped in priority.
I am fairly pleased. It said what I wanted it to say, and the narrative is linear instead of the circular structure that made some people frustrated with "Voice"--- still, a lot of folks mentioned that as part of what they liked, so we will see.
I have gotten several e-mails from readers who have urged me to write another Joe Denfar story, as well. I am fond of Joe, but he has a mind of his own. I have a couple of ideas cooking, but the novel needs more attention, and I now have two stories that editors have asked me to re-write and re-submit, so it may be a couple of months before the next close encounter of the Denfar kind.
Crit group is next week, and we are auditioning a new member, a writer who has some pretty good kung-fu, so I am stoked. I'll report on that as soon as I know more.

I seem to have stablilized at 4th place. If any of you haven't voted yet, and can get around to reading the story and voting for me I would appreciate it. My wives--- current and ex--- will appreciate it. My 16 starving children will appreciate it. My poor sainted mother, who more than anything hoped that her little boy would someday grow up to amount to something, anything, will look down from heaven and appreciate it. (Actually, my mother is still alive. She is a romance novelist. She voted for it, too.)

The poll ends at midnight the 14th, so there is still time to go through your high-school yearbooks and persuade everyone there to vote :)

OMG

For this brief shining moment, I am at number 1!!!

Thanks to those who voted for me!

Now, I retire to the lair to enjoy this before the better-known and more widely followed writers crush me like a bug :)

Wow!

I woke up this morning to find myself in 2nd place on the Critter's Readers poll!
Thanks to all who voted for me! And if you haven't...
click the link in the previous post.

Some kind soul (thank you Lisa) was kind enough to nominate my story "Voice of the Spoiler" for the 2005 Preditors & Editors TM Readers' Poll. Now, in a shameless display of pleading and pandering, I humbly request your votes.

http://www.critters.org/predpoll/shortstorysf.shtml

Man, I love this stuff!