Nothing for All

Save Polyphony!!!

2009-11-24T01:35:44Z

The excellent Polyphony anthology series is in danger of going away if we don't support it. My story "Chasing America" appeared in volume 6 and now volume 7 is pending publication with my story "Avoiding the Cold War" and stories from a cast of awesome folks. Unfortunately, the times they are a hard, and Wheatland needs your support to get the book published. Here's what Deb has to say:

*******

In 2002, the Polyphony anthology series debuted. Conceived as a short fiction venue for stories that would skate gracefully across the boundaries of science fiction, fantasy, magic realism, and literary fiction, it was quickly recognized as the standard bearer for cross genre work. Since then, the series' six volumes have become a vital, unique collection of voices in literature of the fantastic.

Polyphony has been twice nominated for a World Fantasy Award and the stories therein have been featured in several "Year's Best" anthologies, along with garnering accolades from several award judges and committees. Polyphony authors range from multiple-award-winning seasoned writers to the previously unpublished. The series is truly a melodic interweaving of many voices: old and new, speculative and literary, heralded and unknown. Polyphony has not merely crossed literary boundaries, it has reformed and redefined them.

The harsh economic climate threatens to kill this vital series. Wheatland Press is asking for your help.

The authors have graciously made concessions to make Polyphony 7 a reality. They've agreed to a reduced pay rate to see the volume published. Now we need readers.

In order to publish Polyphony 7, Wheatland Press must receive 225 paid pre-orders via the website by March 1, 2010. If the pre-order quantities cannot be met, Polyphony will cease publication. It's that simple. The preorder link is here: http://www.wheatlandpress.com/
(mid page)

If the preorder number is met, then Polyphony 7 will be published on or about July 1, 2010.*

We have heard from many in the SF/F literary community that Polyphony is a vital part of landscape. We agree, but we cannot continue without your support. We hope that you will support our fine authors and their art by becoming part of the Polyphony community and pre-ordering a copy of Polyphony 7.

*The fine print: If we do not receive enough orders by March 1, then all preorders will be refunded immediately.

Do feel free to buy another Wheatland Press title while you are stopping by the website! Those will, as always, ship immediately.

*******

So, that's the scoop. I urge you order a copy, but in case you're on the fence, dig this great table of contents:

The Bravest Girl I Ever Knew - by Howard Waldrop
Dr. Black at the Red Demon Temple - by Brendan Connell
The Snow Queen - by Chris Clarke
Strange Mammals - by Jason Erik Lundberg
The Afterlife of Sorrow - by Mikal Trimm
Breaker of Thresholds - by George Zebrowski
The Seven Deadly Motels - by Bruce Holland Rogers
The Monster in the Field - by Steve Rasnic Tem
There is Something So Quiet and Empty Inside of You that it Must be Precious - by Ben Peek
A Problem in Five Clocks - by Stephen Bush
Bear in Contradictory Landscape - by David J. Schwartz
Automata - by Eric Schaller
The Klepsydra - by Micheala Roessner
Captain Kid - by Kristin Livdahl
Loose Ends - by Jerry Oltion
The Possibility of Love - by Stephanie Campisi
Grief-Stepping to the Widower's Waltz - by Ken Scholes
A Sip from the Cup of Enlightenment - by Sarah Totton
The Dust and the Red - by Darin C. Bradley
A Joy Forever - by Celia Marsh
The Heart of the Rail - by Mark Teppo
Mirages - by Eric M. Witchey
Avoiding the Cold War - by Josh Rountree

Nebula Eligible Stories

2009-11-18T04:04:11Z

Everyone else is doing it, so I'll jump on board with the self promotion thing. Looks like the Nebula Award recommendation period just opened for fiction published from July 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009. Here's a list of the first print short fiction I've had published in that time period:

"Gone Daddy Gone" - Lone Star Stories, April 2009
"Veronica" - Lone Star Stories, December 2008
"Fragments of a Fantasy Life" (w/ Mikal Trimm) - Realms of Fantasy, November 2008
"Bury My Guitar at Wounded Knee" - Can't Buy Me Faded Love (my short fiction collection from Wheatland Press)
"Gifting Bliss" - CBMFL
"Grievous Angel" - CBMFL
"Indie Gods" - CBMFL
"Nikola and the Wolf" - CBMFL
"No One Here Gets Out Alive" - CBMFL
"The Review Lester Bangs Would Have Written for the New Stones Album if he'd Lived Long Enough to Witness the Fall of Humanity and the Rise of the Other" - CBMFL

If any of you SFWA members out there would like a copy of any of these stories, I'll be happy to provide it. The Lone Star Stories stuff is available online, but I can send PDFs for the rest.

It Has Begun

2009-09-24T03:18:27Z

Well, I finished up all my writing avoidance activity...ahem, I mean "research." Still some more stuff to read on WWI and also the Manhattan Project, but it's time to get this new novel moving.

To that end, I sat down tonight and officially started writing HOMEFRONT. The result was five pages full of pretty decent words. Only another 395 or so pages to go. My goal is to finish this thing by March. I'll post progress periodically -- if I start to slack off, give me a kick or something.

