What’re You Up To? (and micro-submissions update)
Jeff VanderMeer • September 10th, 2010 @ 6:18 am • News
(Part of our own cabinet of curiosities, including a Romanian spaceship, a well-traveled alien baby, two fern-tentacles and sequined kiwi from a dear New Zealand friend [thanks!], gargoyles, etc.)
So, dear readers, tell me what you’ve been up to–feel free to plug whatever you like. I’m finishing up some further work on the Steampunk Bible today, so am wordless at the moment. (Note that if you post URLs, they might get temporarily caught in WordPress’s spam filter.)
Also, I forgot to actually link to my Omnivoracious list of the best SF/F of the year thus far.
Finally, we’re going to have to hold off on announcing which micro-submissions got into the Lambshead Cabinet anthology until early next week. Sorry for the delay.
September 10, 2010 at 6:33 am
We have been uploading Worldcon episodes of SF discussion podcast Galactic Suburbia at http://www.galacticsuburbia.com (also available at iTunes). The episodes up so far are:
15.0 – the episode recorded with a live audience at Aussiecon4 last Friday, including discussions of SF news, Worldcon gossip, books by Nnedi Okarafor, Mary Robinette Kowal, Trent Jamieson & others, and a chat about favourite female SF heroes.
15.1 – a post-Ditmars chat about the winners of the recent Australian spec fic awards, and an interview with Girl Genius creators Phil & Kaja Foglio.
Over the weekend we have 2 more eps to put up, a post-Hugos discussion and a post-Worldcon round up.
September 10, 2010 at 6:35 am
I’m currently playing host to Insomnia and trying to get my Muse to wake up. She, my Muse, needs to help me put Insomnia back in his cage. Although if that happens I’ll go to sleep and my Muse will have to settle for giving me inspirational dreams I’ll forget when I wake….
September 10, 2010 at 6:38 am
Just launched steampunk-y cross-world digital comic http://InMapsAndLegendsComic.com/.
Those tentacles are pretty great.
September 10, 2010 at 8:24 am
Jason Schachat and I are about to release our special anime-themed issue of Yipe! The Costume Fanzine of Record .
This makes one full year of publication for Yipe! (available for free download at http://www.yipezine.com)
Learning to stick to a monthly writing schedule has been an interesting adventure for me, but we’re rather proud of the result.
September 10, 2010 at 9:27 am
I’m sending stories around to different magazines (Tin House and Conjunctions for two examples) and finishing up my copy of The Third Bear (I think my favorite story so far is “The Situation,” with “Fixing Hanover” running a close second, but I’m not done yet so that may change).
Totally digging the big drawing hanging on your wall. Who did it and where did you get it?
September 10, 2010 at 9:27 am
Trying to get myself to start climbing the mountain that will be final edits and layout for issue #3.
September 10, 2010 at 9:29 am
I’ve been cleaning, reading The Third Bear, and trying to get people to listen to my End of Summer mix: http://bit.ly/a8Rin4
September 10, 2010 at 9:32 am
nearly done reading Joe Abercrombie’s The Blade Itself, and savoring every word. Trying not to stare lovingly at KJ Parker’s Devices and Desires until AFTER I’m done with the Abercrombie.
September 10, 2010 at 9:36 am
Love the photograph! It looks like a reverse twist on Alice in Wonderland, where all those curious things stepped out of that awesome picture and are waiting to take over (oops maybe I should say explore) the world. Oh dear, there goes my Muse – grabbing coffee and writing NOW. ;)
September 10, 2010 at 9:54 am
Adam–it’s of Jerusalem. Ann acquired it. I’ll ask her.
September 10, 2010 at 10:24 am
Just arranged the book launch for my novella ‘The Empathy Effect’ (published by Screamingdreams) for 1st October 2010 at The Discovery Room, Swansea Library, from 5.45pm to 7.45pm. There will be readings, free wine, nibbles and a demonstration of teleportation… ok perhaps that’s a bit much to swallow… there might not be nibbles :)
http://www.screamingdreams.com/theempathyeffect.html
http://bob-lock.blogspot.com/
If you are in the vicinity please drop in!
September 10, 2010 at 10:41 am
Finished Kraken last night and finally dug into Finch. Still plotting to get that UK version though.
September 10, 2010 at 10:45 am
I’m reading “The Complete Butcher’s Tales” By Rikki Ducornet, and it’s been wonderful, so far.
Also, edits showed up for MAZE. I have, apparently, been completely overwhelmed by British punctuation choices. Many track changed punctuation marks need acceptance.
The thing is, the British way makes so much more sense to me!
September 10, 2010 at 11:12 am
FRANCES OLIVER:
I recently re-organised my systematic (and the world’s first highly detailed)
appraisal of this under-rated author’s whole fiction canon:
http://nullimmortalis.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/my-detailed-reviews-of-the-comple\
te-published-fiction-of-frances-oliver/
September 10, 2010 at 11:13 am
Sorry that link should have been:
http://nullimmortalis.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/my-detailed-reviews-of-the-complete-published-fiction-of-frances-oliver/
September 10, 2010 at 1:28 pm
Just released Issue 6 of GUD Magazine ~ http://www.gudmagazine.com/vault/6
And, er, eagerly awaiting your choices re: the micro-fic challenge. ;)
September 10, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Oh–cool, re GUD!
