tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55007622012-01-28T08:41:02.523-08:00“When they give you things, ask yourself why. When you’re grateful to them for providing the things you should have anyway, ask yourself why.” – Lady in Blue, rebel broadcastJeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.comBlogger9531100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-40216986250651554142007-06-20T19:00:00.000-07:002007-06-20T19:02:14.776-07:00

This has been a fine old blog, but it is now officially an archive. The new blog, which is really an all-in-one website, is now at http://www.jeffvandermeer.com - please come visit and check out the new digs. And update your blog rolls and links accordingly.Come on by...there's even more fun to be had...Jeff VanderMeer

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com123tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-83581217971501974562007-06-20T13:12:00.000-07:002007-06-20T13:20:06.832-07:00

On the plane back home last night, the world looked like it was coming to an end through storm. Three in the morning, the window in that half light stained an odd green as if a port hole in a ship on rough seas. And out in the distance this distorted, baleful factory of electricity and swirling clouds, dark against gray, rising thousands of feet in the air, the hungry lightning jagging through

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-10592105885394072182007-06-14T19:22:00.000-07:002007-06-14T19:23:55.184-07:00

I'm reposting this old post from a few years back because Cisco's The Traitor is finally going to come out--from Prime Books. Don't miss it. Very sorry Ministry went on hiatus before we could publish it.JeffMichael Cisco is a criminally underrated author, in part because his work is sometimes difficult (in the best sense of the word), sometimes morally ambiguous, and because he's an original. It

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-34860450450426369532007-06-12T18:28:00.001-07:002007-06-12T18:34:49.429-07:00

I have to admit. I've never been that big a fan of The Sopranos. To me, it was mostly melodrama with a perhaps inspired mishmash of prior mafia movies and shows driving it forward. But, at the very least, it had a animal energy to it in the early years.But it's jumped the shark for awhile now, probably at least two seasons, and the glimpses I got this year didn't change that opinion much. Tony

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-32827834340988109442007-06-11T08:13:00.001-07:002007-06-11T19:02:31.257-07:00

My latest Bookslut comics column is now up, along with the rest of the June Bookslut. Can you guess which graphic novel I was talking about here?It's hard to pick a favorite from among the stories -- almost everything is a gem. In fact, I don't even care if the writer made it all up. It's entertaining, fun, and sometimes wonderfully serious.How about here?The ugly monotone pages, ranging from

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-68879820826143320962007-06-09T16:36:00.003-07:002007-06-09T16:38:49.479-07:00

My sister's on the right.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-77893436380241484492007-06-09T06:13:00.000-07:002007-06-09T06:29:45.762-07:00

Yep, as stated I'm doing a Predator novel for Dark Horse. Here's the FAQ.Why are you doing this?Because I've always wanted to write a thriller set in the real world and this allows me to do that. Because I always thought Predator was a cool idea and even liked Predator 2 (the Predator 2 that existed beneath the smarmy production values). And, now that I'm 100% freelance, I can do many more

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-51854274555885811242007-06-08T20:33:00.001-07:002007-06-08T20:37:48.134-07:00

I just blogged about Jeremy C. Shipp's short novel Vacation on the Amazon book blog.This is a startling first novel by a refreshingly sharp talent. I can't tell you there aren't some rough edges here and there, but that's trifling compared to the originality on display. It's what I kind of hoped Gray by Armstrong would be.Anyway, you really should check this novel out. I guarantee you won't be

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-1301816321091619672007-06-08T16:17:00.000-07:002007-06-08T16:21:54.116-07:00

At least two things about freelancing are a lot like prison: You have to make sure you don't get screwed and you've got plenty of time to work.I've been lucky on the former and adhering to the latter. Since the beginning of the year, I've worked out/lifted weights at least four times a week every week but two. Sometimes six days a week. As a result, I've seen dramatic gains--from 135 lbs on latt

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-91924484414459122352007-06-08T07:51:00.000-07:002007-06-08T07:53:40.746-07:00

Evil Monkey:Hey, Jeff. How’s it going?Jeff:It’s going well. Just busy. I haven’t seen you around much lately.Evil Monkey:I’ve been here. You’ve just been too busy to notice me.Jeff:Sorry about that.Evil Monkey:Naw, it’s okay. It’s given me a lot more time to think.Jeff:About running for president?Evil Monkey:Oh, I’m definitely doing that. But I’m going to let some of these jokers impale

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-88788764456510064632007-06-06T05:26:00.000-07:002007-06-06T05:28:12.093-07:00

I'm in Spoon Bliss. Ga ga ga ga ga.Coming in July. Streaming here now, song by song by ga ga ga ga ga...Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-31624795234618927742007-06-03T12:16:00.000-07:002007-06-04T14:01:07.690-07:00

