Book News: Third Place in Queer Sci Fi’s Migration Anthology Contest

I’m back with some author news!

Today is the release day for an anthology I’m part of. It’s called Migration: Queer Sci Fi 6th Annual Flash Fiction Contest. (Flash fiction is very short fiction–in this case, 300 words or less.)

I’m thrilled to be in it, and even more thrilled to have won third place in the contest. For the second time (the first was in 2017’s Renewal). And lest that sound like an inside job, it’s a blind judging process (no names on the submissions), which means they picked my writing out of 250ish contestants without knowing it was me!

Here’s a teaser from my story, “The Woman With No Name”:

Seabirds cried and wheeled over the fishing currachs rocking at anchor as the sea-breeze blew over the breakwater and into the village harbour. Brighid sat on the dock leaning against the woman with no name, not caring who saw them touch now. They’d had their last kiss that morning. It had tasted like the sea.

The judges’ comments:

Our final winner is a really sweet, touching story, and another first for us—never before has one author taken a top-three story spot in our contest twice. The Woman With No Name is well-written and packed with emotion—it really moved the judges: “Just because someone wants to go away doesn’t mean they don’t miss what they’re leaving behind,” and we didn’t want to leave this story behind, either. Congrats!

Queer Sci Fi has just released the annual QSF Flash Fiction anthology. This year, the theme is “Migration.”

MI-GRA-TION (noun)

1) Seasonal movement of animals from one region to another.

2) Movement of people to a new area or country in order to find work or better living conditions.

3) Movement from one part of something to another.

Three definitions to inspire writers around the world and an unlimited number of possible stories to tell. Here are 120 of our favorites.

Migration feaures 300 word speculative flash fiction stories from across the rainbow spectrum, from the minds of the writers of Queer Sci Fi.

Other Worlds Ink | Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | QueeRomance Ink | Goodreads 

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Giveaway

Queer Sci Fi is giving away a $20 gift Amazon certificate with this tour – enter via Rafflecopter for a chance to win:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d4774/?

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Excerpts

Each year, hundreds of writers send in stories for the Queer Sci Fi flash fiction anthology. Here are the opening lines from some of the stories chosen for the 2019 edition – Migration:

“Darkness has substance. It is tangible; different shades within the black, sounds, a taste. It is accompanied by self-awareness of time and thoughts, even when other senses fail.” —Hope for Charity, by Robyn Walker

“The sky has been screaming for five straight days when the shrimps come to take us away. They’ve been boxing up the others and hauling them off. Now they’re here for us, soaking wet, dragging cords and crates behind them.” —Shrimpanzee, Sionnain Bailey

“Allister always had faultless hair. He’d comb and gel it to perfection while gazing in the mirror. One day a pair of eyes stared back.” —Zulu Finds a Home, by Kevin Klehr

“On her sister’s wedding day Ari noticed that one of her ears had migrated to her hand. It was right after her high school crush, Emily, arrived with Cousin Matt.” —Playing It By Ear, Aidee Ladnier

“The wound was fatal. Their vessel wouldn’t live much longer. This is what came from leaving loose ends. Frantically they sought out a new vessel to migrate to. “ —The Essence, by L.M. Brown

“That night, we were sitting in the bed of her daddy’s old pickup truck and the radio was playing the best song. We had a pack of cigarettes between us and her hand was almost touching mine. The wheat field was silver in the moonlight. When they came, we weren’t surprised, just disappointed that our time was up already.” —Our Song, by Lauren Ring

“Willow said she was my wife, but I knew it wasn’t her, not the right her, anyway. Sure she looked like her with olive skin and bright pink hair. She even smelled of mango flowers, just like I remembered, but there was something about her smile that was slightly off, something about when she said she loved me that didn’t sit well in my old heart.” — They Said It Would Be Her, by Elizabeth Andre

“Agnes is eight when she first sees the river. Cutting its way through town, the only thing she knows not coated in coal dust. She sticks her toes in, comes home with wet socks and a secret. See, the river hadn’t been there yesterday.” —Stream of Consciousness, by Ziggy Schutz

