The good folks at Innsmouth Free Press just announced the final cover and release date for their upcoming anthology, Fungi. I’m especially excited about this collection for many reasons, not the least of which is I have a story appearing in it!
You can get the full details at the link, but in short, there will be three editions: ebook, softcover, and hardcover (the hardcover will have three bonus stories to boot!) Preorders will be in November and official release day in December.
I won’t say much about “Last Bloom on the Sage,” right now (don’t want to spoil the surprise) except how much fun I had writing it. Special thanks are due to all of my beta readers (you know who you are) and to Silvia and Orrin for including me in this great collection of amazing authors. I’m humbled.
The Clarion West workshop is now in full swing, and so is the annual write-a-thon.
I was on the road last week and didn’t have a chance to spread the word about my participation as much as I wanted to — but you can read my original post here. Even with my shoddy publicity, I’ve already had some folks sponsor me: thank you. It means a lot to me to have your support.
If you’d like to see what writing projects I’m up to during the write-a-thon, you can find my page on the Clarion West website. Please consider sponsoring me with any amount. You can sponsor me by the week, by the word, or as a single gift. All donations go directly to the Clarion West foundation, and are tax deductible.
So how am I doing on my goals? I completed one short story and sent it into the world to find a home. Story #2 is nearly complete and Story #3 is humming along quite nicely. I’ve written only about 500 words on the novel (out of the planned 30,000) but there’s plenty of time to catch up (I’ve done a significant amount of outlining, which helps!)
Thanks for your time and support. Stay tuned for more updates!
I’m traveling this week, but I wanted to post a quick update from the road.
The 2012 Clarion West workshop begins this week (safe travels and good luck to the class of 2012!) and that also means it’s time for the Write-a-thon to begin!
For the duration of the CWW, I’ll be shadowing the class of 2012 by trying to raise awareness and hopefully donations by working on my own writing projects. I have three short stories to complete and plan to finish another 30,000 words on my novel.
Every year, Clarion West provides a phenomenal opportunity for eighteen talented writers who dream big. You can help make sure the workshop continues next year by sponsoring me or one of the 150+ other writers who are participating in the write-a-thon.
You can donate online, and all proceeds go to the Clarion West organization.
Ray Bradbury died today. He lived to be 91, and from all accounts, was feisty and prolific up until the end.
I’m sure the internet will have no lack of obituaries, profiles, and homages to Ray today, but I can’t let the day go by without adding my own.
I have been inspired by many writers to take up the pen, but none more so than Bradbury. I had the good fortune to meet him several times, though I can’t say I ever knew him. Except maybe I did, through his tales and fables about Mars, Ireland, Mexico, and the shadows of Waukegan Illinois.
The first book signing I ever attended when I moved out to California was one of Ray’s, at Vroman’s Bookstore in Pasadena.
Me & Ray (ca. 1999?)
I was sure I wanted to write at that point, but I had no idea how to get started. I’d been scribbling out half-finished stories for years but lacked the confidence to complete them, let alone send them out. Zen and the Art of Writing had been my bible for years, though, and Ray’s work hard/have fun philosophy resonated with me like no other advice ever had.
I don’t even remember what new book Ray was there to promote but I approached him with my dog-eared, paperback copy of Zen, and in a small voice I said something like “I write, too, Mr. Bradbury.”
He smiled warmly as he signed my book and said, “Great! Don’t ever stop!” (Everything he said, he said with exclamation points. I always loved that about him.)
His is simple advice, and persistence is one of the most common refrains in any writing blog or book. But to me, that moment was as transformative as the one in Bradbury’s life where Mr. Electrico told a young Ray to “Live Forever.”
I wish you could have, Mr. Bradbury. I wish I had a chance to tell you once more what an influence you have been, and how my own small successes have been so inspired by you. “Thank you,” can never quite suffice, but it’s all I know how to say.
I’ve taken your words to heart: I’ve got great momentum going and I don’t plan to stop, not ever.
Today is not only Towel Day (the annual tribute to that hoopy frood, Douglas Adams) but also the 35th anniversary of our first visit to that galaxy far, far, away.
Some local towels...
It’s hard to overstate how much influence The Hitchkiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and Star Wars have had on not just in geekdom but in transforming pop culture and the way we think about science fiction. Certainly I wouldn’t be the same person without the important lessons these two universes taught me about living life.
1) Don’t Panic (also, Don’t Forget your Towel), and
2) Do, or do not. There is no try.*
(Okay, that might be three life lessons…)
In any event, following Rules #1 and #2 have gotten me pretty far. Sure, they are kind of catch-phrasey, bumper-stickery bits of wisdom, but I think Megadodo Publications on Ursa Minor Beta and Yoda from Dagobah are worth listening to here.
So, in honor of these seminal works of science fiction, I’d like to raise a glass–or two.
(I didn’t have time to develop any original drink recipes on short notice, so I’ve filed some serial numbers off a couple of my favorite cocktails. I think Ford and Yoda would understand.)
The Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster
3 oz. dry gin
1 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. Lillet Blanc
Shake with cracked ice, garnish with a swathe of lemon peel.
Long-time readers will notice this is actually the Vesper Martini which I’ve written about before. The first time I ever made a Vesper upon sipping it I declared “This is probably the closest thing on Earth to drinking a Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster.” It is potent and will smash your brains out with a lemon-wrapped brick if you’re not careful. No wonder it was drink of choice of everyone’s favorite killer for Queen and Country — Mr. Bond.
The Smuggler
1 oz. Corellian Rye
1 oz. House of Alderaan Dry Vermouth
1/4 oz. lemon juice
1 dash grenadine
1-2 dash orange bitters
Stir with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with orange twist.
The Smuggler is actually the classic Scoff Law cocktail, a very popular Prohibition-era concoction. I based my recipe on one by Robert Hess. I think Captain Solo would approve. If you can’t get the House of Alderaan vermouth (it’s hard to find these days) you might try one of the Naboo brands…
Have a great weekend, everyone.
*Actually a quote from The Empire Strikes Back, which is NOT celebrating a 35th Anniversary today, but close enough…
I’m especially excited about this collection for many reasons, not the least of which is I have a story appearing in it!
