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).

My book order arrived yesterday and I am wallowing in writing book goodness.  A week ago or so I broke down and ordered a number of books on writing and criticism that I have been lusting after.  They are:

• About Writing: Seven Essays, Four Letters, and Five Interviews by Samuel R. Delany
• Creating Short Fiction by Damon Knight
• The Jewel-Hinged Jaw: Notes on the Language of Science Fiction by Samuel R. Delany
• West of Everything: The Inner Life of Westerns by Jane Tompkins

Now I just have to find time to read them all…

Have any notable books arrived in your life recently?  Or just books that you are reading now and want to comment on?

If you are a writer you may have heard of the admonition “kill your darlings“. Read the rest of this entry »

I managed to finish the rewrite on "Stealing a Seed of the Giving-Tree" and get it submitted to the Ann Arbor Book Fair Short Story Contest, too.  Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve submitted "All You Quantum Zombies" to the Ann Arbor Book Fair Short Story Contest and am trying to put enough polish on my heavily tweaked "Stealing a Seed of the Giving-Tree" in time to get it in by midnight.  It’s a bit dicey as to whether or not I’ll get it into shape and within the word count (you can guess which of those is more difficult for me).  Nose to the grind-stone and no writers' group for me tonight.

Hacking and slashing, I’ve been busy rewriting the last third of "Stealing a Seed of the Giving-Tree".  More action!  More danger!  Less words! (But not less dialogue.) Read the rest of this entry »

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 »

"Stealing a Seed of the Giving-Tree" just went beta. If you are interested in being a beta-reader, drop me a line. It’s only 7000 words. What are you waiting for?

"Stealing a Seed of the Giving-Tree" has entered beta draft. I’m planning on reading the first part of it tomorrow evening at AAAWG.

"Stealing a Seed of the Giving-Tree" has moved into its first polish phase at a bit over 6000 words.  On track for a beta release by Monday.

I’m wrapping up my first draft "Stealing a Seed of the Giving-Tree" Read the rest of this entry »

“Stealing a Seed of the Giving-Tree” is just shy of 3400 words and Read the rest of this entry »

Off to a good start on my latest short story, “Stealing a Seed of the Giving-Tree”, the second Kregar the Dimlander story.

I’ve finally finished the first polish pass on Read the rest of this entry »

Sitting at the mall while Merideth and her friends wander about. At least I can work on edits to “A Sword in the Spokes”.

I just stumbled across the blurb for Iain Bank's Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve finished another polish pass on “All You Quantum Zombies”.  There has been some significant modifications.  If you are beta reader, I’d like your opinion.  You can find PDF files posted on the other blog.

Yesterday I finished up the barf phase of “A Sword in the Spokes”, Read the rest of this entry »

Almost finished with my first pass on “A Sword in the Spokes”, the second Pelly and Winters story. Turned out to be about twice as long as I had expected, and that was after jettisoning several subplots.

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

So, looking back to a 2007 LiveJournal post I find: Read the rest of this entry »

Prompted by a post by my friend Jenn on Twitter. Read the rest of this entry »

The barf phase of “Lair of the Feathered Termites” has dragged out more than I would have liked.  Read the rest of this entry »

Finished the barf phase of “All You Quantum Zombies” at 3500 words.

Read this (in your copious spare time)

http://www.helixsf.com/archives/Oct07/wellbittenhand.htm