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Release Day for Lori M. Lee!

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Today is the book birthday for Gates of Thread and Stone the first book in an exciting new series by my critique partner extraordinaire Lori M. Lee!

I had the good fortune of reading and responding to an early version of the book and just know you will love Lori’s blend of fantasy, adventure and romance set in an original and intriguing world. But you don’t have to take my word for it. Check out what other writers are saying about Lori’s debut.

Plus a cover this pretty belongs on your bookshelf:

About Gates of Thread and Stone:

In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.

In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.

Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.

IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | The Book Depository

I’m so proud of Lori and hope you’ll help me celebrate her release day!


The Great Internet Slowdown

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anigifNet Neutrality is in danger thanks to the maneuverings of Big Cable and their puppet, the FCC chair Tom Wheeler. This country already has a severe problem with the technological gulf created by the information haves and have-nots, which often falls on socioeconomic lines. By giving certain corporate interests a “fast lane” how can we ever hope to bridge that gap? I studied mass communications in grad school, and now I live in New Mexico, a poor state with internet usage well below average.

This is a personal issue for me, but with huge ramifications for the entire nation. If you support Net Neutrality, make your voice heard by September 15th. We’re running out of time to be on the the right side of history.

To understand just how bad it is, John Oliver’s examination is amazing. Brutal, but amazing.

Please visit Battle for the Internet to learn what you can do to help. Thank you!

Realizing Representation

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Once you achieve something that you’ve been working toward for a long time, it can take a while for the realization to sink into your bones. You have to keep reminding yourself that you’ve succeeded. That it’s time to look forward to the future, to whatever comes next.

In the last week or so, I’ve had many of those pinch-me-I’m-dreaming moments, usually whenever I get the urge to pull up QueryTracker or the latest post from the Guide to Literary Agents blog that appears in my RSS reader. That’s when I have to tell myself I’m no longer in the market for an agent.

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photo courtesy of Bridget Lewis of Flickr

I’m still trying to absorb all the nuances of what’s happened and what’s yet to come. I never would have dreamed my story of “the call” would include three compelling offers and two nerve-wracking weeks of PS3-playing to keep me from checking my email. Or that my love for the manuscript that got me my agent would be eclipsed by my excitement for my current work-in-progress (that I’m very eager to get back to after writing this post).

Within a few short weeks, everything has changed, and yet I’m still me, with the same insecurities, the same hopes and dreams, and the same stories in my head clamoring for attention. But I have an advocate now to make the journey forward a little less fraught. And that is an amazing thing.

Needless to say, I’m thrilled to announce I’m now represented by Lana Popovic of Chalberg and Sussman. I know I’m in good hands for this book, and I hope our partnership flourishes going forward.

I didn’t get to this point alone. Lori M. Lee, Fran Wilde, Christopher East, L. Blankenship, Catherine Schaff-Stump, Laura Snapp, Christopher Cornell, the Critical Mass writing group, and my husband Eric all provided me with support, encouragement, and most importantly feedback, on this winding road.

Hopefully the news will sink in soon. In the meantime, please accept this GIF-free post as testament to the exciting next stage of my writing journey, whatever it brings!

New Story Live and More

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It’s been an exciting couple of weeks, including lots of travel for a wedding of a good friend and a weekend getaway with my husband that we’ve been pushing off for months because things have been so busy between the two of us. Normally, this time of year is the cause of much anxiety with the relentless march toward the holiday season, but once I get back from World Fantasy next week, I am relatively unscheduled for the rest of the year, something I am very excited about because it means a return to our relatively mundane lives and of course my writing schedule.
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I’m also pleased to announce my story “Digital Ligatures” is now live in Issue 31 of The Future Fire, a magazine of social, political, and speculative cyber-fiction. I’m thrilled that my story is illustrated by Martin Hanford, whose work happens to be the cover image as well. So please check out my story as well as the rest of the issue!

TheFutureFireIssue31cover

In other news, I’ve received copyedits for my story appearing in an anthology set in S.M. Stirling’s Emberverse. You can see the full TOC and cover copy over at Alternate History Weekly Update. And the publisher has passed along the cover as well, so hopefully that will hold you over until the book is available from Penguin/Roc this coming June.

