Tag Archives: newly published

Hot skunk, “A Thread of Silk,” Part 2 of “Writing Multicultural Fiction for Children”

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Hobkin doesn’t like the heat. It makes him grumpy and stompy and prone to tearing about the house huffing at things. We were hoping to be able to hold off on turning on the air conditioning for a little while longer, but ended up switching it on this weekend. I feel sorry for the little guy, after all he’s got a fur coat on, and I don’t think he can tolerate as much heat as we can—especially since he doesn’t drink water.

We’ve now switched ISPs, and not only is our connection speed noticeably faster, but part of the package deal was switching from our Dish TV to AT&T’s cable—with a DVR thrown in. Really loving the DVR! I can record cartoons (from my computer, even!) and save them up to watch on weekend mornings. Rah!

   


Writing Stuff

Published:
• Part 2 of “Writing Multicultural Fiction for Children” (nonfiction reprint) is now up at Absolute Write.
• “A Thread of Silk” is now up in the June, 2008, issue of Baen’s Universe with illustrations by Anthony Hochrein.


I’ve waited a looong time for this one to see print. I subbed this right before Baen’s was taking an extended slush holiday, resulting in unusually long RTs. But the wait was worth it.

Writers for Relief 2, Daughter of Bótù, Caesar’s Ghost, Manny the Mailmobile

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*REMINDER: We’re switching ISPs. My Comcast email address will be defunct as of tomorrow. Please use my eugiefoster.com or gmail addresses from now on!

Over the 4-day (!) Memorial Day weekend (yay 4×10!*), we resolved a couple hardware issues:
• Fixed the hibernation problem my laptop was having after I upgraded my RAM. A bit of research showed me that the glitch seemed to be a common one in XP machines with over 1GB of RAM. Just had to download and install XP Service Pack 3, and voilà, all good.
• Replaced the battery in my car. Y’know, I find it to be a very strange thing to discover that one’s car won’t start when the temperature’s above 70 degrees F. I’m accustomed to it happening in the subzero season in the Midwest, but I guess I don’t expect it here in Georgia in summer. Didn’t even leave the headlights on or the overhead or anything.

We took it to the Honda dealership on the off chance that it was the alternator and not just the battery. Just the battery, though, thank goodness; apparently one of the cells went bad.

They also wanted to hit us up for a 90-mile service and a routine maintenance/oil-change/check-up (since we’re overdue). The former would’ve included changing the timing belt, which braced fosteronfilm, at least, for a scary-shock estimate. But even so, the bottom line they trotted up made both of us go bug-eyed: $1500. $1K for the 90-mile-timing-belt-service and $500 for the routine maintenance, etc.

So yeah, we told them “no can do, just the battery, please.” We’ll take it to a lube-n-go place for the oil change, and I’m fully prepared to use the old timing belt until it dies, thank-you-very-much. The only thing I’m a little worried about is that my SRS (the airbag system) warning light has been on for a while, and I’d like to have the sensor checked. If it’s the seatbelt, both the check and fix would be covered under Honda’s warranty. But if it’s the SRS system, it’s not, and we’d have to eat the $190 appraisal as well as whatever it’d cost to get it fixed. It’s rather a lot to gamble on warranty vs. no warranty, but at the same time, the airbag wouldn’t deploy right now in an accident, which really makes me nervous.

I really don’t get along well with hardware stuff. It’s expensive, capricious, and baffling. Sigh.

*Another benefit from my new 4×10 workweek: In addition to not having to make the drive to the train station and back on my day off and thereby saving on my overall gasoline use, since I’m leaving earlier in the morning and coming back later in the evening, the traffic is better—much better in the morning and slightly better in the evening. I don’t have enough data points to know for sure exactly how much time I’m shaving off my daily commute, but I’d estimate right now that it’s something like half an hour. Sweet.

   


Writing Stuff

New Words:
• -250. Yes, that’s a negative number. There was a lot of cutting and tightening. But the fork’s in, and “Morozko,” retitled to “Beautiful Winter,” is done done done and sent off to market. Huzzah.

Uber thanks go to marshall-payne for the speedy and thorough crit.

