A Novel of Cliched Discovery: A Subtitled Guide to the Worst Fiction Subtitles on Amazon

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I shouldn't do this. One of the unspoken rules of being an author is you shouldn't pick on your fellow authors.* (see exceptions to rule below)

But no. I can't let this go. The other day I was browsing on Amazon and I realized that almost EVERY SINGLE NOVEL on the site has a subtitle, and most of them are bad. Really really bad.

I mean, what the hell? Have we reached the point where people can't buy a novel without seeing an annoyingly cliched subtitle summing up the book in the most trite way possible? Are readers lost without someone telling them that this is My Story: A Novel of Discovery in an Age of Love and War, Book 1?

Before you think I exagerate with that intentionally bad subtitle, do you know how many novels have the subtitle "a novel of love and war"? Check out the list. Since Amazon returns four pages of results with that subtitle, let's simple agree that it's quite a few.

Now don't get me wrong: subtitles can be a great thing, and Lord knows I've used them in my time. Two anthologies I've edited — Million Writers Award: The Best New Online Voices and Million Writers Award: The Best Online Science Fiction and Fantasy — both sprouted their titles in the fertile fields of subtitle land. After all, subtitles can be a useful way to both brand your book and convey added information to potential readers.

In my case, I needed to let readers know the anthologies were tied in with the annual Million Writers Award while also helping readers tell them apart. And for some genres — such as with nonfiction — subtitles are a vital tool to help potential readers quickly determine a book's subject matter.  

But that doesn't mean most novels need subtitles. And if they do, novels certainly don't need the cliches which most publishers and authors believe qualify as subtitles.

In many ways we're living in the literary landscape left by J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. He'd originally wanted his epic fantasy story to be published as one massive novel, but his publisher balked at the cost of doing that. Instead, they released the novel as a trilogy, resulting in bastardizations such as The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

When other authors and publishers realized the payoff which could result from successful series, we began to see increasing numbers of subtitles proclaiming the series and book number. This trend picked up even more steam when mega-blockbuster films like Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope tricked a new generation of authors into believing subtitle land was the only place to write.

I'm probably fighting a losing battle against this trend, but such is life. Still, where logic and literary analysis don't succeed, there's always humor and snark. Below are the worst subtitled novels I've discovered on Amazon. I know there are many more out there — if anyone finds a jaw-droppingly bad fiction subtitle, add it to the comments below.

* Exceptions to the author-picking-on rule. Authors are not supposed to pick on fellow authors unless:

  • You can do it anonymously. Because oh yeah baby, authors love a nice anonymous flame war built on the bonfires of each other's books.
  • The author being picked on is successful. If an author makes the best-seller lists and becomes a household name like J.K. Rowling then the knives come out. Because dang it, when you're an author sometimes you're only reward in this world is extra-heavy envy of those who are more successful than you.

Another awards post

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Always one to follow the authorial herd off a literary cliff, I'm now listing my works available for Hugo, Nebula, and assorted other award consideration.

Here's the list. It's a big one.

  • My novelette "Mirrorblink" from the British SF magazine Interzone, issue 243 (Nov./Dec. 2012).

Yeah, that's it. Big list. And in case anyone asks, the novelette is eligible for the Nebulas due to Interzone also publishing an electronic edition.

I'll provide any eligible award nominator with a free copy of the story — contact me if you want that option.

Reviews of "Mirrorblink"

Mirrorblink

Matthew Dent says "Mirrorblink" is a perfect example of why I'm one of his favorite writers and that "The story itself is beautifully written, and the protagonist a wonderfully constructed character. The ideas and themes in the story are exactly what good SF should be grappling with, and evoke more questions than they answer. As well they should."

Steve Rogerson calls "Mirrorblink" the best story in this issue of Interzone, and that "Sanford tells this complex and entertaining post-apocalyptic tale with skill."

You can find Interzone in stores now. You can also purchase ebook editions, or subscribe, at the following links.

Donate to Worldbuilders, win a chance for some amazing signed books and prizes

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Now that the world didn't end — so much for the predictive powers of the ancient Mayans — why don't you take the time to help build the world up. Worldbuilders is one of the genre community's best charities and a great way to change the world for the better.