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That’s it for me. Happy writing!

Sale to Unlikely Story!

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I’m thrilled to announce that my story “Jump Cut” will be published in The Journal of Unlikely Cryptography, the 11th issue of Unlikely Story, available February 2015.

This story is a personal favorite of mine, so I hope you’ll keep an eye out for when it goes live. In the meantime, check out the table of contents for the other great writers that also have stories in the issue.

And for a sneak peak at what the story’s all about, you can check out my Pinterest board chock full of visual inspiration.

Needless to say this sale is a great way to close out the year. Happy writing!

Oh Hai, 2015!

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It’s been a while. 2014 is gone, and much of January for that matter, and 2015 is here to stay. I promised myself I’d start blogging more regularly, but you can see how that’s turned out. Between the holidays, a poorly-timed cold, and tons of writing, there hasn’t been a whole lot of time to ring in the New Year properly.

But the writing is going well, even if I don’t have much to show for it. Revisions to two WIPs have commanded most of my attention lately, and my short stories in circulation have dwindled as a result. But luckily I have a bunch of new ideas that I’m looking forward to fleshing out to keep me busy well into 2015.

But there’s more in store for this year!

On March 10, 2015, The Infinite releases from Skyscape, the sequel to Gates of Thread and Stone by my fantastic critique partner Lori M. Lee. This YA fantasy series about a girl who can manipulate the threads of time and finds herself at the center of a conflict between the gods has a great mix of action, adventure, and romance. Add it to you TBR pile!

TheInfinite

June 2, The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth releases from Roc and features my story “Against the Wind.” Set in S.M. Stirling’s post-apocalyptic Emberverse, where all electronics, explosives, and internal combustion engines mysteriously cease working and humanity must find a way to survive, this anthology is a great introduction to Steve’s world or fun companion to his novels, and I’m honored to be a part of it!

TheChangeAntho

Finally, this September will see the release of Fran Wilde’s debut fantasy Updraft from Tor, which yours truly had a sneak peek at during its development. Fran’s a wonderful writer and trusted friend, so I hope you’ll check out her story of bone towers, man-made wings, and creatures that roam the clouds!

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Hopefully 2015 will have even more amazing things to come. In the meantime, happy writing!

“Jump Cut” in Unlikely Story #11 Now Live

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I’m happy to announce my cyberpunk story “Jump Cut” is now live in Unlikely Story #11, The Journal of Unlikely Cryptography!

VideoDrone by Linda Saboe

“Jump Cut” includes hover cross, gambling, and a dash of film theory. To learn more about the inspiration behind the story, check out my related Pinterest board and my author interview with Unlikely Story. The story is a personal favorite of mine and holds the record in close-but-no-cigar rejections out of all my short pieces. I’m just glad that the unlikely editors of Unlikely Story loved it as much as I do!

Be sure to check out the entire issue for stories by Levi Sable, Curtis C. Chen, Barry King, Fiona Moore, and Joseph Tomaras:

you’ll find stories exploring the limits and possibilities of technology and the various ways it defines, enhances, and intersects with humanity. An unorthodox application of a 3D printer; the creation of private worlds; hacking the human brain with extreme video sequences; parents customizing ideal children through knitted code; a self-aware AI taking up the pirating life; and a cult seeking transcendence through transformation — all of these stories explore coding, hacking, cracking, and our relationship with technology in most unlikely ways. (Editor’s Note, Journal of Unlikely Cryptography, Issue 11)


In other news, there’s only a week left to get a print copy of Fat Girl in a Strange Land, the 2012 anthology from Crossed Genres Publications, featuring my story “The Tradeoff.”

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To learn more about the anthology, check out the CGP website.

The Drafting and Revision Process with Lori M. Lee – The Infinite Blog Tour

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Today, I’m thrilled to host young adult author Lori M. Lee on her tour for The Infinite, book two in the Gates of Thread and Stone fantasy series from Skyscape. The novels are about a young woman named Kai who can manipulate the threads of time and finds herself at the center of a conflict between the gods. Each volume has a great mix of action, adventure, and romance, not to mention twisty plots that will keep you guessing. Lori is an amazing author and friend, so please welcome her!

