Hurray! At long last, the End of an Aeon anthology with my short story, “Black Swan, White Swan,” is out!
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Mortal Clay, Stone Heart (excerpt)
The anthology The Dragon and the Stars is a finalist this year for an Aurora (Canada’s highest science fiction award) in the category of Best English Related Work, so I’m swiping a page from Eric Choi and Derwin Mak’s playbook and publishing an excerpt of my story, “Mortal Clay, Stone Heart,” for folks to consider when they’re casting their votes: Continue reading →
Short Story Reprint Sale to Pseudopod: Biba Jibun
Just heard from Shawn Garrett, Pseudopod’s editor, that they want to podcast “Biba Jibun,” slated for publication sometime next year. Woot!
It’s been a while since I sold to one of the Escape Artists stable. Way delighted to have ended that bit of a dry spell. Love love love having my work produced by them.
Human for a Day Anthology Table of Contents, Available for Pre-Order
Saw that Editor Jennifer Brozek posted the cover art and table of contents for Human for a Day with my “Beneath the Silent Bell, the Autumn Sky Turns to Spring.” And it’s now available for pre-order from Amazon.com. I’m really looking forward to this coming out!
Contents:
“The Mainspring of His Heart, the Shackles of His Soul” by Ian Tregillis
“The Blade of His Plow” by Jay Lake
“Cinderella City” by Seanan McGuire
“Tumulus” by Anton Strout
“The Sentry” by Fiona Patton
“Ten Thousand Cold Nights” by Erik Scott de Bie
“Mortality” by Dylan Birtolo
“The Dog-Catcher’s Song” by Tanith Lee
“Mortal Mix-Up” by Laura Resnick
“Band of Bronze” by Jean Rabe
“Zombie Interrupted” by Tim Waggoner
“Beneath the Silent Bell, the Autumn Sky Turns to Spring” by Eugie Foster
“The Very Next Day” by Jody Lynn Nye
“The Destroyer” by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
“Into the Nth Dimension” by David D. Levine
“Epilogue” by Jim C. Hines
Cover:
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Beautiful Winter to be Reprinted in InterGalactic Awards Anthology
Just heard from the managing editor of Orson Scott Card’s InterGalactic Medicine Show that while “Beautiful Winter” (originally published in issue #13) did not win this year’s InterGalactic Award*, they would like to reprint it in their InterGalactic Awards Anthology. Sweet!
The anthology is slated for publication later this year. Looks like I’ll be sharing a table of contents with Peter S. Beagle! Looking forward to seeing the complete contents listing.
Edit: And the table of contents has been announced!
- “Trinity County, CA” by Peter S. Beagle
First appeared in IGMS issue #18 - “Sister Jasmine Brings the Pain” by Von Carr
First appeared in IGMS issue #17 - “The Ghost of a Girl Who Never Lived” by Keffy R. M. Kehrli
First appeared in IGMS issue #19 - “The American” by Bruce Worden
First appeared in IGMS issue #20 - “Silent as Dust” by James Maxey
First appeared in IGMS issue #7 - “Horus Ascending” by Aliette de Bodard
First appeared in IGMS issue #8 - “The End-of-the-World Pool” by Scott M. Roberts
First appeared in IGMS issue #12 - “A Heretic by Degrees” by Marie Brennan
First appeared in IGMS issue #10 - “The Never Never Wizard of Apalachicola” by Jason Sanford
First appeared in IGMS issue #20 - “Beautiful Winter” by Eugie Foster
First appeared in IGMS issue #13 - “Blood & Water” by Alethea Kontis
First appeared in IGMS issue #9 - “Mean-Spirited” by Edmund R. Schubert
First appeared in IGMS issue #16 - “The Robot Sorcerer” by Eric James Stone
First appeared in IGMS issue #10 - “Aim For The Stars” by Tom Pendergrass
First appeared in IGMS issue #15
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(* I didn’t even realize it was up for award consideration since it was published in July of 2009.)
Short Story Sale to Drabblecast: The Wish of the Demon Achtromagk
Earlier this month, Norm Sherman of The Drabblecast podcast invited me to submit a story for their H.P. Lovecraft Tribute month. I adore both Norm and Drabblecast, as well as any excuse to play in H.P.’s eldritch sandbox, so of course I said, “count me in!”
Just got a note back from Norm, and I’m delighted to be able to announce that my story, “The Wish of the Demon Achtromagk,” will be podcast as part of Drabblecast’s Lovecraft Tribute lineup in August.
Gotta give them elder gods their due, I always sez.
U.S. Health Care System Does Not Play Well With My Stupid Human Suit
So the inevitable that I’ve been dreading since the state, in all its wisdom and compassion, decided to drop the health care plan I used to be on—limiting my viable, affordable choices to one HMO system—has happened. My current cocktail of meds is no longer keeping me healthy, happy, and hale. Actually, it’s been happening for a while, but I’ve been trying to adapt and adjust on my own. But it’s hit the point where I need to do something about it. My emotional equilibrium has veered off kilter, and aside from the problematic mood and sleep issues, I’m seeing a corresponding impact in motivation, productivity, and general engagement with the world.
