Life at Open Heart Publishing

Posts Tagged ‘literary journal’

Open Heart Publishing announces the premiere of “The Cave of Colors,” an Open Heart Opportunity Project. The focus of the event is “The Cave of Colors,” a children’s book with accompanying audio that was conceived and written by children. 100% of the profits from sales of “The Cave of Colors” will benefit a charity of the childrens’ choosing.

The story of “The Cave of Colors” revolves around a magical place called The Cave of Colors, wherein everything you say and do happens.

Sunday February 28, 2010. Doors open at 12:45 pm at the Center for Spiritual Living facility at 4801 Spring Valley Rd (at International Pkwy.), Dallas, Texas 75244.

Meet some of “The Cave of Colors” children, buy your own copies of this charming book, and get more information on this and other Opportunity Projects.

Also featured at the Premiere will be “An Honest Lie, Volume 1: Encouraging the Delinquency of your Inner Child,” a short story anthology, and “A Children’s Book of Necromancy,” a spell-binding book by Debrin Case.

Here at OHP, I don’t write rejection letters … that task falls to Senior Editor ME Johnson. But at Moulin Review, I personally respond to every submission we receive.

As a writer myself, I’m painfully aware of what it feels like to get a rejection letter. First it’s disappointing (although as I’ve received more of them over time, they’ve become less disappointing), and then it’s just confusing. You want to call the editor up and ask, “Why not?” Some of the time, editors will reject an author but say that they like their work, and invite them to submit again. As a writer, you think, “If you liked it, why did you reject it?”

So the task of writing rejection letters has become my least favorite part of the position. I can’t help but imagine the person I’m writing to reading it.

Here at OHP, every rejection comes with a reason, whether it’s that the author’s technical skill needs to be further developed, the work does not apply to the requested theme, or just doesn’t fit.

I know from experience that the “doesn’t fit” is the most frustrating of reasons to receive. You wonder why it doesn’t fit and how you’re supposed to know what does. The best remedy for this situation is to thoroughly research the market you are submitting to before you choose what piece you will send them. You can only get a feel for what fits when you’ve read an example of the market’s taste.

As an author, if you want more detailed feedback on your work, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Some writers are not responsive to criticism, so it can’t hurt to add “I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts,” at the end of your submission letter. You’ll still invariably get form letters, tons of them if you’re doing it right.

But remember when you get them that they’re as hard to send as they are to read.

I recently asked all the authors from An Honest Lie, Vol. 1: Encouraging the Delinquency of Your Inner Child to answer the same question: How do you think your work for An Honest Lie relates to the theme Encouraging the Delinquency of Your Inner Child?

As you read these answers, don’t forget that you can help your favorite author win a book deal with Open Heart Publishing by either leaving a comment through their voting and purchase portal, here: http://ahlvol1vote.debrincase.com/, which is good for one point, or by purchasing your copy of An Honest Lie through their portal for 500 points.

Enjoy, and keep an eye on this blog, because The Children’s Book of Necromancy is coming soon!

Ilan Herman, author of Dilemma, said, “My protagonist in Dilemma starts out encouraging the delinquency of his inner child by being a calloused corporate lawyer. As the story evolves, he grows up and realizes what a jerk he’d become … and where the healing for him begins. ”

To vote for Ilan by leaving a comment or making a purchase, go here: Vote for Ilan Herman

Bob Clark, who penned Whatever Lulu Wants, had this to say. “I think that every character in my story Whatever Lulu Wants has an inner and outer child who is very delinquent. I often have no heroes in my stories because I am a closet delinquent and my characters live my inner child’s life.”

To vote for Bob Clark by leaving a comment or making a purchase, go here: Vote for Bob Clark

Eric Trant, who wrote The Apple Tree, said, “The Apple Tree involves two boys who question the ultimate authority: The Almighty God of Heaven and Universe. And isn’t that the definition of our childhood delinquencies, to question authority, and with the impudence of youth believe we know better? These are my insolent, delinquent youths. They’re geniuses. Because they say so.”

