Eleven -- It's One More Than Ten

Well it won't last long, but I've set a new record: Eleven short stories out at various markets at the same time. One is probably a REJECTION in waiting -- I got an invitation to attend the awards ceremony in Barcelona, but they didn't actually tell me that it was worth a bunch of money and a bunch of travel days to fly to Spain for Thanksgiving Eve (23 November 2005). Of the remaining ten, they're split five & five between contest entries and pro sale submissions.

Contests: Writers of the Future, of course. And The Fifth Annual Tundra Prize -- these guys are way too much fun not to enter their little contest and besides, I already have two Laudable Mentions under my belt from them, which will eventually be published in their second anthology -- maybe May 2006? And the Science Fiction Writers of Earth -- it's my last year of eligibility, since I squeaked in my entry early before I received payment for "The Pulse of the Sea", my first pro sale. Plus two pro market sponsored contests: The Mary Shelley Prize for Imaginative Fiction via Rosebud and the First Annual Apex Digest Halloween Short Story Contest.

And the remaining five submissions to pro markets span the globe with 3 U.S. markets, 1 U.K. and 1 Australian. I tell you, my stories are getting better traveled than I am.

Dr. Phil

Here's A Loving Tribute To SciFiction

In the convoluted world that comes from keeping up with friends -- I got this from Marjorie webpetals, who got it from Trent, and when I linked to it, I found already a tribute posting by John slithytove. Whew! I think in fifteen seconds I got whiplash.

SciFiction Is Dead, Long Live SciFiction!

Over 320 stories appeared on SciFiction, including the reprinted classics. "Dave" has started a blog for people to write appreciations about the works which have appeared on SciFiction.

The ED SF Project: We're showing the love for five and a half years of great short fiction, and we need your help! Go here to read the list and add your voice.

So Who Started This?

I'm not always the most obvious of people. I've seen names around but don't always make the connections. This appreciation effort is run by Dave who uses the handle snurri in his e-mail.

Who is "Dave"? A little Google detective work "dave snurri" came up with David J. Schwartz via matociquala's entry here. Oh, okay -- I've read some of his stuff in Lady Churchill's Rosebud Wristlet!

And the man has a crush on KATE WINSLET!

"W - Winslet, Kate: Would that I could speak intelligently of my crush. Guh."

So this looks like a valiant effort -- and less pissy than my in-the-middle-of-the-night e-mail I sent to SciFi.com the other day.

My Choice

Damn, someone already snapped up "The Ugly Chickens" by Howard Waldrop. One of the few short stories I've ever encountered which I'd describe as a page-turner. I had to see how this was going to turn out, even as I knew it couldn't, wouldn't, didn't. Sigh. Someday I'll wax more poetical on this story and Howard in general.

(Please don't believe that SciFiction ended because Howard was published there -- though his track record for "shutting down magazines" is astonishing.) (grin)

So my pick is another classic story, from the first SF short story writer I ever seriously read:

"And He Built A Crooked House" by Robert Heinlein

I have until December 20th to post this, but it'll probably be sooner.

Check out the list. Check out the comments. Feel free to write an appreciation for a favorite story not yet claimed by someone else...

Dr. Phil