TheInfiniteBlogTourBe sure to check out the Rafflecopter giveaway at the end of the post!


The Drafting and Revision Process for Lori M. Lee

I’m an outliner. I spend a lot of time just preparing to write the book. For one of my books, I have an 8-page glossary and nearly 50 pages of world building. The outline is 24 pages. All that took over a month before I was even ready to put down some words. Some of you are shaking your heads at me and muttering, “Weirdo.” You’d be right ;)

Once I’ve got my outline, I can complete a first draft in four weeks. This is usually a 40k – 50k bare bones draft that needs a lot of fleshing out. This isn’t always the case (The Infinite was a 70k first draft), but it has been for most of my manuscripts. In the second draft, I fix any major plot or pacing issues. I take my time with it. I go through sentence by sentence, rewriting and tweaking every line and bulking it up. I do this a third time if necessary before I feel it’s ready to be seen by my CPs.

Once it’s in my CPs’ hands, I take a break and work on other things or I veg out to Game of Thrones. Then when they return the ms (they are always so fast, I love them <3), I do another round of revisions based on their feedback. Then I either send it back to them for a second read and/or I pass it on to my agent. She always has great things to say, so likely I will do another round or two of revisions with her as well.

Sometimes, she won’t like it and decide I need to start over again. That’s always hard to hear, but also always on point. And sometimes she’ll love it, and we’ll prepare to go on submission :)

Hope that was somewhat insightful into my process!

About the Author:

lori_smallLori M. Lee is the author of young adult fantasy novels Gates of Thread and Stone and The Infinite. She has a borderline obsessive fascination with unicorns, is fond of talking in capslock, and loves to write about magic, manipulation, and family. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, kids, and a friendly pitbull.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest | Instagram


Gates of Thread and Stone

Gates-cover-FINAL-medIn the Labyrinth, we had a saying: keep silent, keep still, keep safe.

In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.

Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.

IndieBound | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Brilliance Audio | iTunes

The Infinite

TheInfiniteThe walls of Ninurta keep its citizens safe.

Kai always believed the only danger to the city came from within. Now, with a rebel force threatening the fragile government, the walls have become more of a prison than ever.

To make matters worse, as Avan explores his new identity as an Infinite, Kai struggles to remind him what it means to be human. And she fears her brother, Reev, is involved with the rebels. With the two people she cares about most on opposite sides of a brewing war, Kai will do whatever it takes to bring peace. But she’s lost her power to manipulate the threads of time, and she learns that a civil war might be the beginning of something far worse that will crumble not only Ninurta’s walls but also the entire city.

In this thrilling sequel to Gates of Thread and Stone, Kai must decide how much of her humanity she’s willing to lose to protect the only family she’s ever known.

IndieBound | Amazon.com | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Brilliance Audio


Praise for Gates of Thread and Stone:

Lori M. Lee excels in building a world of intrigue, oppression, and magic amidst a Labyrinth setting as twisted and winding as the secrets hidden inside her characters’ hearts. Fans of strong heroines who don’t need a boy to hold their hands, action-packed fighting scenes, and whispers of steampunk and mythology, will find themselves wishing they, too, could manipulate the threads of time, if only to stay inside the story a little longer.”

A.G. Howard, New York Times bestselling author of the SPLINTERED series

A fast-paced, heart-wrenching whirl of a story full of magic, immortals, and a romance that will leave readers gasping for more. I adored the tough, scrappy narrator and fell in love with the boy chasing after her heart. Lori M. Lee introduces us to a fantasy world unlike any other and gives us the first taste of an epic love story in the making. I can’t wait for more!”

Mindee Arnett, THE NIGHTMARE AFFAIR series and AVALON series

Inventive, romantic, and gripping. I was hooked from the first page!”

