Sale to Desolate Places

Death and Love in Gehanna has been accepted by Desolate Places, an anthology about, well, desolate places published by Hadley Rille Books. The minute I saw the premise of the antho, I knew I needed to send them this story. I can't think of a more desolate place than a frozen continent peopled only by a couple crazy exhiles and a semi-sentient albino pantiger.

I think this is the first time my work will appear in book format. Gotta love them milestones.

This sale was much needed. I haven't been able to write for the past few weeks and was starting to feel all down and spiritually constipated. On top of that, Intestines were kicking my ass that week (this week it's Heart, but he behaves a lot better and doesn't make me feel like a hopeless loser). Percentiles suck. Keeping them up sucks even more. I'm starting to feel the drain of studying for this damn exam and can't wait to get it over with. This sale put a bit of color in my week.

January 19th. I'm dreading the day, of course, but part of me just want to sit through all 5h of the exam now and be free!

Helix SF

Check out this review of the first year of Helix SF.

Three novelettes were among my favorite stories. John Barnes’s "Rod Rapid and His Electric Chair" (January) is a very mordantly funny send up of a Tom Swift-like series of books and the racist and fascist views expressed therein. Also from January, "The Narcomancer", by N. K. Jemisin, tells of a man who brings peace to those who need it by easing their way to death -- at considerable personal cost. "The Snake’s Wife", by Ann Leckie (October) is a story of dynastic struggles between two regions in a fantastical world, and also as legitimately shocking as any Helix story so far. It's a story of war, forced marriage, mutilation, and revenge: ultimately suggesting that the promises of gods may come true but ought to regarded with great suspicion. Other particularly strong novelettes came from William Sanders and from Jennifer Pelland.

Of the short stories I liked Esther Friesner’s sharply satirical "A Sacred Institution" (July), in which a slimy politician marries his dog but runs into trouble when aliens show up who demand that promises like marriage be kept. And N. K. Jemisin’s "The Brides of Heaven" (July), set on a harsh alien world in which an Islamic colony seems doomed because all their male colonists died in an accident, until one colonist decides that true obedience to God requires a particular, chilling, solution. And Robert Reed's "The Hoplite" (April) is an effective and dark variation on the "eternal soldier" theme. Other good short stories came from Sara Genge, Vylar Kaftan, Michael Payne, Samantha Henderson, and Jay Lake.

Indeed, on looking over the magazine's sum of stories I am again impressed -- there is a lot of nice work here.

Yeah, baby. I've gotten quite a bit of love for Pretty Little Thing. I think Helix has done a great job getting good work and putting it out there and I am glad that Clapping for the Fairies has landed me a second publication in this ezine.

Couldn't Resist

Which Discworld Character are you like (with pics) created with QuizFarm.com

You scored as Esmerelda (Granny) Weatherwax You are Granny Weatherwax! The most powerful witch on the Disc! You often use headology rather than actual spells, and are a very good witch, despite the fact that you sometimes wish you were a bad one. You play a mean game of Cripple Mr. Onion, and have a very powerful stare. By the way, you should really get that broom fixed… Esmerelda (Granny) Weatherwax 81% Lord Havelock Vetinari 75% The Librarian 69% Carrot Ironfounderson 69% Gytha (Nanny) Ogg 63% Death 56% Rincewind 31% Greebo 25% Commander Samuel Vimes 25% Cohen The Barbarian 13%

Why Is Racism Ok In Spain?

Seriously. The Spanish Big Brother has a participant called, Amor, who makes constant unambiguous racist comments towards another contestant. Telecinco, the TV network which shows the program, denounces her racism but doesn't stop her. This is not a cable network and children watch this.

Amor gets off light because she's a male-to-female transexual. Now, since when is being part of a minority and excuse to behave like this? Why isn't anyone calling her on it? Something similar (although much less blatant) happened on the British Big Brother: the participant was expelled and, if my memory serves me well, there was even a formal statement from the government saying that THIS WAS NOT OK. The LGTB magazine Cero has her on the front-page this month. Why aren't people screaming at Cero? How can a gay magazine condone this person? They'll probably argue that they don't condone her behaviour, but wtf? They're giving her publicity, she's becoming a minor celebrity. This is sick.

