199

I finished story 199 yesterday while avoiding other work. It's called, "This Story Hates You." It's a bit meta.

198

 Just finished story 198, "The Demolition Notice," and sent it out. It combines two things I've done before, modular men and the Estate, the city of twelve million people all descended from one guy.

197

Just finished and sent out story 197, "220 Salamander Avenue, Ten Stories Down." It's about a three people trying to work out their love triangle while on the clock and tripping on psychic manipulation. A good time will be had by all (except for those three)!

195 & 196

 Damn, I need to post here more regularly. I completed story 195, "All the Trees Will Scream," two months ago. It's about a spy who goes undercover for centuries.

Story 196, "Asterion in Love," was done last week. It's a story that gives the Minotaur a happy ending (in more ways than one).

Longlisted for a BSFA Award!

 "Turf War 2200" has been longlisted for the BSFA Award for Best Short Fiction. I'm pretty stoked! 

Here's the list: https://bsfa.co.uk/bsfa-awards-longlist

Here's the audio version of the story: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/spacecowboybooks/episodes/2023-02-15T00_06_45-08_00

And you can read it in my latest collection, Bleeding is Easy if You Know How to Open Up: https://www.amazon.com/Bleeding-Easy-You-Know-Open-ebook/dp/B0CRWY82NM

My New Collection Is Out!

My latest collection, "Bleeding is Easy if You Know How to Open Up," is now up at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Bleeding-Easy-You-Know-Open-ebook/dp/B0CRWY82NM

Here's a quick rundown:

Things are going to get strange from here. Fairy tales merge with science fiction to create a new mythology for the present. Those exploring the depths of Space-Time feel they’re trapped in terrible dreams and not experiencing the adventures they were promised. Lives are reflected upon from a future prison cell one shares with one’s family, or from beneath a collapsed building all alone in the darkness. Beauty is formed in the nothingness between works. Romance is sought in the face of mortality. Emotions are sold. Lawns are trimmed. Hope is found within Lovecraftian despair. Hope is found within Lovecraftian despair? That’s the most ridiculous sentence in this summary!

 
Stories include, and are limited to:

 
That Feeling You’re Feeling
Tempus Fuhg It
Expiration Date
I was Meant to Live Another Thousand Years
You Will Find Yourself Buried Beneath Rubble
Those Who Live in Negative Space
Turf War 2200
Life-in-Death was She
Three Princesses
Between Worlds
The Shallow One

My Latest Story Is Out!

Story 171, "Their Heads Filled to Bursting" is out for your reading pleasure in the Autumn 2023 issue of Kaleidotrope! This one is a science fiction/horror story about a sensory-enhanced woman investigating a murder in a city where the governing AI is on the edge of breaking down. Enjoy!

194

I sent out story 194 of The One-Thousand, which is "Hazel," an alternate world 1950's secret agent story involving aliens. It was inspired by a few listens to Portishead's album, Roseland NYC Live.

I don't think this title deserves an exclamation point. 

192 and 193

I just finished writing a ten-minute play, Cheeseburger with Wings, for this year's ICFA and I thought it would be story 192. Then I realized the last one I wrote, The Three Spaces of Eve, back in March of 2016, was never added to The One-Thousand. Maybe I figured because it wasn't for money, it didn't count. But I wrote other freebies early on and they counted. So, I'm counting both of them now. And rather than fuck up the numbers I've assigned to things in between, I'm calling Eve 192, and Cheeseburger 193. And that's all I'll hear about that.

191

Just finished and shipped out story 191, "The Grow-Your-Own-Dog Kit," a flash piece that is told from the kit's point of view as its very young user runs amok with its contents. So much fun!

Turf War 2200!

My latest story is live on episode 60 of Simultaneous Times! "Turf War 2200!" (Story 175 of The One-Thousand) It's a stunning tale of love, anger, and lawn maintenance! Enjoy!

 https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/spacecowboybooks/episodes/2023-02-15T00_06_45-08_00

 

190

Just completed and shipped out story 190, "The Orange Man," a science fantasy about an immigrant who's in over his head in a strange new city.

How I Hope 2023 Will Go

Happy New Year!

So, yesterday I went over how badly I failed at my 2022 goals. I was struck by the fact that I may have written more words last year than any previous year and yet I finished less fiction than almost any year since I started writing... uh... thirty-two years ago?(!) Holy shit.

Anyway, I've only got one real goal this year and that is to finish and submit twenty-four short stories. I'll still track word counts and submissions, and I'm also going to help my dog lose weight by feeding her less and getting her to move more, but the only goal I'm going to be uptight about is finishing those stories. Flash fiction won't count toward the twenty-four (Though they will count toward the One-Thousand). I think if I can meet this goal, it will be a real turning point in my writing career. I'm excited and now I'm going to stop writing this, so I can start writing those. Have a great 2023!