Amy Tintera, REBOOT and REBEL

A thrilling adventure in a vivid world, GATES OF THREAD AND STONE is the kind of book you want to read both fast and slow: fast to find out what happens next and slow to savor the journey. I couldn’t put it down.”

Sarah Beth Durst

Lee has woven a captivating fantasy that will thread its way into your heart and pull you into a world of magic and intrigue.”

Christina Farley, GILDED and SILVERN


And….Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


New Mexico Events for The Change Anthology Release!

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This June, The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth releases from Roc, and I’m honored my story “Against the Wind” will be included in the anthology. Stories are set in New York Times best-selling author S.M. Stirling’s post-apocalyptic Emberverse, where all electronics, explosives, and internal combustion engines mysteriously cease working and humanity must find a way to survive.
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The anthology — with stories from SF luminaries including Stirling, Harry Turtledove, Walter Jon Williams, John Birmingham, John Barnes, Jane Lindskold and others — is a great introduction to Steve’s world or a fun companion to his novels.
To celebrate the release, the following events are planned:
Kicking things off on Monday, June 15 at 7pm, a number of contributing authors (including me!) will be joining S.M. Stirling at George R. R. Martin’s Jean Cocteau Cinema in the historic Railyard District of Santa Fe. Following a panel discussion, there will be a mass signing with the anthology contributors.

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Then on Saturday, June 27 at 4pm, another panel discussion and signing will occur at Page 1 Books in Albuquerque, which has been locally owned and operated for over thirty years. If you are in the area, please join me and many of the local SF authors in the state.
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If the timing for these two events doesn’t work, you can always catch the contributing authors at an anthology-based panel at Bubonicon this year—New Mexico’s oldest science fiction and fantasy convention.

Bubonicon47

The theme this year is “Women of Wonder” with co-guests of honor Tamora Pierce and Catherynne M. Valente, toastmistress Mary Robinette Kowal, and guest artist Ruth Sanderson. August 28-20th at the Albuquerque Marriott Uptown.
Mark your calendars!

Recap: The Change Anthology Release Party

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A week ago, I drove up to Santa Fe to join S.M. Stirling and eight other contributors to The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth anthology for the release party at the Violet Crown Cinema in the historic railyard district.

TheChangeAntho

George R. R. Martin was our host, and he introduced Steve to an enthusiastic crowd, joking that he was confused as to why Steve chose to focus an anthology on menopause. He didn’t, of course. The Change was established in Stirling’s post-apocalyptic novel Dies the Fire, where all electronics, explosives, and internal combustion engines mysteriously cease working and humanity must find a way to survive. Since then, eleven other books have followed, some hitting the New York Times bestsellers’ list. Steve provides a great introduction to his world (and a tasty recipe!) in the Book Bites feature on Fran Wilde’s blog.

The anthology is testament to the success of Stirling’s Emberverse novels and their enthusiastic fanbase, and Steve announced that if the anthology sells well, another one could be in the works. For The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth, he asked his writing friends and colleagues to contribute stories.

The Change anthology participants at the Violet Crown Cinema. S.M. Stirling fifth from left.

The Change anthology participants at the Violet Crown Cinema. S.M. Stirling fifth from left.

Going from left to right, we’ll start with Diana Paxson. She flew in from California for the event, and Steve said her The Chronicles of Westria novels were a huge influence on him, so much so he’s named the Emberverse version of California Westria. Of course, that’s where she chose to set her story as well.

Next is Kier Salmon, who since the beginning of this series has served as Steve’s Wiccan adviser, given the role of the religion in the books, and edits the Emberverse fan fiction site. She was able to adapt one of her beloved fan fiction pieces for the anthology.

Jane Lindskold is a prominent New Mexican writer, currently with a science fiction series with Tor that starts with Artemis Awakening. Her story for the anthology is set in the Southwest, a part of the world that hasn’t really been explored in the Emberverse books.

Similarly, Walter Jon Williams, another well-regarded New Mexico writer, chose a story setting that fell outside the reach of the books, a nautical tale rife with politics in post-Change Venice. He provides more context about his story in his blog post Time for a Change.

Stirling, the central figure in the picture, chose to write a side story about the main character from The Golden Princess, book ten in the series.

