Two new flash stories + reprints and an audio reprint

Gack! How is it October?

I have been bad about updating, but have two new stories to share, as well as some reprints and an audio reprint from the past few months!

New Flash Stories

In “Failsafes,” which went live September 5th over at Nature Magzine, a scavenger in a post-apocalyptic future finds a hidden cache with long-lost technology that just might be the key to making people’s lives better — starting with her own. There’s also a bonus blog post which talks about my inspirations for the story, including musings on the Long Now Foundation, librarianship (of course), and the importance of the human element in the sciences.

In “Words I’ve Redefined Since Your Dinosaurs Invaded My Lunar Lair,” out October 1st in Flash Fiction Online, a super-villain confronts her nemesis — and calls into question the very nature of the good-vs-evil trappings of superheroics.

Reprints

My story “Raising Words,” about a young girl who struggles with her father’s changing identity in Yamato Japan, has been reprinted in Asian Birds and Beasts, an e-book anthology of stories from Insignia Press. This story was first published in now-defunct Penumbra eZine back in 2013. You’ll also find original and reprinted stories by Nidhi Singh, Amy Fontaine, Kelly Matsuura, Russell Hemmell, Lorraine Schein, Keyan Bowes, and Joyce Chng inside, so go grab yourself a copy!

I also have a reprint in another Insignia Press e-book anthology, Asian Science Fiction. This one features my story “Love and Relativity,” originally a Nature Futures story from 2015. Other authors in the anthology are Joyce Chgn, Nidhi Singh, Ray Daley, Holly Schofield, Jeremy Szal, L Chan, Vonnie Winslow Crist, so — again — consider purchasing a copy if you like Asian-inspired SFF.

Audio

Last, but not least, my story “Butterflies,” originally published in Spark in early 2014, has been podcasted by The Overcast. This one is about formal logic and the end of time, and I promise that’s more interesting than it sounds. It’s free to listen to on The Overcast‘s website, if you like podcast fiction.

Novel Update

Novel-wise! I have been going through and getting ready to make some major revisions to The Road that Spans the Sea, my in-progress epic fantasy set in a secondary world modeled loosely on early modern Japan. Only with, you know, blood magic and immortal sorcerers and pseudo-magical floating iron ore and reversed gender roles and stuff. I’m looking forward to digging into the edits, although I’m also mildly terrified! I gather that’s normal, though, for novel edits.

sub-Q Magazine

As I’ve mentioned before, editorial stuff at sub-Q is taking up a good bit of my time, too. I’ve recently revamped our submission guidelines, and we have some exciting stuff planned for 2019. If you like Interactive Fiction, or would like to try your hand at writing it, please keep us in mind!

One new short story, two new reprints

I’ve been bad about updating this blog lately. Sorry!

So what’s new?

First, the fiction!

My story “The City, Like Time” has been published in Kasma SF. It’s post-apocalyptic, and features creepy water ghosts, mysterious boxes, and betrayal. Go give it a read, and check out the glorious art by José Baetas!

On the reprint front:

My Gothic tale “The Mother of Sands,” which has appeared online at a few other places, is now out in print for the first time in an anthology from Old Sins publishing called Beyond Steampunk, which features steampunk-like stories set outside of the typical era and locales. My story is set in 19th century Latvia, and features all sorts of creepiness. If you like the stylings of Gothic literature, or if you like steampunk, go check out the anthology on Amazon or at Barnes and Noble’s web store. It’s available in print and e-book form.

My wacky SF flash fiction “How to Configure Your Quantum Disambiguator” has also been reprinted, this one in podcast form at the excellent Toasted Cake. Tina really nailed the narration to this, and I love every minute of it. (About 13 minutes long, for those of you who like audio fiction!)

Second (and the reason I haven’t updated much) is that in December of last year I took over as editor-in-chief of sub-Q Magazine. I’ve been a slush reader for the magazine for several years now, and have had a story published there as well, and I’m happy to take my involvement with the magazine to the next level.

If you’re unfamiliar with sub-Q, we are a pro-rate-paying magazine for short Interactive Fiction (IF). Think Zork, Adventure, Monkey Island and other classic computer-aided fictive game/stories.

Here’s a link to the sub-Q submission guidelines.

I’d love to answer any questions about the magazine or submitting to it, if anyone has any questions!