Category Archives: Writing

Lost and Found

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SleepingBuddhaWhen my wife’s parents passed away a few years ago (married over 50 years, and went within a year of each other) we were part of the family crew cleaning out their old house. Which partly inspired the two of us to do some cleaning out of our own, since it’s just bloody amazing the sheer amount of STUFF two people can accumulate in a small space. Despite really not wanting to accumulate more STUFF, there were a few things we claimed. Mrs. Ogre claimed a cameo she had given to her mother as a momento of a school trip to Rome. I took a pair of carvings I did years ago, an American Eagle display I’d made for her dad and a carved cardinal (the bird, not the prelate) made for her mom.

Also stumbled across a package I’d sent them loong ago, containing some of my earliest published work. My in-laws were always supportive and proud of my writing, much more so than my own family, so I got in the habit of sending them things over the years, and I had totally forgotten this lot. This even predated my fanzine work, containing my first ever published story(“The Courtship of Tharga-Roth”) from a college lit. mag called Microcosm and my SECOND ever published story from a pamphlet done as a group project by an early writer’s group that worked out so well I didn’t join another one for over twenty years. The “book” was titled THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN 13 DECATUR SF STORIES IN THIS BOOK, BUT OUR CRAYON BROKE. I swear to Heaven, that’s the title. Our group leader actually sent a copy of it off to Locus, who no doubt did the charitable thing and burned it.

So, hurrah or alas, I have the only known copies of both remaining, so no one else will see them until I’m dead. Or maybe not even then.

Completely Self-Serving Post. No, Not Even a Little Bit Altruistic.

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Japanese MaskIt’s that time of year again, so here’s the thing: In the Palace of the Jade Lion made the Locus Magazine Recommended Reading List for 2012 in the Novelette category. Which mostly means that at least two of the magazine’s staff and reviewer pool thought it didn’t suck. I would say it also means that the story is eligible for the annual Locus Award in its category, but that would be deceptive. Frankly, any story that was published last year and otherwise met eligibility requirements is eligible in its respective category. What being on the Locus Recommended List really means in this context is that the story will be listed directly on the Annual Locus Poll and survey, where readers can vote on their favorite stories, and you wouldn’t have to do it as a write-in. That’s pretty much it.

So if you read “In the Palace of the Jade Lion” and also thought it didn’t suck, you could follow the link above and, you know, vote for it in the poll. You don’t have to be a subscriber to vote; that’s open to anyone, and the poll is open until April 15th. And if there are any more stories or books that you liked last year, you can vote for them, too. Frankly, we could all use the support, so it’s all good.

Okay, I’m done. Next post I’ll try to have something less self-serving to say. No promises, though.

Scenes From a Marriage #7 – Plus News.

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 Scene: Sterling the Cat is sleeping curled up on the sofa table. Carol is pushing on his belly with her fingers, saying “Knead, knead, purr, purr” over and over.  Sterling the Cat takes no notice except to yawn and stretch, apparently enjoying what to him are scritches.

Me: What are you doing?
She: I’m giving Sterling a taste of his own medicine.
Me: Meaning?
She: He keeps kneading me like a loaf of dough and purring in my ear at 4AM!
Me: So you’re interrupting his sleep as payback.
She: Yep.
Me: That’s a cat.
She: Yes. So?
Me: You do realize that cats are immune to irony, don’t you?
She: Oh….right. Then I’ll pick him up and hug him!
Me: Good choice.
Sterling the Cat: (yawns)

 
Prime-Notecard-AdThere was a little more going on besides the metaphysical quirks of the house felines. For one thing, I’ve just confirmed that the Yamada novel, To Break the Demon Gate, has been delayed until later this year, probably November. Also, there was the spiffy Prime Books notecard that shipped with the February Locus, including Yamada Monogatari: Demon Hunter along with Future Games and Weird Detectives. Since I’m in 2 out of those 3 books, I rather liked it. Also, LightSpeed Magazine will be reprinting “The Man Who Carved Skulls” in a future issue. I’ll give a date as soon as I have one, but from the writer’s perspective, you gotta love reprints—the work’s already done and you get paid again anyway.

Speaking of work, I just finished the first story of the new year, working title is “The Nothing Boat.”  I’ll need to set it aside to cool enough before I look at it again, which is fine because I have another story to work on. And a novel to write. I’m going to be busy this year, I can tell.

 

New Story Time – “A Thing or Two About Love”

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FairyGreenHairThis is an older story. It first appeared in the Wizard Fantastic anthology from DAW Books back in 1997. Sort of a thought experiment on the nature of affection. Or greed. It rather depends on how you look at it. As I said, an older story. Maybe with more flaws than I like to think I commit now. Wishful thinking, probably, but I’m still rather fond of this story. Dragon would like that.

Clockwork Phoenix #4, ToC

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CP4

Mike Allen just released the official Table of Contents for Clockwork Phoenix #4, in which I am in good company:              

The official launch date is June 2013, with a launch party and author readings at Readercon in July. I like Readercon, though it’s not likely I’ll be able to make it this year. Sounds like a blast.