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SF Chronicle Review of Darkness

Michael Berry over at the San Francisco Chronicle has tipped his hat to Ellen Datlow's Darkness: Two Decades of Modern Horror.

"Darkness" promises to please both longtime fans and readers who have no clue what "splatterpunk" was supposed to mean.

You can read more at: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/04/25/RV901D0SU1.DTL#ixzz0mFAmjacw

The Best of Joe R. Lansdale Contest Winners

First off, congratulations to Lansdale himself for getting some well-deserved recognition across the pond:

From The Guardian:

"Let this volume introduce you to his uncensored, unfiltered world. He is a writer deserving of a wide and appreciative audience."

Now, let's get to the contest winners!

Revolution Science Fiction issued a challenge: write a horror story in 67 words, and make it fun and weird. The winners will receive a free copy of The Best of Joe R. Lansdale.

Here are the winning stories:

Day 1 Winner:

Eyes smoldered red, vicious jaws opened far too wide, razor teeth anticipated flesh.

The little dog charged.

Suddenly, Top Hat & Cane was moving. His dark cloak swirled, a ball of silver became a streak.

The small animal mewled with pain then a midget lay dead in its place on the sidewalk.

“Goddamn Were-Pugs.”

Top Hat & Cane readjusted his cloak, brushed idly at a lapel. -- Thomas Mueller

Day 2 Winner:

"Tangled Hearts"

Battle ends, men scream. Night falls. Severed legs walk slowly to a pile, followed by crawling arms, which form a giant shape with multiple arms and dozens of legs, hundreds of fingers. A voice wails "never again," but a louder voice commands the arms to commence firing; the body disintegrates.

A mutilated head rolls out. "Told you to shoot that bastard in the mouth." -- Gay Fifer

Day 3 Winner:

Crash!

Marko’s front door tore away in a flurry of wood splinters. Beyond hovered a massive, phantasmagorical whale-like being, translucent and pale. Tentacles writhed around its mouth.

As one grabbed Marko about the middle and hauled him toward the cavernous mouth, Marko screamed, "Why?"

The whale boomed: "Your father only APPEARED human. He was really a ninth-dimensional plankton, and so are you."

Then it ate him. -- Allen Wise

Day 4 Winner:

"Bugs"

The secretary put the small brown box on the desk of Jack Watts, head of Warner Brothers’ animation department, and skittered away.

"Is it true?" Jack asked, absent-mindedly opening the box. "Has Bugs Bunny really joined Al-Qaeda?"

A nervous, sweaty underling adjusted his collar as Jack’s hand reached into the box and reappeared holding a bright red cylindrical object.

A lit stick of dynamite. -- Philip Burch

Day 5 Winner

"Grammar Nazi"

Terror screamed through her brain as demand for performance meant everything. All she could see was the large expanse of black: board, boots, uniform. The crop snapped across her back.

“Wrong! That is not a sentence. It’s a FRAGMENT. Take her to the shower chamber."

As she was marched away, she nearly wept. No one told her grammar would mean life, and now, death. -- Rhonda Eudaly

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Congratulations to all the winners, and don't forget to click the links to read each day's awesomely weird runner's up.

SF in SF Special Events

Do you like Science Fiction? Do you like it in San Francisco? Well good! Because that's where we've got it.

First, it's not too late to RSVP to the special kid's movie event screening of How To Train Your Dragon. Suggested donation is 15$ for an adult with child, with additional adult, $5, additional child, $10. Film starts at noon, this Saturday, and you get FREE popcorn and candy!

Proceeds go to the Variety Children's Charity to help help buy pediatric wheelchairs.

Please RSVP by Thursday, April 22nd for this special event to sfinsfevents@gmail.com, and put “DRAGON” in your subject line.

Find out more at the SF in SF homepage.

Next, on Wednesday, April 28th come on down to the 2nd Annual Science Fiction and Fantasy art exhibit.

See local artist show off their amazing talent for strange landscapes, unknown creatures, and visual concepts that are definitely out of this world.

Wednesday, April 28 – 6:00PM – 9:00PM

Periscope Cellars

1410 62nd Street, Emeryville, CA

You don't want to miss this

Darkness Goes Down Choate Road

Gregory Hall over at horror blog Choate Road has just reviewed Darkness: Two Decades of Modern Horror.

