Tag Archives: Kickstarter

Sean Monaghan’s “Strange Orbit”

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This is going to be a different kind of review. It’s of a short story that isn’t available to the public yet, at least as far as I know.  But the first novel of the series it is part of is available through a Kickstarter that is currenntly running.

Sean Monaghan is a New Zealand writer of science fiction and fantasy. I’ve gotten to know him through an online writer’s forum we’re both in. He’s a terrific writer and an all around standup kind of guy. I received “Strange Orbit” as a free gift for following his latest Kickstarter before it launched. {See. What’d  I tell you? An all around standup kind of guy.)

His Kickstarter is for Spin Trap, the first novel in a near-future science fiction series. “Strange Orbit” is set in the same universe.

“Strange Orbit” is a near future thriller about a rescue attempt in lunar orbit. Deacon Winchler, a major character in Spin Trap, is the central character. Deaon’s ship has to make a course change to rescue an astronaut in a damaged ship.

There is a time limit here. The astronaut only has a little air left, and it’s leaking. This was a tense story. Sean added a layer of depth to the tension that made this story more than just another rescue in space scenario. His characters have to face difficult (really difficult) choices, and he doesn’t leave them any outs. I was reminded of the classic “The Cold Equations” by the time I reached the end, although the choices aren’t as hard in Sean’s story.

They’re still hard, though. The equations are cold here, as well.

Deacon is a character that I want to read more about. And I will in the novel and some short stories.

Sean’s work has been published in Analog, Asimov’s, and Pulphouse, among other venures. I’ve read some of his short fiction. I’ve got a number of his books in my virtual TBR as well as one fantasy in my print TBR. He is quickly becoming one of my go-to writers. Based on what I’ve read so far of his work, the future of science fiction is in good hands.

Sean’s Kickstarter ends on the 10th, so you’ve got a few days to pledge. If you like high-stakes science fiction, check it out. He has additional books and stories as add-ons and stretch goals.

Is it Time for a New “Best of” Anthology?

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I haven’t read a “Best of” anthology in a decade. (I checked.) Back in 2016, I attempted to read and review all the Best of the Year anthologies. (Note: There is a difference between an anthology and a collection. An anthology contains stories by multiple authors. A collection has one, maybe two authors. That’s what I mean for the purposes of this post.)

I don’t think I read all of them. I’m pretty sure I didn’t read Gardner Dozois’s volume simiply becuase of the length. I do recall before I was done that I was never going to do that again. Too many of the stories that year really weren’t to my taste. And those seemed to be the ones that showed up in multiple volumes. The whole thing turned out to not be any fun by the time I quit.

I haven’t read a Best of anthology since, although I’ve dipped into a couple over the last few years and listened to one on audiobooks while driving.

I’m rethinking my practice of not reading any simply because my reading time is rather limited. I’m losing touch with what writers are doing at short lengths, especially in science fiction and fantasy.

That little voice in the back of my head is telling me to close the laptop now and go no further with this post.

As usual, I’m going to ignore that voice. But I am going to issue a disclaimer: I AM NOT VOLUNTEERING FOR ANYTHING!

A number of years ago, (and I want to say it was more than ten, but I’m not sure. We’lll go with ten) I was approached by someone asking if I would be interested in editing a Year’s Best Sword and Sorcery anthology. The catch would be getting funding. And while I said I would certainly be interested in editing such a volume, funding didn’t materialize.

Time moved on.

I’ve been reading a lot of sword and sorcery lately. It’s been great. I haven’t read much S&S in the last few years as most of my reading has been focused on mysteries, crime, and thrillers. (For reasons.) There are S&S publications that didn’t exist when this idea of a year’s best S&S anthology was floated. I’m trying to get cuaght up on them.

And the idea of a best sword and sorcery of the year anthology has been rattling around in my empty skull for the last few weeks and hasn’t fallen out of one of the holes in my head.

Crowdfunding was relatively new at the time this idea was first proposed. It’s matured since then.

(Did I mention that I’m not volunteering for anything?)

Locus magazine has taken over the publishing of Johnathan Strahan’s best science fiction and fantasy anthology. They are funding it through Kickstarter. As I write this, there are sixteen days left, and the campaign has raised more than double its funding goal.

I suspect there are enough S&S stories published these days to fill a year’s best anthology. It might not be a door-stopper like some of the current year’s best anthologies are. But there’s nothing wrong with a book that is only three hundred or so pages rather than five, six, or seven hundred pages.

So, I’m going to throw this idea out there if for no other reason than to get it out of my head. An anthology of the best sword and sorcery of the year, funded by a Kickstarter. If the capmiagn is well-thought out, and the funding goal isn’t too high, it should fund. At least, I think so.

If someone wants to take this idea and run with it, go for it.

Tales From the Magician’s Skull Kickstarter Launches

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The Kickstarter for a new sword and sorcery magazine has launched.  Tales From the Magician’s Skull will be edited by Howard Andrew Jones and promises to be one of the top venues for short S&S fiction.

I’ve been excited about this ever since Howard announced it.  This is a print periodical that harkens back to the days of the pulps.  I’ve pledged it.

The table of contents for the first issue has been posted on the Kickstarter page. Check it out.  This is gonna be fantastic.

Pulphouse Is Back!

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So, way back in the 90s there was this interesting thing called Pulphouse: The Hardback Magazine.  It was soon followed by Pulphouse Fiction Magazine.  At the time I was a starving graduate student who wanted to be a writer.  That last part is still true.

