Revising the Revisions

Plus, a book review and a different COTBW book excerpt!

If there’s one thing that I recommend before a writer starts revising their writing, it’s that you should let your work rest for a while. Preferably for as long as possible, in order to come back to it with fresh eyes.

For most things I write, though – such as book reviews, articles, essays and poems – I normally wait at least 24 hours before I start revising it.

This is especially true when I am already revising a manuscript and moving from one chapter to the next. I try to get revisions done on the whole chapter that day, and then start revising that next chapter the next day.

But a lot can happen in those 24 hours since I last looked at that chapter. Getting ideas for extra things to add, for example.

I have been revising the eighth GHOST Group story this week. The story includes chapters. So I have been revising a chapter at a time in the days I work on it.

And normally, I would think I was “done” after I finished revising a chapter. But there’s no such thing as “done” when you are revising your writing – even after you have submitted the manuscript!

On one particular day following a round of revisions on a chapter, I realized that I needed to include some background information. This story may be part of a series, but what if someone who has not read the previous stories picks THIS one up to read as a newcomer to the series? It’s not likely, since it’s the eighth story, but it can happen. And I need to fill in the blanks for new readers to the series!

This is why I always explain what the acronym for “GHOST” in the GHOST Group name stands for in every consecutive story. It’s also why I explain what the group is and who the members are.

This reminder came in handy the next time I felt compelled to revise my revisions on another chapter. In this chapter, though, I had something written that didn’t make sense. My character is wandering through the downtown of her city and comes upon a residential location.

I have visited many downtowns, and they’re all usually made up of businesses, and not some people’s homes.

So, when I saw that during revision, I thought, ‘That’s not right.’ Even so, I had to come up with a way for my character to end up at that house. How could I do that?

Fortunately, I figured it out: She could help someone she knows by carrying something for them to their house – which happens to be near the house she needs to go to. With this in place, I brought a character from a previous story into the chapter, and added some background about her for readers not familiar with this character. I was sure to add something from the story she was in to either jog the memory of the series’ readers or to introduce as something that was a part of this character’s life to new readers, just to add that sense of familiarity for new readers who read previous or future stories. (This character just might reprise her role in a future story!)

Writing a book requires some time, but revising the book can require extra time. We need to wade through the revision process and not try to race through it, checking off one chapter after another in our goal to get to the end. We need to allow ourselves to spend some time “in” that book, thinking about it and reviewing our revisions. Even revisions need revisions!

Giving ourselves the time needed to revise a manuscript will allow us to transform it into work that will shine. It will show our best efforts in writing this piece or this book, because we gave ourselves the time needed in order for those efforts to surface when we revised it.

What’s New This Week

Check out my article "7 Paying Horror Poetry Markets" that was recently published at WritersWeekly!

Read it here.

I was very excited to receive a copy of the new anthology I am in, Dark Descent: Whispers from Beyond. My eco-horror micro story, “The Bee-ginning of Revenge,” is included in this book. Want a copy of your own? Go here.

Many thanks to Kerry Holmes and Dark Holme Publishing!

Book Reviews

I recently reviewed the horror novel Say Uncle by Ryan C. Bradley at Dawn Reviews Books

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:

Week of Terrors Anthology series

Twisted Dreams Press is now accepting submissions for a new anthology series! It is seven books with ten stories in each book.

The first anthology will be published in June. The others will follow in the subsequent months. Submissions of stories for all anthologies opens the beginning of April.

Open until each anthology has ten stories. We will announce when an anthology is no longer accepting submissions.

Series Name: A Week of Terrors!

Here are the themes:

Monster Monday: Creature Horror Stories

Terrifying Tuesday: Evil Clowns

Werewolf Wednesday

Thriller Thursday: Zombies

Frightening Friday: Mix of horror subgenres: psychological horror, eco-horror, cyberpunk horror, erotic horror, etc.

Slasher Saturday: Slasher horror

Spooky Sunday: Ghost stories

Payment: One print and digital copy.

Submit your stories today!

Length: 3K-10K words

Reprints welcome! Simultaneous submissions welcome but please let us know if your story is accepted elsewhere.

Email your stories as a Word .doc or .docx file. Google Docs are okay as long as you grant Dawn permission for access.

No PDF submissions, please.

Stories written with AI will NOT be accepted!

When you submit your story, please put the following in the subject line:

Submission: WOT Anthology, (Title), (Day of the week your story is for)

Please include in your email if the story is a reprint as well as your bio.

Please send your stories to Dawn at submissions@twisteddreamspress.com

We look forward to reading your story!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:

Friday the 13th Summer Camp Horror Anthology

It's that time of year again! Time for writers everywhere to start writing some summer camp horror!

At Twisted Dreams Press, however, we horror fanatics just can't get enough of Friday the 13th!

We are announcing a call for summer camp horror stories that take place on a Friday the 13th for our anthology: Friday the 13th Summer Camp Horror! This anthology is scheduled for publication on Friday, March 13, 2026!