Next to him, Victor Milán, another New Mexican writer, whose Dinosaur Lords releases next month from Tor, chose to explore the post-Change environment in Mexico. And you can learn more about the inspiration for his story in the blog post The Change: Sandbox Play.

John Jos. Miller, also based in New Mexico, long associated with the Wild Cards franchise as well as the comics and graphic novel industry, explored what happens to zoo animals and the humans still struggling to survive in post-Change Florida by updating the Tarzan trope.

M. T. Reiten, a local author and finalist in the 2005 Writers of the Future Contest, used his doctorate in physics to explore what scientific principles had changed and what that actually meant for society in his story for the anthology.

Emily Mah, also known as E. M. Tippets in romance circles, mined her LDS background to show how the Change affected a number college students at a faith-based college. Emily also has the honor of being tuckerized by Steve in the series.

Finally there’s me on the right end if you squint!

I’d been in a critique group with Stirling, Miller, Milán, Reiten, and Mah for about a year when Steve invited me to write a story for the anthology. I admit I was a little freaked out when that happened. It’s a huge honor to be asked, and it implies a lot of trust on his part in my abilities. And I almost said no, since I didn’t want to let him down with whatever story I came up with.

But I couldn’t ignore the opportunity, so I wrote my story “Against the Wind,” sent it in to Steve, and was beyond thrilled when he accepted it.

A review from Open Letters Monthly says:

“But there are more than enough standout stories to make the volume a must for Change fiction fans. In Lauren Teffeau’s “Against the Wind,” for example, a single father named Mitch – with his young son and daughter as crew – has survived the early days of the Change by using his wind-powered yacht to scavenge dead vessels at sea off the west coast of Alaska. Teffeau does a very effective job of describing some of the horrors they encounter at sea, and she’s equally effective with the more complicated dangers Mitch faces when trying to barter his scavenged goods with a man named Dixon, head of a new and growing settlement that’s becoming more and more wary of his business.”

Needless to say, I’m grateful to Stirling for the opportunity to play in his world and that people seem to like the story so far!

A candid of S.M. Stirling, George R. R. Martin, and Walter Jon Williams during the celebration after the panel

A candid of S.M. Stirling, George R. R. Martin, and Walter Jon Williams during the celebration after the panel

The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth is a great introduction to Steve’s world or a nice companion to his novels, so please consider purchasing it from your local bookstore. If it continues to do well, there just might be another volume in the future!

And if you live in New Mexico, join us at 4pm on Saturday, June 27th at Page1 Books in Albuquerque for another author event with Stirling showcasing the anthology! See you there!

Summer Roundup!

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This summer has simply flown by, and I’m appalled we’re nearly halfway through August already. My writing has ebbed and flowed these past few weeks but I’ve been staying busy, even if it hasn’t always translated into words on the page. Behold:

June

To celebrate the release of The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth by Roc, including my story “Against the Wind,” I participated in the anthology’s book launch in Santa Fe (which I talked about last time). There was also another author event a bit closer to home in Albuquerque at Page1 Books. I joined editor S.M. Stirling and fellow contributors Jane Lindskold, Emily Mah, Victor Milán, and John Jos. Miller.

Milan, Miller, Lindskold, Me (answering a question), Stirling, & Mah

Milan, Miller, Lindskold, Me (in orange), Stirling, & Mah at Page 1 Books in ABQ.

I’m so happy to be a part of this anthology, and am still thrilled with the review of my story in Open Letters Monthly.

July

I spent most of July on the East Coast, three weeks plus recovery time. There I visited with friends and family but also used the trip as an opportunity to attend Readercon in Boston. I’ve heard tremendous things about the convention over the years and decided my travel dollars would be better spent attending Readercon instead of this year’s Worldcon, which has been mired in controversy after controversy.

I had a wonderful time at Readercon, particularly the part where I got to hang out with some of my SF/F writing friends and make new ones. I was also able to meet Bart R. Leib and Kay T. Holt of Crossed Genres Magazine and thank them for not only publishing me twice in one of their anthologies as well as their magazine, but also giving me my first pro sale. So that was a special moment as well.

