Short Story is out!

So it finally happened! My short story is out in the Anthology.

Here is the Amazon link for the Kindle version. It it called Mental Ward: Echoes of the Past. I'm not listed with all the authors on this page because they capped it at 10 authors. If you click to look inside, I'm there.

http://www.amazon.com/Mental-Ward-Echoes-Past-ebook/dp/B00FFNNTLE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380866291&sr=8-1&keywords=mental+ward+echoes+of+the+past

This is the link for the paperback. I am listed with the authors on this page as Kim Lay.

http://www.amazon.com/Mental-Ward-K-Trap-Jones/dp/0615890490/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1380866291&sr=8-1

You can also find it on Goodreads.

I was waiting and waiting for word to when it would be out and just a few days before my birthday I got word it was out that night! So happy surprise for me!

It is appropriate it comes out right now in time for Halloween.

I still think it is weird to be included in something that might be considered horror or paranormal. I think I do such a good job of scaring myself that writing about all the things that scared me kind of worked. Also when I worked at the Gold Hill Hotel just down the hill from Virginia City everyone liked to talk about ghosts around the area. I would drive home terrified at night. Especially the ghost they told us about that liked to ride with women that were driving alone so he could keep them company. That one freaked me out the most. I was always driving home from work late at night by  myself. Virginia City has so many ghost stories and if you spend any time there, you totally believe the whole area is haunted.

I also used Virginia City as the place where the big climax scene takes place in my YA Western novel that takes place in 1884. I don't want to write too much about the process of getting this out there too much. But I am still querying this. I have had some requests from agents and waiting for more responses.

In the meantime I'm writing another YA novel that takes place in Alaska. I also have a character in it that lives in a Russian village of Old Believers. It is something I had to research more about and have found it interesting. Along with the Iditarod. I am almost half way done with that one and had to take some time off writing. I needed the break. This story is tough to write. It is pretty dark, emotional story to write. I have had wedding planning too. But now I want to hurry and finish this before the Nov NaNoWriMo starts. Not sure I will get it done but I hope so.

For Nov NaNo I'm thinking about a YA contemporary story that has a little gypsy influence in it or expanding a short story that is total sci-fi, more adult, and takes place in space. Big difference between the two.

As far as wedding goes, the planning got bumpy for a few weeks having to start over with trying to find other people to do the cake and marry them. That last one---big huge part of the whole thing.

I wish I liked party planning more. I am ridiculous. If I can plan it and hide for the day, that would be ideal. But I don't like crowds and I have been struggling. And Kels is just as bad so I'm concerned she will be trying to keep it together without falling apart all day. The best part is the venue and the people that run it. I think the fact that the people that own it are related to her fiance and are so warm and welcoming with us will ease things quite a bit. At least I hope so. Here's hoping all goes well here on out.