Another factor I enjoyed is getting to read established and decorated writers I haven’t had a chance to dive into yet. In some instances, their stories were the ones I enjoyed the most. Steve Rasnic Tem hit me hard with his story ‘Heat’. I loved Terry Dowling’s ‘Stitch’. I am sad to admit I haven’t read as much Dan Simmons or Poppy Z Brite as I should have. But after being sucked in by their stories here, I’m going to change that.
...DARKNESS is about as close to horror perfection as any fan could ask for in an anthology.

Awesome! Glad you love the book as much as we do, Gregory.

Read the compete review over at Choate Road

Shambling Towards the Hugos

The Hugo Award nominations are out, and we are happy to announce that James Morrow's Shambling Toward Hiroshima has been nominated in the Best Novella category.

The Hugo Awards will be presented at Worldcon this September.

Announcing the Make-a-Genre Contest Winner!

And the winner is...Andrew Fox!

Despite it being a total conflict of interest (he's the author of Tachyon title, The Good Humor Man), Andrew Fox is the winner of our first annual Make-a-Genre contest!

Here's his submission:



FURRYPUNK: THE ANTHOLOGY

Writers are encouraged to revisit the realm of classic American animation to appropriate any characters which have fallen into the Public Domain. Said characters, rescued from obscurity, will inhabit a new "shared universe" where the iconography, costuming, and speech patterns of the Jazz Age and Depression America have been grafted onto the U.S.A. of the Obama Era,
creating a rich mise-en-scene wherein anthropomorphic animals can act out their antisocial impulses, interact with bizarre new technologies, experiment with interspecies sex, and work on their abandonment issues.

--

Andrew, your book will be published as soon as we get your money for it (see contest rules from yesterday's post). We accept checks, paypal, Visa/Mastercard (NOT Discover, who do you think we are?) but of course, cash is preferred.

Andrew will be at RavenCon next weekend, stop by if you're in the area and let him know how much you're looking forward to FURRYPUNK: THE ANTHOLOGY.

Make-a-Genre Contest

Well, if Locus says it, it *must* be true. See below for contest submission information.

Tachyon Publications Announces First Annual Make-a-Genre Contest

by C.J. Klempest
-posted @ 4/01/2010 12:01:00 AM PT

Tachyon Publications publisher Jacob Weisman today announced a competition to invent a new subgenre of science fiction and fantasy. "Over the past few years we've published a series of books which group writers who have never heard of one another into tightly-knit literary movements," says Weisman. "Our slipstream, steampunk, post-cyberpunk, and new weird anthologies have done very well for us."

However, since Tachyon's stable of editors has so far failed to come up with any new titles for the 2010-11 publishing season, Weisman has decided to turn to the general public for ideas. "Ideally we'd like a book that has makes the case that Stephen King, Audrey Niffenegger, Michael Crichton, Diana Gabaldon, Robert Jordan, Garrison Keillor, Neil Gaiman, and Nora Roberts have worked in close concert over the years to push speculative fiction to the cutting edge. Of course, the list of contributors is negotiable, depending on the genre you decide to invent. Just hit us with your best shot."

The Make-A-Genre contest is open to all readers and writers over the age of twenty-one.... "A catchy name for your genre is a definite plus," adds Bernie Goodman, Tachyon's Vice President of Long Range Planning. First prize is publication in Tachyon's fall list. "We're hoping to debut this book at the World Fantasy Convention in Columbus," says Weisman, "and if we get the response we anticipate, we'll continue the contest on a yearly basis."

***

So email Make.a.Genre@tachyonpublications.com with your entry. The winner gets to bankroll their own Tachyon anthology - all you have to do is put up the money for the story acquisitions; cover and interior art and design; copyediting/proofreading; printing advance galleys and finished books; PR (Matt Staggs will do you proud), and distribution fees. Submissions must be in by April 1st, 11:59 p.m. P.S.T.

Perhaps you will be inspired by the planned sequel to today's brand-new Tachyon release, The Kosher Guide to Imaginary Animals. Yes, it's the next VanderMeer/Evil Monkey instant classic, The Goyim Guide to Tainted Meats. So very delectable, yet so not for the faint of stomach.

