Short Story Challenge

I took Dean Wesley Smith up on the challenge to write 30 short stories in 60 days (Oct/Nov 2017).

I know, it sounds crazy. But if I clear my plate and write like a leaky faucet every day, then it seems do-able. It's only a story every two days. I like that way of thinking about it. Start a story one day, finish it the next.

So I'm going to give it a shot. Dean will then read and comment on each story I send him. Should be great fun. In fact, I've started the adventure already. I'm challenging myself to just get going and not wait until October 1st.

I'll post my progress here. Plus, I'll indicate which stories are in submission and/or accepted online for publication. Feel free to check in and see how I'm doing. Comments welcome as well.

Pre-Challenge Challenge (9 stories in 18 days)
1. Exit Ramp (modern day fantasy, 2380 words, finished Sept 16) * (A)
2. Tucker and Mr. Chilly (speculative, 3400 words, finished Sept 17) ^ (s)
3. An Uneventful Flight (slice-of-life, 1000 words, final draft Sept 17) + (s)
4. Race Ya! (memoir, 350 words, final draft Sept 18) +
5. Maysi’s First Assignment (urban fantasy, 2230 words, finished Sept 21) * (s)
6. New Life at Death Springs (supernatural western, 2650, finished Sept 23) * (I)
7. When the World Ends (humor/modern day, 515 words, final draft Sept 25) + (s)
8. Friley's Friday Night (humor/fantasy, 560 words, final draft Sept 25) + (s)
9. Exorcising Judgment (supernatural, 2300 words, final draft Sept 27) + 

#60DayChallenge - October (30 stories in 60 days)
1. One Midsummer's Night (dark fantasy, 2830 words, Oct 4) ^ (s)
2. A Barrel of Space Monkeys (humor, space opera lite, 1900 words, Oct 5) * (I)
3. The Newbie and the Zombie (MG adventure, zombie-lite, humor, 3140 words, Oct 6) * (s)
4. My Song Request (experiment in flash fiction, 900 words, Oct 8) +/^ (s)
5. Tornado Drakes' Last Day of School (mainstream literary, YA, 1900 words, Oct 9) ^ (s)
6. The Engagement Ring (experiment in flash fiction, 900 words, Oct 12) +/^ (s)
7. Blood Feud (historical/literary, 3440 words, Oct 15) *
8. Surprise Date (romance, 5400 words, Oct 16) ^
9. To Tame a Demon (dark fantasy, 3520 words, Oct 19) ^ (s)
10. Memory Dish (children's fantasy, humor, 2000 words, Oct 20). ^ (s)
11. Casting Call for a Vampire (horror, 1500 words, Oct 23) + (s)
12. The Pull of the Tide (fantasy, 4400 words, Oct 24) * (s)
13. Teenage Mutant Ninja Nobody (modern YA specfic, 3600 words, Oct 27) ^ (s)
14. Exorcising Judgment (revision - supernatural, 3200 words, Oct 30) ^/+ (s)
15. Coast is Clear (experiment in POV, crime/thriller, 1100 words, Oct 31) ^/+ (s)

#60DayChallenge - November
16. Space Monkey Pirate Stories (expanded 3 flash fictions, 3000 words, Nov 2) + (I)
17. Take This Job (mainstream lit, 2500 words, Nov 4) ^
18. Making Worf Proud (a geeky middle grade kid story, 1570 words, Nov 6) ^
19. Curious Case of Kevin Klaag (psych/horror, 3800 word, Nov 9) ^ (s)
20. Long Haul Goodbye (SF flash fiction, 800 words, Nov 10) * (s)
21. Forewarned, Forearmed (SF/space opera, 1800 words, Nov 12) * (s)
22. Man in a Diner (slice of life, 1580 words, Nov 14) *
23. Life With (a few) Dogs (memoir, humor, 2000 words, Nov 16) *
24. She Raced the Waves (and 3 other poems, 500 words, Nov 17) + (s)
25. Hot Tub Graduation (YA, literary, 980 words, Nov 18) * (s)
26. For Pap (flash fiction, historical/literary, 430 words, Nov 18) +/^
27. An Astral Advent (SF/speculative, 2950 words, Nov 23) + (s)
28. Like Me as a Friend (prose poem, 400 words, Nov 27) +/^
29. Dating in Grade School (memoir, humor, 450 words, Nov 27) +/^
30. Title TBD (a modern day fantasy, 3000 words, Nov 30) *

* brand new story, start to finish
^ finished an abandoned story start
+ edited unfinished story or scenes
(s) in submission to a magazine
(A) - accepted for publication
(I) - indie publishing it