Taking an August blogging break

I'll be taking a blogging break during the month of August. Even though I'm not going on vacation, I wanted to step back from blogging and see how that affects my fiction and nonfiction writing. I'll let people know how it went in early September.

Until then, here's a new review of Interzone #217 in the August issue of SF Crowsnest. Gareth D. Jones has some very nice things to say about my story "The Ships Like Clouds, Risen By Their Rain" (such as calling it "a very enjoyable yarn"). There is also a review in Best SF, which says that my story is "As inventive a piece of world-building as you generally see in short SF." When combined with the glowing comments from a previous review, all I can say is, "Wow! I could really get used to reviews like this!"

Literary criticism and the difference in good and bad editors

A friend of mine, Dan Schneider, has a fascinating essay up dealing with his experiences with Cambridge University Press. An excerpt from one of Dan's critical essays was recently reprinted in their new textbook Contemporary Fiction: TheNovel Since 1990, edited by Pamela Bickley. As Dan points out in the essay, he wasn't paid for this reprinting and knew going in that the editors would probably take his words out of context. All he asked was that the editors not mangle his criticism too much and credit him as "Dan Schneider, webmaster of Cosmoetica.com, reprinted with permission from Hackwriters.com." As you can see by reading the essay, the editors couldn't even get that one simple request right.

Contrast this with Stanley Schmidt and the other editors of Analog Science Fiction and Fact. My story "Where Away You Fall" is forthcoming in Analog and yesterday I received the page proofs so I can have a final look before the story is published. Very nice. That's how good editors do things--as opposed to the esteemed Cambridge U.P.

Review of June 2008 Strange Horizons fiction

My take on the June 2008 fiction from Strange Horizons is now up at The Fix short fiction review. Of the five stories published that month by Strange Horizons, my favorite was "Jimmy’s Roadside Cafe" by Ramsey Shehadeh. For complete details, please see my review.

As a staff reviewer for The Fix, I will be reviewing Strange Horizons' fiction each month. Look for my thoughts on their July fiction in early August.

Vincent Chong's artwork for my upcoming story

Vincent Chong illustrated my story "The Ships Like Clouds, Risen By Their Rain," which is due to be published in a few days in issue 217 of Interzone. He has now uploaded a full-color version of the story's artwork--titled "The Weather Tower"--to his website.

I think Chong's interpretation of the story is amazing. In other good news, Chong said he will also illustrate my next story for Interzone, titled "When Thorns Are The Tips Of Trees." I'm truly honored that Interzone has paired me with this world-class artist. I should also mention that Chong sells prints of all of the artwork found on his website.

Interzone issue 217

CoverIssue 217 of Interzone will be published July 3rd and features my story "The Ships Like Clouds, Risen By Their Rain."

Vincent Chong did the art for my story. After seeing an advanced copy of his art I can only fall to the ground and say, "My story's not worthy. My story's not worthy."

All modesty aside, I think this is one of the best stories I've ever written and I look forward to seeing how readers like it.

Review of Tales of Moreauvia #1

The Fix has published my review of the premier issue of the new semi-prozine Tales of Moreauvia. In short, ToM is an excellent debut on the semi-prozine level--i.e., a semi-professional magazine, existing between the worlds of the professional SF/F magazines and the fan-created publications--and contains some top-notch stories by Gary K. Wolf, Rita Oakes, Daniel Pearlman, and others.

As a side note, I will be reviewing short fiction journals on a regular basis for The Fix. My next assignment is to do a series of monthly reviews of the fiction published by Strange Horizons. Look for my review of SH's June fiction on The Fix in early July.

Now back to the previously interrupted judging of the Million Writers Award.

Interzone and a preview of my story

Issue 216 of Interzone--the much publicized mundane science fiction issue--arrived in my mailbox on Saturday. I'm reading through the stories now and plan to publish a review of both the issue and the entire mundane manifesto.

First, though, a few words of excitement: The inside cover of the magazine plugs my upcoming story "The Ships Like Clouds, Risen By Their Rain," which should be in the next issue. The tiny piece of the artwork for my story, from Vincent Chong, looks amazing. I can't wait to see the entire art spread.

The Liar's Review of James Frey's Bright Shiny Morning

Monsters and Critics has published my new essay "The Liar's Review of James Frey's Bright Shiny Morning." As you may remember, Frey's best-selling memoir A Million Little Pieces turned out to be a million little lies. So what's a book reviewer to do when reviewing the novel of an author with a well-known aversion to the truth? Why the reviewer should do just like Frey did in his "memoir" and lie.

And just in case Frey hasn't irritated everyone in America, he's now thrown down the gauntlet to his fellow writers by stating that "Writer's block is for chumps." Charming guy.

Review of Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse, edited by John Joseph Adams

A few minutes ago Monsters and Critics published my review of the short story anthology Wastelands: Stories of the Apocalypse, edited by John Joseph Adams. I'm probably the last person on earth to review this wonderful book, which fits nicely since these this is a collection of the best end-of-the-world stories from recent years. The long and short of my review is that I really enjoyed the stories in this anthology. However, I also wonder (and explore in the review) if the recent surge of post apocalyptic stories might now have passed its high water mark.