Published:
• “Caesar’s Ghost” (audio reprint) in Pseudopod. catrambo read it, and I think she did a stellar job. Go listen! There are ferrets.

Received:
• Contrib. copies of the Aug. 2008 Realms of Fantasy with my story, “Daughter of Bótù,” in it. Shiny!
• 40-day SALE of “The Adventures of Manny the Mailmobile” (audio reprint) to the Clonepod podcast. Woot!
• A note from daveybeaucham that Writers for Relief 2 (with my story, “Running on Two Legs”) is now available for pre-order. This is the second in his charity anthology series, this one to benefit the Bay Area Food Bank (the first was to benefit the survivors of Hurricane Katrina). Other contributors include Todd McCaffrey, A.C. Crispin and Christie Golden, Elizabeth Blue, David Drake, Mur Lafferty, Tony Ruggiero, and many others. Great fiction for a great cause!

Twiddling about this week

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Still floating high about selling Returning My Sister’s Face to Norilana. Thanks for the deluge of congrats!

Things I’ve done this week:

• Sold my flash story “The Wiggly People” (audio reprint) to Drabblecast.
• Seen part 1 of my article, “Writing Multicultural Fiction for Children,” reprinted at Absolute Write.
• Decided that I will try out the new flexible work hours being implemented at work. Starting next week, I’m going 4×10 (10-hour days, 4-day weeks). I used to work 9×80 at my previous job (three-day weekend every other week), which was nice, but I’m wondering if a 10-hour workday might be a bit long.
• Received, signed, and sent back contracts from Norilana, the Triangulation: Taking Flight anthology, and Drabblecast and looked over galleys from the Killers anthology and Baen’s Universe.
• Broke then fixed the Daily Dragon website, giving myself a crash course in PHPMyAdmin in the process.
• Added 1 GB of RAM to my VAIO laptop, upgrading it from its original 512 MB to 1.5 GB. Very stressful, and in the end, I needed fosteronfilm to seat it properly for me; I don’t get along well with hardware. But my laptop is speedy-fast now…although the hibernation function keeps going wonky.
• Joined Facebook (friend me if you’ve got an account!).

Things I haven’t done this week:

• Write.

So yeah, not a productive week…

Skunk in the bathtub

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I want to give a huge “thank you!” to everyone who answered the eleventh hour plea for volunteers and came out to help rescue fifteen pallets of Meisha Merlin books last week! Y’all rawk.

This past weekend was a three-dayer for me, since we Georgia government employees get Confederate Memorial Day off. Yep, Confederate Memorial Day. And how exactly does one celebrate Confederate Memorial Day? By bathing a skunk, of course!

It actually went better than usual. I did not get smacked in the face by a sudsy tail—the first time that hasn’t happened, I might add. And, while Hobkin was obviously displeased at being plunked into a bathtub full of lukewarm water and lathered up with baby shampoo, he put up less of a fuss about it than we know from experience he’s capable of. Also, he did not (this time) go running amok through the house afterwards, collecting dust mice and lint in his still-damp, newly washed fur.

Of course, I was compelled to snap a couple pictures to compound the indignity of his ordeal:


Doesn’t he look piteous?


“Umf. Must escape bathtub!”

   


Writing Stuff

New Words/Editing:
• Back to work on WiP, “Morozko.” A major editing pass to hack out around 500 superfluous words and then hammer out 600 new ones gives me a net gain of 100 words. Making progress.
• 1400 on “Cthulhu Editing.”
• 550 on a new story that I started just to get some words going. It worked, but I’m not sure if I’ve enough enthusiasm to see this one through. Had a bunch of imagery that needed an outlet, but the story’s pretty nebulous.

Published:
• “Daughter of Bòtú” in the August, 2008 issue of Realms of Fantasy. Yay! Actually, I don’t think the issue’s out yet (haven’t received my contrib. copies). But I got to see an e-ARC. Happy shiny.