Founded by author Pat Rothfuss, Worldbuilders helps fund the amazing work done by Heifer International. There are two ways to donate through Worldbuilders. First, you can go to the WorldBuilders page on Team Heifer and donate. For every $10 you donate, you'll receive one chance receive to win prizes such as signed books from authors like me (including both Million Writers Award anthologies I edited and my short story collection Never Never Stories). 

You can also purchase signed books and items directly from WorldBuilders through their online store and auctions. As with the donations, all money goes to Heifer. Complete details on the store and auctions can be found on the Worldbuilders website. 

Thanks to Pat Rothfuss for running Worldbuilders each year. I encourage everyone to go and donate for a great cause.

"Mirrorblink" now available in ebook and print editions of Interzone 243

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Mirrorblink

My novellete "Mirrorblink is now available in print and ebook editions of Interzone 243. So far, reviews have been good.

Matthew Dent says "Mirrorblink" is a perfect example of why I'm one of his favorite writers and that "The story itself is beautifully written, and the protagonist a wonderfully constructed character. The ideas and themes in the story are exactly what good SF should be grappling with, and evoke more questions than they answer. As well they should."

Steve Rogerson calls "Mirrorblink" the best story in this issue of Interzone, and that "Sanford tells this complex and entertaining post-apocalyptic tale with skill."

You can find Interzone in stores now. You can also purchase ebook editions, or subscribe, at the following links.

Harlan Ellison's first professional sale

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EllisonCartoon

Harlan Ellison's discussion forum sometimes yields fascinating insights into SF history, such as his first professional sale. A forum user mentioned that he'd seen a copy of the July 1952 issue of Imagination for sale and that it contained a cartoon reportedly by Harlan.

Ellison confirmed this publication and stated the following: 

You've stumbled upon my very first actual professional sale. I was in high school, East High in Cleveland, and one of my few friends was the brilliantly talented cartoonist for the East High newspaper, Ray Gibson. We both read sciecne (sic) fiction, and I thought up the cartoon and punchline, Ray did the art excellently, we sent it off to IMAGINATION and they paid us $25.00 This item looms large in my career, even if the bibliography omits it. It was the every start, save for the two serials in The Cleveland News. It is no. 1 in my Archive.

Ray is still alive. In Cleveland, I presume.

The cartoon, with the caption "My plates are killing me," is linked to above. The ISFDB entry for Ellison indicates this is one of only two interior art cartoons Ellison helped create during his five decade plus career. 

Million Writers Award anthology ebooks only $2.99

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MWAAnthologies

The ebook editions of my Million Writers Award anthologies, which are retrospective collections featuring ten years worth of award-honored stories, are temporarily marked down to only $2.99.

The first anthology, Million Writers Award: The Best Online Science Fiction and Fantasy, focuses on SF/F stories, while the second, Million Writers Award: The Best New Online Voices , highlights non-genre stories. 

To order the ebook editions at this discounted price, check out the links below.

Bryan Thomas Schmidt needs a SF social media push to realize his anthology dreams

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Sometimes it seems like we hear more about the jerks in SF fandom than the truly quality people. This is partly an age-old story — as always, the news which spreads the easiest is about the creep at Readercon harassing people, or the fools who continually dip into anger and hate and undermine the joy our genre should instead be creating.

But despite how bad news spreads, the truth is that the genre jerks are far outnumbered by the great people in fandom. And one of the best people I know is Bryan Thomas Schmidt.

Bryan is a fan, an author and an editor. His debut novel, The Worker Prince, earned an honorable mention on Barnes & Noble Book Club’s list of best SF of 2011. He's also an incredibly nice person, always willing to discuss genre fun and games and to help those in need.

Now Bryan needs our help. Bryan has an anthology-building dream and without the help of fandom his dream won't come true. You see, Bryan has launched a Kickstarter fundraiser for his anthology project Beyond The Sun and he has less than a week to finish raising the funds!

Here's a summary of the project from the To Be Read blog, 

Beyond The Sun is going to feature stories by some amazing legendary science fiction writers, some established writers and some new writers on the subject,” he says. His headliners are all Hugo and Nebula winners: Robert Silverberg, Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Mike Resnick and Nancy Kress. All have written novels and stories on the topic before and look forward to exploring it further. Joining them are familiar names such as Cat Rambo, Jason Sanford, Jennifer Brozek, Brad R. Torgersen, Jean Johnson, Erin Hoffman, Jamie Todd Rubin and Guy Anthony DeMarco.

