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Candle-light, fire-light, Cups, Wands and Swords, to choose at random
In the midst of a whole bunch of stress and difficulty, today has been a good writing news day. In addition to today's publications—
My short story "A Voice in Caves" has been accepted for reprint by Friends of Hyakinthos, edited by Steve Berman (Lethe Press, May 2016). The title comes from Cocteau Twins' "Mud and Dark," because it is a contemporary (queer) retelling of Echo and Narcissus; it was originally published in 2007 in Caitlín R. Kiernan's Sirenia Digest #14. The reading period is open through the end of the year, so if you've been looking for a market for classically themed gay male stories, here it is! Ancient Greek settings and later receptions of Hellenism equally welcome. Original fiction preferred. If there is not at least one story about A.E. Housman in the slush pile, I will despair of humanity.
My short story "The Trinitite Golem" has been accepted by Mike and Anita Allen for Clockwork Phoenix 5. This is something of a big deal. When I finished this story last March, it was the first full-length fiction I had completed since "The Boatman's Cure" the previous July and my longest piece of historical fiction to date. I read declassified materials from Los Alamos in order to write it. I read biographies of J. Robert Oppenheimer and his family and his colleagues. I had no idea if it would work because it was not structurally or stylistically like most of my short stories—initially I had thought it was going to be a poem. And then I could not find it a home. It racked up more rejections than any story of mine in fourteen years, always of the achingly frustrating this-is-beautiful-it's-just-not-quite-our-thing kind. I began to wonder what everyone had against nuclear physics. I am delighted that it has placed with Clockwork Phoenix, especially since I've never had a story in the series before, and look forward to finding out what the rest of the anthology is like.
This afternoon I visited the cats at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
derspatchel's current residence in Malden. They are taking this move much better than the one to Roslindale, even with the part-corgi dog in the other room. Autolycus purred in my arms and Hestia writhed happily all over the carpeted floor. Rob and I got dinner from Addis Café, which was in the process of closing early but kept the kitchen open to make us a takeout order of kitfo and qwanta firfir. My beloved corduroy coat is all right, after an unpleasant narrow scrape this weekend. I am enjoying Glenn Markoe's Phoenicians (2002) immensely. I am holding on to these things. The writing, too.
My short story "A Voice in Caves" has been accepted for reprint by Friends of Hyakinthos, edited by Steve Berman (Lethe Press, May 2016). The title comes from Cocteau Twins' "Mud and Dark," because it is a contemporary (queer) retelling of Echo and Narcissus; it was originally published in 2007 in Caitlín R. Kiernan's Sirenia Digest #14. The reading period is open through the end of the year, so if you've been looking for a market for classically themed gay male stories, here it is! Ancient Greek settings and later receptions of Hellenism equally welcome. Original fiction preferred. If there is not at least one story about A.E. Housman in the slush pile, I will despair of humanity.
My short story "The Trinitite Golem" has been accepted by Mike and Anita Allen for Clockwork Phoenix 5. This is something of a big deal. When I finished this story last March, it was the first full-length fiction I had completed since "The Boatman's Cure" the previous July and my longest piece of historical fiction to date. I read declassified materials from Los Alamos in order to write it. I read biographies of J. Robert Oppenheimer and his family and his colleagues. I had no idea if it would work because it was not structurally or stylistically like most of my short stories—initially I had thought it was going to be a poem. And then I could not find it a home. It racked up more rejections than any story of mine in fourteen years, always of the achingly frustrating this-is-beautiful-it's-just-not-quite-our-thing kind. I began to wonder what everyone had against nuclear physics. I am delighted that it has placed with Clockwork Phoenix, especially since I've never had a story in the series before, and look forward to finding out what the rest of the anthology is like.
This afternoon I visited the cats at
derspatchel's current residence in Malden. They are taking this move much better than the one to Roslindale, even with the part-corgi dog in the other room. Autolycus purred in my arms and Hestia writhed happily all over the carpeted floor. Rob and I got dinner from Addis Café, which was in the process of closing early but kept the kitchen open to make us a takeout order of kitfo and qwanta firfir. My beloved corduroy coat is all right, after an unpleasant narrow scrape this weekend. I am enjoying Glenn Markoe's Phoenicians (2002) immensely. I am holding on to these things. The writing, too.
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Thank you! I'm really happy about both of them, but especially "The Trinitite Golem." I had begun to think that no one wanted that story and I couldn't figure out why.
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And hooray for a kitties visit, and for good things in rough times. *hugs*
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Thank you!
And hooray for a kitties visit, and for good things in rough times.
Cats always help.
*hugs*
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Many congratulations on the other acceptances and publications as well--and I'm so glad your new coat, which I have yet to comment on (doesn't it come in the long entry? I have a feeling it does) but which I think is excellent, remains undamaged! It would be be terrible if it met with tragedy so soon after becoming yours.
Glad the cats are enjoying their new temporary home. May a permanent home come to all of you soon.
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And I'm relieved that the corduroy coat has survived to have cats swarm all over it.
Nine
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Like Asakiyume, I was waiting to comment until I'd read your reviews - work has picked up, unfortunately, and my free time has not recently been free - but waiting proved to not be the best choice.
I greatly enjoyed what I heard of "The Trinitite Golem," and look forward to reading the rest.
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Thank you!
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Thank you! It's the writing news that makes me happiest lately. I am very attached to that story.
Glad the cats are enjoying their new temporary home. May a permanent home come to all of you soon.
Thank you. One way or another, I really hope so.
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Thank you! I'm honored.
And I'm relieved that the corduroy coat has survived to have cats swarm all over it.
Me, too. It was scary.
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Thank you! I hope so!
I do not actually feel that my life is in any way course-correcting, but I am trying to pay attention to the things that are objectively good rather than everything else.
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Thank you.
Like Asakiyume, I was waiting to comment until I'd read your reviews - work has picked up, unfortunately, and my free time has not recently been free - but waiting proved to not be the best choice.
Don't worry about the order—I am glad to hear from you whenever. I hope you enjoy the reviews when you get to them, and I hope work does not run you into the ground. I have an investment in your words as well.
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Nil desperandum. I am working on it. (And thank you for the reminder, for I had forgotten that there was a deadline involved with this.) A E Housman on Mars, natch. With rowing blues (for I have walked the towpath at the Henley Regatta, and when those gentlemen emerge from their cockleshell eights, I tell you, 'Greek gods' is the only term...). I am confident that the metaphor can somehow stand for the reality, and besides which: the foremost scholar of his day, communicating with aliens in a diving-bell in the depths of a crater lake? It does just have to happen...
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I am so very happy to hear this.
I am confident that the metaphor can somehow stand for the reality, and besides which: the foremost scholar of his day, communicating with aliens in a diving-bell in the depths of a crater lake? It does just have to happen...
I'm already looking forward!