Hi Friends!
I know it’s been a while, but I’m finally back on schedule. I hope you enjoyed the Thanksgiving holiday (if you’re in America and celebrate). This year I visited friends and family in person, and savored every minute. For our feast, each family member contributes one or two dishes, and we all have our favorites, but this year my husband made the cranberry sauce. It was delicious! Pictured above are the cranberries simmering in the pot: I had to photograph these beautiful, edible rubies!
This week I’m really excited to share my interview with Hunter Wallace, author and founder of a new website where curated short stories are available to read for free. It’s called Rabbit Hole, and my story Gator Eye Lake will be published there for a limited time. (Afterwards, it will be available on Amazon. More on this in an upcoming newsletter, complete with a cover reveal. I can’t wait to share!)
In the meantime, enjoy the Interview!
JMA: Hi Hunter, Welcome! Great to meet you. I’m so glad we decided to do this. I love your website—that rabbit logo is so clever! Who created it?
HW: I’m glad you like the site and logo! Falling down the rabbit hole is self-explanatory, but the ear is also meant to be pointing at the ‘start reading’ button on the site. I actually drew it up myself in Illustrator.
JMA: So, you’re multi-talented—it’s really great. What inspired you to create your website, and how long have you had this idea?
HW: The idea was at the back of my mind for a while, since a couple of years ago at least. Of course, I didn’t know what it would look like exactly, but I figured it was possible to create. What prompted me to actually do it was frustration. I was trying to find places to get my own short stories out into the world, and wasn’t having much luck. Getting paid for them was another problem altogether. So those were the core problems I wanted to solve in starting Rabbit Hole.
JMA: I imagine many writers feel the same way. Do you get a lot of submissions? About how many per week?
HW: I would say the site is still in its infancy; it’s only been up for about five months. At this point, we get a story maybe every 1-2 weeks? So, it’s definitely safe to say we’re always looking for more.
JMA: Do you accept all genres of writing? Do you exclude any?
HW: We don’t specialize in any particular genre, and we haven’t laid down any hard rules about genres we won’t accept. Not to say that we won’t have to someday, haha.
JMA: Do you have a team of readers for submissions?
HW: As of right now, it’s just me and one other person working on this little passion project.
JMA: I know many literary mags and journals get started as passion projects, so you’re in good company. Is there a submission or reading fee?
HW: I wanted the site to be modeled similarly to platforms like YouTube and Reddit; authors can submit for free, readers can read for free, and somewhere in there I wanted the potential for authors to make money for their work.
JMA: Do you ever work with a writer to improve their story, for example, offer a suggestion that might help them?
HW: Yes, but I would describe it as minimally invasive. We want to keep each story as true to the author’s original intent as we can. It’s usually just correcting grammar or replacing awkward phrasing.
JMA: I notice you now have a donation button at the end of each story. Can you tell me more about how this works and how a writer gets paid by you?
HW: The donation button is one way we’re trying to help authors build confidence; it’s also nice to make a little money for your efforts. If readers love a story, they can tip the author. Both PayPal and Rabbit Hole charge commission fees on tips, so I’d encourage anyone interested to take a look at our site for the details. But again, there aren’t any fees for submitting, so an author can’t lose money on the site.
JMA: If readers like a story, what’s the minimum amount they can donate?
HW: That’s a complicated question to answer, so again I’ll refer those interested to the ‘about’ page on our site for the details.
JMA: Since you’re a writer yourself, do you think this has helped or hindered your curation of the stories?
HW: I don’t know that it’s helped or hindered. In my opinion, it doesn’t take an author to recognize a great story.
JMA: Are your own stories available on Rabbit Hole? Where else might readers find your writing?
HW: My stories are those without an author name on Rabbit Hole. I put them there in the beginning so the site wouldn’t be empty; it felt odd to put my name on them. And of course, there are many others that I never put out anywhere.
JMA: What’s your favorite genre to read?
HW: I’m not picky with genre; it’s the same with music, food, movies—I just like things that are well done.
JMA: Absolutely! I feel the same way. Do you enjoy being a publisher, and has this been a goal of yours?
HW: I do, especially when I see the positive impact it has on writers. It hasn’t always been a goal of mine; in fact, I never considered it as a possibility until somewhat recently. Nonetheless, I’m glad I’m here.
JMA: So are we, if I may speak for other writers! Where do you see Rabbit Hole in five years?
HW: In the most optimistic case, I think Rabbit Hole will be a fairly commonly known site. There may be hundreds or thousands of authors publishing stories, and even more readers. It would be incredible if someday authors could make a living from Rabbit Hole donations alone.
JMA: Can we look forward to a collection of Rabbit Hole fan favorites published in ebook form or paperback one day?
HW: Yes! I would love to see that happen, particularly in physical form. It could be a collection from all across the site, or maybe even an anthology of one author’s stories. I don’t know, but definitely something I’m interested in.
JMA: Any advice for writers that you’d like to share?
HW: Just know that you and your ideas are worth attention; don’t stop writing.
JMA: Excellent advice. Thanks, Hunter, this was great. Let’s catch up next year.
And thanks to you all for checking out my newsletter. You can read my story Gator Eye Lake for free on Rabbit Hole for a limited time before it’s published on Amazon. And if you enjoy it, please leave a tip!
Remember, if you’re a writer and have a story to share, read the Rabbit Hole site, take a chance and submit. Good luck!