UPDATE: Here's the weblink.I believe the NPR summer recommended reading segment on All Things Considered that mentions Best American Fantasy will run tomorrow sometime. There should be info on the website tomorrow, too.I'm working on several deadlines, so blogging will be spotty for the next week.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-41320088404500610802007-05-31T12:24:00.001-07:002007-05-31T12:28:07.517-07:00

So I noticed one of our cats, Shoshona the Speckle-Bellied Monkey Cat, coughing and wheezing earlier. It didn't sound like the normal kind of hairball. I had also noticed yesterday that Shoshona had been mysteriously drawn to a particular corner of the living room, Blair Witch-style.Mystery solved. I heard her hacking up, went over and discovered she'd thoughtfully placed a rather moist art

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-27860537293506782102007-05-30T08:35:00.000-07:002007-05-30T08:37:12.531-07:00

Best American Fantasy reviewed in the May 28th Publishers Weekly:In a genre where yearly “best of” volumes often repeat one another, the first in Prime’s new annual fantasy anthology series is a breath of eclectic and delightfully innovative fresh air. While the VanderMeers have included such fantasy veterans as Kelly Link and Elizabeth Hand, most of the 29 stories are by nongenre authors as well

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-31653466013096439802007-05-30T07:06:00.000-07:002007-05-30T07:14:27.860-07:00

Gawd willin' and the crik don't rise, Sony Playstation, as part of its sponsorship of the 2007 Manchester International Festival, will be making an animation/cartoon out of my story "A New Face in Hell," to coincide with the launch of Perverted by Language, the anthology based on songs by The Fall. The animation should be widely available on the internet, and a couple of other writers will also

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-83692759182986142402007-05-29T18:23:00.000-07:002007-05-29T18:33:55.577-07:00

It's exciting times here at the VanderMeer Ranch. Opportunities popping up all over the place. At least three out of the eight things below should come true within the next couple of weeks...Jeff- I'll be contracted to write an off-off-Broadway musical.- I'll accept an opportunity to write a coffee table book for a software company.- I'll be commissioned to write a travel guide on a South Pacific

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-16518727753424789452007-05-28T20:03:00.000-07:002007-05-28T18:40:48.803-07:00

We just spent a wonderful, relaxing anniversary (our fifth!) weekend in St. Augustine, doing nothing but chilling out.However, I did manage to make my first insane purchase since the beginning of the year--a dragon head from the Splendid China exhibit in Orlando--sold to an antique shop owner in St. Augustine after the place was torn down. And just this cool head remaining. It'd been in the shop

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-39257996431930490902007-05-28T18:10:00.001-07:002007-05-28T18:40:20.723-07:00

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-37985885832829915502007-05-24T06:25:00.001-07:002007-05-24T06:36:09.071-07:00

The beginning of Borne....JeffI found it because I had to, on the flank of shudder-sleeping Mord, one leg larger than my entire home--within that brown fur jungle, matted and stinking of carrion and chemicals and whatever small creatures had hidden themselves there. Mord had leveled a soft building when he'd fallen to his slumber and the goopy pieces mashed out to the sides of him, given a new

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-33959318955941339052007-05-22T18:08:00.000-07:002007-05-22T18:10:54.706-07:00

I'm about to go away for a few days (freelance deadline). But I got an idea from this fortune from the Bamboo House, the best Chinese restaurant in the world:A friend will soon reveal an exciting secret to you!So, while I'm away, it would be most amusing if you would post your exciting secrets to the comments field. Anonymously, of course, if you so desire...let loose. It'll feel great!Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-24339191529917621252007-05-22T18:05:00.000-07:002007-05-22T18:08:16.845-07:00

I've just posted a short entry over at Ed Champion's blog on the underrated novel Bangkok Tattoo, which I argue is a great post 9-11 novel.Also, one-line reviews and a cool ALIEEEN game over on the Amazon book blog.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-77300470664561126892007-05-22T13:54:00.001-07:002007-05-22T13:55:51.881-07:00

Just as an update--Best American Fantasy, a little birdie tells me, will get a starred review in an upcoming issue of Publishers Weekly. And...drum roll...NPR's All Things Considered will feature it on a program devoted to their summer reading recommendations. Their discussion of BAF will tentatively include a reading by Kelly Link from her story in the anthology.I know I sound like a rabid

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-12796105524233265862007-05-22T10:07:00.000-07:002007-05-22T10:13:38.707-07:00

The influential French website Le Cafard cosmique, which translates as the Cosmic Bug, has awarded its latest Cosmic Bug Award to City of Saints & Madmen. Prior winners include Gene Wolfe and M. John Harrison, so I am well and truly chuffed.As you can see above, not only did the jury get to talk about books at a cafe, they got to do so in FRANCE, those bastards. Trust me, it wouldn't have been

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-85474658426727318462007-05-20T15:31:00.003-07:002007-05-20T15:32:58.351-07:00

Okay, just get used to it. There will be Riley photos from time to time...gawd...I'm getting so old I'm not only becoming a big softy but all my hair is turning white...Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-6438125569675947172007-05-19T12:38:00.000-07:002007-05-19T12:44:54.015-07:00