This is made even more convoluted by the fact that the guy who she attacks is an avowed homophobe. Please, don't make us watch this. Kick them both out. This is denigrating to everyone, black, white, gay and straight.

Somebody adopt me. I want me a new country; the ones I have, suck.

Beware The Eye

Yep, Eyes today. I kept being reminded of the Eye of Mordor. This one was equally malevolent and for the 5 hours that I stared at it, it didn't blink--not once. Is personifying my study material a sign of mental illness? The books say no, but I have to wonder.

Please remind me why I'm doing this.

Uncle Kidney Wants YOUR Brains

The Kidneys are back, and they're wooping my ass. I've tried studying Nephrology in every way that is known to man or woman, and some that only Extraterrestrials with particularly quaint urethras could think of (sorry, Jason, couldn't help it, sorry, sorry, sorry), but I just keep forgetting it as soon as I've finished memorizing it.

I think they demand a sacrifice. Of my pickled brains. I'm not sure I'm about to give those up. I mean, you'd think my social life and sanity would be enough for the critters, but oh, no, they want my brains too.

And today, the Ear joined the fray--taking the Kidney's side. Now, come on! Otology was never meant to be difficult to understand (only funny to say). Finding, so late in my internship preparation, that even Otology is giving me hell, doesn't do much for my morale.

Today's Silly Meme

Your heart's genge be with you!

Which work of Shakespeare was the original quote from?

Get your own quotes:

Apex Digest Holiday Subscription Drive

Apex Digest is having a subscription drive throughout the month of November. Their aim is to get 100 new subscriptions and raise pay rates to 2.5 cents/word.

BUT, if they get more, they'll raise the rates accordingly. It's a far shot, but 500 new subscriptions would mean 5c/word, the pay required by HWA and SFWA to consider a market professional.

Apex is a good looking mag, which has published the likes of Cherie Priest, Lavie Tidhar, Ian Creasey, Nancy Fulda, Kevin J. Anderson, Geoffrey Girard etc. Each issue contains a diverse assortment of dark science fiction by established writers and new voices. A one year subscription costs 20$, two years 34$ and there are discounts for gift subscriptions.


The full announcement is here

Each person who posts/gets a subscription/gets a friend to subscribe enters the drawing for Apex for Life--a lifetime subscription of Apex, and a crazy mug.

Subscribe to Apex--the field needs more good professional magazines.

Neener from Interzone May Slush

Interzone bounced "Slow Stampede", which was being held from the Interzone May Slush. Oh, well, I got some comments on it that may help future rewrites.

I think "Godtouched" is being reprinted in Czech in Pevnost, but I don't know when. My Grandfather is Czech so obviously, he's very proud of me now.

And the Villa Diodati juice is still running high. I wrote a 3500-ish word story today and am typing it into the computer as of now. It actually has a less-than-depressing ending and a clear plot arc, for a change. Sword and Sorcery with an over 50 female sword-wielder as MC. Interesting voice to write in.

I'm going to juice it up with nice crunchy sensory details and hit some editor on the head with it, hopefully next wednesday when I pass close to a post office.

The Sweet Spot in Apex Digest

My story "Dear Diary" which is part of the Dear Diary series published in dailycabal, is in the tentative TOC for Apex 12.

Here's the full list:

Brian Keene & Steven Shrewsbury - "Death Comes For All"
Paul Jessup - "Post Flesh"
Michael West - "To Know How to See"
Ryck Neube - "Feverish Solutions"
Joy Marchand - "Clementine"
Geoffrey Girard - "Cain 4"
Sara Genge - "Dear Diary"

Interviews:
Laura Anne Gilman
Jeff VanderMeer - (interviewed by Hal Duncan)

I've always had a soft spot for the Apex's parting shot. I'm a lazy reader, so the flash is the first or second story I read in every issue. I don't usually write with a magazine in mind, but in this particular case, I spent some time trying for Apex-length flashes. This was nicely compatible with producing material for Daily Cabal: if it was under 400, it went there, otherwise, to Apex.

Then, of course, Dear Diary turned out to be fantasy. Luckily, Apex took it all the same.