Maps of the Bible

My short story "Maps of the Bible" has just been published over on Monsters and Critics. Set in Alabama during the early 1960s, the tale is in some ways a ghost story (although it would be more correct to place the story within the Southern Gothic genre of literature). "Maps of the Bible" also functions as a prologue to my short novel Jeremiah, which consists of the story sequence "Cold Pelts," "One Side, Two Weeks, One Bathroom," and "Water Hearts."

Into the Depths of Illuminated Seas

I have been negligent in mentioning that my novelette "Into the Depths of Illuminated Seas" is forthcoming in issue two of Tales of Moreauvia. TOM is a new magazine edited by Pete S. Allen which will feature fiction andarticles around alternate histories and what-ifs. According to Allen, the inaugural issue is at the printer right now and will be available shortly.

Big Interzone news

Issue 215 of Interzone arrived in my mailbox this week and my name is listed on page two under the "coming soon: stories by ..." section. According to Interzone editor Andy Cox, my story "The Ships Like Clouds, Risen By Their Rain" is tentatively slated for issue 217. Vincent Chong is also illustrating the story, which is amazing news because I'm a big fan of his artwork. You can see samples of his work here.

In even more exciting news, Andy e-mailed me today to say that a second story of mine, "When Thorns Are The Tips Of Trees," has just been accepted by Interzone. I'd like to publicly thank Andy, Jetse de Vries, and all the editors of Interzone for the faith and support they've shown my writing.

Interview with fantasy author Jim C. Hines

Fantasy writer Jim C. Hines--author of the humorous novels Goblin Quest and Goblin Hero, along with numerous short stories--has a new book out. In honor of this, Monsters and Critics has published my new interview with Hines in which we discuss everything from whether psychology helps one understand humor to whether or not the United States is ready to elect a goblin as President. M&C has also published my review of Hines's new novel Goblin War, which is (to quote myself) "laugh-out-loud funny."

Story of the week: "Pump Six" by Paolo Bacigalupi

Monsters and Critics just published my review of Pump Six and Other Stories by Paolo Bacigalupi. Without giving too much away, I believe this is the best speculative fiction short story collection since Ted Chiang's Stories of Your Life and Others (but you can read the review for more on all that).

My intention here, though, is to highlight one of the stories in the collection: the previously unpublished title story of "Pump Six." The story focuses on Travis Alvarez, a maintenance man who helps keep the sewage pumps going in a future New York City. Because of ever-present pollution, the intelligence of the city's residents has plummeted to incredible lows. Even Alvarez himself is not an intelligent man, being at best average by today's terms. However, he has enough knowledge and concern left to know it is vitally important that the city's ancient sewage pumps keep running, or else a toxic mess will kill millions. But most New Yorkers don't see what harm can come from a few backed up toilets. Even his girlfriend, who almost blows up their apartment searching for a gas leak with a lit match, tells Alvarez not to take his job so seriously. Why worry about things like sewage pumps when there are so many parties and drugs to be had?

In many ways "Pump Six" is a reverse echo of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, a 21st century warning about how societies exist because people like Alvarez do their part to maintain them. Just as in Huxley's novel, everyone Alvarez encounters seems to care little beyond using sex and drugs to tune themselves into nothingness. While Alvarez is attracted to this sensual oblivion, he also knows what's at stake and that, tragically, he's not equal to the task thrust upon him. Still, reaching for that hallmark element of humanity--the endless struggle against hopeless odds--Alvarez strives to find a way to keep the pumps going.

Bacigalupi has previously been nominated for a number of Hugo and Nebula awards. If there is any justice in the world, "Pump Six" will be the story that wins him one of those coveted awards.

Story accepted by Analog Science Fiction and Fact

This afternoon the mailman delivered an acceptance letter and contract from Analog Science Fiction and Fact for one of my short stories. Obviously I'm extremely excited about this and have been doing the happy writer dance for the last few hours. Not that the happy writer dance is anything to write home about--as we all know, writers have less dance ability than your average clown with two left feet.

"Dipping Their Toes..." essay now online

My essay "Dipping Their Toes in the Genre Pool: The U.S. Literary Establishment's Need-Hate Relationship with Speculative Fiction" was published in the New York Review of Science Fiction about six months ago and stirred up a minor hornet's nest (for a summary of this angry buzzing, see my original post on the matter).

For those who missed the essay, it has now been reprinted online in Monsters and Critics. I've updated the essay slightly to clarify my earlier points about the U.S. literary establishment. I also added in information about Michael Chabon's essay on Cormac McCarthy's The Road. Chabon's essay had just been published when my own essay was accepted by the NYRSF, so obviously I didn't mention it. But it would be silly not to include such a mention in this reprinting. For those who don't want to wade through the whole essay for one new section, in summary I think Chabon's essay is an excellent examination of McCarthy's book. I also feel it doesn't change my basic argument that the U.S. literary establish has a double standard when it comes to speculative fiction.