I'm guest blogging, along with dozens of others, at Ed Champion's blog while he's moving to NYC. I posted today and will do so intermittently until Ed returns.Also, note a couple of Amazon.com posts, one on Big Books (The Religion, Acacia, and Thirteen) and Books You Shouldn't Overlook (In the Eye of Heaven, Divergence, The Music of Razors, and Ink).Next week, they'll be posting my short piece on

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-36714985540272390802007-05-19T11:22:00.001-07:002007-05-19T11:30:59.540-07:00

Check out this great post by Paul on the subject of new vitality in the field, and one particular new writer anthology.I find this of interest partially because it seems to be getting harder and harder to find anthologies of original fiction that are open to new writers. Basically, you're more likely to come up through the magazine ranks and then appear in anthos, and I think that sucks. It's a

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-84339551496466063052007-05-17T19:01:00.000-07:002007-05-17T19:06:42.969-07:00

I'm now, finally, getting around to reading the second of Alastair Reynolds' three-part space opera. I'd read Revelation Space awhile back and been blown away for the most part. Now I'm into Redemption Ark and really, really finding it to be great.The best space opera, for my money, has to have most of these elements:(1) A grand, cosmic scope.(2) The fate of a world or worlds or the universe in

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-58473204295315158452007-05-16T11:56:00.000-07:002007-05-16T11:59:34.039-07:00

Just finished the draft of a new (very long) story called, tentatively, either "Borne" or "Borne and the Mord". It's set in the same milieu as "The Situation". It may be the weirdest thing I've ever written. I don't know how to describe it except to say it's a cross between a surrealist Godzilla, a post-apocalytic nightmare, a biologically engineered other world, and the work of Jim Woodring.One

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-31246469730109944292007-05-13T08:41:00.000-07:002007-05-13T08:42:55.920-07:00

Erin and John took this footage--very cute!In other news, I'll be off the radar a bit this week and not posting much, but you can check out my posts on Amazon.com throughout the week. Posts like The Big Books Cometh, Don't Overlook These Titles, and an Under the Radar post about one of my new favorite books.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-77279508369728434232007-05-13T07:05:00.000-07:002007-05-13T07:10:42.054-07:00

I just did a short piece on Lou Anders' Pyr Books for the Amazon book blog, focusing on music. Lou posted a longer piece here, as well. I really want to track down the Brazilian stuff Ian McDonald talks about. (Speaking of McDonald, I'll be doing an interview with him for Amazon.com later in the month.)(Also note my entry on the Tähtivaeltaja Award.)

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-7859097500614542842007-05-10T15:23:00.000-07:002007-05-10T15:24:17.431-07:00

SF Weekly just posted my review of a first novel, Maledicte. I thought it was a very promising start for a new author.JeffV

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-6077071962716918182007-05-10T05:34:00.000-07:002007-05-10T05:35:02.635-07:00

Tähtivaeltaja-award 2007Tähtivaeltaja-award for the best science fiction book published in Finland in 2006 has been given to Stepan Chapman's novel Troikka (The Troika, 1997). The book, illustrated by the author himself, was published in Finland by The Tree Club and translated to Finnish by Hannu Blommila.The jury described the book as a unique, mosaic journey to a whirlwind of wondrous visions;

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-64286086965501478092007-05-09T06:08:00.000-07:002007-05-09T06:09:12.970-07:00

My sister, blister, lee-zard, Elizabeth Vanessa VanderMeer, is...well, two years younger than me today. Happy birthday to my Edinburgh-dwellin' sibling!!Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-57682086484296387622007-05-08T16:00:00.000-07:002007-05-08T16:02:43.206-07:00

We've got a final cover! (One minor typo corrected after this version.)Click on it for a larger version. Due for publication in July.Still over the moon about the quality of this collection.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-54146521605752310252007-05-07T19:31:00.000-07:002007-05-08T15:55:23.716-07:00

A few recent links to stuff I've done...Amazon.com blog- Dungeon!- Hand InterviewBookslut- Possibly the best interview I've conducted, with Elizabeth Hand giving very honest and interesting answers.- Interview with Eisner judges and administratorRight, so the schedule for the year now looks like this:June 22-24 - ALA in Washington DC along with (I believe Steven Erickson and John Scalzi)July 2-6

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-19581992137259621552007-05-06T17:48:00.000-07:002007-05-06T17:49:39.969-07:00

Yep, we're grandparents. Here's the proof.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-56671465710793249872007-05-04T11:21:00.000-07:002007-05-04T11:35:05.087-07:00

...or do I just mean the unpredictability? You spend 10, 15 years pulling yourself up by your bootstraps to have a shot at a sustained career only to find that, to some extent, luck and chance will have a lot to say about what happens next. That, and your ability to keep writing on a certain level. So you constantly have to react to changing situations, expectations, and fortunes. You look around

