Table of Contents:
1. The Life and Times of Penguin
2. Running on Two Legs
3. Black Swan, White Swan
4. The Bunny of Vengeance and the Bear of Death
5. A Nose for Magic
6. The Center of the Universe
7. The Wizard of Eternal Watch
8. Mortal Clay, Stone Heart

Introduction by Vonda N. McIntyre.

Winner of the 2009 Nebula Award for Best Novelette and nominated for the 2010 Hugo Award for Best Novelette, the 2010 WSFA Small Press Award, and the 2009 BSFA Award for Best Short Story.

a heart-warming tale of an extra-dimensional Lovecraftian horror
—Norm Sherman, Drabblecast

“All in My Mind” now available at anthologybuilder.com.

Hitting the Skids in Pixeltown…a showcase of new writers, it’s impressive, and I’ll certainly look to see more from these folks.
—Rich Horton, Locus

Hitting the Skids in Pixeltown is a collection of stories by winners of the Phobos contest for short fiction…Best was a story by the fine new writer David D. Levine, “Ukaliq and the Great Hunt”, American Indian legends transposed to a new world. Also worth noting were stories by Eugie Foster, Carl Frederick, and Paul Pence.
—Rich Horton, Speculative Literature Foundation

Mind-expanding quality stories, supplemented with a new feature “The Coldest Place” by jury member Larry Niven, make for a rewarding immersion in other-worldly tale-telling. Hitting The Skids In Pixeltown is enthusiastically recommended to every dedicated fan of science fiction.
—James A. Cox, Midwest Book Review

Foster displays strengths for poetic writing, elegiac imagery, and evocative scenes, which all work to positive effect here, suited to the subtleties of a layered narration.
—Alvaro Zinos-Amaro, The Fix

“Beautiful Summer” by Eugie Foster takes on the obsessive ownership engendered by gazing upon extraordinary beauty—the first person narration is perfectly rational which makes the ending all the more startling.
—Karen Burnham, Spiral Galaxy Reviewing Laboratory

a wonderful little adventure with treachery, vengeance and romance rolled into an unusual setting (sort of a cross between the Asian culture and mythology) with lots of action. I’ve read and enjoyed Foster’s stuff before, and this is one of her best
—BookSpotCentral

In many of her stories, Foster writes about characters whose stubborn, cruel interpretations of events suddenly change when they begin to feel affection or sympathy for others…With prose that often hits grace notes of beauty or poignancy, Foster uses her favorite theme to illustrate the flip sides of fear and desire and the ways in which a character’s own heart can often be the greatest obstacle to face.
—Elizabeth A. Allen, The Fix

“Inspirations End” now available at anthologybuilder.com.

Foster’s writing is fun and breezy, with a style that matches the content of the story perfectly. We find ourselves easily able to sympathize with Emmy, and the ending is satisfying.
—Jessica E. Kaiser, The Fix

This is an excellent retelling of a traditional tale. Foster makes the characters interesting, keeps it simple, and keeps the pace while providing concrete details.
—John Ottinger III, The Fix

The final story ‘Life And Time Of Penguin’ by Eugie Foster about self-aware toys in the hands of a destructive child is both touching and uplifting
—Geoff Willmetts, SF Crowsnest

Told from the point of view of a balloon animal penguin, the toy’s brief but eventful life manages to jam in enough existential angst to give Kierkegaard indigestion, an astonishing emotional depth, and yet fully embrace the essentially absurd nature of [Eugie Foster's] story.
—Martin McGrath, The Fix

My particular favourite out of the collection is The Life and Times of Penguin by Eugie Foster, which is about self-aware toys living under the regime of a destructive child.
—Charles Packer, Sci-Fi Online

Story first appeared in anthology In the Outposts of Beyond, Tyree Campbell (ed.), Sam’s Dot Publishing, 2003.

Read enough anthologies in a row and pretty soon the stories all seem the same in your memory. The ones that stand out are the ones you mention when suggesting to a friend they read it. If I were to tell one of my friends to read In the Outposts of Beyond, I’d mention Ralan Conley’s “The Walking Man” or Eugie Foster’s “A Little Soul Music.”
—C. Dennis Moore, epinions.com

[T]he fact that all the stories draw upon “the rich cultural heritage of China” to tell stories of the fantastic makes it interesting, and gives us some milieus not commonly used, making almost all the stories worth reading…The best stories here are by Tony Pi, Emily Mah, Brenda Clough, Eugie Foster, Shelly Li, and Eric Choi
–Gardner Dozois, Locus

Based on the myth of pitiable monster Scylla, the story reimagines the timeless story of Beauty and the Beast to make modern and poignant observations on the ugliness of self-hatred. Foster’s sure, restrained prose gives this one quiet power.
—Elizabeth A. Allen, Tangent

“Oranges, Lemons, and Thou Beside Me” now available at anthologybuilder.com.