New Story Sale!

2009-09-02T13:38:08Z

I sold my story "Intrepid Travelers" to Electric Velocipede!

This is my "cold war set 800 years in the future with Ken Kesey mind experiments, AI superspies, sleeper agents and questionable reality written in the style of Tom Wolfe" story.

It will appear in a 2010 issue of the magazine.

Story Mugging

2009-08-27T15:55:47Z

I'm plugging away at the novel outlining process for HOMEFRONT. Characters are being fleshed out, world is being defined, plot points are starting to snap together into place. I actually have some momentum on this project, and I'm keeping to my self-imposed scheduled.

So, we all know what that means, right? Story mugging. A new story (or at least stringy bits of it) popped into my head last night and I wrote three quick pages. Hopefully I can knock this thing out fairly quickly and still stay on track with the novel.

This isn't exactly bad news. It feels good. Like maybe I'm finally coming out of the no writing hole I've been in for a while now.

Of course, the story could totally suck...

New Story in the Can

2009-08-21T02:45:01Z

I just finished up a new story I co-wrote with Samantha Henderson. It's about hunting dirt angels in post apocalyptic West Texas, and there's a fair amount of maiming, bloodshed, and tomahawk fighting.

Right on.

Now to polish the thing up and inflict it on editors.

Drumming in NYC

2009-08-20T22:05:17Z

For those of you following along on the Big Rock Tour, here's another clip of my brother Travis, playing with The Ready Set. He's pretty much drumming his ass off here. The dude hits HARD:

My Brother the Rock Star

2009-08-17T21:11:58Z

Not sure if I've mentioned here before, but my little brother Travis is a KILLER drummer. Formerly with The News Can Wait, he's now signed on as the drummer for indie band, The Ready Set. The tour is just kicking off, and you can see Travis in this clip from the kickoff show in Buffalo. It's pretty low fi, but you get the picture:

Writing Stuff

2009-08-11T23:38:27Z

I haven't posted a writing update recently, so here goes:

1. Prepping for Armadillocon this weekend. I have panels, readings, etc. scheduled, and a fun filled time should be had by all. Come on by.

2. Homing in on the end of a new collaborative short story, and kicking the tires on another one. Apparently I do still write short stories. Who knew? I wish I could write them as easily and frequently as I used to, but the novel bug keeps biting.

3. Speaking of, madness has overtaken me again and I've started outlining my next novel. For future reference, this one has a working title of HOMEFRONT and features a lot of WWII goodness. More to come as this takes shape.

4. Still waiting on word regarding RAW POWER, contemplating revisions on the still untitled COLE novel and mulling over the next step with ALAMO RISING.

Armadillocon 31 Program Schedule

2009-08-04T15:13:11Z

I got my panel schedule for Armadillocon, happening right here in beautiful (and ungodly hot) Austin, TX on August 14-16. Should be great fun as always.

If you're looking for me, here's where I'll be:

Fr1700R How Did You Think of That?
Fri 5:00 PM-6:00 PM Robertson
J. Lansdale, R. S. Rose, J. Reisman, S. Wade*, J. Rountree
Getting and using ideas in your writing.

Sa1000DZ Plottings vs. Pantsing
Sat 10:00 AM-11:00 AM deZavala
A. Aguirre*, T. Mallory, J. Rountree, L. Ward, M. Fletcher, R. Clement-Moore
Should you plot your story out or start it and see where it takes you?

Sa1500DW Why Do They Keep Canceling My Shows?
Sat 3:00 PM-4:00 PM deWitt
P. Benjamin*, M. Sturges, T. Mallory, D. L. Smith, D. Potter, J. Rountree
I’m looking at you Fox. Do SF/F shows get less time to get an audience?

Sa1700DR Autographing
Sat 5:00 PM-6:00 PM Dealers' Room
J. Rountree, D. Chester, S. Utley, T. Mallory, R. Clement-Moore, R. Rogers

Sa2130DW Reading
Sat 9:30 PM-10:00 PM deWitt
Josh Rountree

Not sure what I'll read, but if anyone has suggestions, I'd love to hear them. Something from my collection? A chapter from a novel I'm shopping? A new and as yet unpublished short story?

See some of you there!

Spooned

2009-07-10T17:40:06Z

We braved the 107!!! degree heat yesterday to catch Spoon perform outside at Stubbs. Really, really cool show. If you live in Austin, they're playing again tonight and tomorrow. Definitely worth checking out.

If you don't know Spoon, here's a clip. Same venue we went to yesterday, but a couple of years ago.

Wheatland Press Super Summer Sale!!

2009-06-30T22:16:09Z

Wheatland Press is having a sale! This from Deborah Layne:

Let's try that summer sale thing...

Starting right now and ending on July 31, 2009 at midnight (Pacific Time), buy any two Wheatland Press titles and get a third title absolutely free. Just specify the title of your free book choice in the comment box of the PayPal form.