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-65960953407732512352007-05-03T09:34:00.000-07:002007-05-03T09:35:53.201-07:00

Pulse interviewed us judges about the experience. The bit about Lost Girls is the result of emailing answers while tired. Should read that it was harder to defend the book to others because of the third act.jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-1325943011282277492007-05-02T11:26:00.000-07:002007-05-02T11:30:46.151-07:00

By this weekend, we'll have dealt with copy-editing Best American Fantasy. It's been a wonderful experience communicating with the contributors--so many diverse and creative people, all of them excited about being in the anthology.Another exciting thing happened today. Michael Chabon, who had been reading an advance copy of the anthology and really enjoying it, was kind enough to give us this

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-30720414654394071562007-05-01T08:20:00.000-07:002007-05-01T08:34:33.792-07:00

First off, my review of Elizabeth Hand's latest books is up at SF Site, along with a description of her sainthood in Smaragdine.Second, as of this week, I am the SF/F blogger for the Amazon Book Blog, which I believe also feeds into the Amazon Daily blog. I'll be posting three to five times a week on all things SF-Fantastical. If you have news, links, or cool stuff you think might be of interest,

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-9971486743232582782007-04-28T14:51:00.000-07:002007-04-28T15:03:02.066-07:00

Congrats to Toni Jerrman and the staff of Tahtivaeltaja for producing their 100th issue. As many readers of this blog know, I am a huge fan of this Finnish pop culture/genre magazine. Many times I've lamented the fact we don't have an English-language version of Tahtivaeltaja, with its mix of a punk-pop-low/high culture mentality. Anyway, congrats to Toni. He and his staff put a huge amount of

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-72183229611512745162007-04-27T15:48:00.000-07:002007-04-28T08:13:33.615-07:00

UPDATE: Paul Di Filippo has a short account of the memorial service, and a POB where you can write to Mike and Jeri.LaGrange College, where Michael Bishop teaches, now has set up theJamie Bishop Scholarship Fund in Graphic Artsc/o LaGrange College601 Broad StreetLaGrange, GA 30240Designate the name of the fund on your check, should you wish to send a donation.This scholarship fund has the

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-48425445502658801262007-04-24T07:41:00.000-07:002007-04-24T08:07:45.479-07:00

Wofford is doing a Shared Worlds camp (link in blogger isn't working, so: http://www.woffordsharedworlds.org )--one of the coolest ideas in a long time. A multi-discipline approach to creativity, it's for rising 8th graders through 12th graders who want to spend a week creating their own world, with advice from visiting faculty (including myself, Stephen Leigh, and Christie Golden), along with

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-22702165219973648922007-04-24T06:41:00.000-07:002007-04-24T06:42:31.823-07:00

Looks like I'm up for an imaginary award in France. ;)Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-10269714809621978442007-04-23T17:48:00.000-07:002007-04-23T19:37:37.541-07:00

I'm in love with the Dungeon graphic novel series, by Trondheim, Sfar, and others. I'm unabashedly in love, and completely in love. Just the sheer imagination in the art, let alone the imagination in the storytelling, the humor, and insanity and sometimes the profundity of it, really make me want it to be endless. I think I'd rather read this than any heroic fantasy novel series out there,

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-66896706728381437162007-04-20T19:52:00.000-07:002007-04-20T20:02:51.662-07:00

I still haven't really had time to process Vonnegut's death, but I hate the fact that in some quarters he's being viewed as a kind of fossil and in others as a pop icon, which is ironic given his dark sense of aburdism, or, perhaps, in an odd, twisted way appropriate. First and foremost, Vonnegut was a writer who documented the absurdism, horror, and humanity of our modern world. All of his

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-67816847629751197612007-04-20T19:51:00.000-07:002007-04-20T19:52:01.816-07:00

Paul Di Filippo has posted an email from Michael Bishop.

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-91989556774449744522007-04-20T07:03:00.000-07:002007-04-20T07:04:17.307-07:00

(For those who, having read City of Saints and Shriek, might be interested...)The gray caps have brought me through a seemingly infinite series of rooms. The first were tiny—I had to crawl into them, and even then barely squeezed past, banging my head on the ceiling. These rooms had the delicate qualities of a damaged illuminated manuscript created by some strange, utterly unique culture. Golden

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-31258517336309007542007-04-19T19:27:00.000-07:002007-04-19T19:28:23.061-07:00

From Nathan Ballingrud's livejournal, itself refering to a post by Ellen Datlow on the Night Shade Boards: Virginia Tech will be setting up an annual scholarship in Jamie Bishop's name for German majors. Donations can be made to the Virginia Tech Foundation for the Jamie Bishop Scholarship atVirginia Tech FoundationUniversity Development902 Prices Fork RoadBlacksburg, VA 24061Also being set up is

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-10776870614007005522007-04-19T08:20:00.000-07:002007-04-19T08:44:15.418-07:00

Photo by Jackie Estrada; from left to right: Chris Reilly, Whitney Matheson, me, James Sime, Robin BrennerThe Eisner finalists have been announced. I really enjoyed meeting my fellow judges and spending a weekend doing nothing but reading comics and discussing comics. I think the list is diverse enough to both please and irritate everyone, but it also accurately portrays the diversity of what's

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-39323674125187809052007-04-19T07:06:00.000-07:002007-04-19T07:13:14.323-07:00

The Eisner finalists will be announced later today, with a few tidbits of information leaking out here and there already. As soon as the information is public, I will post the full list.JeffPS As soon as there is definitive information on a memorial fund or charity to contribute to in Jamie Bishop's memory, I'll post about it.

