In The Name Of The Father podcast at Crime City Central
It’s no secret how much of a fan I am of short fiction podcasts. That only makes it sweeter when one of my own stories is recorded, especially by such a great audio crew as the people at Crime City Central. The District of Wonders is a quartet of audio fiction magazines: Tales To Terrify, Protecting Project Pulp, Starship Sofa and Crime City Central. I have a story or two forthcoming from Tales To Terrify sometime in the future too.
But today Crime City Central have released Bob Neufeld’s excellent reading of my story, In The Name Of The Father. I’ve just had a listen and it sounds great. The story was originally published in the Dark Prints Press anthology, The One That Got Away.
Go here to get a copy of the podcast and go here to get a copy of the book where the story was originally published. It’s a great anthology.
I’ve added the link to the Podcast page here, where you can find some of my other short fiction in podcast form.
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On authors responding to reviews
DON’T
ABE – Short film
A strange conversation on Facebook today led me to discover this short film. It’s a rather disturbing and dark sci-fi exploration of robots and feelings. Great production values.
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Crowded Magazine, issue 2 – featuring me
Very happy about this one, and not only because the magazine pays pro rates! The second issue of Crowded is out, and I’m very proud that it contains my dark urban fantasy story, Roll the Bones. I’m pleased this story found a good home, as it’s one of my favourites. Of course, all my stories are my favourites. Shut up, you can’t pick your favourite kid. (Everyone does.)
Lots of other good stuff in this issue too. Here’s the contents as described on the site:
New Fiction
Roll the Bones, our first story in this issue, poses an interesting question about personal choice.
After the Hourglass Empties is a science fiction story about a grim (and gritty) future.
The Jester’s Child finds an entertainer pushed out of her comfort zone.
Cats are territorial creatures. So are humans. House Cats is an urban fantasy story about both.
Eastern Promise is a chilling story about compulsion.
The other horror story in this issue, An Empty Room, is a nice counterpoint to Eastern Promise: a story about obsession, rather than compulsion.
Yes – And Also I Really Did Need to Buy Cadmium – Cadmium, I Tell You! explores the softer side of mad scientists.
The Baby Mimic is a science fiction story about the impact technology can have on our deepest feelings.
Miss Rahl describes a schoolboy’s fantasy boiling up into something else.
Artist Profile: David Keen
Gallery and Biography
Masterwork: Jack Dann
Jack tells us: Well, I was never in Vietnam, but the hypnosis material in this story is basically autobiographical. When I was a twelve-year-old virgin seething with hormonal frustration, I did indeed try to use self-hypnosis to conjure up the iconic Marilyn Monroe. But, alas, the statuesque queen of the silver screen transmogrified herself into something else, something dark and terrifying … just like in the story. It took over a year to shake off the phantasm that followed me around after that little experiment. Marilyn was also adapted by Brian Smith and myself for Omni’s Seeing Ear Theatre as Marilyn Or the Monster. It was produced and directed by Brian Smith and starred John Heard.
Pretty sweet, huh? Get your copy here.
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365 Shorts update, third quarter
On June 7th I posted an update at the halfway mark of my mission to read 365 short stories in 365 days. At that point I was well ahead of the curve, with 256 stories read. So how am I fairing now? Well, I’ve read less this quarter than the previous two, but that’s okay as I was ahead of the game. This third quarter I’ve read 90 stories. That means I’ve got a total so far for the year of 346 stories. I only need to read 19 stories between now and the end of November and I’ve done it.
I know, I’m as surprised as you guys. I honestly thought I’d set myself this challenge and then kinda go quiet and stop talking about it after six months or so. I love short stories, I love writing them and reading them, so I will always do so. But I thought making 365 in a year was too big of an ask. I even said in the original post that I expected to fail but that it would be fun to see how close I got.
Well, fuck me sideways if I haven’t gone and done it. Although, maybe I shouldn’t celebrate yet… I still have 19 more to read and a baby due in eight weeks. But I’m confident I’ll make it.
I’ve updated the page here where I’ve been listing all the short stories in this challenge. As you can see, there’s a lot of short fiction podcasts. There’s no way I’d have achieved this without those. Listening to stories while I drive, mow the lawn and so on is one of my favourite pleasures and the only thing that’s kept this tally anywhere close to completion. I’ve also included the full Table of Contents from publications that feature my own stories, but I haven’t counted my stories in the total. That seems like cheating.
I’ll post again at the end of November and hopefully the final tally will be well in excess of the required 365. Have you been playing along? How’s your total?
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And so to book 3
Today I finished the final draft of the second book in my new trilogy and sent the final manuscript to my agent. It’s an exciting and worrying time. Exciting because the job is done, the baby is out in the world, looking for a home. Worrying for the same reasons! So that’s books 1 and 2 finished and with my agent and I’m really happy with them both. While a part of me panics constantly that I’m a hack and my work is rubbish, another part of me looks at the finished results of these two books and thinks, “You know, Al, you done good, son.” Thus is ever the dichotomy of the creative state of mind. At least, you hope it is. Otherwise it’s all the first part and none of the second and that sucks.But I am genuinely pleased with these books. I think they’re great and I hope other people do too.
Now I return my attention to book 3.