“Terry twirled in her green synthsilk dress, looked at her reflection, liked what she saw. She felt good in her own skin, for maybe the first time.” —Altball, by RE Andeen

“The thing was in the corner. It had come through the window and had slid down the wall. Scratch went the sound. The noise of a hundred nails clawing at the wood. Nails of white bone. Alex pulled the sheets up quickly, covering every inch of skin and hair in a warm darkness.” —Whose Nightmare, by Jamie Bonomi

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Author Bio

A hundred and twenty authors are included in Migration:

• • Butterflies, by A O’Donovan

• The Return, by A.M. Leibowitz

• A New Spring, by Aaron Silver

• Universal Quota, by Abby Bartle

• The Call of Home, by Adrienne Wilder

• Starfall, by Adrik Kemp

• Playing it By Ear, by Aidee Ladnier

• Rabbit, by Amanda Thomas

• That Does Not Love…, by Andi Deacon

• Inborn, by Andrea Speed

• Saving Ostakis, by Angelica Primm

• A Dawn Wish, by Antonia Aquilante

• Diaspora, by Ariel E. James

• Transmigration, by Ashby Danvers

• Across the Mirror, by Ava Kelly

• Between, by BE Allatt

• The Speck, by Bey Deckard

• The King of the Mountain Cometh, by Bob Goddard

• Before and After, by C. A. Chesse

• Home, by C.A. McDonald

• Too Much Tech, by C.L. Mannarino

• Ze Who Walks Into the Future, by Carey Ford Compton

• The Gate, by Carol Holland March

• Our Last Light Skip, by Chloe Spencer

• Passage, by Christine Taylor-Butler

• The Perils of Pick-Up Lines, by Colton Aalto

• Parched, by Crysta K. Coburn

• Changeling Dreams, by Damian Serbu

• Destinations, by Dave Creek

• Another Job, Another Planet, by David Viner

• Thiefmaster Rosalind’s Apprentice, by Devon Widmer

• A Weight Off Their Shoulders, by Diane Morrison

• Once a Year, by Dianne Hartsock

• Mettle, by Die BoothForever Bound, by E.W. Murks

• They Said It Would Be Her, by Elizabeth Andre

• Til Death Do Us Part, by Elizabeth Anglin

• Little One, by Eloreen Moon

• GBFN, by Emilia Agrafojo

• The Long Distance Thing, by Ether Nepenthes

• Call My People Home, by Evelyn Benvie

• Jace vs. the Incubi, by Eytan Bernstein

• A New Tradition, by Foster Bridget Cassidy

• The Curious Cabinet, by Ginger Streusel

• Ready, by Hank Edwards

• The Albatrosses, by Harry F. Rey

• A Boy’s Shadow, by Helen De Cruz

• Portrait of a Lady, by Isobel Granby

• Beam That Is In, by J. Comer

• The Hunt, by J. R. Frontera

• Repeating History, by J. Summerset

• Neil’s Journey, by J.P. Bowie

• Homeward Bound, by J.S. Garner

• Whose Nightmare?, by Jamie Bonomi

• A Moment of Bravery, by Jessie Pinkham

• Laetus, by Jet Lupin

• Where You Go, I’ll Follow, by Joe Baumann

• Ambrose Out of Ash, by Jonathan Fesmire

• Shooting Modes, by Joshua Darrow

• TerrorForm, by Juam Jocom

• The Curse, by Jude Reid

• Throwing Eggs, by K E Olukoya

• Fly, by Kayleigh Sky

• The Keep, by KC Burn

• Zulu Finds a Home, by Kevin Klehr

• The Risks and Advantages of Data Migration, by Kim Fielding

• Irreversible, by kim gryphon

• Looner, by Krishan Coupland

• The Essence, by L.M. Brown

• Our Song, by Lauren Ring

• O Human Child, by Lisa Hamill

• Goodbye Marghretta, by Lou Sylvre

• Choices, by LV Lloyd

• Endangered Species, by M Joseph Murphy

• Planet Retro, Unplugged, by M. X. Kelly

• Elemental, by M.D. Grimm

• To Wish on a Love Knot, by Margaret McGaffey Fisk

• Firebirds, by Marita M. Connor

• Breeding Season, by Mary Newman

• Kooks at Home, by Matt McHugh

• Spring, by Mere Rain

• Into the South, by Mindy Leana Shuman

• Not How We Planned It, by Minerva Cerridwen

• What Is Left Behind, by Monique Cuillerier