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-4224227910894824672007-04-18T08:25:00.000-07:002007-04-18T08:30:18.372-07:00

Ann and I were out of the loop news-wise this weekend, being in San Diego. I just learned a few minutes ago that Michael Bishop's son Jamie was killed in the Virginia Tech shootings. I can't even tell you how sad this makes us, and how horrified. I only corresponded with Mike's son a few times, but he was a really nice guy, even in just a few emails, and Mike's such a wonderful person, as is his

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-28412361156664034612007-04-18T06:22:00.000-07:002007-04-18T08:24:51.604-07:00

I'm back from Eisner judging. My fellow judges, James Sime, Whitney Matheson, Chris Reilly, and Robin Brenner were just AWESOME. Just great, sweet, nice, knowledgeable people. I was proud to be serving on a judging panel with them. I'd say more, but I think James sums it up here.

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-57884972220385472722007-04-08T06:20:00.000-07:002007-04-12T18:19:49.654-07:00

UPDATED April 12--Answers(Heading out the door at 5 in the morning tomorrow to San Diego. Should be fun--sequestered in a hotel suite with the other Eisner judges, reading comics. There's even some radio guy coming by to interview us. Now *that's* how you run a judged award, by gawd! ...In other news, Kurt Vonnegut has passed away. He was always a huge favorite of mine and his sense of absurdism

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-40585103008491422272007-04-05T11:56:00.000-07:002007-04-05T12:00:01.033-07:00

This weekend, Ann and I head off for Trinity Prep School in Orlando where I'll be doing a writing workshop with some of the students, visiting with their creative writing class, talking about "Martin Lake," which they've been reading, and doing my Ambergris multi-media reading/thingee. Then, after a brief stop home later in the week we're off to San Diego so I, along with the other Eisner judges,

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-80807785251516939712007-04-04T07:59:00.000-07:002007-04-04T08:04:44.496-07:00

A few odds-and-ends from the last few weeks. I also have just finalized plans to do a graphic novel sidebar column for Realms of Fantasy, starting with their October issue. Thanks to Paul Witcover for his help with that.Cat Rambo has a story at Dark Recesses. Upcoming work this month includes "Eagle-haunted Lake Sammammish" in Shimmer and "An Appetite for Love" in Sybil's Garage.Toni Jerrman

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-87831541200847246642007-04-03T11:25:00.000-07:002007-04-03T11:27:46.594-07:00

My story The Third Bear is up at Clarkesworld as part of their April issue. I'm rather fond of this story, which I'd had in my head since about this time last year. Hope you like it.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-9166724325611509432007-04-02T12:37:00.000-07:002007-04-02T14:12:11.240-07:00

The modified version of the BAF introduction written by Ann and me is now posted on the Best American Fantasy blog. "Modified" in that we stripped out specific references to particular stories since the audience wouldn't have had a chance to read them yet in the context of the anthology. So it's pretty self-contained in this version.Also note the following links:An Interview with anthologist

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-81073804796846597632007-04-01T15:04:00.000-07:002007-04-01T16:08:23.637-07:00

John Scalzi is in for it now with his SFWA write-in candidate campaign in jeopardy due to threats by myself (original post directly below) and the following:Jayme Lynn Blaschke has tossed his hat into the ring. How he will now protect himself from sunburn, I have no idea.Cat Rambo has posted her own rebuttal of my candidacy, to which I say only that future fiction collaborations with her and her

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-85348143382768494832007-04-01T00:02:00.000-07:002007-04-01T16:12:01.486-07:00

For an update on other candidates who announced today, click here.John Scalzi has ably put forth a platform for SFWA that makes a lot of sense. I agree with most of the planks, but I don't think it goes far enough. For that reason, I've decided to run for SFWA President as a write-in candidate. I know some people have already sent in their votes, but I'm counting on the procrastination factor.

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-9057790072405730472007-03-31T14:18:00.000-07:002007-03-31T14:29:27.198-07:00

As I do more and more critiquing of beginning or intermediate writers' manuscripts, I get one question over and over again: "Do I have what it takes to be a published writer?" There's nothing wrong with the question--it's the natural question from anyone who plans fiction writing as a career. But as an instructor or critiquer, your answer has to be evasive--in the sense that no one really knows.