Session 2008 Day 34.75: Weird storytellers and Tiger Fortune Princess at Drabblecast

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As part of their 85th anniversary commemoration, Weird Tales conducted a poll to see who their readers considered the weirdest storytellers of the last 85 years, and they posted the Top 85 yesterday on their website*. They specifically asked folks not to limit their nominees to fiction writers, which resulted in such wonderful additions as Jim Henson, the Cirque de Soleil, David Bowie, and M.C. Escher, as well as the writers you’d expect like Tanith Lee, Ray Bradbury, Neil Gaiman, and H.P. Lovecraft.

It’s a great list. And it started me dwelling on other weird artists. Topping my list of weird-storytellers-not-in-WT‘s-85, I’d have to say is Don Hertzfeldt. While he’s a relative newcomer, I don’t think anyone can argue that his works aren’t sufficiently weird. And, of course, he’s brilliant. Billy’s Balloon needs to be shown alongside The Red Balloon to school kids.

*There’s also an “85 Weirdest Storytellers” article in their 85th anniversary issue (#349).

   


Writing Stuff

The audio podcast of “The Tiger Fortune Princess” is now up at Drabblecast, read by Norm Sherman, who did an absolutely fabu job. *squee!* I lubs hearing my stories read aloud. Go listen, yo!

A Tale of Two Feral Cats

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I’ve been feeding a couple feral cats. Actually, at first I thought it was just one, but upon closer inspection, I realized it was two (which explains the amount of food being eaten, as I couldn’t fathom how a single kitty, even a single starving kitty, could snarf that much down). In my defense, they look pretty similar, both gray tabbies with white feet:

Kitty 1 (pictured) seems to have hurt her (his?) paw, favoring the right front one. Don’t know if it’s an old wound or a recent one. You might be able to see that she’s holding it to her chest above. She was limping a couple weeks ago, but appears to be able to walk on it now.

Kitty 2 looks almost exactly like Kitty 1 except her tail is less fluffy, and her white feet are shoes only, lacking a white sock up to her elbow that Kitty 1 has.

They’re both extremely skittish and won’t come to the bowl if either I or fosteronfilm are on the porch, although Kitty 1 will crouch beside it on the edge of the porch—just out of reach—while we’re filling it, waiting for us to go back inside before coming to eat. I’ve tried to make friends with her, but she’s not inclined to have our relationship grow any closer than it is, meowing plaintively at me if I linger, talking to her, as though asking me (politely) to please leave so she can get on with her breakfast.

My plan was to trap them both and take them into a vet’s to be fixed (and looked over) and then releasing them. They’re both very feral, and I can’t imagine either of them becoming tame enough to make the transition to being an adoptable housecat. But now I’m rethinking whether I ought to trap them or not. britzkrieg informed me that she recently trapped a feral just a few blocks away from our place (in j_hotlanta‘s yard) which ended up testing positive for FIV. It was too feral to be adoptable, and a FIV-positive kitty can’t be released back into the wild, so she had no choice but to have it put to sleep.

The odds are higher than I like contemplating that any feral in such close proximity could also have FIV, and I don’t want to have to euthanize these kitties. I know it’d be more responsible to bring them in and have them evaluated (assuming I could trap them), but the thought of my well-meaning action resulting in tragedy gives me the shudders.

Pointy-sharp quandary.

   


Writing Stuff

Received:
• 13-day SALE of “Beautiful Summer” to the Killers anthology (edited by Colin Harvey, to be published by Swimming Kangaroo Books). This came last month, actually, so it’s an end-of-year hurray rather than a first-sale-of-the-year ring-in.
• Contracts for “A Thread of Silk” from Baen’s Universe and “Daughter of Bótù” from Realms of Fantasy.
• 22-day (or so) rejection from Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling for the story I submitted for their next anthology. Sigh. Disheartening and disappointing is an understatement, but I’ve been clinging to my “it was an honor to be invited” mantra.

Published:
• “When Shakko Did Not Lie” in the Jan. 2008 issue of Cricket, and it’s the lead story. Yay! “Shakko” has been awaiting an issue to be slated in for some time, and it’s been a while since I read it. Getting the contrib. copies and reading my story over was a little like seeing an old friend you’ve not heard from in ages, familiar but also new. Very pleased that it’s out now.

