I’m soliciting answers to the following question:

What novels or short stories stand out in your memory as “weird”??

I’m doing this in order to put together a “mind meld” (inspired by http://www.sfsignal.com Mind Melds) blog and wiki article based on your answers to this question (inspired by this question posted on Facebook by my friend and fellow writer, Sherlonya).  Feel free to answer with as few or as many novels, short stories, etc as your patience and/or interest  dictate.  If you are inclined, I am also interested in the reasons behind your answer(s).

The “Which SF/F/H World Would I Live In?” meme, found here and started there, prompts me to answer: Read the rest of this entry »

Over at LinkedIn I have been involved in a discussion about Read the rest of this entry »

The new online ezine Beneath Ceaseless Skies has posted its first issue today.  Go check it out.

Jim Van Pelt had a post on LiveJournal yesterday linking to an announcement of novella length SF and Fantasy anthology / market that is open for submissions.  I’ve added Alembical at Paper Golem to my market research links and am currently reviewing my novella length stories to see which one I would like to submit.  I would like to submit “Up in the Nightgaunts Gang”, but it needs a polish pass, and at 18,500 words, is a little short of the 20,000 word minimum that Alembical is looking for.  But given my prior track record and writing process, it is likely that it will break the minimum by the time I am done polishing.

All the Windwracked Stars

Elizabeth Bear has posted the first there chapters of her new novel All the Windwracked Stars here.  On top of having one of the cooler covers (art by Jean-Sebastian Rossbach) and a fine title, I am finding it to be an intriguing read with definite echoes of the Norse mythos.  Not only does she avoid infodumping while achieving worldbuilding by dropping interesting hints, she manages to squeeze in an action scene in the first 3000 words.  I have yet to finish this preview, but I look forward to reading the entire novel.

This morning I decided that what I really want now is to find (or establish) a writers’ group that is focused on genre fiction, specifically SF, but I would also like to include fantasy, horror and mystery as well. Read the rest of this entry »

This morning I posted on my wiki an essay on critiquing that I started a few months ago (contents below the fold). As with all wiki articles, it is a work in progress.

Read the rest of this entry »