The bookend stories are among the most fun. [Magic in the Mirrorstone] opens light—and quite funny—with Eugie Foster’s “Princess Bufo marinus, also known as Amy,” about a high school kid who discovers a frog princess.
—Rich Horton, Fantasy Magazine

I highly enjoy modern fairy-tales, and this book is one of the reasons why. My favorite story, ‘Princess Bufo Marinus, also known as Amy’ puts a spin on the tale of the frog prince
—Flamingnet

*Starred Review*
Wallace also showcases newcomers with stories that indicate abundant promise: Yoon Ha Lee’s mystical fable, “Eating Hearts”; M. Rickert’s homage to Stephen King, “A Very Little Madness Goes a Long Way”; and Eugie Foster’s haunting “Returning My Sister’s Face,” a retelling of a Japanese Edo tale.
—Publishers Weekly

And Writers for Relief 2, a charity anthology to benefit the Bay Area Food Bank, Davey Beauchamp (ed.), Dragon Moon Press, Sept. 2008. Other authors include Todd McCaffrey, Mur Lafferty, Elizabeth Blue, A.C. Crispin and Christie Golden, David Drake, and Tony Ruggiero.

Winner of the 2009 Nebula Award for Best Novelette and nominated for the 2010 Hugo Award for Best Novelette.

This far future science fiction tale is an exploration of self identity and the masks we all wear in public…a beautifully written and fast-paced tale
—Jason Sanford (Story Recommendation of the Week, 1/19/2009)

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Foster juggles the hilarious personalities of the obstreperous customers well with the genteel voice of the house in a story that’s surprisingly gentle
—Elizabeth A. Allen, Tangent

wow, this was a terrific story…It’s ideas like this that draw me to science fiction and fantasy… Even better, Eugie takes this original idea and builds a terrific, moving story around it. Sometimes, great ideas get stuck in stories that don’t live up to their promise, but Eugie follows through with lovely writing, a captivating plot, and strong performances from the other characters in the story, all of whom come to life with an amazing economy of words.
—James Maxey, Phobos Award Winner, author of Nobody Gets the Girl

Favorite stories included Holly Black’s heartbreaking “The Coat of Stars” and Eugie Foster’s “Year of the Fox”
—The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror 2008: 21st Annual Collection

Despite its provocative title and aggressive opening vignette, sex and sexuality fade into the background of Berman’s quiet compilation of fantasy tales… Most tales also feature classic Shakespearean or Celtic-inspired faerie folk, though Eugie Foster’s “Year of the Fox” and Craig Laurance Gidney’s “A Bird of Ice” draw effectively on Asian motifs… this anthology is wholly readable and likely to engage general readers as well as its target audience.
—Publishers Weekly

Story after story, Foster achieves a delicate balance between high drama, passionate love, and poignant twists…Foster’s sensuous descriptions and philosophical framework respect the Chinese setting without exoticizing it.
—Elizabeth A. Allen, The Fix

“All in My Mind” (English) now available at anthologybuilder.com.

Another very good story is “The Archer of the Sun and the Lady of the Moon” by Eugie Foster, a Chinese fantasy and an enchanting love story.
—Sam Tomaino, SFRevu

Eugie Foster’s “The Archer of the Sun and the Lady of the Moon” gave me that frisson I get when reading Chinese myth…I forget for a time I’m reading in English—recalling the same enticing sense of Beyond the Fields We Know that I got when first exploring Chinese tales in library books when I was small…Jealousy, love, power, mercy, and ferocity imbue the beauty of the tale with real emotion, but what binds it together and fixes it among the stars is the question of whether the finite can find harmony with the infinite.
—Sherwood Smith, Tangent

“Body and Soul Art” made me squirm…Foster does a good job portraying Rusell’s agony, both physical and mental, as he wrestles with the consequences of his decisions.
—Chris Markwyn, Tangent

Received an Honorable Mention in The Year’s Best Science Fiction Twenty-third Annual Collection, edited by Gardner Dozois, and The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror 2006: 19th Annual Collection, edited by Ellen Datlow, Gavin Grant, and Kelly Link.