As always, if you prefer not to use Paypal, you may email your order to me directly (inquiries(at)wheatlandpress.com).

http://www.wheatlandpress.com

So if you've been thinking about buying my book or one of their other great titles, now's a good time.

Some Good News

2009-06-23T13:53:16Z

I got the word from ericmarin that Gardner Dozois selected my story "No Leaving New Orleans" for Honorable Mention in his Year's Best Science Fiction: The Twenty Sixth Annual Collection. This is my first mention in the Dozois series, and I'm pretty excited about it.

The story originally appeared in Lone Star Stories, and can still be found in their archives here:

http://literary.erictmarin.com/archives/Issue%2027/leaving.htm

Thanks to Eric for letting me know, and thanks to Gardner Dozois for the mention.

Kicking the Tires

2009-05-11T21:59:47Z

I'm gonna write something new...seriously...real soon now. Probably.

Goodbye, Novel

2009-05-01T21:19:26Z

The Cole Novel is finally whipped into shape and off to my agent. I can officially wash my hands of it now until I get feedback from Kris or from my first readers.

Which means I can write something else now without feeling like I'm slacking on the book.

Time for some short stories!

Second Draft in the Can

2009-04-29T16:08:12Z

I finished up the novel revisions last night after watching the Spurs fade. The good news is, I don't think the novel sucks overly much, and it might even be pretty decent. I've sent it out to first readers to get their feedback so evidence of suckitude or non suckitude should be forthcoming. Now I have to write a short summary (something I really hate doing) and then I'll get the whole thing off to my agent as well.

Even better news, I'll be back home this afternoon and won't have to leave Austin again until Monday! Four whole days at home! Woot!

I really need a weekend.

LSS Reviewed

2009-04-06T16:21:42Z

Bibliophile stalker has a nice review of the latest Lone Star Stories and my story, "Gone Daddy Gone."

Check it out:

http://charles-tan.blogspot.com/2009/04/bookmagazine-review-lone-star-stories.html

Thanks, Charles!

Gone Daddy Gone at Lone Star Stories

2009-04-01T22:29:55Z

The April issue of Lone Star Stories is up, and it includes my story "Gone Daddy Gone." This is my surf movie retelling of the Swan Maiden myth. You can check it out right here:

http://literary.erictmarin.com/gone.htm

Here's the whole table of contents:

Fiction:

1. "People, Unnoticed" by Patricia Russo
2. "Off the Path" by Nicole Kornher-Stace
3. "Gone Daddy Gone" by Josh Rountree

Poetry:

1. "Fjöturlundr (Saturnian)" by Sonya Taaffe
2. "Bones of the God" by Ann K. Schwader
3. "The Maiden to the Fox Did Say" by Amal El-Mohtar and Nicole Kornher-Stace

Enjoy.

Science Fiction Writer Test

2009-03-19T15:05:31Z

I am:

William Gibson

The chief instigator of the "cyberpunk" wave of the 1980s, his razzle-dazzle futuristic intrigues were, for a while, the most imitated work in science fiction.

Which science fiction writer are you?

One Bigger

2009-03-19T14:44:51Z

Today I am 36.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Except for, I got a donut birthday cake, so I've got that going for me.

And I got some nice crayola created birthday cards.

And I'll probably wind up at the book store or the record store today.

And my wife and kids are all sweet.

I guess being 36 isn't so bad.

Have a great day, everyone!

Finished the Cole Novel

2009-03-12T22:56:38Z

I just finished writing a new novel. Whew!

It weighed in at a little over 100,000 words, though I'll clip some of that as I make another pass through the manuscript. I'm going to go back through it to edit for consistency, etc. then it's off to the agent and the first readers for their advice / ridicule.

I still don't have a name for this one, but I've been calling it the Cole Novel during the writing process. That'll do for now.

It's good to be finished!

Props for Polyphony

2009-03-11T17:52:15Z

Over at Tor.com, John Klima blogs his list of Top Ten Most Influential Fantasy & Science Fiction Anthologies / Anthology Series:

http://www.tor.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=blog&id=17022

The Polyphony anthology series made the list! My story "Chasing America" appeared in the 6th volume, and I have a story slated for the forthcoming 7th volume. Pretty cool!

Congrats to wheatland_press!

Realms Not Dead

2009-03-10T20:52:01Z

Word's getting around that Realms of Fantasy is back in businss under a new publisher. Congrats to Shawna, Doug and everyone else!

As a reader, I'm excited to have more great stuff to read. And as a writer, I'm glad that I won't be losing that excellent market for my fiction.

Woo!

End Game

2009-03-07T04:19:25Z

The novel is rocking. Words are coming quickly and things are coming to a head. I like this part.

Just wanted you to know why it's been quiet here.

Head down, writing...

Gone Daddy Gone - SALE!!!

2009-02-25T02:48:32Z

Speaking of story marketing...

I just got word from ericmarin that he's buying "Gone Daddy Gone" for Lone Star Stories. The story will appear in the April 2009 issue. This is my surf movie / beat retelling of the Swan Maiden myth.

Cool, daddio!