Start submitting your summer camp horror stories now!

The deadline is December 5, 2025. Which gives you plenty of time to cook up a story that will knock our socks off!

Check out the graphic above to get the deets! Send us your Friday the 13th summer camp horror stories to get in on this!

NOTE: A tie-in to the movie is not required. No fan fiction, please.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:

FUBAR: An Anthology of Tech Horror

Baynam Books Press is pleased to announce they are open to submissions for a new horror anthology:

FUBAR: An Anthology of Tech Horror

Send your stories of malfunctioning smartphones, attacking computers and killer Roombas!

We want them all!

This anthology is looking for horror stories of when good technology goes bad. Whether it’s a brain implant that turns its carrier into a monster, pacemakers that transform people into homicidal maniacs or a self-driving car on a highway to Hell, please send it our way!

Stories must be 2K-10K words

Reprints welcome!

No AI for writing your stories please — but you CAN use AI in your story!

No fan fiction.

Stories containing homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, CSA, as well as discrimination against the disabled and other marginalized communities will be rejected.

Deadline: August 22, 2025

Payment: One digital copy

Publication in December 2025. (Note: I mistakenly put 2026 in the last Substack. Sorry for the mistake!)

Send stories to Dawn at DMCWriter@gmail.com

What’s New at SPARREW?

Check out my interview with writer Josh Gunderson, which was published in the May 2025 issue of the SPARREW Newsletter!

Go here.

This Week’s Book Promo

When I started doing these book promo features for Substack, I didn’t plan on promoting one of my many books more than once.

But this is Pride Month, and I DO have a novella with a gay character in it.

Actually, he’s a gay vampire.

And the final draft of Curse of the Blood Witch that was accepted for publication did not include the scene with this particular vampire and his partner. Alas! However, I am toying with the idea of writing a sequel, so there’s always a chance that Gallo and his beloved will be in a future story.

The scene below is where Gallo is introduced in the story. If you want to read another scene with him, which happens later, go here.

Excerpt from Curse of the Blood Witch

Copyright © 2025 by Dawn Colclasure

When she finally appeared at Logan’s bedroom door, she wasn’t surprised to see him with an open book on his lap.

“What are you doing?”

He looked up at her and smiled. “Research.”

“On what?”

“You.”

Kaya’s eyes widened. Had Logan been looking into her past? Was he starting to doubt her acceptance of her new life? “Me? Why?”

“Well, more specifically, the blood witch,” he elaborated, straightening as he held the book at both sides. “Because that’s what you are, Kaya. And there are not many of them, unfortunately. We don’t know a lot about blood witches, though by now I’m aware they have a scent unlike normal vampires.”

She cocked her eyebrow. “I have a scent?” Before she started to ponder how long it had been since she’d last showered, she realized that Logan wasn’t talking about body odor. This ‘scent’ he spoke of must be something similar to what animals can smell because he hadn’t commented on her smelling so terribly that he avoided close contact with her.

“All vampires have a scent,” he replied with a grin. “And, no, it’s not like body odor.”

She chuckled, recalling that he could read minds. “Oh, okay. That’s good.”

“Anyway, I think it’s important for you to understand yourself better, which is why I called in an expert.” He jumped to his feet, looking past Kaya. “And he’s here now.”

He placed the book down on his bed with one hand then walked past Kaya to leave the room. She turned to hurriedly follow him through the hallway. As they approached the entrance hall, Kaya caught sight of a man smiling as he approached them, holding his hand out in greeting. His attire consisted of black leather and metal clothing; pants, boots, a plain white shirt revealing the top of his chest, and a thick belt. He wore handguns in holsters on his belt and a sword was in a scabbard at one side. His brown hair hung to his shoulders and his blue eyes sparkled at the sight of his friend. He wore one stud earring in his left ear and spiked leather armbands on each arm.

“Logan!” he greeted as they drew closer.

Logan shook the man’s hand. “Good to see you again, Gallo. Thank you for coming.”

The man he called Gallo nodded. “Anything for a friend, though I’m curious about this urgent news you must share.”

“First thing’s first,” Logan replied. He turned and coaxed Kaya closer to him to stand at his side. She smiled at the newcomer.

“This is Kaya Morgan,” Logan informed his friend. He looked at Kaya. “Kaya, this is one of my oldest and closest friends, Everett Gallo.”

She shook his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”

Gallo nodded. “Charmed.” He looked at Logan again. “Mateo sends his regards. He would have loved to come visit, but he is swamped with his work.”

“Mateo?” Kaya asked, looking at both of them.

Then she looked at Gallo, who met her gaze. “My partner.”

“Ah,” Kaya replied, nodding in understanding.

“No worries!” Logan replied to Gallo. “I’m sure we’ll see his handsome face again soon.”

Gallo shot him a teasing look. “Watch it. He’s my handsome face.”

Chuckling, Logan held his hand out to the hallway which led to the dining hall. “Shall we?”

Thanks for reading! See you next weekend.