Selling Stories to Ink'd Pub
An Interview with Kevin A. Davis
Inkd Publishing LLC is a small press that prints anthologies, non-fiction books, and fiction novels. We publish stories in a wide variety of genres and welcome a diverse group of authors.
Kevin A. Davis is the publisher and he sat down to talk to me about his press which offers frequent open calls on a rolling submissions window. He is also a writer…
AF: You said that you "write targeted material" for Strangely Funny. Are you talking about the anthology created by Sarah Glenn from Mystery and Horror, LLC?
KAD: Yes, one example. I do an undead cat Mitzi with her necromancer Will.
AF: Is Inkd affiliated somehow, or do you just like subbing to that antho?
KAD: Not affiliated with Strangely Funny or Mystery and Horror
*** Personal note: I sold a story to Sarah in 2021, called “The Writing Retreat” for Strangely Funny VII. This was one of my first comedy horror shorts about a group of writers at a retreat when a zombie apocalpyse happens. It was based on my true-life experience doing a writers’ retreat on Pelee Island. We were given an assignment, and I chose to write this horror piece about everyone I was with and describe how they became zombies. It was a hit. (You can find a reading of this tale on Read Me A Nightmare)
I interviewed Sarah, and this was my biggest take away for what she buys.
I could tell you that I was looking for “fresh views” or “edgy” stories, but what I’m really looking for are well-written stories with distinctive (or even unusual) characters.If you’re submitting to one of our anthologies, read the call for submissions to see what sort of stories we want. I could produce a “Strangely Vulgar” anthology with the unsuitable stories I’ve received.
Back to the interview with Kevin. I am always interested in what editors/publishers/authors do as a day job.
AF: I asked him what he does outside or writing and publishing and he said he has a "couple of businesses near their end." What are those businesses?
KAD: Vape stores - a difficult market over the past few years.
AF: When researching Kevin, I noticed he was a prolific author, so I asked him which of his series worked best. Writing in the fantasy genre, he has The DRC Files, Angelsong Series, & Khimmer Chronicles
KAD: DRC has won awards and has the most reviews, so the most popular.
AF: Who does your covers?
KAD: MIBLArt (affiliated with Getcovers) does the DRC. Rebekah at VividCovers did the Khimmer Chronicles.
AF: When choosing short stories, is there something you'd love to see more of? Things you are exhausted of reading about?
KAD: I do little of the choosing, as the editors do that. When the Hidden Villains slush is high (600-800) then I thin through "new to us" writers by reading about three pages as I know what my slush readers will score low on and put them at the bottom of the list.