“The writers included are some of my writing heroes and good friends,” Schmidt says. “It’s a thrill to have the participation of such notables as well as giving new writers the opportunity get more exposure for their own work by appearing alongside others with such respected reputations. Plus, you can just tell from the list of names how amazing the anthology is going to be!”

Between them, the headliners alone have 12 Hugos, 5 Nebulas and numerous other awards. Several other invitees have nominations and awards as well.  Schmidt has even lined up award-winning artist Mitchell Davidson Bentley to do the cover as well as several experienced and up and coming artists to add images for the stories themselves. “It’s rare these days to have artwork inside books, but I think it inspires the imagination,” Schmidt says. “I know that, as a writer, it’s intriguing to see what artists get as inspiration from my own work.” With the project aimed at being family friendly and applicable for educational use, Schmidt also thinks this will add value and interest.

Yes, as one of the author's in this anthology I obviously have a vested interested in seeing this project succeed. But this is a project I'd support even if I wasn't involved. Bryan has created a remarkable lineup for his anthology and this is a book I desperately want to read.

Bryan has less than one week to raise the restof the funds for his Kickstarter campaign. So please, go and support this campaign.

And spread the word.

Because Bryan needs this to go viral.

If only a few of the people who talk online about the bad things that happen in our genre would spread the word about Bryan, then his dream will come true. I mean, the bad stuff will always happen. And it's important for us to discuss the bad so we can stop it in its tracks.

But let's not forget to also promote the great people in our genre.

People like Bryan.

Preview of my novelette "Mirrorblink"

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MirrorblinkMy 12,000 word novelette "Mirrorblink" will appear shortly in Interzone and editor Andy Cox was kind enough to send me a preview of the story's art spread. (Click on the image at right for a bigger view. Please note that while the art is finished the page layout is a work in progress).

What do I think about the art? Only that it slapped my eyes silly and reprogrammed the shambling mass I call a mind into feeling nothing but shock and awe!

Which is another way of saying, "Wow!"

The art is by Warwick Fraser-Coombe, who did an equally great job illustrating my story "Peacemaker, Peacemaker, Little Bo Peep."

"Mirrorblink" is set on a far future Earth. Humanity lives in small villages where advanced communications technology is forbidden. The most dangerous thing one can do in this world is travels, meaning visiting villages beyond your own. Not only are people suspicious of strangers, there are other dangers lurking outside the village walls, including alien beings called Observers and massive burns of plasma which occasionally rain from the skies, destroying all life in the blast area.

Here's a little excerpt from the story.

Ein of Wastal of the Town of Near Side approached the crossroads holding her pass before her like a child gifting a beloved toy to a friend.  Above, the Day shined hot and clear, with only the smoke on the horizon marring the sky’s even blindness.  Ein had hoped the smoking remnants of that distant burn would dissipate before she reached this new town, but naturally no such luck.

Ein’s body shook from starvation--her food pouch almost empty, her muscles weak and stringy from weeks of half rations--but as she stood before the crossroads she ignored her hunger.  Father Jajher had often warned Ein against approaching strange towns while distracted.  So Ein forgot everything except for the old man in the guard house and the rifle he aimed at her heart.  

Not that the guard actually aimed at Ein.  He aimed at the kaleidoscope of faces and names projected into the air by her pass--an ancient data mirror containing the downloaded memories from hundreds of people.  In theory the data proved Ein was who she claimed to be.  But tradition demanded a pass be held before one’s chest.  If the guard rejected the pass, the rejection would be a hypersonic needle through both mirror and heart.

The complete story will be in issue 243 of Interzone, available in early November. If you can't find Interzone in your area, be sure to subscribe. Interzone is absolutely the most beautiful and exciting SF magazine in the world. 

Context 25 schedule

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I'm attending Context 25 this weekend in Columbus, Ohio. I'll have copies of my short story collection Never Never Stories along with the anthologies Million Writers Award: The Best New Online Voices and Million Writers Award: The Best Online Science Fiction and Fantasy.

Here is my schedule:

  • Friday 8 p.m.:  Seducing Today's Youth to SF: A Call to Arms — panel featuring me and Bill Levy
  • Saturday 11 a.m.: Can Science Fiction Match Reality? — panel featuring me, Geoffrey Girard, A.J. Scudiere, and Bill Levy
  • Saturday 1 p.m.: The Next Step: What Happens AFTER Breaking Into Print? — panel featuring me, Steven Saus, Addie King, and Mindee Arnett
  • Saturday 1 - 3 p.m.: Meet the Authors - Autograph Session
  • Sunday 11 a.m.: When Fantasy Becomes SF and SF Becomes Fantasy — panel featuring me, Linnea Sinclair, Geoffrey Landis, and David L. Burkhead

I look forward to seeing everyone at the convention. 

