"Special Ops" is Live on the Ray Gun Revival Site

My short story "Special Ops" was posted today on the Ray Gun Revival website. This was one of the first stories I wrote when I returned to writing fiction last summer. As I recall, it was inspired in part by having listened to a collection of Ian Fleming's James Bond short stories on audiobook and thinking about how a Bond-esque story might play out in science fiction.

Earlier this year RGR sent me a response to the version of the story I had sent to them saying that they liked certain aspects of the story but didn't like certain other aspects as well. If I'd give it a rewrite, they would take a second look at it.

The rewrite ended up being fairly involved but (as I so often say about my stories) I have a fondness for this story and I was more than happy to take another crack at it. The revised version struck me as being better and, fortunately, the editorial staff of RGR agreed.

I hope you enjoy reading "Special Ops." If you read it, you can comment on their site and/or here -- either way, I'll make sure to check out your comments.

While I'm here, since it's getting close to mid-month, I'm going to do a quick June Goal status check.


1) Keep all my writing routines -- Daily Writing Chain (aka Seinfeld Chain), blogging schedule, etc. - This is going fine so far.

2) Write and submit one or more short stories for the first time. - I wrote a new short story last night; it probably needs a fair amount of work still, as it was a quick first draft for a timed contest, but I'll try to get it out the door this month.

3) Make revisions to my non-fiction project based on feedback and my own editing of it. - This is going to be my primary focus for the rest of the month. I expect to do very little new fiction writing between now and the end of June, especially since...

4) Write 7,500 words of new fiction. - I'm within 500 words of this goal at this point, having written over 5,000 words finishing up a novelette and also having written the new story last night.

5) On 6/30, have two non-time-sensitive blog posts written and ready for future use on a day when I'm not able to post something "new." - On target at the moment.

6) Launch at least one new eBook. - I expect this should happen. I hope that this will be the culmination of my non-fiction project.

7) Schedule another "revising day." - I defined this goal strictly as scheduling the day, not holding it. I've booked July 6th for this day, so this goal is met.