While I was in Boston, I also met with my agent Lana Popovic where, over a delightful lunch, we plotted world domination—er, rather discussed my next project. She’s closed to queries at the moment, but I highly recommend her if you are looking for an agent with a strong editorial eye and market savvy.

When I returned to New Mexico, I learned my short story “Jump Cut” published in the Journal of Unlikely Cryptography earlier this year had been nominated in Lady Business’s Short Fiction survey from Jan to March 2015.

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A heartfelt thanks to whoever nominated my story! I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t know about this site, but I’ll be participating in the Lady Business’s quarterly recommendation periods to come, and I hope you will too!

Finally, the end of July saw the release of Vic Milán’s The Dinosaur Lords from Tor. I got a sneak peak of the book while it was being workshopped, and know you are in for a treat if you like Dinosaurs and epic medieval battles!

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August

This month has been thankfully quiet so far, allowing me to get back into my writing routine and get caught up on things. However, I’m looking forward to participating in my local convention Bubonicon at the end of the month.

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The theme this year is “Women of Wonder” with co-guests of honor Tamora Pierce and Catherynne M. Valente, toastmistress Mary Robinette Kowal, and guest artist Ruth Sanderson. August 28-20th at the Albuquerque Marriott Uptown.
I also want to mention that The Future Fire magazine is celebrating ten (!) years of publication! They published my story “Digital Ligatures” last year, and I encourage you to check out their stories and support their crowdfunding campaign by preordering the celebration anthology.

TFFX

That’s it for me. Happy writing!

Professional Milestones or The Little Story that Could

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Earlier this month, Unlikely Story—a fantastic venue of, well, unlikely speculative fiction—announced they were now a SFWA-qualifying market. This was exciting news for me, as they published my short story “Jump Cut” earlier this year, and I already had two SFWA-qualifying sales under my belt. With three sales, I’m now considered a fully-fledged member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. Yay!

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This is a huge professional milestone for me for a number of reasons. First off, I primarily consider myself a novelist, so to have my membership based on my short story sales has bolstered my confidence in my craft. Since novels take more time and effort than short stories to develop (at least for me), I’m grateful there are opportunities to engage in the speculative fiction community as a professional even if I haven’t had a novel published yet.

Second, because my novel-length work is often geared toward young adults and contains romantic elements, I felt it important to demonstrate I was capable of writing a wide-range of stories for all ages. Given the tensions in the speculative fiction community over the last few years dismissing women, YA, and stories that don’t necessarily adhere to elements of the Golden Age of SF/F, I wanted my induction into this community to be unassailable. That’s also why I didn’t join SFWA as an associate member when I made my first sale, because I didn’t want to risk being viewed as a one-hit wonder. (Obviously, other writers may feel differently as to when it’s appropriate to join SFWA, but this was my process. As with anything, YMMV.)

Finally, it simply feels good to know I’m creating at a professional level. Each story I’ve had published has been a labor of love, and I’m proud of every one, regardless of what market they ended up at. But joining SFWA has been a goal of mine since I started writing SF/F, and I’m happy I’ve finally achieved it. Doesn’t mean there isn’t more work to do, but I’m looking forward to whatever comes next.

And all this wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t kept submitting “Jump Cut” to markets. I’ve talked before about the submission process, and the time it took for the story to find a home. I was thrilled when it was finally accepted for publication, and knowing it has become my third qualifying sale is just icing on the cake. For me, it is the little short story that could.

UnlikelyStoryBannerSo thank you to Unlikely Story, as well as to Crossed Genres Magazine for publishing “Forge and Fledge” and to S.M. Stirling and Roc for including “Against the Wind” in The Change anthology. You have helped me enter a new phase of my career!

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For Your Consideration – The 2016 Campbell Award

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I first learned about the Campbell Award at the 2013 LoneStarCon while attending the Hugo Awards. The Campbell – which is emphatically not a Hugo – is granted to an up-and-coming writer who has at least one pro, SFWA-qualifying sale. To be nominated is an honor, and to win places the writer in rarified company. The eligibility window starts at the publication of your first pro sale and remains open for two years.

