Talyesin's Tales

So the official news is AGES OF WONDER (the fantasy anthology I co-edited with Julie Czerneda) is slated for March 2009.

Woo!

AGES OF WONDER has been sent off to the publisher.

*mildly stunned*

You know the worst part of this whole experience with AGES OF WONDER?

It's not the inevitable disappointment that one's favourite authors are unavailable (Neil Gaiman's assistant is a classy lady, though).

It's not the crushing realization that an incredibly well-written story has fallen *just* short of the actual theme.

It's being forced, after a lifetime of proud support of British/Canadian spelling, to correct the spelling to the American standard.

*sob*

Surprising myself, I've sent off another anthology pitch. We'll see what comes of it.

I say surprising myself because, though AGES OF WONDER has been an eye-opening, incredible learning experience, I wasn't sure I'd want to do another anthology any time soon.

Apparently, yes.

Besides, I really like my idea. Here's hoping they do, too.

Is there a way, in a Word document, to search specifically for any italicized text?

Here it is, folks, the Table of Contents for my upcoming anthology, AGES OF WONDER:

THE AGE OF ANTIQUITY
The Curse Tablet - Nina Hoffman
To Play the Game of Men - Caitlin Sweet
The Mist Wraith - Urania Fung
Written in Smoke - Karina Sumner-Smith

THE AGE OF SAIL
Cloud Above Water - Natalie Millman
Crossing the Waters - Ika Vanderkoeck
Here There Be Monsters - Brad Carson
A Swift Changing Course - Jana Paniccia

THE COLONIAL AGE
Blood and Soil - Ceri Young
Fletcher's Ghost - Liz Holliday
Immigrant - Sandra Tayler
A Small Sacrifice - Kristen Bonn

THE AGE OF PIONEERS
Pony Up – Linda Davis
Gold at the End of the Railroad - Elizabeth Ann Scarborough

THE PRE-MODERN AGE
The Stone Orrery – Jennifer Crow
Sphinx! - Tony Pi
A Bird in the Hand – Queenie Tirone

THE AGE AHEAD
Mars Bound – K. J. Gould
Angels and Moths – Costi Gurgu

The accepteds and rejections have gone out on AGES OF WONDER. About time, too, because I was fit to bursting to tell people.

There were so many good stories. Many great stories. Several exceptional stories. Some of these we kept, and some we had to, alas, turn away. This is the nature of an anthology. For a variety of reasons, the ones which are selected are the ones which are selected, and the ones which are rejected are the ones which are rejected. It's the job of the editor to make the tough calls, and let me tell you, some of them were very tough indeed.

That said, I'd like to personally thank each and every person who submitted a story to us, whether or not you were accepted. You blew us away. Thank you.

Now comes the fun part: story order!

Well, all my Newbie-Pros have submitted their stories, and about half of my Full-Time Pros have as well (the others asked for extensions until the end of the week). From what I've seen so far, there are some incredibly talented writers out there.

The fun part is in reading the stories. The hard part is in choosing which ones to keep and which to pass on.

It's going to be very fun.

It's going to be very hard.

Hmm. It seems I am an editor.

And yet I don't have a red pen.

It seems odd.

I should fix this.

BUT! I have a new and entirely appropriate icon!

Let me explain where I'm coming from in order to understand what I'm going for. I earned a History degree at Concordia University in Montreal, and like a lot of fantasy enthusiasts, I specialized in Medieval Europe (though it wasn't the only era I studied) - the period that stretched from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance, a thousand years of history. A lot happened in that time - the Dark Ages, the Barbarian Invasions, the development of castles and cathedrals, the rise of the Romantic Ideals. And I found the era wonderful and fascinating - just like all the stories I read for entertainment, only they actually happened!

But those fantasy stories always ended in the same pastoral monarchies they began with. While a rich source of stories, the medieval age eventually came to an end. It gave way to changes such as the rise of scientific enquiry, the exploration of the world, the establishment of colonies, and the growth of industrial cities. Why weren't there any fantasy stories set in those eras? Or before the establishment of those monarchies? Or beyond our own level of technological advancement?

So that's what we're looking for, here - stories set in a fantasy world, based on a historical period that IS NOT Medieval Europe, or the Modern Era (which let's say spans from 1980-2010). Or else fantasy stories set in our own history, but before the Fall of Rome, or after the Renaissance. But be careful with this sort of thing, because like I said, I have a history degree and I'm not afraid to use it.

