7 Ways to Spread The Word Everywhere of Neither Here Nor There!

Hello! I have only a scattering of stuff this year (but 2021 is going to be a doozy, I can tell you that right now, because at least two novels, a novelette, appearances in BCS and Mag of F&SF, co-editing an anthology, a non-fiction project, and some other stuff are all coming up, wheeeee!)

Anyhow. When you are reading for awards, here’s what I published in 2020. But if you want a huge batch of them, what you should really do is consult the big post of F&SF awards eligibility 2020 posts that is here — and if you’ve got something that should be on there, let me know.

My favorite story of the year, which appeared in Daily Science Fiction, is “I Decline,” a short story which grew out of a writing prompt, write a complaint letter about an abstract concept. If you’re a SFWA member, I hope you’ll consider adding it to your recommended reading suggestions. Similarly, if you’re reading for the Hugos or Eugie Foster awards, I hope you’ll consider it when nominating. If you’d prefer to listen to it in audio form, I gotcha!.

“Because It Is Bitter” is an alternative-history novella, part of the AND THE LAST TRUMP SHALL SOUND project I did with Harry Turtledove and James Morrow. Want to buy it at Powell’s? Here’s the link.

I wish there were flash fiction awards, both because I appreciate the hell out of well-done flash, but also because I produced a number of good ones this year. Beside the earlier mentioned “I Decline,” the piece I did, At the End of the Song, A Ghost is Waiting, which appeared in Three-Lobed Burning Eye, is another nicely done piece.

“How Joyful the Work” is a clockpunk re-centering of the Odyssey on those left behind with a touch of lesbian romance, written for Predators in Petticoats.

Red Boots Blues is a cyberpunk mash-up of “The Red Shoes” and “The Girl who Trod on a Loaf,” done for the UPON A ONCE TIME anthology from Air & Nothingness Press. Also fun to write, and I let myself loose with poetic language sometimes. AAN does beautiful books and I picked up some to give as presents this year. Here’s a reading of that for you:

Wayne and I wrote a story together, “Stand and Deliver,” which appeared in Dark Matter Magazine. We wrote it while on a road trip together, and I hope we’ll do more in the future, because he’s fun to write with!

Patreon stories primarily were installments of serial novella Baby Driver, a #hopepulp focused on Pat Savage, cousin of Doc Savage, and her crew of five bad-ass women, but there were a number of flash pieces, snippets, and roughs from playing writing games.

I am part of a podcast this year! In 2020 we kicked off hopepunk-centered If This Goes On (Don’t Panic), cohosted by Alan Bailey, Diane Morrison, Rachel Renee, and myself. I can take very little credit for this project, but great pride in being associated with it, and we’ve had some awesome episodes over the course of our first year.

Part of this year’s resolutions is getting everything up on line. So far I’ve reformatted everything that I’d put up because it didn’t look as nice as it should and today added some more stories.

The new stories, which I’m working on putting up on Smashwords as well, are:

• Amid the Words of War – (Twicefar Station) An exiled alien mourns for the race that will no longer accept it.
• Can You Hear the Moon? – (The World Beside Us) A teenage girl in smalltown faces one of the most difficult challenges she’ll ever endure: upcoming adulthood. As she stands on the brink between innocence and experience, will magic be able to help her cope with what lies ahead?
• English Muffin, Devotion on the Side – (Closer Than You Think) George leaves copies of himself to his friends and family when he dies. The problem is — what happens when you’re only a copy?
• Flicka – (Closer Than You Think) Inhabitants of a small Idaho town have trouble adjusting to their new neighbors, a family of genetically modified humans who have chosen to become more equine than human.
• I Come From the Dark Universe – (Twicefar Station) Life on tumultuous TwiceFar station is much the lonely existence same day to day for Bo. But when he comes upon a mysterious woman who claims to come from an alternate universe, he must face his strange attraction to her.
• Love, Resurrected – (Tales of Tabat) General Aife Croffadottir is acknowledged one of the finest military minds of her time — which is why the sorcerer Balthus commands her to her service even after her death. How will she come to terms with her new existence?
• Of Selkies, Disco Balls, and Anna Plane – Small-town Indiana in the 80s is an uncomfortable place for Arturo, who has a secret life at the local gay bar. When he introduces his best friend, Anna, to the place, he finds both of them swept up in a story of magical obsession and servitude.
• So Glad We Had This Time Together – (The World Beside Us) Television executives come up with a reality series starring supernatural creatures — only to find it enjoying unnatural popularity.
• TimeSnip – (TwiceFar Station) Plucked from the 19th century, Victoria finds employment negotiating with civilizations for the same technology that’s responsible for her existence. What happens when she’s dispatched to a civilization whose ways she finds oppressive in this story of the far future? Contains adult themes.