Is this deal still going on? http://www.gudmagazine.com/subs/subscribe-1c1s.php
Yesssssssss….Over 200 sleepless weekends, I’m sure, from writers wishing the best for their little paragraphs.
Seriously, though, I really wish we could’ve gotten it over with today. We decided to just take one entry, so…
Jeffkid
ding
September 10, 2010 at 3:57 pm
John Skipp’s new anthology, WEREWOLVES AND SHAPE SHIFTERS: ENCOUNTERS WITH THE BEAST WITHIN is now (as of yesterday) in stock at Amazon.com! This book includes my first mass market short story sale, “All I Really Need To Know I Learned In Piggy Class”. (Oh, and there’s also a story by some guy named Neil Gaiman and a gal named Charlaine Harris in there, too.) ;) You can see the entire TOC listed at http://nicolecushing.wordpress.com/2010/06/22/skipp-werewolves-toc/
My first book, HOW TO EAT FRIED FURRIES (Eraserhead Press) debuts at Bizarro Con (November 11). More information about *that* up at http://nicolecushing.wordpress.com/how-to-eat-fried-furries-faq/
My short story, “The Bureaucratic Nativity of Panda Christ” will be appearing in the November issue of THE MAGAZINE OF BIZARRO FICTION
Lately, I’ve been working on a bizarro novel (about half-way through the first draft). I’m taking a break from that to write a short story (tentative title: “Eulogy To Be Given By Whoever’s Still Sober”).
Life is good.
September 10, 2010 at 4:13 pm
I’m working on an update to my iPhone app “The Brainstormer”, an app for inspiration and overcoming creative block.
Also, putting off a tiny revision to a story that I should be submitting by now.
Finishing “Cloud Atlas”.
And working on some iPhone games.
joel
ps. LOVE those tentacle bookends.
September 10, 2010 at 4:51 pm
@Jeff — we’re still honoring the deal though we’re not advertising it anywhere. I’ll probably take it down in a few weeks. :) Need to do a big push on Issue 6 still. :)
@Joel — ooh, The Brainstormer sounds nice. Most of my writing these days is for prompts, challenges, and the like. :)
September 10, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Trying to write a review of October Dark, reading Exotic Gothic 3, working on a sekrit project with two jackasses…
September 10, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Paul–are the jackasses braying a lot?
September 10, 2010 at 5:51 pm
One of them keeps prattling on about squirrels… ;)
September 10, 2010 at 5:56 pm
Aren’t squirrels just rats with smaller brains?
September 10, 2010 at 6:09 pm
That is what I thought. I’m all about killer sloths myself, creeping death.
September 10, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Only works on really immersive readers.
September 10, 2010 at 6:46 pm
Well, last weekend I sent a story off to a publcation I’m not naming, ‘cuz of the whole jinxing issue, but I’ve got my fingers crossed. Working on something else now, and reading a poetry collection by Phyllis McGinley.
That little green man in the picture looks awesome. He(?) looks lime-scented. But not edible, don’t worry. And you wouldn’t want to take in that much sugar at once anyway.
September 10, 2010 at 6:54 pm
Yep–he has his own facebook page–Alien Baby–and he’s been all over the world, even photos from the south pole.
September 10, 2010 at 7:15 pm
Jeff–You’re so gracious about letting people plug their stuff here. Thanks!
I’ve got a horror/sci-fi story coming up at LIGHTSPEED next month, as part of their Halloween issue. It’s called “A Taste of Starlight” and it’s the most disturbing thing I’ve ever written.
I’m also doing final revisions on a new novel called THE LIFE AND DREAMS OF TALL EAGLE, which is a heroic fantasy with a Native American flavor.
Good luck with FINCH at the WFAs! (I voted for it!)
Cheers!
John R. Fultz
September 10, 2010 at 7:28 pm
We have a probable date for publication of The Aether Age Anthology http://aether-age.com … not official yet, but almost there.
I’m doing a final scan for edits on my story for the M-Brane Double #1 (done up like the old Ace Doubles –I think it was Ace– with two novellas back-to-back and retro cover art & typography). Alex Jeffers is the other writer in the Double. His story is ‘The New People’, mine ‘On the Demise of Captain Fantomas Patton-Guererro and Loss of La Amenaza Elegente’ aka Elegant Threat.
Last, still reading for issue 1 of Fantastique Unfettered (FU for short) ( http://www.fantastique-unfettered.com )…. deadline is Nov 1. We did not get the Catalyst Grant, unfortunately, (see here for what that’s all about: http://wiki.creativecommons.org/Grants/Fantastique_Unfettered:_A_Periodical_of_Liberated_Literature ), but this is my first attempt at this particular crazy funding idea, so maybe next time.
Kaolin: I’ll have to finish my current flotilla of reads so I can check out the new issue of GUD. :)
Brandon
September 10, 2010 at 8:23 pm
John–congrats re LS!
September 10, 2010 at 8:52 pm
I’ve been working on my squirrel herding techniques. Trying to teach squirrels how to be more discriminating about what constitutes “great, imaginative fiction” has been harder than I thought. And they seem to be more intelligent and clever than sloths or bears ;)