• How Far Would You Go for the One You Love?, by Nathan Alling Long

• Innocence, by Nathaniel Taff

• Heart and Soul, by Nils Odlund

• Tides, by Patricia Scott

• Killer Queen, by Paula McGrath

• Genesis, by Pelaam

• If Pigs Could Fly, by Penelope Friday

• Click, by R R Angell

• Be Kind to Strangers, by Raina Lorring

• Altball, by RE Andeen

• Far From Home, by Riley S. Keene

• Hope for Charity, by Robyn Walker

• Night Comes to the Bea Arthur, by Rory Ni Coileáin

• MIG Ration, by S R Jones

• Going Back, by Sacchi Green

• World Behind and Home Ahead, by Sara Testarossa

• The Call of the Suet, by Sarah Hadley Brook

• Research & Development, by Shaina Phillips

• Into the Void, by Shannon Brady

• The Silkie’s Dance, by Shannon West

• Seal Hunt, by Shirley Meier

• Shrimpanzee FIRST IN BOOK, by Sionnain Bailey

• The Woman With No Name, by Siri Paulson

• Memories of Clay, by Spencer Mann

• Simulacrum, by Steve Carr

• The Experience, by Steve Fuson

• Flight, by Steven Harper

• Birds of New Atlantis, by Stewart C Baker

• Lurching Forward, by Sydney Blackburn

• Spores of Retribution, by Tray Ellis

• Skin Hunger, by Treasure Nguyen

• Elvira, by Trevor Barton

• Ever After, by Warren Rochelle

• Into the Light, by Wart Hill

• Dryads, by X Marduk

• Stream of Consciousness, by Ziggy Schutz

 

How to Write Good Flash Fiction & Announcing “When the World Stopped”

Quick post this week to share two pieces of exciting news.

First, I have another flash fiction story out–my first pro sale! It’s magical realism, titled “When the World Stopped”, and you can read it for free at the Daily Science Fiction e-zine. (Flash fiction is defined as a really short story. This one is a little under 600 words, plus the bonus “making of” blurb at the end.)

Second, if you want to polish your own flash fiction writing skills (or are just curious about what goes into making a really short story effective), you’re in luck! Last weekend I was a guest at an online seminar on writing flash fiction, a roundtable hosted on Facebook by the website Queer Sci Fi. Read the results here: How to Write Good Flash Fiction.

Now I have no more pending publication announcements, so I need to get busy and write some more shorts…

My 2017: Writing Cycles at Turtleduck Press and Publishing Updates

I’m over at Turtleduck Press this week, talking about my 2017 and the various cycles that affect my writing. Here’s a snippet:

I started a cycle: keep an eye on upcoming themed calls for submission (anthologies and the like), use the themes as inspiration, write a story, submit just before deadline, repeat. It worked really well for generating stories (though somewhat less well for selling them), and for a while I was on a roll.

You can read the rest at Turtleduck Press.

I sold three stories this year–my first sales to markets outside of Turtleduck Press! (I’ll spare you the rest of the exclamation marks.) Two of the three are already out and available for purchase. I’ve mentioned them before, but here they are again for the record:

I won third place in a flash fiction contest with my SF story “Urban Renewal”. The top contestants were collected into an anthology, Queer Sci Fi’s Renewal. Details and buy links here.

 

 

And my 7,400 word short story A New Year on Vega III, a queer SF romance, was released just this past weekend, as part of a larger holiday-themed collection. All the details here.

My third sale, to a pro-rate market, isn’t out yet, but I’ll certainly let you know when it is!

I also released two pieces that can be read for free at Turtleduck Press:

• “The Data Carrier”, an SF short story; and
• “Operating Systems”, an SF poem.