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-12969699709120275162007-03-30T12:39:00.000-07:002007-03-30T13:05:58.000-07:00

First pathetic attempt at a fantasy world map while writing my "South Haven" fantasy series as a sixth grader. Abandoned when I realized I was doing an pastiche of Lord of the Rings. (Click on any of these for a much larger version.) Much more sophisticated attempt at a map near the end of my attempts at heroic fantasy as a teen. You'll note that the place names aren't things like "Desolation

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-70352716459705735332007-03-30T11:00:00.000-07:002007-03-30T11:02:37.040-07:00

This is like some kind of rock supergroup: Elizabeth Hand, Paul Witcover, Paul Di Filippo, and Lucius Shepard now have their own shared blog. Bookmark immediately!Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-30679593264933729692007-03-29T06:46:00.000-07:002007-03-29T06:47:27.344-07:00

Andrew Wheeler has an excellent post about The New Wave in the UK/US in the 1960s and 1970s. Recommended reading.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-46021274853973331992007-03-25T16:10:00.000-07:002007-03-25T16:12:28.769-07:00

Matt Cheney has posted the contents of Best American Fantasy, in the order they appear in the anthology.Check out earlier entries for his preface to BAF.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-49932589522118095622007-03-25T16:06:00.000-07:002007-03-25T16:09:05.420-07:00

Every 30 or 40 years, we wash our cats. It's a little like the running of the bulls in Spain, except much less frequent. But, it's a Sunday, we're bored...why not. Of course, if you're gonna wash a cat, you gotta get kinda demonic on their asses. Or they will f--- you up in an instant. Thus the look on my face... Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-27461310473830342982007-03-25T08:21:00.000-07:002007-03-25T08:30:11.696-07:00

Unless you've been living on another planet, I'm sure that by now you've heard of Hal Duncan. The book. The blog. The man.One thing I have to say at risk of embarrassing the man, but...it's nice when the person behind books you like turns out to be genuinely nice, knowledgable, and fun. And that's the case with Duncan. Just a great guy in addition to being an explosive and visionary writer.This

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-85718289195914034532007-03-21T16:15:00.000-07:002007-03-21T16:16:41.498-07:00

Our very good friend Tamar Yellin has won the first $100,000 Jewish Book Council Award for her first novel!!!!!! Congrats, Tamar!!!!! Such amazing news!Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-33214665855304757872007-03-18T18:23:00.000-07:002007-03-18T18:25:26.712-07:00

Um, no. I don't think so.

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-70105308084644820162007-03-18T07:57:00.000-07:002007-03-18T08:36:57.175-07:00

I read this review by Terrence Rafferty of Dan Simmons' The Terror with a rising sense of disgust. The opening paragraph is a lovely example of damning with faint praise:Writing fiction isn’t an activity for the faint-hearted, and anyone who has managed, as Dan Simmons has, to generate two dozen books (in an impressive variety of genres) in just 22 years clearly deserves credit for discipline,

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-25757353374201106472007-03-17T13:28:00.000-07:002007-03-17T13:33:23.007-07:00

One of my favorite writers, Tamar Yellin, quietly won a couple of prestigious literary awards last year for her two most recent books. Very happy to see this. Kafka in Bronteland has been awarded the Reform Judaism Prize for Jewish Literature 2006. The $5,000 prize has previously been awarded to Dara Horn, David Bezmozgis and Jonathan Rosen. The judges stated: "Every story in Tamar Yellin's Kafka

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-74368095745353288122007-03-16T18:36:00.000-07:002007-03-16T18:43:18.495-07:00

...of SFWA. Details here. I'd vote for him if I was a member. He makes a very convincing case. So vote for Scalzi, if you're a member. I think he'd really change it up. I've already promised I'll sign up for SFWA again if Scalzi wins, and I'll be proactive in the organization.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-75825589941919928672007-03-16T11:48:00.001-07:002007-03-16T11:48:50.500-07:00

Just posted some more information about our Best American Fantasy cover artist, Scott Eagle. Over on the BAF blog.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-33599251991737687712007-03-16T05:55:00.000-07:002007-03-16T05:58:03.065-07:00

The third and final part of The Surgeon's Tale has now been posted.Part IPart IIJeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-83127198260204675612007-03-15T06:28:00.000-07:002007-03-15T06:47:24.320-07:00

No, this isn't a grammar lesson. It's more a kind of prolonged sigh at a kind of attitude in genre circles that wants everything to be black-and-white. This is particularly silly in a profession that is by definition subjective.The attitude is this: if you publish an experimental fantasy anthology, you must hate pulp fiction. If you publish a novel that's "New Weird," for example, you must

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-56198375236728926232007-03-14T10:52:00.000-07:002007-03-14T10:57:22.784-07:00

I'm not much for superheroes, with the exception of the darker Batman stuff, some of the Spiderman movies, and, of course, The Watchmen. Oh, and Swamp Thing, and, er...okay, so I guess, like in any genre, the stuff that's done well I like a lot.Soon I Will Be Invincible by Austin Grossman is a superhero/supervillain novel like no other. Grossman has invested a lot in the characters of Dr.