Praise for Kosher Guide and the VanderMeers

Rick Kleffel at The Agony Column believes that the amazing productivity of Ann and Jeff VanderMeer is thanks to an army of inter-dimensional clones working sweatshop hours to produce weird fiction for you, the people. We here at Tachyon can neither confirm or deny this, however we do urge you to enjoy the fruits of the VanderMeer labor force, and while you're at it, check out Agony Column's review of Kosher Guide.

Meanwhile, at the Barnes and Noble Review, Bill Tipper sits down with Ann and her Evil Monkey husband to talk Kosher Guide, Kosher Law, and the imaginary animal they'd most like to eat.

Last but not least, Rick Klaw from San Antonio Current is happy to see a Passover-season comedy.

What's coming from Tachyon

At Tachyon, we actually have *two* slogans: "Saving the world, one good book at a time" and "Smart Science Fiction and Fantasy." Here some Tachyon titles that will smartly save the world in the months to come...

The Third Bear
Jeff VanderMeer
July 2010
Compared by critics to Borges, Nabokov, and Kafka, an inventive contemporary fantasist continues to amaze with this surreal, innovative, and absurdist gathering of award-winning short fiction. Exotic beasts and improbable travelers roam restlessly through Jeff Vandermeer's darkly diverting and finely-honed tales.

The Very Best of Charles de Lint
July 2010
The finest stories of this popular pioneer of urban fantasy and creator of the mythical city of Newford have been chosen by Charles de Lint — and his fans — and gathered in this extraordinary collection. These are retold fairy tales and new modern myths that redefine magic, whether it's found in a heroic, selfless act or sitting two tables away at your local café.

The Secret History of Fantasy
Peter S. Beagle, ed.
August 2010
In this exciting canonic volume, Peter S. Beagle introduces readers to the other side of fantasy fiction. As epic sword-and-sorcery fantasy became popular, gifted writers rediscovered older fantasy classics and redefined the genre in their own unique voices. Contributors include Gregory Maguire, Francesca Lia Block, Stephen King, Yann Martel, Patricia McKillip, and more.

The Search for Philip K. Dick
Anne R. Dick
September 2010
This highly-revealing biography and memoir reveals the inner workings of one of the twentieth century’s most important writers through his tumultuous relationship with his third wife. Even after their marriage collapsed, Philip K. Dick continued to haunt Ann Dick, appearing in her life at random intervals and then retreating again. Upon his tragic death, she spent many years researching his life, resulting in an unrepresented portrait of both the man and her life with him, for better and for worse.

Steampunk II: Steampunk Reloaded
Ann & Jeff VanderMeer, eds.
October 2010
Steampunk Reloaded takes up where the highly popular first Steampunk anthology left off. Herein you will find ample new evidence of the burgeoning Steampunk tradition, from the light and humorous to the decidedly more serious. Clockwork contraptions, outrageous dirigibles, and insane inventors hold court, lovingly collected in classic tales as well as original art, fiction, and nonfiction. Contributors include William Gibson, Jake Von Slatt, Cherie Priest, Gail Carriger, and many more.

Flaming Zeppelins
Joe R. Lansdale
November 2010
Join the disembodied head of Buffalo Bill Cody, Annie Oakley, Sitting Bull, Frankenstein (a.k.a. The Creature), the Tin Man, Captain Nemo, the Flying Dutchman, and the inestimable Ned the Seal, as they embark upon a spectacular set of non-stop Steampunk adventures. For the first time, these two epic chronicles, partly-inscribed by a courageous young seal on his trusty notepad, are collected together in one volume.

Crucified Dreams
Joe R. Lansdale, ed.
February 2011
Crossing noir with the supernatural, this luridly visceral anthology attacks polite society and plunges into the unthinkable horrors lurking in its underbelly. These are savage tales of private dicks, serial killers, pitiless demons, recalling the wino in the gutter who was an opera singer before his throat was slit.

Sleight of Hand
Peter S. Beagle
March 2011
This extraordinary collection of new fiction reveals a magician at the height of his powers, a storyteller who is more mesmerizing with every tale. From the top of the Berlin Wall to the depths of the darkest seas, gods and monsters battle their enemies and innermost fears, yet mere mortals make the truly difficult choices. Whether melancholy, comedic, or deeply tragic, these tales are suffused with a luminous misdirection that reveals far more meets the eye.

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Your future reading list just got a whole lot more interesting.