Turns out I was eligible last year, and this year is my second and final year of eligibility. Awards are funny things. They stoke the competitive fires in every writer, but remain highly subjective. How do you compare one successful story to another? How do you decide which writer has more promise than someone else? Aren’t we all casting our words about, hoping to find an audience they resonate with? Award or no, we are all capable of greatness. Our potential lies in the blank page set before all of us.

And yet… Awards are shiny things full of covetous inspiration. Who doesn’t want one?

It’s nice to know I’m eligible—another professional milestone—even though the chances of being nominated are slim. My stories, while I’m inordinately proud of them, aren’t well-known enough to have made the impact needed to secure a nom, and I’m not a vocal participant in the SF/F community either for name recognition to help tilt the scales in my favor.

That’s why I think it’s very cool that writers S. L. Huang and Kurt Hunt put together an anthology highlighting the work of all the Campbell-eligible writers for this year—just in time for the Hugo nominating process. It’s a way to showcase all the amazing work being done by new writers, and an opportunity to discover folks like me who may not be as well-known.

UpandComingAnthoCover3_400

So get your copy of FREE, award-eligible fiction, and get reading! I’m honored to be included with the writers in this anthology. Our stories are the future of SF/F, even if there can only be one Campbell award winner this year.

Odds and Ends

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The last few months have been a whirlwind in my personal life, making wording a bit more difficult than I’d like. But! Some fun things have been happening.

 

StarShipSofa Podcast of “Jump Cut”

One of my favorite stories has been turned into a podcast by the team at StarShipSofa! “Jump Cut” originally appeared in Unlikely Story’s Journal of Unlikely Cryptography last year. The story is wonderfully narrated by Mike Boris and includes an interview with U of Washington professor Ryan Calo on robot law. Check it out!

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It’s also cool to see some of the scifi elements I included in the story become closer to reality. Recently, Ars Technica profiled a company called Halo Neuroscience that uses electrical impulses to stimulate parts of athletes’ brains to boost performance. Very similar to the performance-enhancing implants central to my story. To see more how Halo’s technology works, check out the video below:

 

 

SF Signal Mindmeld on the best writing advice

I was recently asked “What’s the best writing advice I’ve ever received?” for SF Signal’s Mindmeld feature, a roundtable of SF/F writers. Over the years, different nuggets of writerly wisdom have stayed with me, often as a function of where I am with my craft. Check out the column to see what’s guiding me these days.

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There’s also more fantastic advice from Alex Kourvo, Nghi Vo, David D. Levine, Pear Nuallak, Jon McGoran, Janet Harriett, Adrian Van Young, Yolanda Sfetsos, Robert Kroese, Kallen Dewey Kentner, and of course moi.

 

 

Reprint of “Forge and Fledge” in Spaceports and Spidersilk

Earlier this year, my story “Forge and Fledge” was included in the January 2016 issue of Spaceports and Spidersilk, a speculative fiction magazine for young adults. It was originally published in the now-defunct but not forgotten Crossed Genres Magazine and focuses on a young teen’s yearning for a better life than a hydrocarbon mining rig floating in the atmosphere of Saturn’s moon, Titan. Support the magazine and all the other talented authors in the issue.

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Recently, Titan’s been in the news thanks to Cassini spacecraft’s most recent flyby, confirming that methane fills one of the largest hydrocarbon lakes on the moon’s surface. Cool stuff!

 

 

Paperback release of The Change anthology

Last but not least, The Change: Tales of Downfall and Rebirth, featuring my story “Against the Wind,” is now available in paperback! So get yourself to the bookseller of your choice, and snap up a copy today for a great collection of post-apocalyptic adventure stories.

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That’s it for me!

Reprint in The Singularity #4

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Happy to announce my story “Jump Cut” has been reprinted in the fourth issue of The Singularity, a UK-based magazine that “publishes short stories that are singular in voice and style.” I got my copy in the mail the other day, and isn’t that cover gorgeous?