Additionally, any culture which is recognizably different from Medieval Europe, or modern western society, is fair game as fodder for creating a new, interesting setting for a story. Africa, Asia, the indigenous peoples of the world, from the depths of the tropical rain forest to the permafrost plains of the arctic circle, there are countless cultures and societies that have rich cultures upon which to base a story's setting.

There's a lot of possibilities available. We deliberately left the theme vague because we wanted to see what people would come up with, given the only restriction - no Medieval Europe, and no Modern era. Every other time period in human history is available.

All those ages to choose from... which one is up to you.

EDIT: To clarify this clarification, unfortunately, no, this does not constitute an open invitation to submit. Sorry, folks!

The question of 'proper' formatting arose on Julie's newsgroup, so I thought I'd reprint it here:

* Indents by format paragraph.
* No double spaces after a sentence.
* No extra lines ie paragraph breaks.
* No cover page or half page at the start (it's just deleted) or address etc. in the story file. Title, word count, name, only.
* Complete contact info in the cover email.
* page number, name, and title on the top of every page.
* Format your italics as italics. No marks, such as underlines, unless you want underlines printed.

Anyone know of any place in Montreal that sells Weird Tales, Lovecraft's, Adventure Tales or Fantasy Magazine? Or is a subscription worth it?

My contract from DAW arrived today.

I feel very Official all of a sudden.

Back in the day, and I'm going way, WAAAAY back, like, Sherman set the WABAC back, when Converse and Roots were everything, hair was big and seriously, seriously, like *totally* stiff from product, when penny loafers, white socks, and blue jeans was de rigeur...

... yes, I'm talking about High School. In the EIGHTIES. *shudder*

So, okay. We all took these placement quiz things that 'predicted' what job you would be best suited for. I think, mind I say I *think*, it was called CHOICES. It had something to do with how you filled out the test and then a computer would analyze the answers and spit out a top ten list of Best Suited For jobs.

Anyhow, my CHOICES (I think) test said I should be a writer/editor.

...


... The Cruel Fates, they laugh big inside.

Invitations were sent out this morning. I prepared them last night, geeking and freaking a little that THIS WAS REALLY HAPPENING, then sent them out this morning. I woke up at 3:15 AM, so excited to send them out I very nearly got out of bed. My brain overrode that decision, and slept in until I couldn't stand it any more (6:00) then got out of bed to send the emails.

So. Yes. Invites sent.

Some people have replied. The vast majority have said Yes, so far - the only holdouts I've had so far are one person who's concerned about his schedule, and one person who stopped writing short stories years ago.

One of the authors responsible for my love of fantasy has said yes. I felt dizzy when I got her email.

Is it possible to have a job you actually LOVE doing? How unusual.

( Ooo! An explanation copy-pasted from Julie's Newsgroup: )

( FINALLY getting around to transcribing my Ad-Astra notes )

So it looks like next year is going to be hella busy for me, in the sense of travelling etc.

Seven conventions, relatively local, to promote my two books (MISSPELLED and AGES OF WONDER), over eight months.

Plus two trips to California - one for the twins' graduation, and one for Cindy's wedding.

I think I had better start saving now... or else find a better job quick. Possibly both.

Recently re-discovered Reader Action Rob - the guy I used to be long, long ago. The one who ate books for breakfast and finished trilogies weekly.

Currently reading:

Dreamcatcher - Stephen King
Goblin Quest - Jim Hines
Chicks in Chain Mail - ed. Esther Friesner
Way of the Wolf - E.E. Knight
Fat Jack - Peter MacArthur
The Night Watch - Sergei Lukyanenko
From the Notebooks of Dr. Brain - Minister Faust
Accursed - Amber Benson & Christopher Golden
Inheritance - Devin Grayson
Lincoln's Dreams - Connie Willis
Tithe - Holly Black
The Thief Lord - Cornelia Funke
Alanna - Tamora Pierce
Trigger Effect - Maggie Price
The Well of Lost Plots - Jasper Fforde

Just Finished:

Thud! - Terry Pratchett
Under Cover of Darkness - ed. Jana Paniccia & Julie Czerneda

Thing is, now reading is work. Oh, I don't have to work AT it. Rather, now I've got Don't Call Me Chief Editor Rob along for the ride. I still love reading (and now that I can deduct books as research on my taxes, I don't have an excuse not to buy, woo hoo!), but now whenever I'm reading, part of my brain is in constant "I wouldn't have put it that way" or "It would have worked better if (insert plotline/characterization suggestion here)."

Now I know what Owldaughter's brain feels like. O.o

Okay, an uncontroversial topic for a change:

Are there any small local sci-fi/fantasy/spec fic bookstores left in Montreal, or was the late lamented Nebula the last of a dying breed?