To vote for Eric by leaving a comment or making a purchase, go here: Vote for Eric Trant

The Apple Tree illustration by Eric Carbrey

The mind behind Gran’s Prophesy, C.B. Calsing, said, “Children are creators. They create everyday, whether it’s playing house with friends or baking mud pies. Adults, on the other hand, generally do not create. Very few try to find some sort of outlet for that spark that used to burn so brightly as a child. One speaker I saw at a recent International Reading Association workshop pointed out that adults always promise themselves they’ll start journaling or taking a class to learn pottery or painting or whatever — trying desperately to find that drive to create they had as children — but they seldom take it to the next level.
I am very fortunate to be able to write fiction. I like to think that the childishness in me never died like it has in some people. The plays I performed on the lawn in the yard when I was six and seven are replaced by these flights of inked fancy. I think in writing, I continuously encourage the delinquency of my inner minor (she drinks quite a lot). In that way, I am a lot like Keldon/ Rupert in “Gran’s Prophecy.” We both had dreams as children and found ways to make those dreams work as adults without crushing the innocence and brightness within. Keldon/ Rupert allows himself, as an adult, the same hope, the same drive to imagine and create, that he had as a child. For this, initially he is ostracized, but when he finds the proper outlet, he is accepted.
I hope that readers take away from this the idea that it is okay to be a little crazy. It is okay to play with mud and laugh hysterically. It is okay to try to fit on a Big Wheel and ride around the block. We all need that release of childishness to give us balance. Like Keldon/ Rupert, we all need to remember our dreams as children and let out inner child out to create again.”

To vote for C.B. Calsing by leaving a comment or making a purchase, go here: Vote for C.B. Calsing

M.E. Johnson, the author of Crossing the Guard and senior editor at Open Heart Publishing, said, “As a child, there was not only the self encouraged delinquency that could be found in all of us, there was also the urge to drag others into joining us in those same-said high-jinks. Somehow, it was always much more fun when you could get others involved in it. I think that directly relates to my work for An Honest Lie. Part of my job is finding good authors to publish, good authors to join in the high-jinks going on at An Honest Lie.”

To vote for M.E. Johnson by leaving a comment or making a purchase, go here: Vote for M.E. Johnson

Crossing the Guard illustration by Kelly Jacobi

Robert Dean, who wrote Blue Eyeliner, said, “I’m a 13-year-old boy trapped in a 28-year-old man’s body. It’s hard for me to even admit I’m a man. How I ever got to adult status is beyond me or my comprehension.”

To vote for Robert Dean by leaving a comment or making a purchase, go here: Vote for Robert Dean

Alexander Francani, the author of Honey, Legos, a Squirrel, Marcus, and Me, said, “I have an old man that is grieving after the death of his beloved wife. She was the only good thing in his life, then she died. He is broken down by life. Most people would say that there is a grieving period and when that is over, it is time to move on with life again. Well, our hero decides to place himself in fake comas so his daughter will take care of him. An outsider would find this to be quite childish. However, he is not a child, nor is he acting like a child. He is a self-indulgent old man who’s broken and afraid to or unwilling to be fixed. It isn’t until later on in the story that he is blessed with childish inclinations again. He goes to McDonald’s, orders a Happy meal, and learns about Love. I believe that a child, and the delinquency thereof, is the beautiful resilliance and faith that allows a person to bounce back from even the greatest of tragedies. Children don’t yet know that giving up is an option. So they live. In my story, it took a child, to teach my old man to live again. Oh crap. That sounds trite and overwrought.”

To vote for Alexander Francani by leaving a comment or making a purchase, go here: Vote for Alexander Francani

Victoria Joyner, who penned July Burning Bright, said, “Everybody will go screwy for something. Over a girl. Or a big brother who’s always been everything you’re not. Or because a holiday just has to live up to expectations. Or just because it’s summertime and summer was made for misbehavior. Considering what we’ll do when we’re older, know better, and no longer laugh when someone says “Uranus” (or aren’t supposed to), it’s pretty clear the inner child doesn’t need much encouragement to step into the limelight … a very gentle shoulder tap will do.”