The hardback was a little out of my budget at the time, although I’ve got an almost complete set now, with a couple of duplicates.

I did manage to find the cash for a subscription to Pulphouse Fiction Magazine, all the way to the end.  (I think I have a complete run.)  I read each issue eagerly, not just for the fiction but the columns on writing.  I’d met the editorial team of Dean Wesley Smith and Kristine Kathryn Rusch at a science fiction convention in Dallas early in Pulphouse’s run.  I paid attention to what they said about writing.

Pulphouse folded in 1996.  Time marched on, and the publishing landscape changed.  Rusch and Smith dipped their toes back into publishing  with Fiction River, a publication regular readers of this blog know I‘m a fan of.  (I’m also way behind on in my reading, but we won’t go there.)

Fiction River has been a success, as has Smith’s Monthly.  Now Pulphouse is being revived, with Dean Wesley Smith as the editor and Kristine Kathryn Rusch serving as Executive Editor.  They’ve launched a Kickstarter.  I’ve pledged and subscribed.  (My only complaint is there isn’t an option for a combined electronic and print subscription.  I went with print.)  Pulphouse isn’t going to be limited to a particular genre. That is something I like.

So if you like short fiction and want to see more of it, especially a variety, consider pledging.

 

A Look at Two Issues of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, Plus a Kickstarter

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If I could have one superpower, I think it would be the ability to split myself into multiple bodies.  That way, maybe I wouldn’t be so far behind on reading, writing, and review.  You know, the important stuff.

Anyway I promised Adrian Simmons, the editor of Heroic Fantasy Quarterly, a review for both the previous and current issues.  Both are strong issues. Continue reading →

StoryHack Kickstarter is Live!

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The StoryHack Kickstarter has gone live!  If you want to experience some action-oriented pulp adventure, you’ll want to check this one out.

There’s an Issue 0 already out, done as a proof concept.  The cover is there.  As I said in yesterday’s post, I’m excited to be included in the first issue.  It’s available for free during the duration of the Kickstarter campaign, just go here.  And if you like the contents, please think about supporting.

StoryHack Issue 0 Has Gone Live

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I’m a day or two late on this announcement since I left town the day it was made, but StoryHack Issue 0 has gone live.  The electronic version is currently $1 on Amazon.  Bryce Beattie, the editor and publisher, has put it up for free on Smashwords, as well as Barnes and Noble, so Amazon should price match soon.  There’s also a print version for $9.99.

I’m excited about StoryHack, and not just because I have a story in it.  (I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited about having a story in it.)  I’m encouraged by the number of startup publications with an emphasis on action and adventure.  It looks like we’re about to have a renaissance of pulp sensibilities, and that’s a good thing.

StoryHack Issue 0 is free because it’s a proof of concept for a Kickstarter campaign to launch the magazine.  The Kickstarter should go live in the next day or three.  Get a copy, read it, and if you like what you see, pledge the Kickstarter.  I’ll let you know when it launches.

Contents of StoryHack Issue 0 Announced

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There’s a Kickstarter launching soon for a new publication entitled StoryHack Action and Adventure.  It’s just what the name implies.  Action and adventure stories from multiple genres, all with a pulp sensibility.  Bryce A. Beattie is the editor/publisher.  He has put together an Issue 0 prior to the Kickstarter launching.

Here is the lineup, in alphabetical order, by first name:

You might recognize some of those names.  *waves at David*  Yes, that’s me, the fifth one down.  I’m thrilled to be included in this anthology and am looking forward to reading the rest of the stories.  You can be sure I’ll let you know more as launch date for the Kickstarter becomes available.

 

Chicken Fried Cthulhu

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Hey, folks, the Chicken Fried Cthulhu Kickstarter has 25 hours left as I write this and is still a ways from funding.  This is an anthology of southwestern flavored Cthulhu and Lovecraft themed stories.  It’s set to premiere at the World Fantasy Convention in San Antonio this year.

If it funds.  It’s from the same crew that brought you Skelos, and there’s an impressive lineup of authors listed, including Robert E. Howard and Joe Lansdale.  Part of the reason the goal is so high is that the editors want to pay the authors professional rates, and that takes money.

So if you’ve been thinking about pledging, please do so.  I would really like to see this project get off the ground.  I am not an author in the anthology and my only connection to the project is that I’m friends with the guys putting it together.  I just want to read the stories.

Guest Post by Bradley P. Beaulieu

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The good folks over at Ragnarok Publishing are running a Kickstarter for a new anthology featuring female protagonists, Hath No Fury, which ends in a few hours.  They asked me to help get the word out and offered suggestions that would help to do that, including possible guest posts by some of their contributors.  One of the authors with a story in the book is Bradley P. Beaulieu.  His contribution features the protagonist from his current series, The Song of the Shattered Sands.  I reviewed the first volume, Twelve Kings in Sharakai here.

So without further ado, here’s Brad:

I was recently at a convention—GenCon down in Indianapolis—and I was doing a short video interview where we got to talking about the state of the field and how quickly (or not) it changes. My basic take was that it’s a field, much like most of the entertainment industry at large, that’s pretty slow to change.

Why? Well, it’s complicated, but I think a lot of it boils down to how editors (and these days more and more, purchasing panels) decide what a publisher is (and isn’t) going to buy. For the purposes of this conversation, I’m just going to call these folks “editors”, but know that these days it’s almost never a single person that’s making the call, but rather a number of people, including sales, marketing, and other executives—especially if we’re talking about a hot author or property—but it all starts with the editors, so let’s be reductive for the time being. Continue reading →