Rules for Anthology

If I can't read my christmas stories at christmas time then I don't feel like a happy bunny. I love today's post so much, I wish I had written it. Let me introduce you to the Evil Overlord better known as Silke Juppenlatz on book covers. All I did was ask her for tips on how to write an anthology and do it internationally nonetheless, the following genius tips are her idea.

Evil Overlord Rules for Anthology Writers

Way back in May, someone said "Let's write a Christmas Anthology."
Uh-huh. You know what they say about all the best laid plans, right?
Since then, my life has been in turmoil and I have found myself cast in the role of:

Evil Anthology Overlord

*cackles madly, strokes bald cat and tries to control the twitch in her right eye* 

Naturally, there are rules your minions have to adhere to. Virtual bloodshed isn't pretty, so make the minions behave themselves. (I know it's difficult, but try. Buy a whip, if required.)
I have accomplished my goal. The anthology stories are out. Mission accomplished.
It is time to train my successors, whoever they may be. I shall share the steps with you.

1. Allow your minions to brainstorm wildly. It makes them feel like you're not watching.
2. Encourage cross pollination and ignore genres. Tell everyone "It will work out in the end." (Do this without cackling, or they get suspicious.)
3. Steal someone's secondary character and make it your heroine. It ensures chaos across the board, in someone else's story. Perfect.
4. Let your minions slack for several months. Don't mention time is passing and they should be writing. (The longer you leave it, the greater the panic.)
5. When the deadline looms large in the window—ask how everyone is doing. Let them sit, simmer and procrastinate another four weeks.
6. Three months before the actual release date, raise hell. Loudly. Make them freak, realizing they don't have a story. Tie their left hand to their back, to stop those infernal paper aeroplanes hitting you in the back of the head while you're not watching. (The "One Finger Eagle Seek and Destroy" typing system works well enough, at the rate they are going.)
7. Attempt to disguise your panic as well meant encouragement, when nothing happens. Chastise the minion who untangled the rope for throwing paper aeroplanes at fellow incapacitated minions. They should be writing, dammit.
8. Panic. Threaten everyone with sharpened pencils (red, to camoflage the blood when you stab them with it.) until they install Skype. Congregate there every night. Send Skype conference call requests if they happen to fall asleep on the job. BURN all paper aeroplanes.
9. Start writing. Change entire plotlines affecting others, just for the fun of it. Do it at the last minute. They can handle it.
10. Keep them awake until at least 3am to ensure compliance and completion. Reward with paper for building the aeroplanes, and get the HELL out of Dodge before they build bombers instead.

There you have it. Those are tried and tested steps, use them as you see fit.
Of course, once you have completed, submitted and got everything accepted, you need to change tactics.
Your new target is The Publisher. *insert evil dum-dum-dum-dummmmmmm and trumpet*

An Evil Anthology Overlord's work never ends.

You can find out for yourself if the rules worked, by checking out the following:
Smitten by Silke Juppenlatz  |   Midwinter Magic by Nina Croft
Holiday Headlines by R.M. Gilbert   |   Snowy Encounters by Clarissa Yip

I love this book cover

Smitten:Reserved and shy Jo Button is tired of being the talk of the town. Enough is enough. Time to put her plans in motion, but a mishap forces her to seek out veterinarian Ash Delaney-the one man she has always wanted.
Ex-Guardian Angel Ashriel isn't too happy when the reason for his de-haloed state shows up and requests his help. He has avoided Jo Button for ten years, and could quite happily go another ten without seeing her-until he realizes her battered reputation was his fault.
Can Ashriel save Jo, even if it means redemption is beyond his grasp, or will he lose his halo permanently along with the woman he's come to care for? 

About Silke

Silke was born in Germany and now lives in leafy Surrey(UK) with her partner.

Growing up in a house that’s older than dirt, she is used to things going bump a O'Dawn Thirty, but these days the only thing going bump after midnight is her -- attempting to navigate to the kitchen in near darkness to score another cup of coffee.

When she isn't writing, she can be found on the back of a black cob mare, getting hopelessly lost in the woods. (Apparently horses don't have GPS or homing devices.)
Although her books are predominantly about demons, angels and vampires, aliens and elves have been known to make an appearance in her WIP folder.

She likes to hear from her readers, and you can contact her via her blog: http://www.evilauthor.com