June news, musings, and reading recommendations from the website

June News:

Returned from Blue Heaven writing workshop. A very nice break, and the rest and relaxation part already almost forgotten in the whirl of daily life. But hey, I was really pleased to be able to hang out with some of the best up-and-coming writers like Tobias Buckell, Charles Coleman-Finlay, Paul Melko, Bill Shunn, Sarah Prineas, Catherine M. Morrison, Tim Pratt, Greg van Eekhout, and Sandra McDonald. Not to mention a high point of some walks with Mary Turzillo, who is wonderful writer.

Sold two stories this month, one with Larry Niven to FAST FORWARD 1, an anthology edited by Lou Anders at Pyr, and one to an upcoming anthology from Tekno, THE FUTURE WE WISH WE HAD, edited by Rebecca Lickiss. Since I haven't sold a short story for a while (primarily since I haven't been writing them - I was finishing a novel), it felt really good to complete two that I think are good work. Just to keep life in balance, I'm also working on another anthology story I just can't quite get to work at all.

Yet.

Nice that the two new sales were both kind of core competency stories, dealing with thinking about the future - one of my favorite topics.

June Musings:

Still not myself physically. It's amazing how much difference energy levels make. I learned that from Steve Barnes a long time ago, and every once in a while I get great reminders of that.

The other thought is how important it is to see the little things, especially as a writer. I found I came home from Kelley's Island with a lot of pictures of simple nature things - pretty orioles, snail shells, lilacs in bloom. It's just such a shame that so much of my life I'm in too much of a hurry to see as many of these things I want to - to really look at them. The bright gold of a snail shell and the way the little creature hides when I walk up, the fluff of a tuft of grass, the scolding behavior of a grackle when you get too close to its nest....


June Reading Recommendation:

I hate to say it, but none. I've been reading for the workshop, and reading commercial best-sellers for an upcoming weekend study group. I liked them, but didn't love them. I'm part through listening to American Theocracy, and I'm enjoying that a lot.

Actually - I lied. Let me add two novellas:

Inclination, by William Shunn.

The Walls of the Universe, by Paul Melko.

I've just started seeing Bill Shunn's work, and just met him at Blue Heaven. He has a unique voice that's a pleasure to read. I've been recommending Paul's work for Nebula's for years - he may be our biggest rising star in well-written and accessible sf.