"Unprofiteers" Available at Perihelion

My first attempt at full-on humor within science fiction, "Unprofiteers," is available for free at Perihelion.  Check it out!

Speculative Markets Rising

Years ago, it seemed like we kept losing speculative markets. Periodically, I’d see another name listed among dead markets, and readers and writers would mourn the loss of another magazine.

Recently, it seems like there’s a growing presence of speculative markets, especially in the genre of science fiction. Just yesterday, I noticed a new one named Digital Science Fiction, which focuses on a series of anthologies available for the Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader and other eBook platforms. Their premier anthology is slated for arrival in June. Another interesting note on this market – they’re paying pro rates.

A quick search of duotrope shows 16 markets consistently paying pro rates (above flash-fiction in length) that accept science fiction as well as 16 accepting fantasy (some markets overlap both genres). I don’t know what that exact number looked like a few years back, but I don’t think it was nearly so high.

Besides all of the pro-paying markets, there are of course many great magazines and anthologies available for readers and writers. It’s becoming difficult to track all of them, and I doubt most readers can keep up with the plethora of quality fiction available today. I suppose that’s a good problem to have, though.

My hat goes off to the various editors who keep churning out issues of magazines or anthologies as well as those brave souls who decide to start new ventures. Your hard work brings an abundance of joy to both readers and writers alike.

Doctor Who

My wife and I rented the first season of the relatively new "Doctor Who" series. Yes, I realize it has been out for several years, but I’m just now getting on board with it.

"Doctor Who" has actually been around for quite a long time (dating back to 1963), but it is the iteration that began in 2005 that I’m watching. The series is about a time traveler known as “The Doctor,” who is accompanied by various companions as he explores space and time. There’s a good mix of humor and adventure, and though many of the episodes from the first season (I mean the 2005 season) are stand-alone, they fit together into one continuous plotline.

I was sad to discover that the ninth doctor (that is, the ninth actor to play the doctor since the show’s creation), Christopher Eccleston, only appears in the first season. Eccleston portrays a whimsical, winsome doctor with a hilarious smile (“that goofy grin” as my wife calls it), and it’s going to be a little odd for me to get used to a new face in the role. People who have followed the series since its inception would probably say, “Get used to it.”

The show has pretty good special effects, yet it retains some of the BBC cheesiness that I crave at times. The stories are well told, with great character interactions. If you’re a sci-fi fan, I highly encourage you to check this out if you haven’t already. Oh, and the theme song will stick in your head like glue, but you won’t mind.

Fantasy & Science Fiction June/July 2009

The June/July issue of Fantasy & Science Fiction was another good one. Great job, staff and authors!

“Firehorn” by Robert Reed – Gabe and his friend Morgan create a myth about an elusive creature called the Firehorn to fool kids in their club. As the years pass, the myth grows into a legend of such proportions that even beings of artificial intelligence believe in it.

I thought this story had an interesting take on future artificial intelligence, that they cling to superstitions or various faiths, becoming odd imitations of humanity. It’s a satisfying tale, in typical Reed fashion.

“The Motorman’s Coat” by John Kessel – A struggling antiques dealer in the future encounters a woman with a rare item for sale, a motorman’s coat used by a transportation company in 1911. Such an item intrigues the dealer, as it might draw in more customers, but can he afford the risk?

A bit humorous and a little quirky, Kessel’s story unfolds rather nicely. I think I was drawn to the protagonist out of pity.

“Retrograde Summer” by John Varley – Timothy lives with his mother on Mercury and awaits the arrival of his older clone-sister, Jubilant, who is arriving from the Moon. Timothy wants to find out the details of the relationship between his mother and sister, but these are secrets that his mother refuses to reveal. His only hope of discovering the truth is to befriend Julilant, and based on her attitude about him and his home planet, it seems a nearly impossible task.

This was the first classic reprint of the issue. The protagonist’s voice is perfect in this tale, really drawing you in. The science-fiction elements seem fairly realistic and plausible. I do have qualms with the gender-swapping themes and the negative ideas about a traditional family, but I could still find entertainment in the story itself.

