ATLANTA NIGHTS was a collaborative project of
some 30 science fiction and fantasy writers. We each wrote a chapter of the book not knowing what anyone else was writing.
All we were given to work from were simple descriptions of the characters and what would happen in our chapter. We were also
told to use every bad writing technique possible.
My chapter is Chapter 14. Here are the instructions I received:
Bruce Lucent marries Callie Archer. Penelope Urbain
is crushed.
Callie Archer: widow of Henry Archer. Glossy black tresses, voluputous body, age about forty.
Bruce
Lucent: well-to-do software developer, age about twenty. Studly body. Was in an auto accident.
Penelope Urbain: Bruce Lucent's girlfriend, age about
twenty. Lusterous red hair, voluputous body.
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The scene is in and around Atlanta, Georgia. The genre is mainstream. The author is an enthusiastic
but unskilled first-time writer. Chapter length 1500-2000 words. Deadline 1/16.
The manuscript was submitted to a company called
Publish America, who claim to be a traditional publisher, but are, in fact, a vanity press who will publish anything submitted
to them. They don't edit their books, and all sales appear to be made to the writers themselves, not to bookstores.
PA
agreed to buy Atlanta Nights, and we exposed them to the public. There was much press coverage, and many people wanted to
read this terrible book. So, we had it published. College professors have requested permission to use the book as the basis
of "what not to do" lessons, and as examination questions.
It actually is a pretty funny book, and I'm very happy
to have been invited to write for it. I will be making convention appearances related to this book, so keep your eye on my
schedule.
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