I need to see a doctor to discuss, evaluate, and adjust my meds. Problem: I no longer have a doctor, as I lost all of my previous stable of them when I was forced to change health care plans. And I have nothing to go by as far as who to switch to. I may as well be tossing darts at a list of names. And considering my past bad experiences with p-docs, which have ranged from useless to malpractice-level incompetent, the prospect of random luck favoring my selection of a new doctor does not fill me with confidence.
Still, I’m thankful that my lupus/MCTD continues to hold stable. I do have a rheumatologist. Because, well, if I didn’t, my immune system would rise up and try to kill me in a fit of misguided zeal. But I’m having to pay four times what I used to for fewer services and a lesser degree of monitoring, a state of affairs that I expect will be amplified with any new doctor I see under this health care plan.
This whole thing is aggravating and dispiriting—which, all in all, is an ironic catch-22.
Running Gingerbread on my Droid, Simply Stunning v5.4, and Most Useful App Recommendations
Matthew’s Droid X upgraded to Gingerbread (Android O/S version 2.3.x) last week, so I decided it was time to give Gingerbread a try, too. I’ve been running ChevyNo1′s Simply Stunning Froyo ROM (v.4.9x on Android v.2.2.1) since I rooted my Droid, and in what I consider great cosmic serendipity, the developer released an update to his Simply Stunning Gingerbread ROM (v.5.4) as well as updated kernels the same week I decided to give Gingerbread a try.
Wow. I only wish I’d upgraded to Gingerbread before. Faster. More responsive. Cooler running. Longer battery life. It’s like I got a brand new phone.
I initially chose Simply Stunning because of its reputation for stability, excellent battery life, and impressive performance. Also, the developer is known for making incredibly stable, reliable, high-performance kernels. I was most satisfied with his Froyo ROM, so I’m not surprised that he’s developed yet another spectacular ROM for Gingerbread. What I am astonished about is that my Droid is capable of running so fast and so smooth. I don’t think it’s ever been snappier, even fresh out of the box without a single app installed.
I’m using the kernel that came with SS5.4, a low-voltage 1.0GHz. I thought about flashing a 1.1GHz or even trying a 1.2GHz, but honestly, my Droid is running so well, I don’t see the need more speed.
For folks with rooted Droids, I highly, highly recommend trying out this ROM.
And for both rooted and non-rooted folks, here’s a few new “Most Useful” app recommendations:
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Nebula Awards Showcase 2011 Now Out!
Happy June! A little flummoxed that May is already over, but to temper that, I saw that The Nebula Awards Showcase 2011 anthology is now officially out. Can’t wait to get my contrib. copy! Continue reading →
With this inaugural volume at Tor, the annual Nebula Award collection is reborn as a fiction-only anthology. This collection of nominees for 2010’s Nebula Awards includes all of the prior year’s most celebrated stories…2009’s award winners, announced in May 2010, include Kage Baker’s novella “The Women of Nell Gwynne’s,” Eugie Foster’s novelette “Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast,” Kij Johnson’s short story “Spar,” plus Paolo Bacigalupi’s novelette, “The Gambler.”
Outlantacon, Sale to Women Writing the Weird anthology, and Aurora Ballot
Outlantacon was, as always, a fabulous time. Met Amber Benson, who is a complete sweetheart, and managed to not dissolve into utter fangirl incoherence. Got to meet in actual person—not just pixels—JoSelle Vanderhooft; finally got to hang with the lovely and talented Shae Connor, who helps keep me sane at Dragon*Con with her invaluable assistance on the Daily Dragon but who I never get to see elsewhere; and even managed to exchange sallies with Steve Berman, who I haven’t talked to in years. Also caught up with Lee Martindale and Davey Beauchamp, as well as all the many other convention-family-types who, despite my best intentions otherwise, I only seem to encounter at these sorts of events.
An excellent reminder that there’s much to commend in having a low-key, laid-back convention schedule.
Other good weekendness:
• Sold a reprint of one of my favorite stories, “The Bunny of Vengeance and the Bear of Death,” to Deb Hoag’s Women Writing the Weird anthology.
• The 2011 Prix Aurora Awards final ballot has been announced, with two major squeeworthy nominees:
- My dear friend and fellow DC2K writers group peep, Suzanne Church, is a finalist in the Best English Short Story category for her marvelous “Destiny Lives in the Tattoo’s Needle” (go read it, yo!) and
- The Dragon and the Stars anthology (with my “Mortal Clay, Stone Heart”) is also on the ballot in the Best English Related Works category!
The Aurora is presented by the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association, nominated and voted on by attendees of the annual Canvention convention. *squee squee squee*
