Awards Elibility...of a sort.

It's that time of year again where everyone is reminding everyone else about what their 2014 looked like publishing wise. The last couple of years I've done a fairly straight forward bibliographic list of stories published, but since I only had one original story published in 2014 I'm coming at my award eligibility from a different angle.

If you liked my story "The Dragon in the Wardrobe" (Betwixt, January 2014) enough to nominate it for something (probably the short story category for New Zealand's SJVs is a good place), feel free to do so. And thank you.

However, one of my friends in my New Zealand writer circles has been kind enough to nominate me for "Best New Talent" at the SJVs. I know I'm leaving this a little late to strengthen this nomination with my blurb (nominations close this Sunday), but here it is. Feel free to rearrange or use these words as you see fit if you're strengthening my nomination.

I started my speculative fiction writing journey in 2010, and my first publication was in the sorely missed Semaphore Magazine. I'm very pleased that my first speculative fiction story "My Dad, The Tuatara" had a New Zealand theme and was published in a New Zealand venue. The story was reprinted in the Christchurch Earthquake Fundraising anthology "Tales For Canterbury". I also had an earthquake inspired story published in the "Regeneration: New Zealand Speculative Fiction 2" in 2013.

I have had three professional short story sales - to Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Crossed Genres Magazine, and Wily Writers. I often write along the axes of feminism, QUILTBAG, and underrepresented characters (eg: disability and race, of which I am still learning), and I have been published in such feminist and QUILTBAG friendly venues as The Future Fire, Khimairal Ink, and Expanded Horizons. I am proud that my story "Blood, Stone, Water" was reprinted in Lethe Press yearly anthology "Heiresses of Russ 2014" - it is nice to have my name attached to a collection that is named after one of my writing heroines Joanna Russ.

Other influences on my writing include James Tiptree Jr, Anne McCaffrey, Melanie Rawn, Catherynne M. Valente, and NK Jemisin.

My greatest achievement to date also includes the last two names on that list. In 2014 I was accepted to the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Workshop at University of California San Diego. An intensive six week writing summer boot camp highly respected by the speculative fiction publishing industry, I learned about technique and the business alongside 17 students from around the world and under the watchful eye of six big name authors Gregory Frost, Geoff Ryman, Catherynne Valente, NK Jemisin, Ann Vandermeer, and Jeff Vandermeer.

So, if you think the last five years of my writing journey is worthy of "Best New Talent" (New Zealand wise), go for it. I appreciate everyones support. Here, have a kitten.

O hai, u thunk I haz teh skillz?

 

Five Questions: "The Unofficial Guide to Travelling With Kin"

My first original story in a year has dropped. "The Unofficial Guide to Travelling with Kin" is now available online and in glossy print format in Betwixt Magazine Issue 6. This issue also contains a story by another Clarionite, Gabriela Santiago of the 2013 class. Much thanks to editor Joy Creslin for publishing my second story for Betwixt. It's a nifty magazine going places.

So let's dive into my Five Questions format for some brain pickings over how this story came to be.

Happy New Year! "The Unofficial Guide to Travelling With Kin" now live at Betwixt Magazine.

Cover of Issue 6 Betwixt Magazine
A futuristic city of spires, with floating
lights

New Year, new story release! Isn't that a great way to kick off?

My road story "The Unofficial Guide to Travelling With Kin" is now available in issue 6 of Betwixt Magazine. You can read it online, and buy a physical hard copy of the magazine. Check out the beautiful cover art by Alex Tooth. Very festive!

What do a unicorn named Bruce, a werewolf called Princess, a Dragon called Boh, and a mermaid called Late For Lunch all have in common? They're four of the crypto-menagerie who hitch a ride with a stranger. They all have something in common - they're running from something to anywhere, and they only have each other to look out for on the road. It's eat or be eaten in "Unofficial Guide".

Enjoy!