Today in SF History: Harlan Ellison stands up to a bullying Frank Sinatra

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In the past I've reamed Harlan Ellison for a number of things, ranging from the frequency with which he screams "Plagiarism!" to the inappropriate comments and actions he's frequently delivered to fellow writers. But all that said, he is flat-out one of the best writers in SF. His The Essential Ellison: A 50 Year Retrospective is among the most re-read books on my bookshelf and a must-read for anyone who worships at the short story altar.

But while Ellison's personality has frequently delivered him into wrong-headed situations, it's also part of what made him a SF legend. As proof of this, witness the time he stood up to a bullying Frank Sinatra.

The episode occurred well before Ellison was famous, back when he was only in his early thirties. The story is related in "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold," a profile of Sinatra by Gay Talese which was published in Esquire. The profile is considered "one of the seminal works of New Journalism" and can be read in its entirety here.

The set-up is such: Gay Talese has been trying to land an interview with Frank Sinatra but has been unable to do so. So instead, he follows Frankie Boy to a local Beverly Hills club, where the prima donna acts like a jerk to pretty much everyone. Then he encounters Ellison.

As mentioned, at this time Ellison was almost an unknown — he'd written one screenplay so far for the movie The Oscar, but the film hadn't yet been released. Anyway, Ellison and his friends are at the club, playing pool and ignoring Sinatra. But Sinatra can't stop looking at Ellison, or more specifically, at Ellison's Game Warden boots. Even though Talese describes Ellison and his friends as a cool group of young actors and writers, obviously Sinatra doesn't like how they — and in particular Ellison — are dressed. 

Here's the article from that point:

Finally Sinatra could not contain himself.

"Hey," he yelled in his slightly harsh voice that still had a soft, sharp edge. "Those Italian boots?"

"No," Ellison said.

"Spanish?"

"No."

"Are they English boots?"

"Look, I donno, man," Ellison shot back, frowning at Sinatra, then turning away again.

Now the poolroom was suddenly silent. Leo Durocher who had been poised behind his cue stick and was bent low just froze in that position for a second. Nobody moved. Then Sinatra moved away from the stool and walked with that slow, arrogant swagger of his toward Ellison, the hard tap of Sinatra's shoes the only sound in the room. Then, looking down at Ellison with a slightly raised eyebrow and a tricky little smile, Sinatra asked: "You expecting a storm?"

Harlan Ellison moved a step to the side. "Look, is there any reason why you're talking to me?"

"I don't like the way you're dressed," Sinatra said.

"Hate to shake you up," Ellison said, "but I dress to suit myself."

Now there was some rumbling in the room, and somebody said, "Com'on, Harlan, let's get out of here," and Leo Durocher made his pool shot and said, "Yeah, com'on."

But Ellison stood his ground.

Sinatra said, "What do you do?"

"I'm a plumber," Ellison said.

"No, no, he's not," another young man quickly yelled from across the table. "He wrote The Oscar."

"Oh, yeah," Sinatra said, "well I've seen it, and it's a piece of crap."

"That's strange," Ellison said, "because they haven't even released it yet."

"Well, I've seen it," Sinatra repeated, "and it's a piece of crap."

Now Brad Dexter, very anxious, very big opposite the small figure of Ellison, said, "Com'on, kid, I don't want you in this room."

"Hey," Sinatra interrupted Dexter, "can't you see I'm talking to this guy?"

Dexter was confused. Then his whole attitude changed, and his voice went soft and he said to Ellison, almost with a plea, "Why do you persist in tormenting me?"

The whole scene was becoming ridiculous, and it seemed that Sinatra was only half-serious, perhaps just reacting out of sheer boredom or inner despair; at any rate, after a few more exchanges Harlan Ellison left the room. By this time the word had gotten out to those on the dance floor about the Sinatra-Ellison exchange, and somebody went to look for the manager of the club. But somebody else said that the manager had already heard about it -- and had quickly gone out the door, hopped in his car and drove home. So the assistant manager went into the poolroom.