Shiny cover:

Post-Thanksgiving 2007

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Thanksgiving was lower key than I planned. For most of the weekend, I slumped on the couch, alternating between pitiful whimpers and pained moans. Between the little men hammering inside my skull, the sundry aches and soreness of the rest of me, and a queasy tummy from popping Tramadols*, I only managed to venture forth from the house once.

Hobkin and fosteronfilm took turns sitting with me and being comforting, of which I am verily thankful for.

I think a weather-related pressure change is the culprit. I’m better now, although my sinuses are still giving off threatening twinges, and my shoulder is one shrug away from becoming (once again) a knotwork of “ow.”

*How in the name of anything holy could anyone even consider using Tramadol recreationally? I took two 50mg pills, twice a day—less than the maximum dose specified on the bottle, let me add—and even the thought of food made me turn green(er).

   


Writing Stuff

Less writing got done than I’d hoped over the holiday weekend, but then, I usually accomplish less than I plan to over holidays. Good intentions, foo.

Received:
• Contract from Llewellyn Press for “A Nose for Magic.”
• 253-day cordial pass from Aberrant Dreams.
• Invite from squirrel_monkey to submit to a Russian themed anthology she’s editing. It’s the next (I assume) in an anthology series, forthcoming by Prime Books, each drawn from a different world mythology (the first being Japanese Dreams which includes my story, “The Tears of My Mother, the Shell of My Father”—due out this monthish). Of course I said “yes.” I love world folklore/mythology/fairy tales, and this will give me an opportunity to explore in greater depth Russian fairy tales, which I’ve always adored.

New Words/Editing:
• 1000 words on my last (*sniffle*) Writing for Young Readers column: “Happily Ever After.” I thought it fitting that the topic for the final one be “endings.” Did several clean-up passes and sent it off to the editor.

And thus, I set down another hamster and bid it a teary farewell.

Published:
• “The Raven’s Brocade” in the December issue of Cricket:

I’ve said it before, but it bears saying again. I really love seeing my stories in Cricket. The artwork which accompanies them is always so wonderful.


Illustrations for “The Raven’s Brocade” by Nicole Wong

The Fix now live!!

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Sorry for the prolonged radio silence. It’s been a hella busy and very intense couple of weeks. Much hard work and not much sleep. But I’m thrilled to announce that The Fix is now live!

Featuring over twenty new reviews of print ‘zines, e-zines, anthologies, and collections; the inaugural samplings of new columns: Jennifer Mercer’s Distillations: Speculative Poetry Review, John Dodd’s Podcasts in Review, and Matthew M. Foster’s Flickers on the Wall: Reflections on Short Film, as well as the continuation of James Van Pelt’s column on the writing life, The Day Job; and an exclusive interview, our virtual pages are chock full of wonderful content. Please spread the news!

I’m so proud of the dedication and hard work The Fix‘s team of contributors put in to make this launch a success. And I’m honored to be working with them on this exciting, new venture.

I’ve also been teaching an online workshop this month, “Worldbuilding for Writers,” in addition to gearing up for The Fix‘s relaunch. Then there’s that short story I’d like to finish, and I haven’t even started on my November Writing for Young Readers column (although I may end up cannibalizing some of my class write-ups for my it), and there’s still outstanding “to do” things for The Fix.

I think my hamsters have morphed into fluffy wolverines.

   


Writing Stuff

Had a reading on the 4th at Outwrite Books with mroctober and catherineldf. And, urg. It . . . did not go well. Steve and Catherine were great. Me, not so much. In addition to having a head cold to beat all head colds (courtesy my folks who picked up something in their travels) making me nasal and hoarse, the setup totally flummoxed me.

I’ve only ever had a table and/or podium to read from, so it didn’t occur to me that things might be different. My reading copy is loose leaf. That allows me to just move a page over when I’m nearing the bottom so I can continue onto the next page without having to pause to shuffle pages. But the reading setup at Outwrite is bar stools in front of a microphone–and I’m not so good with microphones in any case. No table. No podium. Tall bar stool so my feet couldn’t touch the ground. Also, I’ve never had to worry about time before, and we each only had 15 minutes to read. I didn’t have a watch, and all the clocks on the wall displayed different (wrong) times.