“Corona Centurion FAQ” by Terry Bisson – This story is literally an FAQ about the Corona Centurion rotary heart that is designed to endure for a hundred years and all of the strange nuances that accompany the artificial organ.

This was a quick spot of levity in the issue. Quite enjoyable.

“Paradiso Lost” by Albert E. Cowdrey – The Councils of State determine to pull back the outer space colonies as a way of strengthening their defense against their enemies from the First Alien War. Robert Kohn’s military assignment aboard the Zhukov is to help evacuate a distant world populated by a colony of religious zealots. After the lieutenant’s commanding officer is murdered, however, Kohn has the additional duty of solving the crime.

The narrative is superb in this novella. I felt included with all of the terminology (military and technological). I enjoyed the mix of humor and tension. Really well done, but given who the author is, I didn’t expect anything less.

“Adaptogenia” by Wayne Wightman – Insects begin adapting in an unprecedented way: they combine to form illusions of reality, such as people or cars. As a writer for Conspiracy Theorists’ Weekly, Eliot investigates the incidents cautiously, but he soon realizes that the motivations for such adaptations are horrific.

I’m not a fan of insects in general, so reading something like this makes my skin crawl. There was an appropriate amount of creepiness to the story’s telling. I’m not sure if it classifies as horror or not, but I think readers who like ominous tales will enjoy this.

“Sooner or Later or Never Never” by Gary Jennings – Missionary Crispin Mobey sets out for Australia to win the souls of the Anula tribe. Though great of heart, the missionary is devoid of reason, such as his idea for taking two trucks full of glass beads with him as a way of gaining their trust and impressing them.

The second classic reprint of the issue is hilarious. I laughed aloud several times. This was a great choice for a reprint.

“Economancer” by Carolyn Ives Gilman – Simon leaves England to interview for a job with Sinoa Bank in the distant land of Nanonesia. Though applying for a much lower-level position, he finds himself meeting the entire board of directors who seeks his help in taking down the United States’ economy through his powers in sorcery, powers he has no knowledge of.

I liked the letter-writing narrative presented in this story. The protagonist is humorous and engaging. I also enjoyed the unpredictability (no pun on the tale’s plot intended).

“The Spaceman” by Mike O’Driscoll – Twelve-year-old Freddie enjoys his younger friend Mouse for his imagination, as does Jenna, the most recent addition to their trio. When Mouse tells Freddie about finding a spaceman, Freddie finds himself wanting to leave the games of imagination behind in favor of winning Jenna as his girlfriend. When the three of them are confronted by the impossible, Freddie finds that he’s less accepting of the fantastical than his other friends, and it drives an uncomfortable wedge between them.

This was my favorite tale of the issue. I felt Freddie’s internal struggles, whether over reality or his newfound feelings for Jenna. All of the characters were quite strong and believable. I hope to see more of O’Driscoll’s stories in future issues.

Staffs & Starships #3

In the world of fantasy and science-fiction publications, there are numerous markets for short fiction, many of which seem to pass unnoticed by the general public. I would like to draw attention to one of the smaller markets that I came across about a year ago. A promising, quarterly magazine dedicated to “traditionally-inspired speculative fiction,” Staffs & Starships is one that I hope readers and writers take notice of.

Issue #3 is a mix of science-fiction and fantasy short stories, as expected. I liked the majority of the stories; the ones I didn’t care for might be more due to preferences than anything else, but I will elaborate further as I review each story in order of appearance. Certainly this magazine was well worth the cost of the issue (a paltry three dollars), so if you’re looking for some extra short fiction to read, try an issue of Staffs & Starships.

“In These Shoes” by Lindsey Duncan – The assassin Rosh returns to Tentril, a city she escaped from thirteen years ago. She struggles with her emotions when she confronts her former lover, Lord Sathren, and her hesitation to complete the job forces her into an undesired encounter with Sathren’s young sorceress.

This was one of the better stories in the issue. The narrative flowed well, and the plot fit together nicely without revealing anything early.

