I had a blast appearing on the Galactic Terrors podcast, hosted by James Chambers and Carol Gyzander, live on YouTube.  I read an excerpt of my eerie sci-fi-horr0r novelette, In the Stillness Between the Stars, which seemed appropriate for the occasion.  Two horror writers, Rebecca Cuthbert and Charles Barouch, knocked it out of the park, also reading some very creepy tales.  You can watch a recording of the episode on YouTube here:

When COVID hit, my website fell victim to the pandemic.  I allowed it to wither and die — better it than me, I suppose — but now I’ve brought it back to life after a multi-year hiatus.  Here’s what’s coming up in the next few months:

New Novella.  I’ll soon be announcing a major sale to a large market.  A novella I co-wrote with Matthew Kressel will be appearing in the pages of a venerable venue. The publisher has confirmed the sale and provided us the galleys for our final review and markup.  I’m just awaiting the final contract before making the formal announcement with all the details.  But it’s a doozie of a story and quite timely.

New Podcast.  I’ve also co-created the new NERD COUNT Podcast (yes, it’s a pun on “Word Count”) in collaboration with Matt Kressel.  On the podcast, we interview spec-fic writers, discuss the craft of writing and all its pleasures and pitfalls, and find any excuse to embrace our Inner Nerd.  We’ve put up 11 episodes so far. Give a listen here!  You can also listen anywhere you access podcasts and on YouTube.

 

Photo by Amy Goldschlager

If you’re considering works for the Nebula or Hugo Award, my only eligible story from 2020 is my novelette, BEYOND THE TATTERED VEIL OF STARS, which appeared in the Mar/Apr. issue of Asimov’s. It’s been one of the best-reviewed stories I’ve written. The story was also translated into Italian and recently published as an e-book by Delos Digital.

 

Otherwise, I sure wish I’d been more productive during the pandemic. 2020 was mostly a year of reprints for me, selling a total of 9 reprints. “IN THE STILLNESS BETWEEN THE STARS” appeared in The Best Science Fiction of the Year, Vol. 5, edited by Neil Clarke and has also been acquired for Forever Magazine. The story was translated into Czech and republished in XB-1; translated into Chinese and republished in SF World; and, finally, translated into Italian and republished as an e-publication by Delos Digital out of Milan.

I also sold reprints of my short story UNREELED to XB-1 in the Czech Republic and my novelettes MISSIONARIES and THE SCENT OF THEIR ARRIVAL as e-publications to Delos Digital in Italy.

I’m hoping for a much more productive 2021.

Here’s an Author’s Spotlight interview, where Jason Ridler asks me some insightful questions about my family drama/first contact story, “Those Brighter Stars.”  Hope you enjoy it!

 

 

 

My story “Snatch me Another” appears in the Best of Abyss & Apex Volume Two edited by the wonderful Wendy Delmater.  I’m proud to appear in the same table of contents with luminaries such as Robert Silverberg and C.J. Cherryh. 

 

Here’s the stunning cover art for the August 2016 edition of Lightspeed Magazine.  The artwork by Elizabeth Leggett is for my first contact story,  THOSE BRIGHTER STARS, which is now available to read (or listen to) for free either at Lightspeed or at i09 here.

Also, here’s my Author’s Spotlight interview with Jason Ridler, who asks some penetrating and insightful questions about my story.

 

 

 

Four months into my sabbatical from the 9-to-5 grind, I’m pleased to announce two short story sales!

“Those Brighter Stars” will be appearing in a forthcoming issue of online magazine LIGHTSPEED MAGAZINE.  This one is about two generations of mother-daughter relationships and humanity’s reaction to an approaching alien starship.  I’ve written numerous stories about First Contact, but this may be my favorite. 

“Unreeled” will be featured in an upcoming issue of ASIMOV’S SCIENCE FICTION.  This one is noir-ish SF horror and explores how a marital relationship is affected by one partner’s absence during an exploratory mission into a black hole.  I revised this one too many times to count with the help of my writers’ group to create just the right tone, so I’m glad it found such a great home after all the work I put into it.

The Wergen Sequence:  I’m putting the final touches on a new Wergen story, just as I’m starting to write the grand finale in the Wergen Sequence.  This will allow me to tie together all 8 Wergen stories into one big, juicy novel about First Contact, space colonization, intergalactic war — and unrequited love, of course.  There’s an arc that cuts through all the tales, so putting them together should create a satisfying story tracking the ups and downs and final resolution in the relationship between humanity and the Wergens.  I’m presenting the novel to the Starry Coast writing workshop in September for feedback.

Miscellaneous Stories:  Three stories — one an intergalactic treasure hunt story, another the return to the horrific near-future of my World Fantasy Award-nominated Tu Sufrimiento Will Protect Us, and the third set in the post-apocalyptic setting of The Scent of Their Arrival — are all in the incubator.  First drafts are complete, with revisions in the works.

Back to work!

 

Here it is!  The stunning cover of my forthcoming hardcover novella by Immersion Press and Carmelo Rafala.  The artwork is by Richard Wagner. 

I’m very excited that it will be available for sale later this month.

I had an amazing trip to London from March 28 to April 5 to celebrate the launch at Eastercon of my collection, ACROSS THE EVENT HORIZON, edited by Ian Whates and published by Newcon Press.   I had a great time at the con and got to meet many people I’d only had the pleasure of interacting with online.  I especially enjoyed hanging out with Ian Whates and Ian Watson (“Big Ian” and “Little Ian”), chatting with Aliette de Bodard and Rochita Loen-Ruiz, meeting Garth Powell, Nina Allen, Roy Gray (from Interzone‘s TTA Press), Neil Williamson, Terry Martin (from Murky Depths) and so many enthusiastic fans.  I was truly astounded at the number of fans familiar with my work who approached me to say how moved they were by “Longing for Langalana” or how much they liked the Kawkawroons or the scenters in “The Scent of Their Arrival.”  The whole experience seemed surreal to me and I’ll never forget it

I also attended the launch of SOLARIS RISING 2, edited by Ian Whates (Solaris) at Waterstone, a London bookstore in Bloomsbury.  A pleasure to meet fellow contributors Paul Cornell (current writer of Wolverine and the most British of the attendees), Adrian Tchaikovsky, Martin Sketchley, and the charming James Lovegrove.  Ian Whates hosted the festivities. 

 

My story “Dear Annabehls,” originally published in John Klima’s Electric Velocipede, now appears in the anthology Other Worlds Than These, edited by master anthologist John Joseph Adams, alongside stories from Stephen King, Ursula K. LeGuin, George R.R. Martin, Joyce Carol Oates, Robert Silverberg, Orson Scott Card and others.  Here’s an interview I gave about the story.

Also, here’s a terrific recording of the story that originally aired on the Maine radio show “Beam Me Up.” Enjoy!