Well, much as I don’t particularly care for the title “independent author,” I’m tired of playing blind man’s bluff with literary agents. A look at publishers accepting unagented manuscript submissions and queries shows that I would be spending about 2 years waiting around for an answer for them, too. After a couple of high end agents read the book and said, “clean, excellent plot, excellent characters, but I just don’t know how to market this,” I’m done. If it’s that good, and it’s a break-out book, what’s the problem? I’ll tell you the problem. It isn’t something that would appeal to Twilight-swooning teens.

So I’m done. I’ve quit the game. No more Blind Man’s Bluff with literary agents anymore. Now I’ll simply write and publish, write and publish.

I’m also pretty much done with magazine submissions of short stories, as well. The only reason I write a short story is when one “pops” into existence on its own, so to speak — the creative Muse dictates, in other words. Submitting them, though, is always a pain…because it requires I steal time away from other things…like novel writing.

I’m tired of all of it. I’m just not interested in literary blind man’s bluff with me the blinded and them twittering as they evade me finding “the right niche:, be that an agent or publishing venture. You want to read me, come and get it. My stories and novels will be availabe through The Deepening, from me here, or from various other websites around the Net.

If you want it from the library or a book store, ask at the desk. If you want it from Amazon.com, you’ll have to wait till the hard copy releases.

Someone proudly announced their short story publication along with the periodical and a link to read.  Dutifully, I clicked.  And began to read. And quickly became bored.  I shook off my boredom, chiding myself.  ”Give it a chance,” I muttered, and forced my eyes onward even as my brain tried balking.
I made it into Part [...]

The new issue containing my short story “A Gift for Eternity” is now available for your reading pleasure. See it at The Rose and Thorn Literary Ezine on this page of the issue release January 15, 2009.

I wrote a quick short story this morning for The Deepening, http://www.thedeepening.com/.

I’m pleased to announce that my short story, A Gift for Eternity, was accepted by editor Barbara Quinn for publication in The Rose and Thorn literary ezine’s winter issue. This is a great honor for me, because, not only is The Rose and Thorn one of the oldest and most respected of online magazines, [...]

Knight for the Covenant of Everlasting
David’s First Mission
by E. J. Ruek

First published by The Deepening, ISSN 1559-7733
in Volume 1, Issue 2, February 2006

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This is a very special story for me because it was written about a very special lady, who is, unfortunately, now deceased, but who will always live on in my memories.
 
Sipping [...]

Originally published by The Deepening, ISSN 1559-7733,
in it’s premier issue, Vol 1, Issue 1, January 2006
A Gift for Eternity by E. J. Ruek

His mother’s eyes pleaded. She held out the keys, the faint palsy in her hand causing them to jingle. Jenna was gone, and, so far, the police had no leads. Forty-eight hours and [...]