Category: Writing
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A Heart Destined to Wither – Honorable Mention in SNHU’s Fall Fiction Contest
I’m so thrilled to share that my short story, “A Heart Destined to Wither” has received an honorable mention in Southern New Hampshire University’s Fall Fiction Contest for 2024. This Faustian-inspired story examines the cost of wanting, and how desire can become corrupt. A favorite contract of mine: the mortal’s ruinous craving for riches. Everyone…
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Book Announcement!
I am thrilled to share that my book Season of Fire will be released on February 25, 2025! This book has been years in the making, and I am so excited to finally share it with you! (Fun fact: This is the book that got me invited to film a TV pilot for a reality TV show about authors.)…
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Read “The Moonbeam Book” in Carmina Magazine
My newest short story, “The Moonbeam Book” is out today! “The Moonbeam Book” by Cidney Mayes I am consistently drawn to examining femininity and dismantling patriarchy within my speculative fiction. This story, written in the spirit of dark Grimm fairy tales where the protagonist must learn a lesson at the expense of a usually gruesome…
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Read “Visions for the Independent City of New York” in Metaphorosis Magazine
This is my first foray into sci-fi territory! I hope you check it out. You can read or listen on the Metaphorosis website. I had so much fun recording my narration! Read or listen here: Visions for the Independent City of New York by Cidney Mayes Summary: In a futuristic New York, a young girl…
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Read “Citadel” in A Coven of Witches Anthology
I am so thrilled that my short story, “Citadel” has been included in West Avenue Publishing’s A Coven of Witches Anthology. Lorenc has wandered the woodland paths between the land of the living and the city of the dead for as long as he can remember. When a teenage girl stumbles through the a wooden…
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Query Letter: Tips for Success
Since updating my query letter, I have received three full manuscript requests in the past month for my YA Bridgerton-meets-witches fantasy novel, Season of Fire. I posted a thread on Twitter about the changes I made, and it seemed to help other writers, so here’s a more in-depth look at how to polish your query…
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An Unexpected First Publishing “Yes”
I wasn’t expecting a nonfiction opinion piece to be my first “yes” in publishing since starting my writing career in earnest. I have one young adult book under my belt, which I have shelved after an unsuccessful search for an agent for it (though there were a few near-successes with a handful of agents, the…
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Twitter Pitch Events – How to Get Your Pitch Noticed
I have participated in three pitching events on Twitter since I began querying my YA fantasy novel, and while I’m still in the trenches (it’s brutal out here) my last pitch event was more successful. I got nine agent likes and have three full requests out there. This is after receiving zero interactions on my…
Cidney Mayes 