Hmmm. What happened? Might need to write more fantasy this year…

In Turtleduck Press news, we released Erin Zarro’s third Fey Touched novel, Ever Touched. And we’re eagerly awaiting the imminent publication of KD Sarge’s In the Forests of the Night, the second installment in her fantasy-adventure tale that began with Burning Bright. Stay tuned for the cover reveal and release date!

 

New Release: A New Year on Vega III

Out now! My SF holiday romance A New Year on Vega III, a 7,400 word short story, is now available for purchase in the ebook format of your choice. Here are the cover and blurb:

On the colony planet Vega III, everyone knows Beck—outgoing, fabulous, and genderqueer—and nobody notices Anil, the quiet plant biologist. But when Anil finds Beck hiding in his greenhouse, lonely and missing Earth, it’s Anil who is able to comfort Beck by letting them talk about what they miss most—the feeling that comes with celebrating the holidays with loved ones, especially New Year’s Eve.

​The two of them are drawn to one another, but both of them are hiding secrets about their sexuality. With trust between them already on shaky ground, Anil’s elaborate plans to cheer Beck may well backfire.

And there’s an excerpt over here at the publisher’s website.

Order links: Amazon | Kobo | direct from publisher

If you like it, be sure to check out some of the other books in the “A Holiday to Remember” collection by Mischief Corner Books! They’re all queer romance, some contemporary and others speculative. I can recommend Safety Protocols for Human Holidays by Angel Martinez–a seriously hilarious F/F science fiction tale on a spaceship.

And if you read it, don’t forget to leave a review on Goodreads, Amazon, or LibraryThing. Reviews are wonderful things–they help authors with visibility, and they help readers find books they love.

Book News: Third Place in Queer Sci Fi’s Renewal Anthology Contest

Hi folks! I’m coming out of blog hiatus to share some good news that’s been a looong time coming — my first sale to a publisher! (Turtleduck Press is co-run by me, so it’s a different ballgame.) Technically it was a website contest, but I’m getting paid and my work is appearing in an anthology, so it’s the same thing as far as I’m concerned.

Here’s the part that’s even more awesome: I placed third in the contest, out of over 200 entries.

And equally awesome: my story got an illustration. How cool is that?

The piece in question is a 300-word flash fiction SF story called “Urban Renewal”. I’ve rarely written stories that short, so I’m very pleased with how well this one turned out.

Content warning: some of the stories in the anthology may be sexually explicit, although mine is not one of them.

Full info about Renewal is below. It’s available in ebook or B&W paperback, with a full-colour version to follow. (If you’re not in the US, be patient — it may take a few weeks to appear on the international Amazon sites.)

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The website Queer Sci Fi has a new book out, the latest in a series of flash fiction anthologies:

Re.new.al (noun)

1) Resuming an activity after an interruption, or
2) Extending a contract, subscription or license, or
3) Replacing or repairing something that is worn out, run-down, or broken, or
4) Rebirth after death.

Four definitions to spark inspiration, a limitless number of stories to be conceived. Only 110 made the cut.

Thrilling to hopeful, Renewal features 300-word speculative fiction ficlets about sexual and gender minorities to entice readers.

Welcome to Renewal.

Mischief Corner Books (info only) | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

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Excerpt

Because these stories are only 300 words each, we’re not supplying long excerpts, but here are the first lines of several of the stories. Enjoy!

“Griselda pulled the weeds from between the rows of Valerianella locusta plants in the garden, careful not to disturb the buds that would grow into the babies that were her only real income-producing crop.” —The Witches’ Garden, by Rie Sheridan Rose

“I didn’t know how truly the world was in trouble until I went journeying to look for Anisette’s bluebonnets.” —Bluebonnets, by Emily Horner

“The ship’s drive malfunctioned at the worst possible time.” —The Return, by Andrea Speed

“Before we continue, there’s a rather macabre fact about me I should share.” —Rejuvenation, by Christine Wright

“When I died they buried me at the bottom of the garden and returned to the fields.” —Below the Hill, by Matthew Bright

“The world is ending and I can’t look away from your eyes.” —Sunrise, by Brigitte Winter