The third book is finished in first draft, but first drafts are ugly fuckers, all tatty and rough-looking, with strange holes in the plot and annoying loose ends hanging off here and there. But, with any luck, they’re rough diamonds and a good bit of work and polish can make them shine. That’s where I go now. I might give myself the afternoon off first. I mean, I am a fucking professional, as I’m keen to tell people at every opportunity. I’m keen to tell them because it’s a way of reminding myself. Live the life you want to lead, work your arse off and make it happen. But you have to enjoy the small successes along the way too, and this is one of those.
With a baby due in about 8 or 9 weeks, I’m more conscious of time and deadlines than ever, but I think I can spare a few hours off. I’ll play a bit of Tomb Raider, maybe. Then I tuck back into book 3, make use of all the notes I’d written along the way, look for those holes and loose ends to fill and tie up, polish up the prose and flesh out the description and characters here and there where I rushed in the first draft to get ideas down. With any luck, I can get a decent draft of book 3 out to beta readers before my kid is born. Because I’m under no illusions about how that little event is going to skullfuck my time for an unknown period.
So two books done – Yay! One to polish up. For now. Who knows, there could be many more in this series if it’s successful. But, for now, a little rest.
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Ellen Datlow’s Year’s Best Honourable Mentions long list
I’m all happy again. It’s such an honour when people you respect give kudos to your work. It was great to read on Monday that Liz Grzyb and Talie Helene, editors of Ticonderoga Publications’ Year’s Best Australian Fantasy & Horror, mentioned four of my stories on their Recommended Reading List (not to mention that they are also including “Tiny Lives” as a Year’s Best reprint in the book itself). And then today I discover that the Grand Empress of Horror herself, Ellen Datlow, has mentioned two of my stories on her long list of Honourable Mentions for The Best Horror of the Year, volume 5.
The Year’s Best Australian Fantasy & Horror mentions were:
“Cephalopoda Obsessia”, Bloodstones anthology.
“Crossroads and Carousels”, The Red Penny Papers. (Free to read online)
“Fear is the Sin”, From Stage Door Shadows anthology.
“Burning, Always Burning”, with Felicity Dowker, Damnation and Dames anthology.
And Ellen Datlow’s mentions were:
“The Goodbye Message”, Ticon 4
and
“Burning, Always Burning”, with Felicity Dowker, Damnation and Dames anthology.
Particularly good to see “Burning, Always Burning” get a mention both times.
You can see the full and extensive list on Ellen’s livejournal. Part 1 is here and Part 2 is here.
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Year’s Best Fantasy & Horror Recommended Reading
I’m doing my Snoopy dance. Ticonderoga Publications have just released their Year’s Best Australian Fantasy & Horror Recommended Reading List and I feature on it four times. Four! That’s so cool. I’ve mentioned before how proud I am that my story, Tiny Lives, (originally published at Daily Science Fiction) is being reprinted in the book. To have a Year’s Best reprint is just such an honour. But to also have four other stories given a nod in the recommended reading is fantastic. It includes the story I co-wrote with Felicity Dowker. My listed stories are:
“Cephalopoda Obsessia”, Bloodstones anthology.
“Crossroads and Carousels”, The Red Penny Papers. (Free to read online)
“Fear is the Sin”, From Stage Door Shadows anthology.
“Burning, Always Burning”, with Felicity Dowker, Damnation and Dames anthology.
Check out the full list of recommended reading here. That’s some sweet company I’m keeping. And at the end of the page linked there is information on where to buy the book, jam-packed full of Year’s Best awesomenitude. And yes, that is totally a word. Now. Also, check out my Books page and Dark Shorts page for details on where to find the recommended stories.
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Isiah needs a series name
Anyone who’s read RealmShift and MageSign, I need your brainmeats. Well, your brain activity to be specific. If I had to name the series, what do you think would be a good name? There may or may not be more Isiah books to follow this duology, but either way, I’m after suggestions for a series name so that Goodreads can link the books that way. It’s good for exposure, apparently, and helps people discover new reading on Goodreads.
There won’t be any physical changes to the books (although I suppose future editions might bear the new sub-heading) and there’s no promise that it will ever expand beyond a duology. I’d need a very good idea to revisit Isiah’s character, but I’ll never write off the possibility. Regardless, even two books that are connected are a series, so there’s a case to name that series. The obvious title would be simply Isiah (Isiah Book 1 and Isiah Book2). But it strikes me that’s a bit dull.
My current thinking is The Interferer. So it would be:
RealmShift: The Interferer Book 1
and
MageSign: The Interferer Book 2
Thoughts? Suggestions?
Hit me up in the comments or send me an email, Twitter reply, Facebook message, etc. You good folks know all the places I hang out.
EDIT: There wasn’t much comment here, but there was a good chat had on Facebook and Twitter. So after some deliberation I’ve decided to keep it simple and call these books, The Balance. So RealmShift is Book 1 of The Balance and MageSign is Book 2 of The Balance. Will there be a Book 3 of The Balance? Well, never say never…
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RealmShift giveaway at Goodreads
I’ve been meaning to give this a go for ages, and finally got around to it. Goodreads do this thing where you can register your book for a free giveaway. It’s not a competition or anything complicated – you simply offer a book (print editions only) to Goodreads members for nothing more than shits and giggles. Recipients are encouraged to review any books they get for free this way, but there’s no obligation.
You fill in a form, decide what countries can participate, how many copies you’re offering and off you go. I’ve just set it up for three copies, so if you’re interested, go to the Goodreads page here, scroll down a bit to the Win a Copy of This Book section and click the Enter To Win button. Simple as that.
Please share it around. Hopefully it’ll generate a bit of buzz for the book.
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