[Prime Books]…launched a slick new fantasy magaine, called, appropriately enough, Fantasy Magazine, edited by Sean Wallace. The premiere issue featured strong work by Jeff Ford, Tim Pratt, Eugie Foster, and others.
—Gardner Dozois, The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Third Annual Collection.

In addition, Wallace debuted Fantasy Magazine at the World Fantasy Convention, which showcased some dark as well as light fantasy. The best darker stories were by Sarah Brandywine Johnson, Eugie Foster, Simon Logan, and Catherynne M. Valente.
—Ellen Datlow, The Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror 2006: 19th Annual Collection.

a profoundly strange supernatural look at the morality of revenge.
—Nick Gevers, Locus

If the cute animal personifications initially seem to promise a slight, warm fuzzy story, the impression is soon countered by the topics of their debate…the story is emotionally effective and, impressively, given its subject matter, makes its point through character and story rather than cold rhetoric. A strong story.
—Ben Payne, Tangent

Realms of Fantasy’s August issue has several nice, challenging, stories, including a rather shocking look at sacrifice from James Van Pelt, “Light of a Thousand Suns,” and a bittersweet Japanese fantasy, complete with fox and rabbit women, Eugie Foster’s “Daughter of Bótù”.
—Rich Horton, Locus

The August 2008 issue of Realms of Fantasy has an impressive list of contributors…but even among such strong company, I found “Daughter of Bótù” the clear standout.
—Aaron Hughes, Fantastic Reviews Blog (Story Recommendation of the Week, 9/9/2008)

Foster delivers rich description in a narrative style that flows naturally, shows character depth without lengthy explanation, and builds plot structure like a professional engineer. In a day of too-easily-bored ADD readers, Foster manages to walk that razor’s edge between verbosity and action, and come out with no cuts at a time when many other writers find themselves bleeding from multiple wounds.
—Scott M. Sandridge, The Fix

Eugie Foster’s “The Goddess Queen’s Battlefield” is one of the standouts in issue #2 of GrendelSong…The language is stark and beautiful, like one of the ancient epics…Recommended.
—Aliette de Bodard, Tangent

“The Life And Times Of Penguin” by Eugie Foster is a beautiful fantasy, which employs the trappings of children’s fiction, with adult emotional themes of risk and mortality.
—Talie Helene, ASif

Eugie Foster’s “The Life and Times of Penguin” succeeds in being, by turns, funny, thought-provoking, and poignant…In this fairly brief story–an existentialist allegory, when you get right down to it–Foster manages to ask these questions, and she has something meaningful to say in return. It’s an impressive achievement. That she pulls it off in an entertaining way, without once sounding preachy, is also noteworthy; and if that weren’t enough, her prose is clean, taut, and relentlessly visual.
—Douglas Hoffman, Tangent

Magic! Poetry! Fisticuffs! All this and more make Eugie Foster’s “Of Two Minds in Lanais” the best story in the issue.
—E. Sedia, Tangent

“Oranges, Lemons, and Thou Beside Me” now available at anthologybuilder.com.

“Oranges, Lemons, and Thou Beside Me” by Eugie Foster is a gripping tale…The ending was surprising and packed a punch…a well-done story, and a pleasant read.
—E. Sedia, Tangent

a well-rounded tale with appealing characters…with a finale that will not be easy to deduce and is shocking in its shrewdness.
—Matthew Tait, HorrorScope

an intense account of a painfully close relationship between twins…a well-structured story, driven by the character’s emotions.
—Catherine Davis, Whispers of Wickedness

Eugie Foster’s “Returning My Sister’s Face”…is a tale of revenge as delightful as it is grisly…Asian folk tales and legends appear to be a rich story vein, and Foster mines it well…well-researched and entertaining
—James Palmer, Tangent

“Returning My Sister’s Face” by Eugie Foster is a ghost story about avenging wronged love in a medieval oriental setting…The author maintains a sense of suspense throughout, and the narrative style is so compelling I could almost hear the slow, dignified plinking of ancient oriental music as I read it.
—Joyce Ellen Armond, Science Fiction Romance Newsletter

A wonderful story, one that I enjoyed reading tremendously. It’s one of the best stories I’ve ever critiqued in my years of teaching writing workshops.
—A.C. Crispin, New York Times bestselling author

It’s emotionally wrenching, and yet joyful…an interesting story-line, and a fine turn-of-phrase.
—Kathleen O’Malley, co-author of the Starbridge series (w/A.C. Crispin)

It’s a beautiful story—touching without being sentimental, with characters that come believably to life.
—Victoria Strauss, author of the Arm of the Stone series

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Winner of the 2009 Nebula Award for Best Novelette and nominated for the 2010 Hugo Award for Best Novelette.