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This story is a personal favorite, and it was originally published by Unlikely Story last year. So glad it found another home!

The issue was edited by Lee P. Hogg. Other contributors include: Jon Wallace, Phillip A. Suggars, Andrew Wilmot, Elana Gomel, Tom Learmont, Jon Etter, Himanshu Goel, Edward Ahern, and Corbett Buchly.

Get your copy from Amazon or Createspace.

Still not convinced? Check out some of the visual inspiration for “Jump Cut” on my Pinterest page.


New short story “No Regrets on Fourth Street” Now Available!

New Story “The Dim Rank Dark” Now Available!

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Happy to announce my short story “The Dim Rank Dark” is now available in Incarceration, an anthology about the future of prisons from SFF micropress WolfSinger Publishing.

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From the jacket copy:

INCARCERATION

The word conjures up images of jail cells, steel bars, guards, chain gangs, prison stripes and more.

In this anthology seventeen authors tell tales of possible future incarceration methods: Genetic Engineering to create a new breed of prison guards. Viral Engineering to create a medically induced coma that can be programmed for a specific length of time. Prisoners who volunteer to be human Guinea Pigs to receive early releases – if they survive. A “Fun House” that helps people to move past their prejudices and pre-conceived ideas of others.

These and other forms of imprisonment are available for you to explore – from a safe distance – in these pages. Some are indictments of the system, with those who are not-guilty punished for something they didn’t do. Some offer harsh punishments for what seems like only a minor infraction and others explore the human side of imprisonment in unique ways. Join us – we promise you’ll be released at the end of each story.

The anthology also includes stories from: Rebecca McFarland Kyle, David Boop, Melodie Bolt, Dean Anthony Brink, Dawn M. Sooy, A. L. Sirois, David B. Riley, Andrew M. Seddon, Cheryl Toner, S. D. Matley, Catrin Sian Rutland, Frank Montellano, Gerry Griffiths, Liam Hogan, Lyn Godfrey, and R. Joseph Maas.

“The Dim Rank Dark” deals with issues of penal labor, rehabilitation, and the idea of prisoners as second-class citizens. In a high-tech but physically-constrained domed city, prisoners are forced to maintain the city’s sewers. As a politician moves to strip them of their rights, a group of prisoners fights back the only way they can.

Copies of the anthology are available in ebook and in print through CreateSpace and Smashwords, so please check it out!

 

 

New Story Sale!

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Happy to announce my short story “Those Who Wear Their White Hair Proudly” will be included in Flame Tree Publishing‘s Heroic Fantasy Short Stories anthology, joining their line of gorgeously bound gothic fantasy collections.

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This story is near and dear to my heart, and I’m very grateful it’s found a home. I’ll be sharing more about it closer to when the anthology comes out, scheduled for July.

In the meantime, be sure to check out the other authors in the anthology and join me in drooling over the cover.

Save Net Neutrality!

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Today is the Internet-wide day of action to save net neutrality from changes to FCC rules that protect internet access for all.

Visit BattleForTheNet.com to make sure the FCC and Congress get the message. If you’re ready to start now, go for it! And don’t let up. We’re in this for the long haul.

 

Bubonicon 2017!

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The 49th iteration of Bubonicon, New Mexico’s science fiction and fantasy convention, is in just a few short weeks. C. J. Cherryh and Sherwood Smith are guests of honor, Ursula Vernon is toastmistress, and Elizabeth Leggett is our artist guest of honor. Back in time is this year’s theme.

The festivities are August 25, 26, and 27 at Albuquerque’s Marriott Uptown.

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There are a number of panels and events scattered throughout the weekend, so if you are local, be sure to check out the programming guide.

On Friday, you can find me participating in the following:

Panel # 4 – FACTS BEHIND THE FANTASY: RESEARCH IMPACT

Panel # 7 – REBEL SCUM: OPPOSING THE EMPIRE

Saturday, we’ll be talking about the science in science fiction.

Panel # 12 – HEY, YOU GOT YOUR SCIENCE IN MY FICTION

Hope to see you there! Be sure to check out bubonicon.com

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