““Losing one’s superpowers to your arch nemesis sucks donkey nuts, I tell ya. And trust me when I say I suck a lot of them.” —Rainbow Powers, by Dustin Karpovich

“The day I was born again was damp, rainy—a good day for rebirth, all things considered.” —The Birthing Pod, by Michelle Browne

“Intwir’s twelve eyes roved over the container, taking in the cracked outer lock and the elasticated fabric stretched tightly over its exterior.” —In a Bind, by S R Jones

“‘You’ve reached Androgyne HelpLine. Press one to start service. Press two to interrupt or cancel service. Press three—’” —Auto-Renew, by Ginger Streusel

“The doctor tells me that my wife is dying, but I already know.” —I Will Be Your Shelter, by Carey Ford Compton

“‘San Francisco was the first to go dark, followed by Los Angeles.’” —When Light Left, by Lex Chase

“My fingers lingered on the synthetic skin, trailing soft patterns across my work.” —Miss You, by Stephanie Shaffer

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Included Authors

‘Nathan Burgoine
A.M. Leibowitz
A.M. Soto
Abby Bartle
Aidee Ladnier
Alexis Woods
Andi Deacon
Andrea Felber Seligman
Andrea Speed
Andrea Stanet
Anne McPherson
Bey Deckard
Brigitte Winter
Carey Ford Compton
Carol Holland March
Carrie Pack
Catherine Lundoff
CB Lee
Christine Wright
Colton Aalto
Daniel Mitton
Dustin Blottenberger
Dustin Karpovich
E R Zhang
E.J. Russell
E.W. Murks
Ell Schulman
Ellery Jude
Eloreen Moon
Elsa M León
Emily Horner
Eric Alan Westfall
F.T. Lukens
Fenrir Cerebellion
Foster Bridget Cassidy
Ginger Streusel
Hannah Henry
Irene Preston
J. Alan Veerkamp
J. P. Egry
J. Summerset
J.S. Fields
Jaap Boekestein
Jackie Keswick
Jana Denardo
Jeff Baker
Jenn Burke
Joe Baumann
John Moralee
Jon Keys
Jude Dunn
K.C. Faelan
Kelly Haworth
Kiterie Aine
Kristen Lee
L M Somerton
L. Brian Carroll
L.M. Brown
L.V. Lloyd
Laurie Treacy
Leigh M. Lorien
Lex Chase
Lia Harding
Lin Kelly
Lloyd A. Meeker
Lyda Morehouse
M.D. Grimm
Martha J. Allard
Mary E. Lowd
Matt Doyle
Matthew Bright
Mia Koutras
Michelle Browne
Milo Owen
Mindy Leana Shuman
Naomi Tajedler
Natsuya Uesugi
Nephy Hart
Nicole Dennis
Ofelia Gränd
Patricia Scott
Paul Stevens
PW Covington
R R Angell
R.L. Merrill
Rebecca Cohen
Redfern Jon Barrett
Reni Kieffer
Richard Amos
RL Mosswood
Robyn Walker
Rory Ni Coileain
Rose Blackthorn
Ross Common
S R Jones
Sacchi Green
Sarah Einstein
Shilo Quetchenbach
Siri Paulson
Soren Summers
Stephanie Shaffer
Steve Fuson
Tam Ames
Terry Poole
Tray Ellis
Vivien Dean
Wendy Rathbone
Xenia Melzer
Zen DiPietro
Zev de Valera

Convention Report: World Fantasy Convention 2012, Part 1

I just got back from attending the World Fantasy Convention for the first time. World Fantasy 2012 was in Toronto, luckily for me. It was a pretty awesome experience — the hotel was packed with top-notch SF/fantasy/horror writers and publishing types, the room parties spilled out into the hallway, the dealers’ room was like a giant SF/F/H bookstore.

And…we got bags of free books to take home. I heard rumours that some bags contained the latest books from Mercedes Lackey and Tanya Huff, but didn’t see any myself. I did score a copy of The Lives We Lost by Megan Crewe (YA dystopian, the sequel to The Way We Fall). Pretty pleased, since it won’t be in stores until February!

I’m not blogging just to brag, though. I also went to some great panels, and I wanted to share some of the highlights…