This far future science fiction tale is an exploration of self identity and the masks we all wear in public…a beautifully written and fast-paced tale
—Jason Sanford (Story Recommendation of the Week, 1/19/2009)

an elegantly strange slipstreamish fantasy
—Gardner Dozois, Locus

disconcerting and thought-provoking in equal measure and should rightly earn its author wider exposure—and perhaps appearances in the Year’s Best and on various award ballots.
—Colin Harvey, Suite 101

the broadening of the theme from science fantasy psycho-drama to full sf dystopia is a satisfying shock, and just when you think she’s going to wrap things up with a relatively redemptive ending, Foster sneaks in a suckerpunch in the end that’ll leave you wide-eyed and a bit breathless…the conception and plotting are top notch, and it’s a much more sf-nal story than it initially appears. Recommended.
—Paul Raven, Velcro City Tourist Board

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Foster lends her own twist to this Korean version of the Cinderella story. Strong characterization means you will definitely connect with Shim Chung and want to know what happens next.
—Nicole McClain, Tangent

Author Eugie Foster has consistently used words to craft vibrant mental images in past stories, and this tale is no exception.The story is replete with intense visuals…The author expertly builds tension early in the story…At its core, “The Storyteller’s Wife” is a love story, but the early elements that hint at suicide, and the sinister nature of the denizens of Faerie add a dark element that enriches the story.
—Michael Gabriel Bailey, Tangent

Foster writes with a graceful, easy touch, with just the right images, making the story into a tapestry.We’ve already seen the whole from the beginning, but that in no way takes away from the pleasure of going over it bit by bit in order to savor the details.
—Sherwood Smith, Tangent

Set in ancient China this masterfully combines Chinese legend and familiar European tales.
—Sam Tomaino, SFRevu

…I do recommend this magazine because one of the stories got an Excellent for me…The best story is “Wanting to Want” by Eugie Foster.
—Sam Tomaino, SFRevu

It’s quite a brutal description of the life of a junkie, enough, you would think, to put anyone off drugs. The narrative really gets inside the characters head though and you realise things aren’t that simple. A very well written piece.
—Gareth D Jones, Scifi UK Review

“Wanting to Want” is the strongest story to appear in the debut issue of Hub, and its position in the magazine will leave the readers with a positive feeling towards the magazine.
—Steven H Silver,Tangent

It’s an unflinching piece of writing, and takes the brave course of avoiding any happily-ever-after frippery with the ending…the descriptions of Bitty’s rough life on the streets is well-written and very believable…Foster’s warts-and-all handling of the scenery is well crafted, and this is a very contemporary piece of work which closes the magazine well.
—Paul Raven,Velcro City Tourist Board

an entertaining story with observations on life and death
—Shaun C. Green, The Fix

From the first issue my favorite was Eugie Foster’s “Close to Death”, a lighthearted piece about a literal encounter with Death on an Atlanta freeway.
—Rich Horton

• Part I: January 2011
• Part II: February 2011
• Part III: March 2011
• Part IV: April 2011

*Nominated for a 2006 Parsec Award in the Best Speculative Fiction Story (short form) category.

This impressive little tale features Penguin, a balloon animal, striving to understand the world in which he was created. Once again Eugie Foster proves, beyond a doubt, that she is truly a prolific writer with the ability to craft an interesting story from any topic.

—Joseph W. Dickerson, Aberrant Dreams #7, Spring 2006

*Nominated for a 2006 Parsec Award in the Best Speculative Fiction Story (short form) category.

“Oranges, Lemons, and Thou Beside Me” now available at anthologybuilder.com.

Winner of the 2009 Nebula Award for Best Novelette and nominated for the 2010 Hugo Award for Best Novelette.

yet another in a run of massively inventive, intelligent stories from Eugie.
—Alasdair Stuart

one of the most beautifully crafted stories I’ve ever read
—Nora Heineman-Fleck, “The Best Podcasted Short Fiction of this Year”

The worldbuilding in this is among the best I’ve ever seen, easing you into this strange world at just the right pace so that it’s neither boring or too confusing…This one is nominated for this year’s Hugo award, and I really think it deserves it.
—David Steffen, Diabolical Plots

…each section of the story is a heightened emotional experience. The intensity of this story was spectacularly captured by Lawrence Santoro, who narrated in a dramatic manner that reminds me of Harlan Ellison. Bravo to author and narrator – a perfect match. A great story, truly worthy of a Nebula.
—Scott D. Danielson, SFFAudio.com

Click to see all reviews.

engaging and charming, and not without incidental unexpected twists that give the story unusual immediacy.