"I don't want anybody in here without coats and ties," Sinatra snapped.

The assistant manager nodded, and walked back to his office.

Again, I recommend people read the entire piece. But for my money, nothing beats how Ellison, as a then-nobody, refused to let the biggest star of that day push him around simply for wearing clothes which got up Frankie Boy's butt. And I love that Gay Talese was there to capture the incident for posterity.

For previous "Today in SF History" items, go here.

Winners of the 2012 storySouth Million Writers Award

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Here they are — the winners of this year's storySouth Million Writers Award. 

Thanks to everyone who nominated stories and voted in this year's award. And thanks also to our great donors. This year's prizes include:

  • $500 for the overall winner, plus a $100 gift certificate from ThinkGeek
  • $250 for the runner-up / second place winner
  • $100 for the honorable mention winner plus a $50 gift card to Powells.com, sponsored by writingprompts.us
  • In addition, all three winners will receive free books from Dzanc Books (who also generously contributed to the overall prize money)

If you enjoyed this year's award, be sure to check out our two retrospective anthologies of Million Writers Award stories. For complete information, including how to order, go here for the SF/F anthology and here for the New Online Voices anthology.

In small things of note

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One of my favorite books while studying archeology was In Small Things Forgotten, an exploration of how the little things we leave behind tell others so much about our lives.

Here are a few small things of note for today:

  • The public vote for the storySouth Million Writers Award is now closed. I'll release the results in the evening on Monday, Aug. 13.

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  • Asimov's Science Fiction has accepted a second story from me. "Monday's Monk" is my first SF story set in Thailand and draws heavily on my experiences there as a Peace Corps Volunteer. When I know the story's publication date I'll let everyone know. Many many thanks to Sheila Williams for accepting the story.

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  • SF Signal has published the English edition of my essay "Opening the SF Translation Pipeline to America," which was originally published in the Czech magazine XB-1. Thanks to Aliette de Bodard, Nick Mamatas, and Ken Liu for their insights on the topic and to both XB-1 and SF Signal for publishing the essay.

 

Miller's Monster: 43,000 pound steam engine tractor celebrates 100th anniversary

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MillersMonsterSteampunk fans will love this. In the Aug. 1, 2012 local edition of The Budget — a weekly newspaper from Sugarcreek, Ohio, focused on the Amish and Mennonite communities — appears Miller's Monster, a 43,000 pound Case 110 steam engine.

According to the article, the tractor was built in 1912 and is currently owned by J.D. Miller. The tractor celebrated it's 100th anniversary at the recent Doughty Valley Steam Days. Miller spent more than a decade restoring the massive machine, which stands 13 feet tall.

For more on the tractor, see this article from The Bargain Hunter, which details Miller's restoration (and provided the great photo above). There's also a fascinating video on YouTube showing another Case 110 plowing a field.

BTW, I love reading The Budget newspaper, which is published in both a local and national edition. The national edition contains dispatches from Amish and Mennonite communities around the world. For more information on the paper, including how to subscribe, go here.

Million Writers Award vote extended by one day

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Tonight at 11:59 pm Eastern time was supposed to be the end of the public vote for this year's storySouth Million Writers Award. However, the storySouth website went down for nearly a day last week, resulting in much anguish and emailing to me about the inability to vote.

To make up for this problem, I'm extending the public vote by one day. The voting will now end at 11:50 pm on Tuesday, Aug. 7. To vote go here.  For the most recent vote tally, go here.

This year we have nearly $1000 in cash prizes for the top three winners, along with

  • A $100 gift certificate from ThinkGeek for the overall winner;
  • Free books from Dzanc Books for the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners (Dzanc Books also generously contributed to the overall prize money);
  • A $50 gift card to Powells.com for the third place winner, sponsored by writingprompts.us.

 

Two weeks left to vote in the storySouth Million Writers Award

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There are two more weeks to vote in the storySouth Million Writers Award. So far we've already had around 800 people vote in this year's contest. Don't forget the winning stories will receive nearly $1000 in cash and prizes.

As of yesterday, here are the vote standings for the ten finalists:

Based on the results so far, this means "The Mill Pond" by xTx (from StoryGlossia) and "On Familiar Terms" by Kelly Cherry (from Blackbird) are battling neck and neck for the lead. However, it doesn't take that many votes to change the dynamics of the race. So be sure to read the stories and vote for your favorite.

