Ah Well, It Didn't Cost Me Anything

War of the Words Short List

The novel I sent to the UK first novel contest apparently didn't make the short list. C'est la vie.

They actually posted the short list back on Tuesday 8 September 2009, the day after they were going to make contact to the authors. I wasn't sure they were sticking to the schedule, since they'd mentioned they got a lot of entries and then on Friday 4 September 2009 said they were going to expand the short list from I think six to ten authors. But, sigh, I hadn't heard from them and so remembered to go looking on the SciFi Now U.K. site.

Ah well. Nice thing is that I have this novel, which I'll look over one more time, then I'll start sending it out again.

It's all good. (grin)

Dr. Phil

Writers of the Future Volume XXV

Table of Contents
"Gardens of Tian Zi" by Emery Huang (Gold Prize Winner)
illustrated by Douglas Bosley
"The Shadow Man" by Donald Mead
illustrated by Brianne Hills
"Life in Steam" by Grá Linnaea
illustrated by Ryan Behrens
"The Assignment of Runner ETI" by Fiona Lehn
illustrated by A.R. Stone
"The Candy Store" by Heather McDougal
illustrated by Jamie Luhn
"Risqueman" by Mike Wood
illustrated by Evan Jensen
"Gray Queen Homecoming" by Schon M. Zwakman
illustrated by Tobias A. Fruge
"The Dizzy Bridge" by Krista Hoeppner Leahy
illustrated by Aaron Anderson
"Gone Black" by Mathew S. Rotundo
illustrated by Luke Eidenschink
"The Reflection of Memory" by C.L. Holland
illustrated by Oleksandra Barysheva (Gold Prize Winner)
"After the Final Sunset, Again" by Jordan Lapp
illustrated by Joshua J. Stewart
"The Farthest Born" by Gary Kloster
illustrated by Mark Payton

Twelve Excellent Stories and Twelve Excellent Illustrations

This afternoon I finished reading Writers of the Future Volume XXV. Good job, everyone! I have to say that I am split in mind -- and for a very good reason. Having attended the Writers of the Future XXIV Event and Workshop, Volume XXIV is always going to be a special collection of stories, writers and artists. We did a damned good job. But having been through that, I also have a special affinity to the latest crop, especially after watching the streaming video feed of the WOTF XXV Event. I think we had an exception class of artists in Volume XXIV -- but I also can feel the deep joy of the Volume XXV authors at the illustrations of their own stories. So I'm probably not one to judge the quality of the Volume XXV class of artists -- too biased. (grin)

( Short reviews follow this cut... )

So there you have it. The Writers of the Future Volume XXV. But don't take my word for it -- get your own copy. I think you'll be seeing these people again in the future.

Dr. Phil