—Paul S. Jenkins, The Fix

“Addy in My Mind” now available at anthologybuilder.com.

Foster’s characters are three-dimensional and sympathetic, and her writing lacks no polish
—Douglas Hoffman, The Fix

Received an honorable mention in The Year’s Best Science Fiction: Twenty-Fifth Annual Collection, edited by Gardner Dozois.

an entertaining story with observations on life and death
—Shaun C. Green, The Fix

From the first issue my favorite was Eugie Foster’s “Close to Death”, a lighthearted piece about a literal encounter with Death on an Atlanta freeway.
—Rich Horton

“The Few, the Proud, the Leech Corps” now available at anthologybuilder.com.

“The Few, the Proud, the Leech Corps” mixes elements from different genres, and while technology and urban guerrilla tactics certainly play a role in the action parts of this graphic story, it is the immortal fascination with vampires and the attractive, sensual imagery associated with them that captivates . . . reminiscent of one of David Cronenberg’s nightmarish scenes.
—Yael Artom, Tangent

• Part I: The Horned Rabbit – April 2009
• Part II: Flame Dancer – July 2009
• Part III: Costs and Consequences – Oct. 2009
• Part IV: The Temple of Mau and Part V: Healer’s Gift (conclusion) – Jan. 2010

Foster effectively chronicles the protagonist’s transition to an alternate plane of existence which appears to parallel a descent into madness, but is in truth a heightened reality.
—Nicole McClain, Tangent

“Only Springtime When She’s Gone” now available at anthologybuilder.com.

Eugie Foster is one of the best writers of speculative short fiction currently working. She has great facility for language and structure, an ability to see beauty and terror in equal measure, and consistently crafts stories that are both harrowing and satisfying…”Requiem Duet, Concerto for Flute and Voodoo”…is a story about friendship and grief, about losing your heart to find it…You may cry at the end. You’ll be glad you read it.
—Fantasy Matters

…a well-written and intriguing story, Foster’s skill as a writer draws the reader in to the emotional worlds of the characters. In short fiction it is often difficult for readers to have enough invested in the characters to care about them but Foster accomplishes this flawlessly.
—Michael K. Rose, Myriad Spheres

I first heard of Eugie Foster years ago. A friend told me he read the best story ever in a popular critique group. That story went on to win the Nebula in 2009. If “Requiem” is any indication on how well she writes, you can expect several more awards to come her way in the near future. The story was just plain dynamite. It is the best Friday story I have read at DSF yet. Recommended.
—Diabolical Plots

(Then check out the”Son the Stain Made” series of the Aberrant Dreams web comic, Slip of the Pen.)

Eugie Foster’s darkly fantastic take on the origins of the vampire . . . This is a wonderful story, the other standout of the issue, along with Page’s Aihai. Foster is meant for great things.
—James Palmer, Tangent

Winner of the 2009 Nebula Award for Best Novelette and nominated for the 2010 Hugo Award for Best Novelette.

Eugie Foster’s stunning novelette, “Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast” [originally published in Interzone] is the highlight of Apex Magazine’s August 2009 issue…Foster paints this uniquely imagined society in vivid hues, by turns beautiful and terrifying. She draws the reader in with lush descriptions and holds her by doling out tantalizing morsels just as the reader craves them. From its intriguing beginning to its shocking end, “Sinner, Baker, Fabulist, Priest; Red Mask, Black Mask, Gentleman, Beast” is a gem not to be missed.
—Kimberly Lundstrom, The Fix

A gorgeous, dark and unexpectedly creepy story…With this tale Foster questions not just societal roles, but those of relationships, gender and caste as well. A highly recommended read.
—Michele Lee, BookLove

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While this tale is grounded in the well-known story of Taira no Masakado, Foster skillfully slips this variation in between the cracks of the historical account and the subsequent legends, warping it in a different direction. The ending of the frame story delivers a strong final twist…RECOMMENDED
—Lois Tilton, The Internet Review of Science Fiction