Voting ends on Monday, August 6th. To vote, go here.

And don't forget Spotlight Publishing has released two retrospective anthologies of Million Writers Award stories. For complete information, including how to order, go here for the SF/F anthology and here for the New Online Voices anthology.

 

The anti-SF hatred oozing from Charles J. Shields' Kurt Vonnegut biography

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Charles J. Shield, the acclaimed author of Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee, has written the first in-depth examination of the life of 20th century literary icon Kurt Vonnegut. In And So It Goes, Shields follows Vonnegut's life from his birth in Indianapolis through his harrowing World War II years — where he survived the firebombing of Dresden — to his literary struggles and ultimate acceptance as a ground-breaking author.

Overall the book is a fascinating examination of Vonnegut and makes for a quick read. The biography is filled with previously unknown details of Vonnegut's life, many gleaned from access to Vonnegut's personal letters. While Vonnegut comes off as far less likable in this biography than many of his fans likely imagined, that also appears to be how he was in reality.

Unfortunately, there are also major concerns with Shields' biography. First, Vonnegut's World War II years are not explored in as much depth as required. Since that experience rippled throughout Vonnegut's life — and also resulted in Vonnegut's most famous book, Slaughterhouse-Five — it literally demanded being covered in much more detail.

Of even great concern, though, is Shields' extremely demeaning and off-putting attitude toward the science fiction genre. Yes, Vonnegut had a love-hate relationship with SF and didn't want his writing dismissed by placing him in the genre box. But Shields appears to not only have internalized this attitude but taken it to an extreme. Almost ever single reference in the book to a SF author or the genre is derogatory or given short shrift.

For example, only a single page is given to Theodore Sturgeon, who was the inspiration for Vonnegut's most famous character Kilgore Trout. That single page describes a dinner shared by the two authors and how Sturgeon attempts a backward flip but falls on his knees. In Shields' account, Sturgeon is played for laughs only, as a clown who showed Vonnegut what could happen to his writing career if he didn't break out of the damned box of SF fiction. But if you read Vonnegut's original account of the dinner, which he shared in his 1999 introduction to A Saucer of Loneliness: Volume VII: The Complete Stories of Theodore Sturgeon, it's obvious that this isn't how Vonnegut saw Sturgeon.

In that introduction Vonnegut said Sturgeon was the victim of a "hate crime then commonly practiced by the American literary establishment" — genreism, or the dismissal of any writer who wrote SF. Vonnegut closes his account of that dinner by describing Sturgeon as one of the best writers in America. The fact that Shields referenced this particular episode but missed Vonnegut's larger point about Sturgeon leaves me wondering what else Shields is missing due to his biased view of SF.

If that was the only time this occurred in the biography I could ignore Shields' anti-genre attitude. But it happens again and again. Hugo and Nebula Award winning author Philip José Farmer is described as a "B-grade science fiction writer" (page 320) and as an author whose "novels were outer-space sexual fantasies for male readers" (page 321). Farmer is the only novelist mentioned in the biography who is dismissed so out of hand.

Shields also doesn't go into a detailed literary examination of Farmer's novel Venus on the Half-Shell, which Farmer wrote as Kilgore Trout with Vonnegut's initial blessing. Considering how many readers and reviewers of the time thought Vonnegut wrote the novel — a fact which greatly irritated Vonnegut — and that the biography describes in detail the fury surrounding Farmer's novel, I expected Shields to spend at least a paragraph or two giving a critical analysis to Venus on a Half-Shell. Instead, Shields dismisses this novel in barely a sentence by calling it a "spoof" of Vonnegut's writing.

This dismissive attitude to all things SF continues when Shields mentions Vonnegut's most famous short story, "Harrison Bergeron." The story was published in a 1961 edition of the Magazine of Science Fiction and Fantasy. But instead of praising the magazine for publishing such a ground-breaking story, Shields describes the magazine as a "cultish monthly for hardcarore admirers of literary science fiction."  To my knowledge, no other magazine mentioned in the biography — and there were many — is described in such a flippant manner.

Again, Vonnegut had a love-hate relationship with SF. But you'd think a literary biographer like Shields could maintain a more even approach to the very genre which gave Vonnegut his initial recognition and praise. In Shields' previous biography examing Harper Lee's life, you don't find a similarly dismissive attitude toward Southern Literature. But perhaps Shields feels that SF is unworthy of being associated with an author he loves as much as Vonnegut. 