To vote for Victoria Joyner by leaving a comment or making a purchase, go here: Vote for Victoria Joyner

July Burning Bright illustration by Erin Marissa Russell

Germaine Shames, who wrote Counter-Indications of Trance on the Male Libido, said, “In my story, Counter-Indications of Trance on the Male Libido, under hypnosis the subconcious mind of a grown man comes out to play like a delinquent child. Naughty, naughty…”

To vote for Germaine Shames by leaving a comment or making a purchase, go here: Vote for Germaine Shames

Alyssa Cooper, the author of My Dead Isn’t Dead, had this to say. “In my story, the narrator does as most children do when confronted with a situation that defies reality: she accepted it. Rather than taking an introspective approach to what has happened or questioning her own involvement in creating the situation, the narrator responds by placing the problem where she does not have to analyze her own actions. Never at any point does she begin to question how she might have gone about things a different way or what could have prevented things from transpiring in the manner they do. Essentially, the narrator remains in an altered state of logic, unable to recognize that it was her own flaws that cause this catalytic reaction in her malleable reality.”

To vote for Alyssa Cooper by leaving a comment or making a purchase, go here: Vote for Alyssa Cooper

William Terry, who wrote Situational Dyslexia, said, “Well, this is a question that I have asked myself several times. Situational Dyslexia is a story that ties together self-sabotage and insecurity. In my opinion, irrational action, like setting your house on fire to avoid a girlfriend, is something I could see myself doing when I was very young. I am twenty-six now, but I definitely would have done this at twenty-five. My inner child is a delinquent anyway, a delinquent with a book of matches and a mind that forgets where he put the gasoline.”

To vote for William Terry by leaving a comment or making a purchase, go here: Vote for William Terry

From left: Erin Marissa Russell, Melissa Cantrelle, Alyssa Cooper, Rhia Johnson, Eric Trant, Jon C. Forisha, ME Johnson

Way back in July of this year, several of the Dallas-local authors of An Honest Lie, Vol. 1 met with publisher and fellow author Debrin Case and editors ME and Rhia Johnson at Liberty Hall to rub elbows so when we have events things won’t be all awkward. Also because we are an incredibly talented lot, and it’s always good to share drinks and discussion with a table of authors, editors, and publishers.

You can read Eric Trant’s musings on the evening at his blog, Digging With the Worms.

I’d like to say, before you read Eric’s blog and start wondering, that I only carry batteries in my purse (both AA and AAA) because I usually need them for my digital camera or voice recorder. I have another job as managing editor at the Brookhaven Courier, and it’s the end of the world if my voice recorder runs out of batteries.

From left: Erin Marissa Russell, Melissa Cantrelle, Alyssa Cooper, and Rhia Johnson.

At the time, I was an artist for An Honest Lie- Rhia Johnson was the junior editor as well as an author- and it was fascinating to hear the authors talk about their stories. I’d already drawn the illustrations, based on a scene Debrin had described, but I didn’t know who the people were, what was happening, or even what the stories were really about. The authors had a lot of fun hearing about one another’s work, too.

Don’t forget to support your favorite contributor to An Honest Lie, Vol. 1 by doing one or both of the following:
* Leave them a comment by clicking their name on this link: http://ahlvol1vote.debrincase.com/. A comment earns them one point toward a book deal with Open Heart Publishing.
* Purchase An Honest Lie, Vol. 1 through their portal by clicking on their name here: http://ahlvol1vote.debrincase.com/. A purchase earns them 500 points toward a book deal with Open Heart Publishing!

Also, there are only 95 days left to work on submissions for An Honest Lie, Vol. 2: they’re due March 15, 2010. Read over the submission guidelines here: http://anhonestlie.wordpress.com/2009/10/10/its-that-time-again/