“Devolution of Life” by Tamara Wilhite – Mekah draws near to a world far beyond its home systems in order to establish life forms that its kind desires. Overcoming the obstacles of existing life forms proves to be a difficult task for Mekah and requires much more time than originally planned.

This story seemed to drag for quite a while and then blossomed into something I would either label as expected or clichéd. Mekah wasn’t enough of a character for me to react to in any way, so I grew apathetic towards its struggles.

“H +” by K. E. Spires – Unlike the other transhumans created from the genetic construct, Toymaker has a unique mind, one that allows it to reason and even disagree with the genetic construct. It desires to search for the reason of its uniqueness, but rather than travel alone, it injects a clone of itself into the construct in hopes that one day, the transhuman created from the clone will find its way to Toymaker so that they can begin the search together.

I was unable to grasp this science-fiction world. I could follow the plot, but there were so many strange concepts that I never felt rooted in what I was reading. It was like being unable to participate in a sport because the rules don’t make sense.

“The Kite” by James Bloomer – Over time, Fernando adds length to the string of his kite, allowing it fly to incredible heights. When his sister discovers him with it, he begs her not to reveal the secret to anyone, especially when a message descends to them along the kite’s string.

This was a compelling tale with an endearing protagonist. I enjoyed it.

“The Leftover” by James Hartley – An astronomer detects alien ships and seeks advice from Mentor Bartlo. Bartlo tries to delicately handle their first contact with aliens without upsetting the rest of the cluster, especially Priest Zezno, who reminds him that the very notion of aliens is blasphemous unless they have actual proof of their existence.

There is perhaps a bit too much foreshadowing at points and a hint of cliché, but the humor in the story more than makes up for those flaws. This was a fun read.

“Balesat’s Silence” by Betsy Dornbusch – Cursed or blessed by the god Balesat, depending upon whom is asked, Braedon carries the god’s fire within him and is able to unleash it upon anyone he chooses. Though titled the king’s Lord Virtue, Braedon only desires to stop the Armidian soldiers from inflicting sorrows upon their own country by their lawless deeds. The king desires peace as well and suggests that Braedon reconnect with Balesat, which only upsets Braedon further, for the god no longer speaks to him.

This was my favorite story of the issue. Well-written and engaging, with an interesting protagonist. I’d like to read more stories about Braedon.

“B is for Boy” by David Loel – Colum and his father live on the dirty world of Clarins where his father works in the shipyard, scrapping retired ships. As he approaches his sixteenth birthday, Colum tells his teacher and mentor that he’s ready to leave the planet, even if the best option is to enlist in the Space Corps for a ten year tour of duty.

I really liked this up until the end, where I couldn’t relate to what I was reading. It’s not that there was necessarily anything wrong with the ending; it just didn’t seem to mesh with the rest of the tale from my perspective.

Living with an Alien

As I considered the behaviors of my thirteen-month-old daughter the other day, it seemed to me that living with her is in many ways how it would be to live with an alien from outer space.

There is a language gap between us. I use common English, while Elora blabbers in a type of speech that consists of short consonant sounds, clicks and raspberries. Sometimes we’re able to agree on a certain word or even give the same sign for it, but when I ask yes or no questions, the response always sounds negative (usually “Nah” or “Nuh”).

Elora also has no understanding of what various objects are. The other day, she took a napkin from the table, so my wife demonstrated how to use one. My daughter brought the napkin to her mouth and proceeded to eat it. I think she has few classifications for items right now, and the default categorization for new items is that they must be food. “What is this? I think I should eat it.”

If science-fiction has taught me anything, it is that 90% of the time, aliens are hostile, often for no particular reason. Elora displays considerable peace until her wishes are refused. When the tantrums start, I’m glad she doesn’t carry a ray-gun. She also enjoys chaos: emptying all orderly drawers and cabinets, spreading toys across multiple rooms and knocking down any towers that I build from her blocks.

Though she has commonalities with sci-fi aliens, Elora is a wonderful little girl, and no alien could ever touch my heart quite as much as her. Sorry E.T.