Despite these flaws, And So It Goes is still the first in-depth biography of Vonnegut, which makes it a must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about one of the most significant literary figures of the 20th century. But damn — is it too much to ask for a literary biography not to ooze so much SF hatred?

Million Writers Award top ten stories released; public vote now open

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The storySouth Million Writers Award top ten stories have been released and the public vote for the overall winners is now open. We have more than $1,000 in cash and prizes for the winners, so go check out the stories and vote.

I also want to thank our three final judges: Forrest Anderson, Jeff VanderMeer, and the one judge who wished to remain anonymous. You three are amazing! Even though all three of the judges are extremely busy with their own writing careers, they still took the time to read through all of this year's notable stories and pick their ten favorites. If that doesn't fit perfectly into the definition of awesome, I don't know what does.

Million Writers Award anthologies now available; early reaction includes a Publisher's Weekly starred review

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MWAAnthologies

Spotlight Publishing has released my two Million Writers Award anthologies, which are retrospective collections featuring ten years worth of award-honored stories.

The first anthology, Million Writers Award: The Best Online Science Fiction and Fantasy, focuses on SF/F stories, while the second, Million Writers Award: The Best New Online Voices, highlights non-genre stories. 

Early reviews for the SF/F anthology are now coming in and — drum roll please — the book received a Publisher's Weekly starred review! To quote:

"Sanford, editor of the online literary journal storySouth, assembles a remarkable collection of science fiction and fantasy works, all originally published online and heralded in storySouth’s annual Million Writers Award contest (some are winners, others finalists and notables). ... Many of these stories have earned other awards and nominations, and they prove that online journals and magazines deserve readers’ respect and attention.

Wow!

In addition, Jamie Todd Rubin at Orson Scott Card's InterGalactic Medicine Show also review the SF/F anthology. He said: 

"We are living in a golden age of short science fiction and fantasy. Having read and written a great deal about classical Golden Age science fiction, having done a pretty good job keeping up with most of the short fiction markets today, I feel I can make this statement with some authority. If further evidence is required, however, I point to Jason Sanford's recent anthology,Million Writers Award: The Best Online Science Fiction and Fantasy."

Again, wow! Many thanks to both reviewers for the kind words.

Contributor copies have now mailed, and this weekend I'll be mailing out signed copies to anyone who pre-ordered (those would have gone out last weekend but the storm and power outage intervened). 

To order a print or ebook edition, click below.

Million Writers Award update (the power outage edition)

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Thanks to the storms which swept through the eastern U.S. this weekend, my house has gone off the grid. For now, my iPhone is still working so I have a rudimentary ability to post items to this blog, along with access to email and social media. But that's the extent of my online abilities.

Unfortunately, today was when I planned to both release the judge's picks for the Million Writers Award top ten stories and start the public vote for the overall winner. But to do that I need FTP and other online access. As soon as I have it we'll start the final part of the contest. Thanks to everyone for their patience.

Also, the two Million Writers Award anthologies are now available. However, the distributor is still working on placing them with online bookstores like Amazon. That should happen in another week or two. Until it does, if people order from Spotlight Publishing they'll receive immediate shipping and still receive the pre-order pricing of $13.99 for the book and .99 cent shipping. Details and links here.

"Heaven's Touch" in the August 2012 Asimov's Science Fiction

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Asimovs0812My novelette "Heaven's Touch" has been published in the August 2012 issue of Asimov's Science Fiction. Subscribers are now receiving their copies and the issue should be in stores in the next week or so.

"Heaven's Touch" is a hard science fiction story set on a comet in the near future; the main character, Dusty Waylons, is an astronaut fighting both for her own survival and to save Earth. Dusty also starred in my first Analog story "Where Away You Fall," which is available here as a free PDF download. While "Where Away You Fall" works as a prequel to "Heaven's Touch," you don't have to read one to enjoy the other.

Thanks again to Sheila Williams at Asimov's for accepting the story and giving me some great feedback during the editing process. Being published in Asimov's means a great deal to me, as I rambled on about a while back.

And additional thanks to nuclear engineer Anthony Zuppero, who originally developed the idea of ice spaceships. When I was plotting out my story Anthony was kind enough to email back and forth with me on the iceship's technical aspects. Anthony is a fascinating man with some groundbreaking ideas on how humanity can expand into outer space.