So yeah, much franticness as I nearly drop my pages repeatedly. I ran overtime. Massive stress and public speaking terror. End result, my reading verily sucked. I wanted to crawl into a hole afterward.

Sigh. Well, I’d been on a good roll, starting to get my confidence up and all. The cosmos decided I was overdue for a humbling fiasco. Duly noted. Public speaking bad. I get it.

Received:
– Got a note out of the blue by new, German podcast outfit, Podgeschichten. The editor heard the Escape Pod production of “The Life and Times of Penguin” and wants to translate it into German and produce it for his publication. And they’re a paying market! Of course I said “yes.” Received the contract . . . which was in German, albeit with an English translation, and after having terracinque confirm the translation, we’re all good.

I haven’t been translated into German before. That’ll make it my fifth foreign language. I LOVE having editors solicit work from me.
– Also received word from mroctober that Magic in the Mirrorstone contrib. copies are going out. A pleasant surprise, that. The anthology is slated for a February ’08 release, so I assumed I wouldn’t be seeing it until next year. Sweet.

Published:
– In all the hubbub, I didn’t realize that Hub had published “The Music Company” in issue #26 until I got their PayPal payment. Hee!

They email each issue to me, but I’d been too busy to do anything but forward them on to reviewers. So I totally missed it! Hmm, wonder what else I’ve missed in the chaotic frenzy of the last few weeks . . . probably best not to dwell on that.

The Fix, Apex Raffle, Shiny

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Thanks to everyone for the outpouring of support, commiseration, and congratulations on my recent masthead change. Y’all are great, and you make all the hard work worthwhile.

I’m delighted to be able to announce the forthcoming relaunch of the short fiction review publication, The Fix.

From TTA Press, the publisher of Interzone, Black Static, and Crimewave, The Fix online, like its print incarnation, will provide in-depth reviews of short fiction from the full spectrum of magazines, webzines, anthologies, and single-author collections in the industry. We’ll also bring you interviews, a range of features and columns–including the continuation of James Van Pelt’s column on writing, The Day Job–and insightful articles and observations.

URL: www.thefix-online.com
Publisher: Andy Cox
Managing Editor: Eugie Foster
Launch Date: Oct. 15, 2007

If folks could spread the word, it’d be greatly appreciated.

Doing my own part to spread the word:
Apex Digest is conducting a Halloween Grab-Bag Raffle this month. Raffle tickets are only $1, and a percentage of proceeds will go to benefit the National Center for Family Literacy. Check out the amazing collection of goodies and open up your wallets, yo!

   


Writing Stuff

Received:
– Payment from Helix for “The Center of the Universe.”

Published:
– “Close to Death” in the premiere issue of Shiny. Shiny is a new YA electronic short story magazine put out by the fabu folks of Twelfth Planet Press. In addition to my humble offering, Shiny #1 also has stories in it by Sue Isle and Trent Jamieson.
– My October Writing for Young Readers column, “An Interview with Author Dallas Woodburn.”

New Words:
– 3700 words on new short story, “White Rabbit” (working title). Believe it or not, I actually started a new short story. I had to put in on hold so I could work on The Fix, but I hope to get back to it after we launch.

Even Keel Sighted

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With most of my Dragon*Con post-convention to-do items squared away, things are finally settling back into what serves as manageable routine for me. I’ve still got too many hamsters in the air, but not so many that I’m perpetually in a state of stressed out frenzy. I’d much rather be busy than bored, but another month like August would send me, twitching and whimpering, to the comforts of my very own padded cell. This year has been hella manic. And I’m still behind on a couple very outstanding projects . . .

Hobkin has started putting on his winter coat, and he’s been gaining a bit of weight. Ergo, it’s official; he’s metamorphosing from a cranky Summer Skunk into a laid back Autumn Skunk, although there’s still plenty of episodes of huffing and stomping at Chez Foster. The fuzzwit only becomes truly mellow when he’s a Winter Skunk. But his thicker, softer coat is a delight to snuggle with, and even though I get anxious about too much weight gain, the plump look suits him:

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