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-31239991930866751092007-03-13T20:08:00.000-07:002007-03-13T20:10:49.712-07:00

And now, the thrilling MIDDLE to The Surgeon's Tale, a collaboration with Cat Rambo. Will the hedgepig be reunited with its blankie? Will Jim the Barber take the next step in his new career as a exorcist? Does the word "sargassum" sound like "sergeant" and "orgasm" or "sarcasm" and "possum"?Part I, for those few who haven't read it yet...Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-90138743449091076162007-03-13T08:14:00.000-07:002007-03-13T08:24:43.742-07:00

Weird Tales is doing a special subscription offer to celebrate their change in focus and new design: one year for only $12. I highly recommend taking advantage of it. (Ann's happy to report a surge of fiction submissions from a varied and talented bunch of writers--guidelines for submission here.)Also, here's a sneak peek at an abridged version of the editorial in the forthcoming issue, out in

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-20235552005127887202007-03-12T10:14:00.000-07:002007-03-12T10:16:03.193-07:00

The Surgeon’s Tale, a collaboration between Cat Rambo and me, is running as a serial this week, with part one posted today, part two on Wednesday, and part three on Friday. It’s probably one of my major stories for 2007.BTW--This is my first successful collaboration with another writer and one of many more with Rambo, I hope. I had a lot of fun working with her. It's a clear 50-50, give-and-take

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-79187881890405504892007-03-10T05:59:00.000-08:002007-03-10T06:10:01.875-08:00

This post by another Bear put me in mind of Shardik. Although Watership Down is known as Richard Adams' classic, and although I loved it when I read it (and re-read it; and sought out similar fare, like Duncton Wood; anyone remember the moles?), I think the images and situations from Shardik have stayed with me even more clearly and sharply. The archetypal aspect of Shardik carries a powerful

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-52252054362543713292007-03-07T12:14:00.000-08:002007-03-08T18:52:30.002-08:00

UPDATE: We've taken a long story by Garth Nix called "Beyond the Sea Gate of the Scholar-Pirates of Sarsköe" and another one by Kelly Barnhill called "Elegy for Gabrielle, Patron Saint of Healers, Whores and Righteous Thieves". These are both amazing stories. Just first-rate stuff. I just love them to death. We'll have this all wrapped up in the next few weeks.This continues to be the most

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-52500723473962045662007-03-07T12:12:00.000-08:002007-03-07T12:14:19.167-08:00

If you want more information on what went down at AWP, I highly recommend checking out Dan Wickett's Emerging Writers blog. Over the past few days, he's posted the most detailed accounts of the conference that I've seen. Really nice guy, too.For additional coverage, I suggest a google blog search or technorati.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-41068853141547835332007-03-07T06:20:00.000-08:002007-03-07T06:24:32.480-08:00

I've got new installments of my book column and graphic novel column up. I'm particularly invested in the Bookslut column this time around, which deals with the differences between novels and graphic novels.I'd also note that starting with the next SF Site column, I will be listing almost all books received during the previous month with a thumbnail review, in addition to any major reviews. I

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-56916628962779504372007-03-06T17:27:00.000-08:002007-03-06T17:29:10.273-08:00

Noted on the blog of the artist, which you can read here. Mr. X for the lovely Finnish magazine T. I really love this.

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-569832285172391432007-03-06T14:31:00.000-08:002007-03-06T14:35:28.399-08:00

My wonderful wife, lately Woman of Valor at her synagogue and just today open to Weird Tales fiction submissions, had a very significant and yet at the same time not-that-significant birthday today. Her office mates at her day job did a royal job of celebrating, as you can see. Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-38824333503992104302007-03-04T05:56:00.000-08:002007-03-04T06:02:04.502-08:00

After lunch, we attended a panel called Building with Words: Fiction as Architecture featuring Rikki Ducornet, Lance Olsen, Steve Tomasula, and Christopher Grimes. I thought all of the presentations were good, but Tomasula’s linking of fictional structures to the structures and representations of modern life was particularly illuminating. Rikki’s depiction of a trilobite as a structure pertaining

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-30115658887652738192007-03-03T10:17:00.000-08:002007-03-03T10:21:04.969-08:00

UPDATE: The Best American Fantasy blog is now live, with a list of the Recommended Reading from 2006.We’re just back from a great lunch with Brian Evenson and Rikki Ducornet, two of my favorite people. I’d never met Rikki in person before, so it was wonderful to finally get to talk a bit. Evenson and Ducornet are two of my favorite writers as well and it was nice to learn Rikki has a new

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-54016860844701560772007-03-02T15:49:00.000-08:002007-03-02T18:37:13.418-08:00

And, lo, 5k grad students, professors, publishers, unaffiliated writers descended upon Atlanta in their t-shirts, black jeans, patched jackets, gypsy skirts, and all of the other accoutrements of the writer life in this the seventh year of the new millenium.The symbiotic whirling, throbbing heart of this "Associated Writers Program Conference" is the book fair, with its hundreds of literary

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-61784424816645858622007-03-01T05:39:00.000-08:002007-03-01T05:42:06.122-08:00

Ann and I are off to the AWP Conference in Atlanta. I'm on a panel with Gwenda Bond, Eric Lorberer, Brian Evenson, and others, hosted by the Omnidawn crew.A couple of cool things are debuting at AWP--the interstitial antho that Small Beer Press is doing and Text: UR from Raw Dog Screaming Press.We don't have galleys of BAF yet, of course, but we will have postcards!Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-15242321425888438722007-02-27T14:21:00.000-08:002007-02-27T14:25:03.682-08:00

It appears that Scott Eagle will be able to do an original piece for The Situation, coming in late spring 2008 from PS Publishing. Fairly sure it'll be an absolutely beautiful (and disturbing) wrap-around. I still don't know why more people don't use Eagle for books.In others news, pretty much all of the year's best fantasy/SF/horror contents have been announced and thus far there is overlap of

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-54328338551404371442007-02-26T11:58:00.000-08:002007-02-26T11:59:28.736-08:00

Odyssey has posted a podcast of one of my lectures on fantasy. You can check it out here.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-19832911686190910822007-02-25T13:49:00.000-08:002007-02-25T13:55:52.423-08:00

We're coming down to the wire for the opening reading period for the pirate anthology. If you're still working on one, please note that we will accept submissions until March 4th. As it turns out, we're going to be at the AWP Conference from March 1 - 4, so it's impossible for us to finish making our decisions by March 1 anyway. If you've got work on hold, you'll probably hear from us by March

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-29424680728789377042007-02-25T06:48:00.000-08:002007-02-25T06:50:37.944-08:00

I've now posted the winners of the 2nd Annual Buckwheat Awards for disappointing or crap-ass movies on Ed's Oscar blog.As we prepare to honor the "best," you might do worse than visit Ed's blog and post your list of the "rest" in the comments field.JeffV

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-26232439318219820122007-02-24T14:45:00.000-08:002007-02-24T19:56:06.905-08:00

Here's the rough mockup of the new design. I think it'll be great. Luis has done a wonderful job. I can't thank him enough.I said I wasn't going to be posting here until after the Oscars, but I'm just too exhausted right now to do any Oscar blogging. Tomorrow I'll be blogging on Ed Champion's Oscar blog from the red carpet through the final moments. Should be fun.And a reminder I'm doing a chat

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-53785933932691236052007-02-23T20:13:00.000-08:002007-02-23T20:15:01.437-08:00

Myself and several others have been invited to participate in Ed Champion's Oscar blog.I'll be blogging there starting tomorrow all the way through the entire event. No posts here until after the Oscars.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-89106321562648350902007-02-23T10:26:00.000-08:002007-02-23T13:16:49.064-08:00

PS Publishing will publish my long story The Situation as a stand-alone in spring of 2008. I'm very excited to be working with PS, since they do some of the most interesting covers and books around. The Situation has everything: incompetent managers, backstabbing coworkers, a giant grub creature, a fish with a human face, and a lot more besides. I think it's one of my best stories.BTW--Luis

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-54069639579858975962007-02-21T20:14:00.000-08:002007-02-21T20:16:31.390-08:00

Eeek! John Clute writes a magnificent, well-written, well-thought-out review of The Terror on Scifi.com. But for the love of Gawd, if you haven't read Dan Simmons amazing new novel and plan to read it, DO NOT read this review. It basically gives you the plot of the entire book, including twists, etc. Do not look. Look away, I tell you. I'm not even going to give you the link. You have been

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-78266652463663019452007-02-21T18:35:00.000-08:002007-02-21T18:39:19.792-08:00

I'm looking at this line-up of Elizabeth Hand, John Crowley, et al, and I'm thinking to myself two things: Small Beer is going to have an amazing 2007; and: man, I'd love to have a book out from them some day.Seriously, I think Small Beer is one of the best (although not the only) models for how to run a press through taking quality material, taking the time to promote it properly, knowing how to

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-62831524407796953022007-02-20T15:44:00.000-08:002007-02-20T15:45:59.417-08:00

Although I mentioned it in passing in a previous post, I didn't really provide details. As a follow up to the New Weird anthology through Tachyon, Ann and I will be editing a Steampunk anthology. Several writers are already on board and we will begin the delightful task of combing through our Steampunk research files for more work to reprint. This one should be a lot of fun.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5500762.post-66485149324620053892007-02-19T12:03:00.000-08:002007-02-19T12:05:29.547-08:00

It won't go up until April, but Clarkesworld has taken my story "The Third Bear" for electronic publication.Jeff

JeffVhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08306056002963293934noreply@blogger.com2